Metagame 'tricks' in GURPS?

[Kage2020]

While I consider GURPS my "home" or "go-to" system of choice, I like to take a gander at other systems, not with an eye to playing them but because something about their setting appeals to me or because I've heard good things about the mechanics. In the latter case, not only do I like to appreciate some well written mechanics, but I also like to pilfer them where possible.

As a quick example, from Amber DRPG I liked the idea of "player bribes." I'm not saying that it was unique to the system, just that it was the first place that I encountered it and, well, I liked the idea. For the most part, the pilfering from different systems has mostly taken the form of method as it contributes to what I see as improvements to the experience of character generation, and especially so when dealing with online campaigns (which is what I'm mostly restricted to). There's nothing wrong with the approach in GURPS, of course. The whole templates, setting-restricted materials (ads/disads/skills, etc.), etc. is all just peachy. This is just something that I like.

Moving on to the point of the thread, though, at the moment I've been taking a look through Smallville and am liking some of the cooperative background creation, but also the Dresden Files and thus one of my first encounters with the FATE system. There's a whole lot of "meta" in there with regards to Fate chips, etc. Going beyond that, taking a gander at Deathwatch, the idea of the different tactical modes (Squad, Solo) is intriguing regardless of quite how this is handled in-game.

And there's the question: Has anyone been inspired to introduce some "metagame" element, perhaps inspired from a system, to suit your particular style of play? For example, perhaps you like a Group Karma system whereby players can, say, chip in CP that can be used for the benefit of players at specific points, or as a "resource pool" for development of group contacts, allies, or whatever? Or maybe the Good Stuff/Bad Stuff gets your RP juices flowing and players can have Good Stuff (saving up CP) to represent a sort of temporary Luck, whereas Bad Stuff (point burden, or over-expenditure) can be Bad Luck, Weirdness Magnet or just generally just if something is going to go wrong, then the bottle is going to stop spinning on that PC?

Obviously this little quirks aren't going to work for everyone, but as I read through the different systems I realise that they could be useful to some groups in some genre or flavoured games.

Anyway, that got me to wondering whether anyone has done this and, if so, what you've done. Or do you think that this is a bad idea universally, just for you and/or your group, or any combination therein?

This email is brought to you by good holiday spirit and reading through Dungeon Fantasy that really got the 'ole nostalgia flowing. :D

Kage

[thalassogen]

I imported "bennies" from Savage Worlds and changed only how they are spent during the game by setting 1 benny = 1 CP in Buying Success.

- CP are earned by overcoming obstacles or by completing missions/quests/etc.
- Bennies are earned by roleplaying (especially entertaining depictions of disadvantages), good ideas, etc.

[Christopher R. Rice]

Originally Posted by Kage2020

While I consider GURPS my "home" or "go-to" system of choice, I like to take a gander at other systems, not with an eye to playing them but because something about their setting appeals to me or because I've heard good things about the mechanics. In the latter case, not only do I like to appreciate some well written mechanics, but I also like to pilfer them where possible.

As a quick example, from Amber DRPG I liked the idea of "player bribes." I'm not saying that it was unique to the system, just that it was the first place that I encountered it and, well, I liked the idea. For the most part, the pilfering from different systems has mostly taken the form of method as it contributes to what I see as improvements to the experience of character generation, and especially so when dealing with online campaigns (which is what I'm mostly restricted to). There's nothing wrong with the approach in GURPS, of course. The whole templates, setting-restricted materials (ads/disads/skills, etc.), etc. is all just peachy. This is just something that I like.

Moving on to the point of the thread, though, at the moment I've been taking a look through Smallville and am liking some of the cooperative background creation, but also the Dresden Files and thus one of my first encounters with the FATE system. There's a whole lot of "meta" in there with regards to Fate chips, etc. Going beyond that, taking a gander at Deathwatch, the idea of the different tactical modes (Squad, Solo) is intriguing regardless of quite how this is handled in-game.

