What is with the lack of GURPS?

No GURPS in LFG. No GURPS in this forum. Whats with that?

what IS GURPS???

Generic Universal Role-Playing System. <a href="http://www.sjgames.com/gurps/" rel="nofollow">http://www.sjgames.com/gurps/</a>

Search back a bit. There's a number of GURPS posts. Edit: Not so much in LFG though.

It's cyclical in nature - sometimes there will be three or four GURPS games looking for players and other times nothing. Roll20 is a great platform for running a GURPS game if you're interested - I've run a six month long game here and then played in another.

Replace GURPS with anything other than D&D, Pathfinder, or other fantasy and you get the same thing. D&D and Pathfinder account for about 90% of the activity in table top role playing games as a hobby.

Alfred P. I share your frustration. As others have pointed out, there is a glut of other games out there, but games that are not niche in nature seem to get relegated to that position. I have searched for a GURPS game on several occasions and even sat in on two different ones, but neither were to my taste. I tried to start one a month or so back for 3rd Edition, "GURPS X-Files: Cold War Blues" but no interest. Not sure if it was time slot, day, the version of the game or what. You might have better luck looking for players in the GURPS G+ community or even the Facebook one, though I have not joined that group. Oh as a side note, a buddy of mine did run GURPS Twilight 2000 for about two months. Initial interest was good but petered out by the second and third sessions. As I have seen this in other games I unclear if it was disinterest in the mechanics, setting, GM or a general prevalence in hosted games on Roll20. With all that being said, my schedule precludes me from running a game at all. I just do not have the time while I am running 5 games. Yes 5! I would however be very interested in playing in one. My schedule at this time only allows me to play on a Wednesday evening, any morning during the week, and anytime at all on a Saturday. I am CST (GMT-6). Even if my schedule does not work, I hope you are able to get a game going, either playing or running. Best of luck!

Add me at mrpops23 on Skype,rpgman. We should talk :)

That nick does not appear on Skype, sorry =(

I would also like to mention that GURPS is much more difficult to GM than a more structured game, like D&D, if you're not going off an existing campaign. For combat-focused games, there's no good way to figure out what would make a good match for your PCs like in D&D. And if you're going for a more puzzle-focused game, well... You have to be clever enough to come up with puzzles that will challenge your players. That issue is pretty much the same in any given game system.

Minor necro: One of the problems looking for a "GURPS game" is that GURPS is a game construction set, so if someone says, "Want to play GURPS?" you have no idea what kind of game it actually is. It could be literally any genre, any power level, using any subset of the rules as written from GURPS Lite to some sort of monster using 12 splatbooks. You might as well write, "Want to play an RPG?" The only exceptions might be if you say "Modern campaign, basic set only" or "Dungeon Fantasy," although even there you'll have things you use and don't use. I'm GMing a long-running GURPS campaign on Roll20 with players I know. Two have played GURPS before (though only 1 is really familiar with 4e), one never played anything except some old school D&D decades ago, and we might be getting another player who as far as I know never played anything. GURPS wasn't the selling point for any of them; the attraction is the campaign setting, description, and flavor, plus whatever negligible rep I might have as a GM. I just happen to like GURPS and what I can do with it, so that's the system I use. As for GMing GURPS, I find it pretty easy all things considered compared to systems like Pathfinder. The core mechanic is very simple and I'm familiar enough with a lot of the goofy subsystems that I can accommodate player requests with no or little delay. Most of the hassle time in prep is finding/building a usable map for a battle sequence. The big stumbling block is character creation, which is a bit daunting. I recommend GURPS Character Assistant since it speeds chargen up immensely. For the players who never played GURPS or anything, I just explain how it works, ask them what sort of character they want, build it, and go over it with them to see if they like it. Not a big deal since as a GURPS GM I have to approve characters anyway.

I just don't like GMing gurps, universal roleplaying systems are too non specific. It doesn't give me enough background, and makes me come up with too much on my own. I'm creative but not enough to create a whole kingdom/space empire.

