Shows
GURPStalkThe ProcessWhat the heck is the Process thing?Pat and Che discuss The Process of character creation, using Ascend NA as an example. They outline the five steps involved, including player-GM discussions, bio sheet completion, and a final one-on-one meeting for character creation. Pat emphasizes the importance of having a defined setting and world before starting the character creation process. They also touch on the versatility of this process for different game systems, including the Cypher system.Thanks for listening and supporting the show.GOT A QUESTION?Ask us...
2026-02-0959 minGURPStalkOn Campaigns, Tables, and the Pre-ProcessWhat happens when your game collapses and you need to start a new thing?Pat discusses his experience running a GURPS fantasy campaign and a Twilight 2000 campaign, highlighting how personal connections and real-life circumstances often take precedence over game mechanics. He explains how his Saturday table, initially a Rome campaign with five players, struggled to maintain its structure due to player attrition and the real-life reasons and health issues which led to the end of his Twilight 2000 campaign. Pat concludes that while game elements are important, the primary focus should be on fostering strong relationships among...
2026-01-261h 01GURPStalkPoint SaladWhat the heck is "point salad"?Pat and Che discuss the concept of "point salad" in GURPS, a term used to describe when characters have an excessive number of points to spend on abilities, leading to complex character creation and potentially distracting gameplay. They discuss an anonymous listener's message about a GURPS campaign where players are creating characters with a complex point system, including 200 base points, various disadvantages, quirks, and implants/biomods that are paid for with wealth. They note this as an example of "point salad" due to the complex allocation of points across different...
2026-01-1252 min
Roleplay RescueMaster and EmissaryWhat is it about slipping fully into a character and exploring a living, open‑ended world that makes us feel so drawn into the fantasy and have fun? What part of our human make-up is refreshed and excited by these imaginary adventures we experience during roleplay? Is there a way to understand this specific preference for slipping into a imaginary persona and exploring a living, open-ended world?This one’s sharing a more experimental theory that’s emerged in my mind over recent days. It’s rooted back in my first conversations with friends of the show Dan...
2026-01-1018 minGURPStalkCharacter DevelopmentWhat do we mean when we talk about character development with the GURPS system?Che and Pat discuss the concept of bonus character points in GURPS, clarifying that they are not experience points but rewards for attendance and good role-playing. They discuss character development in tabletop role-playing games, focusing on mechanical rewards and how different systems handle character progression. Pat emphasises that mechanical increases in character abilities are a common feature across many RPGs.Pat and Che discuss their approaches to awarding points in role-playing games. Che explains his system in Karameikos, while...
2025-12-291h 09GURPStalkMagicWhy is GURPS Magic not, in fact, boring?Pat and Che discuss listener Alex's question about magic systems in GURPS, addressing concerns about the basic Magic system. Pat explains the GURPS Magic system, emphasizing its flexibility and suitability for new players. Che shares his experience using the system with a new GURPS group, highlighting its potential for creative spell use and character development. They agree that the basic Magic system is a good starting point for many settings, though there are options available for more specific needs.Pat explains how the Pvaric magic...
2025-12-1559 minGURPStalkRolls, Defaults, and ReactionsHow can we use the GURPS skill system to deepen our experience in the Otherworld?Pat and Che discuss the mechanics of skill-based gameplay in GURPS, focusing on when players and the Game Master should roll dice for perception and information skills. They also discuss the mechanics and benefits of quick contests in role-playing games, focusing on their use in resolving instantaneous actions and adding uncertainty and tension to gameplay. They go further to discuss the concept of default skills in a game system, focusing on how skills function without training and how they relate to...
2025-12-011h 04GURPStalkSkills and TestsHow do the 350+ skills in GURPS work out in play?Pat and Che discuss the extensive skill system in GURPS, emphasizing its versatility for various settings and genres. They highlight the importance of skill selection for long-form play, focusing on character development and the specific context of the game world. Pat and Che discuss the challenges of managing skills in the GURPS system, emphasizing the importance of tailoring skills to specific campaigns rather than trying to memorize all available skills. They discuss the use of skill checks and difficulty modifiers in this game s...
2025-11-1757 min
SPRKLSPRKL 134 BLENDA GENTLE JOURNEY THAT MOVES FROM MEDITATION TO UPLIFTING EMOTION. A SEAMLESS BLEND OF AMBIENT, ELECTRONICA, ORGANIC AFRO AND PROGRESSIVE HOUSE.
