If you had the Rights to do Whatever You Wanted with your Favorite Game?

[JAMUMU]

Basically, I'd try to get a flywheel going for a huge boost to the number of people playing TTRPG's through the power of marketing. I'd leave thee system design to the professionals.

It's just like Twitter, but you can kill the asshole you're arguing with.

Which, no shade, is an amazing game pitch.

 

[A Fiery Flying Roll]

Define "nearly limitless funds'?

Because if I had like, Elon Musk level money, I'd acquire the rights to a good system (e.g. Year Zero Engine, BRP), raise the designer's and publisher's salaries, and then market the crap out of it.

Blanket streaming and podcasts with ads for the game.

Get sponsored streamers of the Critical Role variety to do spin-off streams/live plays. Turn those into animated or live action series/movies.

Do super-bowl ads a few years running.

Basically, I'd try to get a flywheel going for a huge boost to the number of people playing TTRPG's through the power of marketing. I'd leave thee system design to the professionals.

I think that's all a really good idea and I'd add one thing. Organised play, especially after school clubs. This is why Warhammer dominate the wargame scene so much; they're the only option most kids come across and they stick with the brand.

 

[Brock Savage]

Into the Unknown. Even though this game is a "Platinum" best-seller on DTRPG, it could use some help IMO.

• Clean up and edit the core books. (They're quite charming, but I've noticed some minor layout problems and typos that should be fixed.)
• Finish and publish the 6th book (The "Companion" volume.)
• Publish a supplement that "AD&D-izes" the game (provides 9 alignments; adds gnomes, half-elves, and half-orcs; separates classes and races; adds options for paladins, illusionists, etc., as first-level options for standard classes).
• Purchase some art specifically for the game (don't rely so much on public domain material). Covers by someone like Erol Otus would be great for the "old school" ethos of the game. (Or Jeff Dee. Pete Mullen's stuff has a cool "old school" vibe as well.)
• Optional: make the system also available in two hardcover books (PHB + DMG).
• Optional: provide a setting for the game and some adventures (not essential, given its compatibility with 5e and the advice given for converting material from earlier editions).

Dang dude these are good ideas. I would add:

• A DMs guide to building your own races, classes, backgrounds, weapons and spells. IMHO making the system your own is one area where ItU really shines over standard 5e.
• Hire my favorite designers, writers (Jeff Talanian, Geoffrey McKinney), and artists (Peter Mullen, Erol Otus) to craft a weird Mythos-inspired sword & sorcery setting for adults. This is a vanity project and I do not care if it turns a profit.

 

[Dammit Victor]

My answer really depends on what I consider my favorite game is on the day you ask.

Dungeons & Dragons: There will be a complete (Paizo style) SRD for every version of the game, including Buck Rogers and d20 Modern. OGL, ORC, and CC. (If the scope of the question allows, also Gamma World 4e and Pathfinder/Starfinder.) I would make the bulk of my money on D&D branded accessories, merchandise, and licensing; I would expand the DM's Guild program to include all of the classic D&D settings and reach out to original creators for "modern D&D" official updates.

As for the rules themselves? I'd hire people to help me do a 100% official version of the thing I was doing anyway and... I'm not even sure I'd release it as an "official version" of D&D. I don't think anyone would even notice.

Alternity Science Fiction Roleplaying: Third edition, based on the first edition rules (incorporating the A.net houserules) in an omnibus edition. SRD, copyleft all the licenses, really you should just assume that from here on out. Big FX volume for expanding psionics, magic, cybernetics, mutations and superpowers. Revise and update Star•Drive and Dark•Matter, Gamma World (with more 4e-like content) and StarCraft.

Street Fighter: the Storytelling Game: I'm basically already doing this, except it'd be nice to be able to use the proper button names and canonical special moves. I would like to jiggle the attributes around a little, pad out the technique list and trim down the skill list; disentangle Willpower's normal Storyteller uses from its Special Move uses, implement Super Meter and all the nifty things you can use it on. Robust (if basic) weapons rules. Based on the 20th Anniversary collection of the rules plus C.H.A.M.P.S. No character bios in the core.

But then we start in sourcebooks: a player's guide expanding cyber/psychic/magic/etc stuff (including noncombat stuff); a whole sourcebook for armed combat; a Mad Gear/street gang sourcebook; a Shadoloo/Illuminati grand conspiracy sourcebook; an INTERPOL/special forces sourcebook; a ninjas and mercenaries sourcebook; a professional wrestling/combat sports/underground street fighting sourcebook; and an entire sourcebook for ansatsuken and the satsui no hado, including Gen and Oro.

