YouTube: Nosh Solo, Keep on the Borderlands

 

Nosh Solo is doing a fantastic series of solo plays on YouTube, going through the classic Keep on the Borderlands with GURPS 4e. We get seven 100-point characters, built off Dungeon Fantasy templates, going through the adventure. This started a few weeks ago, and it rocks. Let's show our YouTube creators some love and support this weekend!

This is like listening to a fantasy adventure podcast for GURPS, and it inspires me. This is so well done, and it needs more views, comments, likes, and attention.

This is like a look into an "alternate universe" where Steve Jackson Games got the rights to D&D and used the GURPS rules for the game. It is such a different experience, much more story-based, much more gritty and realistic, and a far better "narrative game" than even the "narrative-focused" games we have in the hobby today.

Grounded, gritty, realistic, historical, and hard-hitting fantasy? GURPS does it the best.

And this is one of the best solo plays in GURPS, and it is currently being developed! This hasn't ended yet, and it is time to jump in, follow along, comment, and join in the fun. We have seven so far, and catching up is not that hard and quite enjoyable.

If you start a podcast or live play series this weekend, definitely make it this one.

Video: Review: ACKS Imperial Imprint

 

We have an excellent video review of ACKS II today over on the Dungeons and GURPS channel, but this isn't all a review of another game, this is a great compare and contrast with GURPS, where GURPS does some things better (character & combat), and ACKS does most of the rest better.

ACKS II also removes the OGL and a lot of the OSR assumptions, and the review points this out, which is wonderful to see. I agree, most of the advice on how to run games you find on YouTube is slop, and listening to many creators on how to run a game will not only damage your enjoyment of the game, but I feel that it will eventually make you leave the hobby, disappointed and frustrated. And this bad advice comes from both 5E creators and OSR creators.

ACKS II also continued the de-OGL-ification of fantasy gaming, moving away from generic fantasy and into the creator's vision of a world and a game system. This is still a dungeon game, but there is enough different here to make players careful about their assumptions. Too often I find in OSR games "a green dragon is a green dragon" and the mystery, thrill, and unexpected elements are completely removed just to please the nostalgia gods. ACKS II does some of the familiar, but adds a lot of new.

This is also why I like the Pathfinder 2 remaster, they reinvented dragons to a point where you do not know what to expect when encountering one, and it isn't the same old same old. I like the concept of kitchen sink fantasy, but I abhor the predictability to where everything becomes a well-known block of stats that everybody knows. When players encounter a monster, there should be a fear of the unknown, and they will learn about the monster's strengths and weaknesses as they fight it! They will need to adjust and think on their feet, and this process of threat and discovery makes the game exciting and fresh.

Too much of the OSR puts monster stats, treasure, and magic on pedestals and expects nothing to ever change. Since creators have had to leave the OGL behind, we are seeing a renaissance in designs, content, and fresh ideas entering the hobby. ACKS II is one of those games.

Check this video out! I watched all the way through, liked, and I am subscribed to this excellent channel. It is a great video on how to GURPS-ify a system you like, and use the best parts while playing the game you love.

YouTube: Solo Dungeon Fantasy, Vehicle Combat, and Live Play

Wow, we have a trio of cool videos to check out today, and the YouTube creators are really stepping up their games and putting out some great videos! All of these are new within the last day, and they are worth watching, giving views and likes, and supporting the GURPS YouTubers. To have so many cool videos dropping in one day is amazing, and I love to see the flood of GURPS content!

A GURPS vehicle combat example is a rare example of play and excellent for learning the game.

Imagine a video that's specifically tailored to your needs as a solo Dungeon Fantasy player. This is it! This video is a perfect starting point for those of us who prefer to adventure alone.

We also have a live play to watch and support. We love our live-play channels, which help spread the word about how great GURPS is for groups and streaming.

How did I find these? My search link is on the sidebar. Make your gaming world positive with the videos and creators we like that support our community, and avoid the constant drama and clickbait streams in the 5E world. Seeing people excited about playing, making games, and talking about playing makes me excited and keeps me positive and happy when I think about my games and recreation time.

Play games you love, immerse yourself in positive content, and be happy about your hobby.

YouTube: GURPS: 5th Edition Changes | What It Needs

Today, a compelling video discusses the potential 5th Edition of GURPS and its needs. Your diverse range of opinions on this potential edition is invaluable, and I'm eagerly looking forward to hearing from each and every one of you.

