MotU for GURPS

[1F409]

I have been working on a free adaptation of Masters of the Universe for use with a popular role-playing game system. My open-source and thoroughly-annotated approach appears to be unique in the field, and I encourage discussion and feedback to help me fashion the best, most accurate product possible.

Note, the linked PDFs are slightly out of date, and were made in an attempt at scaling the work to the size of the mini-comics. I might return to that format, as I believe it suits the limited scope of what can be teased out of the franchise's early years, but in the mean time I'll probably post drafts at normal scale.

https://drive.proton.me/urls/K7SQHN9DEM#CCwXCwAnfj3i

https://drive.proton.me/urls/8TVB3SG1AM#20J9vdWFqJn4

I had previously signed up and posted about this at another He-Man fan site, but the response there was tepid, and I soon discovered that the social-credit-style enforced politeness meant it was not the place for me. I'm hoping that He-Man World will offer more breathing room!

[Mechanizor]

I have been working on a free adaptation of Masters of the Universe for use with a popular role-playing game system. My open-source and thoroughly-annotated approach appears to be unique in the field, and I encourage discussion and feedback to help me fashion the best, most accurate product possible.

Note, the linked PDFs are slightly out of date, and were made in an attempt at scaling the work to the size of the mini-comics. I might return to that format, as I believe it suits the limited scope of what can be teased out of the franchise's early years, but in the mean time I'll probably post drafts at normal scale.

https://drive.proton.me/urls/K7SQHN9DEM#CCwXCwAnfj3i

https://drive.proton.me/urls/8TVB3SG1AM#20J9vdWFqJn4

I had previously signed up and posted about this at another He-Man fan site, but the response there was tepid, and I soon discovered that the social-credit-style enforced politeness meant it was not the place for me. I'm hoping that He-Man World will offer more breathing room!

Welcome aboard and thanks for sharing... I might check out your links later on and see what's cooking.

As for the Org's censoring/moderating tactics (I'm assuming that's the site you're referring to), we had a lot of discussions about that in the past, and it's pretty the same old broken record for some of us! LOL
Here we have a lot of freedom, but we generally try to be respectful to one another and to the readers as well. However, I for one, had a lot bad things to say about a certain ex-brand manager who keeps trolling people and the community with his BS, and usually I don't feel that bad letting some steam out in regards to his trolling behavior and his past disgusting history.

Yes we all have a lot of egos to tame, but sometimes you just cannot sit and watch, if you know what I mean...

[1F409]

What I would like is discussion, even push-back, regarding my interpretation of the early mini-comics upon which I've based this RPG adaptation. I've explained most of the decisions in the end notes, but I'm always willing to be corrected or updated with new info. It may be that others would like to do their own version, instead using the broader source material. I don't mind, so long as they don't try to cram those extras into my own, more limited version.

If there's enough interest for a lively discussion, I'll take the time to put everything in forum posts to make quoting easier. Otherwise, I'll just release the occasional PDF update.

As for the topic of Org politics, I know pretty much nothing of the goings on within the fandom, at least not since the incident where Mark Taylor mistook me for someone who apparently had been bothering him (which I kind of suspect may have been somebody from said site, possibly trying to capitalize on the small relationship I'd built with Mark). Last I knew, Mr. Taylor was being threatened with legal action for giving unsolicited advice on the then-upcoming 200X line, for which I raised a stink on the Org (but was quickly censored/edited in a fashion to make me appear insane). He even told me that the experience had put him off of He-Man entirely; so imagine my surprise when I checked back years later to see him getting guest spots at conventions and everything! When I finally did reach out once more, there was no response, and soon afterward his passing was announced.

[Mechanizor]

Hmm, this sounds a very convoluted situation you had to deal with, and I wonder who's the person you're referring to; who took advantage of the situation!?
I know there were some backstabbing going on back in the day, but I'm not too familiar with all the dark history before the Classics days!
Probably John (the admin) is more familiar with all that history because he was witnessing the Org's shenanigans from the inside for sometime.

