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Old 06-22-2006, 02:33 PM   #1
Cosmic Baron
 
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Default Future vehicles

Anyone have experience in mechas? (In GURPS context, I mean, or otherwise).

I´m quite a new GM to GURPS (well, I´ve had the basic set for quite a while, but the opportunity of running a campaing in GURPS hasn´t shown up until now) and plan to run a SF campaing featuring mechas, so any advice on them would be appreciated.

Also, I´ll lend an ear to any words on other aspects of SF vehicles.
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Old 06-22-2006, 03:12 PM   #2
hjo3
 
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Default Re: Future vehicles

Have you looked at GURPS Mecha? It's third edition, but a lot of it's still usable.
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Old 06-22-2006, 03:25 PM   #3
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Default Re: Future vehicles

Given that Mechas in most source material are quite irrealistic, and usually very personal (I'm thinking at Anime series like Escaflowne, or videogames like Xenogears/Xenosaga) I personaly recomend that you build them as characters and make the mecha pilots take them as allies. Take the Machine Metatrait, and make them HUGE (SM 6+) to purchase ST at bargain prices. Lower IQ to 0 for mecha that completelly depend on their pilot's abilities, and add Compartimentized Mind (Controls). Disadvantages such a Maintenance, Unhealing, the AI and automaton metatraits, etc can be usefull. Make sure to include enough payload to include the pilot! Model the mecha'a attacks with Innate Attack (either ranged or melee)

Remember, this is for games where mechs are an extension of their pilots, and not something that obeys the rules of physics. This won't give you data like empty weight, power consumption, etc etc. It will, however, generate game statistics appropriate for mecha as portrayed in the genre.
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Last edited by Kuroshima; 06-22-2006 at 03:28 PM.
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Old 06-22-2006, 03:41 PM   #4
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Well, I have some experience in anime-style mechas (genesis, for a start), but in my opinion (and after having played Classic Battletech for over a year now), mechas, like other vehicles, are just that, vehicles on legs. Tools, or eguipment, you could say. Then again, if I was going to run anime-inspired campaing, I would do mechas as an extension of their pilots. Its a good approuch, though...
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Old 06-22-2006, 03:49 PM   #5
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Default Re: Future vehicles

If you're taking the gear route, well, AFAIK, the Vehicle Design System has been playtested and is in the pipeline. It will be a PDF, available through e23. AFAIK, it will include rules for making your own mecha, giving them real-world stats like engine power, armor weight, unloaded weight, etc etc in addition to game-relate data like DR and hit points.

GURPS Mecha and GURPS Vehicles are for 3rd ed, so some conversion will be necesary. For other books, the conversion would be rather strighforward, but for heavy crunch books like vehicles and mecha, it might not be (I don't own any of those books, I'm just speaing on hearsay).

Still, knowing SJG, Mecha probably includes a ton of information on mecha-related games, so it might be worth considering.
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Old 06-22-2006, 03:52 PM   #6
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Oh dear, how I wish I was allowed to do electronic purchases... Would make life just so much easier...
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Old 06-22-2006, 04:23 PM   #7
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Default Re: Future vehicles

GURPS Mecha is a GOOD sourcebook for the genre, plus I love the mecha creation system in it(fully compatible with Vehicles 3ed and Robots 3ed). The only things I don't like is the art in it...

I still hope a Mecha 4ed would come up, sooner or later.
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Old 06-22-2006, 04:59 PM   #8
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Stupid question there, leaving it out.

Last edited by Cosmic Baron; 06-22-2006 at 06:30 PM.
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