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

setting Setting may refer to: * A location (geography) where something is set * Set construction in theatrical scenery * Setting (narrative), the place and time in a work of narrative, especially fiction * Setting up to fail a manipulative technique to eng ...

and

genre Genre () is any form or type 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 for ...

. Its rules should, in theory, work the same way for any setting, world, environment or genre in which one would want to play.

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 in 1975. Chaosium's major titles include '' Call of Cthulhu'', based on the horror fiction stories of H. P. Lovecraft'', RuneQuest Glorantha'', ''Pendragon'' ...

's '' Basic Role-Playing'' (''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's mythical world of ...

'' role-playing game and formed the foundation for the '' Stormbringer'' RPG, and was also adopted for '' Call of Cthulhu'', the first horror role-playing game. The publication of '' GURPS'' (''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'' (1989) from the

superhero A superhero or superheroine is a stock character that typically possesses ''superpowers'', abilities beyond those of ordinary people, and fits the role of the hero, typically using his or her powers to help the world become a better place, ...

role-playing game '' Champions'' 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'' (2000) and the '' d20 System'' 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'' 5.02 rules uses the term "generic" to describe its basic ruleset as separate from its ''Champions'' and '' Interlock'' 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 system. Some ''d20'' derivative, such as Green Ronin Publishing's

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. The system was first published as a part of the ''Blue Rose'' RPG before being published as a standalone universal generic role-playing g ...

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 board games. ...

'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 imaginary gaming envir ...

'' * Eden Studios' ''

Unisystem ''Unisystem'' is a generic role-playing game, 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, Conspiracy X ...

'' *

Evil Hat Productions Evil Hat Productions is a company that produces role-playing games and other tabletop games. Chief among them is the free indie RPG, ''Fate'', which has won numerous awards. History Fred Hicks had been working with Lydia Leong, Rob Donoghu ...

' FATE rpg * Grey Ghost Press' '' FUDGE'' * Guardians of Order'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 Gu ...

'' *

Pinnacle Entertainment Group Pinnacle Entertainment Group is a publisher of role-playing games and wargames. History When Shane Lacy Hensley decided to create a 19th-century miniatures game he contacted Charles Ryan's company Chameleon Eclectic about publishing it. The resul ...

's '' Savage Worlds'' *

R. Talsorian Games R. Talsorian Games (RTG) is a publisher of role-playing game books and accessories. Originally based in Berkeley, California, but moved to Renton, Washington in 1997. Their titles include the ''Cyberpunk 2020'' series and anime-related titles su ...

's '' Fuzion'' 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 edi ...

'' * West End Games's '' D6'' and ''

Masterbook ''Masterbook'' is a generic role-playing game that was published by West End Games (WEG) in 1994. Description The generic rules of ''Masterbook'', which do not have a specific campaign setting, use rules from both WEG's multi-genre role-playing ...

'' systems

References

External links

* {{curlie, Games/Roleplaying/Genres/Universal, Universal Roleplaying Systems
Reviews of Generic RPGs
at RPGnet Role-playing game systems