TRACKLIST:
1 Now Adam Michalak
2 Aurora Cascade Martin Stürtzer
3 Away From The Places We Know "Ambience" Framewerk
4 Retry (ACT II) Canblaster
5 Deep Blue Futuregrapher & Gallery Six
6 Begin Anew "Quivver & Dave Seaman Beginapella" Charles Webster & Ursula Rucker
7 Space Medley "Futura City FM Texture" Circulation
8 Echoes (Original Mix) Emrat
9 The Ethereal Path (Domingo + Loveclub Remix) Phillosopher
10 Le Vent feat. Clara Gostynski (Original Mix) Patrick Podage
11 Time Mode (Original Mix) Secretly Famous
12 Old Oud (Extended Mix) Tryger, NAASA
13 Alba (Original Mix) Fulltone
14 A...
2025-11-161h 54GURPStalkCampaign Update IWhat's happening in the host's campaigns?Che and Pat discuss their recent GURPS gaming experiences, with Che sharing his excitement about running a GURPS-powered game set in the world of Karameikos, which had its first successful session. They note that the system encourages detailed world-building through character bios and mechanical choices, leading to the creation of new organizations, patrons, and story elements. Che emphasizes the beauty of having multiple narrative threads and the flexibility to adapt the setting based on player input. They also touch on the complexity of managing c...
2025-11-0347 minGURPStalkBig Bag 'o' PointsHow does a new GM overcome points paralysis?Pat and Che discussed strategies for managing point allocation in GURPS, emphasizing the importance of hands-on experience and starting with smaller, simpler campaigns. They advised new GMs to experiment with character creation, focusing on attributes and skills before moving to disadvantages and advantages. For superhero campaigns, they recommended starting with street-level scenarios and gradually increasing complexity. Che suggested sitting down with an experienced GM to learn the process, while Pat highlighted the value of using bio sheets and organic advantages in character creation.Big thanks...
2025-10-2041 minGURPStalkSurprise!What's the problem with surprise in GURPS? WARNING! There's some fruity bad language in this one!Che and Pat discussed the implementation and mechanics of surprise and initiative rules in GURPS, including how these rules interact with various character advantages and combat systems. They explored modifications to combat reflexes and coolness mechanics, with Pat proposing new approaches to address balance and realism issues in the current system. The conversation concluded with discussions about GM flexibility in implementing surprise mechanics and adapting rules to create engaging combat scenarios.
2025-10-1351 minGURPStalkWhat's the Frequency?What are Frequency Rolls and how can we use them effectively?Che and Pat discuss the frequency of appearance mechanism in GURPS, which determines how often NPCs like allies, contacts, patrons, and dependents show up in adventures. They discuss how to apply frequency rolls for NPCs, advantages, and disadvantages in open-world GURPS campaigns without defined adventures. Pat explains that GMs need to determine when to make these rolls based on their campaign structure rather than relying on the vague concept of "per adventure". They emphasize that these mechanics create opportunities for roleplaying and complications while taking p...
2025-10-0627 minGURPStalkEnhancements and LimitationsEnhancements and Limitations? What the heck are all these modifiers about?Pat and Che discuss GURPS Limitations and Enhancements, particularly how they can be used to create supernatural abilities and powers. Pat explains that limitations like "costs fatigue" or "unreliable" can reduce point costs and balance abilities, while enhancements like "reduced time" or "ranged" can modify abilities to work differently. They agree that while these mechanics might seem complicated to newcomers, they're valuable tools for fine-tuning characters, and recommend mastering the basic system before diving into these options.GOT A...
2025-09-2929 minGURPStalkAt DisadvantageWhy are Disadvantages at the heart of roleplay?This episode Che and Pat are discussing character creation in GURPS with a focus on disadvantages as meaningful roleplaying elements rather than just point sources. They emphasise that disadvantages should reflect character depth, create interesting dilemmas, and be limited to a reasonable number to maintain playability while adding flavour to characters. The conversation also covers adapting content from other game systems to GURPS, creating custom disadvantages, and the importance of self-control rolls in gameplay.Big thanks to Frank T for the call-in!
2025-09-2259 minGURPStalkTaking AdvantageWhat are Advantages and how on Earth do you select them for your campaign?In this podcast episode, Pat and Che discuss the different types of Advantages in the game system, categorised as mental, physical, and social, with further classifications as mundane, exotic, or supernatural. They review specific examples including Absolute Timing, Acute Senses, Affliction, Allies, and supernatural abilities like Blessed and Psychometry, explaining how these function in gameplay and how frequency roles determine how often social advantages like allies appear in long-form campaigns.The hosts also address listener questions about character advantages/d...
2025-09-1536 minGURPStalkForgotten TraitsWhat's all this stuff about social background at the beginning of the Basic Set rulebook? In this episode, Pat and Che discuss approaches to starting and maintaining roleplaying campaigns in GURPS, emphasizing the importance of establishing setting context, social backgrounds, and character goals before gameplay begins.They explore how often overlooked elements like status, wealth, cultural familiarity, and language skills can enrich the gaming experience and help players create grounded characters with meaningful connections to the game world. The hosts also address listener questions about adventure preparation.Big thanks to...
