Possible additions to the GURPS ruleset

[Spyke]

Anything more than a character creation game aid is a problem, because at that point it's not just like a game in your living room; it's more like a "computer game."

This is the key line in the policy. It makes it very clear that while character generators are OK, anything that automates the character sheet or builds the rules into the interface is not.

I also have my own experience with the GURPS 3e ruleset for GRiP to draw upon. This did exactly in GRiP what people are asking for here for Fantasy Grounds, and Steve Jackson himself emailed me to get it removed from distribution. That was a few years ago now, and things may have changed -back then they wanted to push ahead with their own GURPS Online project - but the fact of the matter is that if we want to develop more automation we need to get it approved by SJG.

All that would take time. My overtures to SJG over GRiP took months, I recall. My preferred approach is to build the ruleset in accordance with the policy and develop its user base. Then when it is seen to be popular we'd have a lot more weight behind a discussion with SJG.

As I've said above, I'm not convinced that automation is necessarily a good thing. Having the GM's screen tables to hand would be useful, but as DB pointed out above, you can do that quickly for yourself by loading images of the tables into FG for your own use.

Spyke

[Spyke]

That is so basic and useful it can be included in the README file.

Hm, since the ruleset is now included in the updates of the program (BTW, kudos for that, Spyke!) I think it hasn't a README file anymore.

The distribution does still have a readme in the zip along with the installer. I could add a section on tips there, but it strikes me that a "GURPS with FG2" tips and tricks document would be useful as a download from my site. I could put a pdf together, or even package it as a module.

I must grab the tips and tricks discussion from Four Ugly Monsters before it closes.

Spyke

[Spyke]

Hm, since the ruleset is now included in the updates of the program (BTW, kudos for that, Spyke!)

DB, it's the D&D 4e ruleset that's included in FG2 updates, not GURPS. At least not as far as I'm aware.

Spyke

[demonsbane]

This is the key line in the policy. It makes it very clear that while character generators are OK, anything that automates the character sheet or builds the rules into the interface is not.

You're completely clear on this, Spyke. I hope a new approach to SJG can result in more permissiveness for developing some automation features in the ruleset, despite I don't see them as completely essential and I already posted my view on this -other users are disagreeing, of course, no problem.

Meanwhile I think the current GURPS ruleset can be extended and improved in ways not violating the current permissions, so I agree with you:

My preferred approach is to build the ruleset in accordance with the policy and develop its user base. Then when it is seen to be popular we'd have a lot more weight behind a discussion with SJG.

However you know a drawback of that is so many people wants automation, macros, and that's a reason/excuse for picking other Virtual Tabletops as MapTools even if it has little to do with the Virtual Tabletop experience offered by the FG 2 interface.

The distribution does still have a readme in the zip along with the installer. (...)

That's great. A section of tips is going to be great! However by receiving the ruleset via FG 2 automatic updates I'm failing to find that ZIP file. Sometimes I'm exceptionally absent-minded, though.

[Spyke]

However you know a drawback of that is so many people wants automation, macros, and that's a reason/excuse for picking other Virtual Tabletops as MapTools even if it has little to do with the Virtual Tabletop experience offered by the FG 2 interface.

A pdf showing the Fantasy Grounds experience with GURPS, including the tips and tricks, might go some way to helping there.

The automation with MapTool is a tricky one, as in my opinion they're contravening the online policy there. However, that is a matter for that community and SJG. A blind eye seems to have been turned to it so far, and that can give us some encouragement, but I'd still be uncomfortable building this into my ruleset without clearing it with SJG first.

Spyke

[demonsbane]

Having the GM's screen tables to hand would be useful, but as DB pointed out above, you can do that quickly for yourself by loading images of the tables into FG for your own use.

Since the GM's screen tables are owned by many GURPS GMs and maybe players, a tutorial with pictures around here showing how to crop the tables and charts for introducing them as Fantasy Grounds 2 images -arranged in categories in the images tab- could be nice and very useful to many people. Even if the process is simple enough, it's not a standard procedure for any user because it conveys the use of a graphical application and a way to pick PDF sheets for converting them to graphics, and a familiarity with Fantasy Grounds 2.

So people having purchased and owning the GURPS GM Screen (in paper, for scanning it, or the PDF version) could easily implement it to Fantasy Grounds by 2 following the tutorial, cropping it into useable charts. That can encourage people to try Fantasy Grounds 2 with this ruleset, instead picking other VTTs "because I don't know enough of graphic design for doing such nice things, that unfortunately are out of my reach".

Right now I can't do such tutorial myself, but I already posted some images about what I was doing in this thread. Anyone interested in this can see the screenshots for himself and do it if he wants, or do the tutorial for the community, too... or maybe he come with better ideas!

[mr_h]

You can also drag the 3d6 out of the box and roll them, which effectively gives you what you want now.

Spyke

You know, in all the time that I used FG, I don't think I've ever known that. Hah

Regarding the GM Screen Module, I have the PDF too and at any rate, because it's impossible to open any PDF within Fantasy Grounds 2, I cropped tables and text fragments for opening them as JPG images while gamemastering with FG 2. But a way for making a basic GURPS framework as you are pointing with the GM Screen Module would be much better for the ruleset. The drawback is I'm sure SJG isn't going to allow it (I would like to be wrong)!

That's exactly what I want. The combat cards, and GM Screen stuff in there. One of these days I have to sit down and crop the PDF...just need to find the time

[demonsbane]

That's exactly what I want. The combat cards, and GM Screen stuff in there. One of these days I have to sit down and crop the PDF...just need to find the time

A nicely laid tutorial with a list of the basic charts can be encouraging, and a time saver regarding how to do it and what tables to include .

[mr_h]

A nicely laid tutorial with a list of the basic charts can be encouraging, and a time saver regarding how to do it and what tables to include .

Someone should do that.

Not me...my tutorials tend to be "Do this...then do that...no, that...not that, that....no...move over, I'll do it."

*IT Tech support rubs me the wrong way sometimes....:b*

[ronnke]

The 4e Combat Card could be reproduced into the FG ruleset, as SJG gives express permission to do so. The tables and such that appear in the GM screen might be violating copyright.

Combat Card Statement:
"GURPS Combat Cards is a free game
aid. Permission is granted to photocopy
these pages and duplicate this electronic
file freely, as long as the copyright notice
remains attached."

In my opinion I think it is the combat cards that would get the most benefit from being included as a library in the GURPS ruleset. It is something the "players" would reference often, at least in the beginning.

The GM's screen would be a bonus, but I think it is far from essential. Personally, I find it easier to the GM's screen that I got from e23. I have it printed and laminated, so whenever I need to look up I just grab it.

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Another feature which could be cool. I've been playing with the maps and pointers scripts lately, and I thought that it would be really cool, if when drawing the arrow pointer, it displayed the Range Penalty. This would be an online policy violation, but it is a feature to consider for it/when we get some approval from SJG.

It might be a good idea to create a sticky'ed thread to have just a list of features with no discussion.