Torg -> GURPS Conversion

[diamondb]

This has probably been talked about somewhere around here, but I got tired of digging through threads that lead nowhere.

Way back in the early '90's when West End Games released the Torg game, I fell in love with the concept and it has always held a special place in my heart. The opportunity has now come up that allows me the possibility (heh) of running whatever I wish and naturally Torg has taken a front seat. Sadly all that remains of my once vast collection is the original boxed set (including the cards) and so I'm looking for additional options and GURPS has my attention.

I currently play in a GURPS 4th Ed. game and own a number of the books, enough that I feel relatively confident that I could "port" much of the idea behind Torg over to GURPS with relative ease. The advantage I see in this is my gaming group is familiar with GURPS, thus they don't have to learn (and I relearn) a new system. The problem I have is that I quite liked the epic, cinematic aspects that the Torg system both encouraged and relied upon and I'm not entirely certain if that feel can be successfully brought across. It certainly hasn't in the two GURPS campaigns I've played in (one fantasy, one Shadowrun-esque), but that just may be the GM.

Additionally there is the aspect of the Drama Deck, I just can't imagine playing without it and I really don't know if that can be integrated into a GURPS game.

So, after that rather long-winded setup, anyone out there running a GURPS/Torg game and successfully overcoming my feared obstacles? I'd love to hear from you, particularly if you've found some way to successfully integrate the Drama Deck into a game. I think I can work the epic, cinematic feel into the game, but I really don't want to give up the Deck.

[Orion Deckrect]

Ok... To Roleplay the possibility wars at Gurps dont look a big deal at forst glance, but i imagine you will have to give up of a few things. One of them is the drama deck. The use of such things is quite unbalancing and artificial in Gurps, and the only chance you have, if you insist to use it, is to first have it to then convert it to Gurps.

The major aspect included on Torg was the reality check. I sugest a very simple way to do it: trace all the kingdoms (Nipon Tech, wastelands, and so) and set values to it, determining the tech level of each and the mana level. If you want to include god, you may do the same to sancticity or just say where they reach and where they dont.

Done it, your mages will work ok and priests (if any) too. Now comes the more complicated part. When someone leaves a lower tech area to a greater tech area, characters taking items will roll their will rolls plus the difference (lets say from TL3 to TL7; they have a +4 on IQ rolls) to make the reality check. Use the reverse for any reverse transition, so from TL7 to TL3, its at -4!

Remember i am sugesting you these rules, but i dont play Torg myself since 15 years ago!.

Another way is to set a reality check is to set a nunber instead of use the will power roll and use the same difference bonus and penalties. Lets say 9 or 7, making it harder or easy! The magic of this method is that you grants the items a number to roll, even if it is not taken by a character. (lets imagine any kind of weird way an item mays travel from one place to other alone). If you insist that characters may have any influence on reality checks, you may mix both methods and grant a bonus based on their willpower, like +1 for each point above 10 with a maximum of +4.

A out the drama cards, there are many methods to include it, but if you do so, PCs will take a great advantage in face to odds. You could, for example, create a table or chart, and PCs roll on it. You could grant them one or ore roll on chart at session's begining. Or you may let them buy these rolls with characters points, what minimizes a little the advantage. You could even charge them greater point costs to let them choose an advantage at chart, and even set limits to "stock" each result, as the cards were limited.

I hope it helps.

[blacksmith]

What parts of the rules are you interested in converting?

[Ed the Coastie]

I tried a Torg-inspired GURPS game a couple of years ago, and adapted the equipment decay and damage rules (pg. 22) from Lands Out of Time. That seemed to work pretty well, much to the annoyance of some of my players.

[longhorn]

I used the Masterdeck, a descendant of the Drama Deck, for a game of GURPS Transhuman Space a few years ago. There's no reason you can't use the Drama Deck; I just wanted a couple of effects from the Masterdeck. I think Adrenaline was for DX-related tasks, Willpower for IQ-related and Toughness for HT- and ST-related. Coup De Grace applied to damage rolls. Keep in mind that these bonuses don't result in the epic feats you can achieve in Torg.

Up was +2 and Stymie was -2.

Possibilities/Hero Cards were the equivalent of spending character points to go from Critical Failure -> Failure -> Success-> etc...

On a different tack, I have wondered what would happen if you tried to take the Space Gods setting and detail it with GURPS Bio-Tech. It seems like a hairy game-design task not to have Space Gods completely dominating the Possiblity War.

-Grant

[Jasonft]

The Space Gods had their own problems completely apart from the Possibility Wars as I recall. Something about a malignant, infectious, telepathic group mind?

But yeah, they also had some huge advantages. I can't be the only one who figured out the advantages of giving a Space God reality tree attunements from a Reality Shard...


Wasn't there a Torg/ GURPS conversion table in the books somewhere? I could swear I saw one once.

[diamondb]

Originally Posted by blacksmith

What parts of the rules are you interested in converting?

For the most part I don't think I need to convert much, instead just use the GURPS rules. My big concern was the Drama Deck and I like Longhorn's suggestions for that. The other issue was the Reality check and I think Orion's suggestion will be a workable solution.

The only thing that really remains is the need for spectacularly epic events, created by card use and some seriously good rolls, in order to "reclaim" areas that have fallen to the invaders. To some degree I think I can handwave this particular aspect and judge the actions of the party to determine if what they achieved was sufficient inspiration enough to re-energize the area.

Overall I really like the fluff, the crunch was there to create the epic/cinematic feel and I think I can manage that with GURPS. There were a few rules (as mentioned above) that lent themselves to the feel of the game, but overall the suggestions I've gotten sound pretty solid.

Thanks!

[Jasonft]

Possibility rated characters are inherently cinematic, as opposed to normals who are not. Is there an Advantage - or should there be - to differentiate between the two?

Reality borderlands strike me as having many parallels to semi-permanent Banestorms btw. You might want to look in that book for ideas about being (literally) dropped into different worlds.

[longhorn]

Originally Posted by Jasonft

Possibility rated characters are inherently cinematic, as opposed to normals who are not. Is there an Advantage - or should there be - to differentiate between the two?

Jason may be onto something - maybe only the p-rated characters have access to Trained by a Master and the cinematic maneuvers.

-Grant

[longhorn]

Originally Posted by Jasonft

The Space Gods had their own problems completely apart from the Possibility Wars as I recall. Something about a malignant, infectious, telepathic group mind?

It was called the Comaghaz virus. But in a game where the Space Gods actually start wielding, say, TL12 biotech and TL11 hard tech, all of a sudden the virus is the dominant plotline. Space Gods can spread their reality where they wish without killing people.

-Grant