Steve Jackson Games - Site Navigation
Home General Info Follow Us Search Illuminator Store Forums What's New Other Games Ogre GURPS Munchkin Our Games: Home

Go Back   Steve Jackson Games Forums > Roleplaying > GURPS

Closed Thread
 
Thread Tools Display Modes
Old 05-25-2023, 06:27 PM   #31
Varyon
 
Join Date: Jun 2013
Default Re: Has SJGames been working on GURPS 5th edition for 2 years, or is Steve just troll

Quote:
Originally Posted by Anthony View Post
Volume is rarely a number that you can directly look up for real-world creatures and objects, whereas length, width, height, and weight are pretty commonly available.
True. Using weight and noting this specifically assumes a creature with an overall density around that of water (which is around what animals typically work out to), with divisors for other typical things targets might be made of (1/3-1/2 for stone, 1/8 for iron or steel, etc), could be an option. Of course then you need further adjustment if it has a lot of empty space. "Longest dimension" with adjustments for being boxlike, which is what GURPS currently uses (with a few notable exceptions, like ropes), may be the best compromise.

Quote:
Originally Posted by Anthony View Post
For most uses of GURPS SM, what you really want is cross-sectional area.
Of course, it's the cross-sectional area for your attack (a rope should be easier to hit with a sword swing than a sword thrust, and even for straight-on attacks the target's cross section may vary wildly depending on orientation), and that can be a bit complicated.
__________________
GURPS Overhaul
Varyon is offline  
Old 05-25-2023, 07:13 PM   #32
whswhs
 
Join Date: Jun 2005
Location: Lawrence, KS
Default Re: Has SJGames been working on GURPS 5th edition for 2 years, or is Steve just troll

Quote:
Originally Posted by Varyon View Post
True. Using weight and noting this specifically assumes a creature with an overall density around that of water (which is around what animals typically work out to), with divisors for other typical things targets might be made of (1/3-1/2 for stone, 1/8 for iron or steel, etc), could be an option. Of course then you need further adjustment if it has a lot of empty space. "Longest dimension" with adjustments for being boxlike, which is what GURPS currently uses (with a few notable exceptions, like ropes), may be the best compromise.
On the other hand, at least for ships, you can commonly figure a density significantly less than that of water, because they float. Perhaps doubling the volume from that of an animal might get you into the ballpark.
__________________
Bill Stoddard

I don't think we're in Oz any more.
whswhs is offline  
Old 05-25-2023, 08:43 PM   #33
Fred Brackin
 
Join Date: Aug 2007
Default Re: Has SJGames been working on GURPS 5th edition for 2 years, or is Steve just troll

Quote:
Originally Posted by whswhs View Post
On the other hand, at least for ships, you can commonly figure a density significantly less than that of water, because they float. Perhaps doubling the volume from that of an animal might get you into the ballpark.
Ships are just weird. For things like torpedo attack and a simulationist viewpoint you would want the cross-sectional area below the water line not above it. For ramming with another ship you'd want both i guess.

You _have_ to simplify from that somehow. When most combat will be between living beings with densities near 1 I think weight is the easiest figure to work with. For example you could have the line for SM+1 come somewhere around 300 lbs and that would be more regular than the current system where it should be 6 feet but gets bumped to 7 because 6 feet + is too common among humans.
__________________
Fred Brackin
Fred Brackin is offline  
Old 05-26-2023, 04:02 AM   #34
Rupert
 
Rupert's Avatar
 
Join Date: Aug 2004
Location: Wellington, NZ
Default Re: Has SJGames been working on GURPS 5th edition for 2 years, or is Steve just troll

Quote:
Originally Posted by Fred Brackin View Post
Ships are just weird. For things like torpedo attack and a simulationist viewpoint you would want the cross-sectional area below the water line not above it. For ramming with another ship you'd want both i guess.
For a torpedo attack length will generally be what you want. For gunfire you want side/front cross section at short ranges, deck area at long ranges (actually some combination of both, but that way lies insanity).

