Why are games so complicated?

[staceyinastoria]

So, my friends and I played Shadowrun  (version 4) yesterday.  It is our second actual session (they had also played a micro version) and it left me a bit irriatated.  Don't get me wrong, I have always liked the setting of the game.  Kind of a cyberpunk with magic.  I also remember playing this game in the early 90's and enjoying it then as well.

Comments

[samldanach]

It's a tricky question, and one that ends up having a number of answers

[staceyinastoria]

Wow that was a mouthful. I get what you are saying. I would love to find something that is a realistic as possible, but I don't think all the "crunching" always makes that happen. I started out with D&D and can understand how complicated that game started out to be. But Shadowrun really pushes the complicated aspect of this to a very high level. I would rather play games with simpler systes (sotc or instance) than get annoyed by having to go back and reread the battle section for like the 10th time. :)

[matt_m_mcelroy]

This is why I've become such a huge fan of Gregor Hutton's 3:16 - Carnage Amongst The Stars.

The game is amazingly easy to learn, character creation is quick and fun, characters develop during play and there are tons of cool twists you can use to keep things interesting.

I've run variations on Aliens, Dawn of the Dead and 13th Warrior already.

[staceyinastoria]

I have heard a lot of people talk about how much fun 3:16 is. I have yet to get around to buying/playing it.