GURPS BOTNS

Wombat (and Kieran Mullen), The short answer is that if "GURPS Book of the New Sun" was out, I'd tell you--believe me, I'd tell you. It is not out yet, nor is it slated for publication (although at one point I seem to recall seeing it slated for 1997 . . . that must have been in 1996), nor does it look like it will be. The "Pyramid" article on said project (which Wombat refers to--and thanks for the compliment on the article, Wombat!) was published in issue number four (Nov/Dec 1993). Five years ago (objective time). The first draft of GURPS New Sun was turned in on time and uploaded for playtesting. A year or so went by. Instructions for a pre-final rewrite were handed down. This requested second draft was turned in on time, two or three years ago, and apparently never uploaded for playtest/review. (Turned in by me, I might as well bluntly point out, since I am the author and instigator of the whole cursed project.) It has been used as desk ballast, or so I've been told. Fine vaporware, standing shoulder to shoulder with "GURPS Survivors" and "GURPS Martyrs of Genghis Khan" <g>. At this late date (seven years [objective time] in, but who's counting?), anybody wanting to play something like TBOTNS should probably just buy the science fantasy role-playing game "Fading Suns" (1996) and tweek it a bit. (Since I sense all sorts of copyright infringment or "unacknowledged homage" to Gene Wolfe in "Fading Suns"; but I'm probably just insanely bitter about this and Wombat, with his greater knowledge of the gaming industry and its intersection with the Law, Wombat, I say, could probably point out the fine line which "Fading Suns" doesn't cross. Keywords: "Gods & Demigods" [first edition]; hobbits into bobbits, balrogs into balrons; issues of "look and feel"; etc.) Those on a tight budget could probably squeek by with the "Pyramid" article and Metagaming's "The Fantasy Trip" (1980), or just "Melee" and "Wizard" (1977). =mantis=

Actually, at this point, it would probably be cheaper to buy Gurps: Basic Set than Melee and Wizard.... I'm sorry to hear that GURPS: New Sun got pocket-vetoed by SJGames. I certainly would have bought one, and I've never played GURPS in my life. (GURPS sourcebooks are generally done as labors of love, and they're immensely useful as research guides to, say, ancient Egypt, Imperial Rome, the Crusades, etc. I have half-a-dozen of them, and should probably get more; GURPS: Arabian Nights has the only lucid explanation of classical Arabic names I've ever read, and was of immense help when I was writing the second edition of Eric Goldberg's Tales of the Arabian Nights game.) Wombat, a.k.a. Kevin Maroney kmaroney at crossover.com Kitchen Staff Supervisor, New York Review of Science Fiction http://ebbs.english.vt.edu/olp/nyrsf/nyrsf.html

In message <199811200028.QAA19377 at lists1.best.com>, m.driussi at genie.com writes:

Terribly pity - I'd certainly have bought it if it was available. Both as a Gene Wolfe fan and a gamer, I'd have found it of great interest. Does SJG still have legal rights to the book?

It was a very good article - even non-gamers would appreciate it, as it covers the general history & post-history of Urth. It's quite an impressive piece that taught me more about Urth. Derek

(1) Is it worth pestering SJ Games? If they perceive fan interest, it might help. (2) Would you sell copies of your manuscript? Kieran Mullen Kieran Mullen email: kieran at mail.nhn.ou.edu Dept. of Physics and Astronomy phone: (405) 325-3961 The University of Oklahoma FAX: (405) 325-7557 Norman, OK 73019, USA http://www.nhn.ou.edu/~kieran/