Gaming Outpost Discussions » Tag: mechanics

Gaming Outpost Discussions » Tag: mechanics - Recent Posts http://gamingoutpost.com/discussions/tags/mechanics Gaming Outpost Discussions » Tag: mechanics - Recent Posts en-US Thu, 24 May 2012 10:53:10 +0000 http://bbpress.org/?v=1.0.2 <![CDATA[Search]]> q http://gamingoutpost.com/discussions/search.php M. J. Young on ""Time" "Stop"" http://gamingoutpost.com/discussions/topic/time-stop#post-19113 Tue, 18 May 2010 22:49:27 +0000 M. J. Young 19113@http://gamingoutpost.com/discussions/ <blockquote>Does general meditation equals to a relaxed state? </blockquote> I would have to say no, but this might be a semantic response. More precisely, general meditation is a tool which can help bring about a relaxed state. The relaxed state is not the meditation but one possible result of the meditation. Put another way, you can attempt to meditate and not achieve a relaxed state, and you can achieve a relaxed state without attempting to meditate. If, though, you have a skill in general meditation which states that it enables you to relax, then successfully rolling that skill would put you in a relaxed state (eventually, probably within a reasonable time depending on the circumstances). --M. J. Young Max on ""Time" "Stop"" http://gamingoutpost.com/discussions/topic/time-stop#post-19110 Tue, 18 May 2010 12:22:53 +0000 Max 19110@http://gamingoutpost.com/discussions/ <blockquote>However, your character probably does not know this yet, as he would only sense it at times when he was relaxed and not thinking of much else.</blockquote> Yes, which I think is a good plot device. Does general meditation equals to a relaxed state? WilliamTWodium on ""Time" "Stop"" http://gamingoutpost.com/discussions/topic/time-stop#post-19109 Tue, 18 May 2010 12:06:06 +0000 WilliamTWodium 19109@http://gamingoutpost.com/discussions/ It's not just perception. The proposed skill (psionic, by the way) would selectively alter the flow of time only as it pertains to the user. If perception were the only thing affected, then the user would perceive his own movements as being glacially slow; the only use of a skill like that would be to buy time to think. Maxx - at best, you could sense the direction to your body, referred to as a "vector" (though with no sense of the magnitude - no distance, just direction). However, your character probably does not know this yet, as he would only sense it at times when he was relaxed and not thinking of much else. He hasn't relaxed since leaving his body; he's spent all of his time concentrating hard or reacting to a crisis. johnosevens on ""Time" "Stop"" http://gamingoutpost.com/discussions/topic/time-stop#post-19103 Tue, 18 May 2010 09:26:03 +0000 johnosevens 19103@http://gamingoutpost.com/discussions/ Taking a page from the Psionic rules here, isn't it easier to alter your own perception of the rate at which time flows (thereby causing a hyperacceleration) than it is to actually alter the flow of time around you? I mean, one is just you messing with your own perception, the other is you messing with the fundamental laws of reality. Maybe I'm thinking too much like an arcane mage here, but doesn't the means to the end count for something? M. J. Young on ""Time" "Stop"" http://gamingoutpost.com/discussions/topic/time-stop#post-19087 Mon, 17 May 2010 18:33:56 +0000 M. J. Young 19087@http://gamingoutpost.com/discussions/ The pseudo-rational explanation for versers finding their equipment is that scriff attracts scriff, and the verser has scriff in his body and in all his things. Thus just as he from his body detects his equipment, his equipment in a sense "detects" him. If that equipment were minimally sentient--an animal, an AI--in theory it would have the same "sense" of him as an associate does. Kurt's cat Harry might be equipment (although I think he's an associate now), but he can sense the direction to Kurt based on the scriff sense just as Kurt can sense Harry. The spirit is specifically stated to be the "undisownable" property of the body--if some other spirit takes your body and leaves your spirit disembodied, and then verses out, your spirit goes with the body, and any "body" it is in (e.g., if it's trapped in an amulet or something) probably goes with it. Thus the body can sense the direction to the spirit and the spirit to the body. The breakdown exists because a spirit has no material form, is entirely of supernatural stuff, and thus cannot be scriff-infected, because scriff is fundamentally material. This is glossed over in the rules generally, but it's not actually stated (that I recall--I could be forgetting something) that the spirit can find the body--only that the spirit can't be disowned and so will always verse out with the body if the body verses out. As to whether or not hyper-acceleration makes spacetime stop, there's no reason for it to have a higher bias than stop time on that basis. The only question to my mind is whether there's a sufficient "limitation" to the hyper-acceleration in comparison with the stop time to warrant a bonus sit-mod to it, and I don't see one. --M. J. Young Max on ""Time" "Stop"" http://gamingoutpost.com/discussions/topic/time-stop#post-19077 Mon, 17 May 2010 13:53:58 +0000 Max 19077@http://gamingoutpost.com/discussions/ A couple of questions before going back to topic: <blockquote>I recognize that it's really outside the bounds of the pseudo-rational explanations I use for most scriff-related abilities (because the spirit by definition cannot contain scriff), but it fits the general pattern concerning the necessity of keeping the spirit and body together.</blockquote> So, can Morach actually detect his current body location? <blockquote>it's really outside the bounds of the pseudo-rational explanations I use for most scriff-related abilities</blockquote> What explanation do you use to enable the detection of scriff related bodies? Can you expand this explanation to include detection of body from a spirit? ***** Back to the topic: <blockquote>the skill appears to achieve the same effect as a 14@8 stop time, and I can't think of a good reason for it not to be at the same bias.</blockquote> Hyper-acceleration does seem to achieve that. There might be some hidden artifact to hyper-acceleration that manage to make the surrounding space/time stop. This hidden artifact might put the bias for hyper-acceleration much higher. M. J. Young on ""Time" "Stop"" http://gamingoutpost.com/discussions/topic/time-stop#post-19030 Sun, 16 May 2010 02:11:17 +0000 M. J. Young 19030@http://gamingoutpost.com/discussions/ As an aside from reading the thread, barring any reason to think otherwise I would normally assume that a verser's spirit can find his body by following the scriff sense, as long as the two are in the same sub-universe. I recognize that it's really outside the bounds of the pseudo-rational explanations I use for most scriff-related abilities (because the spirit by definition cannot contain scriff), but it fits the general pattern concerning the necessity of keeping the spirit and body together. On topic, part of the point of the limitation on haste is to ensure that any attempt to push the envelope excessively in a somewhat lower bias curve would take massive penalties, and thus be