Narrativism in GURPS

Xenarthral · 07-02-2010, 05:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by nanoboy

Most stuff is kind of hand-waved. For instance, you run out of bullets, if the GM thinks it would be interesting or dramatic for you to do so. Or, when you take enough damage, you describe the consequence to your own character, and if the GM likes it, that's what happens. That's one of the things that's neat about it. There are several ways that players can add to the game world. They can make up facts with the Academics skill, put Aspects (descriptive details that have game implications) onto places, make up weird gadgets on the fly, etc.

I think I've missed something here... or several things...

What of the above is impossible/incompatible with GURPS, barring
a) players who cannot be trusted with that kind of power (which is as much,
if not more, of a problem for games where the above is in the actual rules);
b) players who accept neither deviation from the rules as written nor results
that could be decided with a roll of the dice being decided by GM fiat;
c) control freak GMs will not allow the players to add anything to his world, except possibly PCs, appropriately edited;
d) and so on?

Unless my players have explicitly been keeping track of their bullets (e.g. filled-in boxes on a scrap of paper), they are in danger of running out, or at least need reloading, if they're been firing a lot, if it would be interesting/dramatic, if I realise it and if I think I can get away with it.
While there's obviously a big difference between "I describe the consequences of the hit" and "I describe to consequences of the hit that did
7 points of damage", I have little problem leaving the description to the player.
If the player can techno-/bio-/clio-/legal-/whateverbabble something while referring to a character's relevant skill (possibly following a successful roll)
and it and it fills in blanks or sounds better than what I wrote, why not. Heck, some of the campaign ideas I've been fiddling with (for GURPS) are partially built on that very idea.
etc.

I am a rather enthusiastic handwaver.