JohnA1nut
Member
"We need an idea here! Hey, I'm not really an incompetent guardian; I'm working against a difficult world. What have we got? Any thoughts?"
"Could you dematerialize the chair? You're the angel, can't you think of something?"
When I'm out of this, don't forget to wipe everyone's memory of the event. I don't need a bunch of questions and answers.
"Oh, that's an excellent idea. Don't fall, now, when the chair--well, let me see if I can do it."
He repeats the same ritual, or something very like it. This time you suddenly lose the support holding you up and tumble to the floor rather awkwardly.
"Oh, I am so sorry. But you seem to be unharmed. I expect I will see you again, but looks like job's done, ta-ta and tally-ho and all that." And suddenly he is not there.
Everyone is still staring your direction, and some are gaping.
--M. J. Young
JohnA1nut
Member
Stand up, dust myself off, and facing the crowd of spectators say in an indignant tone "What's the matter? You never seen a guy get stuck in a chair before???"
Head to my hotel room, 70 credits a night, and order some delivery. Chinese.
Give up on the knocking people out with the TK pulse. I think I would be better off learning how to do it with martial arts....
In the morning, head to work. Ask my boss if I can learn any new metalworking skills.
Your dinner runs you six credits.
As to additional metalworking skills, you already know
--M. J. Young
JohnA1nut
Member
Can you suggest to me any metalworking skills you don't know? I can see you getting better at these, but if there are skills you don't have at least in the basics, I'm not seeing them. (It might be because I'm too tired. Let's try this: what would you like to be able to do with metal that you don't already know how to do?)
Ah, but I know how to do all of this with BLACKSMITHING. I can weld with a forge, hammer and anvil. I don't know how to use an acetylene torch to weld. I can carve soft metals with a knife, or whatever Mr. Smith used. I DON'T know how to do it with a laser drill. See what I mean? There's got to be higher tech ways of doing what I already know how to do. If nothing else, it would be a boatload of new uses.
3,964 credits minus 70 for the room and 6 for dinner 3,888 left.
Ah, I do see. On the other hand, what you're looking at is doing the same skills with different tools. Welding with a forge involves heating the metal in the hot coals until you can fuse two pieces together and get each to become part of the other; welding with an acetylene torch lets you take the fire to the metal, but the metalworking part isn't any different--you're still heating the two pieces of metal and fusing them together.
However, indeed you should be introduced to the modern tools for these things, and in the process get some bonuses on your blacksmithing skills.
A lot of heating is done with lasers, and they show you how to operate a standard heating and cutting laser.
They are also trying to show you the operation of the molecular analyzer, which identifies the precise makeup of any material or object inserted without damaging the object. It's an extremely complicated process, and has something to do with quantum nonlocality and the ability to examine each atom in a mass very quickly, but you've not mastered it yet. The boss isn't worried, as it is an extremely complex process and some people never get it.
--M. J. Young
JohnA1nut
Member
"Cool beans boss. Any metalworking that I can do, let me know. I'd really like to get really good at my metalworking. The last place I was at, it was a much desired skill. In fact, you could say that I gave up the chance to rule a kingdom in order to learn it. No regrets about that, who wants to rule a kingdom? Anyway, let me know what all metalworking I can do here, and I'll be more than happy to do it."
I earn 20 credits an hour for 8 hours work. Any other new uses during the day? If not, after work, I'll go get my gold and platinum from the jeweler and then I'll head to the martial arts school and get myself enrolled. (I already marked down everything that I was waiting for, so no worries there.)
One of the things that I would be picking up would be 1,000 rounds of 9mm ammo from the gun store. Like I said, I already marked it down. Once I got that, I would load all of my 9mm magazines. All of the magazines for the MAK 90, including the 100 round drum are all loaded as well.
Also, at the gun store, do they have any 9mm carbine rifles, 357 magnum carbine rifles, or 357 Desert Eagle handguns? The carbines are rifles that shoot the standard pistol cartridge. In real life, I own a Hi-Point 995 9mm carbine. I'd be surprised if they have that gun here, but if they do, I can give you all of the specs on it. I believe you did mention that they had the 357 Desert Eagles. That's (I believe) an 8 shot 357 automatic.
I've got that backpack with all the gear in it on me at all times.
I thought the Desert Eagle was a .50 caliber revolver; is that a different gun, or what am I confusing?
If you would be so kind, for the sake of my copy of your character sheet, tell me what if anything needs to be corrected on this list of items I have added since you arrived in this world:
Thanks.
10 Glue grenades, 10':30':60':100':+1/1', 10' diameter sphere of glue strands difficult check, additional 10'r simple check to break strands
The martial arts school gives the link for their class schedule. You are expected to attend one class per week, preferably on the same day and with the same instructor each time, but because people are on very different schedules instructors give multiple classes, usually five classes (of ninety minutes each) spaced across sixteen hours, and three the day before and the day after, so you pick your teacher based on the day/time frame you are most able to attend, along with your level (you are a beginner; there are three levels of group clases, and beyond that instruction is specialized). If you cannot attend a class with your regular instructor you should attend one of the other classes in your level, preferably within a day of your regular day. This does not usually happen.
I believe you have a day off from work in a few days; do you want to schedule your martial arts for your day off, or for after work on a day when you are working, or for a particular day (like, after work the night before your day off)?
--M. J. Young
JohnA1nut
Member
I thought the Desert Eagle was a .50 caliber revolver; is that a different gun, or what am I confusing?
