Call for Playtesters: GURPS Furries

[Steven Marsh]

We are seeking playtesters for GURPS Furries, by William H. Stoddard. This is a moderately long guide to the furries/anthropomorphics genre, including an extensive list of "furry" templates for GURPS.

A major focus of this playtest will be checking the templates for correct point values, legality under the standard rules of GURPS, and suitability of design to the underlying concept. Familiarity with the GURPS Basic Set and with GURPS Template Toolkit 2: Races is vital for this process. Knowledge of anthropomorphic material in graphic novels, animation, art, and other media, and of its historical sources and inspirations, is also important. Templates will prioritize fidelity to this material over scientific accuracy, and general discussion also needs to be checked against it. Playtest experience is desirable, but space will be available for participants new to playtesting.

The playtest is currently scheduled to run for about five weeks, from July 10 to August 17, 2020.

Preferential playtest slots will be given to those who have spent at least $50 on PDFs from Warehouse 23 in the past calendar year, though this is not a requirement. For more, see the general playtest information page.

Prospective playtesters should email Roger Burton West at pt-furries@firedrake.org with [playtest] in the subject. Include your preferred email address for the closed playtest mailing list, your name as you wish it to appear in the published supplement, your Warehouse 23 login name, and a few words on why we should pick you: qualifications, experience, current gaming group(s), etc. Please submit in this format:

jennydoe@etheremail.com
Jennifer Doe
jendoegamer

I'm a GM with 10 years' experience, and have been running GURPS
campaigns for seven years; I have playtest credit on three previous
supplements. I've been running a game involving anthropomorphic
characters for the past six years.

We look forward to hearing from you!

[Pseudonym]

This is amazing. I've been waiting for this for such a long time, and William is such a great writer.

[AOTA]

Looking forward to this. Wish I had the time to playtest it.

[Andrew Hackard]

I just deleted a “hurr, hurr, furries” post from someone who should have known better make.

Consider this your general warning: This is neither the time nor the place for posters to make jokes at the expense of people who have a hobby you may not share, approve of, or understand. These comments will be deleted and the posts will receive infractions or bans depending on the severity.

[Blind Mapmaker]

I think the title "GURPS Furries" is a little misleading. At least for me, furries are the fandom members as opposed to Anthros or Fursonas, which I hear more often when the characters in question are concerned. I'm not saying the title should be "GURPS Anthros" or "Anthropomorphics", but maybe the plain furries is shifting the focus for some.

Anyway, best of luck to the playtesters. I hope many people who are part of the fandom can take part in this, even if there is more stat-checking involved than fandom questions.

[whswhs]

Originally Posted by Blind Mapmaker

I think the title "GURPS Furries" is a little misleading. At least for me, furries are the fandom members as opposed to Anthros or Fursonas, which I hear more often when the characters in question are concerned. I'm not saying the title should be "GURPS Anthros" or "Anthropomorphics", but maybe the plain furries is shifting the focus for some.

That's an interesting question of semantics. I"m accustomed to the members of the fandom being called "furry fans." What the fictional characters are to be called might be argued (and might have changed over the past few years, when I haven't been attending fannish events), but it seems as if a "furry fan" is logically a fan of "furries," Q.E.D. But actual usage prevails over logical deduction.

Would you call the fictional characters "anthropomorphics," "funny animals," "furries," or something else?

[Refplace]

Originally Posted by whswhs

Would you call the fictional characters "anthropomorphics," "funny animals," "furries," or something else?

Depends on the nature but generally I would call fictional characters anthrophomorphics. It fits along with anthropomorphism of concepts and natural forces.

[Pragmatic]

In d20 Modern, there were the Moreaus.

But good connotations or bad, Furry has more name recognition.

[whswhs]

Originally Posted by Refplace

Depends on the nature but generally I would call fictional characters anthrophomorphics. It fits along with anthropomorphism of concepts and natural forces.

Well, yes, but on the other hand, that usage is different from the usage specifically for characters such as Usagi Yojimbo or Judy Hopps, or before them Bugs Bunny or Pogo Possum. Dream of the Endless is described by his big sister as an "anthropomorphic personification," but he's not *specially* appealing to furry fans. So I wonder if GURPS Anthropomorphics would imply the wrong subject matter to readers who aren't furry fans?

[Refplace]

Originally Posted by whswhs

So I wonder if GURPS Anthropomorphics would imply the wrong subject matter to readers who aren't furry fans?

It very well might, hence those qualifiers I used. It really depends on usage and audience and I dont know enough of the books content at this point to gauge or calibrate my thoughts really well.