''GURPS Swashbucklers'' is a
sourcebook
A sourcebook is a collection of texts on a particular subject intended for use as an introduction to the subject. The selected texts are typically edited, laid out, and typeset in a uniform format before binding, and the result is often a hardcov ...
by
Steffan O'Sullivan
Steffan O'Sullivan is the author of several role-playing game books.
Career
Steffan O'Sullivan was a writer for '' GURPS'' products including '' GURPS Swashbucklers'' (1990) and '' GURPS Bunnies & Burrows'' (1992). He designed the '' FUDGE'' role ...
, 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 ...
in 1988 to provide a swashbuckling setting for ''
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'').
Contents
''GURPS Swashbucklers'' is a ''
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 ...
'' supplement containing special rules for campaigns involving musketeer and pirate characters, including an overview of the years 1559-1815, and rules for sailing ships.
In his 1991 book ''Heroic Worlds'',
Lawrence Schick
Lawrence Schick is a game designer and writer associated with role-playing games.
Early life and education
Schick attended Kent State University in Ohio.
Career
Schick, as the head of design and development at TSR, brought aboard Tom Moldvay ...
noted that the book includes "such helpful sections as 'How to be French.'".
Publication history
''GURPS Swashbucklers'', a 96-page softcover book, was written by
Steffan O'Sullivan
Steffan O'Sullivan is the author of several role-playing game books.
Career
Steffan O'Sullivan was a writer for '' GURPS'' products including '' GURPS Swashbucklers'' (1990) and '' GURPS Bunnies & Burrows'' (1992). He designed the '' FUDGE'' role ...
, with a cover by Jean Elizabeth Martin and illustrations by
Donna Barr
Donna Barr (born August 13, 1952) is an American comic book author and cartoonist. She is best known for '' The Desert Peach'' and '' Stinz''.
Life and education
Donna Barr was born in Everett, Washington, and is the second child of six. She ...
, and was 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 ...
in 1988.
In his 2011 book ''Designers & Dragons'', games historian Shannon Appelcline noted that ''GURPS Swashbucklers'' was one of the smaller subgenre books published after the first broad genre ''GURPS'' books.
SJG published two more editions of ''GURPS Swashbucklers'':
*a 96-page second edition in 1989, again designed by Steffan O'Sullivan; and
*an expanded 128-page third edition in 1999, designed by Russell Godwin, Brian J. Maloney and Steffan O'Sullivan.
The "Denizens" series for ''GURPS Dungeons Fantasy'' also included a ''Swashbucklers'' book.
Reception
In the December 1989 edition of ''
Dragon
A dragon is a Magic (supernatural), magical legendary creature that appears in the folklore of multiple cultures worldwide. Beliefs about dragons vary considerably through regions, but European dragon, dragons in Western cultures since the Hi ...
'' (Issue #152,
said: "Extensive background notes define the historical setting, but they fall short of really bringing the fictional worlds of pirates and Musketeers to life. As a basis for establishing swashbuckling campaigns it does a good job, but more detailed development of the individual settings is really needed to bring out the true potential of the genre."
In the April 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 4),
James Wallis called the cover art and interior illustrations "amateurish", but lauded the "sheer density of background information." He noted that the "Adventures" section was only two pages long, containing "four lacklustre brief outlines, all requiring much work before being playable in any form." He also felt that both the "Swashbuckling" and "Pirate" chapters contained too much information about famous characters and not enough "actual day-to-day life." Wallis gave the book an average rating of 3.5 out of 5, saying, "In sticking too closely to the factual, Steffan O'Sullivan lets the romantic atmosphere of life in the French court or on the open seas escape
..''GURPS Swashbucklers'' is not swashbuckling enough."
References
{{reflist
Swashbucklers
Historical role-playing games
Role-playing game supplements introduced in 1988