GURPS 2013 Wish List

[Azrael]

Originally Posted by Peter Knutsen

I'm more into GURPS Power-Downs 1: Disadvantages. I think disads define characters much more than Limitations usually do. Also they aren't fundamentally broken, unlike e.g. Limited Use 1/day.

I guess it depends on how much time you spend building abilities. I found power-ups enhancements very useful. Also, as you mentioned, there are some limitations that could use clarification or reworking (like limited use and maximum duration).

Edit: that being said, I would be more than happy with a disadvantages supplement. ;)

[adm]

As someone who has pushed for VDS I understand how much of a niche project it is, and I really DO appreciate the time and effort you guys put into it.

[Beoferret]

Originally Posted by Turhan's Bey Company

Over on another thread, Bill Stoddard and I were saying that we'd be capable of writing more books in the same general vein as Worminghall and Hellsgate, but their sales leave something to be desired, so even if authors are inclined to write them, SJ Games may be more wary. Same with the Hot Spots line, though I've got another I'd very much like to write (haven't pitched it yet; I've already got a few outstanding proposals, and I don't expect any action on those until the giant cybertank gets out of the way).

That's too bad. I've considered picking up Hellsgate (just sounds fun), though I'm not inclined at the moment to purchase Worminghall (I really like Bill's work, but I'm just not interested in focusing a lot of attention on magic in the games I'd like to run). Still, I'm surprised that they haven't done so hot. How has the Abydos location for the Banestorm setting supplement done? Or the Tower of Octavius? Maybe the primary efforts in these lines should be directed toward more generic locations, etc. (e.g. "Roman bath") for the time being? Though, I'd love to see what you and Bill have planned.

Would anyone be interested in a Location/Hot Spots supplement on 20th century Berlin? (though it'd have to be huge to do the setting any justice)

Other things I'd like to see: a comprehensive supplement on TL 0-4 travel (Low-Tech: Traveller!) that would combine and expand on all the rules that already exist about hiking, traveling from place to place, etc. In it would be these, a discussion of roadways and waterways in various time periods and locations (incl. rough average distances one could travel by foot, via cart, in canoe, on ship, etc.), the average spacing of rest stops (towns, coach inns, etc.) along the way, general standards of hospitality towards travelers in different time/space/cultural locations, rough outline of dangers and types of people one would most commonly encounter along the road/river/coast, and maybe stats for a few more low-tech vehicles (esp. ships) and a sample tavern or two. That'd be enormously useful for a number of people, I suspect. Though I'm probably trying to pack too much into this hypothetical supplement. One other thing I'd like to see: the long overdue GURPS Poop Jokes. Well, maybe not...

[Turhan's Bey Company]

Originally Posted by Beoferret

How has the Abydos location for the Banestorm setting supplement done? Or the Tower of Octavius?

Modestly well, but no better. If you head over to the What's Hot page, you'll see Abydos is close to the bottom of the top 100 all-time e23 sales, and Octavius is just off the bottom of that list. With the exception of Hellsgate and Constantinople, both of which were released last year, everything else I've done has outsold Octavius despite being released at least a year later. As Kromm et al. keep saying, rules and gear outsell setting and adventures.

[Bruno]

Originally Posted by Turhan's Bey Company

As Kromm et al. keep saying, rules and gear outsell setting and adventures.

The classic RPG publishing model, honed over the last 30+ years, is either "book full of more rules", or "book with fluff, and more rules related to the fluff". Or "Adventure", which is technically a subtype of that second one but I'd say quite distinct, and definitely has it's own sales category.

I suspect this model is For A Good Reason, and if Hotspots type material can find even a few pages of "crunchy" to tie in with and be advertised as a notable feature it would probably buoy up sales.

I wonder if Hellsgate had pushed the monster statblocks more, the sales would have been higher. I'm not sure how many people even know there are monster statblocks in there.

