Quote:
Originally Posted by Icelander
But I'd still expect the default expectation to be 'guns are lethal' and only if someone specifically told me that they were not all that dangerous in a given game would it even occur to me.
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I suspect that seeing an RPG about guns, they'd think John Woo before they think Saving Private Ryan, but seeing an actual gun, they'd regard it like death in a can. (Although many people do stupid things even then.)
One useful thing to ask is whether they prefer to start D&D characters at first level, or higher.
In the first case, "semi-pregen" may be the best way to go - present them with a list of races and class templates, with flexibility being optional. Race+class=character. Each class template would need to be the same point cost for balance, and each race would need to be the same point cost - you can deal with humans having low point costs by importing the D&D solution, humans have [X] points to spend. Also, the templates should be light on disads, so the players can optionally take some for more raw points. Finally, if the templates are interactive, come up with a default build for each one.
If they prefer to start higher in D&D, the usual complexity of GURPS templates should be fine.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Stormcrow
but I recommend playing something completely different than what they're used to.
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Thirded :J
It might be good to pick something that does "PC immunity" on a grand scale. For example, Highlander or wire fu. If they have Unkillable, or at least a bunch of Semi-Ablative DR, they can take damage that could kill an ordinary human, and you can use that as a touchstone. If they have Regen, they can come back from any culture shock with a minimum of fuss. This can also be treated as an augmentation - for example, space marines in superscience power armor could have all sorts of abilities granted by the armor, but it's equipment. Even if it takes them a dozen sessions to do any action out of uniform, the idea that they're realistically-fragile without it should both accentuate the scale of their usual action and show them that GURPS can do it both ways.
GURPS is also really good at the "squish two genres together" school of campaign design. You might present them with a list of ideas, have them vote, and use the
top two. Highlander meets Land Of The Lost, anyone?