I'm intrigued with your project since I was big fan of the early mini-comics and their initial concept, however its been a while since I dived into those.

[1F409]

Here's a question of methodology, off the cuff:

There exist, in various GURPS books, racial templates (as in fantasy "races" -- elves, ogres, etc.) which describe traits common to a given group -- e.g., fish-men would have some version of the Gills trait. A good example of the potential complexity is the GURPS Bio-Tech book, in which there are two types of sea-dwelling humanoids that can survive on land, one which is partially adapted and stores oxygen like a sea mammal, and the other a more advanced change involving actual gills. The latter, however, has a supposedly-realistic limitation requiring a specific salinity when in its watery environment.

Though it can be presumed, there's no way to know, really, whether Mer-Man does or was ever intended to have gills (and the resulting salinity requirement). Frankly, they probably just assumed he'd breathe water through his mouth -- it's just a kids' toy, after all, not something adults would be debating forty years later, right?

So, should I try to make Mer-Man's biological traits as realistic as possible (and risk cluttering up the character sheet with gobbledygook), pare the template down to just the most common fish-men traits (realistic or fantastic), or stick to only those traits which the character has specifically exhibited (big eyes, webbed feet, sharp teeth, etc.)?

[Siegfried]

Cool, few decades ago i played GURPS Conan few times, i still had my Conan Gurps book. In the past, certainly i would have liked to play a MOTU version in Gurps system.

[1F409]

I've done an Hyborian Age (Conan) adaptation, too. It might still be up at the "Swords of REH" ProBoards forum, but their provider has since blocked my available IP addresses, so I've created a poll in a thread here about whether anyone knowledgeable in the subject would like me to port it over to He-Man World, for continued development.

[1F409]

I'm toying with the idea of an expanded version that encompasses later waves/stories. I don't want to detract or distract from the first-and-maybe-second wave setting, though. Perhaps such an attempt will be merely an add-on roster with just the most abbreviated explanations for how to fit them in. I'm particularly interested in the Evil Horde -- but more like the feeling I got when seeing their commercial, rather than their mini-comic and She-Ra stories. I don't know how to describe that feeling, really, but it seemed almost to reintroduce the sort of menace we once felt from Skeletor, prior to his nerfing in the cartoon. (Does anybody get what I mean?)

If going by the chronology of the first two mini-comics waves, then it seems that Skeletor's failure in The Magic Stealer cost him his life* -- but at the same time, that might be the perfect method of introducing the Horde, say, through a dimensional rift created by the immense energies released in the destruction of said titular machine. Perhaps everything seemed fine for a time, too, but the damage was done and the newly created portal did not go unnoticed in the Horde's dimension....

Again, I would generally dispense with the cartoon silliness, and, at best, use the Horde mini-comics as vague inspiration. They shouldn't be grotesquely wacky like Resident Evil or anything, just alien -- or, more to the point, a group of aliens. Also, I would eliminate the retcon of connecting Skeletor to them. I don't think Hordak would be any more powerful than Skeletor -- perhaps not even as -- but he would excel in brutal strategy, with a hand-picked gang trained in teamwork (whereas Skeletor had merely a handful of lackeys). This tactical efficiency might even put the smack-down on He-Man and friends in their first encounter with the Horde.

Let me know your thoughts. Maybe this is an expansion worth pursuing. Maybe it will change throughout the discussion.

* If/when the Horde is dealt with, cue intro for Scare Glow!

[1F409]

In GURPS, there are four attributes that define a character's inherent competency: Strength (ST), Dexterity (DX), Intelligence (IQ), and Health (HT). The typical human has a score of 10 in each. Variation from the norm has been handled in different ways over the years, but my MotU adaptation will set the absolute maximum score for a normal human at 16, and anything much below half that will likely be crippling. (For example, the rules state specifically that sapience begins at IQ 6. Likewise, I would argue that a full ST 16 is only possible with a modern diet and workout regimen.)

