newbie needs help getting started with Supers

[Refplace]

Originally Posted by JoeStrout

It's not that any of the GURPS material, by itself, is incomprehensible... it's just that there's so much of it. And much of it seems to overlap considerably: powers, skills, talents, and advantages all occupy pretty much the same place in my head, for example (and don't even ask me what "techniques" or "maneuvers" are, I have no idea).

Let me break it down.
Powers are advantages that are defined as a power.
For example you could have the advantage Luck and it means your just a little luckier then average OR you could slap a power modifier on it and call the same thing part of your Super Powers.
Power Modifiers or PM are just a minor limitation you get that makes the power cheaper becasue it can be countered. But also give you he ability to boost them with talents.

Attributes are the foundation of most skills and die rolls. So a IQ 10 means your skills that are IQ based work off that.

Talents are a bonus to all the appropriate skills and work like you have a higher attribute for those specific skills or powers it applies to.
So a jeweler Talent means that for jewelry stuff you have (Attribute + talent) as your base.
Talents also reduce training or learning time but dont worry about that for now. It just is a way to have someone good at a related group of skills without having to push their attributes higher. A way to specialize.

Skills are things your good at, weapons skills, scientific skills, social skills, etc.
Some are easier then others and so they are higher level for the same number of points spent on them.
Many skills have a default which is a way of saying that even with no training you can still try them. But a trained person will be better.

Techniques are simply very specific applications of a skill. So with a few points in techniques your better at doing one particular thing then someone with just the base skill.

Maneuvers are combat actions.
The martial arts cheat sheet and combat cards can help you get used to them but in the beginning you may just keep it simple. Allow Attack, Wait, Move, etc. Go to fancier maneuvers as people get used to the system.