View Single Post
Old 11-19-2013, 02:28 PM   #5
Kromm
GURPS Line Editor
 
Kromm's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jul 2004
Location: Montréal, Québec
Default Re: Harkwood - character points and players less-than-fluent in the language

Quote:
Originally Posted by sir_pudding View Post

This is a general problem with players expectations of GURPS. Some players who come from a background of old school FRPGs expect a "zero-to-hero" character ark. Players who read a lot of fiction may expect characters whose abilities are simply adequate to the challenges they face. Players who've mostly just seen Hollywood movies and video games expect characters who can do awesome over-the-top stuff routinely.

In your case, I think playing to player expectations is the best course. Rewrite Harkwood as a DF adventure and let the PCs make 250 point DF characters. Legolas is within shooting distance of a Wood Elf Scout, as makes no nevermind.
I'll go further and say that aside from the old-school gamers who constitute a dwindling minority of the RPG market, most players in 2013 want the movies-and-video-games heroes. This is part of why the Action and Dungeon Fantasy series kick off at 250 points, and why Monster Hunters starts at 400 points. Me, I'd never run a GURPS campaign on a budget smaller than 250 points just because I'd have no players . . . so I'd counsel ditching the implied zero-to-hero style of Harkwood and going with 250-point super-knights who can win 27 jousts and still have enough oomph left to hit the dungeon for some quick looting afterward.
__________________
Sean "Dr. Kromm" Punch <kromm@sjgames.com>
GURPS Line Editor, Steve Jackson Games
My DreamWidth [Just GURPS News]
Kromm is offline   Reply With Quote