I have been using a generic system called Cortex for the last couple years now. It may not play like GURPs exactly, but its genre free and I can apply it to whatever I feel like. So far I have ran campaigns/one-shots that have been: Low Fantasy, High Fantasy, Modern, Cyberpunk, Firefly/Serenity, Supernatural(tv show), Supernatural Fantasy(not TV show), Western Fantasy, Sci-Fi, Star Wars, Zombies, Post-Apocalyptic, and many more. Most have been of my own creations sans the Star Wars, Supernatural, and Firefly. I like the freedom.

If you are interested in a low fantasy survival game, we got a single spot open that you may want to check out. <a href="https://app.roll20.net/lfg/listing/10275/the-ethereal-prison" rel="nofollow">https://app.roll20.net/lfg/listing/10275/the-ethereal-prison</a>

To be honest I have not seen GURPS on shelves for @ 10 years (and the Retailer's have other SJG products). Even with D&D the version people know is what was local when they started.

Okay, so is the thread dead then? No one is interested in stepping up and GMing this? Me? I would be interested in playing. Unfortunately I have too many games I am running at this time. I do not have time for another one. If a GM could be found I have some suggestions for game idea: space pulp (Star Trek, Star Wars, etc), western (either a hardcore or pulp), alternate reality (thinking Time Cop for this or Adventure of Luther Arkwright), maybe even a post-collapse zombie game. Just some food (hehheh) for thought.

As a side note, perhaps a series of one-shot adventures based on a genre or sub-genre idea. Pregens provided or a session where people can create their characters with the GMs input so they fit his story idea.

I learned about GURPS a while back and became excited about the possibility of GMing a sci-fi game. However once I actually took a moment to see what I'd need, the sheer number of books overwhelmed me. I'm not that great of a GM and honestly I'd probably need to play first before jumping into the GM seat. If Cortex isn't too complicated, I'll have to check it out.

Cortex is one book. Cortex + might be another book, but I haven't gotten there yet (its the newer version and supposedly better). You can find a PDF of the older version online around. I bought a book off amazon a while ago for like 20$ and its the only book I've needed so far. Its a simple system, and I would say player friendly, and I am willing to demo it if anyone is interested.

I'm running a post apoc sci fi zombie game and it's not gurps it's AFMBE, along with D&D 2e and playing on two others games, a Traveller and a 3.5. The thread was lack of Gurps. I don't see it as dead, just no specific here is the campaign, let's recruit, etc. Gurps can be a tough sell unless people buy into the genre, and are more on the crunchy side of RP. what with all the "no myth gaming" talk going on all over the forums, it's that much tougher. Gurps can be run non crunchy, but I've not usually seen it that way. So really is there a person willing to pick a genre and run it? I'm not that guy. I have GURPS ice age, but my schedule for the next year of gaming is already set up through May 2014. I'm already doing 8 GM sessions and 6 play sessions per month.

8 distinct sessions, or like 2 weekly gm sessions? Regardless, you sir have a busy plate! Also what is the 'myth gaming' you mentioned?

fri sat each week run games (AFMBE, 2e). that's 8 sessions per month. mon thu play games most weeks, (Traveller, 3.5) thats 6 per month. Total 14 nights sitting here running or playing not counting prep work for both games I'm running.

No myth gaming is a style of play where nothing exists unless the GM has described it. No historical myth or background myth, it's created as history as the GM says so. A style out for some 10 years.

I had a streak last year that lasted about two to three months, where I was GMing three nights a week and playing one. All were different groups of people and it was fun, but damn did it burn me out. The Myth gaming seems interesting, though very strange to my experience.

Whisper said: I learned about GURPS a while back and became excited about the possibility of GMing a sci-fi game. However once I actually took a moment to see what I'd need, the sheer number of books overwhelmed me. I'm not that great of a GM and honestly I'd probably need to play first before jumping into the GM seat. Basic set, 2 books. Runs everything. Most of the rest is unnecessary except as guides and research. I will agree that the statblock presentation of the 4e books is terrible for new players.

So they went to 4e also? Glad I stopped at 3e.