limited if you couldn't do a time stop. If you take a haste to the rate of roughly one minute per second, you're looking at a -60 penalty (for 64 seconds per second), which means you're not going to do it unless something is strongly in your favor or you're really desperate. My impression is that if the character is attempting to achieve an effect comparable to time stop, it should probably be the same bias as time stop--justification, in psionic skill terms, can be found in such skills as the non-corporeality skill, which in essence says that however the effect is achieved (OBE, dematerialized body, etherealness) it falls under the same bias heading. I might bonus the character slightly if it appeared that the rate at which time passed was great enough to become a limit eventually, but even at one minute per second I don't see that as particularly limiting. In the specific case, I might provide a bonus if the skill is limited to accelerating a non-material form of the character. Overall, though, the skill appears to achieve the same effect as a 14@8 stop time, and I can't think of a good reason for it not to be at the same bias. --M. J. Young Max on ""Time" "Stop"" http://gamingoutpost.com/discussions/topic/time-stop#post-19027 Sat, 15 May 2010 17:34:32 +0000 Max 19027@http://gamingoutpost.com/discussions/ How about listing Hyper-acceleration as P14@9? ***** Edit: P14@5 would probably works too considering that the skill does not target other than self. P14@8 Time Stop would probably be on higher bias because it targets something other than self. WilliamTWodium on ""Time" "Stop"" http://gamingoutpost.com/discussions/topic/time-stop#post-19025 Sat, 15 May 2010 17:00:43 +0000 WilliamTWodium 19025@http://gamingoutpost.com/discussions/ So Maxx is about to attempt a pseudo-time stop via personal hyper-acceleration. The rule book is not terribly helpful in this regard. I find 14@1 Slow, 14@2 Haste, 14@4 Suspended Animation, and 14@8 Time Stop. Slow and Haste have baselines that adjust subjective time for the target by a factor of two. Suspended Animation is like a Slow that slows the target so much that time for the target has practically stopped. Time Stop actually stops time within a limited area, which Maxx has specifically said he is not doing. What I don't see listed is a Haste counter-part to Suspended Animation: a skill which accelerates the charter so much that time has practically stopped for everything else. Should this just be a new listing, perhaps at P14@5? That seems odd, though, because the skill is superior to the higher-biased 14@8 Time Stop in that it has no need of an area of effect. Thoughts? JohnA1nut on "Behind the Screens 2009" http://gamingoutpost.com/discussions/topic/behind-the-screens-2009/page/15#post-15636 Fri, 01 Jan 2010 21:14:54 +0000 JohnA1nut 15636@http://gamingoutpost.com/discussions/ You didn't get the joke about the Markedly Beastly? I meant it's almost up to Six-hundred-sixty-six posts. I'm just kind of superstitious about that. <blockquote>As to starting a new thread, it was perfectly reasonable of you to post a note here to remind me that I might want to do that, but it was completely inappropriate for you to do it for me. I can start my own threads, thank you. </blockquote> Then don't use it. I won't be offended. I just thought I would save you the trouble. Perhaps someone should write up a list of acceptable board behavior. (No joke) (Doing Therapy) M. J. Young on "Behind the Screens 2009" http://gamingoutpost.com/discussions/topic/behind-the-screens-2009/page/15#post-15634 Fri, 01 Jan 2010 20:55:17 +0000 M. J. Young 15634@http://gamingoutpost.com/discussions/ John, we've had longer threads than this in the past; but that might be further in the past than you would know. As to starting a new thread, it was perfectly reasonable of you to post a note here to remind me that I might want to do that, but it was completely inappropriate for you to do it for me. I can start my own threads, thank you. --M. J. Young JohnA1nut on "Behind the Screens 2009" http://gamingoutpost.com/discussions/topic/behind-the-screens-2009/page/15#post-15621 Fri, 01 Jan 2010 07:18:46 +0000 JohnA1nut 15621@http://gamingoutpost.com/discussions/ Two Posts Oh MJ, time to retire this thread. It's almost up to a markedly beastly number of posts anyway. <wink> (Doing Therapy) JohnA1nut on "Behind the Screens 2009" http://gamingoutpost.com/discussions/topic/behind-the-screens-2009/page/15#post-15620 Fri, 01 Jan 2010 07:06:58 +0000 JohnA1nut 15620@http://gamingoutpost.com/discussions/ Well, that's the reason I trust him. If he's dedicated then he's serious and you can trust him. If he's completely insane, then he's practically my brother. (Of course, if he's not completely insane, then some parts are missing.) (Doing Therapy) Brock on "Behind the Screens 2009" http://gamingoutpost.com/discussions/topic/behind-the-screens-2009/page/15#post-15619 Fri, 01 Jan 2010 07:02:46 +0000 Brock 15619@http://gamingoutpost.com/discussions/ Dedication is a form of insanity if you ask me. But MJ doesn't seem crazy. Just hounded. JohnA1nut on "Behind the Screens 2009" http://gamingoutpost.com/discussions/topic/behind-the-screens-2009/page/15#post-15614 Fri, 01 Jan 2010 06:16:48 +0000 JohnA1nut 15614@http://gamingoutpost.com/discussions/ Ya know MJ, this is the first time that I can remember that you didn't finish all of the players. Like I said in that email, you're either dedicated or completely insane. I prefer to think a little of both. (Doing Therapy) M. J. Young on "Behind the Screens 2009" http://gamingoutpost.com/discussions/topic/behind-the-screens-2009/page/15#post-15613 Fri, 01 Jan 2010 05:44:32 +0000 M. J. Young 15613@http://gamingoutpost.com/discussions/ The conversation is fascinating. I'll pass on doing the Multiverser conversion of that intriguing spell merely because I have eight players waiting on line and have to start running our New Years Eve party pretty soon which will slow me down significantly. I will note, however, that it sounds like a M14@7 create life form; the material component strikes me as particularly rare (there are not that many universes in which you can acquire a bit of giant octopus or giant squid, particularly since my understanding of D&D tells me that those creatures do not live in our universe--although you might get some if you return to the sea where you are, since "sea monster" shows up from time to time); that you're probably looking to shorten the TF drastically, but you can probably gain something by shortening the duration (from RS minutes to something closer to the levels expected by the spell). Otherwise, it's not really my job to design your spells for you. Those aforementioned games include Michael, Ahmetia, Brock, Maxx, Kurt, Harry, Nikolaj, and John 2. I'll tell Michael as much as I can remember about how the house is built and what else is made from the plastic steel, and he can try to work out what he sees through the microscope to some degree. Ahmetia has told the prince that she's not changed at all, but she's not really acting like the queen, and he would notice that. I've managed over the course of several hours (actually, more like in two bursts many hours apart) to get an answer to Brock, but as our New Year's Eve