From: doug@abby.chem.ucla.edu
Newsgroups: rec.games.frp.misc
Subject: Re: GURPS character questions
Date: 3 Sep 92 19:49:41 GMT
Reply-To: doug@abby.chem.ucla.edu
Organization: Department of Chemistry, UCLA

In article <1992Sep1.161230.58558@cc.usu.edu>, sl9b4@cc.usu.edu (Deep Six) writes:
>Hello,
>
>I have some questions for GURPS GMs about experience points, character
>generation and character developement.
>
>First, in your campaign, how many points and how much starting money 
>do your players get to build characters? How many characters do the
>players have? Please mention the type of campaign/setting when you 
>answer.

Depends on what sort of game I want to run.  If I want to run my usual
somewhat-better-than-Average-Joe-caught-up-in-saving-the-world sort of game, I
give them the standard 100 points and $1000.  When I wanted to run a more
high-powered game, I gave out 200 points and assigned appropriate equipment
(subject to player request) after seeing the character.  To date, I have only
run Fantasy, but I'm pondering running an Uplift game at a con here in LA in
February, and I'll probably give 150 points (and whatever equipment seems
appropriate... money won't be important), but the characters will be pregen so
who cares?

>Second, how much experience do you award? Do you award individual 
>experience to players/characters who play well or do something out-
>standing? What do you award experience for? What things do you look 
>for when deciding how much experience you will give?

Depends on how fast I want the characters to advance (which, in turn, depends
on how long I envision the campaign lasting how I plan on bringing it to a
climax, and how tough the characters need to be to cope with the ending I've
thought of, which will of course bear little resemblance to the ending I
actually use).  I *DEFINITELY* award individual experience.  Part is for
roleplaying, and (if appropriate) part for just general survival and
performance in the clutch.  I generally go by a general impression of what the
PC did more than anything specific.  Usually on the order of 3 points per
session, but it varies quite a bit.

>Finally, when do you give experience? Let's say you begin a sceanrio --
>the players leave on a trip, go into a battle or embark to solve some
>problem. You get half way through the event and the game ends for the
>evening. Do you award experience? Must the characters seek training to
>use their experience points? If you do award experience ``mid-adventure,''
>do you put limits on how the characters can use their points? Limits
>such as they are only able to improve skills they have used during that
>session/game? 

I give experience at the end of each session.  I do put some limits on how the
characters can use their points (no learning of new skills without a teacher or
significant default use, and some time requirements for learning new spells,
and no boosting of unused skills).  I don't require training to increase a
skill a character knows unless they haven't used it otherwise.

>I know the guidelines that the Basic Set gives, so no quoting please. I 
>know other GMs who depart from the rules, and I am just looking for more 
>opinions. Thanks.


Hope that helps,

-Doug Gibson
 doug@abby.chem.ucla.edu

Neither UCLA nor the National Science Foundation has a clue what I am doing.
They just pay me to do it.

"We have to tear you to shreds because we care." - EAC
Newsgroups: rec.games.frp.misc