GURPS X-Com

[Xipe_Totec]

Originally Posted by Durandal

Now, with the fourth edition, would be a good time to group together some x-com geeks and make a good adaptation. Anyone?

as soon as I get my 4th ed book, HELL YEAH!

we did a 3e one-shot of X-com
I took all the stats from the games (1 and 2, not sure about 3), and we did a hasty game.... used quazi X-com sounding names (Peter Fyedorov and such :) ), and had a lot of fun.....

when I get the time, I could post the stats, or even host it on my (ill designed) site?
anyways, let's make something of it..... catch me on my PM! :)

[Winged Cat]

Originally Posted by The Benj

4th ed.:
The Psi-Amp gives you Mind Control.
The Mind Probe... gives you Mind Probe.

And don't forget the gadget limitations.

[The Benj]

Originally Posted by Winged Cat

And don't forget the gadget limitations.

Well, I'd be more inclined to hand them out as equipment. The Gadget rules are for singular items, like Thor's hammer, Mjolnir, or He-Man's Sword of Power.
I'm not talking about either of these giving these Advantages, just working the same way.

Or letting you use Spells.
I'm increasingly warming to the idea of treating it like Spells, and treating these items as raising the Mana level from None to High. So soldiers with no real talent can use any abilites they learn, but those with "Psi Strength" (or Magery, rebadged) are much better.
The distinction between the Mind Probe and the Psi-Amp always struck me as not hugely useful (though it did mean that you didn't just have one item that did all the psi stuff).

[EvilKobra]

I am preparing a 4e X-COM campaign for my group (who are mostly just used to Call of Cthulhu). I'm not planning to follow the original setting 100% faithfully, mostly because there are many things which do not port very well unless the players are mere squaddies thrown into a war that has already begun. Before worrying about the stats for aliens and equipment, my priority is to figure out a more-or-less credible story. To sum up what I've got so far:

X-COM starts out as an *investigation* team with some armed response capabilities. The premise is, a new radar technology is developed in a secret joint European research project, but initial prototypes are dismissed as they seem to be providing frequent false readings... until someone traces some of these readings to reported UFO sightings. The Norwegian air force reluctantly agrees to send a pair of fighter aircraft to investigate one of those readings - and both mysteriously disappear before being able to report visual contact. The incident is hushed, the entire radar project quarantined off, and the heads of the participating countries get together in secret to discuss the situation. Initially, based on some military intel reports, they suspect the Chinese or Americans have developed orbital craft capable of re-entry for combat purposes, although -naturally- the UFO hypothesis is briefly considered. They decide on the creation of a small team consisting of hand-picked members of the military, give them some equipment, support personnel, and control over the radar installation, and charge them with investigating the threat, dealing with it when possible and reporting the findings . While funding is provided through a Swiss account, and "special operations, no-questions-asked" airspace clearance (plus in-air refuelling) is given throughout the participating countries, all other ties are cut in order to maintain secrecy and shield the governments from potential scandals should any knowledge ever reach the public. The team is expected to operate completely autonomously, at least until their primary mission is achieved.


The X-COM personnel:
-A born leader/strategist: in charge of the organisation and all its operations (PC, 250pt)
-A talented military scientist: to gather and evaluate as much info as possible about the threat (PC, 250pt)
-A hardened black-ops infiltrator/assassin: to silence potential witnesses (PC, 250pt)
-A hotshot helicopter pilot: to infiltrate and exfiltrate the team (PC, 250pt)
-A demolitions expert: to remove any evidence that cannot be carried away (PC, 250pt)
-6 special forces troops (NPC, 150pt)
-10 scientists and 10 engineers from the radar project (NPC, 100pt)
-10 miscellaneous support personnel (NPC, 50pt)

The X-COM base is located in an island off the Norwegian coast, far from shipping and airline routes, and contains:
-The [insert cool name here] radar prototype
-A surface-air-missile platform linked to said radar
-A helicopter bay
-A small airstrip
-A well-equipped cross-field R&D laboratory
-A high-tech workshop with advanced materials, electronics, and optical equipment
-A medical centre with surgery and trauma equipment
-Ample storage space

