Help on a speech

Kuu · 11-09-2010, 03:10 AM

I'm going to give a speech for my speech class. The title is "What is GURPS, and why you should play it (over PC games and otherwise)."

What are some good reasons for someone to play GURPS?

Thank you.

Michele · 11-09-2010, 03:24 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kuu

I'm going to give a speech for my speech class. The title is "What is GURPS, and why you should play it (over PC games and otherwise)."

What are some good reasons for someone to play GURPS?

Thank you.

Role-playing over PC games? Because role-playing provides you with real, direct face-to-face interaction with other persons.

GURPS over other rule systems? I'd look at p. B5-6 to learn what SJ himself has to say about his creature. But I'd also add: most other systems will force stereotypes onto the player. That's fine, if the player is fine with them. Less fine, if he wants his character to be unique. GURPS lets you build a character who can't be cast into any stereotype.

laguna · 11-09-2010, 03:24 AM

equate a tablebot RPG system to a game console for comparison.

explain how and why tabletop games are exactly as good as those who run them, but that makes them better than most video games.

explain the GURPS acronym

explain the system as one for simulating reality but since it isn't run out of a computer, you can change the rules as you see fit. give some simple but meaningful examples of houseruling.

since this is a persuasive speech, I'd also make fun of other systems and console RPGs in particular as "babby's first RPG",

I don't know if you'll have time for all that, and I don't know that I put it in the best order to persuade, but those are some points I would hit.

Gollum · 11-09-2010, 05:37 AM

The most important arguments that make me choose GURPS rather than any other role playing systems, including the universal ones (and those that I tried to design myself for about 20 years now) are...

1- GURPS is not only a universal system. It is a generic one. Which means that you can play it exactly as you want. You can have very simple rules, easy to use in any situation, or very precise and detailed rules for almost any situation you can imagine.

Example
A policeman is trying to shoot a dangerous criminal in a foggy forest. The criminal is running as fast as possible beetween the trees, 5 yards away. And the policeman is bracing his colt .45 for 4 seconds before pulling the trigger. Two solutions.
- The fastest one: an "impossible" shot. -10, thanks to the Table of Task Difficulty Modifiers.
- The detailed one: taking into account every modifier: range, speed, bracing, Acc, bonus for aiming more than 2 seconds, visibility, cover...

And the GM can even switch from one situation to the other, depending on the situation. If it is done during a combat involving a lot of other characters (and of other rolls to make!), he can for instance use the fastest solution... But if it is the shot that will stop (or let flee away) the main bad guy, brief, that will make the adventure succeeds or fails, the detailed solution is a better choice.

2- GURPS is the most realistic game I have ever seen. Even more than realistic: it is living! The stronger, when he is too strong, will win. A bullet in the skull will kill... But not always! Miracles, in both direction, are always possible.
Some other roleplaying games are realistic too. But, then, miracles are not possible. In Call of Cthulhu, for example, a full Uzi magazine in the chest will systematically kill, even if every bullet do 1 point of damage. In GURPS, like in real life, it is not sure... Newspaper are full of miracles like that... In GURPS, it can happen... Even if the odds are very low... Exactly like in real life.

Nymdok · 11-09-2010, 07:30 AM

GURPS Over CRPGs:

No Pause/restart button. You make your decisions and live with them.

Live interaction with real people face to face. I know many play over virtual tabletop, skype and play by post, but pen and paper RPGs truly come into their own with face to face human interaction.

No/fewer interface limits. IN any computer game, your options are limited to the buttons you press, the actions those buttons are mapped to and, often, how quickly you can press them. Its one of the reasons why PC games often struggle in porting to console. In gurps, the only real limit to your decisions are how well you communicate your intentions to the GM. On the other side, the domain of outcomes of those decisions are largely up to the GMs imagination.

Cost. For the Price of one recently released video game, you can get the basic set . That video game will play only one game. The basic set will play damn near anything you ask it to. For the cost of a 'bargain bin' video game, you can pick up some of the shorter pdfs.

Variety of experience. The story is truly different evey time you play because its wrtten by the players.

Nymdok
Good Luck on your speech!

ETA: I remembered this link
http://forums.sjgames.com/showthread.php?t=65176

arnej · 11-09-2010, 04:48 PM

If I were giving this speech, I'd break it down to three points:

1) GURPS lets you play the character you want to play (focus on flexibility of character creation, etc.)
2) GURPS lets you play in the sorts of games you want to play in (focus on the same rules being used for Imperial Rome and Outer Space, gritty mysteries to high fantasies)
3) GURPS lets you play with your friends (as several others have mentioned, face-to-face social events are more fun than sitting at home in the basement.)

arnej

Kuu · 11-09-2010, 04:54 PM

Thank you for your help!

I've decided on 8 major points, in no particular order:

1) Face-to-face interaction with real people
2) Costs less than video games
3) No limits to what you can do, unlike video games (and many ways to solve one problem)
4) Intelligent NPCs, unlike video games
5) Teaches you to be responsible for your actions, unlike many video games
6) Variety of experience
7) Any character you like, any setting you like
8) Realism

Gollum · 11-10-2010, 05:43 AM

Fine.

