GURPS to CAPES Conversion

[LemmingLord]

Oh my is this going to be fun.  This is my hypothesis: GURPS characters can easily be converted into CAPES and will point out that capes is all about narrativist play while GURPS is about simulationist play.

I would love to start with my special ops character to really showcase this difference... We'll see if I can locate that one.  Otherwise we'll start with whatever else I can find.

[Vaxalon]

Oh, this I gotta see...

[TonyLB]

I am also looking forward to the conversion challenge with great anticipation!  Frankly, I'm happy just having a thread with this subject on the forum.  Having actual content would be gravy.

[LemmingLord]

Herb the Herbologist and Travelling Curer of Wh'ver Ails You
St10 Average
Dx12 Graceful
IQ12 Brighter Side of Average
HT12 Somewhat energetic
Move 6 Faster Than Average (6 Yards/Second)

Animal Empathy, Empathy, Rapid Healing, Acute Taste and Smell +5

Addiction - Gangi Cigarettes, Delusion - Speaks of Being A Follower of A God of which on one has heard: Magna; Sense of Duty - Sick and Injured,  Poverty, Reputation Appear to be some kind of Con Artist; -1 to most, -3 to lawmen/strangers.

Talks Loud and Fast
Always washing his hands (even makes the motion if no water or soap is available)
Smells like his latest concoction (usually like an herb garden, frequently of wild onion.)
Uses Magnets to heal.

First Aid - 14
Physician - 14
Poisons - 11
Swimming - 12
Veternarian - 14
Naturalist - 12
Knife - 14
Area Knowledge - 14
Botany - 6
Camoflage - 12
Cooking - 13
Staff - 14
Surgery - 10

Equipment:
Walking Stick (Staff) Swing Crushing 1d+2; Thrust Crushing 1d
Eating Knife Swing Cut 1d-3; Thrust Impaling 1d-3
Large Knife Swing Cut 1d-2; Thrust Impaling 1d-2
Magnets

Capes:

Drives: None (I assume unpowered as a character meant for a support role) OR
Drives: Hope 4, Duty 2, Justice 1, Truth 1, Duty 1 (if we decide he's powered up)

Research 2, Emergency Care 3, Alternative Medicine 4, Staff Whack 1
This smells like 1, Hoakie Religion 2, Empathize 3
Medicated 1, Confident 2, Friendly 3, Loud 4, Attract Attention 5

Whata think?

[Andrew Cooper]

Actually, my hypothesis is that any character from any game can be easily converted to Capes.  I've done D&D characters and it was easy peasy.  I can't see any reason why other systems would be harder to convert.

[R. Jason Boss]

Rather more fun and less work than other "conversions" I've messed around with, too.  Heh.

Jason

[Vaxalon]

Yes, very nice, but how does this prove that Capes is all about narrativist play?

[Hans]

I would say that this is less conversion and more translation.  Conversion implies, at least to me, mathematical formulas of some variety.  This is more like translating the Rubaiyat of Omar Khayyam from Arabic to English, than it is converting miles to kilometers.

[TonyLB]

Well, here's my personal take on the conversion:

Smoke 'Cigarette' - 1
Delusions - 2
Folksy Mystic Lore - 3

Wisdom of the divine Magna - 1
Crazy combination of seemingly inapplicable skills - 2
Looks and acts dodgy - 3
Side-effects - 4
This problem should be fixed with mind-altering herbs! - 5

Confused - 1
Obnoxious - 2
Obsessive - 3
Talkative - 4

I'll observe, for what it's worth, that basically everything that I looked at and said "That would be easy and powerful to use in a Capes character is located in the 'Disadvantage' section of a GURPS character.  His skills, his abilities, all that jazz ... it just doesn't sing the way that (for instance) "Addiction - Gangi cigarettes" does.

[LemmingLord]

Yes, very nice, but how does this prove that Capes is all about narrativist play?

Perhaps it doesn't say as much that Capes is narrativist but rather that it is less simulationist in the sense that a conversion (or a translation) describes thins in a less finite fashion requiring more ad hoc interpritation.

