From: mfp+@CS.CMU.EDU (Michael Polis)
Subject: Re: SOND, was RE: a New line
Organization: Carnegie Mellon University
Date: Tue, 15 Dec 1992 19:54:44 GMT

In article <1992Dec14.162400.29978@unislc.uucp>, stv@unislc.uucp (Steve Spencer) writes:
|> 	I'm also open to ideas on how to use the abilities. Do we make them
|> a percentage number? A 3-18 number (probably not, becauyse since these 
|> characters all start out as kids, that'd put them all in the 3-4 category)?
|> Any suggestions?

The scale should be geared towards children, since they are the players.
You should retire from the campaign when you get too old.  Adults fit
into the category of gods or monsters (a superintelligent race of giants).
Maybe kids should get 2d6 on abilities, and adults 4d6.  One way to do
this would be to say that at ages 0, 5, 10, and 15 you roll a die to see
how many points you will gain in the next growth period.  You get one
point from the die immediately (2 if you roll a 6) and the rest at the
rate of one point a year.  Or, you could spread the points you are going
to get evenly over the period:

	year	0	1	2	3	4
	roll
	  1			1
	  2		1		1
	  3	1		1		1
	  4	1	1		1	1
	  5	1	1	1	1	1
	  6	1	1	2	1	1

Agility may be an exception to this, in that children may well rate higher
than adults in this area.

|> 	Next is To-hit/Where hit:
|> Here is an idea I have been working on, but once again, everything is
|> open to discussion. 
|> ...

These rules seem very complicated to me.  I assume that these complex rules
result from the aversion to tables that is present on this newsgroup.  While
I can see that it is bad to flip through a book searching for the right table,
IMHO tables do not impede the game if there are only 2 or 3 of them and they
all fit on one side of a single piece of paper.

On a somewhat related issue, damage, I think special consideration of the
genre is appropriate.  The way you "kill" an opponent is by making them cry.
While crying, a child cannot fight or use skills, and will frequently just
go home.  Resistance to crying can be gained fairly linearly.  Adults don't
cry when you hit them, the pain just makes them chase you more slowly.
There could be optional rules for serious injury if you want to run a more
violent campaign.  Critical hits might be "cut," "sprain," "cut that needs
stitches," and "broken bone."  Common weapons would be sticks of various
sizes, rocks, snowballs, and wiffle bats.

|> 	SKILLS:
|> 	The way I think we should treat skills is fairly simple. I think
|> that the player thinks of 3 skills that they are paying close attention to.
|> For instance, the character might decide that each time the have a sword 
|> fight,

Sword fight?  What kind of children are we talking about?

The sort of skills I see children acquiring are things like:
	stick - applies to attack with sticks, wiffle bats, etc.
	punch
	kick
	throw - rocks, snowballs, sticks
	shoot - squirt gun, dart gun
	read/write - one of the few useful skills learned in school
			"Hey Billy, what does this sign say?"
	math - applies to counting your money
	gymnastics } I think these only have role playing value.
	music      }

and some special skills that are hard to get:
	first aid
	parry - from martial arts classes
	flip - As in flipping or throwing a person (also from m.a. classes)

GOALS:
	I think characters should be looking for entertainment points, which
come from play, video games, and adventures, but it isn't clear what bonus
characters should get from accumulating these.

	
Newsgroups: rec.games.design