From: seawasp@vm2.cis.pitt.edu (Sea Wasp)
Newsgroups: rec.games.frp.misc,rec.games.frp.advocacy
Subject: Re: Newbie System?
Date: 9 Oct 92 14:55:47 GMT
Followup-To: rec.games.frp.misc
Organization: University of Pittsburgh
Originator: seawasp@unixd2.cis.pitt.edu

In article <1992Oct9.095059.18549@oz.plymouth.edu> sos@oz.plymouth.edu (Steffan O'Sullivan) writes:
>If you have an experienced GM, I recommend GURPS.  With an experienced
>GM, GURPS can be learned as quickly as the simplest system out there,
>because, from the player's point of view, there are very few mechanics
>(if he has a premade character).  The GM needs to be well-versed in the
>game, however, and make all the characters for the first game.  I have
>taught GURPS every summer for the last five years in a Ventures in
>Learning program with 5th-9th graders, total novices, and they all
>caught on within ten minutes.  I have also taught more resistant
>adults, and they took about 15 minutes to learn.

	Huh?

	I guess I AM dense. I've played GURPS several times now, and I
STILL haven't learned it -- nor do I expect to any time soon.

	Of course, I suppose that depends on what your definition of
"learn" is. If you mean, "can roll the dice on command with a vague
clue as to what might be going on", okay, I'd agree. But I think any
system can be taught to THAT extent in 15 minutes. If you mean what
I mean by "learn" -- know where everything you need is in the books,
be able to create characters quickly and efficiently, know the pitfalls
and advantages of the system -- then I doubt you can learn GURPS or
any other MAJOR system in less than several months.

	My own recommendations for a newbie system are heavily dependent
on the genre preferred by the new players and the kind of stuff they've
been exposed to. For example, if you had people who had heavy exposure
to, say, the lighter Anime, like Urusei Yatsura, then TFOS (Teenagers 
From Outer Space) would be ideal: all d6s, no deaths, fun, simple, and
FAST. I decided to run a game of this on impulse one day, and I picked up
the book, had the players create characters, and in one hour (from the
time I told them we were trying a new game) we were rolling on the
floor laughing at the first stupid situation.

	If the prospective players are into more serious stuff, then
you have to start looking around more carefully. GURPS I would actually
recommend if for no other reason that that it's got mechanics which
are ready-made for ALL genres.

	For Superheroes, I'd recommend Marvel SuperHeroes as the best
newbie Supers game.

	For space gaming, I have to agree with some other posters and
say Star Wars. There's no simpler system available for space gaming, and
you can't match its recognition factor.

	For fantasy gaming... I have to confess that the old Tunnels and
Trolls seemed awfully well-made for this kind of thing.

	If you've got good acting-out types and people who've read the
books, AMBER is actually a very simple system -- bidding isn't tough,
and the rest of it is a point system, like GURPS only simpler. But if
you don't understand the background you are screwed.

	If it's  just a couple of newbies and a fair number of 
experienced players, just assign a player or two to assist and play
whatever you usually do.


                                 Sea Wasp
                                   /^\
                                   ;;;
Newsgroups: rec.games.frp.misc