I'm trying to reacquaint myself with GURPs to enable myself to properly review a product for said system.Back in the olden days, when we played just about everything, GURPs was the universal system we always tried to shoehorn right back to a fantasy setting - which to my eyes 20 years later makes it seem like we were doing the system a disservice. GURPS can do fantasy, but I think it does other genres better, especially without the baggage of D&D making for comparisons and expectations that are neither needed nor helpful, but I digress.
I never realized how many editions of GURPs the game has evolved through until now. I came into GURPs with Man to Man and then an early boxed set. Over the years I have accumulated various editions and supplements - next to D&D and it's various clones GURPS and Tunnels & Trolls are neck and neck for 2nd place in the amount of closet and storage space they take up.
The thing is, there are 4 editions of GURPs, and I couldn't tell you the difference between any of them. I suspect it involves point cost changes, but it could be something bigger. No idea.
Shit, I want to play GURPs Discworld now...
An updated Discworld (powered by GURPS) was in proofreading as of last month. Won't be long now before it's out and available.
ReplyDeleteWelcome back to the dark side. Now download GURPS Dungeon Fantasy. :)
ReplyDeleteYou're welcome to drive out to NJ if you want to play. Next game is tomorrow.
ReplyDeleteheh - rach already has plans for me. that being said, I may one day take you up on that offer ;)
DeletePlaying in Peter's DF campaign to start, and then doing a guest spot in Nathan's Dungeon Fantasy / Jade Regent game (Pathfinder Adventure Path done in GURPS) would be a fantastic re-introduction to the system.
DeletePeter plays it straight, from what I can tell. Very few added systems (no funkly low-tech additions, no ritual path magic) and maybe not even that much from his own book (Martial Arts).
Nathan runs DF with more options turned on. Full use of Peter's book, various reworkings of the basic armor rules for weight vs protection changes.
I've read about his, and am a player in Nate's, and they both are five kinds of cool.
Consider it a standing invite. I'll keep a dwarf fighter or something on standby so you'll have something to run.
DeleteGURPS has been my go to for cool RPG ideas for forever and a day. It's has or had a source book for everything!
ReplyDeleteThe biggest difference is between 3rd and 4th editions.
ReplyDeleteThere were a lot of changes between 2e and 4e. I own the 4e books, but haven't played it... Played some 3rd edition almost 20 years ago. The biggest adjustment they made was to streamline combat to a certain degree. It's still a bit fiddly, but much less than 3rd Edition. I think 4e was pretty well received by the fan base and it compatible enough with 3e that conversions aren't too terrible.
ReplyDeleteGURPS Discworld and "Discworld Also" are nice splat books, but a somewhat odd fit for the Discworld setting. It might almost be better to try something like Savage Worlds or FATE with the Discworld setting. GURPS IOU is an interesting setting book as well if you are into zany fantasy/sci-fi/pulp cross-over books.
The changes between 3e and 4e were so most dramatic so I will summerize them off the top of my head here.
ReplyDeletePre-4e, Fatigue was based on Strength and Hit Points were based on Health. 4e switched this so that Hit Points are based on Strength and Fatigue is based on Health.
Pre-4e, bullets did crushing damage, 4e created a new damage type just for bullets called piercing. Burn and Explosion were also added to the damage types in 4e.
Pre-4e, character advantages, depending on genre, were often purchased with a combination of character points and cash. Your cyborg, for example, would buy his innate advantages with character points but to get his cybernetic advantages, he needed to use money, either though the wealth advantage or purchasing money directly with character points. 4e is standardized so that advantages all costs character points with the exception of mundane equipment which can still be bought with money.
Pre-4e, vehicles and robots were designed using a different system than characters. In 4e, vehicles and robots are built with character points and have abilties and advantages and disadvantages the same as characters.
Other than the above and some rebalancing and refiguring of costs and tech levels, 4e is still the same game as earlier editions.
Not that you wouldn't be welcome in Alien Menace, but shooting aliens in the face in 2035 wouldn't give you a good comparison to OSR fantasy, while Dungeon Fasntasy would
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