Would You Play This?

[thamolas]

I was wondering if this kind of game would interest you guys and gals:

-Skill based (two tiered), no character classes
-Flexible settings like Palladium or GURPs or White Wolf etc. (Fantasy, Chthulhu-esque, Cyberpunk, Space Opera, etc)
-Complex Characters with simpler (but believable) mechanics (i.e. not a lot of dice rolling or slog-fests)
-Options for highly detailed and quick, streamlined character creation methods
-Open magic system (flexible like Mage 3rd Ed, but without the "chew toy", broken feeling)
-Retro art and setting design ("fluff")

-Core rules (PhB) is inexpensive (download for a dollar or two, with print books available) and add-ons cost slightly more.

Thoughts?

[Jay R]

A. These are the wrong details. People could design a poor system with those characteristics, or a great one. We'd need to know exactly how the rules function, and how well written they are.

B. I'll play just about anything if I trust the GM's judgment, narrative style, and sense of theater.

[Knaight]

None of those characteristics would put me off the game, so it might merit a look. If there's not a way to get at least a bit of a look without paying out first that's unlikely though.

[Telok]

Sounds fine but it's too little info for me to make an informed decision.

[Fable Wright]

I was wondering if this kind of game would interest you guys and gals:

-Skill based (two tiered), no character classes
-Flexible settings like Palladium or GURPs or White Wolf etc. (Fantasy, Chthulhu-esque, Cyberpunk, Space Opera, etc)
-Complex Characters with simpler (but believable) mechanics (i.e. not a lot of dice rolling or slog-fests)
-Options for highly detailed and quick, streamlined character creation methods
-Open magic system (flexible like Mage 3rd Ed, but without the "chew toy", broken feeling)
-Retro art and setting design ("fluff")

-Core rules (PhB) is inexpensive (download for a dollar or two, with print books available) and add-ons cost slightly more.

Thoughts?

Well, I've already got REIGN. It can generate believable and balanced characters with a single roll of the dice, is setting-independent, has a wide-open magic system, is classless, and robustly handles far more than just PCs and their efforts, up to and including conflicts between nations and criminal organizations.

If you can prove to me that your system has advantages over that when I want to play an indie game, I might take a look.

[2D8HP]

Sounds like Chaosium's
Basic Roleplaying.
Yeah it's pretty good.

Please PM me when my FLGS can order me your game.
My favorite setting genre's are (in order):
1) Swords and Sorcery
2) Swashbuckling
3) Arthurian
4) Gaslamp Fantasy
5) Planetary Romance
6) Steampunk
7) Raygun Gothic
8) Viking

My least favorite genres are:
1) Modern-day anything
2) Dystopian Near Future
3) Dystopian Far Future

[Knaight]

Well, I've already got REIGN. It can generate believable and balanced characters with a single roll of the dice, is setting-independent, has a wide-open magic system, is classless, and robustly handles far more than just PCs and their efforts, up to and including conflicts between nations and criminal organizations.

If you can prove to me that your system has advantages over that when I want to play an indie game, I might take a look.

REIGN isn't setting independant. There are certain aspects that translate very easily (the organizational rules are a thing of beauty), but REIGN as a whole doesn't handle more than fantasy or historical games well. ORE can, and the network of ORE games cover enough ground to seriously compete with genuine generic systems, but REIGN alone? Not so much.

[JeenLeen]

-Skill based (two tiered), no character classes

What does "two tiered" mean in this context?

All in all, sounds like something I'd like. I like White Wolf's Mage and Exalted a lot, and the main bugaboo for me for Mage was how the magic system was internally inconsistent (if Prime 5 is manipulating Life patterns, there shouldn't a Prime 1 rote that manipulates Life patterns!)

[Fable Wright]

REIGN isn't setting independant. There are certain aspects that translate very easily (the organizational rules are a thing of beauty), but REIGN as a whole doesn't handle more than fantasy or historical games well. ORE can, and the network of ORE games cover enough ground to seriously compete with genuine generic systems, but REIGN alone? Not so much.

I would debate that. Completely stripping out the base fluff, it wouldn't be too difficult for me to take the Enchirodon and run a cyberpunk, space opera, or 1930s cosmic horror game with it. The stats are fine, skills can be reused with only minimal recontextualizing (Direction = 'Navigation', Eerie is now 'Force Sensitivity', etc.), organizational rules are great, and Esoteric Disciplines and Sorcery can easily be expanded and refluffed as appropriate for the setting. (Augments? The Force/Biotics? Yog-Sothoth's blessing?) Scale the wealth/treasure rules to fit a larger scope than barely-an-economy, and you're done.

