GURPS Forum Abbreviations

[vicky_molokh]

The GURPS forum is filled with many terms and abbreviations that aren't obvious for a typical newcomer. Thus, we decided to help by listing the most common ones. By the way, do not hesitate to comment on the list, i.e. is it useful, what should be changed etc.

GENERAL FORUM/OTHER GENERIC
AFAIK = As Far As I Know
BTW = By the way
EG = evil grin
frex = for example
FTF = Face to Face
FWIW = For What It's Worth
FYI = For your information
GEV = Ground Effect Vehicle
GMTA = Great Minds Think Alike
IANSOP = I Am Not Sean Or Peter
IASOP = I Ain't Sean Or Peter
IDHMBWM = I don't have my books with me
IG = innocent grin
IHNIWYATA = I have no idea what you are talking about
IIRC = If I recall correctly
IME = in my experience
IMHO = In my humble opinion
IMLE = in my limited experience
IMNSHO = In my not-so-humble opinion
IMO = In my opinion
IOW = In other words
ISTR = I seem to recall/remember
JK = Just Kidding
JW = Just wondering
KFFBJ = Kung Fu Fire Breathing Jesus
KISS = Keep It Simple Stupid
LMAO = Laughing my ass off
LOL = Laugh out loud
MHLF = May He Live Forever
MIBRS = May It Be Released Soon
NBD = No Big Deal
NOE = Nap of the Earth [flight]
NPOV = Neutral Point of View (Wikipedia term)
OMG = Oh My God[des][s]
OP = Original Post(er)
POD = Print on Demand
POV = Point of View
TPTB = PTB = [the] Powers that Be
QFT = Quoted For Truth
QQ = Quick Question
ROFL = Rolling on the floor laughing
RPK = Rev. Pee Kitty
RPM = Ritual Path Magic (MH)
RTFM = Read the Fine Manual
SF = SciFi = Science Fiction
TANSTAAFL = There ain't such thing as a free lunch. When used in GURPS discussions, singnifies the opposition to gaining advantages (with no drawbacks) at zero cost.
TbH = To be honest
TMBW = They Might Be Watching!
TTBOMK = To the best of my knowledge
YMMV = Your Mileage May Vary
WYSIWYG = What You See Is What You Get

