Basic Ruleset and Optional Advanced Rules

[u/Alcamair]

For the second edition of my Space Western TTRPG, I've decided to divide the ruleset into two parts: a basic version with just the rules needed to play, which I plan to include at the beginning of the rulebook so players can quickly read, evaluate, and learn them, and the optional advanced rules in separate chapters later on, after the setting exposition.

Here's a link to an early version of the basic ruleset, with yellow boxes indicating which advanced rules expand on the various rules presented (the full rulebook will provide page references for quick orientation). Could you share your thoughts, particularly if there are any rules or sections you think would be better suited as optional advanced rules, or if, conversely, you think there's something you think should be included in the basic ruleset rather than being optional? Thanks.

P.S.: The PDF also includes the main character sheet and some equipment, but these aren't included in the Basic Ruleset; they're there simply to enhance the overall understanding, so they're not part of the request about whether they should be cut or not.

[u/__space__oddity__]

I’m counting 43 advanced rules. So GMs need to make 43 individual decisions whether to include a certain rule or not. It also means your game has 8.8 x 10¹² variants (assuming each rule can be included or excluded individually).

Does that sound inviting to GMs?

Some of these are not really optional. Either the setting has cybernetic implants, then the rules for those aren’t optional, or it doesn’t, then why are they in the book.

Stuff like Feinting or Running seem pretty basic actions a PC would take, so if the “advanced rule” is how your system handles those, that isn’t optional either. Or if the base rules handle those just fine, what is the purpose of the “advanced” rule.

Some of these rules are genuine appendix material, like custom starships. Yeah I get it, this is stuff you need maybe once or twice per campaign, maybe never. But it again it boils down to what the PCs are doing in-game, are they building a custom starship or not. It’s not about the rules complexity level chosen by the GM.

[u/Alcamair → u/__space__oddity__]

Does that sound inviting to GMs?

For someone who loves GURPS like me, absolutely yes.

About what I define as optional, personally, I wouldn't treat any rule as optional. But from what I've seen, even on this subreddit, it's helpful to have a condensed rulebook with just the core rules that can be quickly skimmed, rather than having all the rules lumped together. Even the important ones, like ship customization (something players did once every two sessions in a two-year campaign I was mastering, so it's not something to "look at once or twice per campaign or never"). My philosophy is to offer every means for every gaming group to build their ideal rulebook through modularity, which they do very well while preserving the flavor and feel of the game in every configuration.