GURPS: I don't wanna play it, but I wanna buy it.

[alms66]

You don't have to use all the rules! Most of GURPS is optional. Lots of combat rules are optional. Look at GURPS Lite. It is a completely functional version of GURPS that uses only a small portion of the rules. If you find that is not enough, can keep adding options until you reach a level you like.

You can basically use GURPS Lite but allow all the skills, advantages and disadvantages from the core that make sense in the genre you're playing. That's about the lightest you can get with GURPS and still have all the goodies (advantages/disadvantages/skills) that a real game needs. GURPS Lite alone, yeah you could run it, but I wouldn't call that a complete game. This is pretty much the way we play GURPS in my group, and it's certainly less complex than many of the more popular systems out there, particularly d20/D&D 3.0+.

 

[Mishihari Lord]

I really liked the GURPS Traveller books - they're great sources for whichever version of Traveller you like. I like Witch World too. I'm a fan of the books and it filled in a lot of things that I didn't know.

 

[Keeper of Secrets]

I have to make a confession here. I am a big fan of GURPS, have been for years. In the 90s and early 00s, I played GURPS almost exclusively. I even did playtesting and writing for GURPS.

For that reason, I am always baffled when people say that GURPS is too complex, or too realistic, or not playable. I learned something very important about GURPS that makes it easy to play, easy to run, fun, and usable for any game type. Here's what you need to know:

You don't have to use all the rules! Most of GURPS is optional. Lots of combat rules are optional. Look at GURPS Lite. It is a completely functional version of GURPS that uses only a small portion of the rules. If you find that is not enough, can keep adding options until you reach a level you like.

As for GURPS books I think everyone will like, I suggest any of the historicals, especially GURPS Russia. Sourcebooks like GURPS Religion are a goldmine of information for creation religions and religious groups for any system. Technical books like GURPS Vehicle are more for hardcore GURPS Gearheads, but that's ok, because that is what makes GURPS fun fun for them.

This is a little off topic, but have they even been putting much material out lately? It used to be I was constantly looking for new game books in order to mine them for nice content. But it seems like forever since I have seen any real new material.

 

[Dannyalcatraz]

Put me down as another who doesn't really care for the system- sjmiller, it's not due to complexity (I'm a HEROphile) - but think the sourcebooks are among the best out ther in terms of well-researched and clearly presented info.

As a result, even despite my dislike of the system, I do own some of the sourcebooks, and ALWAYS check them out if they're on sale or in used book stores.

 

[prosfilaes]

This is a little off topic, but have they even been putting much material out lately? It used to be I was constantly looking for new game books in order to mine them for nice content. But it seems like forever since I have seen any real new material.

They've slowed down quite a bit, but if you aren't following their PDFs, you're missing most of their new material. They're putting most books out as PDF first, and then only printing them if they sell.

 

[Argyle King]

This is a little off topic, but have they even been putting much material out lately? It used to be I was constantly looking for new game books in order to mine them for nice content. But it seems like forever since I have seen any real new material.

Low-Tech is still fairly new; it's a hardback book.

Mass Combat was just reprinted as a softback.

Tactical Shooting (which is the nitty gritty realism counterpart to Gun Fu) is now available as a softback.

PDF-wise, there's a ton of stuff. In particular, they published a Monster Manual style book for the Dungeon Fantasy series.

 

[Keeper of Secrets]

They've slowed down quite a bit, but if you aren't following their PDFs, you're missing most of their new material. They're putting most books out as PDF first, and then only printing them if they sell.

OK. I DID know that in the back of my head but just forgot . . .

Thanks!

 

[Celtavian]

GURPS Spec Ops and Religion were pretty awsome. Their Tech books are almost always good, especially their weapons books.

 

[Argyle King]

GURPS Spec Ops and Religion were pretty awsome. Their Tech books are almost always good, especially their weapons books.

I totally agree. Even though I play 4th Edition, Religion is one of the 3rd Edition books I was excited to purchase. As someone who enjoys world building, it was a great resource. Aside from that, it was also a genuinely interesting read.

I also agree with the tech books being very good. They tend to be a little more crunchy because they contain a good bit of rules information for the various pieces of equipment, but they are very well researched. I was actually pretty amazed at how accurate the research was for GURPS 4th Edition High-Tech. As someone who is familiar with and has real life experience with many of the weapons detailed in the book, I was delightfully surprised at the accuracy of the information.

 

[Argyle King]

I just remembered...


I think GURPS Horror for 4th Edition is supposed to be published in physical form at some point.