celebration winds down, I'm going to have to get to bed hopefully before five (which gives me about a quarter of an hour) and perhaps get to the rest of this tomorrow. --M. J. Young JohnA1nut on "Behind the Screens 2009" http://gamingoutpost.com/discussions/topic/behind-the-screens-2009/page/15#post-15610 Fri, 01 Jan 2010 05:32:12 +0000 JohnA1nut 15610@http://gamingoutpost.com/discussions/ Two Posts <blockquote>I envision my future self as a wise and learned monk, master of magical and psionic abilities. An expert mediator, purveyor of peace between peoples-perhaps with a dash of magic to help things along. </blockquote> I envision my future self as the guy who really can shoot the fleas off a dog's back at 500 yards. My character is carrying a 9mm rifle, 9mm pistol, 357 magnum pistol, a single shot shotgun, crossbow, and perhaps a grenade launcher here in a minute. (Doing Therapy) JohnA1nut on "Behind the Screens 2009" http://gamingoutpost.com/discussions/topic/behind-the-screens-2009/page/15#post-15604 Fri, 01 Jan 2010 03:36:20 +0000 JohnA1nut 15604@http://gamingoutpost.com/discussions/ <blockquote>2: Short-range firearm, right now a blackpowder pistol, in the future probably a Mare's Leg: </blockquote> Oh yeah Osevens, I wouldn't mind having one of those myself. I can't seem to find any in this world, but next chance I get, I'm gonna get myself a double barrel 12 gauge and saw it off on both ends like that. Wouldn't be good for more than about 30 feet, but for up close and personal, it would be devastating. (Doing Therapy) Brock on "Behind the Screens 2009" http://gamingoutpost.com/discussions/topic/behind-the-screens-2009/page/15#post-15602 Fri, 01 Jan 2010 03:30:35 +0000 Brock 15602@http://gamingoutpost.com/discussions/ That's a creation. I think the bias for that is 14@something. And it would have heavy sit mod penalties for making several at once 20 foot AOE). It would have a bonus for 3 components rather than 2. It would have a penalty for being RF, I'm sure. The D and D prepare ahead of time would bonus it. The range might be long enough to penalize it. The duration would be hard to convert, like most D and D spells, since MV doesn't have character levels. I don't know how grapple checks work in MV, so I don't know how to convert that. Black Tentacles killed one of my players once; it was hilarious, he couldn't get out. Failed grapple repeatedly. johnosevens on "Behind the Screens 2009" http://gamingoutpost.com/discussions/topic/behind-the-screens-2009/page/15#post-15586 Thu, 31 Dec 2009 16:17:06 +0000 johnosevens 15586@http://gamingoutpost.com/discussions/ My future Verser self probably would have a certain basic arsenal: 1: My named-unique smallsword, Soulmourn, which my grandfather commissioned for me from a master swordsmith, forged from a piece of meteoric iron and purpose-built to count as 'cold iron' for magical purposes (this is actually a real item I started the game with, because I actually own this). 2: Short-range firearm, right now a blackpowder pistol, in the future probably a Mare's Leg: <a href="http://www.maresleg.com/maresleg.htm" rel="nofollow">http://www.maresleg.com/maresleg.htm</a> Essentially a sawed-off rifle. To me things like sniper rifles and explosives are simply too situational to carry at all times. I might own them, I might even bother learning to use them, but I'm not gonna take them out of the crates unless I intend to use them. As for magic and psionics... Damn straight. I mean, why wouldn't you? I need to get to a Verse with respectable biases in order to learn some, but considering how much mileage I've gotten out of a simple TK Pulse? Sign me up. I need to figure out how to convert Vancian magic into Multiverser, especially D&D's "prepare 20 spells in one hour ahead of time" mechanic. While I would have SOME spells that don't need to be pre-prepared, I would love to work out a ritual like that just so I can have some BIG miracles on tap when I need them (seeing as I'm primarily a divine caster so far, why not think of them as miracles?). Mostly that would be just variation on a theme, though. I don't really want spells like Flesh to Stone or Dominate Person. D&D has taught me that spells that allow saves or resistance checks are bad. So I stick to things like telekinesis and self- and party-buffs that allow me to bring the pain without allowing avenues of escape. And I'll teleport you a gold piece if you can tell me how to convert <a href='http://www.d20srd.org/srd/spells/blackTentacles.htm'>this</a> into Multiverser mechanics with a reasonable probability of success. JohnA1nut on "Behind the Screens 2009" http://gamingoutpost.com/discussions/topic/behind-the-screens-2009/page/15#post-15582 Thu, 31 Dec 2009 15:00:05 +0000 JohnA1nut 15582@http://gamingoutpost.com/discussions/ <blockquote>Yeah, I was talking to him about that in email. I was telling him, my absolute maximum would be one gun of each archetype i know of off the top of my head </blockquote> Yeah, Brock's maximum would be what I carry on me at all times. Not even counting the big stuff I keep in my room for emergencies. I've got 3 shotguns, 3 pistols, 4 rifles, a grenade launcher and a crossbow. "You want a war? I'll take you to war, OK!!!" Brock on "Behind the Screens 2009" http://gamingoutpost.com/discussions/topic/behind-the-screens-2009/page/15#post-15581 Thu, 31 Dec 2009 14:53:44 +0000 Brock 15581@http://gamingoutpost.com/discussions/ Yeah, I was talking to him about that in email. I was telling him, my absolute maximum would be one gun of each archetype i know of off the top of my head, if I felt the need to have guns at all. One close range scatter (shotgun), one medium-range automatic (military rifles), one ultra-long range (sniper), one sidearm, and an explosive of some kind. He has 2 or 3 ways to explode, 2 or 3 rifle types, 2 pistols (I think), and 2 shotguns, once he finishes his current purchases. (presupposing he doesn't discard some of it.) I envision my future self as a wise and learned monk, master of magical and psionic abilities. An expert mediator, purveyor of peace between peoples-perhaps with a dash of magic to help things along. How about you? johnosevens on "Behind the Screens 2009" http://gamingoutpost.com/discussions/topic/behind-the-screens-2009/page/15#post-15572 Thu, 31 Dec 2009 09:48:24 +0000 johnosevens 15572@http://gamingoutpost.com/discussions/ I'm picturing A1Nut going the path of Michael DiVars. Or that guy from the movie "Tremors"... Burt? The guy who shows up in the second movie with a deuce-and-a-half full of guns and explosives. JohnA1nut on "Behind the Screens 2009" http://gamingoutpost.com/discussions/topic/behind-the-screens-2009/page/15#post-15558 Wed, 30 Dec 2009 21:44:50 +0000 JohnA1nut 15558@http://gamingoutpost.com/discussions/ <blockquote>I think John 2 is almost set with his grenades. I note that he has not yet learned the psionic slicer; it's day 24, and he's got to make a decision on that before I can move the calendar forward.