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Old 08-08-2009, 11:09 AM   #1
sonic232
 
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Default 3e to 4e: Converting Character Templates

While I've found a resource for converting the racial templates in GURPS Technomancer, I'm not sure how to go about converting the Character Templates provided (T69)... The costs for attributes from 3e to 4e is so different, and most of the costs (MOST, not all) for the advantages and disadvantages aren't different enough to make up for the large increase in points spent on attributes, unlike in most of the racial templates.

Should I take away some points from advantages/skills/spells, add more disadvantages, or just leave the converted cost the same?
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Old 08-08-2009, 12:21 PM   #2
sjard
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Default Re: 3e to 4e: Converting Character Templates

This product should help. And it is free.
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Old 08-08-2009, 01:09 PM   #3
sonic232
 
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Default Re: 3e to 4e: Converting Character Templates

Got it. Used it before. Doesn't help with suggestions on converting templates, just that they are used in the same way as in 3rd edition.

EDIT: To clarify, I am using GURPS Update in my conversions. I am looking for an opinion if I should leave the costs as-is, despite huge cost differences or tweak it by taking away points from one side and/or adding to another.

Last edited by sonic232; 08-08-2009 at 01:17 PM.
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Old 08-08-2009, 01:30 PM   #4
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Default Re: 3e to 4e: Converting Character Templates

Quote:
Originally Posted by sonic232 View Post
Got it. Used it before. Doesn't help with suggestions on converting templates, just that they are used in the same way as in 3rd edition.

EDIT: To clarify, I am using GURPS Update in my conversions. I am looking for an opinion if I should leave the costs as-is, despite huge cost differences or tweak it by taking away points from one side and/or adding to another.
First and foremost try to convert the spirit of the template. Exact stats and point cost come second to that. As a general truth

You'll just have to accept that some things are pricier or cheaper in the new edition, and some things are simply not possible to directly convert without running into a major headache. (The Spirit [100] trait for example gets you up around 1000 points in 4th edition)
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Old 08-08-2009, 01:40 PM   #5
sonic232
 
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Default Re: 3e to 4e: Converting Character Templates

Right... Its just mind-breaking when a character ends up costing 50+ more points just because of the attribute cost changes and (at least as I've checked so far) and I'm unsure if I should change the 'take 30/-30 points from the following' sections or not to try to compensate.

Edit: Either that, or decreasing the attributes, which then changes the skill scores that were intended.

Last edited by sonic232; 08-08-2009 at 01:43 PM.
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Old 08-08-2009, 04:23 PM   #6
sjard
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Default Re: 3e to 4e: Converting Character Templates

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Originally Posted by sonic232 View Post
Right... Its just mind-breaking when a character ends up costing 50+ more points...
This comes down to two thinks as I recall.

1) A lot of 3rd edition templates* were written in such a way that you got free points for taking the template. 4th edition doesn't.

2) 4th edition points seem to worth roughly 1.5 3rd edition points.

So I'll second the idea of following the spirit of the template rather than the actual 100% point conversion.

*At least racial templates.
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Old 08-08-2009, 04:35 PM   #7
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Default Re: 3e to 4e: Converting Character Templates

Quote:
4th edition points seem to worth roughly 1.5 3rd edition points.
And the default starting point is 150 cp rather than 100. So it's not unreasonable for characters in an ungoing game to cost more after conversion, and then just get fifty "free points" as a one-time conversion bonus to make up the difference.
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Old 08-09-2009, 07:37 AM   #8
sonic232
 
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Default Re: 3e to 4e: Converting Character Templates

Thanks for the help, I'll keep that in mind :)

With that in mind, transcription will probably be the most time consuming thing, rather than trying to figure the other stuff out.

EDIT: Yeah, just started doing in-depth translations. Most physical/social/mental advantages and disadvantages are the same, just powers and exotic/supernatural ones are the problem when converting. Since that's the majority, and the point value is 1.5, this'll turn out fine, methinks.

Heck, the translated Alchemist template ended up being almost EXACTLY 1.5 times as much as the 3e version. (80 3e, 120 being the estimate, 115 being the actual for 4e) Artist is a tiny bit more, but there seems to be a +/- 15 point error window for that proportion anyway.

Artist is normally 75/85. *1.5 is 112.5/127.5. After the attribute increase, it ended up being 125/135.

Last edited by sonic232; 08-09-2009 at 09:16 AM. Reason: Adding to post without double posting
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