2025-09-0849 minGURPStalkCharacter PointsCo-hosts Che Webster (Roleplay Rescue) and Patrick Mullen (Cry Havoc T2K) discuss today's topic:What are Character Points and what can I spend them on? What's the point of these points?Pat and Che discuss the mechanics of character creation in GURPS, focusing on point allocation for attributes, advantages, and disadvantages. They explored different campaign settings and power levels, comparing their experiences with GURPS's character level descriptions.We talk about the point-based character creation system in GURPS, explaining how players can allocate points to attributes like strength, dexterity, IQ...
2025-09-0127 minGURPStalkCombat OrientationCo-hosts Che Webster (Roleplay Rescue) and Patrick Mullen (Cry Havoc T2K) discuss today's topic:Isn't the GURPS combat system fiddley and difficult? Isn't it really complicated to run fights?We discuss the combat system in GURPS, emphasizing its simplicity and effectiveness. Pat explains the simplicity and ease of use of the GURPS combat system, highlighting its one-second round concept. He emphasized that while GURPS is often perceived as a reality simulator, it is actually a fictional system designed to simplify combat actions into basic, simple tasks. We...
2025-08-2529 minGURPStalkGetting DiceyCo-hosts Che Webster (Roleplay Rescue) and Patrick Mullen (Cry Havoc T2K) discuss today's topic:What's is it with GURPS and the 3d6 roll low mechanism? Isn't that complicated and fiddley to deal with?We discuss the mechanics and simplicity of the GURPS (Generic Universal Role-Playing System) dice rolling system, particularly the 3D6 method. We emphasize that the system's bell curve nature mirrors real-world statistics and is intuitive once understood. Che highlights that while GURPS might seem complex due to its many options, it's actually straightforward, requiring only basic math skills.
2025-08-1829 minGURPStalkCharacter Starts Pt2Co-hosts Che Webster (Roleplay Rescue) and Patrick Mullen (Cry Havoc T2K) discuss today's topic:We've got our campaign idea fleshed out. How do we avoid analysis paralysis when our players sit down to make characters?We discuss character creation in role-playing games, focusing on a structured process that involves collaboration between the Game Master and players. We explore how this process can empower players to create characters that align with their vision while also fitting within the game's setting. We emphasize that our discussion is not meant to criticize...
2025-08-1129 minGURPStalkCampaign StartsCo-hosts Che Webster (Roleplay Rescue) and Patrick Mullen (Cry Havoc T2K) discuss today's topic: We're going to run our long-form game using the GURPS Fourth Edition rules. How do we get started setting up a campaign?We discuss the challenges and joys of adapting existing game settings to GURPS for long-form play, emphasizing the importance of maintaining the system's strengths while acknowledging time and work constraints. We discuss setting up a long-form campaign, focusing on the basic interrogatives of "who," "what," "when," "where," and "why." We emphasize the importance o...
2025-08-0433 minGURPStalkIs it really GURPS?We're here to talk about GURPS - the Generic Universal Role-Playing System published by Steve Jackson Games - and using it to run long-form roleplaying campaigns. Co-hosts Che Webster (Roleplay Rescue) and Patrick Mullen (Cry Havoc T2K) discuss topics arising from using the game system. The show is aimed at intermediate users of the rules who wish to progress towards deeper and more immersive role-play in whatever fictional worlds they imagine.This episode we deconstruct the name: GURPS. Is it really Generic and Universal? What about Role-Playing? Is is a System?CONTACTS:
2025-07-2836 minRoleplay RescueWorld First T2K with Patrick MullenThis one’s a conversation with a new friend. My guest hails from Florida, USA, and this is probably the beginning of a sequence of chats I’d like to have with him.Our focus was on what my guest calls, "world first" play and we specifically take his currently running Twilight 2000 campaign as an example. Yes, we talk GURPS and we talk modern post-apoc but that's not quite the point: this is about methodology.Big thanks up front to Patrick for coming to talk!Game on!Pat's T2K...
2025-05-3156 minRoleplay RescueEclectic ThoughtsThis one’s an eclectic collection of thoughts emerging from listener messages and the ongoing experience of running games in the wake of recent episodes.When I started this podcast, it was really about getting my concern about losing gamers to the experience of play - of people giving up the play which enriches our lives under the pressures of modern living. At the same time, I was aware that the title - Roleplay Rescue - implies that the show is about recovering the art and depth of roleplaying. Strangely, all these years lat...
2025-05-2421 min
Keep off the BorderlandsUnsung Heroes (AAA) (episode 62)So, this is the last episode of Anchorites Appreciate Arneson month wherein I talk about Patrick Dowling, creator of the BBC show The Adventure Game. There's a mystery unboxing and a few call-ins from Che Webster of Roleplay Rescue, Listen of Updates From the Middle of Nowhere, Joe Richter of Hindsightless and Jason of Nerd's RPG Variety Cast. The Adventure Game theme was composed by Ferdinando Carulli, performed by Julian Bream and John Williams.Get the trifold edition of Osseous at https://drive.google.com/open?id=184r9bvk0KxZ6xkjAAMmKzQXayFSxoB7v
2019-10-2817 min