Questions using 3rd e. with 4th e.

equals · 05-19-2018, 09:36 AM

So I noticed a lot of 3rd edition books are print on demand now and it has me thinking. Will these same books ever be converted to 4th edition? Is it really easy and quick to port over the book to 4th edition on my own during gameplay? What has everyones experience been using 3rd edition books for a 4th edition game?

ericthered · 05-19-2018, 10:06 AM

Gurps 3e has a lot of great setting books with very little crunch and a lot of fluff. The skill system is very similar between the two editions and will "port during gameplay".

Stormcrow · 05-19-2018, 10:28 AM

Use GURPS Update to convert. I have found that converting large numbers of templates is a lot of work, and involves a bit of guesswork sometimes. But a few small templates is pretty easy. Most third edition books aren't so heavy with templates or ad-hoc rules as to make them unusable.

Other areas that require conversion, but which don't have guidelines, include equipment statistics, costs, and jobs. You'll have to figure out your own nearest equivalents for the fourth edition.

Gollum · 05-19-2018, 10:28 AM

And you can download GURPS Update for free. It will help you to do all the conversions you need, quickly and accurately.

Edit
Too funny! Stormcrow was quicker than me.

David Johnston2 · 05-19-2018, 10:43 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by equals

So I noticed a lot of 3rd edition books are print on demand now and it has me thinking. Will these same books ever be converted to 4th edition? Is it really easy and quick to port over the book to 4th edition on my own during gameplay? What has everyones experience been using 3rd edition books for a 4th edition game?

Template point values need to be recalculated, especially the values for races.
You need to ignore the "PD" values on armour because 4E armour doesn't have PD. Dodge values need to be increased by 3. Most monster stats can be used as is. The character point values for characters are all wrong...but that can almost always be ignored since the point values have no actual utility. Most of the pages in 3E world books contain content that will not have changed at all and could be used perfectly well in, say a D20 game. Books that have a lot of psionic content will require that content to be refigured.

dcarson · 05-19-2018, 02:45 PM

It takes me about 10 minutes to properly convert a 3rd character or template to a 4th edition using GCS and GURPS Update. So a couple of hours for a book with a number of them spread over time as I think about other campaign planning. I can convert one close enough in my head if it comes up on the fly in a game.

SteamBub · 05-19-2018, 03:14 PM

I have to ask, but do the PoD 3e books advertise the GURPS Update?

05-19-2018, 09:36 AM	#1
equals Join Date: Nov 2017	Questions using 3rd e. with 4th e. So I noticed a lot of 3rd edition books are print on demand now and it has me thinking. Will these same books ever be converted to 4th edition? Is it really easy and quick to port over the book to 4th edition on my own during gameplay? What has everyones experience been using 3rd edition books for a 4th edition game?

05-19-2018, 10:06 AM	#2
ericthered Hero of Democracy Join Date: Mar 2012 Location: far from the ocean	Re: Questions using 3rd e. with 4th e. Gurps 3e has a lot of great setting books with very little crunch and a lot of fluff. The skill system is very similar between the two editions and will "port during gameplay". __________________ Be helpful, not pedantic Worlds Beyond Earth -- my blog Check out the PbP forum! If you don't see a game you'd like, ask me about making one!

05-19-2018, 10:28 AM	#3
Stormcrow Join Date: Aug 2004 Location: Ronkonkoma, NY	Re: Questions using 3rd e. with 4th e. Use GURPS Update to convert. I have found that converting large numbers of templates is a lot of work, and involves a bit of guesswork sometimes. But a few small templates is pretty easy. Most third edition books aren't so heavy with templates or ad-hoc rules as to make them unusable. Other areas that require conversion, but which don't have guidelines, include equipment statistics, costs, and jobs. You'll have to figure out your own nearest equivalents for the fourth edition.

05-19-2018, 10:28 AM	#4
Gollum Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: France	Re: Questions using 3rd e. with 4th e. And you can download GURPS Update for free. It will help you to do all the conversions you need, quickly and accurately. Edit Too funny! Stormcrow was quicker than me.

05-19-2018, 02:45 PM	#6
dcarson Join Date: Mar 2008	Re: Questions using 3rd e. with 4th e. It takes me about 10 minutes to properly convert a 3rd character or template to a 4th edition using GCS and GURPS Update. So a couple of hours for a book with a number of them spread over time as I think about other campaign planning. I can convert one close enough in my head if it comes up on the fly in a game.

05-19-2018, 03:14 PM	#7
SteamBub Join Date: Oct 2016 Location: Mojave	Re: Questions using 3rd e. with 4th e. I have to ask, but do the PoD 3e books advertise the GURPS Update?