06-24-2021, 09:07 PM | #121 | |
Join Date: Aug 2007
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Re: How to Be a GURPS GM: Managing Expectations
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The Pathfinder 1e Adventure Paths that I'm familar with were probably broader than "dungeon fantasy". They had extensive city and wilderness-based sections. Definitely no generic "towns" close to "The Dungeon" that you saw in the old modules. My group dropped Pathfinder when it went to a heavily altered 2e.
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06-24-2021, 09:11 PM | #122 |
Join Date: Jun 2005
Location: Lawrence, KS
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Re: How to Be a GURPS GM: Managing Expectations
I don't know anything about Pathfinder either. Is it dungeon fantasy?
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06-24-2021, 09:14 PM | #123 |
Join Date: Mar 2016
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Re: How to Be a GURPS GM: Managing Expectations
Ah, sorry, should have realized you meant literally not familiar at all. Pathfinder was created as a reaction to D&D 4e. Its first edition was designed as a direct successor to D&D3.5 and uses the same basic rule structure, with PF2e forging a bit more of its own identity, but still very D&D-derived and solidly in the "kitchen sink dungeon fantasy" niche.
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06-24-2021, 09:15 PM | #124 |
Join Date: May 2021
Location: I'd rather be alone than be with people who make me feel alone.
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Re: How to Be a GURPS GM: Managing Expectations
Polydamas got me thinking about what a younger (or rather Millennial-generation that I'm arguably able to speak for) audience expects from GURPS. I think Dungeon Fantasy, the DFRPG and the broader DF line of products for GURPS, has the most immediate appeal to a younger GURPS audience. Contemporary pop culture has put TTRPGs back into the mainstream conscience of youth, and I think it'd be of meaningful use to appeal to this new younger market. If anything, I'm certain there's a certain amount of DnD's younger player base that would like to wet their taste buds on either more nuanced or further abstracted rule set... which I see being either being a system like GURPS perhaps, or a "OSR" game like Old School Essentials for that faux-Dark Souls vibes.
I'm part of the demographic of young Millenial players who've tired of 5E's brand of the dungeon fantasy genre. There's a whole lot of hokey design choices that don't sit well with me but I'm sure appeals to some audience... afterall, they are pretty much the hottest TTRPG on the market. What drew me to GURPS is that it does enable the popular trends in contemporary TTRPGS: emphasis on dramatic character driven narratives in equally colorful, imaginative worlds. Young people love exploring fiction with their idealized characters. Wanna play as the hot pink demon-blooded girl with her magical animal friend? GURPS can do that. Want to do a dark dank cave-crawl with your party of heroines in space power armor fighting subterranean alien monsters? GURPS can do that. GURPS can do all of that. I think the key to getting to younger audiences, and thus new blood into the GURPS fandom, is selling them on the infinite possibilities. GURPS has the seeds for broader market appeal and greater growth but it needs to figure out the secret sauce of getting it into the hands of youngsters I think. |
06-25-2021, 04:01 AM | #125 | |
Join Date: Dec 2020
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Re: How to Be a GURPS GM: Managing Expectations
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It hurts to say that they are much cheaper and have imho better graphics and illustrations than everything SJG offers. The return comes from much more sales and a broader audience, also the earlier used other online stores like drivethrough a lot earlier, which also broadens there player base, most people tend to shop in one place, like computergames where Steam is the big player and the rest has still to make ground. They are a good source of inspiration and can easily be adapted for GURPS.Because of the lack of a actual bestiary, you need to be creative and have to use fan bestiarys for most monsters, adapting the NPCs itself is fairly easy. There IS one drawback since GURPS is much more flexible and let you really play the game you want, sooner or later this adventures all met hack and slash a la DF, as I wrote pretty straightforward adventures. Oh and of course, it´s mostly not even a hint of being pseudorealistic, GURPS is still the best in this. |
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06-25-2021, 01:48 PM | #126 | ||
Join Date: Nov 2012
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Re: How to Be a GURPS GM: Managing Expectations
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Look. You chose a list of optional rules to prove that the non-optional mechanics are not simple. That is inaccurate. Quoting from the introduction to the game: Quote:
GURPS was built with a very simple mechanic to be a very easy game, with optional layers of complexity that can be added or ignored at the whims of the players & GMs. We make it complicated because we like it complicated. Then, sometimes, we gatekeep, using the optional complexity as a way to protect our turf from those other people who don't like complicated games. GURPS is a very simple game to learn. Roll three dice, see what happens. Literally everything else, according to the book as written, is optional. |
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06-25-2021, 01:59 PM | #127 |
Aluminated
Join Date: Feb 2005
Location: East of the moon, west of the stars, close to buses and shopping
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Re: How to Be a GURPS GM: Managing Expectations
As the author of the lion's share of published adventures for the dungeon fantasy line, I must sadly inform you that this isn't nearly as much the case as one might hope. Quite the contrary, as my royalty statements never fail to remind me. I mean, they sell well enough to justify my continuing writing them, but the real money makers are elsewhere.
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06-25-2021, 02:08 PM | #128 | ||
Join Date: Nov 2012
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Re: How to Be a GURPS GM: Managing Expectations
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The literal second paragraph of the book says Quote:
I reiterate my statement. GURPS is simple. Roll three dice, see what happens. Last edited by Tuk the Weekah; 06-25-2021 at 02:15 PM. |
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06-25-2021, 04:24 PM | #129 | |
Join Date: Dec 2020
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Re: How to Be a GURPS GM: Managing Expectations
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Sadly selling well enough to justify the continued effort is actually a part of the GURPS standard. Changing it needs new players, which needs new products, which needs money and that is the point where the cat is biting herself in the tail. The reason for and why that is so should better be a own thread. As for the Adventure sales thanks for the update about it, it seems to be part of the same problem as above. |
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06-25-2021, 07:47 PM | #130 | |
Join Date: Aug 2004
Location: Saskatoon, SK
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Re: How to Be a GURPS GM: Managing Expectations
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