Pyramid #3/72: Alternate Dungeons

[Christopher R. Rice]

Originally Posted by DouglasCole

Seriously, this is the way future genre treatments should be presented.

No. I disagree. What would be nice is if each line could get a "quick-starter" edition like this instead of GURPS Lite (or both). This would get new players used to the rules without plunging them into character creation.

Originally Posted by SCAR

I really hope not.

As an Alternate style 'Starter Edition', maybe - but to my mind its a step too far from GURPS. You can't build quick characters this way and then simply add/switch to raw GURPS later.

If you want to play FATE then do so, don't mangle GURPS into some kind of FURPS.
If this is the way GURPS '4.5' was to go, I'd be sticking with 4.0, and buying far fewer new GURPS products.

Why not just use GURPS, that has finer granularity - and you don't need to roll everything up into little packages.

I'm also not convinced that its quicker or easier to build a character.
Templates give a much cleaner set of choices. - although I do admit that the format for a Pyramid article maybe doesn't present the packages in the easiest way to scan through and make choices, and I am far more familiar with the existing template format and the DF templates themselves.

I doubt (extremely) that this would replace the standard way of doing things. This is why it appeared in a Alternate-issue of Pyramid. It's so different from the cannon that that is pretty much the only place it logically makes sense. Again, as I stated above a "quick-starter" for Dungeon Fantasy (which we have), Monster Hunters (which I finished last night), and Action (which I might start later this week) would be ideal for new players to start off with GURPS. Then use that to tap into the narrative market more. GURPS is the opposite side of FATE. I've GMed both and that statement is so true it makes my nose shrink every time I say it. GURPS is all about the story dynamic - just in the opposiste way. FATE is sort of like National Treasure with Nicolas Cage. Sometimes it doesn't make sense, but it's fun. GURPS is like Gravity's Rainbow - it can be complicated and detailed...but it's also fun.

Originally Posted by SCAR

Wildcards don't work for RPM, or so GD says - and he should know.
I'm sure GD will find a way to roll RPM into this scheme (especially given he's already said he's writing a MH version!)

As a single uber-skill covering all Paths...they really don't. I've tried poking at it multiple ways and it always leads to the same conclusion: "This is overpowered - ditch it."