Then for spotting you need to know what the apparent area is as the hull and then superstructure and masts, etc., slip below the horizon. More insanity lies this way.
Quote:
You _have_ to simplify from that somehow. When most combat will be between living beings with densities near 1 I think weight is the easiest figure to work with. For example you could have the line for SM+1 come somewhere around 300 lbs and that would be more regular than the current system where it should be 6 feet but gets bumped to 7 because 6 feet + is too common among humans.
A solution to the problem with normal humans and SM+1 is to switch to metres, so that 2m is the SM+1 threshold - that's about 6'7", so you can just require Gigantism (reworked, probably) for those above it (perhaps with a 'Slender' trait if skinny enough that they'd still be SM+0).
__________________
Rupert Boleyn

"A pessimist is an optimist with a sense of history."
Rupert is offline  
Old 05-26-2023, 10:30 AM   #35
Anthony
 
Join Date: Feb 2005
Location: Berkeley, CA
Default Re: Has SJGames been working on GURPS 5th edition for 2 years, or is Steve just troll

Quote:
Originally Posted by Rupert View Post
A solution to the problem with normal humans and SM+1 is to switch to metres, so that 2m is the SM+1 threshold - that's about 6'7", so you can just require Gigantism (reworked, probably) for those above it (perhaps with a 'Slender' trait if skinny enough that they'd still be SM+0).
Well, if you normalize the 6*log10 base to 1 yard = -2, the +0 modifier should actually be at 2.15 yards (6'5") anyway.
__________________
My GURPS site and Blog.
Anthony is offline  
Old 05-26-2023, 09:53 PM   #36
cupbearer
 
cupbearer's Avatar
 
Join Date: Aug 2014
Location: Canada
Default Re: Has SJGames been working on GURPS 5th edition for 2 years, or is Steve just troll

Quote:
Originally Posted by Michael Thayne View Post
I've been assuming that one or more of Kromm's secret projects would be something along the lines of DFRPG or Girl Genius RPG, probably done via Kickstarter, but I confess watching that interview does make me wonder about a 5th edition—possibly something significantly simplified but obviously meatier than GURPS Lite.
No GURPS vehicles yet and DFRPG isnt that old old. And Fantasy trip seems to be that game.
But i wonder if your suspicion is correct.
I just hope if they do 5e , it’s massively simplified.
__________________
Oliver.
cupbearer is offline  
Old 05-26-2023, 11:38 PM   #37
Kage2020
 
Kage2020's Avatar
 
Join Date: Feb 2005
Location: Virginia, US
Default Re: Has SJGames been working on GURPS 5th edition for 2 years, or is Steve just troll

I have to wonder in all this discussion if anyone has considered what it is like coming to GURPS based upon it's base premise (any game etc.) and how it feels to make that actually happen? For a new GM.

This will probably segue into a discussion into "Powered by" but in the end GURPS is just really hard to use as promised. Without, you know, as Bones said to Spock: "You mean I have to die to discuss your insights into death?"

Going beyond that, there's a reason that I use Fudge as an overlay or model for character generation when using GURPS.
Kage2020 is offline  
Old 05-26-2023, 11:45 PM   #38
Refplace
 
Refplace's Avatar
 
Join Date: Nov 2008
Location: Yukon, OK
Default Re: Has SJGames been working on GURPS 5th edition for 2 years, or is Steve just troll

Quote:
Originally Posted by Kage2020 View Post
I have to wonder in all this discussion if anyone has considered what it is like coming to GURPS based upon it's base premise (any game etc.) and how it feels to make that actually happen? For a new GM.

This will probably segue into a discussion into "Powered by" but in the end GURPS is just really hard to use as promised. Without, you know, as Bones said to Spock: "You mean I have to die to discuss your insights into death?"