[Anonymouswizard]

I was wondering if this kind of game would interest you guys and gals:

I'm going to go through these one at a time.

-Skill based (two tiered), no character classes

Describes most of the games I own. Heck, I own some systems which use classes and are skill based, and they all combine them slightly differently, it's really variable. I do prefer classless, but that's why I own so many classless systems already (or loosely classed systems, like White Wolf stuff).

-Flexible settings like Palladium or GURPs or White Wolf etc. (Fantasy, Chthulhu-esque, Cyberpunk, Space Opera, etc)

Eh, as long as there's settings available I don't care. I mean, I love Fate, but part of that it all the settings available for it (all available at Pay What You Want. I like Pay What You Want pdfs, I'll nab it for free if I like it I'll try to buy a physical copy).

-Complex Characters with simpler (but believable) mechanics (i.e. not a lot of dice rolling or slog-fests)

What does complex characters with simpler mechanics mean? To me GURPS has complex characters and simple mechanics. Fate can have it as well (although I prefer simpler characters there). I can in theory throw Mutants and Masterminds in this category as well.

-Options for highly detailed and quick, streamlined character creation methods

Eh, it's almost a requirement for complex characters. I don't care as long as I get to build mine from nothing and have it be balanced with quick characters.

-Open magic system (flexible like Mage 3rd Ed, but without the "chew toy", broken feeling)

Eh, I don't particular like such systems but it's not a deal breaker.

-Retro art and setting design ("fluff")

Meh. It depends on if it's good or not.

-Core rules (PhB) is inexpensive (download for a dollar or two, with print books available) and add-ons cost slightly more.

I'm wondering why the core rules aren't PWYW at that stage. It's what I plan to do when I finish my RPG, make the core rules PWYW or free and then charge up to £5 for supplements (or £2 for short ones).

Thoughts?

Nothing here is a dealbreaker, but nothing's a dealmaker. I'd have to know more before saying yes or no.

[dysike]

I was wondering if this kind of game would interest you guys and gals:

-Skill based (two tiered), no character classes
-Flexible settings like Palladium or GURPs or White Wolf etc. (Fantasy, Chthulhu-esque, Cyberpunk, Space Opera, etc)
-Complex Characters with simpler (but believable) mechanics (i.e. not a lot of dice rolling or slog-fests)
-Options for highly detailed and quick, streamlined character creation methods
-Open magic system (flexible like Mage 3rd Ed, but without the "chew toy", broken feeling)
-Retro art and setting design ("fluff")

-Core rules (PhB) is inexpensive (download for a dollar or two, with print books available) and add-ons cost slightly more.

Thoughts?

I'll just work down the list:
-A lack of a class system isn't much to phone home about so neutral here I suppose
-If your game's not focused on the setting then what is it focused on?
-Complexity in mechanics is used to 'pay for' detail for a character, the simpler a character's stats are the simpler they will be. Also making mechanics more believable also generally means more detail, which means more complexity.
-Streamlined character creation is good but I'm not convinced it meshes with the complex characters you already mentioned
-An open magic system isn't anything particularly special so neutral again I guess
-I'm usually automatically wary of anything that sells itself on being retro. I'm also not entirely sure what retro setting design means.

[Grod_The_Giant]

I was wondering if this kind of game would interest you guys and gals:

-Skill based (two tiered), no character classes
-Flexible settings like Palladium or GURPs or White Wolf etc. (Fantasy, Chthulhu-esque, Cyberpunk, Space Opera, etc)
-Complex Characters with simpler (but believable) mechanics (i.e. not a lot of dice rolling or slog-fests)
-Options for highly detailed and quick, streamlined character creation methods
-Open magic system (flexible like Mage 3rd Ed, but without the "chew toy", broken feeling)
-Retro art and setting design ("fluff")

-Core rules (PhB) is inexpensive (download for a dollar or two, with print books available) and add-ons cost slightly more.

Thoughts?

...Mutants and Masterminds?