</blockquote> You haven't mentioned this in so long, I had forgotten about it completely. Bring it back into game. Have Lauren call me or something. (Doing Therapy) M. J. Young on "Behind the Screens 2009" http://gamingoutpost.com/discussions/topic/behind-the-screens-2009/page/15#post-15557 Wed, 30 Dec 2009 21:43:00 +0000 M. J. Young 15557@http://gamingoutpost.com/discussions/ I have opened threads from Mike, Ahmetia, Brock, Maxx, Kurt, Nikolaj, and John 2. We need a skill check for whether Mike can use his primitive microscope. Since he's a professional, we won't penalize for the equipment here--it's already a tough situation, because the NagaWorld tech bias is not terribly friendly to his efforts. But with a 2@1 SAL and 2@2 BRA he's got a 43% chance of accomplishing his objective; his roll is 12. I've never had anyone attempt to examine plastic steel this way before, so I'll have to roll for what he discovers: 20 is just bad enough, so he's not going to discover much. Ahmetia is out of the frying pan and into the fire. She's been doing her best not to talk to anyone, but no one warned her that she was going to be sharing the carriage to the palace with this gorgeous guy. Let's see how she handles that. Brock is conversing with the communications expert. Maxx has got me nervous--he's trying to create a psionically generated physical force or force object to use as a support so he can walk. I need more information on that before I can adjudicate it, so we'll ask. Kurt is settling into the nearest hotel to his prey. I think Nikolaj is hitting me with one of the toughest prayers he's done yet. He very clearly wants to influence the minds of two individuals; this is a M10@7 Suggestion, with a -10 penalty because two people are targeted. We already know that simply placing the idea in their mind will not be persuasive, and thus we have another -20 because it is compelling. It is also the intent of the skill that the skilled user actually state the idea in the hearing of the target, and a -10 penalty accrues for not doing that. In his favor, 0:00:06 activation times are common, and he is praying this for 0:40:00, so he gets a lot of bonuses for the time invested: six doublings makes 3:12 nine makes 25:16, and we're adding about 80% more, so +98 for time. The targets are not together and not at hand, so I'm going to penalize it -30 for range. We have +5 appropriateness, +5 for the magical language but the requirement at +10 that he make a successful check on his prayer tongues skill, +3 for two legs, and we accumulate +51SM but have to make the prayer tongues roll successfully, for which he rolls 50, let me check on that: 1@10 SAL+10 religion +10 alliance plus bias and BRA, and I'm going to give him a mark because I don't think I've yet credited him for using this skill as the basis for another. The prayer tongues work, so we roll his chance to learn, 25, definitely a success which kicks his bias up significantly, but his two targets each get a will power check. I'd say the head of the meat prep division is a 1@6, and Miss Kucher is a rather stubborn 1@10, and the rolls for them, respectively, are 1+5=6 and 16+20=36. Hmmm--I never should have used the name Kathrine. I will never remember how to spell it. Oh, well, it's done now. I think John 2 is almost set with his grenades. I note that he has not yet learned the psionic slicer; it's day 24, and he's got to make a decision on that before I can move the calendar forward. --M. J. Young M. J. Young on "Behind the Screens 2009" http://gamingoutpost.com/discussions/topic/behind-the-screens-2009/page/15#post-15515 Wed, 30 Dec 2009 01:42:53 +0000 M. J. Young 15515@http://gamingoutpost.com/discussions/ I believe I have opened all the active threads. I have Michael, Ahmetia, Brock, Maxx, Kurt, Harry, Nikolaj, and John 2. Let's see how much damage--er, how many of these threads I can address in the available time. I did not actually list Michael's skill at designing and building a microscope yesterday; I relied on incorporating it into the polymer skill. I'm going to toss a skill learning roll at this point, certain that with his 10@3 bias and 2@2 BRA he's got a very solid chance of successfully learning to build a microscope, a 6@2 skill. It's not quite as good a chance, in this world, as I'd estimated though--125-62=63, and my roll of 85 is not good. So I'll put the problem in the taping, and give him another chance to do it, 02, a weak success, 1@1 Design/Build Microscope T6@2. Ahmetia has attempted to recite from memory the vow she is supposed to recite from memory. The correct wording is <blockquote>And I, Rudolpha, do solemnly promise and swear to govern the people of Ruritania according to their laws and customs, and to cause law and justice in mercy to be executed in all my judgments. The things I have here before promised I will perform and keep, so help me God.</blockquote> Her memorized version is <blockquote>I, Rudolpha, do solemnly promise to govern the people of Ruritania according to the laws and customs, and to cause law and justice in mercy to be executed in all my judgments. The things I have promised I will perform and keep, so help me God.</blockquote> I am very impressed, spotting very few discrepancies; we'll give her +5 on her effective attribute for a simple check to see whether her character got it right where she failed. The dice read 2+5, which is a a success. She also is going to be introduced for the first time to that gorgeous hunk of a man, Prince Flavius. The books states that she has to make a will power check against his 2@9 animal magnetism, or she will do something "foolish and impetuous". We will roll, first her roll against her 1@9 will power: 12; 28, he could not have made a better roll, and she could not have resisted with any roll that would have been successful for her. I want to give her some hint of the situation, but let me roll a check--I wish I had her intellect here, but her ed lev will have to do--for whether she remembers what she was told about him. 9+6=15, well within her score. I am going to bonus Maxx +3 on his effective intellect for this particular sorting session, because he has to work out the background light which happens to be even across the entire visible spectrum. That gives him an effective 2@1, and he rolls 19, so he's good. He is looking into his brain next, molecule by molecule, and has about a quarter of an hour to examine it one molecule per minute. He hopes to gain some information about brain chemistry and the development and inhibition of neurotransmitters (that's my rough summary of his statement), so we'll give him a GE roll for what he does and does not see: 17, pretty ordinary. I seem to have rolled a 45 on his chance of moving to the cornea. We have a 1@1 SAL, +49 SM, +2x9@ bias, and I don't need to track down his BRA because this is obviously successful. The roll for the next shift is 48, which again will take him to the air above his skin, where he is looking for the source of the light. It is not there, though, so I think he won't find it. Kurt has the sense to ask about how his secret weapons work, and is now looking at security--but I'm not certain where he's looking. There was a general effects roll made at Ubercon for Harry, and although I do not remember the roll, I remember that he and I both recognized that there was going to be a fire fairly soon. It was not immediate, and I've given him the time to run a practice session and get his staff organized, but I think the time has come. There remain other