Reviewer gives GURPS Space substance 3 out of 5

[Luther]

Originally Posted by KDLadage

Do I find Fantasy "more useful" because of that info? No...

Personally I think that SJG should use Web-Enhancement for such things. They would:

• shut down complaints
• tease customers
• avoid repetition in books (wasted pages)
• be updated to match latest products

If they can't, I prefer a little bit of overlap. You shouldn't need lots of books to run a campaign. What strikes me as odd is that they used two different stances for Space and Fantasy.

[Luther]

Originally Posted by Mark Skarr

The only reason I bought GURPS Fantasy is because of the Author. I hate fantasy, but I'll pretty much buy anything that has William H. Stoddard's name on it.

WhsWhs rocks.

[KDLadage]

Originally Posted by Luther

Personally I think that SJG should use Web-Enhancement for such things.

I like the idea... but SJG has not gone this route... no harm in suggesting it, I suppose.

[MIB 1473]

Originally Posted by Luther

What strikes me as odd is that they used two different stances for Space and Fantasy.

What's even odder is that the decisions seem to have been made by the authors.

Does anyone remember the order in which Ultra-Tech and Space were playtested? I'm wondering whether the original intent was to release Ultra-Tech first. Magic came out only a month after Fantasy, so it's also possible that Ultra-Tech was expected to be released second, but much closer in time. Releasing Interstellar Wars before either one is also kind of a weird decision.

[Jürgen Hubert]

If you don't like the review, submit your own to RPGNet...

[Rupert]

Originally Posted by Shumway

Does anyone remember the order in which Ultra-Tech and Space were playtested?

The Space playtest was late last year, IIRC. The UT playtest was not too long after 4e came out, so about a year before the Space one.

[Toads]

I understand SJG not wanting to repeat rule when necessary. I seen to recall much complaining about the overlap in BASIC SET: Campaigns and IW. You just can’t make everyone happy.

The tone of this review made me feel a bit like the author was irritated he couldn’t bash it more.

[Kromm]

Originally Posted by Rupert

The Space playtest was late last year, IIRC. The UT playtest was not too long after 4e came out, so about a year before the Space one.

"Unfortunately." Make of that what you will. It suffices to say that we did kind of plan for the tech book to be in place first . . .

[copeab]

Originally Posted by synistar

You can do space campaigns using the equipment and ships in the basic set. Ultra-Tech and Vehicles 4e of course will help those who want even more. But it is a trade off. If you don't want to repeat content then GURPSers may need to buy more books. I for one am OK with that trade off because I am likely to buy the "catalog" books anyway and would rather not have repeated pages.

OTOH, repeated material means, in theory, fewer books one has to carry around to gaming sessions or have at the table. I didn't mind Cyberpunk repeating the TL8 chapter from Ultra-Tech -- it means I didn't have to carry Cyberpunk *and* Ultra-Tech with me. In general, I don't like to carry more than 3-4 books with me as GM.

[Anders]

Originally Posted by copeab

OTOH, repeated material means, in theory, fewer books one has to carry around to gaming sessions or have at the table. I didn't mind Cyberpunk repeating the TL8 chapter from Ultra-Tech -- it means I didn't have to carry Cyberpunk *and* Ultra-Tech with me. In general, I don't like to carry more than 3-4 books with me as GM.

Bah! Carrying books builds character. I remember in the old days we had to lug around all these stone tablets that the first RPGs were inscribed on. AND we had to make our own dice from painstakingly carved ivory wrested from the mighty mammoths...the youth of today...