Sorry, but... it's hard to get excited about what's basically a bunch of marketing buzzwords. Everything you mentioned about boils down to "generic system," with no real detail beyond that. Instead of generic talking points, try telling us what makes your system unique. For example, here's how I'd describe my homebrew generic rules-light system:

• Rules-light without requiring story-based logic or excessive GM adjudication
• Lightning-fast action resolution-- everything is "roll under your ability score," modified by 5e-style Advantage/Disadvantage, so there's no math or back-and-forth required.
• Easily adapts to any power level without numerical funny business
• Near-instantaneous but flexible character creation process, with special powers being self-defined and priced based on versatility-- friends and I have taken total RPG newbies from "how the game works" to "you meet in a tavern" in under thirty minutes.
• Near-instantaneous NPC creation process (as their "stats" are nothing more than situational modifiers for player actions), making GMing dead easy
• Generic conflict rules that can easily be used for everything from swordfights to courtrooms to footraces.

Which hopefully conveys a more specific sense of what the game is?

[erikun]

Thoughts?

Well, reading over the description you provided, this is what I'm seeing.

• skill based
• lots of settings
• mechanics (definition of "good" is up for debate)
• different character creation methods
• big focus on magic
• little focus on setting details
• multiple books required to even begin playing

That isn't an instant turn-off, although it does feel like it's trying too hard to be D&D3e to me. I'd be fine giving it a play, but I wouldn't much want to pay money to be reading through several different books for what little seems to be offered - especially when it proposes to have lots of different settings but just considers the details of those settings to be "fluff".

My biggest concern is that you present very little detail about the system itself at this point. That may be because it hasn't been developed yet, or it could be because you don't want to misrepresent what you do have. However, I do own books for some 20+ systems by now, and I'd need a very good reason to put down money, even just a few dollars, for yet another one. What makes this system stand out among the various versions of D&D, GURPS, and similar systems?

[2D8HP]

@thamolas,

I very much encourage you to look at the

What Does Your Ideal TTRPG Look Like?

thread, to see what people on this Forum say they want in a RPG.

Rules alone don't interest me enough to buy a RPG, what gets me to open my wallet is adventures, and, settings. .
What first got me hooked on RPG's was:

Spoiler: A call to adventure!

Show

100 years ago the sorcerer Zenopus built a tower on the low hills overlooking Portown. The tower was close to the sea cliffs west of the town and, appropriately, next door to the graveyard.
Rumor has it that the magician made extensive cellars and tunnels underneath the tower. The town is located on the ruins of a much older city of doubtful history and Zenopus was said to excavate in his cellars in search of ancient treasures.

Fifty years ago, on a cold wintry night, the wizard's tower was suddenly engulfed in green flame. Several of his human servants escaped the holocaust, saying their rnaster had been destroyed by some powerful force he had unleashed in the depths of the tower.
Needless to say the tower stood vacant fora while afterthis, but then the neighbors and the night watchmen comploined that ghostly blue lights appeared in the windows at night, that ghastly screams could be heard emanating from the tower ot all hours, and goblin figures could be seen dancina on the tower roof in the moonlight. Finally the authorities had a catapult rolled through the streets of the town and the tower was battered to rubble. This stopped the hauntings but the townsfolk continue to shun the ruins. The entrance to the old dungeons can be easily located as a flight of broad stone steps leading down into darkness, but the few adventurous souls who hove descended into crypts below the ruin have either reported only empty stone corridors or have failed to return at all.
Other magic-users have moved into the town but the site of the old tower remains abandoned.
Whispered tales are told of fabulous treasure and unspeakable monsters in the underground passages below the hilltop, and the story tellers are always careful to point out that the reputed dungeons lie in close proximity to the foundations of the older, pre-human city, to the graveyard, and to the sea.
Portown is a small but busy city 'linking the caravan routes from the south to the merchscant ships that dare the pirate-infested waters of the Northern Sea. Humans and non-humans from all over the globe meet here.
At he Green Dragon Inn, the players of the game gather their characters for an assault on the fabulous passages beneath the ruined Wizard's tower.



None better for me, even after 38 years!

Yes 1970's D&D was a hodgepodge of "good enough rules now are better than a perfect rules later", that were put together on the fly. It's a mess, but I loved it because it had some great advantages:

1) It was fun.
2) I found other people who played it.
3) I memorized the rules back when I had a young and agile mind.

I still remember a lot of it (which I often remember instead of the game I'm actually trying to play).