You can also talk about imagination development and litterature. Role playing games (every pen and paper role playing games, not only GURPS) require imagination, writing and reading.

Not just for the GM! Players who want to create a good character often write a lot of things about him, and looks for some details about what his life can be.

So, to feed their imagination, GMs and players often read novels. Playing in a fantasy world encourage to read J. R. R.Tolkien, Robin Hobb, Michael Moorcok, Robert E. Howard... Playing in a SF word encourage to read Arthur C. Clark, Franck Herbert, Jack Vance, Isaac Asimov... Etc.

That is why a lot of role players become regular readers.

Some of them even learn a new language just to learn their favorite game - like I did with GURPS...

Saying this will certainly interest your teacher.

Anders · 11-10-2010, 06:09 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kuu

Thank you for your help!

I've decided on 8 major points, in no particular order:

1) Face-to-face interaction with real people
2) Costs less than video games
3) No limits to what you can do, unlike video games (and many ways to solve one problem)
4) Intelligent NPCs, unlike video games
5) Teaches you to be responsible for your actions, unlike many video games
6) Variety of experience
7) Any character you like, any setting you like
8) Realism

Optional realism. DF, for instance, isn't remotely realistic but it runs fun on the GURPS engine. OTOH, you can run very realistic games if you want to.

Otaku · 02-14-2024, 08:42 AM

I really want to stress the whole "no limit on what you can do." and the (potential) verisimilitude of TTRPGs (as a whole) and GURPS (in particular) versus video games. Yes, your TTRPG experience is going to vary depending on the GM, other players, and the rules being used, but even merely "competent" versions of those will give you a gaming experience far more immersive and comprehensive than anything video games can currently manage.

From things like being unable to pet the cute doggo or crashing obstacles that clearly shouldn't stop the player, video games are often heavily restricted in what you can actually do. Even if the group agrees the GM is to keep them "on the rails", they can do so more organically. Otherwise, you'll have your choice of how to handle the situation. If everyone wants a game about murder-hobos, that can be done, but you can also do a game where the players rarely - if ever - engage in direct or proxy combat. You, the player, need to decide if this is a situation where you fight, you flee, or you try and talk things out.

that one should really, really pay attention when replying. Then I'd have realized that it was just some bot account that necroposted on a thread from 2010, instead of needing Anders to point it out to me. XP

11-09-2010, 03:10 AM	#1
Kuu Join Date: May 2010	Help on a speech I'm going to give a speech for my speech class. The title is "What is GURPS, and why you should play it (over PC games and otherwise)." What are some good reasons for someone to play GURPS? Thank you.

11-09-2010, 03:24 AM	#3
laguna Join Date: Apr 2010	Re: Help on a speech equate a tablebot RPG system to a game console for comparison. explain how and why tabletop games are exactly as good as those who run them, but that makes them better than most video games. explain the GURPS acronym explain the system as one for simulating reality but since it isn't run out of a computer, you can change the rules as you see fit. give some simple but meaningful examples of houseruling. since this is a persuasive speech, I'd also make fun of other systems and console RPGs in particular as "babby's first RPG", I don't know if you'll have time for all that, and I don't know that I put it in the best order to persuade, but those are some points I would hit.

11-09-2010, 05:37 AM	#4
Gollum Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: France	Re: Help on a speech The most important arguments that make me choose GURPS rather than any other role playing systems, including the universal ones (and those that I tried to design myself for about 20 years now) are... 1- GURPS is not only a universal system. It is a generic one. Which means that you can play it exactly as you want. You can have very simple rules, easy to use in any situation, or very precise and detailed rules for almost any situation you can imagine. Example A policeman is trying to shoot a dangerous criminal in a foggy forest. The criminal is running as fast as possible beetween the trees, 5 yards away. And the policeman is bracing his colt .45 for 4 seconds before pulling the trigger. Two solutions. - The fastest one: an "impossible" shot. -10, thanks to the Table of Task Difficulty Modifiers. - The detailed one: taking into account every modifier: range, speed, bracing, Acc, bonus for aiming more than 2 seconds, visibility, cover... And the GM can even switch from one situation to the other, depending on the situation. If it is done during a combat involving a lot of other characters (and of other rolls to make!), he can for instance use the fastest solution... But if it is the shot that will stop (or let flee away) the main bad guy, brief, that will make the adventure succeeds or fails, the detailed solution is a better choice. 2- GURPS is the most realistic game I have ever seen. Even more than realistic: it is living! The stronger, when he is too strong, will win. A bullet in the skull will kill... But not always! Miracles, in both direction, are always possible. Some other roleplaying games are realistic too. But, then, miracles are not possible. In Call of Cthulhu, for example, a full Uzi magazine in the chest will systematically kill, even if every bullet do 1 point of damage. In GURPS, like in real life, it is not sure... Newspaper are full of miracles like that... In GURPS, it can happen... Even if the odds are very low... Exactly like in real life.

