Point Cost vs. Money Cost for Cybernetic Advantages

Eddie T · 01-19-2018, 04:00 PM

I'm seeking advice on how to handle a situation from some you longer term GURPS GMs and players. I know it's my game and I can do what I want, but I'd like to see how others would handle this.

Cybernetics. "Treat most cybernetics as equivalent advantages..."

Other advice I've seen on this board though is only charge character points for something that can't be "bought by anyone."

My specific situation is a cyber disguise for the face. Defined by advantages, it's Morph (Cosmetic Only, Accessibility: Face only) (100pts - 50% - 10% = 45pts)

Source material says this is something anyone can buy and have installed.

This is currently at character creation, though. The player doesn't have the money to buy it and no way to rationalize going in debt in his background.

My thoughts are to charge character points for any cybernetics at character creation. During game play, monetary cost can substitute for saving the character points just like any other treasure (the widget would get statted out for game and power mechanics and then manually reduced to zero point cost in the character total).

Again, I know I can do it however I wish in my game, but I'd like some best practices from others.

whswhs · 01-19-2018, 04:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Eddie T

My specific situation is a cyber disguise for the face. Defined by advantages, it's Morph (Cosmetic Only, Accessibility: Face only) (100pts - 50% - 10% = 45pts)

This is a minor point, but that's actually a 60% cost reduction, which gives 40 points. You don't apply one limitation and then the other; you add them and apply the total.

Eddie T · 01-19-2018, 04:26 PM

Fair enough. I thought I read the opposite somewhere but since I can't find it I'll go with the simpler math.

Anthony · 01-19-2018, 04:34 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Eddie T

My specific situation is a cyber disguise for the face. Defined by advantages, it's Morph (Cosmetic Only, Accessibility: Face only) (100pts - 50% - 10% = 45pts)

Actually, it's Elastic Skin (face only, -10%) [18].

Dalzig · 01-19-2018, 04:35 PM

How much $ would the cybernetic cost? It may be cheaper/easier to just trade points for money (Basic 26) or spend the points on Wealth instead.

Eddie T · 01-19-2018, 04:39 PM

Good catch.

Any thoughts on the point cost vs. money side of the equation? That's what I'm more curious about, to be honest.

Eddie T · 01-19-2018, 04:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dalzig

How much $ would the cybernetic cost? It may be cheaper/easier to just trade points for money (Basic 26) or spend the points on Wealth instead.

Source game that I'm porting it from has it at $450,000, but all cybernetics are super pricey in it. I honestly chose to ignore the points for wealth option so I have no clue what the rate would be.

Anthony · 01-19-2018, 04:50 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Eddie T

Good catch.

Any thoughts on the point cost vs. money side of the equation? That's what I'm more curious about, to be honest.

There's no perfect way of handling dual currency, but you can always set the money cost to be the same as amount of cash and/or signature gear you'd get for the same number of points (9x base starting wealth; if it's a TL 9 setting, that would be $270,000).

Eddie T · 01-19-2018, 04:57 PM

I meant less the math for the dollar amount versus the concept of character points at creation (either for the item or for cash for the item, net effect is the same), or just cash later in gameplay?

I think I've talked myself into handling cybernetics that way but I don't have a lot of experience with GURPS still so I'm not sure if I'm missing a kink in the plan down the road.

Apollonian · 01-19-2018, 05:11 PM

If it were my game, I would allow the PCs to spend points (only) for cybernetics at character creation, and then in play they could spend either points (for a reliable, 100% effective character boost) or cash (and then have to roll for availability, physician's Surgery roll, etc.) and they get to raise their CP value by the value of the advantage. This is because I like to go for in-universe character growth over point-buy, which feels more gamy and a little immersion-breaking, but my players do like the XP.

Either way it would run into my dissatisfaction with GURPS' wealth rules, but it would work ok. In neither case would I require both points and cash (as well as recovery time) unless I was running a very gritty sort of game. Which I usually don't.

Edit to add: I do like Anthony's idea of setting the $ price of advantages at the same rate as buying $ with CP. Very neat and convenient.

01-19-2018, 04:00 PM	#1
Eddie T Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: Houston, TX	Point Cost vs. Money Cost for Cybernetic Advantages I'm seeking advice on how to handle a situation from some you longer term GURPS GMs and players. I know it's my game and I can do what I want, but I'd like to see how others would handle this. Cybernetics. "Treat most cybernetics as equivalent advantages..." Other advice I've seen on this board though is only charge character points for something that can't be "bought by anyone." My specific situation is a cyber disguise for the face. Defined by advantages, it's Morph (Cosmetic Only, Accessibility: Face only) (100pts - 50% - 10% = 45pts) Source material says this is something anyone can buy and have installed. This is currently at character creation, though. The player doesn't have the money to buy it and no way to rationalize going in debt in his background. My thoughts are to charge character points for any cybernetics at character creation. During game play, monetary cost can substitute for saving the character points just like any other treasure (the widget would get statted out for game and power mechanics and then manually reduced to zero point cost in the character total). Again, I know I can do it however I wish in my game, but I'd like some best practices from others.

01-19-2018, 04:26 PM	#3
Eddie T Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: Houston, TX	Re: Point Cost vs. Money Cost for Cybernetic Advantages Fair enough. I thought I read the opposite somewhere but since I can't find it I'll go with the simpler math.

01-19-2018, 04:35 PM	#5
Dalzig Join Date: Apr 2010	Re: Point Cost vs. Money Cost for Cybernetic Advantages How much $ would the cybernetic cost? It may be cheaper/easier to just trade points for money (Basic 26) or spend the points on Wealth instead.

01-19-2018, 04:39 PM	#6
Eddie T Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: Houston, TX	Re: Point Cost vs. Money Cost for Cybernetic Advantages Good catch. Any thoughts on the point cost vs. money side of the equation? That's what I'm more curious about, to be honest.

01-19-2018, 04:57 PM	#9
Eddie T Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: Houston, TX	Re: Point Cost vs. Money Cost for Cybernetic Advantages I meant less the math for the dollar amount versus the concept of character points at creation (either for the item or for cash for the item, net effect is the same), or just cash later in gameplay? I think I've talked myself into handling cybernetics that way but I don't have a lot of experience with GURPS still so I'm not sure if I'm missing a kink in the plan down the road.

01-19-2018, 05:11 PM	#10
Apollonian Join Date: Aug 2004 Location: Shoreline, WA (north of Seattle)	Re: Point Cost vs. Money Cost for Cybernetic Advantages If it were my game, I would allow the PCs to spend points (only) for cybernetics at character creation, and then in play they could spend either points (for a reliable, 100% effective character boost) or cash (and then have to roll for availability, physician's Surgery roll, etc.) and they get to raise their CP value by the value of the advantage. This is because I like to go for in-universe character growth over point-buy, which feels more gamy and a little immersion-breaking, but my players do like the XP. Either way it would run into my dissatisfaction with GURPS' wealth rules, but it would work ok. In neither case would I require both points and cash (as well as recovery time) unless I was running a very gritty sort of game. Which I usually don't. Edit to add: I do like Anthony's idea of setting the $ price of advantages at the same rate as buying $ with CP. Very neat and convenient.