Can you play a social game with 4th edition? Or use WoD for a dungeon crawl? Does System Matter? Of course, you can use any system to play any sort of game, but should you?
Cross Purposes
Is it so bad to play at cross purposes; most systems are designed to have mechanics to handle any situation. So why does it matter?
Well, take D&D 4e for example; when you perform non-tactical combat actions you use a secondary system to perform skill challenges. If your game uses mostly this light unrefined quick skill challenge rule set, PCs will wander around with a great many relatively useless detailed powers while they use an under powered and unbalance system instead.
Would it not be better to use a system that did what you wanted it to?
House Rules
Many GMs solve this issue with house rules. House rules are a double edge sword as a good house rule can sometimes make thing work just the way you want, but house rules may also have horrible side effects. Well designed games are balanced for a specific array of gameplay and a bad house rule can often change this balance having many unforeseen effects.
Ironically, house rules seem to show how much system does matter; for the group to have type of fun they want, the GM has to change the rules. The system provides the structure for the setting. The rules give players abilities and tasks they can perform. Combat heavy ruled games structure encounter creation to produce many of opportunity to fight.
Generic Systems
Does any of this really matter in a generic system game though? Is it possible to create a rules system that allows players to do anything and GMs to create many different settings without the breaking the system. A game like GURPS seems to head in that direction, but the GURPS rules still set the underlying reality. Due to the way GURPS systems work, GURPS settings tend to have similar deadliness and allow PCs to do the things in the same ways. It seems to me that the system, while broad, has a great deal of effect on the play setting.
Rules Light
Story games and rules light systems are all the rage now. Games like Inspectres or FUDGE have simple rules, a small list of character attributes, and a list of special skills you get to make up yourself. You roll one dice that results in the story moving forward. Less framework, more imagination. This affects the setting and gameplay a great deal. The game is less consistent and relies on GM/player views rather than a codified system. Gameplay slows to examine a moment of Roleplaying rather skill testing, combat, or caper planning clearly making that the most important aspect of the game.
Indeed, Systems do matter and the system you choose should concentrate on the type of gameplay that fits your group’s preferences. The perfect system is the one that supports the essential aspect of the setting with its core mechanics.
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