Steve Jackson Games - Site Navigation
Home General Info Follow Us Search Illuminator Store Forums What's New Other Games Ogre GURPS Munchkin Our Games: Home

Go Back   Steve Jackson Games Forums > Roleplaying > GURPS

Reply
 
Thread Tools Display Modes
Old 10-05-2013, 12:21 PM   #1
StreetBushido
 
Join Date: Oct 2013
Default What would I need to run Fallout with GURPS?

A long time ago I read that the first Fallout game was supposed to be based on GURPS, but that due to licensing issues, or something like that, the developers chose to create their own system for the game.

I've long wanted to run a tabletop game of Fallout, or something similar, but I've yet to find a system that clicked with me and made me go "Yes, this will do Fallout nicely!".

Recently, I started researching GURPS a bit. While I find even GURPS Light to be a bit daunting, the options available are interesting. I've also heard many good things about the quality of the writing that goes into the core books and the many supplements. Furthermore, it seems that once you've got how the system works and gotten past character creation, things move along fairly smoothly.

If I were to run Fallout, or any other post-apocalyptic setting, with GURPS (4th Ed.), what books would you recommend, aside from the core books?

I've also got a bit of a bonus question. I've heard that if you're going to GM GURPS you may want to create a list of skills specific to your game. For instance removing "Drive/Pilot" for a fantasy game or "Knowledge (Magic)" for a "realistic" modern game. When creating a skill list, what is a good number of skills? I can imagine that if there are too few skills, everybody will be good at everything. While if there are too many skills, everybody has to be very specialised, or everybody is sort of iffy at everything.
StreetBushido is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 10-05-2013, 12:24 PM   #2
Nereidalbel
 
Join Date: May 2013
Location: Ellicott City, MD
Default Re: What would I need to run Fallout with GURPS?

1. Powers, High Tech, and Ultra Tech are probably pretty good for Fallout.

2. Instead of making a specific list, you just say "No vehicles or computers" in Fantasy, "no paranormal" in a realistic game, etc.
Nereidalbel is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 10-05-2013, 12:33 PM   #3
vierasmarius
 
vierasmarius's Avatar
 
Join Date: Nov 2009
Location: Oregon
Default Re: What would I need to run Fallout with GURPS?

I'd add Low Tech to the list if you want more detailed options for "tribals" and the like. Depending on how gritty or cinematic you're going for you may want to check out Tactical Shooting or Gun Fu. That might be focusing on too much minutia for just starting out. They're certainly not necessary.
vierasmarius is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 10-05-2013, 12:59 PM   #4
StreetBushido
 
Join Date: Oct 2013
Default Re: What would I need to run Fallout with GURPS?

Those were some quick replies!

The Tech books I can understand, but why Powers? Is that to get in the various mutations?
StreetBushido is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 10-05-2013, 01:12 PM   #5
vierasmarius
 
vierasmarius's Avatar
 
Join Date: Nov 2009
Location: Oregon
Default Re: What would I need to run Fallout with GURPS?

Quote:
Originally Posted by StreetBushido View Post
The Tech books I can understand, but why Powers? Is that to get in the various mutations?
It's the go-to book for customizing any sort of advantage or disadvantage, with scads of new enhancements and limitations. Powers is probably the most important book for building any character, after the Basic Set.
vierasmarius is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 10-05-2013, 01:35 PM   #6
Nereidalbel
 
Join Date: May 2013
Location: Ellicott City, MD
Default Re: What would I need to run Fallout with GURPS?

Quote:
Originally Posted by StreetBushido View Post
Those were some quick replies!

The Tech books I can understand, but why Powers? Is that to get in the various mutations?
Powers is basically a core book for any campaign that isn't 100% realistic. If you have powers, mutations, or even just want to design aliens, Powers covers it.
Nereidalbel is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 10-05-2013, 01:40 PM   #7
Nymdok
 
Nymdok's Avatar
 
Join Date: Dec 2006
Location: Houston
Default Re: What would I need to run Fallout with GURPS?

There was a GURPS fan book dedicated to the Fallout setting, but Im not sure where its gotten to.

AH! TecTucTutlay (sp?) has it on his website I think.....

https://sites.google.com/site/tectuc.../gurps-fallout

THis is generally focused on the first 2 games, but may be applicable to the the Latest one.

Nymdok
War. War never changes......
Nymdok is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 10-05-2013, 05:21 PM   #8
Jonas
 
Jonas's Avatar
 
Join Date: Mar 2006
Default Re: What would I need to run Fallout with GURPS?

Quote:
Originally Posted by StreetBushido View Post
A long time ago I read that the first Fallout game was supposed to be based on GURPS, but that due to licensing issues, or something like that, the developers chose to create their own system for the game.

I've long wanted to run a tabletop game of Fallout, or something similar, but I've yet to find a system that clicked with me and made me go "Yes, this will do Fallout nicely!".

