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Post by squeatus on Feb 5, 2014 13:37:02 GMT -8
I've been avoiding GURPS for years because of all the (perceived) sourcebook creep and the complaints about complexity. Never picked up a SJG product I didn't like, but just never pulled the trigger on GURPS.
Fucking wow.
Yeah, it's complex, and probably combat is super painful at first but just reading through the first 70 pages or so... every advantage description leads me down some new path for an entire campaign ("OMFG familiars would be so badass like this instead of some forgettable feat that gives you +1 to sneak and the GM might remember to include in a fireball blast radius", etc.)
Overwhelming, though, to be sure. It does seem like the consensus amongst the masters is roll with the Basic set (and maybe martial arts) and you can just make up the rest as you go. Still, are there some source books that stand out among others, not so much as "must-haves" because I can see you mustn't *have* any of them....but just like, the ideal sourcebook type?
Like, something that does a comprehensive view of a fantasy campaign... would that be Fantasy (or Dungeon Fantasy I if I wanted it all hacky/looty, I guess) or would Banestorm actually be a better option?
It can be any genre/setting, really, just pointing out how it's easy to get overwhelmed even with the product descriptions listed on e23 (Jesus that site doesn't need a facelift, right?)
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maxinstuff
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Post by maxinstuff on Feb 5, 2014 14:00:06 GMT -8
And herein loes the "problem" with GURPS.
So many options, it is very easy to fall into analysis paralysis.
Here is what I suggest - put down the characters book after reading the first chapter (the red section), and if you absolutely have to, the intro sections only of the advantages, disadvantages, skills and magic sections. Do not read through the descriptions of every trait in the book or you'll be overloaded and still have no fucking idea how to play.
After you've primed yourself on how characters are constructed, pick up the campaigns book - and read maybe the first 40 pages? The green and blue sections at the begginning of that book is the CORE of the game. Stop when you get to tactical combat - the brown (shit) bit. Then skim the special combat situations chapter. SKIM it. Note down the mechanics you like (most people are fond of hit locations for example).
Done? Alright, now you know GURPS. 1. There is a full trait list on a green section near the end of the characters book, with page references for everything. 2. All the combat tables are in the back of the campaigns book.
Before you make a character, get the concept down. Know what you want.
Go play.
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nanoboy
Journeyman Douchebag
Posts: 142
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Post by nanoboy on Feb 5, 2014 14:04:03 GMT -8
Tier 1 Necessary (Really, really must have) Characters Campaigns
Tier 2 Must-Haves (These are books with a lot of good ideas that will expand what you realize GURPS can do.) Martial Arts Powers Thaumatology*
Tier 3 Pretty Handy Magic* Low Tech High Tech Ultra-Tech Space Fantasy Bio-Tech
*Magic and Thaumatology are special cases. Magic takes the old standard magical system and mostly just provides more spells. While it works for the most part, a lot of us don't really like it, since a lot of the ideas don't especially integrate into other parts of the system very well. Thaumatology is a book about alternate magical systems and tweaks for your campaign, and it is really, really awesome. However, some of the major tweaks assume you have and are using Magic.
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Post by mook on Feb 5, 2014 16:45:49 GMT -8
Yes. YES. There I was, just rolling around on a bed of GURPS books, when I felt that special tingling in my hippocampus and knew I must come to the forums. GURPS is a lot of fun, I'm sure you'll have some good times with it. It sounds like you're actually enjoying reading the ads/disads/skills descriptions and it's getting your creative goo bubbling, no reason not to keep it up. The Steve Jackson forums are also insanely helpful! Plus, you might find the Combat Examples in my sig of some use for seeing the bare-bones mechanics of the combat back and forth. Enjoy!
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Post by stork on Feb 5, 2014 19:04:56 GMT -8
Yes. YES. There I was, just rolling around on a bed of GURPS books, when I felt that special tingling in my hippocampus and knew I must come to the forums. GURPS is a lot of fun, I'm sure you'll have some good times with it. It sounds like you're actually enjoying reading the ads/disads/skills descriptions and it's getting your creative goo bubbling, no reason not to keep it up. The Steve Jackson forums are also insanely helpful! Plus, you might find the Combat Examples in my sig of some use for seeing the bare-bones mechanics of the combat back and forth. Enjoy! yes YES! And if your too lazy to click on the Mooks Sig and follow the link you can try this! GURPS LiteIt will give you all you need to run a GURPS game and make it easily digestible.
