The GURPS Meta-Tech Hype Thread

[Kallatari]

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”?

Varyon pretty much answered this already, but I figured I'd give my thoughts on it as well anyway.

I myself have a houserule method of doing exactly what you mentioned: Build what I want with Advantages to get a base point value, then apply the Gadget Limitation to it to get a final point value, and then I had a $/point that I simply tacked onto it. I've been using that in my medieval fantasy game for magical items for several years.

The playtest for GURPS Meta-Tech revealed that there were some things I just couldn't do with my method, which I likely never noticed because I never tried to build certain things (e.g., I never tried to build a power armor in my medieval fantasy game). And that's where the new enhancements and limitations in GURPS Meta-Tech came from; to fill in those gaps of what you can't currently build with the existing advantages and modifiers.

But GURPS Meta-Tech also allow more fine tunning that then Gadget limitation method. You build the advantages for your item (without Gadget) for a base point value. The components of Gadget - like size and mass - now instead modify the base cost per point (with more nuances that the Gadget limitation), and finally you add equipment $ cost modifiers to keep it in line with normal equipment $ cost modifiers (something that the Gadget limitation also doesn't do).

So, either method works, but GURPS Meta-Tech will likely bring up things you probably haven't thought of before because the Gadget limitation wasn't nuanced enough... like what's the default number and size of batteries do I need, and what's the impact if I want to increase or decrease that number? This book will answer those questions.

So, even though I'll probably continue to use my advantage and Gadget system for costing the enchantments in my medieval fantasy game, I'll still be implementing many things from GURPS Meta-Tech anyway in order to improve my own system. And if I was going to do a high-tech game with such devices, I would probably use the full GURPS Meta-Tech rules instead, as their costing method is more nuanced which I don't necessarily need in a medieval game, but probably would in a high-tech or ultra-tech game.

EDIT: To be clear, GURPS Meta-Tech also works just as well in a medieval fantasy setting. I simply already have something in place, that's all. If I didn't, I'd use GURPS Meta-Tech in my medieval fantasy campaign as well.

I hope that helped.

(Disclaimer: I'm making assumptions based on the last playtest draft, which may not necessarily be the same in the final production version. I doubt they significantly changed any of what I wrote about above - as I kept my comments generic enough without details - but I am definitely not the person who can answer that with certainty.)

[Donny Brook]

Originally Posted by ravenfish

Is this a polite expression of disinterest, or have I missed a very important announcement?

It's a genuine expression to Christopher Rice that I think Meta-Tech looks good coupled with a kvetch to SJ Games that they haven't produced the Vehicles book yet.

[Kromm]

I'm not about to ascribe motives to others, but I can say three things:

1. The author wants to talk up his work, which is entirely fair, so please let's stay positive here. If you don't believe that GURPS Meta-Tech will be for you, the correct response is not to post here. Yes, that's shameless marketing . . . these forums are owned by the company that's publishing the supplement, after all!

2. This thread is exclusively about GURPS Meta-Tech, so let's please stay on topic. Existing GURPS supplements that might complement, enhance, or be complemented or enhanced by GURPS Meta-Tech are on topic. Unreleased supplements, announced or putative, are off topic unless they're GURPS Meta-Tech.

3. Speaking of unreleased supplements, we've made it abundantly clear that GURPS Vehicle Design isn't "paused," "on the slow track," or otherwise pending. Going on three years ago, now, all rights to the material reverted to David Pulver, who was told to keep his advances; internally, the job was closed and the job costs were written off. Speculation about the when and how of its release is therefore off topic on these forums, full stop.

Thanks for understanding.

[somecallmetim]

The 27th? Well, I guess I can quit refreshing the GURPS page twice a day hoping it will show up.


Seriously, I am so excited to get this.

[Christopher R. Rice]

I'll be around a little later on - if folks have questions go ahead and leave a post and I'll get to them. We can go into some specifics - but my answers might not be too specific themselves. ^_^

[Christopher R. Rice]

Lessee. Let's talk about meta-tech pharmaceuticals!

The original section was about 3 pages long and was basically a extension of the rules for Ultra-Tech Drugs in the Basic Set: Campaigns. I really liked it. The playtesters did not. I'll note I took a whole day thinking about to keep it and make it easier to use. In the end, I killed my darlings and wrote something MUCH simpler. Lots of hidden bits on that one, but dang is it fast. Now you guys know I love me some alchemy. Meta-tech pharmaceuticals have bits of RPM elixirs, Fushion Alchemy, and Ultra-Tech Drugs along with some secret sauce. They create any sort of alchemical mix you can think of and do it well. The system for meta-tech pharmaceuticals is probably the easiest in the book. You literally just pick X, Y, Z, figure it's form, it's dose size (usually small!), and then figure the price. That's it. Done. Again, fast enough to be done in game. I really feel that GMs using this book for fast-paced games like Dungeon Fantasy will appreciate how quick and easy it is to use some of these design methods.

[Christopher R. Rice]

You might also be able to use Meta-Tech to price out the cost of powers as skills with a little ingenuity. Doing that might let you backward engineer some kind of spell creation system for GURPS Magic. Though that would be a bit of work. An easier thing would be to take the Magic alchemy system and just reprice the cost of all elixirs there using Meta-Tech.

Just a thought.

[RyanW]

Originally Posted by Christopher R. Rice

it's dose size (usually small!)

Professor: This is the perfect chance for Fry to try out my new anti-pressure pills.
Fry: I cant swallow that.
Professor: Well, then good news. It's a suppository.

[Christopher R. Rice]

Originally Posted by RyanW

Professor: This is the perfect chance for Fry to try out my new anti-pressure pills.
Fry: I cant swallow that.
Professor: Well, then good news. It's a suppository.

As a huge fan of Futurama I resisted very hard (and successfully!) adding notes for that form of drug.

[calmquist]

Originally Posted by Christopher R. Rice

You might also be able to use Meta-Tech to price out the cost of powers as skills with a little ingenuity. Doing that might let you backward engineer some kind of spell creation system for GURPS Magic. Though that would be a bit of work. An easier thing would be to take the Magic alchemy system and just reprice the cost of all elixirs there using Meta-Tech.

Repricing the elixirs using Meta-Tech would certainly be simpler.