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Old 12-20-2011, 10:37 AM   #1
entitivity
 
Join Date: Sep 2006
Default GURPS Action parkour: Modifications for realism?

GURPS Action 2: Exploits contains a set of useful rules for parkour (p.19). However, GURPS Action is avowedly for cinematic campaigns, with realism left at the door. Does anyone have suggestions for realistic modifiers for the cool parkour actions in GURPS Action (e.g., Diving, Running Climb)?
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Old 12-20-2011, 11:07 AM   #2
Dunadin777
 
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Default Re: GURPS Action parkour: Modifications for realism?

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Originally Posted by entitivity View Post
GURPS Action 2: Exploits contains a set of useful rules for parkour (p.19). However, GURPS Action is avowedly for cinematic campaigns, with realism left at the door. Does anyone have suggestions for realistic modifiers for the cool parkour actions in GURPS Action (e.g., Diving, Running Climb)?
Without having Action or any of its companions, here's my guess.

Most involved Parkour stunts are carefully planned, but choreographed to look improvisational. Cinematic parkour stunts are just as cool as the carefully prepared ones, but always portrayed as completely spur-of-the-moment, so I'd apply negative TDMs to negate the full preparation bonus that the cinematic rules assume. Perhaps a base penalty of -6 to cinematic parkour stunts?
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Old 12-20-2011, 11:32 AM   #3
vierasmarius
 
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Default Re: GURPS Action parkour: Modifications for realism?

Take a look at the Acrobatic Movement section in Martial Arts (pg.105). It includes some of the same options (eg Sliding, Spinning) and some similar ones that were simplified for Action (Tic-Tacs became Running Climb). The modifiers in both books are pretty similar, so I don't think the Action rules are really that unrealistic - they just gloss over some of the complexity. For example, Diving should be usable as is... but for an opening smaller than a 1yd x 1yd square, the acrobat would have a penalty equal to SM. Strictly enforcing TDMs should make such maneuvers only feasible to characters of exceptional skill.

Another option to make on-the-fly acrobatics more difficult would be something along the lines of the situational awareness rules from Tactical Shooting. Basically, it takes time to analyze your surroundings and plan a route through it. Without taking that time, the GM wouldn't even tell the player what TDMs he'd be dealing with, and only a broad overview of the layout. A Per-based Acrobatics roll would let him plan a route, but would be at a substantial penalty if trying to do it fast.
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Old 12-20-2011, 11:49 AM   #4
pieclone
 
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Default Re: GURPS Action parkour: Modifications for realism?

Certain tricks will be part of a traceur's basic repertoire whilst other more complex manouevres will be practiced in a safe environment. An example from Casino Royale where the traceur swings through a window atop a door (something that was seen previously in Banlieue 13 featuring David Belle) would be practiced multiple times in a training environment, usually a gym with foam blocks in the place of the window's frame and when the technique can be completed without error then it would be implemented IRL in front of the cameras.

There are plenty of videos on youtube of basic parkour techniques, particularly one featuring David Belle (again) making his way across the city - he uses basic jumps, swings, flips, wall climbs (including reversals), drops and rolls and so on. I'd have to agree with Dunadin777 and suggest TDMs for certain techniques - these will vary a bit too much to give specific examples but I'd say between -2 to -6 depending on factors like speed, clothing, familiarity, size of target to be leapt/jumped/slid under etc.

On preview - I really like the idea using situational awareness from TS - an excellent suggestion.
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Old 12-20-2011, 02:24 PM   #5
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Default Re: GURPS Action parkour: Modifications for realism?

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Originally Posted by vierasmarius View Post
Another option to make on-the-fly acrobatics more difficult would be something along the lines of the situational awareness rules from Tactical Shooting.
Yep. It's not that the Action rules make the physical actions taken too easy. It's just that, realistically, the character needs a lot more information about his surroundings than he could reasonably get while on the run if he expects to perform his stunts safely. If he's very skilled at Urban Survival (the go-to skill for this, unless you have Area Knowledge for the specific neighbourhood), he may be able to parkour in real time, but given the basic -4 for Situational Awareness if you are acting every second, he needs really high skill.
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