questions, though: who is on duty when the fire begins? how close is it to the firehouse? How bad is it when it is discovered? What is burning? Let's cover it all with a GE roll: 9+5+9=23, Nearly As Bad As Anticipated. I've put a lot of work into making the schedule for his crews, and now I can't copy it here, so I'll have to give it some thought. I'm double-checking something with Nikolaj. John 2 has more questions. --M. J. Young M. J. Young on "Behind the Screens 2009" http://gamingoutpost.com/discussions/topic/behind-the-screens-2009/page/15#post-15447 Sun, 27 Dec 2009 19:05:09 +0000 M. J. Young 15447@http://gamingoutpost.com/discussions/ O.K., the new stopwatch is now running to serve as our randomizer, and I can tackle posts from Michael, Ahmetia, Brock, Maxx, Kurt, Harry, and John 2. Michael treats his wound prophylacticly and gets some sleep. I don't think more than ten hours is likely. Ahmetia gets through the ceremony to the point at which she is to say her duplicate's vow. Brock rolls 02 on his use computer skill, which is a very weak success. He also needs a GE roll for whether anyone is in the rec center: 2+3+4=9, an excellent roll. Maxx has a number of interesting ideas for his new skill, but they will require skill checks to perform and I want to check that he wants to make those checks before I roll them. Kurt rolls 46 on his 1@8 use computer skill with a 10@ bias and 2@2 BRA, a 60% chance of success, so a decent roll. Harry has devised an excellent way to resolve the duty roster problem, so we'll build on that and get this out of the way before we have our first fire. I'm still settling the grenade definitions with John 2, but I think we're nearly finished. I remind myself that the GE roll was 19, so once we have clearly communicated the definitions I'll determine the availability on that basis. --M. J. Young JohnA1nut on "Behind the Screens 2009" http://gamingoutpost.com/discussions/topic/behind-the-screens-2009/page/15#post-15417 Sat, 26 Dec 2009 23:28:24 +0000 JohnA1nut 15417@http://gamingoutpost.com/discussions/ I'm glad you like the stopwatch MJ. (Doing Therapy) M. J. Young on "Behind the Screens 2009" http://gamingoutpost.com/discussions/topic/behind-the-screens-2009/page/15#post-15416 Sat, 26 Dec 2009 23:23:38 +0000 M. J. Young 15416@http://gamingoutpost.com/discussions/ Permit me first to wish a happy Boxing Day or Feast of Stephen to those who mark the day; sing a verse of Good King Wenceslas for me. Second, let me thank everyone for your patience during the past month, which has been hectic and troubled as much as any this year. Third, let me thank Nikolaj for his input on child development. I have a guide for all that, but sometimes I get confused between what the guide says and what I remember, and I am not close enough to my granddaughter to observe her development in any detail. With that, I will turn my attention to posts from Michael, Ahmetia, Brock, Maxx, Kurt, Nikolaj, and John 2. There's not much to say for Michael. Ahmetia rolls 04 on her riding skill, and thus she manages to do it, somewhat awkwardly. That will bring her to the cathedral, but we'll allow her opportunity to interact a bit as she desires. It sounds to me as if Brock is hoping to meet someone in the galley, but a 22 GE is bad, not as bad as anticipated but worse than bad enough. He'll have a passing meeting with someone passing. Maxx wants to teach himself Analyze Chemistry by Clairvoyant Perception of Molecular Structure in Slow Motion P9@2 (light not essential) 30:00 preparatory concentration, can be focused to observe quark level instead (separate use). The skill he is using for the basis has a +59 sit-mod, but this incorporates a second skill, so there's -10 for that, and since it is clairvoyant we have to raise the bias to include clairvoyance in the curve--a curve of 9 covers clairvoyance, but it can't be incorporated in a flatlined skill, so it has to be 9@2. With that in place, I'll roll the dice. Oh, you know what? I've got this new stopwatch, so I don't have to worry about dropping my new dice into the obliviation that is my office floor. Let me start it, and take a moment to thank John "A-1 Nut" Cross for the lovely and useful Christmas gift which is primarily a stopwatch but incorporates clock, calendar, and alarm functions, thank you very much John 2 and now having typed that I can use the lap function to get a truly random roll of 14, which gives him a 1@1 Analyze Chemistry by Clairvoyant Perception of Molecular Structure in Slow Motion P9@2 (light not essential) 30:00 preparatory concentration, can be focused to observe quark level instead (separate use) +49SM and raises his psi bias one intensity. Kurt is getting back into the flow of his game; we'll see which way it goes from here. Nikolaj reminds me that I had to work out the details of prayers from his December 10 posting, and although I'm not certain I've a great deal of time today either, I'm going to tackle them now. I'll start by getting the sequence straight: <blockquote>During the day we're now at I will also pray that God will prepare the men and their hearts for this message, through thoughts, dreams, events or whatever else God likes to use for it. This will take 15 minutes, hands help up into the air and a short period of praying in tongues. My eyes will be closed. The day before the meeting I will pray to God that He will make all things work out and that He would speak his message to the people. I'l make it one of my prayer walks. Rather then revealing Christ, the attempt is now to make them be open for the message of a young orc and to accept it into their heart. I ask God to prepare the people.</blockquote> The prayer for advance preparation is tough to categorize, but since it seems in essence to be asking God for knowledge I will go with a M+7@7 Communicate Off-world. He hits the baseline 15:00 for conversations, but is not really having a conversation, rather asking God to answer him at God's leisure, as it were, so I'll give him +10 for that. He gets +5 for appropriate words and +5 for including his prayer tongues in the prayer. He also needs a successful skill check on the prayer tongues, +10 if he gets it. He raises both hands and closes his eyes, for which +6. That gives him +36 on his chance of success assuming the check. The prayer tongues roll is 74, and he's got a 1@10 SAL, +10 religion, +10 alliance, +19 BRA, 59% chance of success, it does not happen. He is modeling the other on his prayer walk: <blockquote>1@2 Pray for Third Party Revelation M7@7 while walking, requires successful use of Prayer Tongues M7@1 40:00 TF asks God to reveal Himself to a specified other individual +38SM</blockquote> I think we're looking at what might effectively be a penalize will power skill--because will power is the attribute we use for the obstinacy of those who are the objects of persuasion. Thus we're looking at Reduce Resistance to Persuasion M1@4 while walking, requires successful use of Prayer Tongues M7@1 40:00 TF asks God to make hearers open to message to be spoken at a specific future moment, reduces will power against persuasion of RS% of members of group RS/10 for 1:00:00. The walking means +3 (both legs), the prayer tongues means +10 (success required on another skill), +5 