No, Desert Eagle is a brand name. (Like Smith and Wesson, Ruger, Colt, etc) To my knowledge, they are made in 9mm, 40 and 45 (called Baby Eagles) Then the 357 magnum, 44 magnum (the basis for the guns I designed for Dark Honor Empire) and 50 AE (which is an F-ing hand cannon) The tops of the guns and the magazines can be interchanged. So, a 357, with some modifications, can also shoot 44 and 50 caliber. (I personally will never get a handgun larger than a 357 magnum. If I can't kill it with a 357, I probably shouldn't be shooting at it in the first place) To my knowledge, Desert Eagle only makes semi automatic handguns, but they could very well make anything and I've just never heard of it. I do know they're high-dollar handguns. The larger calibers (357 and up) have a very slow cyclic rate compared to most semi autos, in an attempt to reduce recoil. I've never shot one, but the big guns are physically huge. Mike had 2 1/2 of them. (2 complete guns and an extra top)
And just because I know you're not overly knowledgeable about guns, a 357 is more powerful than a 45, even tho the 357 is a smaller caliber. (it's that percentage of an inch) A 357 has a bullet that's almost as heavy, but it's traveling a helluvalot faster.
Also, 9mm and 357 are actually very close to being the same caliber. (I think the 9mm is a 355) however, the 357 is a heavier bullet moving faster.
The only thing I can think of that might be missing is a plastic ground cloth. I'm not certain at all if I actually bought one or how much it cost if I did, so your call on if I have it or not.
I was also getting the platinum and my 10 pound gold block melted into 2 ounce ingots. I lose a minute amount of both doing this, but it's an acceptable loss to make the game flow better. I think it was something like .2 ounces of each that I lost. Perhaps the jeweler made gold and platinum rings out of the extra?
Check out the martial arts school, and set up lessons for my next day off work. In the meantime, go in and practice boxing. (Do I happen to run into anyone in there who is also training in boxing?)
The Desert Eagle brand name does not exist. You'll have to describe what you want in terms of features.
Their collection of slug throwers is rather limited, but they can special order a lot (and although they will not mention it, they are not the only sporting goods store in the habitat).
You have a Plastic Ground Cloth, green, 6'x5', added to your sheet.
I have also deleted
You schedule your first martial arts lesson for your upcoming day off.
In the gym you find a few people practicing katas and working against dummies and other inanimate obstacles. There is someone who seems to be watching, a man in his twenties wearing a white gi with a black belt. As you start practicing, he comes over to you.
"That is an interesting technique. Strike-based, hands, largely defensive. Are you new? Have you studied somewhere else before?"
--M. J. Young
JohnA1nut
Member
At the gun store "Forget it, I don't need any more guns."
MJ, you need to learn your metric conversions. 2 Kg is equal to 4.4 pounds. 2.2 pounds in a kilogram. That's actually 35.2 two ounce blocks of platinum. The way I remember this is that we had batteries at a place I worked at. They weighed 2,200 pounds according to the label, and were also labeled 1 kiloton. 2.2 pounds in a kilogram. The metric system is so much easier, I don't know why we don't use it......
In the gym, I'd be wearing pajama pants and a tee shirt, with my backpack sitting in a corner.
To the guy:
"Yeah, it's called 'Boxing'. It seems like I learned it a world or two ago..... I couldn't throw a punch to save my life before, but I had a good teacher. What do you do?" I'd still be banging away at the heavy bag when he was talking to me.
I actually do know that conversion; but because role playing games envision worlds in both metric and English measurement systems, the Referee's Rules have "quick conversion" shortcuts in the back to move between the two. These include such shortcuts as a meter is a yard, but three meters is ten feet, that there are two kilometers to a mile and two pounds to the kilogram, and a quart is equal to a liter. It is recognized that these are not scientifically accurate measurements, but they're close enough for use in the game.
But you're right, I went the wrong way on the platinum, I made it two kilograms to the pound, which badly shorted you. Four pounds would be thirty-two ingots, but I'll give you the thirty-five because you spotted that and did the math yourself. As to the extra 0.4 ounces, that's a wash--you get the nuggets.
"I've been studying Okydoky Smoky since I was a kid, and I help out here part time as an assistant instructor. It looks like your defenses are somewhat similar, using your arms to keep out blows, but you seem to be doing a lot more work than necessary for the number of strikes you throw. Then again, most of the strike styles I've seen are more aggressive, very weak on defense. This looks like an interesting sort of style."
--M. J. Young
JohnA1nut
Member
No problem on the conversion. That just happens to be the one Metric to English conversion that I know by heart. The United States is actually the most backwards nation on earth. Everyone else uses Metric, it works so much easier.
Stop wailing away at the heavy bag and face him.
"Well, I'm interested in learning Okydoky Smoky. How about a friendly sparring match? My boxing against your Okydoky Smoky? Just for the fun of it. Just promise not to completely obliterate me on the mat. It should be fun."
I would be thinking that I would probably lose, but that I wouldn't just hand the guy the victory. He's going to have to legitimately beat me. But of course, it IS just a friendly sparring match, so I'm not going to be trying to kill the guy, either.
Would this be a new use on boxing?
I've got 1@1 on the solid punch. I would try to use this in boxing. I learned it before boxing, but never really got much chance to use it. I don't recall if that's part of Okydoky Smoky or not, but I would like to get better at it. I would be throwing Solid Punches, and I would communicate that to the gentleman.
"I learned this punch a long time ago. I'm not very good at it. It's called a Solid Punch. Would you mind if I threw those during the match? I want to get better at it anyway. Maybe you can help teach it to me."
I have 1@10 boxing. Would that assist my throwing Solid Punches? Perhaps that's part of the Boxing Package? I have no idea, so I'm asking.
NOTES:
If this guy is any good, maybe he would be interested in giving private lessons. It's not like I can't afford to pay the guy if he wants to be paid. Or perhaps I've just made a new friend. Having a blackbelt martial arts instructor as a best friend can't be a bad thing......
Oh and ya know what MJ? I just realized that what you were saying about players not getting what they want is absolutely true. You said that it would be a 3 GE roll on finding a boxer. However, I've got 1@10 boxing. That's a decent level. A potential personal trainer in a different martial art? THAT is a 3 GE roll!!!!!!!
I mean I'd rather be 1@10 in 4 martial arts than 2@10 in just boxing. (That would be the same amount of time required) My money would be on the guy with the four 1@10 scores.
The argument between specialization and generalization rages on. I am a generalist, and my characters show it, lots of options but low skills in most of them. Di Vars is a specialist, and when you hit his areas of specialization he's got you covered.