 

[chuckdee]

Into the Unknown. Even though this game is a "Platinum" best-seller on DTRPG, it could use some help IMO.

Do you have a link? The one I see is an adventure, so I guess that's not it.

 

[Bunch]

So two games I'd like to be in control of but honestly one system could likely handle them both.
Gamma World and Justifiers. System wise I think I'd use a d20 system since I have never felt the granularity of d100 was really necessary. For Justifiers an archetype system would in my mind be genre appropriate. I imagine Betas created with standard skill packages.
Mostly what I'd do is support them.

 

[Brock Savage]

Do you have a link? The one I see is an adventure, so I guess that's not it.

Here ya go.

Street Fighter: the Storytelling Game: I'm basically already doing this, except it'd be nice to be able to use the proper button names and canonical special moves. I would like to jiggle the attributes around a little, pad out the technique list and trim down the skill list; disentangle Willpower's normal Storyteller uses from its Special Move uses, implement Super Meter and all the nifty things you can use it on. Robust (if basic) weapons rules. Based on the 20th Anniversary collection of the rules plus C.H.A.M.P.S. No character bios in the core.

Seriously underrated game. Sadly I did not buy the hardcopy when it was available.

 

[Stumpydave]

40k. Only there are no good guys. Just "your" guys.
I'd ditch or reboot most of the lore written since 2nd edition. Primaris are the real space marines, first born are just normal humans in Astartes style armour. I like orcs as a fungal species so that can stay, but I'd drop hints that they were created as a defence against the Tyranids.
I'd also go big on the "Fantasy" but in space vibe the original had. Which would probably mean dropping the Tau but I'm sure hints of their continued existence will make them the new Squats.

 

[AsenRG]

40k. Only there are no good guys. Just "your" guys.

...and the change is?

 

[Chaotic Wooster]

I wouldn’t say it’s my favorite game, but it’s probably my biggest gaming heartbreaker… I’d buy Rifts and then jettison everything about its rules and start from scratch.

I’m still up in the air about whether I’d stop the overuse of the copyright symbol every time the megaverse is mentioned.

You gotta keep the copyright symbols. Hell, you gotta add more.

Warhammer: I'd dial the setting back somewhere between 1st and 2nd edition. So, somewhere where it was when the first Realms of Sorcery book was published. Secondly I'd dial the system into some kind of sweet spot between 2nd and 4th editions and just ignore any rules resembling the third edition. Thirdly, I'd add a bunch more chaos gods. Like a lot more, to make chaos seem less... organized.

Absolutely agree on where you'd land with the rules. Call it 1st edition, tided up or 2nd edition, simplified. But it's a good place to be. 4th is too busy, despite some good ideas.

There ARE more chaos gods. Khorne, Nurgle, Tzeentch and Slaanesh are the big four, true. But there's Hashut and the Horned Rat, there used to be Malal back in the 1st edition days, I'd bring him right back. There's also the multitude of chaos gods worshipped by the warbands in Warcry (Great Gatherer, Ever-Raging Flame, Coiling Ones, etc.) that could easily port back into the old world.

Probably hire Steve Kenson to help me do a serious overhaul of Marvel SAGA. Since we're playing fantasy here, this assumes I also have the Marvel license, so for module support I'd do multiple themed lines of adventures and roster books that cater to different eras of Marvel to allow maximum flexibility for groups to settle into gaming in their preferred era.

Yes. Yes to all of this.

Street Fighter: the Storytelling Game: I'm basically already doing this, except it'd be nice to be able to use the proper button names and canonical special moves. I would like to jiggle the attributes around a little, pad out the technique list and trim down the skill list; disentangle Willpower's normal Storyteller uses from its Special Move uses, implement Super Meter and all the nifty things you can use it on. Robust (if basic) weapons rules. Based on the 20th Anniversary collection of the rules plus C.H.A.M.P.S. No character bios in the core.

Taking the core building blocks of the Street Fighter game, which are it's combat system and fighting styles, as the basis for a new game would be great if done well. I guess if you've got the SF license you can't add stuff from other fighting games (at least by name), but there is a lot more to work with now than there was when the rpg was first published.

-

For myself, I'd take either Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles & Other Strangeness OR Robotech.

Both would get a ground-up tidy of the Palladium rules. No major changes, actually. Just made more coherent, less redundancy in the writing, trimmed skills list and a huge effort to improve layout, presentation, etc. Fully index everything, obviously.