appropriate words, +5 foreign language, the TF is doubled five and a quarter times for +53, but the RF is increased from RS/10 minutes to 1:00:00, which is -35, and he's gone from one person to RS% of a group which is a significant increase in power, which I will make -65 figuring that that's roughly a hundred people, which I'll take as enough for any "group". He also gets +10 if the prayer tongues work, for which he rolls 28, an easy success. That makes the sit-mod penalties -100 but the bonuses +86, so it's -14 on its chance of success. However, this being the first time, he gets the advantage of bias, because he has a 7@9 bias against a 1@4 target, along with the other previously noted bonuses. He rolls 16, so 16% of the group will have their resistance reduced 2 intensities for the hour of the meeting, and he has this skill, 1@1 Reduce Resistance to Persuasion M1@4 while walking, requires successful use of Prayer Tongues M7@1 40:00 TF asks God to make hearers open to message to be spoken at a specific future moment, reduces will power against persuasion of RS% of members of group RS/10 for 1:00:00 As for the new prayer, he'll have to give me a bit more information. John 2 gets a 19 GE on his desired grenades, so I'll take a look. I'll have to work out what all these are before I can apply the roll, but he'll get most of them, probably. --M. J. Young Nikolaj on "Behind the Screens 2009" http://gamingoutpost.com/discussions/topic/behind-the-screens-2009/page/15#post-15394 Sat, 26 Dec 2009 20:06:06 +0000 Nikolaj 15394@http://gamingoutpost.com/discussions/ At the age of three, most can even manage to jump. The oldest kids I work with are 2,5 years, and most of them have trouble with jumping, not coming off of the ground. (but we're going off topic, this was about 16 months old children) JohnA1nut on "Behind the Screens 2009" http://gamingoutpost.com/discussions/topic/behind-the-screens-2009/page/14#post-15393 Sat, 26 Dec 2009 20:00:10 +0000 JohnA1nut 15393@http://gamingoutpost.com/discussions/ When I was about 3, I used to climb to the top of a 7-8 foot bookshelf and sit down on it. Mom freaked out every time. (Doing Therapy) Nikolaj on "Behind the Screens 2009" http://gamingoutpost.com/discussions/topic/behind-the-screens-2009/page/14#post-15391 Sat, 26 Dec 2009 19:37:23 +0000 Nikolaj 15391@http://gamingoutpost.com/discussions/ I'm quoting Maxx: <blockquote>Month 16 (July): I wonder if I can walk properly or even run right about now. I also wonder if I can pronounce word properly by now. </blockquote> Walking would be good. I doubt that your character would be running, certainly with your focus on psionic progress which leaves little to no time for developing body skills. But I may be misunderstanding this incarnation experience. According to the internet (<a href="http://parenting.ivillage.com/tp/tpdevelopment/0,,pg60,00.html" rel="nofollow">http://parenting.ivillage.com/tp/tpdevelopment/0,,pg60,00.html</a> ), running and climbing would start now. But some kids are faster and others are slower. I see that daily at work. JohnA1nut on "Behind the Screens 2009" http://gamingoutpost.com/discussions/topic/behind-the-screens-2009/page/14#post-15364 Thu, 24 Dec 2009 05:06:27 +0000 JohnA1nut 15364@http://gamingoutpost.com/discussions/ <blockquote>The typing on this thread was preserved by Firefox (a feature I do like) </blockquote> You finally tried Firefox huh? It's the best browser I've yet seen. As they say "Friends don't let friends use Internet Explorer...." <blockquote>John 2 is recalling a roll previously made, so I'm adjusting what I said last time to fit that and the new roll. We'll let him stock up--he might need it. </blockquote> Thanks for that. I can't believe I didn't do this before. Only the Great Gaming God (AKA MJ) has any idea when I will again land in a world where this will even exist, let alone be legal to the public. (Doing Therapy) M. J. Young on "Behind the Screens 2009" http://gamingoutpost.com/discussions/topic/behind-the-screens-2009/page/14#post-15356 Wed, 23 Dec 2009 22:32:14 +0000 M. J. Young 15356@http://gamingoutpost.com/discussions/ For those who missed the comments elsewhere, my computer crashed late Friday and then the blizzard hit overnight shutting down the repair store until Monday; they returned the computer in operational service yesterday, but there is much I am still updating, so the game has been a bit delayed. There are also still Christmas preparations being made, and I am not certain of all of them, either, so I might be rushing out at the drop of the proverbial hat. Noting that it is December 23rd, I warn that this might be done in drips and drabs and might not be finished today. However, I will begin with Mike, Ahmetia, Brock, Maxx, the returning Kurt, Harry, Nikolaj, and John 2, and we'll see what we complete. I'm writing a lot of information for Michael, but I notice that he does have skill with polymers and plastics, so his use of plastic steel here should be simple enough against his 1@5 skill--except that everything is difficult in this world, due to low biases. On the other hand, he seems to have a very simple plan here, so we'll give him +20 for the simplicity of it (it's not as if he's trying to create a polymer or something, just use it). That gives us his 1@5 SAL, +20 SM, and 2@2 BRA (ed lev), 57% chance of success, and we roll 00, which is a botch, and now I've got more work to do. Well, this goes down as highly annoying. I had written a great deal in Micheal's thread, but all in Notepad so I could switch easily between the two screens--and then I stepped out of the room, and we suffered a thirty-second blackout. The typing on this thread was preserved by Firefox (a feature I do like), but the Notepad entry is gone and I'll have to recompose it. I think I've caught up, and now I can deal with the botch. He is prepared for the possibility that he might secure one or both nails "crooked", so we will include that as the first option; the others all have to be consistent with the technology of working with these objects. I came up with five, and got resident and visiting gamers to contribute a sixth: <ol> <li>Secure nails crooked</li> <li>Obscure lens with plastic steel</li> <li>Break lens</li> <li>Secure finger joint with plastic steel</li> <li>Leave plastic steel patch on clothing</li> <li>Burn self with lensed light.</li> </ol> The roll is 6, which means that his work is interrupted while he attends to a burn; the burns of the coral bush are damaging, so with a roll of 56 we've got three intensity burn. I am summarizing the information from the trip for Ahmetia; I probably should have taken it through the arrival of the train at Strelsau, but we'll cover that next time. I suppose I could have given Brock a simpler answer to his question, but since I don't know him all that well yet I'll let him tell me when he gets tired. Maxx rolls 05 and 95 on his attempts to identify temperature in connection with his analysis, so I'll give him the first, particularly since it's related to his skin, which would be warm. I will also move forward a month, since we don't want to move at real time here despite how much he's cramming into his days. Kurt and I both need to get back up to speed on his story; I've read all the posts on the current page, and think we're good. Harry suggests using a chalk board for his duty roster, which makes good sense, as white boards certainly do not exist but black boards are fairly old, even if they were lime on slate. 