Fortunately when I need to GM settings that D&D is inappropriate for I have an alternate truly multi-setting RPG rules system I made up in the 1980's based on a careful reading of the 1975 Greyhawk supplement for D&D, the 1978 Runequest rules, and the 1981 Call of Cthullu rules, which I now name "Gut check the RPG", and I will share with you:

1) GM describes a scene.
2) Player says an action that their PC attempts.
3) GM decides if the PC has no chance of success, no chance of failure, or a partial chance of success.
4) If a partial chance of success, GM makes up on the spot a percentage chance of success.
5) Player rolls D100 (two 0-9 twenty-siders back then).
6) If the player rolls under the made up number their PC succeeds in attempting the task, if over the PC fails.
7) GM narrates the immediate consequences until it's time to again ask, "what do you do".
8) Repeat.

It seemed to work.

Honestly, these days trying to learn rules other than character creation is a chore for me, and I mostly read RPG's for setting "fluff".
I may already own a RPG with a brilliant rules system that I would love, but I am unlikely to ever find out.

So what games have I bought lately, and why did I buy them?


1) 5e Dungeons & Dragons



I've played some and bought a lot of different RPG's over the years, and I've yet to actually play any game as fun as D&D. Unlike the 1970's D&D rules I own many actual other people play 5e, and playing the game is more fun than just owning the game.
I was also told that 5e was "simpler than earlier editions".

2) Labyrinth Lord



Those "earlier editions" that 5e DnD was "simpler than", must be very complex indeed! Compared to the '70's rules I knew, while 5e is more clearly written, and fun, I find it far from "simple".
When an opportunity came up to play "old school" D&D, I was thilled, until I found out that my D&D was too old! The game offered was bases on the 1981 Basic set, I had the 1977 Basic Set!
Since I never want to order "online", my FLGS was able to get this "clone" of the '81 rules. I need not have bothered, the differences between the '77 and '81rules (and the '94 rules that I later found at a used bookstore) were minor.

3) Flashing Blades



I like the Three Musketeers!
And the adventures are great!






4) Lamentations of the Flame Princess


Very close to old D&D, I bought it to match the "Red and Pleasant Land" adventure.



5) Dungeon World


I had hoped to play a "D&D" like game with other people, but with simpler rules, so yes it was rules not setting for a change.

6) 7th Sea


Frankly I'm intimidated by the rules, but what a setting it has!
Just wonderful.

[Anonymouswizard]

@thamolas,

I very much encourage you to look at the

What Does Your Ideal TTRPG Look Like?

thread, to see what people on this Forum say they want in a RPG.

Rules alone don't interest me enough to buy a RPG, what gets me to open my wallet is adventures, and, settings. .
What first got me hooked on RPG's was:

Spoiler: A call to adventure!

Show

100 years ago the sorcerer Zenopus built a tower on the low hills overlooking Portown. The tower was close to the sea cliffs west of the town and, appropriately, next door to the graveyard.
Rumor has it that the magician made extensive cellars and tunnels underneath the tower. The town is located on the ruins of a much older city of doubtful history and Zenopus was said to excavate in his cellars in search of ancient treasures.

Fifty years ago, on a cold wintry night, the wizard's tower was suddenly engulfed in green flame. Several of his human servants escaped the holocaust, saying their rnaster had been destroyed by some powerful force he had unleashed in the depths of the tower.
Needless to say the tower stood vacant fora while afterthis, but then the neighbors and the night watchmen comploined that ghostly blue lights appeared in the windows at night, that ghastly screams could be heard emanating from the tower ot all hours, and goblin figures could be seen dancina on the tower roof in the moonlight. Finally the authorities had a catapult rolled through the streets of the town and the tower was battered to rubble. This stopped the hauntings but the townsfolk continue to shun the ruins. The entrance to the old dungeons can be easily located as a flight of broad stone steps leading down into darkness, but the few adventurous souls who hove descended into crypts below the ruin have either reported only empty stone corridors or have failed to return at all.
Other magic-users have moved into the town but the site of the old tower remains abandoned.
Whispered tales are told of fabulous treasure and unspeakable monsters in the underground passages below the hilltop, and the story tellers are always careful to point out that the reputed dungeons lie in close proximity to the foundations of the older, pre-human city, to the graveyard, and to the sea.
Portown is a small but busy city 'linking the caravan routes from the south to the merchscant ships that dare the pirate-infested waters of the Northern Sea. Humans and non-humans from all over the globe meet here.
At he Green Dragon Inn, the players of the game gather their characters for an assault on the fabulous passages beneath the ruined Wizard's tower.



None better for me, even after 38 years!

