2 questions - Using GURPS ruleset in a computer game - and armour "skills"?

[white_dog]

Hi all! As the title suggests I first of all wanted to ask if it's OK to use/adapt the GURPS ruleset for a homebrew computer game I'm making. It's a text adventure game that I'm doing, mainly to teach myself coding. Since I want to focus on coding/software design/architecture and worry as little as possible about game design, using GURPS is pretty ideal for making it at least reasonably well balanced for as little work as possible on my side, as well as having a lot of options to do what I want. I own (physically or pdf) all the resources I'm using so I have "paid in" to the system :) I just wanted to check, if I were to distribute it (for free, this isn't a commercial enterprise) that I wouldn't run into any copyright or other (heaven forbid!) legal issues. Certainly I would credit the system, the company and all creators. If it's an issue then I'm happy to not distribute it except maybe to give to a potential employer as evidence of what I can do.

Second question! game rules related. I've been scanning my GURPS resources (core books, fantasy, magic, martial arts, low tech) for any advantages/skills/techniques etc related to wearing and using armour but not currently seeing anything. Is there such a thing in the GURPS world (apart from obviously the shield skill)? Are there any penalties to wearing armour other than the encumbrance rules? In the rules as-written, can anyone who can afford to buy it, and has the strength to do so, strap on a suit of armour and get fighting (contrasted with, for example, in D&D where wizards are forbidden from wearing heavy armour, for mainly thematic reasons)? Are there any techniques that might reduce penalties associated with moving/fighting in armour?

Thanks in advance!
Chris

[Refplace]

Probably not but read this for official guidelines.
Sounds like a violation to me though, but depends on what your copying.
Remember you paid for the books but those you distribute it to may not have.

Wearing armor does not normally require a skill (battlesuits are an exception for example). Encumberance is the only problem for well fitted armor.
Some skills take more severe penalties from encumberance, its noted in the specific skill - such as fencing weapons.
Some armor has additional penalties to DX, I think that is just a few pieces from GURPS Low-Tech and is just optional realisim.

[white_dog]

Originally Posted by Refplace

Probably not but read this for official guidelines.
Sounds like a violation to me though, but depends on what your copying.
Remember you paid for the books but those you distribute it to may not have.

Thanks. that seems to be a clear no, sadly... oh well, for my own fun it is then!

Originally Posted by Refplace

Wearing armor does not normally require a skill (battlesuits are an exception for example). Encumberance is the only problem for well fitted armor.
Some skills take more severe penalties from encumberance, its noted in the specific skill - such as fencing weapons.
Some armor has additional penalties to DX, I think that is just a few pieces from GURPS Low-Tech and is just optional realisim.

Thanks. IIRC stealth also takes a hit from being encumbered.

[Varyon]

Wearing armor just counts as being encumbered. There is a Perk called Armor Familiarity for skills like Karate, Judo, and Rapier, but it's arguably misnamed - those skills take a penalty to use based on encumbrance level, and what the Perk does is reduce the penalty, potentially eliminating it (you can take it multiple times, each negates -1 to skill due to encumbrance). I think mainline Dungeon Fantasy (I know it's in DFRPG from a reference in Delvers to Grow) has an Armor Mastery Advantage that represents skill at using armor to its fullest extent, giving bonus DR while armored (probably to represent getting hits to land at an angle to be more likely to glance off, strike the thickest parts of the armor to have reduced chance of getting through, and so forth). Fighting while armored should probably use Familiarity guidelines (if you've never done it before, you won't be able to fight as well as you can out of armor, even when using skills that aren't normally penalized by encumbrance), but I don't think it would be appropriate to treat "wearing armor" as a distinct skill. For purposes of a cRPG, Familiarity can probably be ignored.

If you want reasons why certain characters wear lighter armor (or no armor at all), that's not too difficult to work out. For characters who are reliant on Acrobatics (or a Parry F combat skill), heavier armor means the character will still be encumbered even after dropping their pack or whatever, which is problematic. I think Low Tech (or perhaps one of the Companions) also has more advanced rules on how armor can penalize stealth, but I could be misremembering. For spellcasters, they stereotypically aren't very strong and are reliant on FP - meaning it doesn't take much for them to be encumbered, and being encumbered tires them out more quickly. Of course, not dying is a pretty good reason to deal with such an inconvenience, so you could potentially toss some sort of Limitation on Magery that makes spells penalized if carrying too much weight, wearing metal/heavy armor, or whatever.