[Turhan's Bey Company]

Originally Posted by Bruno

I wonder if Hellsgate had pushed the monster statblocks more, the sales would have been higher. I'm not sure how many people even know there are monster statblocks in there.

The Illuminators and product pages mention the stats more or less prominently. I suppose they could have been pushed harder, but that gets into the area of deceptive advertising. It is, after all, a setting with a few stats, not a monster catalog with a setting attached.

[panton41]

Originally Posted by b-dog

This said wish list and what I wish for are DF monster books filled with information with specific types of monsters. If there was DF Undead then it would be filled with all sorts of undead from myth and legend. The dial for undead powers would be turned to 11. There would be lots of ideas for using undead in dungeons, there would be crypt and tomb design and so on.

I wonder how useful converting GURPS 3rd Undead would be in that regard. You might have to manually turn things up a little, but there's a lot there. Also, the upcoming GURPS Zombies could easily have conversion worked in for DF compatibility (if it doesn't that's a let down).

[Kromm]

Originally Posted by Turhan's Bey Company

It is, after all, a setting with a few stats, not a monster catalog with a setting attached.

That said, once GURPS gets moving again (please let that be soon!), I'd be interested in seeing proposals for volumes in series like Dungeon Fantasy Adventures, Hot Spots, and Locations that are superficially "adventures" or "settings," but really just books of abilities, creatures, gear, or new rules subsystems with fluff attached to show how the crunch is used or how awesome it is. For instance, an adventure about an entirely new magical style dawning on the world, which is mostly rules for the magical style – sort of an inversion of the usual rulebook with its little "Using <Foo> in the Campaign" section.

[panton41]

Space(ships)

GURPS Spaceships n - Space Opera Systems, designs and rules for less strictly realistic settings like Star Wars and Star Trek.

GURPS Space(ships n) - Stations, Platforms and Spaceports Systems, designs and rules for "fixed-location" space adventures. Allow gameplay like Deep Space 9, Babylon 5 and well as (slightly) more detailed rules on ship-building, repairs, modifications and ship-breaking as well as dock-side bureaucracy and red-tape.

Action

GURPS Action n - Heavy Metal Templates for Action heroes who deal with large vehicles like tanks, air/spacecraft, ships, etc.

GURPS Action n - Future Conversions and guidelines for moving Action games into the future. Cyberpunk, spaceship captains/crew, space marines, etc.

Dungeon Fantasy

GURPS DFM n Like everyone else I could use more monsters. I also like the idea of themed books. I like themed dungeons so opening up a single source for "Undead," "Goblinkin" or "Demons" would be a great benefit.

GURPS DF n - Strongholds Something like the Taverns book, but for castles, keeps and other strongholds. Rules for attacking, defending and just general life along with a handul of pre-generated (friendly) designs.

GURPS DF n - {Location} Similar to Strongholds, but generic "how to" write-ups and a few pre-gen designs for common DF themed locations - Elvish Village, Orcish Camp, Religious Buildings, Tombs, etc.

GURPS DF n - Enemies Basically write-ups for humanoid enemies that aren't strictly "monsters" and rules to quickly add racial templates. It could double as faceless soldiers on the PCs side, too.


Of course a few of these might be better serviced as Pyramid articles.

[DanHoward]

Originally Posted by ciaran_skye

GURPS DF n - Strongholds Something like the Taverns book, but for castles, keeps and other strongholds. Rules for attacking, defending and just general life along with a handul of pre-generated (friendly) designs.

I couldn't do this with the Compact Castles book because I had to stay away from SJGs IP, but it would take less than half a page of writing to turn it into a DF or LT supplement. The Wall Strength Table was based on GURPS stats anyway. You need one sentence each in the Climbing and Lighting sections with the relevant GURPS rules. You add some GURPS rules for attacking and defending - mainly page references to other books. DF2 already has most of the stuff you need (see pp. 7-8 and p. 18); Basic Set and Low-Tech have the rest. Stick a hex grid on the floorplans. And it is done.