I like what I've seen about this system so far. Looks like it could be used for just about any human-centric campaign setting with just a few extra plug-ins. Has anyone else considered playing non-canon settings?

No, I haven't really thought about using the system for other than canon settings, but there's no reason that you couldn't use it for a fair amount of modern or somewhat historical settings without any real problems. It would take just a bit of work depending on the exact campaign background you are looking for. Now I do think that more fantasy or science fiction settings would need quite a bit of work to come up with the additional plugins, but it could be done. It just depends on the amount of work you want to do.

Personally though, there are a good half dozen plus other game systems that I'd go to for a human-centric campaign rather than the one for the End of the World games.

Define non canon in this instance. Like Non zombie/alien/robot/gods apocalypse, or non what kind of things they include in the books, or non earth play?

...zombie apocalypse in an elven forest?

"Dammit, I knew we should've killed those humans before they turned to necromancy, but nooooo, we must hallow the sanctity of life, la di da".

By non-canon, I just meant settings not provided by the End of the World books - mostly non-apocalyptic. For the most part, you might just choose setting-appropriate features (e.g., +Expert Swordsman, +Born in the Saddle).

A non-apocalyptic setting would probably by easy, with just a system for personal resources - maybe as features (+Cop, -Indebted). A fantasy setting might likewise need a low-impact magic system (no ideas yet). A cyberpunk setting might need a hacking system.

I did recently have an idea, which I may just try out. Now feel free to laugh at this because it might just end up being as ridiculous as it sounds but I was thinking of a Talisman setting, Jumanji style, I.E. we are all about to get into a game of Talisman when low and behold everyone is sucked into the game (except for me of course).

I figure I can either have it as a one off farcical game or turn it into a long campaign using the cards and expansions as inspiration. Now you are probably all wondering why I don't just use D&D or one of the million other fantasy RPG's out there but I kind of want rules for playing themselves and also starting with the equipment they've got which is the concept of the Apocalypse games.

I figure they can wake up in a field somewhere near the tavern with nothing but the clothes on their back and the equipment they turned up to the session with. I also figure I will pretend it is the Zombie game right up until the point we start the game so I can get a genuine wtf expression from the group. The way the world of Talisman is I figure it can become an apocalyptic game at some point anyway if I want and also there is no risk of everyone running off separately to save their own family and loved ones as would likely happen in the real world.

So any ideas on what you think or what you would do in the game or just straight up laughter at such a ludicrous idea will be accepted too? ;-).

I figure I can either have it as a one off farcical game or turn it into a long campaign using the cards and expansions as inspiration. Now you are probably all wondering why I don't just use D&D or one of the million other fantasy RPG's out there but I kind of want rules for playing themselves and also starting with the equipment they've got which is the concept of the Apocalypse games.

I would still run that in D&D, to be honest. The "play as yourself" concept is not difficult to port over. From what I've read for this game line, it basically amounts to having the players vote on one stat that needs to go up or down based on who you really are after initial character creation.

As for starting equipment, that's just starting equipment. Using a system like D&D would advantageous because it will already have rules for everything the Talisman character is likely to be carrying. Using End of the World means you'd have to stat out a variety of miscellaneous medieval equipment, not to mention build a magic system.

The idea is cool, don't get me wrong. Especially cool if you play Talisman for an hour or two first, then dive into the RPG with whatever everyone has. I'm just saying I think it would be a lot easier to port the desired qualities of this game engine to D&D, rather than the other way around.

Start off with a session of Talisman I like that idea!

Yep definitely hear what you are saying about using D&D and it makes a lot of sense.

I think with me though I am very abstract, I won't need to port a lot of rules over, I'll just stat a piece of equipment with whatever I think sounds right at the time and my group tends to follow and like that style. Same with rules, like spells (which I will use Talisman inspired as opposed to D&D spells) assuming anyone in my group is clever enough to learn them.

I also think maybe a character class might be harder to make an accurate copy of someone as I don't want to use the class system having them become fighters, mages, thieves exc. Also the idea of being a normal person is you have mental trauma which I think could be fun to explore, after all facing a giant spider or being turned into a toad might be fun on a board game but would be quite stressful if you are dealing with it for real. And then there's the worry of how they are going to get home and if it's even possible at all and what on Earth (Talisman is going on anyway).

I want to make it feel like it is them (albeit an abstracted version) in a bizarre situation as opposed to being some kind of hero.

Definitely hear what you are saying though and if I intended to turn them into heroes such as if it was a movie about people sucked into a game then I would definitely use D&D for it's simplicity and detailed rules for a fantasy background.

I also think maybe a character class might be harder to make an accurate copy of someone as I don't want to use the class system having them become fighters, mages, thieves exc. Also the idea of being a normal person is you have mental trauma which I think could be fun to explore, after all facing a giant spider or being turned into a toad might be fun on a board game but would be quite stressful if you are dealing with it for real.

Fair enough. You make some valid points about the class system obscuring the whole "you are you" idea. I hope the game turns out well, be sure to post some session reports for us here!

For sure will do!

Thanks heaps for the input

I like the "sucked into a board game" idea. Never buy stuff from creepy old men, who own dusty antique stores, that disappear as soon as you leave. "Board games, down that aisle between the mogwais and the monkey paws."

A really crazy setting would be the old Tri-Tac game "Incursion." The players are all abducted by aliens for slave labour, and then wake up from cryo-sleep in the midst of a slave revolt. In the end, the slavers and slaves wipe each other out, leaving the players with their own starship, in a distant corner of the galaxy, with no map home.

As I recall, the starship was made by a super-advanced race to be "user-friendly" for less-developed species, so the players could figure it out without to many airlock mishaps. Then, they could begin their planet-hopping quest to find a reliable starchart to Earth.

Has anyone played "Alien Isolation?" It gave me an idea for a scifi setting. Combines "Pandorum," "Alpha Prime," and what little I've seen of "Routine."

Something goes wrong during your transfer to [insert name here] station. You awaken in a hanger-bay when your cryo-pods run out of power and engage emergency-animation - you have no idea how long your pods have been piled up (most are smashed open, but yours escaped notice). The station is trashed, full of homicidal maniacs, and malfunctioning robots.

It turns out some super-sketchy research was going on here - maybe a madness-inducing virus (a la "Crossed") . Eventually, the government/corporation responsible for this situation sends a "clean-up crew" to eliminate evidence.

The players are stuck between raving lunatics, homicidal droids, and mercenary killers. Can they survive long enough to get home?

I like the "sucked into a board game" idea. Never buy stuff from creepy old men, who own dusty antique stores, that disappear as soon as you leave. "Board games, down that aisle between the mogwais and the monkey paws."

Never been a fan myself, got over that after the three failed campaigns of being sucked into our gm's pathfinder game.

As for anything like isolation I suggest using the Dread system: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dread_RPG

Just saw the trailer for "Jurassic World". There's an "End of the World" setting - trapped in a haywire theme park full of things that want to kill you. "Westworld" would also be pretty good.

"Westworld" would also be pretty good.

Rise of the Machines.