GURPS-Specific or RPG-Specific
3DSS = 3D Spatial Sense. See B34.
AD = Ambidexterity (rarely used), See B39. OR Armour Divisor. See B378. OR Active Defense.
AE = Area Effect (an enhancement). See B102.
AF = Alternate Form (rarely used). See B83.
AoA = All-out Attack. See B54, 324, 365, 385, 371 and FAQ.
AoD = All-out Defense. See B324, 366, 385.
ATR = Altered Time Rate. See B39.
CB = Compulsive Behaviour.
CF = Cultural Familiarity or Cost Factor, depending on context.
CM = Compartmentalized Mind. See B43.
CP = officially: Control Points; unofficially: Character Points; rarely: Cyberpunk.
CR = Combat Reflexes (see B43) or Control Rating (see B506 and also LC).
DF = Dungeon Fantasy
DM = Digital Mind (see B48). What did you think? Dungeon Mind? Digital Mastery? ;)
DR = Damage Resistance. See B46.
DTR = Decreased Time Rate (very rarely used).
DWA = Dual-Weapon Attack.
EA = Extra Attack (could also be Extra Arms, but rarely). See B53.
EM = Enhanced Move. See B52.
ER = Energy Reserve.
ETS = Enhanced Time Sense. See B52.
FLGS = Friendly Local Game Store
F:U = Fragile: Unnatural, a Disadvantage. See B135-136.
G4e = GURPS Fourth Edition It's the e that prevents the confusion.
G7e = G7e/T2, G7e/T3, and G7e/T4 Falke. See WWII. Not to be confused with some precognitive scripture...
GCA - GURPS Character Assisstant
GCB - GURPS Character Builder
GMHTFS = GM Has the Final Say!
GVB - GURPS Vehicle Builder
HPT = High Pain Threshold. See B59.
HR = House Rule(s); to: 1) fit a hole in the RAW with a self-made solution. 2) modifying anything because you feel it's broke. 3) inventing something totally new, but adherent with the RAW (eg. a new spell).
HtH = Hand To Hand. See Mêlée.
HtK = Hard to Kill. See B58.
HtS = Hard to Subdue. See B59.
IA = Innate Attack. See B51.
IANYGM = I am not your GM.
ICWIC = It Costs What It Costs; a 4e philosophy that discourages 'package deals' in trait pricing
IMC = In My Campaign
IMG = in my game
IMTU = in my Traveller Universe
IMU = in my universe
IOU = Illuminati Fnord University
IMY = In my Yrth (© Kromm).
IRL = In Real Life; frequently a reference to a reality-check.
IT = Injury Tolerance (normally followed by a denomination, i.e. IT: Homogenous). See B60 and Powers, p.52.
IT: DR = Injury Tolerance: Damage Reduction (not to be confused with normal DR). See Powers, p.52.
ItMH = Immunity to Metabolic Hazards, a specific case of Resistant. See B80.
KN = Krommnotes
KODT = KotDT = Knights of the Dinner Table
KQ = Krommquote(s)
KYOS = Know Your Own Strength (Pyramid #3-83)
LC = Legality Class. See B267, 270, 507.
LoS = Line of Sight
LPT = Low Pain Threshold.
MA = Martial Arts (referring to the book normally), Melee Attack, or Modular Abilities (rarely used), depending on context. For Modular Abilities, see B71.
MGPG = (the) Munchkin's Guide (to) Power Gaming.
MoS = Margin of Success
MR = Magic Resistance (very rarely used). See B67.
MT = Meta-Trait/MetaTrait.
MtM = Man to Man.
NDRR = No Die Roll Required, a version of the Cosmic Enhancement (Powers, p.101).
NPC = Non-Player Character.
OCYGMHTFS = Of course, your GM has the final say.
OGL = Open Gaming Licence
OHWT = OWT = Off-Hand Weapon Training.
OPH = Odious Personal Habit.
PBEM = Play (or Played) By E-Mail
PC = Player Character.
PK = Psychokinesis
PMW = Parry Missile Weapons.
RAP = Rules as Published; GURPS rules without unpublished rulings.
RAW = Rules as Written [priceless]; rules from published and upcoming GURPS books.
RAI = Rules as Intended or as Interpreted.
RLS = Racially Learned Skill.
RoF = Rate of Fire. See B270, 373. Also see Rapid Fire, B373, 408.
RP = Roleplaying or Radiation Threshold Points (After the End).
RPM = Ritual Path Magic (MH).
RS = Rapid Strike. See B54, 93, 370.
RSB = Racial Skill Bonus [2].
RWW = Relative Weapon Weight. See MA 4e.
SCR = Self Control Roll
SCSI eGURPS = Self-Consistent Style-Independent Equitably Generic Universal Roleplaying System.
SG = Signature Gear (also written Sig. Gear or just Sig.)
SSRT = SRT = Size and Speed/Range Table.
SoD = Sense of Duty. Rarely: Suspension of Disbelief.
SS = Social Stigma or (for 3e) Snapshot.
TBB = Tight-beam burning.
TBM = TBaM = Trained by a Master.
TD = Temporary Disadvantage.
TDM = Task Difficulty Modifier
TK = Telekinesis
TL = technology level, tech level. See B267, 291, 22, 99, 511-512 and others.
tMGtPG = the Munchkin's Guide to Power Gaming.
TPK = Total Party Kill (a case when all PCs die).
TT = Temperature Tolerance (rarely used).
TTRPG = Tabletop RPG, as opposed to a computer game
TTYGM = Talk to your GM
TTYGMATNU = Talk to your GM about that, not us
UB = UBG = Unusual Background.
WA = Whirlwind Attack (rarely used).
WM = Weapon Master.
WWII = A series of books about a war that was waged from 1939 until 1945 in Homeline.

MISCELLANEOUS TERMS
Mook = Nameless NPC thats there to be killed, or avoided if you're feeling kind
Kromm = God - listen and obey (JK GURPS Line Editor)
Munchkin = a player who abuses loopholes or semi-loopholes in the rules to make a character that is overpowered for what the original campaign designed (http://forums.sjgames.com/showthread.php?t=11529, http://forums.sjgames.com/showpost.p...&postcount=216)
GURPSize = to GURPSize = convert something from another system (or from the real world) to GURPS
GURPSologist = a person that studies and/or researches GURPS (mostly by playing and reading books)

GURPS Attributes, Sub-Attributes and Attribute Elements
DX = Dexterity
DX! = DX increase by 1 combined with a .25 decrease of Basic Speed.
FP = Fatigue Points (i.e. endurance)
HP = Hit Points
HT = Health; High-Tech (book)
HT! = HT increase + FP decrease + BS decrease.
IQ = Intelligence (not just real-world IQ, but also experience, wisdom etc.)
IQ! = A level of IQ combined with one negative level of both Per and Will.
Per = Perception.
ST = Strength
ST! = (rare) ST increase + HP decrease
Will = Willpower