Perhaps the easiest character to stat would be Beast Man, because he is very much like a gorilla (GURPS Basic Set, page 456: ST 15, DX 12, IQ 6, and HT 12), but with a slightly higher IQ (maybe 7 or 8) and some lessening of ape traits in favor of functioning more like a human. Indeed, there are passages in the mini-comics that allude to just such levels, for example, when he "leaped with the prowess of a great forest ape", in The Vengeance of Skeletor. Using him as a benchmark then allows us to gauge aspects of other characters -- say, when one either fails or succeeds against the stated level of prowess. Another such example might be Mer-Man having successfully grabbed Teela in He-Man and the Power Sword -- clearly, he's not as slow as he looks!

It is with such details in mind that I ask for opinions on how the various characters score in comparison to one another. Naturally, they don't all have to rank as unique or different in every attribute; in fact, it makes more sense for all fighters to have above-average physical characteristics. But in as much as the characters can be differentiated from each other, stats-wise, I would like to see what your takes are on who likely surpasses whom, and in what regard.

[1F409]

My recent interview with Ted Mayer has got me thinking about how to handle conflicting sources. For example, as its designer, Ted envisioned the sky sled as using a mysterious flying-saucer-like method of flight, but Rudy Obrero's box art shows it as a fiery jet engine, and Don Glut's mini-comic text implies something more of a hovercraft. Similar issues crop up in the backstories that Mark Taylor had in his head about Castle Grayskull and the various characters, versus what was spelled-out in the finished products.

For the sake of sanity, I think I'm going to have to separate sources into primary, secondary, and tertiary:

• The toys, while a primary source, must be acknowledged as being merely a crude representation of the characters and items they represent. The packaging and everything included with the toys would also be a primary source, and though there was some divergence, even mistakes, in details at that point, it ultimately encompassed everything that the product was meant to be.
• Secondary sources, I think would be things like commercials, the licensing kit, or the prototype models used in the creation of the final product, items which might add a greater depth without contradicting that which what was already established.
• Tertiary sources are where the interviews would come in, explaining unused features and backstories, aspects of which could be hinted at for flavor text or presented as optional alternatives.

As an example, here is a portion of my revised text for the Battle Ram:

• Jet Engine: The forward section, when disconnected, uses a jet engine for both lift and thrust.¹¹ Alternatively, a Magnetic Planetary Drive might better suit some interpretations.¹²
• Jump Drive: The forward section of the Battle Ram can teleport.¹³ Alternatively, the vehicle lacks this feature.¹²
• Wheeled Drivetrain: The rear section has four off-road wheels. It is maneuverable, but cannot be driven without the forward section attached.

[11]

…a fantastic vehicle sped across the craggy terrain on a cushion on air.

— “The Vengeance of Skeletor”

[12]

A 2023 interview with the toy’s designer, Ted Mayer, indicates that the sky sled’s propulsion was a mystery akin to that of flying saucers, that it required recharging from the wheeled portion of the vehicle, and that no space-warp option was intended.

[13]

“…I have no time to waste getting to Castle Grayskull by wheels.”
And before Man At Arms could say another word, He-Man activated the Battle Ram’s space-warp device. Moments later, He-Man was vanishing…to reappear somewhere else.

— “He-Man and the Power Sword”

[1F409]

Talk about the snake eating its tail....

I was doing some research for my MotU RPG adaptation, and browsing Wikipedia for the dates the first few waves of figures came out. I'm reading along, and discover references to my own interviews! Am I famous, now?

It reminds me of when I was doing a write-up of Jules Verne's Nautilus, and discovered an old bit of research I must have downloaded and forgotten about. As I'm going through it, I'm thinking, "Dang, this guy's spot-on about the details than can be teased out of the source material, he's really smart!" When I got to the end, I discovered that I'd written it a decade prior!

[1F409]

Going by the early incarnations alone, how do you think Trap Jaw's jaw, Tri-Klops' visor, Man-E-Faces' helmet, Fisto's hand, et cetera, function? Are they bionic replacements or merely external tools?

