Transhuman Space

[Geoffrey]

Steve Jackson Games has recently released the hardback version of Transhuman Space ( www.sjgames.com/transhuman ). Supposedly, it is a complete game. All you need is the book, paper, pencil, and dice.

However, their advertisement in the latest issue of Dragon says, "It comes with a customized version of GURPS Lite , so Transhuman Space is all you need to start." Those last two words worry me: "to start". This isn't like the old D&D Basic boxed sets that are limited to character levels 1-3, is it? I don't want to buy this book and discover after a couple months play that I have to buy GURPS this, that, or the other to continue playing.

Does anyone know the story?

 

[Guillaume]

As far as I know you only need Transhuman Space to play the game. The "to start" thing refers to the fact that many supplements have been/will be published detailing the Transhuman campaign.

I might be wrong though...

Guillaume

 

[bolen]

The quick play rules are enough. If you want all the rules you buy the book but there are no Levels in GURPS you just wont have access to every advantage/disad or skill withe the fast play rules

 

[Xeriar]

The hardback's been out for a bit, it's a pretty nice self-contained book. Since GURPS can be pretty mind-boggling to start with, GURPS Lite is a Good Thing (tm).

There are other books that can be used to supplement Transhuman: Space, but it's more like:

GURPS: Space is to Transhuman Space as Tome & Blood is to the Player's Handbook.

 

[ced1106]

Let's see...

* RPGnet should give you more advice. Yes, Transhumans Space is complete, but so are the D&D core books, right?

* GURPS sourcebooks are infamous for **not** being played with GURPS. Use your favorite space rpg mechanics and enjoy.


Cedric.
aka. Washu! ^O^

 

[ColonelHardisson]

Let's see...

* RPGnet should give you more advice. Yes, Transhumans Space is complete, but so are the D&D core books, right?

That's true, but the question could then be phrased - "is it as complete a ruleset as the 3e Core Books?" That is, one can run the type of game D&D is known to be quite nicely with just the 3 books and nothing else. Can Transhuman Space be said to be as complete? For example, are there any missing parts, like, say, space combat rules? Based on what I've seen, this would be an important element of TS. But, that's just an example for clarity; I'm pretty sure there are such rules in TS.

 

[Jürgen Hubert]

Let's see...

* RPGnet should give you more advice. Yes, Transhumans Space is complete, but so are the D&D core books, right?

Actually, TS is even more complete than the Core Rules - after all, it contains a setting...

* GURPS sourcebooks are infamous for **not** being played with GURPS. Use your favorite space rpg mechanics and enjoy.

That will require a lot of work, though - especially for all the PC "species"...

 

[Jürgen Hubert]

GURPS: Space is to Transhuman Space as Tome & Blood is to the Player's Handbook.

I think GURPS Space is entirely missable for TS - all the environmental and spacecraft rules are already in the main book, and as TS doesn't have FTL drive and much of the tech described in the former book, there isn't really all that much that would be applicable...

 

[WayneLigon]

You can always get the GURPS Lite rules free at http://www.sjgames.com/gurps/lite/ and decide for yourself if the rule part will suit you.

 

[Geoffrey]

Thanks, everyone, for the helpful info!