UT Ammo types by Diagoro and Pulver
CL- caseless long
CLP- caseless long pistol
CLR- caseless long rifle
PC- plastic-cased (for shotgun-style ammo)
PLB- pre-loaded barrel
G- grenade (note that Portable Rail Gun (p141/142, and the ammunition table p143) is listed incorrectly as 10mmG, where it should be just 10mm).
N- needler (that was an easy one)
T- tangler

Books (all but first unofficial in 4e)
B = Basic Set 4th Edition
BIO = Bio-Tech
BS = Banestorm
DFA = DF1 = Dungeon Fantasy: Adventurers
DFD = DF2 = Dungeon Fantasy: Dungeons
DFTNL = DF3 = Dungeon Fantasy: The Next Level
DR = Dragons
F = Fantasy
GLAD = Gladiators
HT = High-Tech
ISW = T:IW = Traveller: Interstellar Wars
IW = Infinite Worlds
L = Lite 4th Edition
LoT = Lands Out of Time
LT = CCoI = Cabaret Chicks on Ice (properly known as Low-Tech)
LTC = Low-Tech Companion (same format as SS)
M = Magic
MA = Martial Arts
MC = Mass Combat
MH = Monster Hunters
MY = Mysteries
P = Powers, although may also mean Psionics
PU = Power-Ups series
S = Space
SS = Spaceships (often denoted SS2-17 = Spaceships 2, page 17)
SU = Supers
SVN = SIV = Seals in Viet Nam
TG = Technical Grappling
THM = Thaumatology
THS = Transhuman Space
TS = Officially Transhuman Space, but sometimes used for Tactical Shooting
TS:CT = Transhuman Space: Changing Times
TSh = Tactical Shooting
UT = Ultra-Tech
VDS = Vehicle Design System

_________________

See the Thanks listing.

[transmetahuman]

Originally Posted by Molokh

Has anyone thought of making a listing of abbreviations that are frequently used at this forum, and asking the mods to make it a sticky? I mean both the GURPS-specific ones, and those that are frequently found in many RPG discussions? E.g. I Don't Have My Books With Me, Altered Time Rate etc...

IDHMBWM is used on nongaming boards and email groups too, but it's pretty intimidating if you haven't seen it before. I think it's a good idea. RAW drove me crazy for a while - in the context I first kept seeing it, it sounded like a specific book or FAQ or something ("That isn't in the RAW", "According to the RAW..."). So even non-newbies get thrown sometimes. Maybe we could put links to commonly-ressurrected thread topics, too. I think many would be grateful.

How about starting a list here? If it starts looking useful, we can worry about stickiness later.

[vicky_molokh]

Thanks to everybody who contributed to the thread:

transmetahuman
Poonbahbah
nik197
Nelson Cunnington
Ze'Manel Cunha
zorg
KlausPrinceOfTheUndeads
Þorkell
Mr_Sandman
Qoltar
Gurps Fan
Maz
Mad Russian
ericbsmith
Agemegos
Archangel Beth
Lord Carnifex
SCHIFTY
laserdog
_________________

Special thanks to

Matuku

for gathering the first group of abbreviations into one place.

[Matuku]

Now edited to include the ones everyone else has put down.

General Forum
OP, Original Post
IIRC, If I recall correctly
IMO/IMHO, In my opinion/In my humble opinion
BTW, By the way
FYI, For your information
JW, Just wondering
QQ, Quick Question
TbH, To be honest
Rofl, Rolling on the floor laughing
Wtf, What the f***
Lol, Laugh out loud
LMAO, Laughing my ass off
SF, Science Fiction
IDHMBWM, I don't have my books with me
KFFBJ, Kung Fu Fire Breathing Jesus
AFAIK, As Far As I Know
BSEG, big s*** eatin' grin
EG, evil grin
FTF, Face to Face
GMTA, Great Minds Think Alike
IG, innocent grin
JK, Just Kidding
KISS, Keep It Simple Stupid
NBD, No Big Deal
POV, Point of View
PTB, Powers that Be
SOL, S*** Out of Luck
YMMV, Your Mileage May Vary
IOW, In other words

