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Originally Posted by Elbereth
Hi :)
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Howdy. :)
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Originally Posted by Elbereth
I'm completely new at this, but I hope I won't come off as a complete drooling imbecile.
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Fear not, for I am a droolig imbecile and you appear nothing like me. You're safe. :)
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Originally Posted by Elbereth
We're starting out with Gurps Lite, but I would really like to create a scenario that's exciting/complex enough that we'll want to go back to it with a full set of rules later on (without having to make major alterations). I really, really, really want to make a world we can all build on and expand and discuss obscure details in, and not just a quick hack-and-slash setting. Is this even remotely possible to achieve on a first time out, or am I getting in way, way over my head?
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Nope, you're right about where you need to be. If your doing a modern game set in the modern world, alot of its done for you.
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Originally Posted by Elbereth
I would really appreciate it, if any of you guys have some general newbie-pointers: What should my priorities be, what are common mistakes, what can I wing it through and what should I do absolutely by the book... that sort of thing.
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Have Fun, as G&A said. All other goals are secondary.
Stick to the rules. They are there to guide and assist you. They are not a jail, but a frame.
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Originally Posted by Elbereth
NPCs - I'm simply not sure how many/how detailed I should make them, and how often they should be encountered in order to make for an interesting game (not including henchmen-baddies, who are pretty much strong-but-not-too-skilled zombie-types that show up randomly) Also, I kindda suck a character creation, but one of the players rock at it - could I give him a general outline and have him make a "sketch" for me to polish off, or is it just a huge stinkin' no-no to outsource GM-duties like that?
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Npcs I recomend:
Primary and Secondary Stats, Combat Skills and Damage. Any other primary Skills RELEVANT TO THE PLOT. More than that is often a waste. Less than that can be filled in either on the fly or at a later date.
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Originally Posted by Elbereth
Bundles of joy - the point of the plot (at least the first leg of it) is to get from A to B without losing your toddler. A dead/kidnapped/abandoned child will result in instant mission fail and void the scenario. I'm unsure if I should construct the toddlers as NPCs or if I should treat them as priceless objects - objects would simplify the game, but NPCs would allow for more realism.
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Do the Primary and Secondary stats. Period. (Remember those are gonna be some low numbers because its a toddler. If your Toddler has ST 10, they're as strong as a full grown man!). More easily, since the only thing that can really happen is that the toddler can die/get lost, then just Do HP, HT, BS, BM and Size Modifier -1. Bam. Done.
Dont do a full sheet of ads and dissads. Just ROLEPLAY the charachter. Dont get so obsessed in an orgy of rules that you forget to play the GAME.
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Originally Posted by Elbereth
Unexpected Epicness - the scenario is set in "real world gone borderline apocalypse" and the players have been asked to construct their characters accordingly (specifically I've asked them to base the characters on themselves). I would, however, like to incorporate some sort of unexpected gift of supernatural, superhuman or possibly even magic skill/item somewhere along the plotline, as a special treat for the players (and as a device to drive the plot forward). I just have no idea what it should be. It shouldn't be overpowered, obviously, but it also shouldn't be some weak makes-no-difference-anyway skill. I'm all for the idea of expanding the world with more dimensions, strange magical lodges in the woods and the like at some point, but it would simply be too expansive for a first (or second, or third) sitting. An ideas, especially along the mystery/conspiracy-lines will be much appreciated.
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The more supernatural/magical/weird you get the futher you press the immediacy of needing the Basic Set. BEFORE YOU BESTOW THESE POWERS, get the basic set and work out some powers that you'd like to hand out.
As for ideas....Radiation? Mutated Virus? Alien Tech? Magical Cataclysm? Military Experiments?
:::Steeples Fingers::::
Tell me more about zis apocalypse so zat I may analyze it......
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Originally Posted by Elbereth
Oh no! It's a plot hole! - I would really like to construct some sort of plot-hole-fixer for emergencies (like the Doctor has his sonic screwdriver or the supercomputer of Agents of Shield). It doesn't have to be 100% believable, but it's obviously not at all feasible that one of the characters should have a super-computer in her pocket or suddenly sprout wings. Any thoughts/ideas/lessons learned?
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The greatest and easiest plot hole fixer is Deus Ex Machina/GM Fiat.
However, like all things, only do it sparingly and in the most emergency situations.
The problem with Plot-Hole fixers like Sonic Screwdrivers is that they're so useful that its odd to not use them every time for everything.
My personal advice is forget about plot holes. Play the Game. What happens happens. Dont overanalyze it.
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Originally Posted by Elbereth
Gosh, this turned out rather long, didn't it. Thanks for reading this far :)
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Are you kidding? We live for this stuff. :) Post away and many someones will come along with more advice than you need......I may even be that guy.
A few other bits of advice for simpler combat.....
Everyone Gets Ambidexterity and High Pain Threshold... They are in Lite and let you keep from fudging with Handedness and Shock penalties. DOnt bother charging them for it. If everyone gets it, its the same as free.
Simplify their combat options to Do Nothing, Attack, Change Posture, Ready and Move. Exclude AOA, AOD, Wait, and Move and Attack.
Simply Thier Postures to Laying Down and Standing Up. It takes 1 Change posture Manuver to get up.
All wounding modifiers are x1.
Other than that, you should be good to go. Now go write a Setting and Plot that people want to PLAY.
Nymdok