What is GURPS?

[pawsplay]

By all accounts, my GM was one of the best. I really think the system just doesn't do it for some people. IME, people usually like either Hero or GURPS, rarely both. It must be some sort of play style thing.

In my experience, it's rare to have been exposed to both, but I have not encountered this "play style" issue. Many people on the Hero and GURPS boards are quite familiar with the other game. It's probably rare for someone to invest heavily into two, very similar generic systems.

 

[Mercule]

In my experience, it's rare to have been exposed to both, but I have not encountered this "play style" issue. Many people on the Hero and GURPS boards are quite familiar with the other game. It's probably rare for someone to invest heavily into two, very similar generic systems.

Dunno. Different experiences, then. Most of my college group was strongly pro-Hero and, of those that had tried it, all hated GURPS -- a lot. On the other hand, I've met quite a few GURPS players who held Hero in strong disdain. I don't actually know anyone who has played both and is neutral.

Apparently, that isn't consistent with your experience. I hope yours are more normal.

Personally, I'm past ripping on GURPS (okay, I'm trying really hard, so cut me some slack). As long as people are coming to the hobby, who cares what system they're playing? I do tend to try to steer people toward Hero, though, because I think it's a genuinely better system. In thinking about it, GURPS might be easier to learn as a neophyte gamer because it's more skill-based than power based -- Hero can be, but the rules show their supers origins in the space devoted to powers.

 

[pawsplay]

In thinking about it, GURPS might be easier to learn as a neophyte gamer because it's more skill-based than power based -- Hero can be, but the rules show their supers origins in the space devoted to powers.

75 point HERO characters and 150 point GURPS characters are so similar its eerie. I don't know if one or the other is particularly more newbie friendly, especially as both now offer a lot of templates for characters.

 

[SavageRobby]

I guess I'm on the few in the middle ground - I like (or don't like) Hero and GURPs about equally. I don't think they're bad systems, I just don't particularly care for either. However, if push came to shove and I had to play one or the other, I'd probably opt for Hero.

Interestingly, I'm a huge Savage Worlds fan, so its not the generic system part that turns me off from Hero and GURPs. To be honest, I'm not sure what it is.

 

[Mercule]

Interestingly, I'm a huge Savage Worlds fan, so its not the generic system part that turns me off from Hero and GURPs. To be honest, I'm not sure what it is.

My guess would be complexity. Hero and GURPS, both, can involve a daunting amount of prep work for both players and GMs. Sure, the GM can save the players (and himself, down the road) a lot of pain by picking up some up-front work in templating magic, races, critters, etc. Or, you can use some published frameworks. But, there's still a lot of fiddly bits that you have to master if you want your game/character to come together just right.

This is the main reason why I'd be tempted to run Savage Worlds over Hero. I absolutely love the ability, in Hero, to set up a character or a magic system to reflect exactly what I was thinking. On the other hand, there is a boatload of stuff that I just don't want to have to think about anymore. Savage Worlds abstracts things enough that you just get to say, "this is what happens" but it's got a framework that lets you finish with "and the mechanical effects are this".

 

[LoneWolf23]

Speaking as a GURPS fan, one of the things I find most advantageous is the combat rules are simple enough, and consider miniatures and battlemaps to be options, not vital necessities.

 

[jdrakeh]

My guess would be complexity. Hero and GURPS, both, can involve a daunting amount of prep work for both players and GMs.

GURPS Lite circumvents almost all of this (HERO Sidekick does not, IME) with the good news being that this particular headache is front-loaded in full versions of both games (meaning that it all gets done before actual play). Still, I agree that it can be daunting.

 

[xechnao]

I absolutely love the ability, in Hero, to set up a character or a magic system to reflect exactly what I was thinking. On the other hand, there is a boatload of stuff that I just don't want to have to think about anymore.

Check out BESM (Tri-Stat). You might not be disappointed.

 

[Mercule]

GURPS Lite circumvents almost all of this (HERO Sidekick does not, IME) with the good news being that this particular headache is front-loaded in full versions of both games (meaning that it all gets done before actual play). Still, I agree that it can be daunting.

I've checked out GURPS Lite, but not Sidekick. That might have something to do with my thoughts.

It could also be that I started playing Hero with Champions then played a few Fantasy Hero mages, so I may simply not be able to see Hero without the potential complications.

 

[Kichwas]

GURPS is Hero with all the powers and disadvantages prebuilt and a lot of the flexibility removed.

Its not a bad game, but in playing it one is often left to wonder, "why am I not just playing the game this is obviously a tool-down of?"