Thoughts on the game?

I just picked this one up at the local gaming store but decided to pass on the Klingon book they had as it seemed way too much off base in terms of regular Trek continuity.

My question is how self contained is this ruleset? Do I need to buy any of the other GURPS books to have a complete system? For instance, do I need GURPS SPACE?
From my readings thus far it looks like I won't be needing the GURPS basic set for character generation and such since all that is in Prime Directive. It doesn't really look like ship conbat is that complete though. Do they expect people to play Starfleet battles or federation commander to cover this?

I have to say this version of GURPS Prime Directive is much better than the original non-GURPS version which I have to say was one of the worst Trek RPG things I ever read. Much improved.

Well, historically, the reason their Klingons are 'off-base' from Trek continuity is they are explictly forbidden from using anything other than the original series and, potentially, the animated series. Think of the universe described in the Prime Directive rulebooks as an 'alternate history' of Trek, and you've got the right idea.

That said, you don't strictly need anything other than the Prime Directive books to run a game of it - every GURPS rule needed for playing PD is in that book, with the exception of space combat. Assuming you got the latest edition of GURPS Prime Directive (the one that uses fourth edition GURPS rules), they're planning on releasing a book detailing space combat at some point in.. 2007, if I recall right, and since space combat hasn't been detailed for fourth edition at all - and GURPS space combat systems, historically, tend to cleave largely to real-world physics (ie: are generally newtonian) - there's no real book that would deal with that problem - you're probably going to be stuck ad-hoccing it. Sorry.

So, wait... they made a Trek RPG without spaceship combat rules?

That's like... like... D&D having this vague "Oh, and you can pick up magical rings and shit, just handwave it," thing in the back of the DMG.

Well, they make the point in every book (st least the ones I picked up) that it's NOT a Star Trek RPG - it's a Star Fleet Universe game. As for a space combat system, it is quite explicit that you are expected to use Star Fleet Battles as a combat system until such time as GURPS 4e Space is out (completely out of their hands) and they they can do their adaptation.

Or, alternately, they decide to do a space combat system for their other versions - the one interesting thing about the 'new' Prime Directive is that they made it a point to release it for alternate systems. Now if only they could get a reliable writer for D6 Prime Directive (my system of choice, which is going to have a 'basic' space combat system built in), I'd be happy and running my own game of PD.

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Originally Posted by Owen E Oulton

Well, they make the point in every book (st least the ones I picked up) that it's NOT a Star Trek RPG - it's a Star Fleet Universe game. As for a space combat system, it is quite explicit that you are expected to use Star Fleet Battles as a combat system until such time as GURPS 4e Space is out (completely out of their hands) and they they can do their adaptation.

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Well, people who are waiting for GURPS Space 4e to run space combat for it are out of luck. Space has been out for months now and includes no ship construction or combat rules, those are not going to come out until GURPS Vehicles for 4e and the pdf only Vehicle Design System are finished.

Though I've just used the 3rd edition rules for that without much trouble.

I just picked the D20 Prime Directive book (copyright 2005?) at a new game store i found.

It's so....uhm is "knock-off-ish" a word? I mean it's got a FED, Klingons, and phasers, but it doesn't really seem like a Trek game. But, after reading the posts above, I guess that's the point. This was one of my 'i have to have it' purchases. (that and my Army of Darkness RPG!)

Skimming it, it looks interesting. Once i dump the rediculous aliens that should help immensely. It is cool to see an actual Klingon EMPIRE, with conquered races and everything; I don't think I've seen that in any other RPG.

As I digest it I will post more.

ICON RULES!!!!!

(Sorry, I know this isn't the forum for this but damn it, it had to be said!)

:D

Stule

Stule, that was uncalled for. :p

Well, I ordered GURPS PD over the weekend (and I still have to wait until next week to get it! Stupid holiday!), so I should get to see more of what everyone was talkng about.

Of course, the first thing that went through my head was "Now I can have a really ecclecitic Trek-verse, with mutants and strange creatures and alternate realities and bio-engineered supermen and all that, since GURPS supports all that and more!"

I am a sick, sick man (I'm hopeing the 'new' Star Wars D20 will breed enough interest with my friends that we will play it, then I'm going to start adding races from other D20 universes to it!):D

For starship combat, you could also use Federation Commander if you find Star Fleet Battles a little complicated. It certainly takes some getting used to ;) Federation Commander is quite simple to learn but provides a lot of tactical flexibility. It seems like it would slot into RPG sessions pretty well to me.

I haven't played Prime Directive since the original though, back when I used SFB for ship combat (Federation Commander wasn't out then). I've recently ordered the GURPS 4e version, so I'll let you know if that changes my opinion at all, but SFB seemed to work fine for the level of ship combats my campaign required (mostly one on one or one on two fights).

Apparently instead of the starship combat and design rules appearing in GURPS 4e Space, they will be in a product called GURPS Starships instead, which we should see appear relatively soon.

I'll get it, but personally I think I will stick with Star Fleet Battles as a combat system unless my group gets too big for everybody to have something to do, then I can see myself using something quicker...