Firsttime GM, has: plot, needs: pointers, persons and polish

[Elbereth]

I love you guys already (in a geeky non-romantic sort of way of course). I'm completely floored by your immidiate and enthusiastic helpfulness. I've edited my original post to include what I've come up with thus far.

I'm sorry this post got rather quote-heavy, but it's too close to my bedtime for eloquence.

Originally Posted by Gold & Appel Inc

Appropriate levels of NPC detail is one of the great undead debates around here; somebody will be along shortly to give each possible response

Ha!

Originally Posted by Gold & Appel Inc

I'd make each toddler a very simple NPC with a one-note personality using the Dependents Disadvantage rules. Each kid is somewhat problematic in some kid-like way that affects adventuring, whether it's an excess of Curiosity (particularly with regard to putting things in their mouth), a tendency to wander away (Impulsiveness + Short Attention Span), a complete inability to avoid blurting out the truth when grown-ups contradict it (Truthfulness + OPH -1: Brutally Honest), various phobias of common things / an absurdly-low Fright Check even for a little kid, or what-have-you.

Originally Posted by T.K.

Just get their most distinctive traits up and roll along with the rest: Is one of the kids ill-behaved and prone to tamtruns (which could lead to trouble of many sorts)? Is one of them a mini-genius and can even help the players thinking some thing they're letting slip (Here's a resource for you, the GM, that you can use this guy to keep the plot going if they're stuck, as long as it doesn't get much far away from what a smart kid could do/think)?

Originally Posted by Nymdok

Do the Primary and Secondary stats. Period. (Remember those are gonna be some low numbers because its a toddler. If your Toddler has ST 10, they're as strong as a full grown man!). More easily, since the only thing that can really happen is that the toddler can die/get lost, then just Do HP, HT, BS, BM and Size Modifier -1. Bam. Done.

This is gold - just what I needed.

Originally Posted by Gold & Appel Inc

You'll probably avoid some debate and possibly hurt feelings if you tell them to base the characters loosely on themselves, but make them better / cooler / more capable to the extent that the budget and realism allow. This will avoid arguments of the, "No F-ing way is your IQ really 14," variety.

I've given them 50pts to start off, with instructions to go nuts-but-reasonable and "any disputes will be settled by loud arguments, with the owner of the game (GM) having the last word"... as per usual when we play board and card games.

Originally Posted by Gold & Appel Inc

We're going to need more information about the nature of the apocalypse before we can suggest thematic special abilities. You mentioned zombies?

Originally Posted by Nymdok

As for ideas....Radiation? Mutated Virus? Alien Tech? Magical Cataclysm? Military Experiments?
:::Steeples Fingers::::
Tell me more about zis apocalypse so zat I may analyze it......

Originally Posted by T.K.

At first when you said hack-slash I thought you meant a medieval fantasy setting, but down your post you refer to current age characters inspired by the players real selfs...so I'll consider you're running an actual game: For a real actual game considering you didn't specify much, I'd go for the "world under the world", where you have an exact real world much like ours, but you have another, hidden, darker, full of secrets world, hidden from the mass eyes.

I've added the plot details (that I have so far) to my original post :)

"world under the world" is a perfect description of what I want the game to feel like - even if those "under worlds" won't be revealed until later on.

Originally Posted by T.K.

Myself, I don't really like Gurps Lite and would start with full Gurps, but using or actually, not using most rules like advanced combat. The reason for me saying that is since you imply you want to further develop the world and table along, starting with real Gurps would simply be a matter of "Ok, guys...from this session forward we're using Advanced Combat option of Hit Location, ok?" Gurps is modular enough for that to be possible and not break anything, but it certainly would require more study, specially from your part, at this starting stage.

Originally Posted by Nymdok

The more supernatural/magical/weird you get the futher you press the immediacy of needing the Basic Set. BEFORE YOU BESTOW THESE POWERS, get the basic set and work out some powers that you'd like to hand out.

The main reason for using Gurps Lite is that the basic set is relatively expensive. I'm not at all averse to spending the cash (and time) if we like it, but it's simply too much, when there's still a risk that we'll all run away screaming half way through the first setting (though I obviously expect we'l love it) I might follow your advice and get the real thing right away anyway - the campaign-building info in Lite feels close to non-existing.

Originally Posted by T.K.

Try to focus your time and effort on what matters for each NPC. When you need a NPC out of your pocket but someone not so important or that won't last that long, where is it in? How's the atmosphere of the place he's in? Use the city or place as guideline and most of the time, if not really unique and inovative, you'll get believable characters that will enforce the place where the players are.

You'll see as you get more confortable and skilled, you'll create unique npcs faster and easier.

Originally Posted by Nymdok

Npcs I recomend:
Primary and Secondary Stats, Combat Skills and Damage. Any other primary Skills RELEVANT TO THE PLOT. More than that is often a waste. Less than that can be filled in either on the fly or at a later date.

Thanks for all the tips. Character creation seems slightly less frightening - almost managable - now.

Originally Posted by T.K.

One thing I like to do that players like a lot and also help prevent power creeping, is uniqueness. Players love to feel unique, not necessarily in the scenario, but certainly among the player group.

Yay! I know the players, and I have a pretty good idea of what they think of as "the coolest superpower/time period/fictional character ever". Shouldn't be too hard to find a common denominator that allows for different manifestations - a sixth sense, an epic swiss army knife, extra skill-points, +2 IQ for all...

Originally Posted by T.K.

Create single paragraph happenings and write those together into some easy-access list. That is your plot cheat list.

Again: Yay! I will endavour to not make all of them "and then a magical box fell out of the sky" ;)

Originally Posted by Nymdok

Everyone Gets Ambidexterity and High Pain Threshold... They are in Lite and let you keep from fudging with Handedness and Shock penalties. DOnt bother charging them for it. If everyone gets it, its the same as free.
Simplify their combat options to Do Nothing, Attack, Change Posture, Ready and Move. Exclude AOA, AOD, Wait, and Move and Attack.
Simply Thier Postures to Laying Down and Standing Up. It takes 1 Change posture Manuver to get up.
All wounding modifiers are x1.

This simplifiers combat a lot. Brilliant!

Originally Posted by Bookman

If you've got 8 bucks to plunk down, can I recommend Robin's Laws? It's an easy read and has lots of good advice. http://www.sjgames.com/robinslaws/

Also, don't be shy about asking for help on these boards. It's a good, supportive community (even if we can get bogged down in the minutiae of GURPS sometimes).

I will definitely consider it - it seems affordable and accesible (two of my favourite things)

And hey, getting bogged down in the minutae is what is so appealing about Gurps.

Originally Posted by T.K.

If I had to tell you something and only one thing...it would be: Your players will ALWAYS surprise you.
So that the history and game don't suffer because of that, you need to have resources.

I count on them to surprise me. Even if it's scary being the one everything falls on in the end.