Re: [DL] why Deadlands Gurps?

["John Goff" <JohnGoff@deadlands.com>]

> can someone please explain to me what the significance is of having
Deadlands converted to the GURPS system?  it's going to be the same game
just with a different set of rules?  why not just use the traditional setup?
what does the GURPS system offer that PEG cannot?  <

Honestly, GURPS offers merely a different approach to the rules. Not
necessarily better, not necessarily worse, just different. It's kind of like
comparing the way Italian cooking uses green peppers to how Chinese cooking
uses green peppers; some folks like them one way, some the other.

Largely, for two very broad reasons: One that works for PEG and one that
works for SJGames.

First, it broadens the fan base for Deadlands. Since the notice appeared on
SJGames' website, it's stirred some discussion among the GURPS gamers on
Pyramid (Granted much of it rapidly moved off-topic to California falling
into the sea, but that's pretty typical drift for any gaming
discussion...<g>). However, I saw at least one poster mention he'd never
even considered Deadlands, but now that GURPS was doing it, he was going to
have to look into it. GURPS has a large base of enthusiasts who are more
likely to take a look to the Weird West if it's translated to GURPS terms,
than if they have to learn a new system to do so.

SJGames, on the other hand, gets a completely developed world, which we've
spent years developing and detailing. GURPS has all the rules it needs; what
SJGames looks for now is setting material to apply it to and the more
interesting and unique the setting, the better. Deadlands is both
interesting and unique, so it fits the bill. Also, there has been a recent
surge of Steampunk enthusiasm lately over Austin-way, and IMO nobody does it
neater than we do.

Both companies stand to gain from the conversion. And honestly, Shane, John
H., and I were playing a long-term GURPS Horror campaign back in college
together, and it's kind of neat to see Shane's world be officially
translated into GURPS.

We're still pretty much all game goobers at heart.

John