GURPS 4th Edition

[Valdar]

Discussions here had me curious about where GURPS is these days, so I went out and picked up the 4th ed. player's book and Space. No telling if I'm ever going to play it (running one game a week is plenty), but I did find it to be an interesting read.

After an initial glance through, here are a few things I noticed:

--Carrying capacity is now geometric, so you don't need a ridiculously high STR to pick up a car if you're playing Supers.

--Psionics look a lot better balanced, with point costs for Supers-like things costing Supers-like points. The following, which happened in a Space game I was in, shouldn't be happening any more:

"The villains get in their car and speed away!"
"I use my telekinesis to crush the car's engine."

--Character creation looks even more open-ended than before- this could be a good or bad thing. This will possibly cause more work for the GM if a specific game is wanted, otherwise the party will look like a menagerie (I could see a fantasy party including a vampire and a flying unicorn with ease, or a Space party including characters so alien they won't be able to understand mission objectives, much less have the desire to complete them...)

--The Space book was an even better read than the basic book. I found the pages on creating star systems and aliens to be inspired, and made me want to start creating such things just for the fun of it.

[Arch Lich Thoth-Amon]

Hello Valdar

Hope you dont mind me adding to your post. I would also love to hear of any play experiences with GURPS 4th edition from anyone on the boards. Thanks.

Thoth-Amon

[fmitchell]

I haven't had a chance to play GURPS 4e, but I like the rule changes ... mostly minor, but making advantages/disadvantages/powers/skills consistent across worlds is a big win.

Unfortunately, as a result reading the books is like drinking from a firehose, which could scare off new players. _GURPS Lite_ is a useful tool, but I wish they'd put "normal" and "super" advantages/disadvantages in separate sections instead of marking them with an icon ... it would make creating a "normal" person easier.

[silentjudas]

i've never actually gotten to read/play GURPS. is it fun at all, being so "generic" and open ended on most things?

[Valdar]

i've never actually gotten to read/play GURPS. is it fun at all, being so "generic" and open ended on most things?

You definitely have to trim it down, and don't let the players browbeat you into allowing characters that don't fit your genre (I had a player show up with a vampire for a space game, for instance.)

Apart from that, it's very fun- you have to use a setting, but there are plenty available, or you can homebrew your own.

[silentjudas]

You definitely have to trim it down, and don't let the players browbeat you into allowing characters that don't fit your genre (I had a player show up with a vampire for a space game, for instance.)

Apart from that, it's very fun- you have to use a setting, but there are plenty available, or you can homebrew your own.

hmm ill have to check it out

[MortonStromgal]

I would pick up Powers after someone recommended it to me I bought it and now I can honestly say if I want superpowers, psionics, magic, or some other superhuman feats in my game its a must have.

[Bearfoot_Adam]

I would pick up Powers after someone recommended it to me I bought it and now I can honestly say if I want superpowers, psionics, magic, or some other superhuman feats in my game its a must have.

Has it repalced Magic? I was looking for it and was surprised to see that it was no longer in print.

[nijineko]

i've always enjoyed gurps. especially since they incorporate some many different types of systems into one, it's fun to play with.

[Dragon_wolf]

I've played GURPS 3rd for everything from fantasy to modern, future and Cthulhu, and find it is extremely adaptable and user friendly, as long as you define the rules before you begin.

I've only picked up the 4th edition rules to peruse because I now live in a small town in Northern Canada where apparently, no one has heard of pen and paper RPGs. Haven't had a good game of anything in a couple years (grr!) If anyone knows of a good online GURPS game that is looking for players, let me know.

BTW, from what I can see GURPS hasn't changed in it's basics (unlike OTHER game systems) since it seems to periodically go through a streamlining process. I do like what I have perused for the 4th edition rules, but until I play it, I won't really know.

[nijineko]

once i get time and money to pick up the books i'll be looking for gurps game too.

[cliff]

I've kind of been toying around with getting a GURPS 4e game going in Battlegrounds RPG, if I ever get off my behind and start putting it together, I'll make a post about it here. I have 5 floating licenses (in addition to my main GM license), so nobody else would need to license to play.

The thought I'd had was to use e-mail for everything but combat, and then Skype+Battleground RPG for the actual combats.

[Dragon_wolf]

That sounds interesting, I'd definitely consider it if you get around to getting something started. What Genre/era would you be considering?

[cliff]

I've always been a particular fan of the Reign of Steel world, I'd probably try to update that to 4e.

[Dragon_wolf]

I like the idea. Depending on how everything works out, I'd be interested in checking it out for sure.