Tips for a GURPS Newbie GM?

[Doc Sammy]

So, I'm new to GURPS but I'd figure I'd get into it. I recently purchased hard copies of GURPS 3e Basic Set and GURPS Vampire: The Masquerade off of Amazon lately, and I'm thinking of GM'ing a game, but I'm not sure how to go about it.

It all seems so vast, and I'm not sure if I should run a Vampire game or do a game in a different genre. I'm thinking of buying some extra GURPS 3e books to give me ideas as most of them can be bought second-hand off of Amazon for fairly cheap.

I did have a few ideas for an Army Men-themed game where the PC's are living toy soldiers, sort of like Toy Story or the Army Men video games for the original Playstation. However, I have many other ideas as well and very little GM experience.

My biggest problem seems to be that I have so many ideas and no idea which one to start with.

[sir_pudding]

How to Be a GURPS GM is principally for 4e but it has a lot that would help a 3e GM.

[johndallman]

Welcome!

My basic advice for someone new to GURPS is to build a few sample characters, not necessarily for the game you want to run at first, and try running them through combats for practice with the rules.

If you'd like to get some play experience, it will be much easier to find an existing group if you say where you are.

[sir_pudding]

Originally Posted by johndallman

If you'd like to get some play experience, it will be much easier to find an existing group if you say where you are.

Although most of the people still playing 3e aren't here anymore.

[Kelly Pedersen]

Originally Posted by johndallman

My basic advice for someone new to GURPS is to build a few sample characters, not necessarily for the game you want to run at first, and try running them through combats for practice with the rules.

This is good advice for sure, but I would add a follow-up: once you've got used to the process of character building, don't feel that you have to build all your NPCs with character points. Don't fall into the trap of thinking that character points are a balancing mechanic between PCs and NPCs - a bunch of 25-point PCs could take down a 500-point NPC, and a single 25-point NPC can give real trouble to a 500-point PC, all depending on their respective builds. Only worry about point costs for NPCs when a PC's traits require it (the Ally advantage and Dependent disadvantage, for example, call for NPCs built on a budget). Building everything with points just takes too long for the benefit it provides, in my opinion.

[Refplace]

GURPS is modular so you can easily add or remove the bits you want.
Start with a simple scenario with 1 on 1 interaction. Combat will be the trickiest thing because there are more options and choices than in most other systems. The roleplaying will be similar to any other game but bolstered by some advantages and skills and disadvantages may hamper it or add fun.

EDIT: Just Saw Kellys answer and he hit a bery important point. Dont worry about points for your NPCs, its a lot of work for almost nothing.

[sir_pudding]

How to Be a GURPS GM is about half useful to you, as the rules advice is for 4th Edition, but the advice about how to use turn the broad toolkit of GURPS into a focused system for your campaign is applicable to 3e games as well.

[Gollum]

One more hint: download GURPS Lite (for the third edition).

http://www.warehouse23.com/products/...-third-edition

It's free and, like GURPS Lite for the fourth edition, it summarizes the game in 32 pages only. Read it, play it and, once you will be comfortable with it, using the Basic Set will be very easy. Add new rules step by step, only when you really need it (or want it to add fun to your games).

Always remember that, in GURPS, everything is optional. Don't use a rule that you don't like or which, in your opinion, slows down your game. GURPS is not a game that you have to play by the letter. It is a toolbox. Just use the tools you like.

GURPS Lite gives only the core rules. That is why it is more easy to start with it.

[OldSam]

Originally Posted by JeniferHa

So, I'm new to GURPS but I'd figure I'd get into it. I recently purchased hard copies of GURPS 3e Basic Set and GURPS Vampire: The Masquerade off of Amazon lately, and I'm thinking of GM'ing a game, but I'm not sure how to go about it.

One general hint for the game rules:
The basic 3d6 roll under your value mechanics (for attributes, skills, ...) are fundamental, but also quite easy. I'm sure you'll handle that without any problems! :) Of course there can be a lot of details, but most of that is optional, leave it out in the beginning and start 'lite' (like Gollum said already). Especially if something seems too much reading or you are not so much interested in some topic, go with an intuitive general solution as a rule of thumb: The task difficulty.

You just need to understand that everything comes down to a single modifier result, usually the difficulty for the skill roll of a character. In the end (after shortly thinking about the circumstances) you as the GM just have to decide if something is easier or harder to do. So your intuitive judgement can fill all the gaps.

Easy Task (+5).
Very favorable Task (+2 to +3).
Normal (challenging) Adventure Task (+0).
Very Unfavorable Task (-2 to -3).
Hard Task (-5).
Very Hard Task (-6 to -7).
Very Dangerous Task (-8 to -9).
Impossible Task (-10)


Let's take an easy example: You want to drive to your work by car and that is a common task for you. (Easy, +5). Now, it's raining and a quite windy, dark night, that's harder, say we'll give -2 for that. Then, you are forced to take another route you do not know and you are in a hurry, a bit stressed. Let's give that another -2.

In the end we sum it up to "+1" (driving roll +1), so we would have turned a daily-life situation nearly into an adventuring situation (which is the default +0). It is not threatening like life or death but overall it started to get dangerous, an accident is much more likely.

The assumption for just doing something like cutting a wire in a (stressful) fighting situation with firing guns around would be a 'normal' (+0) adventuring task, just as using your weapon to attack.

Originally Posted by JeniferHa

It all seems so vast, and I'm not sure if I should run a Vampire game or do a game in a different genre.

The vampire book is really cool, I played a lot with that, too, years ago. To make the V:TM setting easier for you, though, when it comes to clans etc., I'd recommend having a more homogeneous group. Very different types of vampire clans make it much harder to keep the players (believably) working together. For instance all being in the same clan, some maybe even childs of the same creator, is the easiest and can work very well for a first campaign.

Originally Posted by JeniferHa

My biggest problem seems to be that I have so many ideas and no idea which one to start with.

I know, there are so many cool settings and ideas...

Maybe it could be a good idea to limit your first campaign, so that the next idea already is in reach... ;)

For instance you plan a vampire game which should take maybe 8 until 10 game sessions (depending on the player's progress). Think about one main plot (which reveals itself after some time) and a few side plots (so that the players also have short term targets). An easy basic plot is mostly a good idea, like one main enemy which tries to overcome all other rivals or that an important individual has to be rescued.

Afterwards you could then skip to the next cool setting idea and explore completely new territory... ...or... you go crazy and do some cross-setting-stuff... e.g. your vampire group gets into the magical 'banestorm' and lands in another world and time, finding themselves in a classic fantasy setting with orcs and wizards... ;)

Limitless options, have fun! :)

[JMason]

Originally Posted by JeniferHa

My biggest problem seems to be that I have so many ideas and no idea which one to start with.

Hey, that's a good problem to have. What I tend to do when I have too many ideas it try to think which would make the best short campaign or even a one-shot. Then go with that... since it will let you trying out the system, check off one of your ideas, and give you a chance to try something new down the road.

Or just start writing up some NPCs, enemies, plot-hoots, etc ideas for each. I often find that once I start to right I can figure out if I am "really" interested in an idea or not.

If you still have several ideas, then write them up in a brief form (one or two paragraphs) and create a "prospectus" to show to your potential players. Let them vote on what they'd like to play and run that.