Coming back to GURPS... and I could really use a hand.

FF_Ninja · 08-28-2021, 07:21 AM

I've been a major fan of GURPS since I first picked up the Basic Set years ago. It's a wonderful system - if one with some hard-to-overcome flaws - and I've never quite been able to find anything that really comes close to its potential.

Recently, I've been planning an Outer Worlds styled campaign. I've been investigating which systems might work best for what I want to do. The suggestions have been numerous, and I'd taken a cursory look at every one of them (Traveller, SWN, Starforge, etc) until one of my friends threw me a cruel curve-ball:

"Hey, man, why don't you just use GURPS: Space?"

I... love GURPS. Like someone would love an old girlfriend who was so amazing and utterly unforgettable, but who you broke up with because you couldn't handle (or appreciate) her properly. And then you hook up with a series of other girlfriends who have their lives together, who are low-maintenance, who are stable and safe - but in the end, you find your heart wandering back to the "one that had it all."

I have avoided going back to GURPS because I simply could not properly handle "her" and it ruined my [gaming] life. She's complex, infinitely deep, takes everything you have to give and promises some truly wild experiences. Yet if you do not properly appreciate her or care for her, you end up with the distinct impression that you've no idea what you're doing and everyone else feels that way as well.

Analogies aside...

If I dig back into GURPS, I want to make sure I do it right this time. I'd like to avoid all of the old pitfalls that really caused the game to slog - and I'm hoping that by reaching out to the grognardiest of all GURPS grognards, I'll be able to do just that.

So, here goes.

First. I have always been the type to consume material in its entirety and attempt to master/process it before I'm comfortable enough to use it. I tried his with the GURPS Basic Set and it contributed heavily to burning me out. What should my approach and philosophy be when it comes to consuming and absorbing anything GURPS? Because evidently swallowing it whole only leads to severe constipation and stomach ache.

Second. No matter how many times I've worked with character generation, I've always ended up chasing the rabbit down an infinite hole and ended up pulling out a freak of nature that resembles nothing like that which I'd originally sought. In future endeavors, I plan on creating templates and lenses to be used exclusively by both me and my players. That said: What are some ways you most experiences GMs (and players) avoid the infinite draw that is GURPS and all of its creative capabilities?

Third. GURPS can be so deep and complex that (in my experience) it slows down to a crawl in certain areas. Combat is an obvious culprit, as I've seen many combat sessions which took less than 10 seconds in-game take four or five hours to complete. What are some methods or tools I can employ to keep my GURPS session from grinding down in any one spot, becoming crippled by the granularity? I love complexity, but not when everything stops to inspect bits at the microscopic level.

You folks have been great for reading this far. If I'm going to hook up with this "old girlfriend" again, I'd like to put my best effort into making it work - and maybe for good this time.

08-28-2021, 07:21 AM	#1
FF_Ninja Join Date: Feb 2016	Coming back to GURPS... and I could really use a hand. I've been a major fan of GURPS since I first picked up the Basic Set years ago. It's a wonderful system - if one with some hard-to-overcome flaws - and I've never quite been able to find anything that really comes close to its potential. Recently, I've been planning an Outer Worlds styled campaign. I've been investigating which systems might work best for what I want to do. The suggestions have been numerous, and I'd taken a cursory look at every one of them (Traveller, SWN, Starforge, etc) until one of my friends threw me a cruel curve-ball: "Hey, man, why don't you just use GURPS: Space?" I... love GURPS. Like someone would love an old girlfriend who was so amazing and utterly unforgettable, but who you broke up with because you couldn't handle (or appreciate) her properly. And then you hook up with a series of other girlfriends who have their lives together, who are low-maintenance, who are stable and safe - but in the end, you find your heart wandering back to the "one that had it all." I have avoided going back to GURPS because I simply could not properly handle "her" and it ruined my [gaming] life. She's complex, infinitely deep, takes everything you have to give and promises some truly wild experiences. Yet if you do not properly appreciate her or care for her, you end up with the distinct impression that you've no idea what you're doing and everyone else feels that way as well. Analogies aside... If I dig back into GURPS, I want to make sure I do it right this time. I'd like to avoid all of the old pitfalls that really caused the game to slog - and I'm hoping that by reaching out to the grognardiest of all GURPS grognards, I'll be able to do just that. So, here goes. First. I have always been the type to consume material in its entirety and attempt to master/process it before I'm comfortable enough to use it. I tried his with the GURPS Basic Set and it contributed heavily to burning me out. What should my approach and philosophy be when it comes to consuming and absorbing anything GURPS? Because evidently swallowing it whole only leads to severe constipation and stomach ache. Second. No matter how many times I've worked with character generation, I've always ended up chasing the rabbit down an infinite hole and ended up pulling out a freak of nature that resembles nothing like that which I'd originally sought. In future endeavors, I plan on creating templates and lenses to be used exclusively by both me and my players. That said: What are some ways you most experiences GMs (and players) avoid the infinite draw that is GURPS and all of its creative capabilities? Third. GURPS can be so deep and complex that (in my experience) it slows down to a crawl in certain areas. Combat is an obvious culprit, as I've seen many combat sessions which took less than 10 seconds in-game take four or five hours to complete. What are some methods or tools I can employ to keep my GURPS session from grinding down in any one spot, becoming crippled by the granularity? I love complexity, but not when everything stops to inspect bits at the microscopic level. You folks have been great for reading this far. If I'm going to hook up with this "old girlfriend" again, I'd like to put my best effort into making it work - and maybe for good this time.