Standard Size

Phantasm · 03-18-2015, 12:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kenneth Latrans

I'm used to the assumption being 6' tall and 150 lbs.

That's a beanpole of a character. At my skinniest I was 170 lbs at 6' 2", and that was 20 pounds under my ideal for my height and build. Those extra two inches don't make more than 5 pounds of difference in weight for a given build, I don't think.

6' being 180 lbs for an athletic build (no Overweight or Skinny disads) seems about right.

Curmudgeon · 03-18-2015, 01:06 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Henchman99942

I have seen people talking about size (height & weight) regarding clothing and armor and using 6' tall and 200 lbs as a baseline. What book or article is this from. I cannot find it anywhere.

That assumption has been around for a long time now, so it's a bit difficult to pin down. The earliest mention of it, that I can recall offhand, was in Vehicles 2nd Edition [for GURPS 3rd Ed.]. As was mentioned by Kenneth Latrans, the usual assumption that GURPS makes is 6' 0" tall and 150 lbs. for a person without any of his personal equipment. The 200 lbs. given in Vehicles assumed the average person also included 50 lbs. of accompanying personal equipment.

Purple Haze · 03-18-2015, 06:11 PM

There are standards for this. I don't have my text books, but I have done ergonomics. The "standard" North American male (for engineering and architectural purposes) is 5'10" and weighs 170 lbs. Height is about right but real Americans are often somewhere between obese and morbidly so. The standard woman is 5'4". Standard deviation for men is 2", women 1.5".

Anthony · 03-18-2015, 07:00 PM

In 3rd edition, a ST 10 human was assumed 5'9" and 150 lb; for each +1 ST, add 1" height and about 5 lb (see GURPS Lite 3e, page 5).

Flyndaran · 03-18-2015, 08:25 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Purple Haze

There are standards for this. I don't have my text books, but I have done ergonomics. The "standard" North American male (for engineering and architectural purposes) is 5'10" and weighs 170 lbs. Height is about right but real Americans are often somewhere between obese and morbidly so. The standard woman is 5'4". Standard deviation for men is 2", women 1.5".

Sure, that's why at 5'11", I'm taller than 80% of the people I see here in the Portland Metro area.
Few have ever measured body fat in any significant sample sizes. BMI is completely useless.

Purple Haze · 03-18-2015, 08:41 PM

Who mentioned BMI? The GURPS standard is an eighteen year old male fit for military service, 5'10"/170 lbs is about right. There are a ton of Americans who weight more than twice that, if you don't think that is obese...

You are taller than ~67%, and I am sure you have not actually counted.

Flyndaran · 03-18-2015, 08:49 PM

The claim that most Americans are obese includes the fact that they only measured BMI, not body fat percentage or anything else.
I'm definitely taller than around 80%+ of the locals, and I tend to hunch. That's why I generally ignore obviously false statements about American average heights... unless everyone here is for some reason unusually shorter.

mr beer · 03-18-2015, 08:57 PM

5'10" and 170lbs as standard sounds reasonable for the US.

I doubt 150lbs is a standard male weight in any first world country. Probably fine to use 5'7" and 150lbs for developing nations and mediaeval type settings though.

Flyndaran · 03-18-2015, 08:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tbrock1031

That's a beanpole of a character. At my skinniest I was 170 lbs at 6' 2", and that was 20 pounds under my ideal for my height and build. Those extra two inches don't make more than 5 pounds of difference in weight for a given build, I don't think.

6' being 180 lbs for an athletic build (no Overweight or Skinny disads) seems about right.

When I was 5'11" and 155 lbs relatives seriously started to wonder if I was anorexic.

03-18-2015, 06:11 PM	#3
Purple Haze Join Date: Jul 2006	Re: Standard Size There are standards for this. I don't have my text books, but I have done ergonomics. The "standard" North American male (for engineering and architectural purposes) is 5'10" and weighs 170 lbs. Height is about right but real Americans are often somewhere between obese and morbidly so. The standard woman is 5'4". Standard deviation for men is 2", women 1.5".

03-18-2015, 07:00 PM	#4
Anthony Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: Berkeley, CA	Re: Standard Size In 3rd edition, a ST 10 human was assumed 5'9" and 150 lb; for each +1 ST, add 1" height and about 5 lb (see GURPS Lite 3e, page 5). __________________ My GURPS site and Blog.

03-18-2015, 08:41 PM	#6
Purple Haze Join Date: Jul 2006	Re: Standard Size Who mentioned BMI? The GURPS standard is an eighteen year old male fit for military service, 5'10"/170 lbs is about right. There are a ton of Americans who weight more than twice that, if you don't think that is obese... You are taller than ~67%, and I am sure you have not actually counted.

03-18-2015, 08:49 PM	#7
Flyndaran Untagged Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: Forest Grove, Beaverton, Oregon	Re: Standard Size The claim that most Americans are obese includes the fact that they only measured BMI, not body fat percentage or anything else. I'm definitely taller than around 80%+ of the locals, and I tend to hunch. That's why I generally ignore obviously false statements about American average heights... unless everyone here is for some reason unusually shorter. __________________ Beware, poor communication skills. No offense intended. If offended, it just means that I failed my writing skill check. Last edited by Flyndaran; 03-18-2015 at 09:04 PM.

03-18-2015, 08:57 PM	#8
mr beer Join Date: Mar 2013	Re: Standard Size 5'10" and 170lbs as standard sounds reasonable for the US. I doubt 150lbs is a standard male weight in any first world country. Probably fine to use 5'7" and 150lbs for developing nations and mediaeval type settings though.