[ericthered]

Originally Posted by Varyon

If you want reasons why certain characters wear lighter armor (or no armor at all), that's not too difficult to work out. For characters who are reliant on Acrobatics (or a Parry F combat skill), heavier armor means the character will still be encumbered even after dropping their pack or whatever, which is problematic. I think Low Tech (or perhaps one of the Companions) also has more advanced rules on how armor can penalize stealth, but I could be misremembering. For spellcasters, they stereotypically aren't very strong and are reliant on FP - meaning it doesn't take much for them to be encumbered, and being encumbered tires them out more quickly. Of course, not dying is a pretty good reason to deal with such an inconvenience, so you could potentially toss some sort of Limitation on Magery that makes spells penalized if carrying too much weight, wearing metal/heavy armor, or whatever.

For example, I've got a spellcaster in a dungeon delving campaign who wears full armor and carries an enormous shield. It takes 30 minutes to get back all his FP after every single fight, even if no spells are cast or extra effort used. Its big cost, though the character is fun.

[johndallman]

"Layering and Combining Armor", p. B286, gives DX penalties for wearing multiple layers of armour. It would also be reasonable to assess a DX penalty for armour that doesn't fit properly, although many GMs would limit this to serious cases.

[DanHoward]

Originally Posted by johndallman

"Layering and Combining Armor", p. B286, gives DX penalties for wearing multiple layers of armour. It would also be reasonable to assess a DX penalty for armour that doesn't fit properly, although many GMs would limit this to serious cases.

See "My Armor Doesn't Fit", Low-Tech, p.103.

[Pursuivant]

Once upon a time I invented a skill called Armor Use (Easy) to cover the sort of knowledge that someone who uses or maintains armor might know. It included the ability to make a DX-based skill roll to boost armor DR by some amount (usually +1) vs. melee attacks you can see coming.

In retrospect, it should be a Perk or folded into low TL Soldier skill.

Doing things like replacing buckles and straps, tying parts down or oiling them to reduce noise when you move, and making minor adjustments to armor so it fits properly shouldn't require Armoury skill, which just covers construction, major alterations, and serious repairs.

[Maz]

Originally Posted by white_dog

In the rules as-written, can anyone who can afford to buy it, and has the strength to do so, strap on a suit of armour and get fighting (contrasted with, for example, in D&D where wizards are forbidden from wearing heavy armour, for mainly thematic reasons)

Yes. But. Wearing armour either makes you encumbered or cost CP to be strong enough to not be. Both of which would reduce your effectiveness as a wizard.


Compare two wizards - one wears heavy armour (around 90lbs) the other do not.

Armour wizard:
Either has to be heavily encumbered or spend around 30CP on strength/lifting ST to be able to wear the armour at only light encumbered.

If keeping the heavy encumberance, you are going to suffer on both mobility and dodge. However, that's not the bad part. The bad part is that you likely have to travel to "the adventure"; often hiking through sewers, ruins or dungeon. Meaning you are likely to start any adventure with 4 FP less. That is likely 1/3 to 1/4 of you "spell levels" gone. And even after a fight you suffer an additional 3-4 FP because you are encumbered. Meaning you'd take much longer to be at "full power" again.

Alternatively you can be a MuscleWizard™ and buy the ST to be unencumbered. However this means you will have 2 less in all you spells or up to 5 less in 'your primary spell'. As the CP used on ST could have been used for Magery or spell-levels. Higher skill levels in spells means cheaper spells and more magery means better spells. So again you will have less "spell levels" compared to the unarmoured wizard.


Unarmoured wizard:
Can keep at light to none encumbrance. Or can even buy down ST for extra CP to put into IQ. Will have better move and dodge to get away from monsters. Will not lose as many FP on the fight itself meaning they are either ready for a new fight much faster, or can afford to burn more FP in the fight.



So, just like a D&D wizard CAN wear armour and cast spells if he chose to multiclass. So can you "multiclass" in GURPS. You will have the armour, but you will be a less effective wizard than a lighter, robe-wearing, wizard.

[tbone]

Originally Posted by Pursuivant

Once upon a time I invented a skill called Armor Use (Easy) to cover the sort of knowledge that someone who uses or maintains armor might know.

Interesting. I've tinkered with the same, though without putting it into a game, for reasons of "lack of pressing need". It's a perfectly good idea, though. The main uses would be modifying the speed of donning/doffing armor (vital in emergency situations like "fell into river wearing plate armor"), plus making minor fitting adjustments. The Armor Mastery advantage could be dropped, with its benefits instead coming from spending x points on Armor Use.

A valid concept. Just not terribly exciting as skills go.