A ''generic'' or ''universal'' role-playing game system is a role-playing game system designed to be independent of

campaign setting A campaign setting is a setting for a tabletop role-playing game or wargame campaign. Most campaign settings are fictional worlds; however, some are historical or contemporary real-world locations. A '' campaign'' is a series of individual adve ...

and

genre Genre () is any style or form of communication in any mode (written, spoken, digital, artistic, etc.) with socially agreed-upon conventions developed over time. In popular usage, it normally describes a category of literature, music, or other fo ...

. Its rules should, in theory, work the same way for any setting, world, environment or genre.

History

The term "generic" has been used since the earliest days of gaming to describe a system that can be used for any type or style of game. There is some dispute among role-playing enthusiasts on when the concept of a generic system originated and which was the first one published. According to Shannon Appelcline,

Chaosium Chaosium Inc. ( ) is a publisher of tabletop role-playing games established by Greg Stafford (game designer), Greg Stafford in 1975. Chaosium's major titles include ''Call of Cthulhu (role-playing game), Call of Cthulhu'', based on the horror fic ...

's ''

Basic Role-Playing ''Basic Role-Playing'' (''BRP'') is a tabletop role-playing game which originated in the ''RuneQuest'' fantasy role-playing game. Chaosium released the ''BRP'' standalone booklet in 1980 in the boxed set release of the second edition of ''RuneQ ...

'' (''BRP'', 1980), was the first generic role-playing system. ''BRP'' was a "cut-down" version of Chaosium's ''

RuneQuest ''RuneQuest'' (commonly abbreviated as RQ) is a fantasy tabletop role-playing game originally designed by Steve Perrin, Ray Turney, Steve Henderson (game designer), Steve Henderson, and Warren James, and set in Greg Stafford (game designer), Gre ...

'' role-playing game and formed the foundation for the ''

Stormbringer Stormbringer is a magic sword featured in a number of fantasy stories by the author Michael Moorcock. It is described as a huge, black sword covered with strange runes, created by the forces of Chaos. The sword has a will of its own and it is ...

'' RPG, and was also adopted for '' Call of Cthulhu'', the first horror role-playing game. The publication of ''

GURPS The ''Generic Universal Role Playing System'', or ''GURPS'', is a tabletop role-playing game system published by Steve Jackson Games. The system is designed to run any genre using the same core mechanics. The core rules were first written by St ...

'' (''Generic Universal Role-Playing System'', 1986) as a completely setting-independent game and its commercial and creative success added credence to the movement. The development of the ''

Hero System The ''Hero System'' is a generic role-playing game system that was developed from the superhero RPG '' Champions''. After ''Champions'' fourth edition was released in 1989, a stripped-down version of its ruleset with no superhero or other genr ...

'' (1989) from the

superhero A superhero or superheroine is a fictional character who typically possesses ''superpowers'' or abilities beyond those of ordinary people, is frequently costumed concealing their identity, and fits the role of the hero, typically using their ...

role-playing game ''

Champions A champion (from the late Latin ''campio'') is the victor in a challenge, contest or competition. There can be a territorial pyramid of championships, e.g. local, regional/provincial/state, national, continental and world championships, and ...

'' also had a profound influence in popularizing the concept. It truly became a dominant subject in RPG design with the release of the Third Edition of ''

Dungeons & Dragons ''Dungeons & Dragons'' (commonly abbreviated as ''D&D'' or ''DnD'') is a fantasy tabletop role-playing game (TTRPG) originally created and designed by Gary Gygax and Dave Arneson. The game was first published in 1974 by TSR (company)#Tactical ...

'' (2000) and the ''

d20 System The d20 System is a role-playing game system published in 2000 by Wizards of the Coast, originally developed for the Editions of Dungeons & Dragons#Dungeons & Dragons 3rd edition, 3rd edition of ''Dungeons & Dragons''. The system is named after ...

'' along with the creation of the

Open Gaming License The Open Game License (OGL) is a public copyright license by Wizards of the Coast that may be used by tabletop role-playing game developers to grant permission to modify, copy, and redistribute some of the content designed for their games, nota ...

(OGL).

Definition

The ''

Fuzion ''Fuzion'' is a generic role-playing game system created by the collaboration of R. Talsorian Games and Hero Games. The rights to Fuzion are jointly held by Mike Pondsmith of R. Talsorian Games, along with Steve Peterson and Ray Greer of Hero Ga ...

'' 5.02 rules uses the term "generic" to describe its basic ruleset as separate from its ''Champions'' and ''

Interlock An interlock is a feature that makes the state of two mechanisms or functions mutually dependent. It may consist of any electrical or mechanical devices, or systems. In most applications, an interlock is used to help prevent any damage to the mac ...

