03-23-2023, 04:05 AM | #1 | ||
Night Watchman
Join Date: Oct 2010
Location: Cambridge, UK
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Math, GURPS, and its reputation for complexity
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GURPS is unforgiving of errors in those calculations. If you get them wrong, you likely go in the wrong place in the turn sequence, can't get to the right place in time, or get hit. In the D&D versions I know, the relevant numbers are either rolled randomly or arbitrary (rather than calculated) and more consistent across characters. I remember a Witch World session where we'd invited some extra players for a try-out. Two of them were Cambridge academics in the post-doctoral phases of their careers.
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The Path of Cunning. Indexes: DFRPG Characters, Advantage of the Week, Disadvantage of the Week, Skill of the Week, Techniques. Last edited by johndallman; 03-23-2023 at 04:09 AM. Reason: Improvement |
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03-23-2023, 08:00 AM | #2 |
Join Date: Oct 2007
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Re: Math, GURPS, and its reputation for complexity
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03-23-2023, 08:50 AM | #3 | |
Join Date: Aug 2004
Location: Wellington, NZ
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Re: Math, GURPS, and its reputation for complexity
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Note in both cases you're already using a table to find your ST-based damage.
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Rupert Boleyn "A pessimist is an optimist with a sense of history." |
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03-23-2023, 09:39 AM | #4 |
Join Date: Oct 2004
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Re: Math, GURPS, and its reputation for complexity
Lately, I've been pondering over encumbrance rules in various ttrpgs. I've noticed many games use a widely accepted encumbrance system where items are divided into 5 lbs. increments (and even smaller categories for collections of little things like arrows, stones, and the like). People find this method more straightforward than simply adding or subtracting the actual weight of items.
I can't help but wonder why we're so hesitant to use a bit of math in our games, especially when we have all these handy-dandy calculating devices at our fingertips nowadays. What do you all think about this? |
03-23-2023, 10:35 AM | #5 | |
Join Date: Oct 2010
Location: earth....I think.
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Re: Math, GURPS, and its reputation for complexity
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Should you walk to the store that is 20mins away (by walking) or drive? People will want to drive. This is bad because it makes them lazy and weaker. How does this relate to the topic? They become weaker in the field of Math. Doing simple arithmetic as adding and subtracting has become such a difficult thing for most people even though it is easy because they have gotten lazy. None of the "Math" within GURPS has ever caused me issues because I make sure I practice my Math and never fall behind. If something is a little difficult then I practice till its not, most people don't do this and that is a big problem. "But I HATE Math! I can never get it!" - Then you have not practiced enough and had horrible teachers. simplifying the "Math" means you end up with dumber people which lowers what constitutes as "easy" which means you will eventually have to lower it again. Its sad that this is going on. |
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03-23-2023, 10:59 AM | #6 | |
Join Date: Jun 2013
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Re: Math, GURPS, and its reputation for complexity
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A lot of people hate even simple math. Heck, I used to hate math, and early on it was consistently one of my worst subjects, in no small part because of those cursed multiplication tables (although from observing my peers, I think it's algebra that winds up turning most people strongly against math, when that was ironically when I started liking and doing well at it). I'm not sure if it's an issue with the way it's taught, if it's something that just never "clicks" for certain people (much like artistry for myself), or something else. And, as the forums tend to self-select for gearheads, I suspect our little niche group isn't going to figure that out.
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GURPS Overhaul Last edited by Varyon; 03-23-2023 at 11:30 AM. Reason: Forgot to include the primary part I was meaning to say... |
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03-23-2023, 11:33 AM | #7 |
Join Date: Jul 2008
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Re: Math, GURPS, and its reputation for complexity
I did math team in high school and while I have definitely let some higher math rust since college I'm a lot handier than most people. And I am a detailed inventory loyalist. I still find adding up a list of item weights downright painful and not quick.
Of course spreadsheets handily solve that, but they're not integrated with gaming tools in my limited experience.
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I don't know any 3e, so there is no chance that I am talking about 3e rules by accident. |
03-23-2023, 11:50 AM | #8 |
Join Date: Feb 2005
Location: Berkeley, CA
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Re: Math, GURPS, and its reputation for complexity
The main ways GURPS inventory management is more complex than other games are:
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03-23-2023, 12:02 PM | #9 |
Join Date: Jul 2008
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Re: Math, GURPS, and its reputation for complexity
Do you mean which difficulty offset it uses? In 4e that's the only difference in pricing. (Though there are a few weird defaults.)
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I don't know any 3e, so there is no chance that I am talking about 3e rules by accident. |
03-23-2023, 12:14 PM | #10 | |
Aluminated
Join Date: Feb 2005
Location: East of the moon, west of the stars, close to buses and shopping
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Re: Math, GURPS, and its reputation for complexity
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And those calculating devices don't help as much as you'd think because that shifts you from the drudgery of doing lots of simple arithmetic to the drudgery of transcribing lots of arbitrary numbers to your calculating device. There's always going to be a non-trivial audience which wants to get on with playing the game and sees either or both of those as a dull bit of homework they have to do before they ever get to the table. For some people, front-loading doesn't work.
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I've been making pointlessly shiny things, and I've got some gaming-related stuff as well as 3d printing designs. Buy my Warehouse 23 stuff, dammit! |
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complexity, math |
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