24 is a particularly bad GE roll, though. I'll have to create a problem. I see an obvious solution, but we'll let Harry devise it. Nikolaj mentions a Nehemiah Prayer, and this really is a Nehemiah prayer--a barely breathed prayer crunched into a seconds to give the petitioner the ability to speak as God would direct. I'm noting, though, that it is very much about persuasion, so I'm going to list it as a Bonus Persuasion Check M+1@4, and consider very carefully what's involved. The baseline is 1:00, but we'll cut that to 0:12, which is 2 halvings and a 20% additional decrease, -24 total. I am giving it a bonus I rarely give, +5 for being very much in harmony with the goals of the deity (it is, after all, entirely about being able to say what God would have him say, the persuasion aspect being secondary). It is always relative to a single individual, for which I will give him +5. There is unfortunately a -25 penalty for skills activated entirely by thought, but since this impacts a single persuasion check he does not need an RS minutes duration, and we will reduce that to three minutes, which I make +40 on the assumption that an average roll is about 50 (less because of chance of failure, but that value is in flux), half makes 25, half makes 12:30, half makes 6:15, half makes 3:07.5, so three minutes is four halvings of the duration. This gives me a sit-mod of -24+5+5-25+40=+1. His chance of learning it adds his 7@9 bias, 1/2 1@10 religion SAL, +10 Alliance bonus, Nehemiah's average professional 2@5 example, and the 7@ world bias against a paltry 1@4 bias target skill, which I think is probably well over 100% chance of success for learning, so we'll roll 76 for a 1@2 SAL Nehemiah's Prayer M+1@4 bonuses persuasion check to one individual by giving the speaker God's intended message for that person, prayer is entirely by thought, 0:15 TF 3:00 duration, +1 SM. Now that it worked, giving him an effective +8 on his persuasion to 2@6, we'll roll a simple persuasion check, very bad, 19+17=36. Well, it won't always go his way--Paul never converted Felix and Festus. John 2 is recalling a roll previously made, so I'm adjusting what I said last time to fit that and the new roll. We'll let him stock up--he might need it. And to all a good night. --M. J. Young Brock on "Behind the Screens 2009" http://gamingoutpost.com/discussions/topic/behind-the-screens-2009/page/14#post-15324 Sat, 19 Dec 2009 08:08:05 +0000 Brock 15324@http://gamingoutpost.com/discussions/ No, I understood you (I think). In my view, MJ was actually saying that this world IS similar in technological development rates to our own, which is why he referenced the 'gunpowder era'-which only makes sense of the world is following our tech development, else it would have it's own 'eras'. He is NOT saying, as far as I can tell, that it CAN'T be invented because there is a specific order things must be invented in. That WOULD be a fallacy, but I doubt he is saying that. It would be kind of close-minded, and MJ is anything but close-minded. JohnA1nut on "Behind the Screens 2009" http://gamingoutpost.com/discussions/topic/behind-the-screens-2009/page/14#post-15322 Fri, 18 Dec 2009 20:22:33 +0000 JohnA1nut 15322@http://gamingoutpost.com/discussions/ No, that didn't come out right. I meant it more like MJ was implying that they had to invent gunpowder before they could invent the assembly line, and we all know that is a fallacy. Brock on "Behind the Screens 2009" http://gamingoutpost.com/discussions/topic/behind-the-screens-2009/page/14#post-15321 Fri, 18 Dec 2009 18:15:34 +0000 Brock 15321@http://gamingoutpost.com/discussions/ "Says Who?" Says MJ. He decided they haven't invented it yet because they did similar to us in their pattern of invention. That's why he said what he did. As an aside-That's a great world idea! Why not expand it's detail and give it it's own thread like tad does all the time? JohnA1nut on "Behind the Screens 2009" http://gamingoutpost.com/discussions/topic/behind-the-screens-2009/page/14#post-15318 Fri, 18 Dec 2009 05:14:15 +0000 JohnA1nut 15318@http://gamingoutpost.com/discussions/ <blockquote>(certainly there are no assembly lines with interchangeable parts--that's considerably later than the early gunpowder era) </blockquote> Says who? This isn't earth. For all you know, the world could have invented nuclear fusion reactors before they invented gunpowder. And, as an aside, what a great world it would be. Once armor technology got to the point where swords and crossbows were useless, warfare would likely cease to advance. (No gunpowder, no guns) Nuclear fusion is invented, but carefully monitored. A terrorist cell called "Crimson Jihad" invents gunpowder, and with it, the first firearms, and attempt to take over the nuclear fusion reactors. Then the Verser arrives... (Doing Therapy) JohnA1nut on "Behind the Screens 2009" http://gamingoutpost.com/discussions/topic/behind-the-screens-2009/page/14#post-15316 Fri, 18 Dec 2009 02:39:22 +0000 JohnA1nut 15316@http://gamingoutpost.com/discussions/ <blockquote>John 2 gets a 23 GE on the other hardware he wants, so it won't come easy. </blockquote> Actually MJ, the hardware that I want, except for the concealed weapons, has already been established as being commonplace and readily available. (Remember who you're talking to here. The gun store was one of the first stops I made.) Grenade launchers and fully automatic weapons were all over the place. To these people, they're considered outdated toys compared to the norm. In other words, hardly paramilitary. (Doing Therapy) johnosevens on "Behind the Screens 2009" http://gamingoutpost.com/discussions/topic/behind-the-screens-2009/page/14#post-15315 Fri, 18 Dec 2009 02:14:02 +0000 johnosevens 15315@http://gamingoutpost.com/discussions/ What I know for a fact (or at least recall oddly clearly for things that might not have happened) we have established as far as technology: Factories do exist, mostly in use for textiles so far. Guns are not, in fact, handmade, as I recall having difficulty finding a gunsmith when I wanted one, the reason being most guns are factory-made. Swords are still hand smithed. Printing does exist and literacy is the norm, but moveable type is relatively new and has not yet caught on. Paper is becoming cheaper, but genuine books are still more likely to be hand-scribed and obscenely expensive (I currently own one native book, a book on Sardic history I picked up in Sardic at no small expense while I was taking a class there last summer). Wind and water power are the common means of driving things like factories and mills. Internal combustion definitely, and mercifully, does not exist, nor do internal heating and cooling of buildings as we understand it. Indoor plumbing (thank all the gods) does exist, as do proper sewers, at least in the more respectable cities. (It occurs to me that by our standards everything in Sardic counts as obscenely expensive - the cutlass I carry as an off-hand weapon apparently cost me on the order of three hundred pounds of gold. Two