'' forerunners. In the second paragraph of the introduction to ''GURPS'' 3rd Edition the authors define "generic" as a means to satisfy players and game masters of many styles of play and feel for rules. This is repeated in the updated 4th edition rules along with acknowledgments to ''Champions'' as the first truly flexible

character creation Character creation (also character generation / character design) is the process of defining a player character in a role-playing game. The result of character creation is a characterization, direct characterization that is recorded on a charac ...

system. Some ''d20'' derivative, such as

Green Ronin Publishing Green Ronin Publishing is an American company based in Seattle, Washington. Founded in 2000 by Chris Pramas and Nicole Lindroos, they have published several role-playing game–related products. They won several awards for their games includi ...

Mutants & Masterminds ''Mutants & Masterminds'' (abbreviated "M&M" or "MnM") is a superhero role-playing game written by Steve Kenson and published by Green Ronin Publishing based on a variant of the d20 System by Wizards of the Coast. The game system is designed to ...

and ''

True20 ''True20'' is a role-playing game system designed by Steve Kenson and published by Green Ronin Publishing. True20 is similar to other game systems such as d20, but it has a few different mechanics. The system was first published as a part of th ...

Adventure Roleplaying'', are presented as fully generic systems.

Other influential generic systems

Blacksburg Tactical Research Center Blacksburg Tactical Research Center (BTRC) is an American game publishing company best known for the '' TimeLords'', '' Macho Women with Guns'', and ''EABA'' role-playing games. They have produced a variety of role-playing games, card games, and b ...

's ''

EABA The ''End All Be All'' game system, commonly known as ''EABA'' and pronounced "ee-buh", is a role-playing game system from Blacksburg Tactical Research Center (BTRC). It is a generic gaming system designed to adapt to any Fictional universe, ima ...

'' * Eden Studios' ''

Unisystem ''Unisystem'' is a generic role-playing game system produced by Eden Studios, Inc. It is used in ''All Flesh Must Be Eaten'', the Buffyverse role-playing games, '' CJ Carella's WitchCraft'', '' Conspiracy X (2nd Ed.)'', and several other games ...

'' *

Evil Hat Productions Evil Hat Productions is a company that produces role-playing games and other tabletop games. They are best known for the free indie RPG system ''Fate'', '' Blades in the Dark'', and '' Thirsty Sword Lesbians'', all of which have won multiple awa ...

' FATE rpg * Grey Ghost Press' ''

FUDGE ''Fudge'' is a generic role-playing game system for use in freeform role-playing games. The name "''FUDGE''" was once an acronym for ''Freeform Universal Donated'' (later, ''Do-it-yourself'') ''Gaming Engine'' and, though the acronym has since b ...

'' *

Guardians of Order Guardians of Order was a Canadian company founded in 1996 by Mark C. MacKinnon in Guelph, Ontario. The company's business output consisted of role-playing games (RPGs). Their first game is the anime inspired '' Big Eyes, Small Mouth''. In 2006 Gu ...

's ''

Tri-Stat System Guardians of Order was a Canadian company founded in 1996 by Mark C. MacKinnon in Guelph, Ontario. The company's business output consisted of role-playing games (RPGs). Their first game is the anime inspired ''Big Eyes, Small Mouth''. In 2006 Gua ...

'' *

Pinnacle Entertainment Group Pinnacle Entertainment Group is a publisher of role-playing games and wargames. History Shane Lacy Hensley wanted to create a 19th-century miniatures game so he contacted the company Chameleon Eclectic to get the game published. As a result '' Fi ...

's ''

Savage Worlds ''Savage Worlds'' is a role-playing game written by Shane Lacy Hensley and published by Pinnacle Entertainment Group. The game emphasizes speed of play and reduced preparation over realism or detail. The game received the 2003 Origin Gamers' Cho ...

'' *

R. Talsorian Games R. Talsorian Games (RTG) is a designer and publisher of role-playing game books and accessories. Originally based in Berkeley, California, the company was moved to Renton, Washington, in 1997. Their titles include the ''Cyberpunk'' series and sev ...

's ''

'' and ''

Interlock System The Interlock System is R. Talsorian Games' proprietary role-playing system. History Interlock was a game system by R. Talsorian Games based on a simple system of adding a bonus to a roll on a 10-sided die. '' Mekton II'' (1987) – the third ed ...

'' *

West End Games West End Games (WEG) was a company that made board, role-playing, and war games. It was founded by Daniel Scott Palter in 1974 in New York City, but later moved to Honesdale, Pennsylvania. Its product lines included ''Star Wars'', ''Paranoia' ...

's '' D6'' and '' Masterbook'' systems

References

{{Reflist

External links

Reviews of Generic RPGs
at

RPGnet RPGnet is a role-playing game website. It includes sections on wargaming, wargames, tabletop games and video games, as well as columns on gaming topics. RPGnet was founded in 1996 by Emma and Sandy Antunes, Shawn Althouse ( etrigan) and Brian Dav ...

Role-playing game systems