Yes 1970's D&D was a hodgepodge of "good enough rules now are better than a perfect rules later", that were put together on the fly. It's a mess, but I loved it because it had some great advantages:

1) It was fun.
2) I found other people who played it.
3) I memorized the rules back when I had a young and agile mind.

I still remember a lot of it (which I often remember instead of the game I'm actually trying to play).

Fortunately when I need to GM settings that D&D is inappropriate for I have an alternate truly multi-setting RPG rules system I made up in the 1980's based on a careful reading of the 1975 Greyhawk supplement for D&D, the 1978 Runequest rules, and the 1981 Call of Cthullu rules, which I now name "Gut check the RPG", and I will share with you:

1) GM describes a scene.
2) Player says an action that their PC attempts.
3) GM decides if the PC has no chance of success, no chance of failure, or a partial chance of success.
4) If a partial chance of success, GM makes up on the spot a percentage chance of success.
5) Player rolls D100 (two 0-9 twenty-siders back then).
6) If the player rolls under the made up number their PC succeeds in attempting the task, if over the PC fails.
7) GM narrates the immediate consequences until it's time to again ask, "what do you do".
8) Repeat.

It seemed to work.

Honestly, these days trying to learn rules other than character creation is a chore for me, and I mostly read RPG's for setting "fluff".
I may already own a RPG with a brilliant rules system that I would love, but I am unlikely to ever find out.

So what games have I bought lately, and why did I buy them?


1) 5e Dungeons & Dragons



I've played some and bought a lot of different RPG's over the years, and I've yet to actually play any game as fun as D&D. Unlike the 1970's D&D rules I own many actual other people play 5e, and playing the game is more fun than just owning the game.
I was also told that 5e was "simpler than earlier editions".

2) Labyrinth Lord



Those "earlier editions" that 5e DnD was "simpler than", must be very complex indeed! Compared to the '70's rules I knew, while 5e is more clearly written, and fun, I find it far from "simple".
When an opportunity came up to play "old school" D&D, I was thilled, until I found out that my D&D was too old! The game offered was bases on the 1981 Basic set, I had the 1977 Basic Set!
Since I never want to order "online", my FLGS was able to get this "clone" of the '81 rules. I need not have bothered, the differences between the '77 and '81rules (and the '94 rules that I later found at a used bookstore) were minor.

3) Flashing Blades



I like the Three Musketeers!
And the adventures are great!






4) Lamentations of the Flame Princess


Very close to old D&D, I bought it to match the "Red and Pleasant Land" adventure.



5) Dungeon World


I had hoped to play a "D&D" like game with other people, but with simpler rules, so yes it was rules not setting for a change.

6) 7th Sea


Frankly I'm intimidated by the rules, but what a setting it has!
Just wonderful.

I am disturbed by the lack of Fate in the list.

[2D8HP]

I am disturbed by the lack of Fate in the list.

OK, I was going to pick up a copy of Warbirds after work,

I am disturbed by the lack of Fate in the list.

I'll guess I'll pick-up FATE as well.

But you can see why I didn't pick it up before,


the guy on the left of the front cover illustration; I pass guys who look like that most everyday at work (though thankfully they keep their pistols bolstered). That "setting" is what I play RPG's to escape (I work at the San Francisco Hall of Justice)! From my earlier post:

My favorite setting genre's are (in order):
1) Swords and Sorcery
2) Swashbuckling
3) Arthurian
4) Gaslamp Fantasy
5) Planetary Romance
6) Steampunk
7) Raygun Gothic
8) Viking

My least favorite genres are:
1) Modern-day anything
2) Dystopian Near Future
3) Dystopian Far Future

[Anonymouswizard]

I'll guess I'll pick-up FATE as well.

But you can see why I didn't pick it up before,


the guy on the left of the front cover illustration; I pass guys who look like that most everyday at work (though thankfully they keep their pistols bolstered). That "setting" is what I play RPG's to escape (I work at the San Francisco Hall of Justice)! From my earlier post:

I was being silly, but as the pdf is Pay What You Want I suggest checking it out for free (as I did). A few things to note:

That guy on the left is Lucas the magic cop, who communes with the spirits of his ancestors in order to do magic, the outlines of his setting make it seem fairly interesting in it's differences to the real world, but I get your point there.