I'd keep the books as the 112 page things of beauty that they are. I'd keep as much original art as possible.

In the case of TMNT, I'd keep as much of the original Mirage-era material as possible, with a few nods to the fun ideas from later shows/comics. I'd add the organization creation rules from Ninjas & Superspies for the various groups making/hunting mutants.

In the case of Robotech I'd try to line up with the official data a bit more for mecha and the like. I'd include a reconciled timeline in the referee section, including an overview of where the canon storyline will go, and what impact that will have on characters (getting old, having kids, leaving for space, rebuilding society, etc.).

Both books will have a more helpful referee section.

Both lines would be supported with a Screen + Adventure + More Ref stuff.

TMNT would have "Mutants of..." regional books, with After the Bomb described as an OPTIONAL setting, covering each territory. But also just work for modern day animals and adventures too.

Robotech would need books for each era. Books for Zentraedi characters/campaigns, more mecha, etc. I'd still fill in the gaps with adventure books (Strikeforce, New World Order, etc.).

 

[Silverlion]

MSH/FASERIP
I'd re-explain the rules, clear up any inconsistencies, add tools for creating your own setting, and include an example with modern color art. I might tighten up the chart a bit, but I'd need to playtest it a lot first. I'd expand on powers while also simplifying them, things like the energy control powers would fall under a single heading with suggested stunts for all control powers and then type-specific ones (Fire, Energy, Electricity, etc.) I'd offer some notes for common house rules, and make more karma a default rule.

 

[Stumpydave]

...and the change is?

There seems to be too many people demanding a "good guy" faction, not realising this isn't a game about hope, it's a game of increasing despair with the only thing holding back a tide of unrelenting death, pain and fear is brutality and oppression.

And we like it like that.

 

[TristramEvans]

40K is a game plagued by fans and non-fans who don't get the joke.

 

[lategamer]

I am not saying that Fate Core is my favorite game. But it is one of the systems I am running.
It feels more like a scholar trying to describe the game in an academic way. And I think many people don't understand how to play Fate because of that.

Spot on. I recently bought Fate of Cthulhu and I don't even know where to begin with the system even though it seems like it should be fairly simple. Which is weird to me because I'm really enjoying the non-system parts of it.

 

[lategamer]

For me, the choice would be Skyrealms of Jorune. It's a fabulously visualised alien world. I'd get Ian Kaufman from the "Shambo in the Shenters" Facebook group to produce a Mythras version just to shut you lot up. And I'd spend the GDP of a small region of the UK on art.

That said, I have heaps of games that I do own the IP for that I should spend more money on layout and art. But I'm just this one dude...

 

[Skywalker]

Mine would be Exalted. I would revert back to the level of complexity in 1e and streamline the rules whilst hiring Kevin Crawford to consult on Charm design and world and adventure building tools.

 

[JAMUMU]

Mine would be Exalted. I would revert back to the level of complexity in 1e and streamline the rules whilst hiring Kevin Crawford to consult on Charm design and world and adventure building tools.

Preach it! Where do I send my coupon to support this endeavour!?!? A return to all the space on that giant map, before the fan-wank second wave designers filled it up with crapola.

 

[Toadmaster]

Spot on. I recently bought Fate of Cthulhu and I don't even know where to begin with the system even though it seems like it should be fairly simple. Which is weird to me because I'm really enjoying the non-system parts of it.

I've had the same issue with Fate, and several other "lite" systems. I guess my brain is just hard wired to look for a rules structure that is lacking in many rules lite systems. Based on my experience with T&T I think rules lite requires more exposure to experienced GMs who can help utilize the minimal rules. T&T I was kind of meh on until I started hanging around the Troll Bridge forums and saw how to really run the game. Running it just like a trim D&D wasn't very satisfying.

 

[Rogerdee]

I would redo the Palladium system, and make it compatible across all editions.

So I would have one version for use with standard lower level play, and progression into low level supers - so a monk could become an ancient master.

Then have a full on supers game.

And finally, a Lords of Gossamer second edition.

And also publish my various world settings, and various multiverses.

 

[Spellslinging Sellsword]

If I had a ton of money burning a hole in my pocket with no need to see a return on investment, then I'd buy all the major systems (D&D, World of Darkness, GURPS, BRP, etc.) and make all of them available under an open license.

 

[chuckdee]

Eclipse Phase - I'd completely redo the rules- or even better yet, use variation of another rules system, and concentrate on the rich setting.

