How many systems?

[ashmie]

Ok guys, thanks for all the great posts on what race you would be. My next question is regarding something I touched upon during the last rally to rescue the hobby for myself. Game systems and their rules. I recently decided to focus on 2. black powder and 40k. Not because I don't like the other games I play but because my mind is getting weaker to retain information. I used to have a photographic memory for song lyrics and films. Still have really, just with facts and figures in the printed word are harder to retain.
How about you? How many game systems can you comfortably keep in your head at one time? Ie a 6th month gaming period. Do you find some systems easier than others? Which is the most difficult? Do you enjoy the mental arithmetic and exercise the rules offer or does it cause overload?

[Tenorikuma]

I'm still a newbie, but I really only have time and opportunity for two, Warhammer fantasy and 40k. Trying to play the former once a month, the other as occasion arises.

[The Other Dave]

Yeah, two's about the number of games I can remember to play well (excepting Blood Bowl, which I've basically internalized). It also seems to be the number of games I can keep up interest in painting at any one time, so that's convenient.

[Spevna]

Blood Bowl
Play it online as haven't had the chance to play tabletop for ages. Rules are not a problem to remember

Uncharted Seas
About once every two months when me and Prim meet up. Simple rules, very fun, quick game. Not a headache to pick up.

40k
Can't remember the last time I played. Constantly need to check the rules. Love the miniatures so I put up with it.

[job]

You know I think it depends on how often you can play the games in my opinion. In a gaming club you can often play games routinely and I found I could remember several game systems fairly well. Personally I learn and remember through the repetition of the games. Now that I'm in Japan and only get to play games once or twice a month, I find that I can really only play a few game systems all together. FOW is the game I most love, but there are some very specific places where my mind has forgotten the details. I play FB, but honestly I feel every time I return to the game there's something of other I have to review. (One worry for Orktoberfest). BP, I hope not to forget between bouts. Epic, I once figured out but is now again lost. Cutlass is a morass of completely new rules I have to trust my oppenent knows better than me. 40k, I haven't even looked at the new rulebook! Yikes!

Okay, so I think my answer would be 1 or 2 like the other guys, but I've allowed myself to over-stretch.

Oh, but I really think Mordheim is some exception. Maybe it is the GW- style rules; or maybe it is the the simplicity of the basic rules, but I've actually had little or no difficulty recalling it even after 2 years between games.

[Primarch]

In the last 6 months I have played:
Battletech
Dark Heresy
Warhammer 40K 5th ed.
Warhammer 40K 6th ed.
Black Powder
Malifaux
Warmachine
Uncharted Seas
Cutlass
Dust Tactics.

I am not saying that I can quote every rule for all of those games verbatim, but I figure I can get through a game of any of them fairly smoothly. The trick is not to memorise the rules, but to memorise the system and the rule book. E.g. I can remember the WS and BS to hit roll charts used in GW games with no problem. Whilst I might not always remember what 'Interceptor' or 'Hatred' do, I can put my finger on them in the rulebook fairly quickly. There are a few times when referencing the rules is useful. I always have my book open during deployment as that is something that you need to do in every game, but which every game handles differently.

My memory is terrible for most things, I sometimes have a hard time remembering what I did yesterday, but rules I am generally ok with for some reason.

[The Underdweller]

Well, I play:

Warhammer 40K (5th/6th)
Warmachine
Cutlass

and I'm learning

Bloodbowl
Warhammer Fantasy

Only playing the first 3 is fine, is adding 2 more too much? Only time will tell...

I agree with Job that it really depends how often I play the games-it's hard to remember the rules of a game I haven't played for several months.

It also depends how tired or hungry I am, and if it's my first game of the day (when I do better) or the 3rd (when mental fatigue starts to kick in). Also similar rules (5th edition to 6th edition 40K) are easy for me to get mixed up although hopefully that will get better with time.

So yeah, it depends.

[Admiral-Badruck]

I try to play games to make up the numbers. The only game I knew the rules for other than Blood bowl is 40k5th ed But listen to 40k podcast as well as the odd FB podcast from time to time. And since Black powder is a gentalmans game rules make less of a difference. I am sure I could do better with my over all knowledges of the rules. But I fine the more I know the rules the more likely I am to power game...

[me_in_japan]

I think I have warmachine pretty much in my head, altho fancy tactical stuff not so much. 40k 5th ed I had pretty much down. 6th ed I kinda see as a variation on 5th ed, so hopefully I can assimilate that soonish. Malifaux - basics, aye. Extra stuff, nah.

So, about 2 and a half for me.

Oh, and like others, BB has been internalised. Probly because the rules haven't changed for years.

I agree that the frequency you play at has a big effect. Last time I played 40k was at Naghammer this year. Since then I've played 2 games of warmahordes. That's it.