Pyramid 54 or Pyramid 52

doulos05 · 12-08-2013, 11:02 PM

OK, I've got enough to buy 1 Pyramid issue this month. I need to know which article fits better what I'm envisioning. A market village transported to Yrth, having to adapt and grow. It's a 200 household village, give or take, with a manor house, a church, and a palisade wall. Can someone compare/contrast the two articles I'm thinking of so I can get them in the right order (oh don't worry, I'm getting them both. But saving up for a Masters really cuts into the gaming budget...)

doulos05 · 12-09-2013, 03:37 PM

Nobody? I'm not looking for details, just rough guides like "the rules for manors will break down once you get over about x people in the manor" or "the city rules cover the roads and stuff you'd want to do later, but it wouldn't cover the early months when they're struggling to survive."

Those, by the way, are my guesses about the difference. Am I close?

Pragmatic · 12-09-2013, 04:05 PM

(Note my sig. So I can't really help you...)

Perhaps ask this in the Pyramid forum?

Steven Marsh · 12-09-2013, 04:23 PM

I don't know if it will answer your question, but I can offer the following:

"Lord of the Manor" (Pyramid #3/52: Low-Tech) builds off of Low-Tech, Low-Tech Companion 3: Daily Life and Economics, and At Play in the Fields from Pyramid #3/33: Low-Tech.

"City Management" (Pyramid #3/54: Social Engineering) builds off City Stats, Mass Combat, and Social Engineering.

The difference between those two sources -- Low-Tech versus City Stats -- sums up the differences between the two articles. If you need to know the exact dollar value for selling poultry/nutmeg/etc., then "Lord of the Manor" is going to be more your speed. If you're more interested in hand-waving away details (in the style of City Stats), then "City Management" will likely be more of interest.

Note that "Lord of the Manor" builds extensively off "At Play in the Fields" (Pyramid #3/33: Low-Tech); if you don't have that issue, then I can't recommend you spend your monthly Pyramid budget on that issue. (Similarly if you don't own or don't like City Stats, then "City Management" is a poor choice.)

If you haven't checked them out, both issues have a sample page from those two articles in the samples of their respective pages; that might give you more of an idea of what's contained therein.

Hope this helps!

doulos05 · 12-09-2013, 04:50 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Steven Marsh

I don't know if it will answer your question, but I can offer the following:

"Lord of the Manor" (Pyramid #3/52: Low-Tech) builds off of Low-Tech, Low-Tech Companion 3: Daily Life and Economics, and At Play in the Fields from Pyramid #3/33: Low-Tech.

"City Management" (Pyramid #3/54: Social Engineering) builds off City Stats, Mass Combat, and Social Engineering.

The difference between those two sources -- Low-Tech versus City Stats -- sums up the differences between the two articles. If you need to know the exact dollar value for selling poultry/nutmeg/etc., then "Lord of the Manor" is going to be more your speed. If you're more interested in hand-waving away details (in the style of City Stats), then "City Management" will likely be more of interest.

Note that "Lord of the Manor" builds extensively off "At Play in the Fields" (Pyramid #3/33: Low-Tech); if you don't have that issue, then I can't recommend you spend your monthly Pyramid budget on that issue. (Similarly if you don't own or don't like City Stats, then "City Management" is a poor choice.)

If you haven't checked them out, both issues have a sample page from those two articles in the samples of their respective pages; that might give you more of an idea of what's contained therein.

Hope this helps!

That helps me tremendously, dollar values isn't what I'm looking for, I'm looking for a higher abstraction level. Thanks!

Also, failing to check the Sample PDFs linked directly on the products' respective pages... Wow. Years of teaching 7 year olds have dulled my Research skill (this is the 3rd such failure this week, and none of them were exceptionally hard). I didn't put nearly enough points in skill maintenance the last 4 years. I better start sinking my free time into researching random stuff or the Masters in History I'm starting this March is gonna be hell...

doulos05 · 12-09-2013, 06:47 PM

Just bought Pyramid 54. This is definitely exactly what I was looking for. I'll pick up 52 next month because, well, I love GURPS. Fell off the wagon for a few months, but I'm catching up as quick as my budget allows...

Steven Marsh · 12-09-2013, 07:57 PM

Whew... Glad to hear it! :-) Best wishes to your market village!

12-08-2013, 11:02 PM	#1
doulos05 Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Seoul, Korea	Pyramid 54 or Pyramid 52 OK, I've got enough to buy 1 Pyramid issue this month. I need to know which article fits better what I'm envisioning. A market village transported to Yrth, having to adapt and grow. It's a 200 household village, give or take, with a manor house, a church, and a palisade wall. Can someone compare/contrast the two articles I'm thinking of so I can get them in the right order (oh don't worry, I'm getting them both. But saving up for a Masters really cuts into the gaming budget...)

12-09-2013, 03:37 PM	#2
doulos05 Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Seoul, Korea	Re: Pyramid 54 or Pyramid 52 Nobody? I'm not looking for details, just rough guides like "the rules for manors will break down once you get over about x people in the manor" or "the city rules cover the roads and stuff you'd want to do later, but it wouldn't cover the early months when they're struggling to survive." Those, by the way, are my guesses about the difference. Am I close?

12-09-2013, 04:23 PM	#4
Steven Marsh Join Date: Aug 2004	Re: Pyramid 54 or Pyramid 52 I don't know if it will answer your question, but I can offer the following: "Lord of the Manor" (Pyramid #3/52: Low-Tech) builds off of *Low-Tech, Low-Tech Companion 3: Daily Life and Economics, and At Play in the Fields* from Pyramid #3/33: Low-Tech. "City Management" (Pyramid #3/54: Social Engineering) builds off *City Stats, Mass Combat, and Social Engineering. The difference between those two sources -- Low-Tech* versus *City Stats* -- sums up the differences between the two articles. If you need to know the exact dollar value for selling poultry/nutmeg/etc., then "Lord of the Manor" is going to be more your speed. If you're more interested in hand-waving away details (in the style of *City Stats), then "City Management" will likely be more of interest. Note that "Lord of the Manor" builds extensively* off "At Play in the Fields" (Pyramid #3/33: Low-Tech); if you don't have that issue, then I can't recommend you spend your monthly Pyramid budget on that issue. (Similarly if you don't own or don't like *City Stats*, then "City Management" is a poor choice.) If you haven't checked them out, both issues have a sample page from those two articles in the samples of their respective pages; that might give you more of an idea of what's contained therein. Hope this helps! __________________ Steven Marsh Steve Jackson Games smarsh@sjgames.com

12-09-2013, 06:47 PM	#6
doulos05 Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Seoul, Korea	Re: Pyramid 54 or Pyramid 52 Just bought Pyramid 54. This is definitely exactly what I was looking for. I'll pick up 52 next month because, well, I love GURPS. Fell off the wagon for a few months, but I'm catching up as quick as my budget allows...

12-09-2013, 07:57 PM	#7
Steven Marsh Join Date: Aug 2004	Re: Pyramid 54 or Pyramid 52 Whew... Glad to hear it! :-) Best wishes to your market village! __________________ Steven Marsh Steve Jackson Games smarsh@sjgames.com

12-09-2013, 04:05 PM	#3
Pragmatic Ceci n'est pas une tag. Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: Vancouver, WA (Portland Metro)	Re: Pyramid 54 or Pyramid 52 (Note my sig. So I can't really help you...) Perhaps ask this in the Pyramid forum? __________________ I'm a collector, not a gamer. =)