Don’t you hate it when you’re working on something only to realize that someone has already done it better? I LOVE reading through rule heavy systems, but I’ve never been able to play one successfully. My brain just doesn’t work that way and while GMing or playing I rather play Calvinball then Cricket. I just don’t have it in me to have to reference Book 3: Chapter VII, subparagraph ii, to figure out what the player wants to do. So if there is one mechanic that allows me or my players to improvise, so much the better. That is why I have a shelf full of Mechwarrior and Renegade Legion boxes, but I tend to play games like Talislanta (and the one-chart OMNI-system), the original edition of BESM (before the company went totally wacko), and WEG’s D6 system. But the simplest, purest game I’ve ever found has to be TWERPS (and to take a moment to shout out to its spiritual successor, the awesome RISUS).
Not only has TWERPS already used my idea for competing dice (but uses d10 instead of d20), they also incorporated a simple movement system for miniature use on hex or graph paper … all with one stat. I’m not going to drop QUESTAMUNDO, though I came close last night, since the main criticism directed at TWERPS seems to be limitations of the single Stat, which means most house rules I can find add Stats anyways. A least QUESTAMUNDO has four (or five) Stats to start, but I will be acknowledging my debt to TWERPS more often from here on.
Unfortunately, TWERPS seems to have dropped off the radar over time, so I’m going to do my best to keep the spirit of The World’s Easiest Role Playing System alive!
TWERPS LINKS
TWERPS on Wiki
Most comprehensive site I could find, but Warning: its an angelfire site so be prepared to fight pop-ups.
A nice and quick PDF for using TWERPS in Traveller
A setting for Cyber TWERPS
A Fantasy TWERPS rules-set that would fit well with an Anime Style Game
I ran TWERPS Kung Fu Dragons at a convention once in college. Great fun! I love those little games.
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