Metroknight said: So they went to 4e also? Glad I stopped at 3e. It's an improvement for experienced players/GMs, not a massive redo like D&D 3.5 to 4. If you're familiar with GURPS it's easier. If you're new to GURPS it's presented like an encyclopedia instead of a readable book so they could cut down the page count.

I ran and played gurps since it came out as Man to Man and ran a continous campaign through the edition up to 3rd edition (I think it ran for about 8+ yrs.)

I'm interested in playing a GURPS game. I'm up for just about any genre or setting. PM me if anyone wants to get a game going Fri or Sat night around 8pm central time.

GM Mu said: Whisper said: I learned about GURPS a while back and became excited about the possibility of GMing a sci-fi game. However once I actually took a moment to see what I'd need, the sheer number of books overwhelmed me. I'm not that great of a GM and honestly I'd probably need to play first before jumping into the GM seat. Basic set, 2 books. Runs everything. Most of the rest is unnecessary except as guides and research. I will agree that the statblock presentation of the 4e books is terrible for new players. Isn't there a GURPS LITE for new people with theoretically less crunch so new players can jump in?

GURPS with less crunch? Sounds like Heresy!

The Question said: GM Mu said: Whisper said: I learned about GURPS a while back and became excited about the possibility of GMing a sci-fi game. However once I actually took a moment to see what I'd need, the sheer number of books overwhelmed me. I'm not that great of a GM and honestly I'd probably need to play first before jumping into the GM seat. Basic set, 2 books. Runs everything. Most of the rest is unnecessary except as guides and research. I will agree that the statblock presentation of the 4e books is terrible for new players. Isn't there a GURPS LITE for new people with theoretically less crunch so new players can jump in? Yes and it's a free download to boot.

In the older editions I learned how to make GURPS almost crunchless but that has been many years ago.

Metroknight said: In the older editions I learned how to make GURPS almost crunchless but that has been many years ago. Back when dinosaurs still roamed the earth, and roleplayers used their imagination instead of grid maps? Naw, I'm messing with you Metro; I'm sure GURPs can be made less crunchy regardless of the edition, it's just that I normally only use GURPS LITE, and only for one shots, no one in my group is willing to deal with that much crunch for too long.

The Question said: Metroknight said: In the older editions I learned how to make GURPS almost crunchless but that has been many years ago. Back when dinosaurs still roamed the earth, and roleplayers used their imagination instead of grid maps? Naw, I'm messing with you Metro; I'm sure GURPs can be made less crunchy regardless of the edition, it's just that I normally only use GURPS LITE, and only for one shots, no one in my group is willing to deal with that much crunch for too long. I'd use lite as a guideline. I'd toss out the crunch I didn't want to use.

The Question said: Metroknight said: In the older editions I learned how to make GURPS almost crunchless but that has been many years ago. Back when dinosaurs still roamed the earth, and roleplayers used their imagination instead of grid maps? Naw, I'm messing with you Metro; I'm sure GURPs can be made less crunchy regardless of the edition, it's just that I normally only use GURPS LITE, and only for one shots, no one in my group is willing to deal with that much crunch for too long. Naw, it was just after the ice age and yes about no grid maps. Those battlemaps that you got to layout and use an erasable markers on was the rage. I ran a superhero gurps game for over 6 yrs and that was crunchy. We started out at 500 pnt and the campaign ended with the group hitting the 1100 mark. They saved the world, been to hell in a subway car and back, had a npc chimpanzee that talked in sign language who was trained special forces (he was a pcs sidekick) that was shot by terrorist while storming a hijacked airplane.

