What GURPS needs... now

[trooper6]

So here is icv2's list of top selling RPGs for Fall 2016:
https://icv2.com/articles/markets/vi...ames-fall-2016

They are:

1. Dungeons and Dragons
2. Pathfinder
3. Star Wars (from Fantasy Flight Games)
4. Shadowrun 5e
5. Call of Cthulhu 7th Ed

Shadowrun is doing quite well, and I ended up picking up the rules (I'll tell you why in a second)...and you know what? That is one crunchy game. It's success clearly belies the notion that for a game to be successful it can't be as crunchy as GURPS is because it will scare off new players. I found it way crunchier than GURPS.

So what got me to buy Shadowrun?
The Twitch Streamed Shadowrun Game: CorporateSINs. That stream lasted for over a year and I got all invested in the game watching the great players and GM...so I bought the basic rules. As a matter of fact, most of the games I've bought in the last few years (and it has turned out to be more than I have in a while), have mostly come from being inspired to pick up the game after watching it streamed on Twitch.

What I think GURPS needs now is not a new version of GURPS Lite, but less grognardism in the fan base and more visibility. I think a cool Twitch streamed game with fun players and a fun GM that could show that GURPS is elegant, fun, deep, and interesting...*that* is one of the things that GURPS needs to attract new people.

And because no two GURPS games are alike--in other words, my GURPS and your GURPS are not only not the same, but may not even be compatible--it would be best if there were multiple different GURPS Twitch streams. Maybe one run by a GM who is a member of the Cult of Stat Normalization, maybe one run by someone who love the high point totals and cinematics. Maybe one run by a narrativist, one by a simulationist, one by a gamist.

I'd also like to see a really prestige campaign book. Something like the Dracula Dossier. Something where the campaign book is big and impressive and written by someone like Ken Hite. Something that will attract new people who are excited about running an epic campaign...and since it is GURPS they'll run it in that. Sure, current GURPS people may not care about adventures, but we are talking about new people. I'd want a campaign book awesome enough that it could be nominated for an Ennie or an Origins Award. Something that will generate some good press and put GURPS back in people's minds.

In short, I think the game itself is good. I just think GURPS needs to be put back in people's minds as something cool and fun.

[sir_pudding]

Originally Posted by evileeyore

We need an author/editor team that's willing to not only wade into the garbage fire that is Magic 3e but also to weather slings and arrows of discontent from the community when they fail to please everyone in any way at all.

I think wilingness by SJGames to even attempt it is a more serious roadblock. I am sure there are freelancers who would take the project, I would, for instance.

[Mark Skarr]

Originally Posted by sir_pudding

Contemporary action and sci-fi are no less marginal than superheroes. I suspect that realistic contemporary action is actually significantly more marginal.

I would agree. Personally, I'm significantly more interested in systems that can handle supers than cannot. I own, pretty much, every Super Hero game out there (notable exceptions are the old DC system that I never was able to find and Heroes Unlimited). Sure, I play GURPS, but I'm always interested in seeing how other systems handle things.

What GURPS really needs is for us to be out there, playing it in public places, so people can see us doing it, and having a good time doing so. It needs better PR and a positive reputation. If each of us, who are passionate about GURPS, takes a D&D or Pathfinder DM under their wing and teaches them the awesomeness of GURPS, then we will help the system immeasurably.

I'm already teaching it to one Pathfinder DM, so . . . up your game!

[Shostak]

Originally Posted by Ulzgoroth

Which would be how many products that most people want at most a handful of?

If I understand the implication, it is that this would not be profitable. Maybe, but I don't have that data. Clearly, Pelgrane sees the value in it for their line. I don't play ToC, but I have bought adventures written for it, because writing good mysteries is not my forte and their product hits the spot. Assuming that it goes both ways, if the adventures are good enough, the audience for GURPS-specific adventures is not just GURPS GMs, but any GM, and that is a much larger target client base.

High-value GURPS adventures are consonant with, though distinct from, Trooper6's recommendation of a "prestige campaign book." Both suggestions serve the established GURPS community while providing product that can cultivate new members in a way that more and more and more rules (even Magic 4E Revisited) don't. I think his suggestion of highly visible teaser material designed to interest non-GURPS players is also worthy of consideration.

[David Johansen]

Originally Posted by Andrew Hackard

I feel exactly the same way about a GURPS book that cuts out all the uberdetailed combat rules and rosters of basically identical weapons.

Which is why I love that the game is modular and you can take what you want and ignore the rest.

Really, a lighter combat system is something that should have been implemented somewhere a long time ago. I love the detailed system but sometimes it's just too much.

I wonder if there's a way to handle penetration and damage type multipliers that hides them. I know from experience that it's one of those sticking points people have.

Like, maybe zombies just have extra hit points rather than a different multiplier. I suppose you could build the change in characters and set a points value.

[Mark Skarr]

I could see a boxed GURPS Cyberpunk set based off of Action or even Monster Hunters. Include a bit about how to incorporate Dungeon Fantasy information, and you'd have a ready-made Shadowrun competitor, which would encourage people to purchase both sets to pull it off.

I think a boxed Supers game would be too difficult to pull off (but cool), without going the City of Heroes route, and only having specific options (and now I've made myself sad, thinking about City of Heroes).

[simply Nathan]

Originally Posted by philosophyguy

1) A revised lite that incorporates magic and cleans up some of the detail in favor of generic task difficulty modifiers. This would help make GURPS more accessible, wouldn't require the huge time investment of rewriting an existing book, and wouldn't break backwards compatibility.

This is probably the only thing I could want more than the upcoming DFRPG boxed set in terms of tabletop gaming.

[sir_pudding]

Originally Posted by David Johansen

Really, a lighter combat system is something that should have been implemented somewhere a long time ago. I love the detailed system but sometimes it's just too much.

I wonder if there's a way to handle penetration and damage type multipliers that hides them. I know from experience that it's one of those sticking points people have.

Like, maybe zombies just have extra hit points rather than a different multiplier. I suppose you could build the change in characters and set a points value.

It is pretty easy to run games that generally only use a few modifiers. If the typical combat is a firefight with issued rifles by regular troops on both sides then pi is probably the only modifier that is typically going to come up.

[mehrkat]

Something like the Dungeon Masters Guild for Dungeon Fantasy.

SimiOfficial support that encourages GMs to share their stories. What GURPS is missing is social support and media presence so a few good YouTube or Twitch games.

I know the board is a great source but a club would encourage collaborations and part of the recent growth of DnD seems to be partially due to this.

[trooper6]

Originally Posted by Shostak

High-value GURPS adventures are consonant with, though distinct from, Trooper6's recommendation of a "prestige campaign book." Both suggestions serve the established GURPS community while providing product that can cultivate new members in a way that more and more and more rules (even Magic 4E Revisited) don't. I think his suggestion of highly visible teaser material designed to interest non-GURPS players is also worthy of consideration.

I was also thinking about Pelgrane Press's work. They are a small company, but they certainly get a lot of ENnie award nominations and people talk about them. They seem vital and interesting and their names are on people's lips. I would be overjoyed if ex-SJG contributors Ken Hite and Robin Laws would make some sort of prestige, high-quality, innovative, and experimental massive adventure. Then I could stream it on Twitch!