However, my money is on the guy with the 2@10 in boxing over the 1@10 in four styles. He's going to hit harder and faster. His biggest disadvantage is that someone with skill at analyzing opponent styles will be able to counter him more easily, because he can't switch to something different--but that means he's already against someone who's pretty good and he needs comparable skill to hold his own.
"Oh--you know, I'd like that? But really, I'm working right now--supposed to be watching these others, make sure no one gets hurt and stuff like that. And I've got to get home for dinner when I get off work, or my mom will freak. She still treats me like I'm a kid, in some ways. But then, her home, her rules, if she wants me on time for dinner, I'll be there. So I can't miss my shuttle.
"Another time, though? I think it would be really interesting to see some of that style in action."
--M. J. Young
JohnA1nut
Member
Well MJ, I honestly believe Bruce Lee would disagree with you. (I am speaking real-world, not game mechanics) He said that it is best to "Fight like water" Water conforms to the inisides of containers. It "Becomes" the inside of the container. If you cannot adapt to your opponent, he will kill you. Something like that. It's in no way a direct quote.
I imagine 1@10 to be a black belt. 2@1-2@10 would be 1st-6th degree black belt, 3@1 and up the rest of the scores. So it would be (In my mind, anyway) a guy with 4 black belts fighting Mike Tyson. Not saying that Mike Tyson couldn't take a guy with 4 black belts, but I would bet on the guy with 4 black belts.
Anyway, back to the guy.
"Oh, I'm sorry. I thought you were just another student taking a break or something. Do you ever give private lessons? I could pay you for your time. Not sure how much yet though. I'm not at all certain what the money is worth around here. Is there a way that I could contact you when you were not working? Or could you contact me?"
I would also ask him what he means by "My mom still thinks I'm a kid." Who knows? Under the law, he might be. In that case, I might not want to hang out with him anyway. (Or Dereck, for that matter) (In Paranthsis are OOC)
"How old are you anyway? And what is the legal age to drink liquor and vote? I'm just trying to get an idea of what the laws are like around here. I guess I should be asking, 'Are you a legal adult?' I'm from worlds away, and I don't want to get into any legal trouble over it. Nothing personal, ya know..." Said candidly and directly, making conversation style.
I would assume that on his martial arts honor he would tell me the truth.
Regardless of what he says back
"That's cool. Well, I'll see you. I start lessons here (Or have I registered yet? Have I? I need to keep track of the cash better.) Can you help me get registered, uniform, etc?" (If I haven't, that is)
(And MJ, just a question about refereeing style. Unless it was absolutely obvious that you could not change the person's mind, I would give a different persussion check every time the subject changed. Who knows? Maybe the person might agree to something else. Single persussion check means he will refuse everything on one bad roll. After all, this guy may have refused to spar with me because he'd get fired. What he does on his own time is his concern.)
MJ, have you ever heard of the art of Parkour? It's a martial art of sorts. It's, in essesence, turning the world into an obsticle course. It teaches you how to climb up and over walls, how to scale buildings, avoid obsticles. An expert in the art of Parkour would be very difficult to chase down. If you had a cable modem (Get in the 21st century!!!) I would tell you to do a search on YouTube for it. Is there any indication that Parkour is something that I could learn?
3,888 plus 160 for a day's work, 4,048 credits.
I'm not going to remember that.(In Paranthsis are OOC)
And I think that a blackbelt is professional level; at that point you can be paid to teach others, which makes you a professional. So I would say 1@10 is probably a brown belt, or whatever is one step below black belt in your style.
Besides, crossing the barrier between 1@10 and 2@1 doubles your attacks per minute
and kicks your damage up one category, so I would not trade that for the flexibility of multiple styles--you're more than four times as effective at 2@1 as you were at 1@10 (because you're 1% more likely to hit twice as often for about twice the range of damage).Mooks are 1@10. The guy who takes them all out is 2@1. It's not a guy with four black belts fighting Mike Tyson; it's a guy with high school varsity letters in boxing, wrestling, karate, and kendo fighting Mr. Miyagi.
"Um--well, no, I don't give private lessons. I suppose I could, but I'd probably have to quit my job here because I'd be competing with the school, and anyway I'm still a student myself. I may be a master, but I've a long way to go to match Master Wei."
You registered for class, but have not taken your first class yet. I'm thinking today was your first day of work, and you'll work five days before you have a day off, and you've scheduled your martial arts class for your day off, so that's when you'll be having your first class. But you are in the system and permitted to use the gym.
"I'm here most days, and if I know in advance I can plan to stay; I just have to let my mom know in advance that I'm going out."
"Oh, you know how moms are. I've seen my grandmom with my dad, and it's the same thing: she treats him like he's still a kid. I don't expect my mom will ever really stop thinking of me as someone she needs to raise. I should probably move out, but my family actually owns shares in Masticca. They have their own space, and it wouldn't save them anything for me to move out and would cost me quite a bit to rent my own place or buy shares in another suburb."
I don't use a single persuasion check for everything; you just haven't asked him anything else that makes a difference. He is not available to spar with you today; he'd like to do it another time. That he does not take students is pretty much given--he teaches here at the school as an underling to the other teachers. If you tried to persuade him of something else that is not already answered, I would roll for that. Some things I won't roll for--you can't seduce him no matter what you roll, so don't bother trying. He won't go out to dinner with you because the reason he won't spar after work is that he has to get home for dinner. He probably would accept an invitation to eat out another time, but he has to make arrangements so as not to upset his mother.
You've seen nothing here about Parkour. (Is this something you knew before your character started? You can't look for it if your character does not know it exists.)
--M. J. Young
JohnA1nut
Member
You've seen nothing here about Parkour. (Is this something you knew before your character started? You can't look for it if your character does not know it exists.)
