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Old 05-06-2012, 09:57 AM   #31
RyanW
 
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Default Re: What does GURPS 4e do well?

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Originally Posted by vicky_molokh View Post
I think defining what GURPS does well by describing what it does not is confusing, since not everybody has the same idea what 'everything else' would be. Especially in a thread which asks what GURPS does well.
I would agree, but generally I think GURPS does almost everything well with a few specific exceptions better handled by a purpose designed system. Not necessarily that GURPS can't do it, but you'll be working against its strengths.
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Old 05-06-2012, 04:06 PM   #32
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Default Re: What does GURPS 4e do well?

GURPS is the greatest for easily creating characters with outrageous personalities. Even if you are the most unimaginative player in the world, you can have a character who is really really messed up in under five minutes of looking through disadvantages.

Some people see this as a limitation, but as third edition said about disadvantage limits, if you have more than x points in disadvantageous you'll either have an unplayable character or have LOTS of fun. And with a little practice, the second scenerio becomes easier and easier.
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Old 05-15-2012, 08:16 AM   #33
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Default [OT] Scale differences

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Originally Posted by sir_pudding View Post
It's easier to list what GURPS doesn't do well:
  1. Tiny creatures as PCs (smaller than 1 lb), especially if they must be alongside larger scale PCs.
  2. Ditto for ginormous (planetary scale) PCs, but not quite as badly.
I'd be interested in seeing further explanation of why you find these especially problematic, although it might be best taken elsewhere... perhaps the other thread mentioned later, dealing with settings GURPS is less well-equipped for?
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Old 05-15-2012, 09:28 AM   #34
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Default Re: [OT] Scale differences

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Originally Posted by Not another shrubbery View Post
I'd be interested in seeing further explanation of why you find these especially problematic, although it might be best taken elsewhere... perhaps the other thread mentioned later, dealing with settings GURPS is less well-equipped for?
Tiny characters are a straightforward mechanical problem. They fall off the bottom of the HP/ST/DR scale.

Huge characters I don't know too well. They pay vast numbers of points for the extremely dubious privilege of being vast, but I don't know what else is wrong.
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Old 05-15-2012, 09:44 AM   #35
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Default Re: [OT] Scale differences

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Originally Posted by Ulzgoroth View Post
Tiny characters are a straightforward mechanical problem. They fall off the bottom of the HP/ST/DR scale.

Huge characters I don't know too well. They pay vast numbers of points for the extremely dubious privilege of being vast, but I don't know what else is wrong.
Both cases have some somewhat weird interaction with speed/range penalties when dealing with similarly sized creatures, but most especially small creatures.

Example: Two 1/10th scale characters, standing 1 yard apart (10 scale yards).

Both characters are at -8 to hit each other for size, with no bonuses or penalties due to range. They could be 1 scale yard apart (0.1 real yards) and still be at -8 to hit each other. Same issue for speed - speed penalties normally aren't considered unless the targets are moving at Real Move 10 or more, for simplicity; if one of your mini-guys is moving at scale move 20 at right angles to the other's line of fire, he's moving Real Move 2 and doesn't get any speed penalties even though he's really zipping past and the stationary mini-guy should be really moving to track him.

TBone suggested the blatantly easy fix - allow Speed/Range to give a bonus at short ranges/low speeds. If you want, put the cap on this at the range equal to the targets SM band (or the shooters SM, not sure which is "more better"). Use Scale Move 10 for the "don't bother" threshold, or throw out the bottom cap entirely.

The high end gets odd, but it's a little lower key odd at least. Two scale x10 giants throwing rocks at each other at range 20 (scale range 2) get a -2 penalty to hit each other, despite being nearly able to reach out and touch each other. That's a wee bit peculiar. At scale range 10 (real range 100) they're at -6 to hit each other, continuing to be -2 off.
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Old 05-15-2012, 10:11 AM   #36
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Default Re: What does GURPS 4e do well?

How about using the difference between two characters' size modifiers, instead of their strait SMs?
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Old 05-15-2012, 11:53 AM   #37
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Default Re: What does GURPS 4e do well?

