What have you done using only the Characters/Campaigns books?

Sloth · 11-10-2014, 08:53 PM

GURPS has some really cool supplements, no doubt. But I was wondering if anyone has put together a campaign using only the Basic Set (Characters and Campaigns) and whatever their inspiration was, be it a tv show, movie, series of novels, or what have you. If you did, what did you do, and how did it turn out?

johndallman · 11-10-2014, 10:35 PM

The first 4e campaign I played in, which started in November 2004, had only Basic, nothing else having been published at the time for 4e. That was based on the Crimson Skies boardgame setting, which wasn't too hard to do, since it's set in an alternate 1930s.

McAllister · 11-10-2014, 11:25 PM

Nothing, but if I had to... Dark, gritty WWI with some hidden magic/powers.

Kromm · 11-11-2014, 08:17 AM

My ongoing secret-agents campaign started out with just the Basic Set. My job description meant that a lot of my house rules ended up in the GURPS Action series, many of my perks made their way into GURPS Power-Ups 2: Perks, and a few Talents I cooked up were enshrined in GURPS Power-Ups 3: Talents – and that I could consult with the authors of GURPS High-Tech before we had the book – but that's the direction the arrow points. It all started with just the Basic Set.

I would normally point to my .sig for campaign recaps, but I've been bad about updating those because of various personal matters (one of which needs surgery and limits my energy levels for extracurricular writing).

Anders · 11-11-2014, 08:29 AM

I can make a hat... or a brooch... or a pterodactyl!

Probably Sword and Sorcery, it's what I'm best at. Play to your strengths.

johndallman · 11-11-2014, 09:21 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kromm

... various personal matters (one of which needs surgery and limits my energy levels for extracurricular writing).

Ouch. Best wishes for the surgery and recovery!

Kromm · 11-11-2014, 09:46 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by johndallman

Ouch. Best wishes for the surgery and recovery!

Thank you! It isn't anything life-threatening, but it is lifestyle-cramping, and the impact on sleep, focus, and after-work activities has started to frazzle me. I'll be glad to have it done with.

And with that, I return you to the topic. ;)

Not · 11-11-2014, 10:14 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by johndallman

The first 4e campaign I played in, which started in November 2004, had only Basic, nothing else having been published at the time for 4e. That was based on the Crimson Skies boardgame setting, which wasn't too hard to do, since it's set in an alternate 1930s.

Based solely on the URL, I'm guessing you used some Lovecraft themes as well?

johndallman · 11-11-2014, 10:23 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Not

Based solely on the URL, I'm guessing you used some Lovecraft themes as well?

None whatsoever, as it happens. None of the campaigns recorded there are explicitly Lovecraftian, although a couple show influence. Edit: let's try to stay on-topic.

arnej · 11-11-2014, 04:27 PM

I remember fondly being a co-GM for the Stafnord roleplaying club for a game we called GURPS Stanford. The players played Stanford students trying to keep their venerable institution of higher learning from being incorporated into the University of California system (oh, the horrors!)

Their first clue was when, after a fire drill, all their Stanford memorabilia changed color from crimson and white to blue and gold.

But yes, strictly Basic Set rules.

arnej

11-10-2014, 08:53 PM	#1
Sloth Join Date: Jul 2014	What have you done using only the Characters/Campaigns books? GURPS has some really cool supplements, no doubt. But I was wondering if anyone has put together a campaign using only the Basic Set (Characters and Campaigns) and whatever their inspiration was, be it a tv show, movie, series of novels, or what have you. If you did, what did you do, and how did it turn out?

11-10-2014, 10:35 PM	#2
johndallman Night Watchman Join Date: Oct 2010 Location: Cambridge, UK	Re: What have you done using only the Characters/Campaigns books? The first 4e campaign I played in, which started in November 2004, had only Basic, nothing else having been published at the time for 4e. That was based on the Crimson Skies boardgame setting, which wasn't too hard to do, since it's set in an alternate 1930s.

11-10-2014, 11:25 PM	#3
McAllister Join Date: Jun 2013	Re: What have you done using only the Characters/Campaigns books? Nothing, but if I had to... Dark, gritty WWI with some hidden magic/powers.

11-11-2014, 08:17 AM	#4
Kromm *GURPS* Line Editor Join Date: Jul 2004 Location: Montréal, Québec	Re: What have you done using only the Characters/Campaigns books? My ongoing secret-agents campaign started out with just the *Basic Set. My job description meant that a lot of my house rules ended up in the GURPS Action* series, many of my perks made their way into *GURPS Power-Ups 2: Perks, and a few Talents I cooked up were enshrined in GURPS Power-Ups 3: Talents* – and that I could consult with the authors of *GURPS High-Tech* before we had the book – but that's the direction the arrow points. It all started with just the *Basic Set. I would normally point to my .sig for campaign recaps, but I've been bad about updating those because of various personal matters (one of which needs surgery and limits my energy levels for extracurricular writing). __________________ Sean "Dr. Kromm" Punch <kromm@sjgames.com> GURPS* Line Editor, Steve Jackson Games My DreamWidth [Just *GURPS* News]

11-11-2014, 08:29 AM	#5
Anders Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Gothenburg, Sweden	Re: What have you done using only the Characters/Campaigns books? I can make a hat... or a brooch... or a pterodactyl! Probably Sword and Sorcery, it's what I'm best at. Play to your strengths. __________________ “When you arise in the morning think of what a privilege it is to be alive, to think, to enjoy, to love ...” Marcus Aurelius

11-11-2014, 04:27 PM	#10
arnej Join Date: Aug 2004 Location: Ft Collins, CO	Re: What have you done using only the Characters/Campaigns books? I remember fondly being a co-GM for the Stafnord roleplaying club for a game we called GURPS Stanford. The players played Stanford students trying to keep their venerable institution of higher learning from being incorporated into the University of California system (oh, the horrors!) Their first clue was when, after a fire drill, all their Stanford memorabilia changed color from crimson and white to blue and gold. But yes, strictly Basic Set rules. arnej