The Question said: GM Mu said: Whisper said: I learned about GURPS a while back and became excited about the possibility of GMing a sci-fi game. However once I actually took a moment to see what I'd need, the sheer number of books overwhelmed me. I'm not that great of a GM and honestly I'd probably need to play first before jumping into the GM seat. Basic set, 2 books. Runs everything. Most of the rest is unnecessary except as guides and research. I will agree that the statblock presentation of the 4e books is terrible for new players. Isn't there a GURPS LITE for new people with theoretically less crunch so new players can jump in? GURPS Lite 4e is free yes. It's more limited than GURPS Lite 3e IMO. You can always get GURPS Lite and the free download Caravan to Ein Arris and play it, I think. In 3e Caravan was specifically designed to run with Lite rules; not sure if that's different in 4e. The amount of crunch is entirely up to the play group. I GM with the idea of "let's start out crunch-free, and then if you want we can add more stuff." I'm playing with a small subset of the Basic set, a fair amount from Martial Arts and literally one sentence from Powers. Most of the time, it goes I attack normally, roll 3d6, I defend normally, roll 3d6, I run in this direction in a straight line, and so on. Very fast. When a player says, I want to jump off my horse and attempt to grapple the guy around the neck with one hand while drawing a knife, we can add that bit of crunch if we want. The nice thing is the people who know the crunchy bits can use them if they want, and the players who are more novice don't have to and it doesn't impact their enjoyment. After a while a player might ask, "Can I stab him in the liver?" or, "What if I just push all these giant bugs into that pool of water and play whackamole with my staff?" you can add that little bit of crunch. Side note: The crunchiest moment so far was when one player said, I'm charging directly at this guy here to try and trample him, yes I know my horse isn't war-trained, and try to lance the guy to my right with my broadsword, yes I know it's not a lance, and yes I know those two guys are deliberately trying to trip me with that length of rope. That one second called for 10 rolls (horse control, horse trample, sword attack, stay in the saddle, trip the horse, two defenses, and three rolls to figure out how enemies would react to this ridiculous maneuver). The upshot was one enemy with a sword through his chest, one guy diving for cover, one guy freezing in panic and getting dragged along the ground by a length of rope tangled up in a horse's legs, and the triumphant player character desperately hanging on to the reins with one hand, one foot in a stirrup, flailing around off one side of his bucking horse as it started trotting away from the fight. Amazing moments like that are products of player decisions and randomness and lots of optional crunch, which is why I love GURPS. (It also took less than a minute to resolve.)

Metroknight said: had a npc chimpanzee that talked in sign language who was trained special forces (he was a pcs sidekick) that was shot by terrorist while storming a hijacked airplane . That's 3e Supers for sure.

GM Mu said: Metroknight said: had a npc chimpanzee that talked in sign language who was trained special forces (he was a pcs sidekick) that was shot by terrorist while storming a hijacked airplane . That's 3e Supers for sure. yup that part was but It started out in 2e then evolved with 3e.

Ok, seriously, anyone up for a game fridays or saturdays after 7pm central?

Which edition and is it one shot or not?

4th and on going. Not really planning on GMing it but will if needed.

Don't know 4e and a one shot is more for me because school starts within another week or so.

Metroknight said: Don't know 4e and a one shot is more for me because school starts within another week or so. No worries. 4E is similar enough to 3rd that you shouldn't have a problem.

Let me look through my collections and see what Gurps I have. I won't GM it but I can play a one shot.

Mike H. said: Ok, seriously, anyone up for a game fridays or saturdays after 7pm central? If there was a game played on either of these nights I would like to start earlier. Much earlier. Like around 4.

I'm going to have to decline, I'm more in the one shot category as well, class start next week

Grand Moff Vixen said: Mike H. said: Ok, seriously, anyone up for a game fridays or saturdays after 7pm central? If there was a game played on either of these nights I would like to start earlier. Much earlier. Like around 4. I can't start that early. 7pm is as early as I can start.

Okay I have been waiting to respond for a few days to see if things would "gel" for a game. I am still confused. There appears to be interest, but no GM has appeared? No GM, no time, no day, no game. So is that where we are at?

rpgman2013 said: Okay I have been waiting to respond for a few days to see if things would "gel" for a game. I am still confused. There appears to be interest, but no GM has appeared? No GM, no time, no day, no game. So is that where we are at? Well, as I have mentioned, I am currently in a game looking for a person or two to replace a person who had a rude schedule. As far as I know the slots are still open unless the GM has filled them without adding them to the campaign yet.

None of this ever happens without a GM showing up first, except in rare cases.