GURPS books / authors

[johndallman]

RogerBW and I edit a GURPS fanzine, The Path of Cunning (link in signature). Our standards are not as high as SJ Games, and we use entirely different layout, but we do want clear, properly explained material. We are a potential first step in writing for GURPS.

[Kromm]

Originally Posted by johndallman

RogerBW and I edit a GURPS fanzine, The Path of Cunning (link in signature). Our standards are not as high as SJ Games, and we use entirely different layout, but we do want clear, properly explained material. We are a potential first step in writing for GURPS.

I endorse this. I've written for this myself. It's the closest thing to a GURPS 'zine we have.

[Alden Loveshade]

Originally Posted by whswhs

What GURPS calls a playtest is really more of a peer review. It's rare that your material actually gets tried out in game play; even with people who play once a week it's hard to fit a significant playtest into the time allowed. But playtesters are expected to ask all sorts of difficult questions.

I think of current playtesting as "peer review" as well.

I do want to note that, with one exception, in every playtest I've done including "peer review" ones, I have done actual in-game playtesting. During the initual read-through of the manuscript, I specifically look for things to try in game.

The one exception was Discworld Roleplaying Game. My job was that of a more-or-less "blind playtester." I knew GURPS, but had never read anything in Discworld.

[Alden Loveshade]

Originally Posted by johndallman

RogerBW and I edit a GURPS fanzine, The Path of Cunning (link in signature).

Thanks for that. I saw a lot of authors I recognized from their work for Steve Jackson Games.

Originally Posted by Kromm

....technical writing (which is what RPGs are).

I agree with Dr. Kromm, but I would point out an exception. Vignettes in GURPS books are creative writing; most of them I've seen are "flash fiction."

[Phil Masters]

Originally Posted by Alden Loveshade

I agree with Dr. Kromm, but I would point out an exception. Vignettes in GURPS books are creative writing; most of them I've seen are "flash fiction."

Writing those vignettes is fun, but I regard it as a minor exercise and a chance to exercise my fiction-writing muscles (which don’t get much use otherwise). It’s certainly a tiny, tiny fraction of the work of writing a game book.

(It’s also much easier than writing proper fiction, even in proportion; stories require plots, with a beginning, a middle, and an end. Vignettes just require an incident.)