Going beyond that, there's a reason that I use Fudge as an overlay or model for character generation when using GURPS.
I find its easier to run most things in GURPS than any other system.
Any genre or work of fiction I have wanted to emulate in GURPS has been easier here than in any other system, even ones tailor made for that setting. Like Dr. Who, Marvel Supers, etc.
__________________
My GURPS publications GURPS Powers: Totem and Nature Spirits; GURPS Template Toolkit 4: Spirits; Pyramid articles. Buying them lets us know you want more!
My GURPS fan contribution and blog:
REFPLace GURPS Landing Page
My List of GURPS You Tube videos (plus a few other useful items)
My GURPS Wiki entries
Refplace is offline  
Old 05-26-2023, 11:50 PM   #39
Kage2020
 
Kage2020's Avatar
 
Join Date: Feb 2005
Location: Virginia, US
Default Re: Has SJGames been working on GURPS 5th edition for 2 years, or is Steve just troll

Quote:
Originally Posted by Refplace View Post
I find its easier to run most things in GURPS than any other system.
Any genre or work of fiction I have wanted to emulate in GURPS has been easier here than in any other system, even ones tailor made for that setting. Like Dr. Who, Marvel Supers, etc.
Would you say the same thing if you were new to GURPS?

Don't get me wrong, I like/love GURPS. But it's not a bad thing to say that it doesn't do great for people that are new to the system and are invested in the promise of that system. That just suggests there is an opportunity to be had for those that are creative enough to exploit it.
Kage2020 is offline  
Old 05-27-2023, 12:03 AM   #40
Refplace
 
Refplace's Avatar
 
Join Date: Nov 2008
Location: Yukon, OK
Default Re: Has SJGames been working on GURPS 5th edition for 2 years, or is Steve just troll

Quote:
Originally Posted by Kage2020 View Post
Would you say the same thing if you were new to GURPS?

Don't get me wrong, I like/love GURPS. But it's not a bad thing to say that it doesn't do great for people that want to use the system to do what they want and, sometimes, actively discourages it. That offers a way to try and solve the problems and would make an actual 5e worth it.
I did.
That is a big part of why i fell in love with GURPS in the first place.
I am not saying that no other system can handle a particular thing better or adapt a certain novel, movie, comic, or whatever. But I find GURPS can handle far more of them than anything else I have tried.
For comics I tried several games, V&V, Champions, and others that I gave up on very quickly. V&V was poorly balanced and had other issues. Champions was good but couldn't handle as many different modes as GURPS and the heroes felt more one dimensional.
Star Wars the official game was far too much of a straight jacket and dint do Jedi or pilots really well.
Witch World? I didn't really like the official adaptation very well but it was ok and playable. And now that I am more familiar with GURPS I feel I can do it far better.
Dr. Who? Star Trek? Babylon 5, most SciFi I can do pretty readily in GURPS. I may need to work on the tech and of course maps but that's true of any system that wasn't built for the setting.
GURPS Humanx for example I felt really captured the feel of the novels. I can see playing most of those characters in GURPS pretty readily. Flynx in his later years is pretty high powered but well he was in the novels too.
Dresden Files? Easy.
Lord Darcy? Easy.
Valdemar? Pern? EarhSea? Drageria? Ok that lasty one has a few rough bits I have been working on for Imperial Sorcery but I feel all those easier in GURPS than anything else I have seen.
__________________
My GURPS publications GURPS Powers: Totem and Nature Spirits; GURPS Template Toolkit 4: Spirits; Pyramid articles. Buying them lets us know you want more!
My GURPS fan contribution and blog:
REFPLace GURPS Landing Page
My List of GURPS You Tube videos (plus a few other useful items)
My GURPS Wiki entries
Refplace is offline  
Closed Thread

Thread Tools
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Fnords are Off
[IMG] code is Off
HTML code is Off

Forum Jump


All times are GMT -6. The time now is 04:28 AM.


Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.9
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions, Inc.