Gumshoe - I'd not depend totally on skills or types of skills, but have some other descriptor to mesh with that- to allow you to better define the character consistently.

Trinity/Aberrant/Adventure - finally jettison that Storyteller BS and either use or create a better system.

So I have to ask AsenRG about the inscrutable emoji on this post...

 

[chuckdee]

Spot on. I recently bought Fate of Cthulhu and I don't even know where to begin with the system even though it seems like it should be fairly simple. Which is weird to me because I'm really enjoying the non-system parts of it.

Check out the Book of Hanz. I guess that would be the way to rewrite it - get that guy to do it.

 

[E-Rocker]

If I had the rights to my favorite game and the rights to a specific media property, I would make a Savage Worlds setting book for Gummi Bears.

 

[AsenRG]

So I have to ask AsenRG about the inscrutable emoji on this post...

It meant simply "I understand why you would want to fix Gumshoe skills to not be finite things, I can see why you'd jettison the ST system, but why change Eclipse Phase's system when the d100 is doing just fine"!

 

[chuckdee]

It meant simply "I understand why you would want to fix Gumshoe skills to not be finite things, I can see why you'd jettison the ST system, but why change Eclipse Phase's system when the d100 is doing just fine"!

Some of that d100 people complain about in the way that people complain about Fate. Some of the systems (especially things like Forking and merging forks and other morph and ego craziness) are a lot more complicated than they need to be.

 

[AsenRG]

Some of that d100 people complain about in the way that people complain about Fate. Some of the systems (especially things like Forking and merging forks and other morph and ego craziness) are a lot more complicated than they need to be.

No, I agree the system could stand a clarification or two (though there's a second edition that I haven't seen, maybe it's happened already). But I see no need to scratch the whole system, was the point of the emoji.

 

[David Johansen]

Well, Rolemaster just got a new edition and it's not what I would have done so let's talk Spacemaster.

Okay first off, we're putting Character Law and Future Law into a single book and Tech Law in one volume instead of three. We're rebalancing the racial builds so they can be more viable adventurers and match the descriptions. Falaron shouldn't be smaller than humans. We're at least doubling the number of training packages and getting rid of undefined ranks wherever we can. Same with racial / cultural packages fewer undefined ranks why do you even have a package if the ranks are undefined? We're doing a single volume setting guide that will nail down why the pacifist Kagoth are turning blood thirsty and why androids die if they log into the Sensenet. If Robert Defendi doesn't remember or doesn't want to write it the reasons will be that the Xanotasian queens turned the Kagoth into pacifists telepathically and they're actually recovering, there's a rogue brain tape of a Xanotasian in the Sensenet and the ancients were the Valesians all along, it's always who you least expect.

Anyhow, after about three years we'll bring back a slightly cleaned up RMSS that will make it easy to work with just categories, just skills, or both and stay compatible and say the new edition was an ill advised mistake.

 

[EmperorNorton]

Bring the Marvel license back to Cortex and just heavily heavily focus on X-Men stuff. Or X-Men M&M3e. Or just both to appeal to different groups of people cause I have infinite money apparently.

Also, Resident Evil using the version of Year Zero that is used in Alien. But with more focus on resource management.

 

[James Gillen]

I wouldn’t say it’s my favorite game, but it’s probably my biggest gaming heartbreaker… I’d buy Rifts and then jettison everything about its rules and start from scratch.

I’m still up in the air about whether I’d stop the overuse of the copyright symbol every time the megaverse is mentioned.

Because it's the universe that does MegaDamage! (tm)

JG

 

[Telok]

First the obscene answer

Spoiler

Create a well lawyerd knockoff called Dildos & Dongs that involves actual Satanisim. You know, because free advertising is good advertising and if its done right nobody will be able to keep a straight face for giggling (that or they'd be having an epic apoplectic fit).

 

[carpocratian]

I would re-do "Unknown Armies," keeping the obsession-based magic system (which I really love) and tossing out everything else, like the "madness meters."

 

[Simlasa]

I'd buy up the rights to The Whispering Vault, its sourcebooks, and all its unpublished whatnots (if they still exist). Then I'd hire someone sturdy and sensible to massage the setting into a workable system (even if it's just a 2.0 of the original)... also hire some gnarly artists to amp up the visuals (the kids like visuals). Also hire some like-minded folks to write up a variety of 'hunts' for it... and bolster its campaign potential.