I would say that this is less conversion and more translation.  Conversion implies, at least to me, mathematical formulas of some variety.  This is more like translating the Rubaiyat of Omar Khayyam from Arabic to English, than it is converting miles to kilometers.

We maybe quibling at terms; but I don't disagree! 

As the magnitude in the GURPS system refers to the finite capabilities of a character and the magnitude in CAPES refers to the effect an attribute may have in determining the outcome of a conflict, there is really only the loosest corelation between them and not an equation.

Too paraphrase Tony, a character may have the ability to fly at the speed of light without even having the power written down; a character may have "Fly" at a 5 and barely be able to hover.  Conversion is very much open to interpritation (and thus translation) with regards to these two systems because GURPS is about what your character can do and CAPES is about how a character influences the narration.

It is interesting that a GURPS character with light speed space flight abilities might never find a use for them, even if he/she uses a great number of his/her points on those abilities; but a CAPES character putting a five in fly or even light speed flying WILL find a way to make that ability change the course of the narration when they are using that character. 

...
I'll observe, for what it's worth, that basically everything that I looked at and said "That would be easy and powerful to use in a Capes character is located in the 'Disadvantage' section of a GURPS character.  His skills, his abilities, all that jazz ... it just doesn't sing the way that (for instance) "Addiction - Gangi cigarettes" does.

Now THAT is a fascinating observation.  I've always found disadvantages to be the best part of GURPS anyway and it probably their power in the narration part of game that I love so much.  Being really good at kung fu is swell, but it is more important that you are ascetic or that you speak in Buddhist riddles for the narration.  The action we can make up, but its the feel of the character's ebb and flow that is really vital to getting us from Tatooine to the Death Star.

[LemmingLord]

Sal
5'11 155 pounds, big nose, beard and mustache, Roguish Smile, Air of Confidence
st11, dx13, iq9, ht12                                     (50)

Advantages (35 Points Total)
Daredevil (15 Point Advantage)   
Lucky (15 Point Advantage)
Charisma + 1 (5 Point Advantage)
         
Disadvantages (-40 Points Total)
Vow: Never Refuse Request for Aid (-15 Point Disadvantage)
Sal loves coming to the rescue and is prideful enough to volunteer to help anyone who requests help from him.

Gregarious (-10 Point Disadvantage)

Overconfidence (-10 Point Disadvantage)

Pirates Codes Of Honor (-5 Point Disadvantage)
                     
Quirks (-5 Points Total)
Boisterous,                                               
"What, You want to live forever?",
"I'm only teasing you, my friend, please do not be sore."
Likes to tease people a little bit when he first meets them.
Speaks for other people (i.e. "How might we help you today, m'lady?")

Skills                                                  (60 Pts)

Climbing 8 15
Knife 4 15
Swimming 4 15

Brawling 2 14
Carousing 4 14
Jumping 2 14
Off Hand Weapon Training (Knife) 6 14
Shortsword 4 14

Boating 1 13

Dual Weapon Attack (Knife/Shortsword) 2 13
Fast Draw (Knife) 1 13
Fast Draw (ShortSword) 1 13

Acrobatics 2 12
Seamanship 6 12
Woodworking 1 12

Fast Draw (Knife From Teeth) 1 11
Fast Talk 6 11

Area Knowledge 1 9

Tactics 2 8
Survival (Woodlands) 1 8

Weapons: Uses a knife and shortsword simultaneously in combat.
Large Knife: 1d-1 cut or 1d-1 imp
Shortsword: 1d+1 cut or 1d-1 imp

CAPES
Justice 2, Honesty 1, Love 2, Hope 2, Duty 2

Aaaargh! 1, Cut 2, Quip 3, Pirate Athleticism 4
Tease 1, In Over His Head 2, Assist 3, Team Up 4
Reckless 3, Obligated 2, Obnoxious 1, Inspired 4

Exemplar: Brother (Sol) Duty: I respect my big brother a great deal, but he'll never accept that I joined the navy. 

Shared Exemplar with Sol - Mother (Travel Gerty) Love: I love my mother very much, but I can't stay with her with all the people there are all over the world for me to help.