Yes and no. I knew what it was, but not what it was called. I'm sure you've had things like that before. Parkour is a style of running. I'm sure you've seen the movies where the guy jumps onto a wall with one foot, bounces off, then hits the corner wall with the other foot, and does that over and over until he climbs the side of the wall? That's Parkour. (And yes, people can really do that trick) Going down the side of a building by falling off of the balcony and catching the balcony below? That's Parkour. Jumping and hitting a brick wall just right so that you can climb it? That's Parkour. There could be a "Parkour School" right accross the hall from his hotel room, but he wouldn't know the name. I do know the name. However, I do know that he would be interested in learning it. My character knows what it is, he would like to learn it, but has no idea what it is called, or even that it is a style, and not just a guy that knows a lot of cool tricks.
"Um--well, no, I don't give private lessons. I suppose I could, but I'd probably have to quit my job here because I'd be competing with the school, and anyway I'm still a student myself. I may be a master, but I've a long way to go to match Master Wei."
"Well, I've always been of the mind that what a man does on his own time is his concern and no concern of his job. Think about it. If you ever feel like making some extra credits on your own time, look me up." Then give him my contact information.
Thank him and leave.
Head back to the hotel. When I get there, do another computer search for Martial Arts styles. Just see what all is here. I honestly believe that my character would research Parkour just because the name would strike him as interesting. My (and his) theory on renting movies is "When in doubt, get the one with a good looking woman on the box cover" I rent movies just because the title is cool. Parkour is a name that would catch his attention. He would definitely check it out once he knew what it was. I know it's probably a 3 GE roll, but make the roll, just for the fun of it. After the run of bad luck I've had, I'm due for a break.
Besides, crossing the barrier between 1@10 and 2@1 doubles your attacks per minute and kicks your damage up one category, so I would not trade that for the flexibility of multiple styles--you're more than four times as effective at 2@1 as you were at 1@10 (because you're 1% more likely to hit twice as often for about twice the range of damage).
You're speaking game mechanics. I'm speaking real life. Karate is a style made up of a lot of different moves. Judo is a style made up of a lot of different moves. Someone with a blackbelt in Karate and a blackbelt in Judo have twice as many ways to defend against the same attack. They might not be as good as the guy who is a 4th degree blackbelt in just Karate, but they know more ways to defend against the same attack. Not worth arguing about, just giving my two cents, that's all.
Mooks are 1@10. The guy who takes them all out is 2@1. It's not a guy with four black belts fighting Mike Tyson; it's a guy with high school varsity letters in boxing, wrestling, karate, and kendo fighting Mr. Miyagi.
I laughed when I read this. William Zabka, who played Johnny Lawrence in The Karate Kid was the captain of his high school wrestling team in real life. The reference struck me as funny for that reason.
Quoting me, John wrote:
Besides, crossing the barrier between 1@10 and 2@1 doubles your attacks per minute and kicks your damage up one category, so I would not trade that for the flexibility of multiple styles--you're more than four times as effective at 2@1 as you were at 1@10 (because you're 1% more likely to hit twice as often for about twice the range of damage).You're speaking game mechanics. I'm speaking real life. Karate is a style made up of a lot of different moves. Judo is a style made up of a lot of different moves. Someone with a blackbelt in Karate and a blackbelt in Judo have twice as many ways to defend against the same attack. They might not be as good as the guy who is a 4th degree blackbelt in just Karate, but they know more ways to defend against the same attack. Not worth arguing about, just giving my two cents, that's all.
And to repeat, the 1@10 is not the blackbelt. He is only half as fast as the 2@1.
This is one of the reasons I ignored "belts" on my martial arts site and replaced them with levels of mastery; even these (which I created for AD&D and translated to MV) don't really do the differences justice. Sure, knowing more styles gives you more options; but the junior high wrestling champ with the YMCA karate lessons and some coaching in boxing may have a lot of options which he cannot use fast enough or well enough to stop Mike Tyson from beating him to a pulp. I know you think that in real life the person who is not quite as good at more styles has an advantage over the person who is considerably better at only one--and that is also true in the game. The point of disagreement is about the numbers: 1@10 remains amateur level, and 2@1 is at least four times as good, and you can switch between styles all you want, but while your trying to figure out which defense to use next he's landing several blows you're not able to counter.
You're going to attempt to find something in the computer. Usually Derek does this for you. I don't see a skill ability level for "use computer"; what do you think it should be?
--M. J. Young
JohnA1nut
Member
Well, for Use Computer, it would be high amateur, but these aren't running Windows, ya know? Give me a skill learning roll if you think it appropriate.
And about asking for the roll on the Parkour school, I just keep forgetting that I don't know jack about how this game runs, but that's the whole point of the board, right?
Something that I've never liked about this is the way you suddenly have a major skill increase. I mean if I was at 1@10+3 on my boxing, and then got my fourth new use in the middle of a fight, I would suddenly start hitting twice as hard and twice as fast? I know there's probably no better way to do it with game mechanics, but that's far from being realistic. It's not worth arguing over, but I just never liked that idea. Oh well. You designed a cool game, it's just not always that realistic.
In a real fight, you might throw a kick that's from karate, throw a punch that's from boxing, then judo flip the guy. I bet there's no game mechanic for that, unless you're using special attacks.
I have no problem with a 1@7 Use Computer T11@0. These aren't Microsoft, but they are a user-friendly GUI system.
What you find are a number of schools that teach gymnastic and acrobatic techniques.
On the other matter, let's take it up in a new thread, Realistic Game Mechanics (which I have not yet created).
--M. J. Young
JohnA1nut
Member
He's not going to be interested in that.
Go back to my room and pray. 1@1 Communicate with Deity M+7@7 10:00 TF kneeling with hands folded by bed in home base, appropriate words asking questions, 5:00 worth of answers concurrent with second half of prayer, +40SM
I guess this would be Terry wouldn't it? Never would have thought I would meet an angel that was so gay.... I mean happy.
What I would want to ask would be Where is that verser teacher I asked for, when are they going to get here, and ask what's going on with Derek?
New Use?????????????????????????????
