User summary:
HYPeR was intended to be a generic, universal role-playing system that would support magic, super powers, psionics, and high technology. The author contemplated eight modules but produced only Module A: Basic Rules. Module A was accompanied by a Character Sheet and a Damage Log. Module A provides sufficient basic rules to play in any genre as long as the various genre-specific elements are provided by the user. The rules follow a rigorous format.
All tasks are attempted against a Difficult Level ranging from -30 to 100 (15 is an "average task"); the game is played at a Technical Level ranging from 0 to 20 (11 is "modern"). These are standard for the entire game.
Character creation begins with a concept and demographics, then the selection of a Profession (e.g., class) and the purhcase of Attributes, of which there are ten, from a points pool. The Awareness Attribute is sub-divided into the five senses with individual scores in each. Characters also have thirty-three derived attributes, most of which related to combat. A character's Profession grants access to Skills which have several different types of scores, the basic performance level is purchased from a point pool. Numerous Skills relate to combat. Combat is quite complex and supports a wide range of options and supports numerous special situations.