Municipally mandated greetings

[Rejakor]

I'm Rejakor.  I play games.  I'm here because of all the things you can optimize for, the idea space of human game-masters is probably the largest and most interesting (as opposed to a computer game with a limited number of variables).

I like DnD because of all the game systems I have tried it has the most flexibility of power level/interaction choices while retaining specific rules about what you can and can't do that aren't based on narrative privilege.

I live in Sydney, Australia, and i'm a regular at gaming conventions here (which are somewhat dissimilar to gaming conventions in the states).  If you live in Aus and you haven't hit up a con, you should, they're organized, friendly, and have amazingly talented players and GMs that usually end up with a fun experience.

[SneeR]

So, tell me: do you GM a lot?
How are cons different down under?

I'm just curious about the members of these boards.
Do you have any hobbies besides gaming? What systems have you tried? Any suggestions?
Welcome!

[Rejakor]

I've tried a lot of systems thanks to cons.  I own books from 3.5, 4e, pathfinder, WoD, L5R, Truth and Justice, and some magical schoolgirl rpg.  But i've played gurps, unisystem, bunch of weirder things.

I GM from necessity.  I prefer to play, and in my opinion am a far better player than GM, but apparently people like it when I GM, and often in order to get a game together you yourself have to GM it.  I don't mind GMing, but I quickly burn out which kills games.

Cons up in the northern hemisphere, from what I can tell, involve a lot of industry lollapalooza, CCGs, board games, entry tickets, etc.

Down here it's smaller and simpler.  There are less generic games, living whatever etc, and more specific concept games run by a small group of largely the same people, who are honestly terrifyingly skilled at what they do.  You get between 600-1000 people coming through over the whole weekend, most of whom don't stay for the whole thing, as the hobby is smaller in aus.  Typically you pre-register for specific games, too.  It's just cheaper and smaller and more about playing games than other stuff.  Eh.  I'll just post up a link.  Easier.  Eyecon

Recently in sydney at least the quality of the cons has gone up enormously due to the running of the cons shifting from a bunch of university hobby groups to a group of ex-uni hobbyists.

My hobbies are fairly manifold.  Anything involving thought i'm interested in, but mostly i've done things involving psych, philosophy, writing, gaming, and cooking.  I don't drink, and I don't drive a car.  I'm absurdly healthy, and mostly stay away from doctors.  I've been to hospital twice in my life, once for appendicitis (I walked in) and once for a shattered tibia (roller blading, fun stuff until the wheels get stuck in between two concrete slabs but you keep on going - double fun when they don't give you any pain meds because it doesn't look broken).

as for recommending systems, a guy who regularly blows my mind with his games at cons wrote a system called Radiance, which is an incredibly amazing rules lite system.  Simple rules that have worked well every time i've used them, are easy to learn, punchy, have a resource management system, and are fun.  They come with his sci fi setting, which is in itself pretty amazing.