What do you guys think are the RPGs that are best at simulating real world physics; combat, injury, healing, and other physical aspects to role-playing? Comments on setting or character depth are a whole other topic for a different discussion. Please mention what aspects you think a particular game is best at as well as its weak areas. There are no right or wrong answers everyone has their own opinion; I just think it would be interesting to hear some of these opinions.
Matt, PhD_Evil
I'm going to go with "Anything besides TWERPS", in which characters have exactly one stat that's used for everything.
Rolemaster
Hero system could be part of the list, but it uses more super heroic physics.
GURPS. It even has calculations for picking up and throwing objects by comparing your strength and the object's weight.
HarnMaster tops my list, but GURPS is a close second. RuneQuest is also fairly realistic.
Four games for four different reasons.
AfterMath - for weapon & explosive creation and mechanics (you can design and implement any type of firearm, bbl length, etc). Surprisingly easy, too.
MorrowProject - for body damage (first game I ever had a character die from bleed out).
GURPS - general mechanics can be very detailed and every book brings mod's to adjust the game to the specific genre.
Call of Cthulhu - for insanity rules that make sense. No more: "Dragon, I ain't scared a no dragon!"
Exalted.
Just kidding...
The Riddle of Steel has ARMA's logo on the front cover. That's got to be worth something, as far as melee combat goes.
Check out " In dark Alleys" I'm not sure if it has the best realistic combat system- but its pretty good.
Aftermath came to mind first, but I'd also agree with the mention of The Morrow Project as far as combat mechanics go.
Cyberpunk 2020's firearms rules were a very good simulation. They were modelled on FBI statistics for urban firefights.
As well as damage from bullets, you also had to make "shock saves" when wounded. So a bullet that barely grazed you could still take you out of action through shock and trauma.
Hero system could be part of the list, but it uses more super heroic physics.
The Calculus RPG isn't realistic enough?? WTH?
Wasn't Phoenix Command supposed to have some of the most detailed realistic combat ever?
Aftermath was pretty good, but overly complex and hopelessly outdated now. I imagine the same is probably true of Morrow Project. Cyberpunk 2020 is pretty good, but I wouldn't say that neural electronics, skinweaves, or nanites are particularly realistic... Well, having them in 12 years, anyway ;-)
This isn't a slight on Phd. Evil, just an observation.
Have you noticed that when people ask for realistic RPGs they generally only want the realism to apply to the combat rules? (And sometimes the hacking rules too)
You never hear anyone say "These sailing rules don't address the effect of rain on the rigging" or "There aren't enough different types of lathes in this equipment list" or even "The climbing rules don't differentiate between Mountain climbing and Rock climbing!"
Very true.
Shadowrun and Rolemaster are the only two systems that i have run into that do this (rolemaster does it a bit more). Shadowrun tries to keep it simple somewhat, but the increase of the target number is much the same as Rolemaster's method.