This topic will be used for after action reports on the fourth edition of the GURPS PRIME DIRECTIVE core rulebook.

By John Hall (Fedf111fan) on Tuesday, April 12, 2005 - 03:04 am: Edit

I have been going through GPD4 and it is simply amazing! There is a LOT of new material for people even if they don't play RPGs.

May I suggest for pictures of the 3 subraces for the gorns to be the following:
1) Gihdahr(Green scales)PD4 book page 47:these look the closest to the TOS series gorn.
2) Ghdar(Grey scales) Module R5 page 13
3) Geydar(Brown Scale)Module R6 page 7
these would be the business gorn and the young version was shown in the original PD1 game as part of a trade envoy family.


For the shuttlecraft article on page 186, the size of the shuttlecrafts saeem way too small.
The 1 space is only 7 by 10 feet(2 by 3 meters). The deck plans show closer to 4 by 6 meters. May I suggest to simply double all sizes of the shuttles in length and width?
single =4X6
double=6X8
triple=6X12
quad=8X12

By Nick G. Blank (Nickgb) on Tuesday, April 12, 2005 - 03:28 pm: Edit

Seems like the standard shuttles in the techmanual and what I used on deckplans were about 2.5-3 meters by 6-7 meters in area. Could be wrong though, have to double check.

By Garth L. Getgen (Sgt_G) on Tuesday, April 12, 2005 - 05:33 pm: Edit

From the FJ Tech Manual, the shuttle craft are about 3 meters wide (body ... engines make it 4.75 meters) by about 7.25 meters long (slightly longer if counting the engine).


Garth L. Getgen

By Nick G. Blank (Nickgb) on Tuesday, April 12, 2005 - 06:37 pm: Edit

Right, that's what I have been using.

By Nick G. Blank (Nickgb) on Tuesday, April 12, 2005 - 06:40 pm: Edit

Of course, even that is the "small version." The "shuttle interior" set used in the orignal show was bigger than the "shuttle exterior" mockup used. When actors were in the shuttle there was plenty of room to stand up with space between everyone's head and the ceiling. When they then cut to the outside shot of people climbing out of the shuttle, they obviously had to stoop over quite a bit to get in and out.

Sort of an unintential Tardis Effect.

By Garth L. Getgen (Sgt_G) on Tuesday, April 12, 2005 - 11:15 pm: Edit

You know, 2x3 meters would be good for the passager compartment of a standard shuttle craft....

I don't have GPD4 (yet) -- what exactly does page 184 say??


Garth L. Getgen

By Steve Cole (Stevecole) on Wednesday, April 13, 2005 - 10:07 am: Edit

The GPD data is right and we're not changing it.

By Gary Plana (Garyplana) on Thursday, April 14, 2005 - 12:26 pm: Edit

Knarf, re comments in G4e topic:

Rapid Fire changed in GPD4. I didn't see a need to add something as obvious as the new definition.

We'll add Blunt Trauma.

No room for Innate Attack in GPD4, plus none of the races in GPD4 use them. We decided to defer this section to GF (because the Fralli do use them, correct).

UT fixed, only three flavors: broken, accented, native; the most expensive version goes away.

Monocrys: changed "laser bolts" to "arrows".

Vulcan nerve pinch: no -- Limitations only apply to the cost of buying it. If a non-Vulcan buys this skill (with GM's approval, natch) then they don't get the discount.

I do see your point re how IM modifiers could be applied to Nerve Pinch; certainly a GM can apply them. I'll think about your suggestion, so it may appear in GF.

By Darren Kehrer (Kehrer1701) on Monday, April 25, 2005 - 12:50 pm: Edit

SVC:
Gurps Prime Directive 3e had a cool "prime directive" version character sheet in the back, but I noticed 4th didn't. Could an udpated 3e to 4th edition be created and posted on the prime directive section of the website??

By Steve Cole (Stevecole) on Monday, April 25, 2005 - 02:34 pm: Edit

If somebody does one, we can post it. The one on the SJG site would seem to do just as well.

By Darren Kehrer (Kehrer1701) on Monday, April 25, 2005 - 04:51 pm: Edit

Might link that pdf form to the prime directive part of ADB's prime directive tab....just for kicks.
Just my 2 cents...not worth a whole lot....

http://www.sjgames.com/gurps/resources/CharacterSheet.pdf

By Darren Kehrer (Kehrer1701) on Tuesday, April 26, 2005 - 11:00 am: Edit

Ok, I work for a game store chain in Indiana.
In talking with several of the players that have bought Gurps PD, I found out something interesting which you may or may not expect.
Many players of gurps PD have only bought the PD stuff and have no desire to buy any of the other GURPS 4th ed stuff like the basic set rulebook and campaigns rulebook (which combined make up the main rulebooks of the game). Most of the reason is that they don't want to spend that amount of money for the extra stuff that they don't need: magic rules, etc. What they do want is more of the skills, advantages, disadvantages, etc...that were not included in the Gurps PD main rulebook. So...that brings up something interesting. There was the Gurps PD alpha product that you guys put out. What about doing something simillar for GPD4th ed including much of the extra stuff described earlier in this document as an additional product?? It would be fairly easy for the person writing this stuff as they just create a supplement that includes some extra stuff from the basic gurps 4th ed books (Characters and Campaigns).
This could have a good audience!

By Steve Cole (Stevecole) on Tuesday, April 26, 2005 - 01:20 pm: Edit

Gurps Prime Alpha was a horrible seller; few bought it and we ended up trashing most of the print run. That makes the concept of doing another one kinda ... dubious. The concept that it would have a good audience didn't bear out in the GMPA case. It had a lousy audience.

