The GURPS Meta-Tech Hype Thread

[R-Anon]

Will this book include rules for converting devices to cybernetics?
Could it function as an enchanted items system in fantasy games?

[Varyon]

Originally Posted by R-Anon

Will this book include rules for converting devices to cybernetics?
Could it function as an enchanted items system in fantasy games?

The playtest document had specific rules for making metatech cybernetics, yeah. They don't have to actually be what you'd typically call cybernetics - an enchanted golem arm, a purpose-built symbiote, a zombie leg, etc all use the same base rules, just with different Origins that dictates how they're powered, what can shut them down, how others react to them, etc.

And, yeah, enchanted items were fully supported as an Origin. I don't see that going away as an option (cybernetics I see as unlikely to have been cut, as it was a short section and really expands what you can do with Meta-Tech Devices, but I could be mistaken).

[Rolando]

Does it handles building vehicles?

[Varyon]

Originally Posted by Rolando

Does it handles building vehicles?

Indeed; they can either be built the same way as things like robots and golems ("Constructs"), which essentially involves building them as a character, or you can take an existing vehicle and add an MTD (Meta-Tech Device) to it to give it enhanced functionality. I personally never utilized those rules, but the playtesters that did made some neat stuff.

[Christopher R. Rice]

Originally Posted by Rolando

Does it handles building vehicles?

There are two methods for this: build the vehicle as points and cost it out or modify a given vehicle with points to enhance it's abilities. It is NOT a Vehicle Design System.

[R-Anon]

Originally Posted by Varyon

The playtest document had specific rules for making metatech cybernetics, yeah. They don't have to actually be what you'd typically call cybernetics - an enchanted golem arm, a purpose-built symbiote, a zombie leg, etc all use the same base rules, just with different Origins that dictates how they're powered, what can shut them down, how others react to them, etc.

I wonder how this would interact with a total conversion cyborg. Could you model the whole body as a "Construct" and pay cash for it instead of points?

[Christopher R. Rice]

Originally Posted by dataweaver

Frankly, the Origins stuff strikes me as one of those “obvious in hindsight” sorts of things. Of course you can stat up Holy Water as “gear” with a Divine origin, or a Fetish as “gear” with a Spiritual origin. But until someone puts that down in writing, people tend not to think of it.

Thanks. It was an interesting thought that became an interesting idea I turned into an interesting rule.

Originally Posted by dataweaver

So, what does the book do that can't be done with “build it as an Advantage with Gadget Limitations, but then reverse-engineer a cash cost for it from the ‘trading points for money’ option”?

Bit more granularity based on the size of the item itself. More prescriptive rules for DR, HP, etc. Cost becomes a lot easier - but is not a single number. Probably things I'm forgetting.

Originally Posted by Varyon

It gives more nuance, as well as options for adjusting pricing and the like. Of course, one of the really good things about it - at least going off the playtest documents - is that it's essentially an expansion of GURPS Powers, GURPS Power Ups 4: Enhancements, GURPS Power Ups 8: Limitations, etc - there are a lot of new options for modifying Advantages, and while they're meant to be used for when an Advantage is granted by gear, they'd work just fine as innate abilities as well. There are also some things that just work for it but would require tortured builds to have powers that do the same thing (well, unless those bits didn't survive editing).

I don't know if I'd call it an extension of GURPS Powers - that implies a heavy load of super crunch. There is crunch. But the rules are not crazy complex. Most of the new stuff relies on pop culture tropes that use machines and such. You absolutely can use it for characters - and I hope folks do! - but that is not what this book is meant for.

Originally Posted by sparcipx

Hell, I'll buy ten copies myself if it helps. Twenty copies if it means seeing it in Print-on-Demand sooner :)

As a Powers and RPM fanatic, I am really looking forward to this.

It might! :-D

Originally Posted by J. Edward Tremlett

At last, a book that will make me a cup of DOOM.

I am so down.

DOOOOMMMM

Originally Posted by Khannis

Looking forward to the book, I think it's just what I need for my Arcanum campaign :)

It will absolutely work for something like that.

Originally Posted by LokRobster

Can't wait to see the stats for your Cup o' DOOM!

GURPS Meta-Tech is a must-buy for me as well. I'd love to see the fabled Meta-Tech Items in the future!

Buy the book, get your friends to buy it, buy copies and give them away. :-D

Originally Posted by R-Anon

Will this book include rules for converting devices to cybernetics?

Originally Posted by Varyon

The playtest document had specific rules for making metatech cybernetics, yeah. They don't have to actually be what you'd typically call cybernetics - an enchanted golem arm, a purpose-built symbiote, a zombie leg, etc all use the same base rules, just with different Origins that dictates how they're powered, what can shut them down, how others react to them, etc.

Not only that, it includes some rules on installation, recovery, etc. along with some other stuff.

Originally Posted by Varyon

And, yeah, enchanted items were fully supported as an Origin. I don't see that going away as an option (cybernetics I see as unlikely to have been cut, as it was a short section and really expands what you can do with Meta-Tech Devices, but I could be mistaken).

Originally Posted by R-Anon

Could it function as an enchanted items system in fantasy games?

It gives rules on magic-style enchanted items, magi-tech items, threshold-based items, etc.

[Christopher R. Rice]

Originally Posted by R-Anon

I wonder how this would interact with a total conversion cyborg. Could you model the whole body as a "Construct" and pay cash for it instead of points?

Yes. There are rules for making golems, robots, whatever.

[Christopher R. Rice]

I want y'all to know that GURPS Meta-Tech isn't some complicated system of levers and switches galore. That was never my intention, it was not watched I pitched, it was not what I used in my games, it was not what I wrote, it was not what was playtested, it was not in the final design.

Meta-Tech is not a system. It's a method. It's a way of looking at the building blocks of a game we're all familiar with and then packaged in a way to be newbie friendly.

There are 5 steps to create a meta-tech device:

1. Design the power itself. (This I feel is the hardest part for just about anyone not super familiar with GURPS) The good news here is you can take existing powers from books at put them through the process and now you have a device.
2. Next, determine what the underlying item is. A magical weapon might be a dagger, crossbow, etc. If there is no underlying item and it's an odd thing like a hunk of crystal or perhaps a weird metal cube then there are rules for that too.
3. Next, cost it out. Cost depends on underlying item size, the TL, the origin, and any modifiers you wish to add to the meta-tech portion of the item.
4. Next, finalize everything: power requirements, type of item (e.g., Armor or Weapon), and so on.
5. Finally, write it up in the format provided.

That's it. You can do it at the table and to make sure I didn't bring my personal expertise to the scenario and tilt the odds I had players who I personally knew were very unfamiliar with powers building do several examples and it was maybe 15 minutes at most.

GURPS Meta-Tech isn't just some other supplement. It will change how you play the game.

[Kage2020]

Originally Posted by Christopher R. Rice

GURPS Meta-Tech isn't just some other supplement. It will change how you play the game.

For me, it was more about looking differently at something that has been staring at you for years.

To have a simple option for handling proprietary spells in Shadowrun? Golden.

I also imagine that my Earthdawn conversion is going to see some love from this.