Gurps is still AWESOME

[Fnugus]

Originally Posted by Stripe

Went to a good-sized hobby shop in Florida chalk full of gamers and only 1 was a GURPS player.

Our local store recently stopped selling GURPS... There simply wasn't enough customers... Which is odd, since everyone I know, once they try GURPS, they can't get enough of GURPS.

[Mailanka]

Originally Posted by Fnugus

Our local store recently stopped selling GURPS... There simply wasn't enough customers... Which is odd, since everyone I know, once they try GURPS, they can't get enough of GURPS.

That might have nothing to do with the community size. We have a huge GURPS fan-base where I live (thanks to the efforts of three different GMs), but even so, the local RPG store stopped carrying GURPS too. People rarely just "walk in" and buy a GURPS product off the shelf. If they're going to buy something, it's always a specific product and they simply order it directly, either from Amazon (which is increasingly common) or just asking the guy running the store to order it for you. For example, they did brisk business with Low-Tech, but it never touched their shelves.

Add the SJGames love of PDF, and I can see why GURPS isn't as retailer friendly as it used to be.

[vesper]

I am reminded of how much I love GURPs often. I love theses forums too.
I have been on the Palladium forums a bit lately. They are asking for help on getting new players and old players interested. There was a bunch of us who said reboot the rule to the 21st century. To Paladium Books credit they started the threads for rules changes. I posted some suggestions and as I am doing it I realize how much I love gurps and the fact you may disagree with me but do so with a logical argument.
vesper

[ClayDowling]

Originally Posted by whswhs

I'm currently running a campaign (my second) in Transhuman Space, which I seriously nominate for the absolutely coolest and most interesting gaming setting ever.

I'm seconding that. I bought the system based on that setting alone. Then when I realized I could run modern fantasy with nothing but the core books, I got distracted.

[ULFGARD]

Originally Posted by vierasmarius

I think a lot of gamers are more interested in cool (prepackaged) backstory and shiny books than in robust mechanics. Something I tend to hear when I talk to other gamers about GURPS is, "But what is the setting like?" >_<

I then go on to describe my setting. Most of my games are historical or in settings I have been using off and on for the better part of a decade.

[Not another shrubbery]

Originally Posted by whswhs

I'm currently running a campaign (my second) in Transhuman Space, which I seriously nominate for the absolutely coolest and most interesting gaming setting ever.

An example of a setting I just don't get, although I have some familiarity with the mechanics. I still buy all the books... perhaps out of a misguided sense of loyalty, but I can always find something useful to rationalize my sticking with it.

[Psychotime]

Originally Posted by Fnugus

Our local store recently stopped selling GURPS... There simply wasn't enough customers... Which is odd, since everyone I know, once they try GURPS, they can't get enough of GURPS.

It's like Pringles.

Or good Shonen Jump.

[whswhs]

Originally Posted by Not another shrubbery

An example of a setting I just don't get, although I have some familiarity with the mechanics. I still buy all the books... perhaps out of a misguided sense of loyalty, but I can always find something useful to rationalize my sticking with it.

My first campaign was about private investigators. My current one is about quasi-Lovecraftian cosmic horror as a product of advancing technology.

The thing you have to realize is that THS doesn't dictate a theme or a story type. You can do anything from soap opera about eloi dilettantes to gritty combat. The one recurring trick is to look for ways to make the advanced tech relevant to your theme; if it's not, there's no good reason to use the THS setting.

Bill Stoddard

[nanoboy]

Originally Posted by vesper

I am reminded of how much I love GURPs often. I love theses forums too.
I have been on the Palladium forums a bit lately. They are asking for help on getting new players and old players interested. There was a bunch of us who said reboot the rule to the 21st century. To Paladium Books credit they started the threads for rules changes. I posted some suggestions and as I am doing it I realize how much I love gurps and the fact you may disagree with me but do so with a logical argument.
vesper

If what you say about Palladium actually considering rules updates... that would be astounding! I'm not sure that I'd ever want to play any Palladium system again, as even with a lot of fixes, I can't imagine the system being anything less than clunky.

I still love me some GURPS, but my current group is doing the Dresden Files RPG (FATE system.) I like the system, as the narrative approach can be fun, but my inner simulationist screams out in anguish with some of the rules. Oh well, maybe next campaign, I can convince my players to go with GURPS. It will be a while, though, since we're having a great time with the game we've got.

[RyanW]

Originally Posted by nanoboy

If what you say about Palladium actually considering rules updates... that would be astounding! I'm not sure that I'd ever want to play any Palladium system again, as even with a lot of fixes, I can't imagine the system being anything less than clunky.

Yes, Palladium is just about the worst system I've ever played (though I will admit I've not played a particularly wide range of systems).

I would say that the best way to make Palladium interesting to new players is encourage, rather than threaten, people who make conversions of their settings. Palladium could easily become one of the premier third party setting designers if they would just make it easier to divorce the interesting settings from the clunky rules.

On topic: GURPS is awesome. I'm in the process of creating a setting to introduce some folks to GURPS. Old West Monster Hunters, FTW!