Additionally, what exactly *is* Man-E-Faces supposed to be? I know he's an actor in the mini-comic, but really, it's kind of hard to imagine him being taken seriously with a huge pail on his head. Nearly everyone else's gimmick makes sense -- Ram Man wears a helmet and shoulder pads, Faker's an impostor robot who's paint job was botched (or whatever), Stinkor... stinks, and so on. And yet, Man-E-Faces would be utterly inept in anything but a kabuki puppet show that hides everything but his face!

Perhaps this represents a limbo in which no satisfying explanations can exist....

[MIDOR]

Trap-Jaw: Good question. Never gave it any thought.

Tri-Klops: Good question. Never gave it any thought. In MYP He-Man it seemed to be mechanical. After all he is an inventor in this version. But it looked like it was connected to and controlled by his eyes. Implant like.

Fisto: In MYP he had some kind of Eternian Acromegaly. That's the only way I can describe it. Broke it. Then MAA fixed it some how. Don't think the toon or the bio went into a reason or explanation.

M-E-F: This one I have a hard time believe. That could be a thread of it's own. A deep dive. A paralysis by analysis.

Stinkor: We saw what happened with him.

Oh wait.

TJ: Kronis rebelled. Skeletor jacks him up big time. TK fixes him. That's been stated. The fix, like himself, is an implant.

Jitsu: I believe Jitsu's bio says Fisto cut it off with his sword and what he has is magically.

Meckanek: Nano bots and magic. How is it "triggered"? Million dollar question. That is a deep dive of it's own.

Magic and technology, the two things that move, make, mold and the mythos the franchise was built on, living and working together to bring you a bigger and better Eternian.

I am afraid to do a deep dive. I'm afraid it would ruin the mystic. The magic. The gimmick of the character. So, what they say, if they do, is good enough for me.

[1F409]

For better or worse, I'm more of a "stats" kind of guy, so my tendency would indeed be to do a "deep dive" (as you put it), even if that meant discovering that there's really nothing much under the surface. Still, I could manage to tease out some useful game stats even with the most basic explanations -- a metal hand is going to have a certain amount of armor, regardless of whether it's a gauntlet or a bionic replacement.

[1F409]

Update on Ted Mayer: He and I were planning a followup interview to cover some of the other vehicles, but I didn't hear back from him for awhile when I tried to schedule it. When we eventually did touch base again, he explained the delay and confirmed his previously-expressed willingness for the followup. Since then, I've been hit by an avalanche of things to do, and calling him to try again is half-way down my to-do list.

[1F409]

Did I put this in the wrong thread? I can't tell anymore. This is what happens when I take on too many projects.

[Mechanizor]

Yeah, I think it was in another "Battle-Ram" related thread or something... Just look into your post's history and you'll find it.

[1F409]

If I were to create an index in the first post, pointing to later posts in which I transcribe the character stats in forum code, would that generate discussion? At present, I feel kind of like I'm floating in space, flailing my limbs -- I won't get anywhere until I have something to push off of, which in this case means feedback. Now don't get me wrong, I'm not trying to guilt anybody into participating, but I always envisioned this as an open-source type of project where I cite my sources and we debate things.

Participants don't have to be familiar with the game system per se, though a flip through the free, 32-page GURPS Lite could help (or even just the 2-page Ultra-Lite). Most of the trait names are self-explanatory, plus there will often be source quotations along with them. The main idea is to question my choices, suggest alternatives, or point out things I've overlooked.

If this is just the wrong time for this project, that's fine; I'll keep plugging away at it in my spare time -- but I really think it could shine, with a little brainstorming and debate!

[Mechanizor]

I honestly cannot contribute to your project at this time, I have so much to deal with in real life at the moment... I'm mostly here now for the quick news updates and responses.
I really hope some of the other active members here can give you some of what you're seeking for since you've invested a lot time on it. The best of luck to all of you...