GURPS Historial PbP

NickP · 05-03-2011, 02:12 AM

I have run a couple of very intense and successful PBeM/Online Games in the past and am looking at running another.

I have recently been looking at GURPS and am really interested in the fact that it is possible to use the system to roleplay just about any type of game in any era and am quite keen on putting it to the test.

I have always preferred games that are very light on fantasy elements and very heavy on background, and really enjoy researching a period in order to make the background as realistic as possible. As a result, I'm looking to start a PbP game that is completely historical in nature (although I could also be interested in an alternate history setting).

I can imagine that the limits are going to come from the fact that it probably won't be quite as easy to find players for such a game. I would imagine that most players would find such a setting to be rather dull compared to a regular fantasy or sci-fi setting.

So the purpose of this posting is to see if there is anyone out there who might be interested in some historical PbP and, if so, is there a particular period which you would enjoy? If we can get four or more players interested, then I would definitely be interested in running it. Personally I think I would be interested in most periods from Medieval Times through to the present day.

So if this sounds interesting to you, please let me know which period or periods you could be interested in playing and we will see if there's enough interest to make it a reality.

Fnugus · 05-03-2011, 04:29 AM

Sign me up, as long as the year is pre-1750!

Anders · 05-03-2011, 05:34 AM

Yep. But I've never played PbP before, so you'll have to walk me through it.

Also, wouldn't this fit better in the Play-by-Post forum?

downer · 05-03-2011, 05:40 AM

Count me in. I'm not a stickler for a specific period or setting, though a campaign set in antiquity would be something I'd like to try. Hard to get good sources, I guess. I've played PbP before, but all games ended fairly quickly, so I'd have to get my bearings.

Anders · 05-03-2011, 05:51 AM

Oh yeah, I'd like to try TL0 or TL1. But I'm flexible.

Dewey · 05-03-2011, 07:39 PM

I'd be up for just about any period. Given a choice I think I'd like the cliffhanger period or WW2, but I'll do just about anything.

I'd also be interested in a game set in say, Ancient Greece or Mesopotamia. Or maybe A roman Legion stationed on the borders of the empire.

Sarky · 05-03-2011, 08:34 PM

I would be interested as well, with a ancient setting, TL3 or so, or medieval type. I'm new to the PbP as well, though I do remember the days of PbM. :D

gmjasongurps · 05-03-2011, 08:38 PM

I would be interested in some sort of historical game. More details please.

I think early American history or European Industrial Revolution would be interesting. Maybe some early Russian time periods would be fun.

NickP · 05-03-2011, 11:05 PM

Thanks everyone for the swift and positive response - I really didn't expect that so many people would be interested in a game of this type.

From the early feedback, it seems that the consensus is definitely for an older historical setting than something in the 19th Century to present day. This is all fine by me.

I was pleasantly surprised to see the first two respondents coming from Scandinavia. I lived in Prague for ten years and then in Latvia for four years and, over this time, developed quite a strong interest in Central European history in the Medieval and Renaissance periods. I particularly found the ever-changing political borders to be fascinating compared to England where nothing much happened to the boundaries in a Millennium.

I also started this thread after having a quick look through GURPS Russia. This looks interesting, but I was amazed that they ever produced such a supplement, as I imagined that hardly anyone would be interested in the period.

I would need to dig out my history books to try and find a particularly interesting period but, speaking in general terms, who would be interested in a Central European setting at some point between, say, 1350 and 1650?

Perhaps someone here with a better knowledge of European history than me could suggest a particular setting? I am very much open to suggestions.

For those who have never played play-by-post before, I don't think that anyone would have too much difficulty with them. The advantages of PbPs are that it is a lot easier to get into character when you have time to think about exactly what your character would do. Conversely they are not good for games with a lot of combat as they either move very slowly or else players don't get a great deal of input into them.

In summary - they are great for role-playing, but very bad for roll-playing.

Once we have come up with a better idea of exactly the period we would like to set the game in, then I will post it to the PbP pages here and the Players Wanted section. I just wanted to see if there was any interest at this stage and this is by far the busiest section of the site so was the best place to get as many eyeballs as possible.

One thing I would mention at this stage is that I probably won't be ready to start for several weeks as I would want to put some working into the background rather than rush into something shoddy, so please be patient.

Thanks again to everyone for responding. Please let me know who would or wouldn't be interested in such a setting so that we get an idea as to numbers at this stage.

Sarky · 05-03-2011, 11:17 PM

Hmmm... sounds fine. Let me pick my exchange students mind and see what is produced, but the year of 1350 would be good, as it provides a starter, and we can see what develops from there. Also, that period would see a rise in papal power, so it ould be a very intresting time frame, especially if we wanted to develop a alternate time line based on actions of the PCs.

05-03-2011, 02:12 AM	#1
NickP Join Date: May 2011	GURPS Historial PbP I have run a couple of very intense and successful PBeM/Online Games in the past and am looking at running another. I have recently been looking at GURPS and am really interested in the fact that it is possible to use the system to roleplay just about any type of game in any era and am quite keen on putting it to the test. I have always preferred games that are very light on fantasy elements and very heavy on background, and really enjoy researching a period in order to make the background as realistic as possible. As a result, I'm looking to start a PbP game that is completely historical in nature (although I could also be interested in an alternate history setting). I can imagine that the limits are going to come from the fact that it probably won't be quite as easy to find players for such a game. I would imagine that most players would find such a setting to be rather dull compared to a regular fantasy or sci-fi setting. So the purpose of this posting is to see if there is anyone out there who might be interested in some historical PbP and, if so, is there a particular period which you would enjoy? If we can get four or more players interested, then I would definitely be interested in running it. Personally I think I would be interested in most periods from Medieval Times through to the present day. So if this sounds interesting to you, please let me know which period or periods you could be interested in playing and we will see if there's enough interest to make it a reality.