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Originally Posted by Numa Pompilius View Post
With that said, I'd like to know, what genres, game styles, or modes of play does GURPS lend itself to? Like, what sorts of campaigns and one-shots usually jump into your mind when you're thinking of using GURPS? Or put another way, when you think about X genre, why would you choose GURPS for it?
GURPS can handle almost any genre. I'm known to say, "GURPS can run any campaign up to but not including truly omnipotent gods (for that, use Nobilis)." You can run a game where the PCs are mice fighting to survive in a war-torn pantry. You can run a game where everyone is a software personality emulation, trying to debug a new world on a virtual server. There's practically nothing that GURPS can't run.

But I'd say the genres at which it truly excels:

1. Are focused on the human scale (both physically and emotionally/mentally),
2. Blend heroic adventure and realism (as seen in most fiction), and
3. Reward planning and tactics (as opposed to, "The PCs should win because they're the PCs!").

For any genre described by all three of those, I'd argue that GURPS is the RPG system to handle it, even over a system designed specifically for the genre.

For any genre described by one or two of those, I'd say GURPS will still do an excellent job at it, requiring minor tweaks at the most. A specific, dedicated system might be better, but I can think of actual examples where that's not been the case. (No, I'd rather not elaborate; this thread isn't about tearing down other systems.)

For any genre that doesn't match the above at all, GURPS can still handle it. In fact, it's entirely possible that GURPS will handle it better than any other system around! (As vm points out, while GURPS doesn't necessarily excel at mixing mice, human, and elephant PCs, it arguably does a better job than any other system out there.) But you may have to make some significant tweaks, buy an appropriate supplement or two, or just be comfortable making a few GM calls.
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Old 05-15-2012, 11:54 AM   #38
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Default Re: What does GURPS 4e do well?

<MOD>

Let's move the detailed SM-house-rule discussion into its own thread, please. It's not yet gotten to the point of derailing this one, but I can see where it's threatening to do so.

</MOD>
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Old 05-17-2012, 11:43 AM   #39
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Default Re: What does GURPS 4e do well?

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Originally Posted by Gollum View Post
There is one question that you didn't ask, but which can also help you to make your choice:

How does GURPS do it?

Indeed, as it has been said above, GURPS can handle anything (except a few exception, maybe). It is really a universal (any game world you want) and generic (in any genre you like) role playing game.

Now, there are several other universal and generic role playing games... So, what makes GURPS different?

First, as it has been said above, GURPS emphasizes realism - contrary to other role playing games which are much more heroic. You can play a heroic GURPS campaign, but you will have to add some optional rules (included in the Basic Set) to do so. In GURPS, without hte heroic options, one bullet can kill any warrior, no matter how experienced he is...
So, if you want to run realistic, heroic and super heroic campaigns, GURPS is made for you. But if you want to play exclusively in heroic and super heroic genres, GURPS may not be the best choice...
Second, GURPS is as detailed as you want. You can play it with very few rules, to make things fast and simple, but you can also dozens of very specific rules. For the character creation (advantages, disadvantages, modified advantages and disadvantages with enhancements and limitations, quirks, perks, specializations, techniques...) and also during play (hit locations, bleeding, harsh and realistic options...).
So, if you like very detail rules from time to time (they all are optional), GURPS is made for you. But if you hate detailed rules and want all your games to be very light, it may not be the better choice...
Finally GURPS is a game in which the player has a lot of choice to make. During his character's creation (he is free to create exactly the character he wants to play without the least restriction, except the point total) but also during the game. In GURPS, you never content yourself to say "I hit him with my sword." You have to choose a maneuver (attack, all-out attack, deceptive attack?" and to describe it with some detail: a swinging or a thrusting blow? As if you were your character, in the situation described by the GM... And doing it is very important: choosing the wrong maneuver at the wrong moment can make your character lose the combat, or even the life... Brief, in GURPS, the players choices are as important as their characters' abilities, and have as much importance on the result...

Some people like that! They can feel what feel their character and are free to do exactly what they would do if they were there in his place... But some players hate that! They want a more narrative manner of playing. They just want to describe vaguely their action and let the dice, and their character's ability, govern the result. After all, they may be right: if their warrior is a much better in the Sword skill than they are, he must be able to make all these maneuver choices much better than they can do it... That is why these players like more narrative and less detailed games.
So, as you can see, the question is not really what can GURPS do... It is: do you like how GURPS do it, an do your players also like it?
This is...yeah, interesting. I hadn't thought of it this way, as a matter of fact. Thank you. Food for thought here (and it is giving me an excuse to crack open my GURPS books once more - thanks for that!).
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