I asked if there was any evidence of psionics among the indigs. The bias was 0@25 when I asked. The indigs weren't capable of psionics. Now the bias is 10@15 and always has been 10@15 <wink> Now the indigs are capable of it, and they always have been. Is there any evidence of psionics among the indigs now?
There is no evidence of psionics here on Terranova.
You do not get an answer to your questions tonight. (What new use did you have in mind?)
Terry is a guardian, not a messenger; it's his job to get you out of trouble, not to answer your questions. You'll see him when you ask for rescue again, probably, but not when you ask for information.
I believe you return to work again tomorrow.
--M. J. Young
JohnA1nut
Member
(What new use did you have in mind?)
I figured using the same prayer again might count as a new use, since it's a different world, and I had intended to call a different angel.
Kneel and pray again. Pray for the ability to call for Terry at a moment's notice. That I could, in essence, wish him to be there to help me. Time factor is P.U.S.H. Pray Until Something Happens. If that something is that I fall asleep on my knees, so be it.
When I did my computer search, did I find anything that would resemble a weight lifting gym?
I'm not sure how it is that you intended to call a different angel, since you're asking a question that any informer could answer; that it's a different world is a bit trickier, but that's rarely going to be a bonus if the skill doesn't have some special connection to the world and the world is not different in ways relevant to the skill itself.
Concerning your new prayer, I am not certain exactly what you are praying. Let me put forward possibilities for you to consider.
Several of the places that teach acrobatics also advertize strength training.
--M. J. Young
JohnA1nut
Member
You could be praying that you would be given a new skill that you did not have to learn but would simply know, that would summon Terry more quickly.
"God, in your infinite wisdom, you sent Terry to assist me. While he isn't what I would have expected a guardian angel to be, I cannot doubt his skill. I would like to have the ability to summon Terry to assist me and protect me with a mere thought. That I could simply think 'Terry, I need you' and he would appear."
Kneeling by the bed and hands folded, head bowed, etc. All of the body bonuses there.
Is that more clear? Time factor is PUSH. Pray Until Something Happens.
Check out the weight lifting school in the morning before work.
If it is at all possible, I would like to have the places that I go to be on a lower floor than my hotel room. If I verse, my gear being above me means it will fall. If it's below me, it will be buried. Falling I can deal with. Being buried is more difficult.
Terry might not be what I would expect a guardian angel to be. I'm sure I'm not what you would expect a guardian angel to be either. However, I have been one several times. Plunger* can tell you all about that.
*What else do you call a 2 year old girl that's "Plunging" face first into trouble?
You collapse after two hours of praying, without result.
It happens that most residential sectors are toward the "top" of the station, commercial sectors in the middle, and the bottom mostly for physical plant and operational machinery, plus docking, storage, and other aspects. So most of the places you would go are below you, although there might be a few small stores and restaurants in the upper levels, as well as the homes of anyone else you might know.
The weightlifting location is in a place that seems a lot like a YMCA--gym, athletic activities, gymnastics, classes of various sorts, acrobatics, trampoline, games, pool (both kinds), activities equivalent to day camp. It's a membership sort of place, and some of the classes and programs cost extra, but generally if you're a member you can use the facilities as long as they aren't being used by a scheduled class. It looks like the weight room is free about half the time.
--M. J. Young
JohnA1nut
Member
Go check out the weight room. If it's free to use half the time (or do you mean free as in available?) then go in and lift some weights before work.
Just out of curiosity, how would you decide if it's available? If it's free (no charge) 50% of the time, I would flip a coin. On a GE roll, however, I would say that 3-16 meant that it was open, with varying degrees of luck as to what happened, and 17-30 would be that I couldn't use it, with varying degrees of bad luck put in there. Or is this another case of John shouldn't be asking about game mechanics in game?
My bank balance is 4,048 credits. I'm going to pay for the hotel room for 50 days in advance. That's 3,500 credits down, leaving me with 548. To that, I will add (after work) 160 for the pay. Should I verse out before the 50 days are up, so be it. It's not like the credits would be any good to me in any aspect in the next world. Besides, maybe Derek could use the room for that time.
I know I said 548, but I'm going to deduct 20 for dinner last night and breakfast this morning. Seems fair to me, unless you have some kind of objection. So make the 528 as my balance.
528 credits.
Add 160 after tomorrow's post.
I'm good with the money, and your assessment of the use of the GE roll for whether the room is available is what I would do. Probably a 16 would mean a class just broke up with another coming in half an hour to an hour, and the 17 that the class is finishing as you arrive; 3 would mean you've got it all to yourself for several hours and 30 would mean that some special group (the equivalent of an olympic team perhaps) has booked it solid for several days. Probably an 18 would mean that it will be open in half an hour. This is mostly seat of the pants here, and some of it depends on your schedule--if you really don't have half an hour to wait, then an 18 might be less than that. Oh, and yes, by free I meant available. For members it is always free, that is, covered in your membership fee.
The fee is 2c/day if you pay for at least a hundred days, 3c/day for anything less down to twenty days, and 10c for a single day. Obviously if you enroll in a class or program you have to contract for as many days as the program runs.
--M. J. Young
JohnA1nut
Member
Forget the weight room. I'm probably getting enough weight lifting at the job.
When can I start the Okydoky Smokey?
And when is that verser teacher going to show up? Derek is still in custody, and that had to happen before she could come, so I'm wondering when she's gonna get here.
In my versers survival pack, I have the crossbow and the 30 arrow quiver, as well as enough loose arrows to load the crossbow, and to put one in each holding spot on the crossbow body. So I guess that would be a total of 37 arrows. (I believe you said the crossbow held 6, plus one to load it with.) The loose arrows have the heads wrapped in those 1 inch plastic bags that I got. (I had 100 bags, I used 84 of them for the gems.) That pack and the belt bag are on me at all times, unless where not feasible. I'll have to figure out exactly what my on-person equipment is at all times.
Is there anything here which would resemble a long range rifle range, preferably with an aerial target range? (Clay Pigeon and skeet)?????