And there's the question: Has anyone been inspired to introduce some "metagame" element, perhaps inspired from a system, to suit your particular style of play? For example, perhaps you like a Group Karma system whereby players can, say, chip in CP that can be used for the benefit of players at specific points, or as a "resource pool" for development of group contacts, allies, or whatever? Or maybe the Good Stuff/Bad Stuff gets your RP juices flowing and players can have Good Stuff (saving up CP) to represent a sort of temporary Luck, whereas Bad Stuff (point burden, or over-expenditure) can be Bad Luck, Weirdness Magnet or just generally just if something is going to go wrong, then the bottle is going to stop spinning on that PC?

Obviously this little quirks aren't going to work for everyone, but as I read through the different systems I realise that they could be useful to some groups in some genre or flavoured games.

Anyway, that got me to wondering whether anyone has done this and, if so, what you've done. Or do you think that this is a bad idea universally, just for you and/or your group, or any combination therein?

This email is brought to you by good holiday spirit and reading through Dungeon Fantasy that really got the 'ole nostalgia flowing. :D

Kage

Plot Points (i.e. Player Bribes can be found in Powers p. 192 under the Box Heading GM Bribery).

I have a couple of systems Kage, I'll email them your way and you can take a gander.

Ghostdancer

[Kage2020]

Thanks, Ghostdancer.

There are a number of options in GURPS, of course, but I was just wondering if people had imported other options, be those for the individual player/PC or the group. :D

Kage

[The Benj]

I use a system I call Drama Points (or, less formally, Drama Cards or Drama Chips, depending on what tokens I'm using for them at the time). They let people mess with die rolls. They are also character points. When you use one on a roll, you're also spending it on the skill/attribute involved in the roll.

[B9anders]

Originally Posted by The Benj

I use a system I call Drama Points (or, less formally, Drama Cards or Drama Chips, depending on what tokens I'm using for them at the time). They let people mess with die rolls. They are also character points. When you use one on a roll, you're also spending it on the skill/attribute involved in the roll.

I like that one.

[Christopher R. Rice]

Originally Posted by Kage2020

Thanks, Ghostdancer.

There are a number of options in GURPS, of course, but I was just wondering if people had imported other options, be those for the individual player/PC or the group. :D

Kage

No Prob, check your email when you have time.

Ghostdancer

[Kage2020]

Checked and... interesting. I would still be interested in hearing peoples' experiences in their own additions to their games, but that's an interesting document to look through to save myself some slogging. :D

Kage

[sgtcallistan]

Originally Posted by Kage2020

Checked and... interesting. I would still be interested in hearing peoples' experiences in their own additions to their games, but that's an interesting document to look through to save myself some slogging. :D

Kage

Hero Points: an actual card (handwritten by me and perhaps difficult to forge), is given to a player at the start of the session, it permits a descriptive action (one sentence with one use of the word 'and' such as I take aim and shoot him through the head).
This happens, but the opposing forces are still free to act, as are all other PC's, and is still played out in full.

It's a little more than the 'incredible luck' business of dictating a dice roll, but acting more as a story element (I look on them as 'story helpers').

A player always has a minimum of one card, and can save them up, but they only apply to that character.
If the player spends them all, he can still sacrifice his character to achieve such an action (if it's done in the spirit of the game, and not selfishly, I let them survive to be frozen in a autodoc, for later re-insertion into the lot).

Have had: 'I grab the girls and get them back to the ship', which triggered a fast chase with gunfire, the hero getting badly wounded, and collapsing as he ran up the entry ramp.

Have had: 'I deflect the attacking ship's blasters with my force sword, to destroy their weapons'. Which resulted in the villain's little ship retreating to their base, where we were able to track and infiltrate them.

In a highly cinematic game, where the players contribute a lot to the plot, it works just fine, I find.

[Luke Bunyip]

I have played in games GM'd by Greenneck, where we have had a Luck stat. It went up if you roll a 3 or a 4, and it went down if you rolled a 17 or 18. He would use success/fail numbers from rolls against this stat to help determine who the mutant crocodile would attack, on whom the piano would fall etc.