If someone was interested in understanding as much as possible what the world of TTRPGs and story games had to offer, which 5 games would you suggest they play first, and why?

Ideally this would include a broad array of mechanics, themes and settings.

Inspired by a discussion over at !rpgmemes@ttrpg.network : https://lemmy.world/post/33918016/18604654

Ordered list because some differences can be understood better in relation to others, but then dropping someone new into the deep waters of crunchy games would probably only confuse them

1. Knave/MorkBorg/Fireball
   Use applicable setting if fantasy is not their thing
   • get them introduced easily
   • show more or less what we are coming from
   • to understand later on, what this branch distills to
2. Something Gumshoe based
   • it needs to be understood that without combat, TTRPGs are not “20 questions” - guess what GM wants you to do
3. Blades in the Dark
   • show that it can also be very gamified, almost approached like a series episode
   • narration doesn’t have to be only in GM’s hands
4. Shadowrun/GURPS/Traveller
   • crunch games can be heavy to play but offer the most character customization possible
   • lore doesn’t have to fit in the rulebook
5. SWADE/D&D
   • see what kind of games have the crown currently

Awesome list, thanks! A few I’ve never heard of in there, and lots of good reasoning!

BTW, I think maybe your lists need 4 spaces before the second level, and maybe no newlines between items?

BTW, I think maybe your lists need 4 spaces before the second level, and maybe no newlines between items?

No, those are second level lists (under the numbering), so that’s why are the empty ones. Deleting the sub-listing __ prefix makes numbering stop, adding additional two doesn’t change anything

* thing 1
  * thing 1.a
* thing 2

• thing 1
  • thing 1.a
• thing 2

OK, it wasn’t rendering properly for me the first time I saw it

Huh. What are you viewing with?

1. test
   paragaph

• point

1. test

• point

EDIT: You’re right. Apparently Lemmy needs 3 spaces before a sub-level, where PieFed is happy with 2

1. fixed
   paragraph
   • point
2. fixed
   • point