GURPS or RPG Specific
OPH, Odius Personal Habit
DWA, Dual-Weapon Attack
AD, Ambidexterity (rarely used)
OHWT (normally just OWT), Off-Hand Weapon Training
ATR, Altered Time Rate
CM, Compartmentalized Mind
EA, Extra Attack (could also be Extra Arms, but rarely)
RS, Rapid Strike (rarely used)
DR, Damage Resistance
EM, Enhanced Move
HtK, Hard to Kill
HtS, Hard to Subdue
IT, Injury Tolerance (normally followed by a denomination, i.e. IT: Homogenous)
IT: DR, Injury Tolerance: Damage Reduction (not to be confused with normal DR)
IA, Innate Attack
MR, Magic Resistance (very rarely used)
MA, Modular Abilities (rarely used)
SG, Signature Gear (also written Sig. Gear or just Sig.)
TT, Temperature Tolerance (rarely used)
UB, Unusual Background
AE, Area Effect (an enhancement)
RoF, Rate of Fire
AD, Armour Divisor
MA, Martial Arts (referring to the book normally) or Melee Attack
TD, Temporary Disadvantage
CB, Compulsive Behaviour
DTR, Decreased Time Rate (very rarely used)
SoD, Sense of Duty
PMW, Parry Missile Weapons
WA, Whirlwind Attack (rarely used)
ETS, Enhanced Time Sense
AoA, All-out Attack
AoD, All-out Defense
CR, Combat Reflexes or Control Rating
TBM/TBaM, Trained by a Master
WM, Weapon Master
LoS, Line of Sight
MoS, Margin of Success
HPT, High Pain Threshold
LPT, Low Pain Threshold
RAW, Rules as Written
HR, House Rule(s); to: 1) fit a hole in the RAW with a self-made solution. 2) modifying anything because you feel it's broke. 3) inventing something totally new, but adherent with the RAW (eg. a new spell).
HTH, Hand To Hand
SS, Social Stigma or (for 3e) Snapshot
Mook, Nameless NPC thats there to be killed, or avoided if you're feeling kind
Kromm, God - listen and obey
Munchkin, power gamer/min maxer; a player who abuses loopholes or semi-loopholes in the rules to make a character that is overpowered for what the original campaign designed (for instance)
GURPSize, to: convert something from another system (or from the real world) to GURPS
AF, Alternate Form (rarely used)
ItMH, Immunity to Metabolic Hazards



Will edit with others when I or others think of them.

[Poonbahbah]

AoA = All out Attack
Mook = nameless npc thats there to be killed, or avoided if your feeling kind.
Kromm = God, listen and obey
Munchkin = power gamer/min maxer
TbM = Trained by Master

Note not all of these are meant to be serious.

PS. please don't smite me, I was joking about it not being serious.

[vicky_molokh]

AoD, while rare, is All-Out Defense.
TbM is optionally spelled TbaM too.
WM == Weapon Master.
SS stands for Social Stigma, SnapShot (a 3e term), and many others depending on context (will Edit to add more meanings).

[nik1979]

Originally Posted by transmetahuman

IDHMBWM is used on nongaming boards and email groups too, but it's pretty intimidating if you haven't seen it before.

So what is it?

One of my guesses was: I Date Handsome Manly Babes With Mustaches... ( i think there is also a cultural barrier that prevents people from instantly recognizing these abbreves)

[vicky_molokh]

Originally Posted by nik1979

So what is it?

One of my guesses was: I Date Handsome Manly Babes With Mustaches... ( i think there is also a cultural barrier that prevents people from instantly recognizing these abbreves)

I Don't Have My Books With Me, and it's listed as an example in OP.

[Nelson Cunnington]

Originally Posted by nik1979

So what is it?

Well, I don't have my books with me, so I can't tell you....

[Ze'Manel Cunha]

Originally Posted by transmetahuman

RAW drove me crazy for a while - in the context I first kept seeing it, it sounded like a specific book or FAQ or something ("That isn't in the RAW", "According to the RAW...").

And you never defined it for them. *grin*

RAW: Rules as Written
HR: House Rule(s)
HTH: Hand To Hand
KFFBJ: Kung Fu Fire Breathing Jesus


General Forum:
AFAIK: As Far As I Know
bseg: big s*** eatin' grin
eg: evil grin
FTF: Face to Face
GMTA: Great Minds Think Alike
ig: innocent grin
JK: Just Kidding
KISS: Keep It Simple Stupid
NBD: No Big Deal
POV: Point of View
PTB: Powers that Be
SOL: S*** Out of Luck
YMMV: Your Mileage May Vary