''GURPS Space Atlas'' is a supplement published by

Steve Jackson Games Steve Jackson Games (SJGames) is a game company, founded in 1980 by Steve Jackson, that creates and publishes role-playing, board, and card games, and (until 2019) the gaming magazine ''Pyramid''. History Founded in 1980, six years after the cr ...

(SJG) in 1988 for the science fiction role-playing game ''

GURPS Space ''GURPS Space'' is a sourcebook published by Steve Jackson Games (SJG) for use with ''GURPS'' (''Generic Universal Role-Playing System''), published in four editions from 1988 to 2006. Description ''GURPS Space'' is a toolkit that enables gamem ...

'', which uses the rules of ''

GURPS The ''Generic Universal Role Playing System'', or ''GURPS'', is a tabletop role-playing game system published by Steve Jackson Games. The system is designed to run any genre using the same core mechanics. The core rules were first written by St ...

'' (''Generic Universal Role-Playing System'').

Publication history

''GURPS Space Atlas'', the first in a series of "encyclopediae" of planets and planetary systems published by SJG for use in ''GURPS Space'' campaigns, was designed by Steve Jackson and William A. Barton, with cover art by

Alan Gutierrez Alan Gutierrez (born 1958 in Kansas City, Missouri) is an artist and illustrator, specializing in science fiction and fantasy cover art. Gutierrez grew up in southern California, and he received his BFA in illustration from the Art Center Colle ...

. It contains details of 28 star system in the Old Frontiers sector of the ''GURPS'' universe, as well as two or three adventure ideas for each system. In the 2014 book ''Designers & Dragons: The '80s'', game historian Shannon Appelcline noted that the "''GURPS Space Atlases'' (1988–1991), ''GURPS Space Bestiary'' (1990) and '' GURPS Aliens'' (1990) helped fill out the ''GURPS Space'' world."

Reception

In the January 1989 edition of ''

Games International ''Computer Games Magazine'' was a monthly computer and console gaming print magazine, founded in October 1988 as the United Kingdom publication ''Games International''. During its history, it was known variously as ''Strategy Plus'' (October 1 ...

'' (Issue 2), James Wallis noted that "The diversity of planets is wide, although only two systems contain their own sentient life forms." He concluded by giving this book an above-average rating of 4 out of 5, saying, "This is a useful addition for the referee who likes to base adventures on other people's groundwork, or lacks the imagination to create their own systems."

References

{{reflist Space Atlas Science fiction role-playing game supplements Role-playing game supplements introduced in 1988