05-03-2011, 04:29 AM	#2
Fnugus Join Date: Aug 2010 Location: Odense, Denmark (Northern Europe)	Re: GURPS Historial PbP Sign me up, as long as the year is pre-1750! __________________ Fnugus

05-03-2011, 05:34 AM	#3
Anders Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Gothenburg, Sweden	Re: GURPS Historial PbP Yep. But I've never played PbP before, so you'll have to walk me through it. Also, wouldn't this fit better in the Play-by-Post forum? __________________ “When you arise in the morning think of what a privilege it is to be alive, to think, to enjoy, to love ...” Marcus Aurelius

05-03-2011, 05:40 AM	#4
downer Join Date: Jan 2011	Re: GURPS Historial PbP Count me in. I'm not a stickler for a specific period or setting, though a campaign set in antiquity would be something I'd like to try. Hard to get good sources, I guess. I've played PbP before, but all games ended fairly quickly, so I'd have to get my bearings. __________________ I have learnt silence from the talkative, toleration from the intolerant, and kindness from the unkind; yet strange, I am ungrateful to these teachers. -Khalil Gibran

05-03-2011, 05:51 AM	#5
Anders Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Gothenburg, Sweden	Re: GURPS Historial PbP Oh yeah, I'd like to try TL0 or TL1. But I'm flexible. __________________ “When you arise in the morning think of what a privilege it is to be alive, to think, to enjoy, to love ...” Marcus Aurelius

05-03-2011, 07:39 PM	#6
Dewey Join Date: Aug 2010 Location: New mexico	Re: GURPS Historial PbP I'd be up for just about any period. Given a choice I think I'd like the cliffhanger period or WW2, but I'll do just about anything. I'd also be interested in a game set in say, Ancient Greece or Mesopotamia. Or maybe A roman Legion stationed on the borders of the empire.

05-03-2011, 08:34 PM	#7
Sarky Join Date: Jun 2010 Location: The Golden State of Insanity	Re: GURPS Historial PbP I would be interested as well, with a ancient setting, TL3 or so, or medieval type. I'm new to the PbP as well, though I do remember the days of PbM. :D

05-03-2011, 08:38 PM	#8
gmjasongurps Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: st louis mo	Re: GURPS Historial PbP I would be interested in some sort of historical game. More details please. I think early American history or European Industrial Revolution would be interesting. Maybe some early Russian time periods would be fun. __________________ Dark Paths and Wandered Roads contains all session reports of my GURPS campaigns. Some have been running for multiple years. Check them out!

05-03-2011, 11:05 PM	#9
NickP Join Date: May 2011	Re: GURPS Historical PbP Thanks everyone for the swift and positive response - I really didn't expect that so many people would be interested in a game of this type. From the early feedback, it seems that the consensus is definitely for an older historical setting than something in the 19th Century to present day. This is all fine by me. I was pleasantly surprised to see the first two respondents coming from Scandinavia. I lived in Prague for ten years and then in Latvia for four years and, over this time, developed quite a strong interest in Central European history in the Medieval and Renaissance periods. I particularly found the ever-changing political borders to be fascinating compared to England where nothing much happened to the boundaries in a Millennium. I also started this thread after having a quick look through GURPS Russia. This looks interesting, but I was amazed that they ever produced such a supplement, as I imagined that hardly anyone would be interested in the period. I would need to dig out my history books to try and find a particularly interesting period but, speaking in general terms, who would be interested in a Central European setting at some point between, say, 1350 and 1650? Perhaps someone here with a better knowledge of European history than me could suggest a particular setting? I am very much open to suggestions. For those who have never played play-by-post before, I don't think that anyone would have too much difficulty with them. The advantages of PbPs are that it is a lot easier to get into character when you have time to think about exactly what your character would do. Conversely they are not good for games with a lot of combat as they either move very slowly or else players don't get a great deal of input into them. In summary - they are great for role-playing, but very bad for roll-playing. Once we have come up with a better idea of exactly the period we would like to set the game in, then I will post it to the PbP pages here and the Players Wanted section. I just wanted to see if there was any interest at this stage and this is by far the busiest section of the site so was the best place to get as many eyeballs as possible. One thing I would mention at this stage is that I probably won't be ready to start for several weeks as I would want to put some working into the background rather than rush into something shoddy, so please be patient. Thanks again to everyone for responding. Please let me know who would or wouldn't be interested in such a setting so that we get an idea as to numbers at this stage.

05-03-2011, 11:17 PM	#10
Sarky Join Date: Jun 2010 Location: The Golden State of Insanity	Re: GURPS Historial PbP Hmmm... sounds fine. Let me pick my exchange students mind and see what is produced, but the year of 1350 would be good, as it provides a starter, and we can see what develops from there. Also, that period would see a rise in papal power, so it ould be a very intresting time frame, especially if we wanted to develop a alternate time line based on actions of the PCs. Last edited by Sarky; 05-03-2011 at 11:29 PM.