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Post by inflatus on Feb 5, 2014 19:28:33 GMT -8
When I started it was with the Basic Set (boxed) and Fantasy. The Yrth setting was in the Fantasy book. It has since been moved to Banestorm. I would get Characters, Campaigns and Banestorm. That should keep you playing for a good long while.
With the rules just keep combat basic at first. You should be fine with the basics. After you and the players get more familiar start adding more advanced combat. You could even just make most the adventures about roleplaying and story. That will help with easing into the system.
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D.T. Pints
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Post by D.T. Pints on Feb 5, 2014 21:43:00 GMT -8
So far maxinstuff's Steampunk GURPS game has been rules painless and a lot of fun...though we may die horrible deaths very soon. Like how I learn all systems the best just playing the damn game is the way to go!
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nanoboy
Journeyman Douchebag
Posts: 142
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Post by nanoboy on Feb 5, 2014 21:46:55 GMT -8
When I started it was with the Basic Set (boxed) and Fantasy. The Yrth setting was in the Fantasy book. It has since been moved to Banestorm. I would get Characters, Campaigns and Banestorm. That should keep you playing for a good long while. With the rules just keep combat basic at first. You should be fine with the basics. After you and the players get more familiar start adding more advanced combat. You could even just make most the adventures about roleplaying and story. That will help with easing into the system. Banestorm is an excellent setting, but if you want to run a fantasy game in a setting of your own design, then Fantasy is the better buy. As you mentioned, in 3E and before Fantasy was Banestorm, but 4E changed that.
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Post by squeatus on Feb 6, 2014 13:09:46 GMT -8
Banestorm is an excellent setting, but if you want to run a fantasy game in a setting of your own design, then Fantasy is the better buy. As you mentioned, in 3E and before Fantasy was Banestorm, but 4E changed that. I've got a feeling I'd like either one. What I'm getting is Fantasy is now the "Basic" book for fantasy, where you get the tool kit for building out your fantasy world, and Banestorm would be the way I'd want to go if I wanted to see how someone (SJG in particular) used the Fantasy rules to lay out an entire campaign setting. Pretty close? I can see the value in both. I guess that's the real problem with GURPS, isn't it? I'm going to see the fucking value in all of the books. <sigh>
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Post by squeatus on Feb 6, 2014 13:18:21 GMT -8
GURPS is a lot of fun, I'm sure you'll have some good times with it. It sounds like you're actually enjoying reading the ads/disads/skills descriptions and it's getting your creative goo bubbling, no reason not to keep it up. Seen the site, bookmarked it, just haven't read your examples yet. I'd heard about em on the podcast, too. Thanks so much for the resource. It was suggested earlier by max that I stop reading really quickly in order to avoid GURPS overload, but it's too late for that. I'm reading through ads on my kindle at work during downtime and nearly every single one inspires another new... Yeah, you guys probably all know what I'm talking about.
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nanoboy
Journeyman Douchebag
Posts: 142
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Post by nanoboy on Feb 6, 2014 13:54:20 GMT -8
I've got a feeling I'd like either one. What I'm getting is Fantasy is now the "Basic" book for fantasy, where you get the tool kit for building out your fantasy world, and Banestorm would be the way I'd want to go if I wanted to see how someone (SJG in particular) used the Fantasy rules to lay out an entire campaign setting. Pretty close? I can see the value in both. I guess that's the real problem with GURPS, isn't it? I'm going to see the fucking value in all of the books. <sigh> The Fantasy book doesn't contain much in the way of rules per se, and honestly, it would be useful for anyone making a fantasy setting for any system. It contains a bunch of advice and examples from myth, as well as a review of literary ideas. There is a pretty good mini-setting in the back, Roma Arcana, and there are fantasy race templates and monsters. Banestorm is a peculiar setting involving Crusader and Muslim people being teleported into a land of Elves, Dwarves, and Orcs along with some other fantasy races from other worlds. You end up with a setting that has Christianity and Islam in a state of struggle, along with the shattered remnants of fantasy races trying to find their way in that world. I once plopped a group of modern day characters into the setting, and they were quite confused to meet Muslim halflings who knew Arabic. It was pretty fun, though the campaign fizzled for other reasons.
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