Is there any side or front pouches on the 9 mm holster to hold a spare magazine? I have 2 holsters in real life that are made like that. It's a very common design.
Go back to the gun store. I would be looking for a Smith and Wesson 22 LR target pistol. It shoots the same ammo as my Marlin. I own one. It comes with two ten round clips. Original cost, (I believe) $200. However, it was on sale, marked down from $250 and some change. And not to tell you how to do your job, but 22 LR is the single most popular gun caliber in the world. It would be a very bad GE roll indeed if these did not exist. (Of course, that's our world, but you get what I'm saying) I didn't know if you were aware of that or not.
NOTES:
Shoot hawks in flight with crossbow. Is there a new use bonus for something exceptionally difficult? Perhaps 2 new uses? (MJ, don't answer that)
I am wearing that backpack that I bought at all times where it is feasible to do so. If it's not actually on my back, it's close by. On person equipment. The two pistols, ammo and crossbow and arrows are towards the top. The Pearl Harbor jumpsuit is right under them. The rest of the gear is underneath the jumpsuit.
Kabar knife
Straight razor
Ronco pocket fisherman
S/W .357 magnum, loaded
250 rounds .357 ammo
9 mm pistol, loaded with 15 bullets
all spare (loaded) 9 mm magazines
250 rounds boxed 9 mm ammo
9 mm holster, with the gun inside.
crossbow, folded up
30 arrow quiver, loaded with 30 arrows
7 loose arrows, heads wrapped in 1 inch plastic bags
1 Pearl Harbor jumpsuit
100 chlorine tabs
2 quart canteen
three days food
10 four ounce silver crowns
20 two ounce gold pieces
20 two ounce platinum pieces
32 1/2 oz shillings (nickel)
32 1/2 oz pence (bronze)
5 BIC cigarette lighters (one sealed pack)
2 glue grenades
2 fragmentation grenades
The plastic ground tarp that I bought.
And an assortment of gems, I'll decide which later.The belt bag has whatever I said before in Dancing Princess, I'll have to check and think about it.
As I recall, the plan on the martial arts training was you were working five days in a row and then having your first class on your next day off. You had already worked one before you went to the school, and the second is behind you, and the third is beginning, so you have today plus two more days, and the day after that you don't work but have your first martial arts class.
I don't think you can carry your crossbow while you work, but you can leave it in the employee area while you are there.
There are indeed shooting ranges of the sort you request--three of them, in fact. Down side: because of the hazards involved in firing such weapons in a space station, these are far removed from the other areas, near the top of the station. It takes about ten to fifteen minutes to get there by elevators.
--M. J. Young
JohnA1nut
Member
I don't think you can carry your crossbow while you work, but you can leave it in the employee area while you are there.
The crossbow folds up, remember? It's in the backpack with the two pistols. I don't have it ON ME except that it's in the backpack. I don't see how that could be a problem. As the saying goes "You're only breaking the law if you get caught."
I posted this in my last thread, as an edit. You must not have seen it. I edited the post whilst you were posting, so that's probably why. You might want to go back and reread my last post, just to make sure you got everything.
Is there any side or front pouches on the 9 mm holster to hold a spare magazine? I have 2 holsters in real life that are made like that. It's a very common design.
Go back to the gun store. I would be looking for a Smith and Wesson 22 LR target pistol. It shoots the same ammo as my Marlin. I own one. It comes with two ten round clips. Original cost, (I believe) $200. However, it was on sale, marked down from $250 and some change. And not to tell you how to do your job, but 22 LR is the single most popular gun caliber in the world. It would be a very bad GE roll indeed if these did not exist. (Of course, that's our world, but you get what I'm saying) I didn't know if you were aware of that or not. I'm just giving you information about our world. If a gun store here is out of stock on 22s, then they must have just had a major sale of them, and will get more next week. That's how popular that caliber is.
Also, when determining its damage category, the S/W 357 is about the same caliber as the 9mm, (I think the 357 is .002 inches larger) however, the 357 magnum is probably 3 times as powerful as a 9mm, easily equal to or greater than many small caliber rifles. Also, revolvers on the whole are a lot more reliable and accurate than an automatic. If that means that my 1@10 skill has a bonused chance to hit, all the better. Didn't know if you were aware of this or not, that's all.
As I recall, the plan on the martial arts training was you were working five days in a row and then having your first class on your next day off. You had already worked one before you went to the school, and the second is behind you, and the third is beginning, so you have today plus two more days, and the day after that you don't work but have your first martial arts class.
Well, I can go in there and train any time. Perhaps my friend the blackbelt would be interested in sparring with me today? I'd have PJ pants and a t shirt with me, just in case. If he wants to spar, spar with him and learn what I can. If he doesn't want to spar, check out the gun range.
There are indeed shooting ranges of the sort you request--three of them, in fact. Down side: because of the hazards involved in firing such weapons in a space station, these are far removed from the other areas, near the top of the station. It takes about ten to fifteen minutes to get there by elevators.
I don't know if you're aware of this, but it is not at all uncommon for gun ranges to sell and/or rent out guns. There's an indoor range here, they rent out the guns for sale as demonstration models for people interested in buying them. You get the store gun to test, they sell you a new gun. If so, I would be looking for the 22 target pistol there.
And MJ, I sent you a couple of emails I think that you REALLY need to look at. Check your email after you get done here, if you have time.
O.K., crossbow is folded up in the backpack; but in point of fact, you can't wear the backpack while you're working, so it's in the employee room. You could wear one of the pistols, probably, as it isn't about whether you're carrying a weapon but about whether you're carrying unnecessary weight that would interfere with your ability to do your job.
It's always hazardous to edit posts, but particularly after I've started responding to the forum. Remember, my first step here is to open all the threads that show replies, and then to start reading the replies (in a convoluted order that doesn't need to be described here) and responding. Thus if I have already responded to a post today and there was a new post to your thread, your thread is already open awaiting my attention, and I won't see any additional posts or edits, maybe not ever.
The holster has one pouch for a clip. That's the holster for the Ruger, right?
