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Old 01-15-2019, 03:28 PM   #1
Isosceles
 
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Default Returning to GURPS - 3rd Edition or 4th Edition

I used to GM GURPS 3rd edition back in the day. I have a metric ton of sourcebooks for 3rd edition, I collected some during my break from RPGs including the 3rd edition Compendiums which were after my time as a GM. I don't remember too much about the specifics of how the game was run.

My question is- with a roleplaying group that's probably not going to invest much effort in learning a new system themselves, certainly not at first - if I have a hankering to play Traveller or Mage the Ascension or other 3rd edtion sourcebooks that I own... would you just relearn 3rd edition, or is 4th worth the effort?

Thanks

Last edited by Isosceles; 01-15-2019 at 03:34 PM.
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Old 01-15-2019, 03:43 PM   #2
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Default Re: Returning to GURPS - 3rd Edition or 4th Edition

I think Fourth is worth the effort, just get GURPS Update to help with converting.
Most of the rules are the same, just streamlined and better organized.
PD is gone, point costs changed and so dd guns and the new damage types might be confusing for a bit.
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Old 01-15-2019, 03:43 PM   #3
mr beer
 
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Default Re: Returning to GURPS - 3rd Edition or 4th Edition

Having played 3e for a couple of decades, 4e is a better system IMO. That said, there is not much % in switching to 4e for a campaign that you already have the 3e sourcebooks for.

I *would* switch if you see a 4e setting you like the look of and or want to do a campaign from the ground up.
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Old 01-15-2019, 03:50 PM   #4
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Default Re: Returning to GURPS - 3rd Edition or 4th Edition

Most 3e worldbooks didn't have much in the way of rules crunch anyway. Too bad about money spent on the Compendiums though.
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Old 01-15-2019, 04:24 PM   #5
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Default Re: Returning to GURPS - 3rd Edition or 4th Edition

Having been one who strongly resisted switching from 3rd ed. to 4th ed. (for over a decade), I can easily say that the switch was well worth it. As others have said, get the Gurps Update for when you might need it. It's easy enough to convert things from 3rd to 4th when you need to. And if there are any little specific rules from 3rd that you prefer, then it's no problem to keep those rules.
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Old 01-15-2019, 04:28 PM   #6
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Default Re: Returning to GURPS - 3rd Edition or 4th Edition

Quote:
Originally Posted by Isosceles View Post
My question is- with a roleplaying group that's probably not going to invest much effort in learning a new system themselves, certainly not at first - if I have a hankering to play Traveller or Mage the Ascension or other 3rd edtion sourcebooks that I own... would you just relearn 3rd edition, or is 4th worth the effort?
I say stick with 3e.

The only reason to switch would be to use Dungeon Fantasy, After the End, or Monster Hunters... and frankly converting them backwards wouldn't be all that tough.
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Old 01-15-2019, 04:37 PM   #7
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Default Re: Returning to GURPS - 3rd Edition or 4th Edition

4th. I started with 3rd back in 1988 or '89, so I spent more than a few years with 3rd before I switched to 4th. I have never looked back.
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Old 01-15-2019, 04:57 PM   #8
Christopher R. Rice
 
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Default Re: Returning to GURPS - 3rd Edition or 4th Edition

Quote:
Originally Posted by Isosceles View Post
I used to GM GURPS 3rd edition back in the day. I have a metric ton of sourcebooks for 3rd edition, I collected some during my break from RPGs including the 3rd edition Compendiums which were after my time as a GM. I don't remember too much about the specifics of how the game was run.

My question is- with a roleplaying group that's probably not going to invest much effort in learning a new system themselves, certainly not at first - if I have a hankering to play Traveller or Mage the Ascension or other 3rd edtion sourcebooks that I own... would you just relearn 3rd edition, or is 4th worth the effort?

Thanks
I think it was worth the effort. I switched over 2 years after 4th came out. Granted, I viewed GURPS back then as "too much math" and/or "not worth the effort." My best friend mostly ran 3rd edition GURPS and he did it well. He convinced me to run a 3rd edition game of my d20 Future campaign and I really liked it. DnD 3.XX was started to cause me issues and GURPS was a breath of fresh air. I switched over to 4th edition maybe a year later and it's been my game of choice since.

It's so much better in a lot of ways, but the one way I think I like the most is the way it's cohesive. Splatbooks build on the Basic Set, maybe they add some new things, but it's mostly using the bricks from the Basic Set to make said new things.

If you're planning on creating a new campaign, try 4th edition. You won't be disappointed. :-)
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Old 01-15-2019, 05:51 PM   #9
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Default Re: Returning to GURPS - 3rd Edition or 4th Edition

I agree with everybody else that 4e is a better game system. However, 3rd edition was perfectly good and survived many years of usage. If you know you're going to be using the older sourcebooks, particularly for things without a clear 4e replacement like Traveller, go ahead and stick with 3rd edition. You get more use out of your presumably considerable investment, and you don't have to worry in play whether you're applying the 4e rule or are remembering the 3rd edition one instead, a problem I had a lot.

That said, if you want to expand out from there, I would recommend upgrading to 4e. It has its own very good sourcebooks like the DF and Action lines, and that's where the community is, so it'll be easier to get questions answered here.
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Old 01-15-2019, 06:00 PM   #10
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Default Re: Returning to GURPS - 3rd Edition or 4th Edition

I'd go with 4th Edition also. It incorporates a lot of the best ideas from the compendia, and integrates them more holistically. We'd already been using as house rules a lot of what wound up in 4e.

As noted, the conversion rules work really well, and I use 3e books in my 4e game. The alternate magic systems in Thaumatology alone make 4e the better choice.

About the only thing I miss from 3e is the Vehicles book, but I'm well aware that places me in a distinct minority.
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