RPG A Day 2018: Day 2...What do you look for in an RPG?

What Do I Look For In An RPG?

From yesterday, what I love most about playing RPGs is the different interactions I have with people and the new friends I get to make through the games, so what am I looking for in an RPG? I want to find the ones that are likely to attract the most people. The more widely available a game is or the easier it is to explain to someone the more opportunities I have for actual play. A few recent examples of game choices I have made:

D&D 5E:   It's a fact that the granddaddy of them all is the most well-known RPG. D&D is synonymous with RPGs. Everyone knows about it. 5E happens to be a good system with enough materials to play with for free available legally online. For most this is a good starting point and it's easy to teach this version. I play in a weekly live table game scheduled with rotating DMs that has been going on for three plus years now. 

Cyberpunk 2020: I've been running this on Roll*20 since May of this year. Due to a pending video game, this classic system has had a recent surge in popularity. I thought I'd be able to find interested players, and I wasn't disappointed. It's not as easy to teach as 5E and tweaking is a bit of a necessity due to the oldskool brutality, but there are so many people chomping at the bit to play Cyberpunk. It's a good time for an experienced GM to meet and play with lots of people. 

Ryuutama: I ran this from October 2017 to May 2018 on Roll*20. Described as Miyazaki's Oregon Trail, its wholesome artwork in that style appealed to me right away. I looked for groups on Roll*20 and saw many potential players, but no active games. This one was hit and miss as a campaign. I had tons of people sign up to play, but very few actually showed up. I went for a "west marches" style in the beginning, but eventually let that go for the more traditional weekly game. In any case, my theory was strong with all those players, but the majority never came around.

7th Sea 2E: Up until recently, this was the most successful KickStarter campaign for an RPG in its history. I knew there would be lots of players and since it was a new game we'd all be starting at the same level. I ran a bit at my regular live table, but the most success came from my first Roll*20 campaign which ran from October 2016 to May 2017.

No matter how good a game may be, it's of no use if you can't find players. Choosing the most popular games will usually result in the greatest pool of players to choose from for your campaign.