Another problem is that SJG wants to sell GBS4e and doesn't want us reprinting the whole book, and isn't wildly in favor of us reprinting any more big chunks of it. They understood printing enough in GPD to make it stand-alone, but they don't really want us replacing their entire product line.

In theory, we could have (too late now) included a few pages of such rules in GK and GR just for the heck of it, if SJG had approved. I don't know that they would or wouldn't have, as we never asked.

By Darren Kehrer (Kehrer1701) on Tuesday, April 26, 2005 - 01:24 pm: Edit

It was a just a thought. While Gurps Prime Alpha wasn't a great book, I was more suggesting a similar product that added extra stuff to rules or things that could also be useful.....some extra skills, advantages, etc....
Maybe the d6 version people will be more understanding (compared to SJG) since they just want to get as much product out as they can.
Thanks for entertaining the suggestion.

By Steve Cole (Stevecole) on Tuesday, April 26, 2005 - 01:25 pm: Edit

I don't think you understand the D6 thing at all but this isn't the topic to discuss it.

By Darren Kehrer (Kehrer1701) on Tuesday, April 26, 2005 - 05:14 pm: Edit

ok, I read the other topics and am now up to date.
I will but out...
-Darren

By Will McCammon (Djdood) on Tuesday, April 26, 2005 - 05:25 pm: Edit

It's a shame GURPS Prime Alpha didn't connect with it's intended audience.

Having just recently bought it myself, I really enjoyed it (and I'm more of an SFU fan than an active RPG gamer).

By Gary Plana (Garyplana) on Wednesday, April 27, 2005 - 12:28 am: Edit

MPA wasn't a magazine, wasn't a game supplement, and wasn't a game module, so the stores had NO idea what to do with it.

Which is why the magazine is still up in the air.

By Loren Knight (Loren) on Wednesday, April 27, 2005 - 02:09 am: Edit

Boy, with all the new lines and new source books there really doesn't seem to be any time for a magazine of any sorts for quite some time.

Maybe one the majority of the source books are done there will be room on the schedule but I just don't see how one would be possible for several years to come.

By Loren Knight (Loren) on Friday, May 06, 2005 - 01:54 am: Edit

GPD4e AAR: Page 133, Technology Level List. I reported the placement of 2X as seeming incorrect and the answer I recieved was that this would be fix. 2X Technology (Y205-Y225) is a higher technology level that Dysonian level? It also says that "2X technology is the next generation after the Star Fleet Universe and beyond the scope of GURPS prime directive." Shouldn't that apply to 3X technology? --Loren Knight 5/5/05

By Loren Knight (Loren) on Friday, May 06, 2005 - 02:07 am: Edit

I got interupted. Anyway, since 2X is definately NOT beyond the scope of the SFU--in this vary passage it say y205 to Y225 which is definately IN the scope of the SFU--this passage needs fixing. Now, I can see it being beyond the scope of THIS publication of GPD4e since 2X technology is not developed yet but it is not beyond the SFU history.

I'm also wondering how 2X can be TL15, a full level beyond TL14. How is it that the Alphas totally skip a Tech level suddenly in Y205?

I believe this is going to be a serious point of confusion for players new to the SFU. They will be asking when the Federation starts building Dyson Spheres.

I DID report this way back when. Didn't any body else?

IMO, 2X should be at least TL14. In several places it is mentioned that Dyson Spheres and Tholian medical technology is TL14 but really 2X and Dysonian tech perhaps should be switched (with Dysonian being TL15). Tholian medical Technology can remain TL14. There are several factors that will have the Tholians posessing Dysonian technology before fully integrating TL14 (or 15) into their everyday lives. (SVC, you understand the special reasoning for this I believe.)

OK, that's all.

Staff, what happened here?

Sorry if I'm out of line but this makes little sense to me.

By Loren Knight (Loren) on Friday, May 06, 2005 - 02:26 am: Edit

One more thought on that.

Perhaps a fix, if one can be implemented, would be to make 2X TL14a, Dysonian TL14b and 3X TL 15. Also to mention that 2X technology is Y205 to Y225+.

Eliminate TL16 from the chart altogether.

Since recorded history doesn't go past Y225 doesn't have to mean that's when 3X starts. I would think that the 2X era would extend quite beyond Y225 (how long is, and will remain, unknown).

===EDIT===

I'd like to point out that Tholian Dysonian technology is a unique case, IMO. Real Dysons Spheres should be beyond even 3X technology. Non-SFBers will note that in ST:TNG the encounter with a Dysons Spheres was a marvel of technology. But if we claim that the Tholians are a unique case (which I intend to do...or at least try pending SVC approval) with their small spheres due to their unique technologies then that can fit nicely into the TL14b slot. We then only have to say that the Federation and others COULD begin to engineer such a thing but would never have the resources to spend on such a project... nor the desire; planets work just fine for us.

By Steve Cole (Stevecole) on Friday, May 06, 2005 - 10:03 am: Edit

The chart is correct as printed, so no, I don't think a fix is necessary. GPD stops at Y205 (for now) so the comment on X2 is correct.

2X is correctly TL15. The SFU skips TL14 which is used only for Tholian dyson spheres.

Nothing is wrong. It's just the way we did it.

By Loren Knight (Loren) on Friday, May 06, 2005 - 07:22 pm: Edit

SVC: I feel silly now. If I had only read the next page more carefully (pg. 134) I would have found the very information you posted above.

It all makes sense to me now. Although the line on TL15 (Pg. 133) still throws me a bit in it's wording. While it fine that 2X is beyond the scope of GPD the line also states that 2X is the "next generation AFTER" the SFU. The time line contradicts this.