Re: ME System vs. Background.

[Jacob E Boucher <jbuchr@xxxxxx>]

On Fri, 27 Jul 2001 CamaroGen1@aol.com wrote:
>     Pick up a copy of BLACK OPS from GURPS system...........an EXCELLENT 
> thing to have in the background, and maybe even to have the cell, or certain 
> members go into.

I actually own Black Ops (and two dozen other GURPS books) and the
problem here is twofold.  First, Black Ops is a game of aliens, magic,
science-fiction technology, and globe-spanning cinematic conspiracies,
while ME is a game of quasi-realistic technothriller suspense and action.
Second, Black Ops characters are built off of around 500-600 points, so
far above the level of the average ME character that one Black Ops agent
could probably stroll into BE/BE headquarters and kill every living
being inside within one minute flat.  Because Black Ops is based off of
this premise, throwing ME characters into that world means they're going
to be blood pudding by page two.

The difference at face value might not seem to great, but after a closer
look, the two settings aren't very compatible.  In Black Ops the whole
point is to keep the chaos from boiling over into the streets.  in ME,
it's already in the streets, you're just trying to make a living at it.

>     Also, a CONTROLLED amount of the BIO-TECH (also from GURPS)stuff might 
> make the game more intriging.......i mean one guy with a prothsetic arm is 
> interesting, 5 guys with them, lame.

Again, while this might work for a Dark Angel meets the X-Files version of
ME, it's not really suited to be dropped into the setting without some
MAJOR revamping.  In ME, experimental tech is something encountered here
and there, not really a major element of the story, but more of a plot
device (see Nightwalker/The Vilee Affair).  

-- 
Jacob E. Boucher
AIM S.N.= jbuchr
http://people.bu.edu/jbuchr