''GURPS Bio-Tech'' 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 ...

, the Generic Universal Role Playing Game,

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 ...

that covers the implementation of

biotechnology Biotechnology is a multidisciplinary field that involves the integration of natural sciences and Engineering Science, engineering sciences in order to achieve the application of organisms and parts thereof for products and services. Specialists ...

in the game. The first edition of the book was written for GURPS Third Edition, while the second edition of GURPS Bio-Tech was written for GURPS Fourth Edition. Both editions of the game are primarily focused on providing supplemental rules, campaign material, and examples of the uses of biotechnology for the players and game-master alike. The second edition contains two outlines for

campaign setting A campaign setting is a setting for a tabletop role-playing game or wargame campaign. Most campaign settings are fictional worlds; however, some are historical or contemporary real-world locations. A '' campaign'' is a series of individual adve ...

s (''Alexander Athanatos'' and ''Draconis'') but is primarily focused on providing rules and examples of devices that

Game Master A gamemaster (GM; also known as game master, game manager, game moderator, referee, storyteller, or master of ceremonies) is a person who acts as a facilitator, organizer, officiant regarding rules, arbitrator, and moderator for a multiplayer r ...

s could adapt for use in their own campaigns.

is a game where players and game-masters can, and are encouraged to, create whatever characters and settings they choose. The ''GURPS Bio-Tech'' sourcebook gives them a resource to use should they wish to incorporate elements of biotechnology into their games. The books contain rules and advice for creating a wide variety of possible characters, scenarios, storylines, and campaigns that are influenced by either real-world theories and practices of biotechnology, or the science fiction of advanced genetic alteration, enhancement, and augmentation.

Author Information

The first edition of GURPS Bio-Tech was written by David L. Pulver. The second edition was written by both Pulver and David Morgan-Mar. David Pulver has written a number of books for GURPS in both its third and fourth editions. Morgan-Mar is a regular contributor to Pyramid Magazine,

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 ...

' online game and hobby magazine, and has co-written several books for GURPS Fourth Edition.

Content

''GURPS Bio-Tech'' includes a detailed introduction into biotechnology, speaking about both its practices in a real-world sense, and its applications in

science fiction Science fiction (often shortened to sci-fi or abbreviated SF) is a genre of speculative fiction that deals with imaginative and futuristic concepts. These concepts may include information technology and robotics, biological manipulations, space ...

and

fantasy Fantasy is a genre of speculative fiction that involves supernatural or Magic (supernatural), magical elements, often including Fictional universe, imaginary places and Legendary creature, creatures. The genre's roots lie in oral traditions, ...

. In addition to new and supplemental rules for the game, the book goes into great detail discussing what the world would (potentially) be like if biotechnology were to continue to advance.

Anti-aging The anti-aging movement is a social movement devoted to eliminating or reversing aging, or reducing the effects of it. A substantial portion of the attention of the movement is on the possibilities for life extension, but there is also interest i ...

treatments, human (and nonhuman) augmentation and enhancement, chemical warfare,

cloning Cloning is the process of producing individual organisms with identical genomes, either by natural or artificial means. In nature, some organisms produce clones through asexual reproduction; this reproduction of an organism by itself without ...

, and many other subjects are detailed, along with advice for game-masters should they wish to implement such things into their games. Because GURPS is meant to be open-ended for the game-master to develop their own setting, many possibilities are left open for their interpretation, such as potential social and political ramifications of these advancements. How does the general public react to extreme modification? What religious concerns does it bring up? How does humanity deal with the population increase caused by anti-aging treatments? ''GURPS Bio-Tech'' leaves the answers to these questions up to the game-masters, allowing them to weave such elements into their stories as much or as little as they desire. This is also the first 4th edition book to make significant changes to the page layout introduced with the 4th edition, most noticeably with a return to a two column layout.

Inspiration

''GURPS Bio-Tech'' draws inspiration from a varied collection of sources. *

David Brin Glen David Brin (born October 6, 1950) is an American science fiction author. He has won the Hugo Award, Hugo,

's '' Otherness'' * John Varley's '' The Persistence of Vision'' *

H. G. Wells Herbert George Wells (21 September 1866 – 13 August 1946) was an English writer, prolific in many genres. He wrote more than fifty novels and dozens of short stories. His non-fiction output included works of social commentary, politics, hist ...

' '' The Island of Dr. Moreau'' *

Janine Benyus Janine M. Benyus (born 1958) is an American natural sciences writer, innovation consultant, and author. After writing books on wildlife and animal behavior, she coined the term Biomimicry to describe intentional problem-solving design inspired ...

' ''Biomimicry: Innovation Inspired by Nature'' *Thomas Lee's ''Gene Future'' *and many others.

Publication history

The first edition of ''GURPS Bio-Tech'' was written by David Pulver, and published by

, as a 144-page book. The first edition of GURPS Bio-Tech was written in 1997, and published by Steve Jackson Games, the creators of GURPS, the

Munchkin A Munchkin is a native of the fictional Munchkin Country in the Oz books by American author L. Frank Baum. Although a common fixture in Germanic fairy tales, they are introduced to modern audiences with the first appearance in the classic c ...

card game, and many others. A new ''GURPS Bio-Tech'' (2006) was one of several technology-focused books published for ''GURPS'' fourth edition. The second edition, published in 2006, was also produced by Steve Jackson Games. The first edition had two print runs, which the second edition is still on its first.

Reception

Joe Kushner reviewed the first ''GURPS Bio-Tech'' in ''

Shadis ''Shadis'' is an independent gaming magazine that was published in 1990–1998 by Alderac Entertainment Group (AEG). It initially focused on role-playing games. Publication history Shadis was conceived and started by Jolly Blackburn as an inde ...

'' #48. Kushner comments: "Overall the book is very clear and easy to use. The majority of the text has comments by various individuals which make it easier to read. The art is all done by Dan Smith, so even if you don't like his art, it still has a uniform feel to it."

Awards

It was an

Origins Award The Origins Awards are American awards for outstanding work in the gaming industry. They are presented by the Game Manufacturers Association (GAMA) at the Origins Game Fair on an annual basis for games released in the preceding year. For example, t ...

nominee as Best Roleplaying Game Supplement in 2007.

Reviews

*''Backstab'' #8 *''

InQuest Gamer ''InQuest Gamer'' was a monthly magazine for game reviews and news that was published from 1995 to 2007. The magazine was published by Wizard Entertainment (not to be confused with Wizards of the Coast, which produced its own CCG magazine, '' Th ...

'' #36

References

External links

Homepage for second edition, for GURPS 4th editionHomepage for first edition, for GURPS 3rd edition
* ttp://www.sjgames.com/errata/gurps/bio-tech_2.html/ Errata for first edition, second printing, for GURPS 3rd editionbr>Pyramid magazine
{{DEFAULTSORT:Gurps Bio-Tech Biopunk Bio-Tech GURPS 3rd edition GURPS 4th edition Role-playing game supplements introduced in 1997 Science fiction role-playing game supplements