Initial equipment:
-An unarmed, unmarked long-range helicopter
-An unarmed, unmarked small cargo aircraft
-An unarmed, unmarked fishing boat
-A cache of small arms and explosives
-Construction equipment

Eventually, the Russian secret service finds out about the project and sends in an agent -probably a new 250pt PC- to infiltrate the base, find out all she can and report back to Moscow. The final outcome of this -with more or less fuss depending on whether she succeeds or is captured- will be the commitment of the Russian secret service (potentially unbeknownst to their government) to the X-COM cause, supplying a pair of advanced stealth fighters as well as the (psi-capable) agent herself.

I'm still working on the rest of the plot, but I guess once the alien threat is made obvious, it will return to the computer game storyline...

[GoatRider]

Kobra, that sounds awesome! Please tell me you are located in the Twin Cities MN. I'll be the hotshot heli pilot.

[Winged Cat]

Originally Posted by The Benj

Well, I'd be more inclined to hand them out as equipment. The Gadget rules are for singular items, like Thor's hammer, Mjolnir, or He-Man's Sword of Power.

Aren't they for equipment that can be taken away in general? For example, GURPS Magic tells of settings where Magery comes from staves that can be purchased; even though a staff with Staff spell is common equipment, it's still an Advantage with Gadget limitations. I was thinking this might be the same general concept.

Originally Posted by The Benj

I'm not talking about either of these giving these Advantages, just working the same way.

Hmm. Where does the break come, between equipment - even unusual equipment, not just guns/swords and armor - and Advantages?

Originally Posted by GoatRider

Kobra, that sounds awesome! Please tell me you are located in the Twin Cities MN. I'll be the hotshot heli pilot.

Or if you're located near Silicon Valley (or playing online), and looking for someone to play the scientist...

[The Benj]

Originally Posted by Winged Cat

Aren't they for equipment that can be taken away in general? For example, GURPS Magic tells of settings where Magery comes from staves that can be purchased; even though a staff with Staff spell is common equipment, it's still an Advantage with Gadget limitations. I was thinking this might be the same general concept.

This section says nothing of them being common equipment. They're still powerful, rare items which you almost certainly wouldn't give to just anyone who wanted one.
Psi-Amps (while expensive to make and requiring rare materia) are equipment which can be issued to anyone.
Also, if staffs that give you bonus Magery were an available item, I wouldn't make people pay points for it. Just like I don't make them pay points for a wand of Fireball. It's an item that's part of the world, not part of the character's "thing".

Hmm. Where does the break come, between equipment - even unusual equipment, not just guns/swords and armor - and Advantages?

That is an excellent question and one without a clear answer.
My personal answer is: Gadgets are items that are not generally available in the campaign, except for "plot" reasons.
Basically, if it's not part of the established game world, but part of the character concept, it's a Gadget.
I use it pretty much exclusively for gear for Supers. Advanced power armour, smoke guns, Green Lantern rings, etc.

[EvilKobra]

Alas, I am based in the Netherlands. Kinda far from either Twin Cities or Silicon Valley :-)

The campaign is being prepared with a specific player group in mind (one each from Belgium, Netherlands, Spain, Italy, France and UK... hence the Euro-bias of the plot), but it might not be a bad idea to also do an online run at some point... I'll post here if anything new comes up.

[The Benj]

Actually, looking at the Gadget Limitations section, it pretty neatly lays out the "when do I charge points?" issue:

Originally Posted by Gadget Limitations, b116

...he should charge points only for items that even the most advanced technology could not produce (eg. a ring that bestows Luck) - and even then, only if those items are not for sale at any price in the game world.

[Durandal]

As soon as I get back my borrowed characters book, I'll try to make a template and some nasty aliens.

For what I remember, the x-com boxes came with a booklet, with some stories and background. Anyone remembers this?