Nobilis

[hexer]

Anyone played this game?
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nobilis

I've been reading the 2nd edition rulebook and it makes Planescape look like a philosophy class for kindergarten age.
This is some heavy esoteric stuff, quite surreal and interesting!

 

[Alex]

Eh, I can't help but feel it tries too hard to be different while the game doesn't really support a very interesting play.

 

[Silva]

I had the coffeebook edition at some time but I couldn't surpass the writing. It was too flowery and arcane for my non-native skills.

This seems a pattern with the author, good games behind arcane writing. Chuubo, they say, is like that too.

 

[Tyranicon]

So after hearing about this for years, I bought the 1st edition.

After trying to read it, I surmised a few things:

1. The author(s) is an excellent writer. I keep hearing that people refer to the coffeebook as purple prose, but it's anything but. It's dense and beautiful, in it's own way.

2. I'm much too stupid to even attempt to play the game via the written rules. And even if I wasn't and had a group of like-minded titans of intellect (or drug addict philosophy majors), I'm not convinced that the game would actually be fun.

Has anyone ever attempted to even play this "game?"

 

[Demo.Graph]

Has anyone ever attempted to even play this "game?"

Yes, many years ago. It failed. It's very demanding to player mindset (drug addicts, yeah). And since it's not a universal RPG system, you can't really adjust it to your gaming group without butchering it.

Microscope is a better freeform diceless system. It has its flaws (unnecessary gamification and pushing players for actions), but it at least adjusts to the level of the players and forces everyone to participate by design (like a poker).
I'd say that if you want to run a freeform, peek into a Microscope for ideas then homerule a CYOA system(s).