Kickstarter: GURPS Mission X

[Theory of Games]

Thanks for the bump. Now on my list of watched coming KS.

Always amazed at how many folks claim GURPS is complex as they sit down with 10+ books for their next PF/D&D game so they can sort through 50+ races/species/ancestries, 100+ classes/subclasses , several hundred feats, and skills that may break down into 3 or more sub skills. But GURPS is complex.....

... and fun for those of us who enjoy that level of complexity. I'd rather have a system that does everything than one that won't let me play a certain character or genre.

 

[MGibster]

Always amazed at how many folks claim GURPS is complex as they sit down with 10+ books for their next PF/D&D game so they can sort through 50+ races/species/ancestries, 100+ classes/subclasses , several hundred feats, and skills that may break down into 3 or more sub skills. But GURPS is complex.....

I tend to view GURPS less as a game and more as a toolkit to build a game with. With most games, even a complicated game like Pathfinder, you're getting a complete game in the package. The GM doesn't have to create the player character classes, species, spells, equipment, skills, etc., etc. because that work has already been completed. With GURPS, you're getting a toolkit to build a game with. You want elves? Well, better create one. (I know they have examples of common species in various sourcebooks.) You want wizards? Better decide how spells work and then create them. When it comes to GURPS, the GM, and I'd argue the players, have to put in a little more work upfront to get the game going.

The last time I used GURPS was circa 2005, 4th edition, and I was running a Delta Green campaign. As far as world building goes, it was relatively easy because it's set in the modern era, all the PCs are human, and at the beginning they don't have access to supernatural abilities. I gave the players somewhere between 150-200 points to build their characters with instructions to avoid any supernatural advantages, disadvantages, and powers. And of course I offered guidance such as suggesting Advantages like Legal Enforcement Powers for the PCs who were special agents with the FBI and the ATF. I really only had one player who was difficult, but I chalk that up to the player rather than any problem with GURPS itself.

The biggest problem my players ran into were the sheer number of skills available. It just felt like a lot of work on their part to pore over the list and decide which ones might be of use in the campaign. This is when one of the players laughed upon discovering there was a Dropping skill. I did have one problem player whose opinion of what a "normal" human differed greatly from mine. He kept trying to buy psychic powers and silly advantages like extra arm strength and I constantly had to tell him no. This was more of a problem with the player than it was with GURPS I think.

The drawbacks of GURPS came for me as a GM when I had to decide how magic works and to stat out creatures. What abilities should a ghoul have? How about a wizard? A byakhee? It was a bit more work than I cared to put into the game. As a GM, I'd rather concentrate on interesting plots and encounters rather than building creatures, NPCs, spells, etc., etc.

 

[Theory of Games]

To me that's the beauty of GURPS and other "generic" systems: you can make exactly what you want, rather than being limited by whatever the non-generic systems give you. Does it take a greater level of time and creativity to set-up? Yup. Is it worth it in the end for groups that like having more creative control? Yup.

Also, GURPS has produced supplements for nearly every imaginable setting and they're a great aid for GMs looking for inspirational material. No other ttrpg can match GURPS' library IMO

 

[MGibster]

To me that's the beauty of GURPS and other "generic" systems: you can make exactly what you want, rather than being limited by whatever the non-generic systems give you. Does it take a greater level of time and creativity to set-up? Yup. Is it worth it in the end for groups that like having more creative control? Yup.

That's exactly the beaty of GURPS, it's just I don't think that particular type of game is currently in favor. Rather than building a game from the ground floor, most gamers would rather buy something ready to play out of the box. But who knows? Maybe in 10-15 years GURPS will make a comeback?

 

[Argyle King]

I tend to view GURPS less as a game and more... [lots of stuff]

I don't necessarily disagree with that. There's a learning curve to figuring out which pieces you need.

However, that's why this Kickstarter is a good product. It does that work for you and presents a self-contained game.

GURPS products which also do that are After the End (Fallout, Mad Max, Thundarr); Dungeon Fantasy* (D&Dish fantasy); Monster Hunters (pretty much what it says); and a few others.

*I like Dungeon Fantasy a lot, but it does start at a power level that might be rough to learn for a new group. Coincidentally, Douglas Cole -the same guy writing this Kickstarter- has a series of books that address that.

Mission X (from my understanding) takes the idea of a self-contained game even further.

 

[DrunkonDuty]

Tool kit games are definitely for those with some spare time. Or those, like me, who are happy tinkering away at a campaign setting as a hobby in itself. For the last couple of years I've been working on my own fantasy game using HERO System, complete with a conversion of L5R to HERO. I may never actually use it. But that's cool, cos I'm having fun.

But for people who want something more practical GURPS has many excellent source books for various genres and campaign settings. These really do loads of the campaign building work.

 

[Argyle King]

You can find some of the author's other products here:

Gaming Ballistic | Fantasy & Dungeon Roleplaying Games Gaming Ballistic | Fantasy & Dungeon Roleplaying Games

 

[thullgrim]

Gaming Ballistic/Douglas Cole GURPS product line is just fantastic. I can’t speak highly enough about it. The Delvers to Grow lets you get GURPS DF characters on the table in less than 20 minutes. Really. The monster books are also amazing.

 

[Theory of Games]

That's exactly the beaty of GURPS, it's just I don't think that particular type of game is currently in favor. Rather than building a game from the ground floor, most gamers would rather buy something ready to play out of the box. But who knows? Maybe in 10-15 years GURPS will make a comeback?

I get it - everything 'aint for everybody. But those of us who like GURPS are going to enjoy the system, largely because it's been consistent through all its editions. Looks like "most gamers" play D&D and that's fine too, but players like myself need more from a ttrpg

 

[Voidmoji]

The biggest problem my players ran into were the sheer number of skills available. It just felt like a lot of work on their part to pore over the list and decide which ones might be of use in the campaign.

While it wouldn't have solved you other issues, there is now GURPS 4e – Skill Categories, which is free. It groups skills into, well, categories, and makes it much easier to eyeball what skills might be useful for a character.

As for statting our creatures, a lack of a decent bestiaries is a rather large hole in the GURPS catalog. These days there are some solid fan resources, but a line of bestiaries for different genres, along with natural animals and just people in general would do the game wonders for usability.