11-09-2010, 07:30 AM	#5
Nymdok Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: Houston	Re: Help on a speech GURPS Over CRPGs: No Pause/restart button. You make your decisions and live with them. Live interaction with real people face to face. I know many play over virtual tabletop, skype and play by post, but pen and paper RPGs truly come into their own with face to face human interaction. No/fewer interface limits. IN any computer game, your options are limited to the buttons you press, the actions those buttons are mapped to and, often, how quickly you can press them. Its one of the reasons why PC games often struggle in porting to console. In gurps, the only real limit to your decisions are how well you communicate your intentions to the GM. On the other side, the domain of outcomes of those decisions are largely up to the GMs imagination. Cost. For the Price of one recently released video game, you can get the basic set . That video game will play only one game. The basic set will play damn near anything you ask it to. For the cost of a 'bargain bin' video game, you can pick up some of the shorter pdfs. Variety of experience. The story is truly different evey time you play because its wrtten by the players. Nymdok Good Luck on your speech! ETA: I remembered this link http://forums.sjgames.com/showthread.php?t=65176 Last edited by Nymdok; 11-09-2010 at 08:18 AM.

11-09-2010, 04:48 PM	#6
arnej Join Date: Aug 2004 Location: Ft Collins, CO	Re: Help on a speech If I were giving this speech, I'd break it down to three points: 1) GURPS lets you play the character you want to play (focus on flexibility of character creation, etc.) 2) GURPS lets you play in the sorts of games you want to play in (focus on the same rules being used for Imperial Rome and Outer Space, gritty mysteries to high fantasies) 3) GURPS lets you play with your friends (as several others have mentioned, face-to-face social events are more fun than sitting at home in the basement.) arnej

11-09-2010, 04:54 PM	#7
Kuu Join Date: May 2010	Re: Help on a speech Thank you for your help! I've decided on 8 major points, in no particular order: 1) Face-to-face interaction with real people 2) Costs less than video games 3) No limits to what you can do, unlike video games (and many ways to solve one problem) 4) Intelligent NPCs, unlike video games 5) Teaches you to be responsible for your actions, unlike many video games 6) Variety of experience 7) Any character you like, any setting you like 8) Realism

11-10-2010, 05:43 AM	#8
Gollum Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: France	Re: Help on a speech Fine. You can also talk about imagination development and litterature. Role playing games (every pen and paper role playing games, not only GURPS) require imagination, writing and reading. Not just for the GM! Players who want to create a good character often write a lot of things about him, and looks for some details about what his life can be. So, to feed their imagination, GMs and players often read novels. Playing in a fantasy world encourage to read J. R. R.Tolkien, Robin Hobb, Michael Moorcok, Robert E. Howard... Playing in a SF word encourage to read Arthur C. Clark, Franck Herbert, Jack Vance, Isaac Asimov... Etc. That is why a lot of role players become regular readers. Some of them even learn a new language just to learn their favorite game - like I did with GURPS... Saying this will certainly interest your teacher.

02-14-2024, 08:42 AM	#10
Otaku Join Date: Nov 2011 Location: South Dakota, USA	Re: Help on a speech I really want to stress the whole "no limit on what you can do." and the (potential) verisimilitude of TTRPGs (as a whole) and GURPS (in particular) versus video games. Yes, your TTRPG experience is going to vary depending on the GM, other players, and the rules being used, but even merely "competent" versions of those will give you a gaming experience far more immersive and comprehensive than anything video games can currently manage. From things like being unable to pet the cute doggo or crashing obstacles that clearly shouldn't stop the player, video games are often heavily restricted in what you can actually do. Even if the group agrees the GM is to keep them "on the rails", they can do so more organically. Otherwise, you'll have your choice of how to handle the situation. If everyone wants a game about murder-hobos, that can be done, but you can also do a game where the players rarely - if ever - engage in direct or proxy combat. You, the player, need to decide if this is a situation where you fight, you flee, or you try and talk things out. that one should really, really pay attention when replying. Then I'd have realized that it was just some bot account that necroposted on a thread from 2010, instead of needing Anders to point it out to me. XP __________________ My GURPS Fourth Edition library consists of Basic Set: Characters, Basic Set: Campaigns, Martial Arts, Powers, Powers: Enhanced Senses, Power-Ups 1: Imbuements, Power-Ups 2: Perks, Power-Ups 3: Talents, Power-Ups 4: Enhancements, Power-Ups 6: Quirks, Power-Ups 8: Limitations, Powers, Social Engineering, Supers, Template Toolkit 1: Characters, Template Toolkit 2: Races, one issue of Pyramid (3/83) a.k.a. Alternate GURPS IV, GURPS Classic Rogues, and GURPS Classic Warriors. Most of which was provided through the generosity of others. Thanks! :) Last edited by Otaku; 02-14-2024 at 11:48 AM.