It is, of course, entirely possible that the most popular caliber weapon in this universe is a .20 or a .25. Also, since explosive-driven slug throwers are really an antiquated technology, the odds of finding exactly what you're looking for are sort of like going to a gun store looking for a flintlock with removable bayonet on a thirty-nine inch barrel--they'll have what they have. They don't have .22 pistols in stock at the store where you usually shop, and the shooting range does rent out guns, but they're all kinetic or photonic energy types.
--M. J. Young
JohnA1nut
Member
Yeah, that holster is for the Ruger 9mm.
I was just saying that about the 22 because I know you're not overly knowledgeable about firearms. I didn't know if you knew how popular it was here on our world. If that would influence your decision at all.
Go check out the nearest gun range. I want to see if I can hit clay pigeons with that crossbow. If it matters, I'm pretty good at doing that with a shotgun. Of course, that's with a shotgun, not with a crossbow. If I actually succeed, would there be any new use bonuses for the extreme difficulty? That would be a moving target, and a very small moving target at that. I've seen a guy that could hit flying aspirin tablets with a 22 pistol. That's a guy you don't want to gunfight.
Also, I'd want to rent out an energy weapon or two, just to see what it can do. This is all before I go to work.
I see that you have a 1@6 SAL with the crossbow, which suggests that you've already practiced with it under some conditions. Can you tell me what those practice conditions included? I'm trying to decide whether this would be "new use" or just practice.
As far as shooting the clay pigeons, they're not clay. You fire at three-dimensional moving holographic targets. You can set several parameters, including:
Energy weapons do pretty much what you'd expect. They have no kick; they are not as fast as slug throwers because they have to recharge (like a stroboscopic flash). The ranges on the lasers are long. The blasters tend to have multiple damage settings. There are also sonic weapons, which tend to be very devastating at very short ranges. What else do you want to know about them?
--M. J. Young
JohnA1nut
Member
For the Skeet shooting crossbow, I'd like 1 foot diameter targets 20 feet away, moving in a straight horizontal line, about 6 feet off the ground, at about a fast human walking speed. That would be simulation of a moving head shot. (Can you simulate human targets with this holographic stuff? Is it like a Star Trek Holodeck where you can program targets that shoot back? Non dangerous rounds, of course. Just enough to let you know you got hit. What are the parameters of the holomatrix? Could you make a holographic obstacle course? I could teach myself Parkour and not ever realize it.) As far as crossbow practice, I've actually never shot this one. I practiced with the steel crossbow that Mr. Smith and I built. That would have been stationary targets (Probably boards, tree stumps and the like) This would be completely new.
Have I seen anything resembling a drum magazine for the Ruger 9mm? They make a 40 round drum for a Colt 1911 45 automatic. It would make the gun pretty heavy. A 50 round drum for a 9mm would weigh about half as much. Have I seen any Ruger magazines larger than 15 rounds? To my knowledge, they are only made in 10, 15, 20, and 30 on earth, but that means very little out here.
Just an interesting side-bit. During the assault weapons ban, you were not allowed to manufacture a magazine for civilian use larger than 10 rounds, UNLESS the magazine was permanently attached to the gun. So, some company built a 9mm handgun with a 50 round, internal, snail drum magazine. And it complied with the letter of the law.
Skill with crossbow applies to any crossbow at least to professional level. At that level, some distinction would be made between different crossbow designs, although such as heavy or light, cantilever or crank. At expert level, it would have to be your crossbow.
And as I go to add it to your sheet, I find that it is already there at 1@6 Use Crossbow T3@1. Sorry I didn't see it before.
You fire a full six quarrels (the number that the crossbow itself holds). Two of them are very near the center of the target, and three others are solid hits, only one missing.
Accessories for primitive explosive-driven slug-throwing weapons are rare. You would have to special order them. You might be able to get something made if it's not available. Even places that carry such antique reproduction weapons do not usually have much in the way of accessories, since these are mostly the province of collectors. You have not seen any unusual magazines for any weapon.
--M. J. Young
JohnA1nut
Member
Is that a new use for a moving target?
What other kinds of targets can I make? Can I make any that would look and react like a human target? Is the holographic program sophisticated enough to program targets that shoot back?
If nothing else, can I give it an evasive pattern similar to a human? (That would be 'Duck when you see the arrow coming')
I apologize. I thought through the answer to those questions, but then didn't realize I hadn't written them.
The holographic effects here are very limited. They do what I indicated, and no more. The "evasive pattern" works by a random movement system, such that you cannot predict the moment it will change direction or velocity; this limits your ability to lead the target. It does not shoot back.
There are professional-level ranges which can be used to train people for military and law enforcement. There are none aboard TerraNova, but one of the surrounding satelites has one. They cost thousands of credits to use, and are generally used only by corporations who train their security people in them. There is a lot of red tape even in traveling to that particular habitat.
Derek leaves a message at your hotel, says he'll call you on the vid later.
--M. J. Young
JohnA1nut
Member
I apologize for my behavior over the past few days. It's another one of those "You'd have to be inside my head to understand" kind of things. Hey, look at it on the bright side. Before my psychotic rants would go for a dozen posts. Even the board is showing my improvement!!!
You didn't answer me, is it a new use on the moving target?
Program the same 12 inch target, with a faster moving speed and an evasive pattern. Maybe a nice jogging pace.
How much is all of this costing me?
How much longer before work?
Can I call Derek, or do I have to wait for him to call me? If I can call him, call and ask how he is doing, and if there is anything I can do to help him.
JohnA1nut
Member
MJ Two Posts
Editing is dangerous, so I'm double posting, since it's many hours later.
Is there any way to selectively disown equipment? I would imagine I'm probably over my weight limit. I'd like to take the Verser's Survival Pack at all costs. It's everything I could need to get acclimated in the new world, until I find my gear. My character would be thinking that it was his most important possession. I just wanted to make a note of this, just in case there was any relevance to it.