[LemmingLord]

Sol
tawny (golden brown) big nose beard and mustache
st13, dx11, iq9, ht12                                     (50)

Charisma + 1, Combat Reflexes, High Pain Threshold        (33)
Cash (3)

Miserliness, Greed, Honesty                               (-35)

Likes to brag FOR his friends/family,                     (-5)
Wants to settle down and be a shoemaker,
Tired of all the fighting,
Stresses the importance of good shoes,
Likes giving one word answers to complex questions: "yep, looks like."

Skills                                                  (57 Pts)
Leatherworking (Shoemaking) 16

Shield 8 14
*Combination - Shield Bash + Ready Mace

Axe/Mace 8 13

Brawling 2 12
Carousing 2 12
Leadership 8 12
Running 4 12

Leatherworking (General) 6 11

Climbing 1 10
Gesture 2 10

Area Knowledge 1 9
Diplomacy 4 9
First Aid 1 9

Animal Handling 2 8
Survival (Woodlands) 1 8
Swimming 0 8
Merchant 1 8
Tactics 2 8

Weapons/Armor
Sol uses a mace and shield in combat.
Mace 2d+1 Crushing, 1 Turn to Ready
Medium Shield Bash 1d Crushing

Something between Heavy Leather and Chainmail, PD2 DR3, Shield provides PD+2
Dodge 10, Parry 11, Block 12

CAPES
Justice 1, Honesty 3, Love 1, Hope 2, Duty 2

Lead 1, Serve 2, Attack Maneuvers 3, Defend Maneuvers 4
Trade 1, Honest Work 2, "yep, looks like" 3, Gestures 4, Good Shoes 5
Calculating 1, Settling Down 2, Thrifty 3,

Exemplar: Brother (Sal) Duty: I respect my little brother a great deal, but he'll never accept that I joined the army. 

Shared Exemplar with Sol - Mother (Travel Gerty) Love: I love my mother very much, but she can't accept that I need to earn my own way in the world.

[LemmingLord]

I guess the free events associated with the exemplars for these would be something as follows:

Sal - Sol:  Goal: Sal get's Sol to admit that being a sailor is a worthwhile endeavor.

Sol - Sal:  Goal: Sol get's Sal to admit that bein a foot soldier is a worthwhile endeavor.

Sal - TravelGerty: Event: Travel is hurt that Sal is going off adventuring instead of spending quality time with her.

Sol - TravelGerty: Event: Travel is hurt that Sol won't accept her help.

[LemmingLord]

Travel Gerty
Short muscular woman with gray hair.
5'2 125# hazel eyes.  Missing tooth.  Looks about 50. 
Wears rough leather clothing, think davy crocket.

St 9
Dx 12
Iq 10
Ht 12
Mv 6
Swimming 12 +3 if she enters the water purposesfully
speed is 7.5 when running

absolute direction
alertness +2
danger sense
strong will +1

age
honesty
truthfulness
anosmia
poverty
social stigma (villagers and robbers will discount her as an old eccentric woman)

won't discuss the twins' father
enjoys practical jokes
tells ghost stories around the campfires
-Player decided (how does she interact with her sons?)

animal handling 10
riding 12
teamster 10
area knowledge 15
swimming 12
tracking 14
cooking 9 (has things memorized because she can't smell or taste)
packing 10
first aid 12
leatherworking 12
hide preperation 12
running 10
scrounging 12
stealth 12
survival (local mtn and woods) 12
knife throwing 14
knife 14
staff 12
axe 12
bow 12

staff 1d+1 crush swing
      1d crush thrust
hatchet 1d-1 cutting, throwable, 1 turn to ready
Large Knife 1d-2 cutting, 1d-2 impaling
Small Knife 1d-3 cutting, 1d-3 impaling
Reg bow - 1d-1 impaling
Heavy Leather pd2 dr2.
Dodge 8, Parry 10 w/ staff, 9 w/ Knife, 8 w/ axe, No shield.


Camping gear, including tent, personal necessities, and food for herself and the boys.

Probably unpowered...
If powered: Justice 2, Truth 3, Love 1, Hope 1, Duty 2

Hunt 2, Prepare 1, Notice 3, Survive 4, Guide 5
Know The Way 4, Joking 2, Old Woman 1, No Taste 3
Sincere 1, Eccentric 2, Law Abiding 3