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Old 09-06-2024, 09:42 AM   #1
Alden Loveshade
 
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Default When was GURPS Basic Set released?

EDIT: I made a goof. I didn't specify I knew GURPS Basic Set, Fourth Edition was first released on August 19, 2004. Oops.

What I don't know is what month/day the earlier Basic Sets were released.


I admit I only did a quick, basic search. But while I found the years various editions of GURPS Basic Set were released, I didn't see the months (or days) they first came out.

Anybody know a reliable source/link that says what month each edition of the Basic Set was first released?
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Last edited by Alden Loveshade; 09-07-2024 at 10:03 PM. Reason: EDIT: made a goof
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Old 09-06-2024, 12:06 PM   #2
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Default Re: When was GURPS Basic Set released?

August 2004 for 4th Edition.
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Old 09-06-2024, 04:09 PM   #3
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Default Re: When was GURPS Basic Set released?

Quote:
Originally Posted by Comrade Ishmael View Post
August 2004 for 4th Edition.
Specifically August 19, I believe.

(As recently documented here.)
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Last edited by Proteus; 09-06-2024 at 04:10 PM. Reason: Added link.
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Old 09-07-2024, 09:58 PM   #4
Alden Loveshade
 
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Default Re: When was GURPS Basic Set released?

Thanks for the responses so far!

Although that was my goof. I actually knew when Fourth Edition came out, but I neglected to specify that. Oops!

I'll go back and fix my post.
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Pyramid #4/4: Fantasy/Magic II The Alchemists' Guild and much more
GURPS Fantasy Folk: Elves
My first GURPS supplement
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Old 09-08-2024, 06:46 PM   #5
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Default Re: When was GURPS Basic Set released?

What little I can add, below. 2e is I think highly likely to have made that prediction, as it was only a month away. 3e is purely speculative on my part, but is IMO at least plausible. 1e and 4e were already known; I include those here just for completeness, but did no research of my own to confirm. The years for the first three are widely available and consistent in various sources.

1e: July 3, 1986
Basic Set (boxed) first appeared at Origins 1986, so July 3 (through 6).

2e: June 2, 1987
Roleplayer #4 (June '87) "Coming Attractions" section states that "the game you have been thinking of as boxed GURPS" (second edition) would be available at Origins, with mail order coming at the end of June or early July. Roleplayer #5 doesn't contain any apologies for missing the date or updated release info, so they probably hit their release target.

3e: August 18, 1988
Going purely on the assumption that SJG kept up their habit of releasing at Origins, then 3e would have appeared on this date. That year was also a joint con with GenCon, so a big deal in the gaming world.

As of the date of this post, there are two 3e Basic Set listings on Amazon, both claiming a Jan 1, 1989 date. (Seems likely to me that the seller found a 1989 copyright date in the front, and just made it 1/1. None of my old books list a date, instead of a year. But we don't know which printing those are, nor when the various printings occurred.)

4e: August 19, 2004
As reported earlier in this thread. And for comparison, Origins in 2004 was held June 24-27, so this date is not a release at Origins. (Which doesn't mean the date is wrong; it might merely mean SJG changed their practice.)

Last edited by Anaraxes; 09-10-2024 at 09:26 AM.
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Old 09-10-2024, 10:21 AM   #6
Alden Loveshade
 
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Default Re: When was GURPS Basic Set released?

Quote:
Originally Posted by Anaraxes View Post
What little I can add, below.
Thank you for both the information, and for your clarifications! Those are very helpful.
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My first GURPS supplement
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Old 10-05-2024, 07:05 PM   #7
Alden Loveshade
 
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Default Re: When was GURPS Basic Set released?

Wikipedia doesn't have months, but does have this in "GURPS":


Publication

1985 (Man to Man)
1986 (1st and 2nd ed.)
1988 (3rd ed.)
2004 (4th ed.)

But then it has this in GURPS Basic Set":

Publication

1986 (1e)
1987 (2e)
1988 (3e)
1989 (3e 3rd printing)
1994 (3e Revised 1st printing)
2004 (3e revised 6th printing)
2004 (4e) 1st printing February
2008 (4e) Characters 3rd printing

2nd edition dates don't correlate from one to the other.
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Pyramid #4/4: Fantasy/Magic II The Alchemists' Guild and much more
GURPS Fantasy Folk: Elves
My first GURPS supplement
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