Is there any kind of evasive pattern where the target changes size, as opposed to speeding up and changing direction? Or could it just change size randomly? If the evasive pattern could be that it stayed on course, but went from 12 inches to 2 inches, that would be what I would want.
NOTES
Anything here resembling an AR-7?
Speaking of delusions, can a dream become so real that it causes you to forget reality?
Your skill ability level with the crossbow is listed at 1@6. I find it difficult to believe that you were able to practice the weapon sufficiently to bring the skill to 1@6 without ever having shot at a moving target before. However, if you can expain that to me so I believe that you never previously shot at a moving target of any sort, I'll give you credit for a moving target. I will not give you credit for moving targets twice, though--the slow pace of the first "moving target" is below what Multiverser considers significant relative movement (no adjustment to chance to hit), so I'm stretching to give it to you for that.
The best you can do on the size of target thing is to program a three-dimensional target that turns and has different dimensions from different angles. Thus if you made something like a 12" diameter frisbee or discus, you could then have it turn such that it was moving away from you, and in the process it would shift the target it faced toward you (as well as its "angular" size, that is, a one foot object one foot away from you fills a much larger percentage of your field than the same one foot object one hundred feet away from you).
The range charges five credits per hour. It took you fifteen minutes to do your first run, but most of that was figuring out the interface so you could create the target you want. It will take you a similar amount of time to figure out how to do the things you want to do for your second run; it will not take long at all to set parameters you've already learned how to set, but when you're including new variables it will take time to learn to program these. In this case, it looks like you want to make variable movement, and include variable range so that it will move both toward and away from you, and to allow it to turn randomly on multiple axes. As for making it a jogging motion, the best chance on that is to limit the altitude, such that it can move left and right, forward and back fairly freely, but can only move up and down within about a foot (based on its center point). Again, it will take you about fifteen minutes to program all this and fire one complete round of bolts. You can cut back the time it takes to program it significantly once you understand how to set the various parameters, as long as you stay within what you know.
Since you now have an idea of how much it costs per hour and how much you can do in that time, you can figure out how much it's going to cost and how soon you have to leave for work.
I don't think you've ever used the computers to call someone; I'm not sure you knew you could do that--you did use it to order pizza, but you didn't actually talk to anyone when you did that. Apparently it can be used to make the equivalent of phone calls, because it seems that this is what Derek did. Whether you can do it, too, is something you would have to try.
As far as selectively disowning equipment, you do know that if you give something away or sell it, it doesn't go with you, so at least that works. Also, the bullets you shot did not go with you (or at least, you don't have that sense pointing you to where they went).
If you're asking me whether you get to choose what to leave behind if you exceed your weight limit when you verse out, the answer is no--that task falls to the referee. If you're asking me whether in anticipation of versing out you can get rid of stuff such that it is no longer yours and won't use weight limit, the answer is yes--but you have to disown it, and that means it would no longer be yours while you are in this world, either.
--M. J. Young
JohnA1nut
Member
How did I get to 1@6 without shooting at a moving target? Well, I rolled "Use Crossbow" at 1@3 and then had 300 days practice. If I ever used it to shoot at a moving target, it would have been unrecorded practice, and not a new use.
When I said "Jogging Pace" I meant that it should move at the speed at which a human jogs. Faster speed, harder to hit. Give it that and the random evasive pattern.
Just keep practicing with that for a while.
When I asked if I could call Derek, I think it would be safe to assume that the computers let you make calls, since they do just about everything else around here. What I meant was it's easier for a person in jail to call out than it is for you to call them. I'll call him when I'm finished in an hour.
You're going to tell me that this is "unrealistic"; let me agree with that up front. For targeting purposes in Multiverser, "harder to hit" because of motion does not happen until there is greater than ten miles per hour difference between the target and the shooter, and then the penalty is 1% per one mile per hour. Thus setting your target for a "jogging" pace does not make it harder to hit in mechanical terms.
One reason for this was strictly a matter of practical mechanics. We did not want it to be the case that a player could say that because he was running away from the opponent, the referee would have to penalize the opponent's attacks for movement--after all, fighters in melee are always moving. Thus it was our decision that the ordinary chance of success was based on attacks made on any target that was moving at up to ten miles per hour relative to the attacker. This reduces the amount of math that has to be done in ordinary combat--even if people are shooting at each other from speeding automobiles, they are most likely going to try to bring themselves alongside or on the same line in such a way that the relative movement is zero (as it would be, for example, if you were directly behind the target).
I will give you new use for a moving target, given that all your efforts to this point have been against stationary targets.
You spend most of the rest of the hour shooting at these moving targets, and then collect your quarrels, which are undamaged.
You get the message from Derek when you return to your hotel to clean up and get ready for work. The message is that he stopped by to see you. You can try to call him on the vid; how would you try that?
--M. J. Young
--after all, fighters in melee are always moving. Thus it was our decision that the ordinary chance of success was based on attacks made on any target that was moving at up to ten miles per hour relative to the attacker.
I could add here that if the target is absolutely stationary (and can't help it), then the referee probably won't include the portion of its Target Value that comes from its Agility when he calculates your chance of success. So, a magically paralyzed man is easier to hit than a jogging man, precisely because he isn't moving. It's just that the difference between dodging while jogging and dodging while staying in roughly the same place doesn't affect your targeting enough to warrant a penalty.
I guess what I'm saying is I don't think it's even quite as unrealistic as MJ makes it sound, once you consider that Agility factors into the chance to hit.
JohnA1nut
Member
MJ, Scott, believe it or not, I wasn't going to call that unrealistic. The reason I would say that is because the only moving target I've ever shot at was with a 12 gauge. By the time the pellets hit the target, it's an 8 inch spread hitting a 4 inch clay pigeon. Using bullets or arrows, I have no idea what would happen.
Back at the hotel, ask if Derek left any information about where he could be contacted. If he did, have the desk clerk show me how to call him. If not, then there's really no point in trying at all.
If I can't call Derek, just go to work at the scrap yard. Do I learn any new metalworking techniques?
You must log in to post.
