Transhuman Space

A new RPG setting by David L. Pulver, and the first game to carry the new Powered By GURPS label.

Set in the year 2100, the setting is based on an optimistic view of the next hundred years' development. Humanity has not only survived, but thrived. Massive breakthroughs in biotechnology, nanotechnology, fusion power, computing and genetics have changed humanity's lifestyle almost beyond recognition. Nearly every human is genetically engineered to prevent genetic defects, and most are improved in some other way, making them smarter, longer lived, better looking. Even more extreme modifications have created so-called Parahumans, like the Zero-G enhanced Tennin, and even biologically constructed bioroids like the Felicia, a feline combat bioroid created specifically to fight.

The primary focus in Transhuman Space is the question "What is human?" Is your child no longer human if you genefix it to remove hereditary defects? If you modify it to improve its intelligence, looks or athletic ability? If you give it prehensile toes to maneuver in zero gravity? Is someone still human if they are destructively uploaded to a computer? What about beings who are definitely NOT human, like Artificial Intelligences, Uplifted Animals or Bioroids? Do they have rights? Are they human? Minors? Property?

Personally, I think Transhuman Space is a superb setting. There are a virtually unlimited number of themes, locations, settings and environments. If you have GURPS, go buy it. If you don't, get GURPS, then go buy it.

As with most GURPS titles, a strict eye was kept to realism and maintainance of a Hard Science aproach. The Setting derives much of its background and setting elements from the popular viginettes in GURPS Biotech.

David Pulver has managed to create a complex political situation both on Earth and throughout the various stations and colonies in the rest of the Solar System. The main structure is centered around a variety of large aliances, including :

• The United States and allied powers such as mexico
• The European Union which oposes many of the more extreme forms of transhumanism and exogenesis, but lead the way in materials science and quality of life.
• The Transpacific Socialist Alliance, a major player in the fast developing countries of South East Asia, which follows the new philosophy of infosocialism which oposes the concept of intelectual property
• The Pacific Rim Alliance which is military alliance set up by Australia and Japan to opose the TSA
• The People's Republic of China, which is probably the most powerful single Nation on the Planet (in the system in fact)

Unsuprisingly there are also various minor powers including the Indian Bloc, and the South African Alliance. During 2002 several suppliments for the setting were released, including :

• Fifth Wave ~ Which dealt with the nicer and more technologicly advanced side of Earth in 2100
• Space Craft of The Solar System ~ which contains a series of detailed writeups of various spacecraft available in 2100, along with details of how various space based militaries and organisations function. The writeups are compatible with the vehicle design system in the main book.
• Orbital Decay ~ An adventure.
• Personel Files ~ Which contains character writeups for a number of people (and non-persons) who can be dropped straight into any transhuman space game, or, indeed, with some modification into almost any GURPS game.

The setting itself, whilst already very well constructed is going to become even better supported over the latter half of 2003, with the upcomming release of several supplements :

• In The Well ~ Dealing with Mars and Venus
• Deep Beyond ~ Everything from The Asteroid Belt to The Kuiper Belt
• High Frontier ~ Everything in the Earth/Moon system except for the Earth
• Under Preasure ~ The Seas of Earth
• Broken Dreams ~ The darker side of the year 2100