Recently, I started researching GURPS a bit. While I find even GURPS Light to be a bit daunting, the options available are interesting. I've also heard many good things about the quality of the writing that goes into the core books and the many supplements. Furthermore, it seems that once you've got how the system works and gotten past character creation, things move along fairly smoothly.

If I were to run Fallout, or any other post-apocalyptic setting, with GURPS (4th Ed.), what books would you recommend, aside from the core books?

I've also got a bit of a bonus question. I've heard that if you're going to GM GURPS you may want to create a list of skills specific to your game. For instance removing "Drive/Pilot" for a fantasy game or "Knowledge (Magic)" for a "realistic" modern game. When creating a skill list, what is a good number of skills? I can imagine that if there are too few skills, everybody will be good at everything. While if there are too many skills, everybody has to be very specialised, or everybody is sort of iffy at everything.
You technically don't need anything besides the core rulebooks to run a game and even that can be somewhat debated depending on the level of detail you want. Most of what Gurps offers are less worldbooks and more source books, Ie High Tech describing/statting a lot of more modern items, Low-Tech statting pre-TL5 stuff etc.

As for Gurps Fallout that depends entirely on what you wish to do and how much detail you want to go into. A list of potentially useful but not mandatory volumes probably would be:

Low-Tech: Can cover most pre-industrial stuff that may come up.
High-Tech: Can cover anything from TL5-8.
Tactical-Shooting: Has a more in depth coverage of firearms and more realistic gunplay if thats desired. If a more cinematic feel is wanted I'd suggest avoiding this one.
Ultra-Tech: Weakest of the gurps sourcebooks but still useful for the 'retro-future' style tech from Lasers to Healing hypo's Plasma rifles.
Bio-Tech: Depending on how deep you want to explore mutations, mutagens or pre-war genetic science in general this is the book for you.
Gurps Y2K: 3rd Edition Sourcebook but to date is the best rundown for running a collapse scenario that maintains in-setting plausibility.
Gurps Atomic Horror: 3rd Edition sourcebook specifically geared for campaigns set in the 1950's from realistic to monster pulp and covers everything from politics to beliefs to social customs.
__________________
Waiting for:
Gurps VDS
Gurps Armory (One can dream)
----
Per ardua ad astra "Through hard-work to the stars."
Jonas is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 10-05-2013, 05:37 PM   #9
vierasmarius
 
vierasmarius's Avatar
 
Join Date: Nov 2009
Location: Oregon
Default Re: What would I need to run Fallout with GURPS?

Some Pyramid issues may be worth checking out. First there's #3/03, Venturing Into The Badlands, which is of course dedicated to post-apocalyptic gaming. There may also be helpful stuff in the Tech and Toys releases (#3/12, #3/37, #3/51) and Vehicles (#3/40). GURPS 4e is sadly a little sparse on detailed vehicle design rules, but that and the forums should cover your needs if you plan on going Mad Max with the game.
vierasmarius is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 10-05-2013, 05:43 PM   #10
sir_pudding
Wielder of Smart Pants
 
sir_pudding's Avatar
 
Join Date: Aug 2004
Location: Ventura CA
Default Re: What would I need to run Fallout with GURPS?

Quote:
Originally Posted by StreetBushido View Post
If I were to run Fallout, or any other post-apocalyptic setting, with GURPS (4th Ed.), what books would you recommend, aside from the core books?
Jason Levine wrote a "worked genre example" (like Dungeon Fantasy, Action or Monster Hunters) series for post-apocalypse games called GURPS After The End. Unfortunately it has been indefinitely delayed for some reason.

Quote:
I've also got a bit of a bonus question. I've heard that if you're going to GM GURPS you may want to create a list of skills specific to your game. For instance removing "Drive/Pilot" for a fantasy game or "Knowledge (Magic)" for a "realistic" modern game. When creating a skill list, what is a good number of skills? I can imagine that if there are too few skills, everybody will be good at everything. While if there are too many skills, everybody has to be very specialised, or everybody is sort of iffy at everything.
Here's an example of the sort of thing I do nowadays for a new campaign:
The Phoenix Imperative

Quote:
Originally Posted by Nymdok View Post
War. War never changes......
Getting Ron Perlman to come over to your house to introduce your campaign may be prohibitively expensive.
EDIT:
Looks like a minimum of $50,000. I wonder what he'd charge just to read your intro script over the phone. :)

Last edited by sir_pudding; 10-05-2013 at 06:27 PM.
sir_pudding is offline   Reply With Quote
Reply

Tags
after the end, fallout, newbie, resources, skills

Thread Tools
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Fnords are Off
[IMG] code is Off
HTML code is Off

Forum Jump


All times are GMT -6. The time now is 07:56 AM.


Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.9
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions, Inc.