Pyramid Technomancer experiment

[Refplace]

So this issue is focused on bringing a Third Edition setting to Fourth Edition life. Some really good articles and Steven Marsh asked and Kromm also mentioned what about more?
Do you like the idea of an issue focused on 'updating' some classic settings?
Assuming licensed settings are off the table what settings would you liketo see, if any?

[GnomesofZurich]

Definitely. We already have this in non-Pyramid form for Reign of Steel and Transhuman Space, but there are a number of settings that would be nice to see updated and brought into the 4E ruleset. On my list:

Cyberworld (something I was just looking into myself - updating timeline to reflect what has changed over the 25 years since it was printed, consistent rules for cybernetic upgrades, rules from Pyramid #3/21 for hacking, etc.)
Cabal - has already sort of been done piecemeal in various Pyramid issues
Fantasy II - The Madlands
IOU
Ogre
Phoenix Project (from Psionics 3E)

[ericbsmith]

A few that I'd be interested in seeing:
Autoduel (possibly including how to use After the End with it)
Cyberworld
WWII (though this could use a 100+ pages easily)

[Bruno]

I think it's a clever idea; Pyramid is a parallel set of resources that they can put on a project like this without blocking the main GURPS release cycle.


And my vote for a setting is Black Ops, which is clearly a Monster Hunters variant.

[Kelly Pedersen]

Well, I'm very happy to have been part of this experiment, personally. I hope it's popular enough to justify a Technomancer II issue down the road, because I've definitely got more ideas for it (I actually worked out 200-point templates for blue/red, black, and wild dragons, but I couldn't fit them into the articles).

Other settings I'd like to see this for, and could probably put an article together for:

• Alpha Centauri - I actually played in and helped convert rules to 4th Edition for a campaign of this. I don't know if SJGames still has the license, though.
• Castle Falkenstein - Again, I don't know if SJGames still has the license for this, but I love the setting, and would like to see stuff converted.
• Illuminati - Not a setting precisely, but could still use some love, I feel. Something dealing with Action in the "conspiratorial thriller" mode seems like it would work.
• IOU! I would love an IOU conversion, and articles on updating the feel of the humor, and new things to do at the best weird college...
• Mars. Specifically, I'd like to see the Planetary Romance-style "Dying Mars" setting updated and expanded.

[Refplace]

Originally Posted by GnomesofZurich

Cyberworld (something I was just looking into myself - updating timeline to reflect what has changed over the 25 years since it was printed, consistent rules for cybernetic upgrades, rules from Pyramid #3/21 for hacking, etc.)
Cabal - has already sort of been done piecemeal in various Pyramid issues
Fantasy II - The Madlands
IOU

I would like to see all the ones I left in the quote.
I think I would rather see a Fourth Edition of Cyberpunk rather than a Pyramid issue. Definitely favor the Pyramid #3/21 rules over the older ones.

Originally Posted by ericbsmith

A few that I'd be interested in seeing:
Autoduel (possibly including how to use After the End with it)

Autoduel seems easy enough. Build some stock cars and add a shopping list.
But am hoping for an update around the release of Car Wars 6. Increase the visibility of both :)

Originally Posted by Bruno

And my vote for a setting is Black Ops, which is clearly a Monster Hunters variant.

Hmm, not Action?
But yeah Black OPs would be a good fit.

Originally Posted by Kelly Pedersen

Other settings I'd like to see this for, and could probably put an article together for:

• Illuminati - Not a setting precisely, but could still use some love, I feel. Something dealing with Action in the "conspiratorial thriller" mode seems like it would work.
• IOU! I would love an IOU conversion, and articles on updating the feel of the humor, and new things to do at the best weird college...
• Mars. Specifically, I'd like to see the Planetary Romance-style "Dying Mars" setting updated and expanded.

Several votes for IOU, add mine to that count.
It could be done as a great intro game or filler for when the regular group is missing a key player or two.
Illuminati could really benefit from Social Engineering, Memes, Mysteries and a nice investigative article aimed at uncovering conspiracies or exploring them would be very nice to see. Could also fit in other games.
Mars isnt my favorite but I liked those type of books as a teenager. New audience maybe?

[Randyman]

Originally Posted by Bruno

I think it's a clever idea; Pyramid is a parallel set of resources that they can put on a project like this without blocking the main GURPS release cycle.


And my vote for a setting is Black Ops, which is clearly a Monster Hunters variant.

Funny. I see Monster Hunters as a Black Ops variant... ;)

[Canology]

I love this idea!

It would be great seeing Cyberworld get an update.
I'd also love Cabal and Voodoo. Heck maybe even updated templates for Blood Types, Shapeshifters and Undead (the parts not covered by Zombies).

[Refplace]

Originally Posted by Canology

I love this idea!

It would be great seeing Cyberworld get an update.
I'd also love Cabal and Voodoo. Heck maybe even updated templates for Blood Types, Shapeshifters and Undead (the parts not covered by Zombies).

Oh yeah Voodoo on my list as well.

[Sam Baughn]

Let me be the dissenting voice. I didn't like it. It's basically the one issue of Pyramid I own which hasn't given me anything I am likely to use. I appreciate that they did try to make it useful for people who don't play Technomancer games, but I don't think that was really successful.

Whether I would like another issue in the same style depends heavily on whether I am likely to run a game in (or inspired by) the setting in question. Which is probably not going to be the case except for historicals or stuff like Celtic Myth.

I feel that for a subscription, you really want most issues to give you something that will be at least a little useful for most people who run a reasonably large number of games in different genres. A focus on one specific setting, especially a weird one like Merlin is just too likely to be a complete miss for a lot of your customers. That's the kind of thing I'd rather have a choice about buying.

That said, which books are likely to be updated like this?

Voodoo seems like it could actually be useful for a fairly wide range of people, including me even though I don't want to play in the Shadow War setting. P&B magic is my favourite system, lots of fantasy settings have Voodoo-like traditions and of course it is a real world religion too, so those elements are quite usable. The monsters are interesting enough and seem like they would fit plenty of different games.

Cabal has basically all the strengths of Voodoo plus I just like the Cabal setting better.

IOU has little appeal for me. I guess some weird science rules could be fun.

Cyberworld doesn't offer much beyond generic cyberpunk stuff.

Fantasy II has absolutely no appeal.

Illuminati is more of a genre and one I would actually like an issue on.

Black Ops seems unlikely to give me much I can use beyond what MH has already covered.

Supertemps doesn't interest me at all.

Teradyne is something that might interest me, since I could imagine I might like to run a game in the setting at some point. It's easier to explain than THS.

Autoduel is a setting I'm unlikely to play in unless the new Car Wars is really good and all my friends get into it. There are some elements of the setting I can see being useful to me though.