Fate is Generic. There's a bunch of 50-ish page PWYW settings and I believe one is modern and a couple are near-modern (one is 'in the near future we scavenge materials from the ocean floor', and one is 'after the possible apocalypse you're still in prison). Most of them are some form of science fiction or fantasy though, although they haven't quite reached 'D&D style fantasy' or 'Space Opera' yet.

[CharonsHelper]

I was wondering if this kind of game would interest you guys and gals:

-Skill based (two tiered), no character classes
-Flexible settings like Palladium or GURPs or White Wolf etc. (Fantasy, Chthulhu-esque, Cyberpunk, Space Opera, etc)
-Complex Characters with simpler (but believable) mechanics (i.e. not a lot of dice rolling or slog-fests)
-Options for highly detailed and quick, streamlined character creation methods
-Open magic system (flexible like Mage 3rd Ed, but without the "chew toy", broken feeling)
-Retro art and setting design ("fluff")

-Core rules (PhB) is inexpensive (download for a dollar or two, with print books available) and add-ons cost slightly more.

Thoughts?

Without more information - it doesn't tell me anything.

It's all sizzle and no steak.

Though has others have stated - "Complex Characters with simpler (but believable) mechanics (i.e. not a lot of dice rolling or slog-fests)" seems a bit contradictory in the game's direction. Detail, realism, and depth are inherently purchased with more complexity.

[Grod_The_Giant]

the guy on the left of the front cover illustration; I pass guys who look like that most everyday at work (though thankfully they keep their pistols bolstered). That "setting" is what I play RPG's to escape (I work at the San Francisco Hall of Justice)! From my earlier post:

On the other hand, the cover also features a cybernetic kung-fu gorilla, which I think more than counterbalances that. (Admittedly, you might steer clear of it because you've mentioned trouble with learning new rules, and Fate runs off some very new-school ideas about narrative-driven rules)

[Knaight]

OK, I was going to pick up a copy of Warbirds after work,

You should PM me your reaction to it - I'm pretty sure I was the one who recommended it.

[2D8HP]

You should PM me your reaction to it - I'm pretty sure I was the one who recommended it.

Warbirds?

Good memory indeed!

It was in the:

Play any RPG's that were more fun than D&D?

thread.

[Xuc Xac]

On the other hand, the cover also features a cybernetic kung-fu gorilla, which I think more than counterbalances that.

You've obviously never been to the San Francisco Hall of Justice. It's a weird town.

[Friv]

I know a number of people have said this, but I'll hop on the bandwagon: OP, you've described several RPGs that I already own, so I am unlikely to put the time in to learn your system. If you want it to stand out, you need a hook, and a good one.

[Kadzar]

I'm wondering why the core rules aren't PWYW at that stage. It's what I plan to do when I finish my RPG, make the core rules PWYW or free and then charge up to £5 for supplements (or £2 for short ones).

You can probably do what you want with supplements, but I agree that having a core rules PDF for free or pay-what-you-want is better than charging a few bucks. There might be a few people willing to shell out money just to check out a new system, but most people aren't going to bother paying for a game they know nothing about from a (as far as I know; I don't really know you) completely unknown publisher.

But, if you have a free core ruleset (or a pared-down version of the rules or a quickstart or maybe even just a sizeable preview), people are more likely going to want to download it to give it a try, and if they like it, they'll want to buy supplements. Also, you can still charge for print versions, and possibly full versions if you released a pared-down version.

[Anonymouswizard]

You can probably do what you want with supplements, but I agree that having a core rules PDF for free or pay-what-you-want is better than charging a few bucks. There might be a few people willing to shell out money just to check out a new system, but most people aren't going to bother paying for a game they know nothing about from a (as far as I know; I don't really know you) completely unknown publisher.

But, if you have a free core ruleset (or a pared-down version of the rules or a quickstart or maybe even just a sizeable preview), people are more likely going to want to download it to give it a try, and if they like it, they'll want to buy supplements. Also, you can still charge for print versions, and possibly full versions if you released a pared-down version.

Eh, personally I don't like pared down versions as there's almost always just the core system and enough to make a few characters, but in general I agree with you. I also think that charging a small amount of money for your rules comes across as not having faith in them when compared to going PWYW, and likely leads to less money than letting people decide how much to pay.

In fact, as someone who hasn't published anything, I am highly supportive of free/PWYW pdfs and £30-40 physical books, in all honesty most tables are likely buying one physical book and procuring a number of pdfs anyway, maybe two physical books if you're lucky, and so you won't be losing out on much money (if any), and it shows that you're willing to let quality sell books.