ounce coins... Oi.) M. J. Young on "Behind the Screens 2009" http://gamingoutpost.com/discussions/topic/behind-the-screens-2009/page/14#post-15311 Fri, 18 Dec 2009 01:03:03 +0000 M. J. Young 15311@http://gamingoutpost.com/discussions/ It usually happens that when I am early one day and late the next I have a slightly larger crowd waiting. Today's crowd includes Michael, Brock, Maxx, Harry, Nikolaj, and John 2. Michael gets answers. My belief is that the computer aboard Destiny will not have course material, but might have outlines. The dice agree with me, on a 16 GE roll, so Brock gets limited material at this point. I'm pretty sure I already determined what sort of history data was available. Maxx has wisely suggested we address the remaining questions about the skill he just learned before moving to another, and I've given him some insights into how I perceive it working. Harry is pushing me to make decisions about the nature of the world. I tend to agree that literacy is standard, but I am considerably less certain about movable type (which I thought we established did not exist, but I could be remembering wrong). There are factories and there are manufactured goods, but I'm not certain the two always go together--furniture, for example, is probably still hand crafted, as are carriages. Cloth and clothing is mass produced, and probably lumber, but I'll bet there are still blacksmiths about, and those guns are probably individually hand-made (certainly there are no assembly lines with interchangeable parts--that's considerably later than the early gunpowder era). So we'll roll a GE for the movable type, and he gets a 7, so he's got it in his version of this world. Nikolaj is suggesting that he will accomplish something rather complex in a very short time: identify the correct people to contact to get permission for Bredd's parents to come to the meeting. Of course, he knows what they usually do, so that helps. On the other hand--well, since he got a 16 GE roll, we'll assume he can find the right people and give him persuasion checks for each. It would help if I knew his persuasion. The first roll is 21, and his sheet says 1@8, so Dad is not coming; second roll is 18, which again is a failure, but an extremely close one opening the possibility of conversation. John 2 gets a 23 GE on the other hardware he wants, so it won't come easy. --M. J. Young M. J. Young on "Behind the Screens 2009" http://gamingoutpost.com/discussions/topic/behind-the-screens-2009/page/14#post-15288 Wed, 16 Dec 2009 20:54:27 +0000 M. J. Young 15288@http://gamingoutpost.com/discussions/ Michael just missed me yesterday, and Ahmetia and Maxx and Harry have bounced back with responses, and Nikolaj also was a bit too late to play yesterday but is waiting now. I think I can bring Michael up to speed on things. Ahmetia has to learn the vow so she can pretend to be Rudolpha for the coronation. Maxx rolls 46, and so learns 1@1 Analyze Chemistry by Spectroscopic Imaging P9@1 allows user to perceive all energies emanating or reflecting from all materials in view as color bars which can be sorted to identify materials and energy levels, following 4:00 preparation, an intellect check may be necessary to interpret the information, +30SM. His first intellect check is 35, which is a failure. Harry's silence intrigues me, and I note about the captain that there are two levels: will he notice that Harry is being quiet, and will he realize that Harry is being quiet intentionally? The first seems easier, so we'll use a simple intuition check for that; the second will be a difficult check. Of course if he fails the first but makes the second, he is aware that Harry is intentionally being quiet; if it's the other way, he notices that Harry isn't saying anything but will ask his thoughts. If both fail, he doesn't notice or say anything, and if both succeed he understands completely. The rolls are 12+13=25, 21+10=31, both failures. I'm a bit uncertain what to roll for Bredd's parents when Nikolaj has his meeting. Nikolaj says that if Bredd's parents hesitate about Bredd going to the meeting, he'll invite them to come as well, but that has several problems. First, Nikolaj's parents have no authority to prevent their son from being where one of the human masters want him to be, whatever objections they might have. Second, Nikolaj has authority to assign Bredd to off-hours work but has no authority to take his parents anywhere. But we'll roll a GE roll for the reactions overall, and it's 13, barely good enough. That gets me through the posts for tonight. --M. J. Young M. J. Young on "Behind the Screens 2009" http://gamingoutpost.com/discussions/topic/behind-the-screens-2009/page/14#post-15276 Tue, 15 Dec 2009 20:26:36 +0000 M. J. Young 15276@http://gamingoutpost.com/discussions/ I must thank Harry for that wonderful retort, beautifully and effectively understated, before turning my attention to game posts from Ahmetia, Maxx, Harry, and John 2. Ahmetia has a smattering of martial arts (reminiscent of the line in the recent Star Trek movie, "What kind of personal combat were you trained in?" "Fencing."), which gives her a 7@1 bod bias, to which she gets to add a few numbers, including her 2@1 Bod BRA (agility) and Frieda's BRA as instructor, which is probably 1@6, and the world's 12@ bod area bias, so we've got 120 minus the 3@0 bias of horseback riding gives her a 90% chance to learn, and if she can roll between 81 and 90 she's doing really well with it, but the roll is 08, which is 1@1 Ride Horse B3@0 (English tack). I'm going to double check with Maxx that I am associating the right skill with the right ideas before I start writing and rolling. Harry gets a bit of discussion going as to how the crew did with the fire, and we'll let him make comments as well. John 2 prays his 1@1 Bonus Blacksmithing/Metalworking Skill Checks M+1@4 retire to personal room or quarters, kneel with total body involvement, pray with appropriate words for forgiveness, wisdom, strength, and help with current task, 5:00TF, confers +20 on next major task attempted, +53SM prayer, rolling 50 which is an easy success, and so gaining +20 on the complicated blacksmithing task of making a collapsible blunt weapon, the roll for that being 01, definitely successful and definitely not the quality weapon he wanted, and will give him 1@10 Make Blunt Weapons T3@1 (using metalworking skills) +1Mark. --M. J. Young johnosevens on "Behind the Screens 2009" http://gamingoutpost.com/discussions/topic/behind-the-screens-2009/page/14#post-15264 Tue, 15 Dec 2009 00:50:22 +0000 johnosevens 15264@http://gamingoutpost.com/discussions/ *reads the content of the previous post, reads who posted it, goes back to reading game threads* JohnA1nut on "Behind the Screens 2009" http://gamingoutpost.com/discussions/topic/behind-the-screens-2009/page/14#post-15260 Mon, 14 Dec 2009 20:04:53 +0000 JohnA1nut 15260@http://gamingoutpost.com/discussions/ <blockquote>I'm pretty beat, but I'm going to see what I can do with Michael, Ahmetia, Maxx, Harry, Nikolaj, and John 2, hopefully before I'm too tired to think even warped. (O.K., I think I mentioned before that I make really weird obscure jokes when I'm tired.)</blockquote> You mean your thinking isn't normally warped?