It's likely I'd still have money left over to have some uber cool stuff written for Magic World.

 

[MoonHunter]

Actually, if I could buy Magic World from Chaosium (and maybe the rest of the Worlds of Wonder), I would make Bill Monroe very happy as we would build out that game(s). (Then the same for Future World and Super World.) I would back step the rules again to a simpler version of a BRP like game, with a simpler skill point distribution system.

 

[AsenRG]

I would re-do "Unknown Armies," keeping the obsession-based magic system (which I really love) and tossing out everything else, like the "madness meters."

...that's funny. Would you mind giving me the "everything else", then? You know, for a different game?

The obsession-based magic system, although it had potential, was the least interesting part of the game to me.

 

[carpocratian]

...that's funny. Would you mind giving me the "everything else", then? You know, for a different game?

The obsession-based magic system, although it had potential, was the least interesting part of the game to me.

I never cared for the Passions (Rage/Fear/Noble Stimuli) and Madness Meters/Shock Gauges. I'm not a big fan of going into that deep level on character personality traits mechanically, or even just for flavor on a character sheet, particularly when you can accomplish the same thing with some decent roleplaying, an interesting character concept, and (perhaps) a few quirks or flaws.

I like the overall setting and feel of the game, particularly the first couple of editions. I love the obsession-based magic system of the Adepts, and have seriously considered layering it onto another system for a campaign at some point. I could pretty easily do that with just about any other system, from OpenD6 to BRP.

 

[rumble]

Can someone point me to a thread that explains why I should care about Mythras?
My understanding is that it's RQ with the serial numbers filed off.

 

[AsenRG]

I would re-do "Unknown Armies," keeping the obsession-based magic system (which I really love) and tossing out everything else, like the "madness meters."

I never cared for the Passions (Rage/Fear/Noble Stimuli) and Madness Meters/Shock Gauges. I'm not a big fan of going into that deep level on character personality traits mechanically, or even just for flavor on a character sheet, particularly when you can accomplish the same thing with some decent roleplaying, an interesting character concept, and (perhaps) a few quirks or flaws.

No, no you really can't. You can accomplish a similar, albeit related, thing, which might be better in some respects, worse in others, but not the same thing!

I like the overall setting and feel of the game, particularly the first couple of editions. I love the obsession-based magic system of the Adepts, and have seriously considered layering it onto another system for a campaign at some point. I could pretty easily do that with just about any other system, from OpenD6 to BRP.

Sure, knock yourself out! I didn't say a single word against it - UA, especially the 2e, is among my favourite games of all times, after all...

Can someone point me to a thread that explains why I should care about Mythras?
My understanding is that it's RQ with the serial numbers filed off.

Since it was originally RQ6, sure, you can say that. Me, I say "improved" instead!

 

[Telok]

Hmmm... having trying for a while I finally thought of a non obscene answer. Buy out Hasbro, take it private, reactivate some of the lost toy lines (its ok for there to be expensive collectables and cheap chunks of plastic for kids to wreck in the same line), nuke Monopoly as a "family fun game" because that's just advertising being a bunch of lying shits, and split D&D back into 'basic' & 'advanced'.

One a limited/low option easy street with barely any math and no hard decisions, stops at level ten. Keep to the 'iconic' original races & classes only. Funny thing, it'll look a lot like BX and some of the OSR stuff.

The other is just a stripped down core book, four base classes, and the basic "behind the scenes" math that balances stuff. A options books. Lots and lots of options books. Five types of wizard options. Seventeen types of clerics book. Make your dwarf more dwarfy book. Different fighty stuff and subsystems. Different skilly stuff and subsystems. In fact, no book comes out with just one subsystem and there are at least two incompatable subsystems each book just to hammer home that they're all options and won't all be in play at every table.

Mind, I'd also be a right evil bastard and do something like build everything off Gurps or some such behind the scenes. Present it as "classes" and complete subsystems, but keep that controlled old point buy balance. It'd come out eventually and a bunch of people married to the idea that d20 D&D is the end all be all of rpgs would shit bricks. It would be so worth it.

 

[rumble]

Since it was originally RQ6, sure, you can say that. Me, I say "improved" instead!

All cool.

The heavy lore games never really were my cup of tea. Tekumel, RQ, Jorune, Rifts. Could never wrap my head around the system and background complexity.

Just making sure I'm not missing out on something radically different than what I remember.

 

[Leon ap Hywel]

I'd buy D&D and cancel the OGL.

I buy D&D and cancel it.