One comment mentioning SWADE is spot-on. I have always felt SWADE was designed as a rules-light GURPS; the characters are put together similarly, and the point values and picks are greatly simplified. As a model for a simplified GURPS, SWADE is very close.

This is really a great discussion starter. Go and watch, like, and subscribe. As a community, these are good discussions to have and make heard.

Some may feel the 4th Edition is just fine, with a few simplifications and clean-ups. House rules can help solve many problems, such as the archery issue mentioned.

The game's basic rules are refreshingly simple. Compared to the action economy in Pathfinder 2 and the complexity of high-level play in 5E, GURPS is more straightforward in many ways. You don't need a PHD in GURPS to enjoy the game; the GURPS Lite model and theater of the mind is how many groups play.

You need to pay attention during character design, but that is a hobby inside the game. I enjoy character design in GURPS 4E.

The game can need a college degree when you play with every rule, but that is different from how it is played in most cases. Have you ever tried playing high-level Pathfinder 1e by every rule? Arguably, GURPS is easier.

I am sure 4E will continue to be sold and supported for years, even if a 5E comes out.

An excellent video today; check it out.

Live Play: Crypt of Krysuvik Episode 03

Another video today! A Dungeon Fantasy live play series? This episode went up 12 hours ago?

Sign me up! I am watching from the beginning. Any GURPS live plays are fantastic to see, and let's get out there and support them.

YouTube: An Ode to GURPS

Welcome to the vibrant and diverse GURPS community, where our wide and deep reach is a testament to the multitude of play styles and opinions. From the rules-light theater of the mind to full hex-based wargame simulation, there are countless ways to create and play. Our differences of opinion on what works for our games and what doesn't are not a point of contention, but a celebration of our unique characteristics that unite us.

Dungeons & GURPS makes many incredible videos, and I love his honesty. Our community celebrates differences in opinion and approach. This is one part of the GURPS community that I love. We all love the same game; nobody plays it the same way, and discussions and opinions are celebrated as a testament to our individuality and differing play styles. You can't answer "What is GURPS?" since the answer depends on the group playing it. 

It is like asking a family, "What is dinner?" Dinner could mean many things to many families, and it isn't all the same. Some dine out, some do picnics, some get around the table, some do cookouts, some eat quietly together, some do takeout, others laugh and share stories, and others gather around a TV. Some do a set of these things, and others mostly do dinner the same way.

And the GURPS community is one where we never argue about "how to have dinner."

We just sit down and eat, and everyone finds a place to enjoy the game together.

Every group plays GURPS differently, and that way reflects the individuality of the group that comes together. Contrast this with many other games, which assume "the books are the rules we must all follow to the letter" for some fast-food-like reason, like "so we can always find games." The D&D community suffers from this rigid thinking (and I see this from the AD&D to 5E), and I hope they open their minds and realize how play and rules diversity are strengths, not weaknesses.

Don't celebrate a game or edition; celebrate your group and how it likes to play together. GURPS is malleable, like putty, and will morph to fit many play styles.

This fantastic, positive, and fascinating video has many excellent points and deep thoughts. The points on D&D's "race plus class" combos "being the character" are spot-on. GURPS asks you, "Who are you?" before you answer the question, "What am I?"

Check this one out; it is a fantastic video worth listening to!

YouTube: Going Solo: Shadows of the Old Subway

A new GURPS YouTube video is up today; this is a solo play session in Roll20! I love solo play in GURPS; it is one of the most highly rewarding experiences these days, with your characters advancing naturally and along any path you can imagine.

With a leisurely three-hour runtime, this new GURPS YouTube video is perfect for a relaxing afternoon. Treat it like a podcast and let the world of GURPS unfold around you. There's a fascinating discussion of the game's history, and plenty of information for newcomers to absorb.

I love my sidebar link; it gives me daily GURPS content and keeps me out of 5E YouTube and all the negativity over there. You are what you watch; embrace creativity, positivity, the things you love, and the communities you want to participate in. Don't let the algorithm rule your life - be the algorithm and find the good stuff on the less-traveled paths.

And support the GURPS channels on YouTube! Changing the tabletop narrative about GURPS is as easy as enjoying the videos made for our community.

This one has nine views and two likes, so let's go over and enjoy the show!