Quote from: dbm;1097973Two thoughts on this: first, I don't want GURPS to become Savage Worlds or Fate, those niches are already covered. So a complete re-engineering of the system would just serve to alienate the existing player base in a D&D 4e style.

I'd like an evolution rather than a revolution. There are some clunky mechanics that could be smoothed out, much like the transition from 3E to 4E.

Quote from: dbm;1097973Two thoughts on this: first, I don't want GURPS to become Savage Worlds or Fate, those niches are already covered. So a complete re-engineering of the system would just serve to alienate the existing player base in a D&D 4e style.
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Quote from: Aglondir;1098002I'd like an evolution rather than a revolution. There are some clunky mechanics that could be smoothed out, much like the transition from 3E to 4E.

SJG does not have to throw the baby out with the bathwater on this.

They could have a basic / advanced paradigm like TSR did back in the day.

Like I said in my previous posts, a true "Lite" version of Gurps.

Except I would not call it Gurps lite or basic, more like Gurps+ or Gurps 3d6, or something.

Sell it as a complete setting/game system. You'd keep the same stat line, DR, Parry , Block,  so it would be largely "upwards compatible" to main Gurps if someone feels that they want to get their RPG like a man on.

It really wouldn't be that hard to do - looking at Gurps it is more a matter of stripping things away, and universalizing costs. After all, it is just a simple 3d6 roll under skill system, that has had all kinds of additional gunk globed on top of it.

Full Gurps will still be there for the existing fans, But SJG will have a better gateway drug for gamers unfamiliar with SJG offerings.

Quote from: GeekyBugle;1097683From this you use either linux or bsd, so, what about a virtual machine?

I don't even like running Java in my VM's, but when I have to, that's precisely how I run it. I'm sure there are Docker images out there for it now too, but I don't work with Java much anymore so I'm not sure.

Some including SJ might say otherwise, but it seems to me the fastest and best way to learn and play "GURPS Lite" is to play The Fantasy Trip, which SJG just republished.

It's the super-easy-to-learn and play version of the same type of RPG, which also comes has a setting, and several adventures available with quite a few more on the way.

Character creation is easy, and if you're ok with it just being low-tech, it's a great into to the type of game. Most of the main things I like about GURPS are in TFT. I've always related to GURPS as "advanced, detailed, toolbox TFT that addresses the limits of TFT and can be used for any type of game."

It seems to me that TFT checks the complaints mentioned above about ease of learning, simple damage model, fast character generation, existence of a setting to get started with, etc.


(I usually choose to play GURPS in TFT mode - fantasy medieval with lots of detailed tactical combat.)

Quote from: Skarg;1098057Some including SJ might say otherwise, but it seems to me the fastest and best way to learn and play "GURPS Lite" is to play The Fantasy Trip, which SJG just republished.

It's the super-easy-to-learn and play version of the same type of RPG, which also comes has a setting, and several adventures available with quite a few more on the way.

Character creation is easy, and if you're ok with it just being low-tech, it's a great into to the type of game. Most of the main things I like about GURPS are in TFT. I've always related to GURPS as "advanced, detailed, toolbox TFT that addresses the limits of TFT and can be used for any type of game."

It seems to me that TFT checks the complaints mentioned above about ease of learning, simple damage model, fast character generation, existence of a setting to get started with, etc.


(I usually choose to play GURPS in TFT mode - fantasy medieval with lots of detailed tactical combat.)

I find GURPS is at its best for fantasy, largely because of the detailed combat system. I never got the chance to play TFT back in the day, so I'm liking that TFT seems to be hitting my same likes as GURPS but with less fuss, since I have less time for the fuss of 4E.

Quote from: Skarg;1098057It seems to me that TFT checks the complaints mentioned above about ease of learning, simple damage model, fast character generation, existence of a setting to get started with, etc.

I was thinking the same thing. I have it on my shelf but haven't broken it out yet.

Quote from: Jaeger;1097913That's just crazy talk! Quick PC creation is always a plus.

If you're playing a low-lethality, character-intensive campaign, quick PC creation is a minus as it implies lack of depth.

Quote from: Alexander Kalinowski;1098080If you're playing a low-lethality, character-intensive campaign, quick PC creation is a minus as it implies lack of depth.

Ha. That's assuming the players want depth.

Quote from: Rhedyn;1098085Ha. That's assuming the players want depth.

"...character-intensive campaign..."

But, you know, it's kinda ironic that especially the D&D community apparently values quick character generation. Think about it: a lot of these campaigns are going to be Critical Role-style, where you can expect to play your PC till level 20. Think about how many hours of play that is going to entail. And then some of the D&D guys think a 2 or 3 hour chargen is too long - it should be 15 minutes, at best. Makes no sense to me.

Anyway, from a GM perspective I get it - if the campaign is supposed to be more lethal than that. The expected mortality rate of a campaign should potentially pose a limit on chargen. For, the more elaborate the chargen, the more hesitant a GM should be regarding killing off a PC.

Quote from: Alexander Kalinowski;1098094But, you know, it's kinda ironic that especially the D&D community apparently values quick character generation. Think about it: a lot of these campaigns are going to be Critical Role-style, where you can expect to play your PC till level 20. Think about how many hours of play that is going to entail. And then some of the D&D guys think a 2 or 3 hour chargen is too long - it should be 15 minutes, at best. Makes no sense to me.

You're confusing "creating a character" with "generating relevant game stats."

I easily spend 2-3 hours coming up with characters for D&D type games (probably twice that), but only a fraction of that time is actual picking of game mechanics. That part typically does fall in the 15-20 minutes range (maybe upto an hour if its a new system).

Quote from: Jaeger;1097799No one ever said that it would be really helpful if Savage Worlds had a spreadsheet or app for character creation. Ever.

While no one ever said it, HeroLab has a Savage Worlds character generator.  The only generator that includes the source code, which made it easy for anyone writing a Savage Worlds supplement to create their own generator.  Some of them are complicated like Interface Zero.

Thanx everyone for comments.