[New Release] GURPS Psis: Stunning sequel to GURPS Chi

[Not another shrubbery]

Originally Posted by ericbsmith

You should have seen that coming...

...
It is only my hindsight that is 20/20.

Call me Epi.

[sir_pudding]

Originally Posted by robkelk

(What? "Wrong Chi"? But the other one's romanized as "Qi" nowadays...)

GURPS seems to favor Yale over pinyin (although it is generally inconsistent) for whatever reason. I renamed "Chi" "Qi" when I ran my "Xia of the Empire of Heaven" game, FWIW.

[robkelk]

Originally Posted by robkelk

C'mon, who wouldn't want a rulebook about Chi?

Originally Posted by MKMcArtor

Is the Chobits modifier worth -10%?

I'd say it's one of those rare positive modifiers, if only for what it can do to other systems.

[MKMcArtor]

Originally Posted by robkelk

I'd say it's one of those rare positive modifiers, if only for what it can do to other systems.

Mm, mm. Good point. I agree that widespread destruction (or at least interruption of service) like Chi can produce should cost more points.

[Alacrity Fitzhugh]

Originally Posted by Rev. Pee Kitty

A confusing one, unfortunately. Methinks that Fox didn't realize that "GURPS Chi" would be a perfectly reasonable title for a book, as Chi powers are just as much a part of GURPS as Psionic or Divine powers are. Ah well, the confusion gives everyone a chance to learn their Greek. :)

The was a young curate at Kew
Who kept a large cat in a pew,
Where he taught her each week
A new letter of Greek,
But she never got farther than Mu.

[Astromancer]

Originally Posted by The Fox

If there's one thing to be learned from GURPS Psis, it's that spellchecking is very, very, very important. Oh, and that PK certainly seems to know a lot about the strange and mysterious powers of the mind.

Almost too much...

The fact that I bought GURPS: Psis, GURPS: Psionic Campaigns and GURPS: Psionic Powers and had them all printed up and bound into a hardcopy book has nothing to do with mind control.

Now, when does the book were PK sets up a Kick-Ass Atomic Horror/Conspiracy campaign, set in an alternate 1960's, come out? Will it be named Rhine-1 by the Infinate worlds people?

I feel compelled to ask ;-)

[PK]

Originally Posted by Astromancer

The fact that I bought GURPS: Psis, GURPS: Psionic Campaigns and GURPS: Psionic Powers and had them all printed up and bound into a hardcopy book has nothing to do with mind control.

Thank you, Mr. Mancer. We will now release your family members, unharmed, per the agreement.

Now, when does the book were PK sets up a Kick-Ass Atomic Horror/Conspiracy campaign, set in an alternate 1960's, come out?

Oddly enough, if you removed half the words from "Kick-Ass Alternate-1960s Atomic Horror Conspiracy", you'd have a pretty good description of . . . wait, still not allowed to leak that one yet. Nevermind.

Interestingly, it works whether you consider hyphenates to be one word or two, though it changes how you have to round . . .

[Jeffr0]

Originally Posted by Rev. Pee Kitty

Thanks for noticing!

Actually, GURPS Psis completes the "psionic trilogy" that's been planned for some time. Originally -- way back when I first started writing and co-writing freelance stuff like Creatures of the Night -- I had proposed a (rather ramshackle, I must admit) outline for a single PDF all about psi. Not a huge one, but one that touched briefly on how to build psis, how to run games, how to build psi powers, etc. As the editors transitioned (through Thomas, Paul, and Steven), we all agreed that psi was too big to get a single, compressed book. And the Basic Set (including the "unofficial third book" of GURPS Powers) was the obvious model:

1. GURPS Psis is the psionic equivalent of GURPS Characters -- everything you need to quickly and easily build a psi, except for the actual power rules. Normal traits, appropriate (and new) disadvantages, psi-related skills (with new rules), templates, and so on.

2. GURPS Psionic Campaigns is the psionic equivalent of GURPS Campaigns -- guidelines for themes, adventures, and settings for a game, along with lots of GM advice on how to actually run a game that can challenge PCs who can read minds and teleport, without unreasonably nerfing their powers.

3. GURPS Psionic Powers is the psionic equivalent of GURPS Powers, though in this case it's more of a species-specific evolution than the same thing. Half new framework, half worked example, it's still the book that focuses most heavily on, "What kewl powerz can my psi have?"

Except we released 'em in reverse order, based on how necessary each book was for the next one(s). Frex, it's a lot easier to include character templates and psionic-ability templates in the character-building book if you've already released a full book of established psionic abilities. (It's the reason why GURPS Psis can include over 100 psionic packages and a dozen templates and details on dozens of existing traits in only 32 pages -- because it builds on what was already done in GURPS Psionic Powers.)

So, that's some behind the scenes peeks for anyone interested. But just because I said "the trilogy is done" doesn't mean that no one else is going to write psi-related books! It doesn't even mean that I'm never writing a psi book again! (Heck, I've actually just gotten done with a section on psi for GUR... er, wait. Haven't announced that one yet. Nevermind.) Just that, with these three books, the "psionic Basic Set" exists, and I'm pretty happy about that.

This is epic. Brilliantly executed. I would never have imagined 3rd edition GURPS getting topped quite like this....

If I could ask for more... I'd like to see an Infinite World PDF that applies the campaigns advice as a complete example. I'd also like to see some Personnel Files type supplements as well.

I'm probably the laziest GM in the world, though. I'm only just now getting into running GURPS Autoduel (first edition) games and it's only because the classic Car Warriors supplement takes *all* of the work out of sitting down and playing a game. (Also... the fact that I can play the game as if it were a 1-2 hour board game session... and then role play if things "want" to develop that way later....)

[Astromancer]

We still need a Psi-Tech/Psitronics book, and a cool IW setting, to complete the set.

[nondescript handle]

Originally Posted by Astromancer

We still need a Psi-Tech/Psitronics book, and a cool IW setting, to complete the set.

In d20radio.com's "Meanwhile... the Super Gaming Podcast" episode #6 back in 2008, Kromm described the "support books for psionics" line as "GURPS Psionic Powers", a book on "psionics as a genre" (i.e. what became "GURPS Psionic Campaigns"), a book on "psychotronic devices, basically psi-tech", and a setting book for the Phoenix Project (link: http://www.d20radio.com/meanwhile6.mp3 the relevant part is 13:30 to 14:00).

*pouts* "He promised!"