From: towo@swob.nullnet.fi (Mika Toivola)
Newsgroups: rec.games.design
Subject: Re: net.rpg
Date: Thu, 12 Nov 92 23:12:07 EEZ
Distribution: world
Organization: Sweet Oblivion

        I am extremely sorry, my previos follow-up was saved by a 
sadistic keyboard gone mad at me, please understand. I'll contimue..

magnus@brisk.ii.uib.no (Magnus Alvestad) writes:

> 	FAQ> it's possible a shot to the arm should be able to hit the
> 	FAQ> chest if it misses its mark.
> 
> This would be pretty nifty - any good ideas on how to do it? I mean -
> if you miss with a called shout - you hit a close body part?
        There could be several ways. One would be to do a tablke about it 
(I know tables are bad masters, but they're also great servants), it 
wouldn't be so big. You could also say that a near-miss still hits the 
foe, but the foe may decide where (and at half damage perhaps), like 
putting an arm to block the blow to the head, or a shield. Naturally this 
has to be possible by common sense (can't put your foot in the way), but 
that's what we have GM's for. Naturally the shield can't be blocking if 
it was already figured in somewhere else (eg. do you hit at all).

> 
> 	FAQ> We also haven't decided how to make a hit location system
> 	FAQ> work for non-human critters such as dragons, squid, and
> 	FAQ> three-headed ogres.
> 
> A hit location chart with most body setups, and then individual hit
> location charts on those that need their own (like the 3headed ogre).
        Manageable.
> 
> 	FAQ> Q11. Character:  How do I create one?
> 
> 	FAQ> A11.  Well, give us time.  Rome wasn't built in a day.
> 	FAQ> It seems we want to have enough characteristics/
> 	FAQ> attributes to give a sense of detail, but we don't want
> 	FAQ> too many, either.
> 
> I like the TW2000 character generation system. Maybe the simplest way
> of doing this genre-independent would be to have a large number of
> stats, and then a genre-spesific character sheet listing just relevant
> stats for everyday use. (But having all the stats on a Complete
> Character Description With All the Small Bits Included)
        IMHO we don't need a lot of stats if by all means we can use 
skills (or any type of advantage/disadvantage system - in between a skill 
and a stat). Sorry haven't played the TW2000, but if I remember right 
about it characters are done by rolling the dice, an extremely dispisable 
idea for me. I'm all for point-created characters.

> 
> 	FAQ> * Will the bad guys (be they thugs, dragons, or giants)
> 	FAQ> have the same attributes, just in different ranges?  Or
> 	FAQ> will they be described completely differently?
> 
> Same stats is the most elegant solution. Makes for a simpler combat
> system too, when you can just turn the cards around.
        And don't forget that then you can also make characters that are 
dragons, thugs, howizers.. uh, did I miss my mark? (:-)
> 
> 	FAQ> * What are the attributes, and what are the ranges?
> 
> They should be weighted, like 3d6, 4d6 (minus something?) Well in fact
> a 0-99 range would perhaps be nicest, but harder to load. 10d10? 
        You're taking for granted that the characters are actually rolled 
up, instead of creating. Is this some decition I haven't heard of?
> 
> 	FAQ> * Are the values from zero up?  Or can a character have
> 	FAQ> negative strength, which makes his die rolls lower?
> 
> Ahm.. no I don't like negative stats. No good reasons though. 
sounds nasty to mee too. I don't know why bthey would be needed. Say we 
work on a 3->30 scale, we can say 14 is average human, 4 newborn child 
etc. And take that into account elsewhere.
> 
> 	FAQ> Q12. Character II:  How do I improve as a character?
> 
> I don't have a clue. Well, roleplaying should be rewarded, but that's
> so easily affected by the player's charisma and ability to present his
> thoughts and ideas.
> 
> Maybe all characters should get an equal amount of experience points
> after solving a part of the struggle, surviving etc. - and then every
> player can distribute these points on skills he has used. The more he
> puts on a skill, the larger is the chance that it will rise, and with
> more.
        "Chance that it will rise?", this makes you "fair" system into 
"the luckiest gets the best", I don't like it. I think there should be 
rewards as you say, but they should be divided among the players 
according to standards I'm sure we cannot come to a consensus of. But for 
ex. good role-playing (meaning that you nicely acted like the character 
probably would have), solving the adveture or success in proceeding? or 
sharp ideas?
> 
> 	FAQ> it might be best to have some people making the decisions
> 	FAQ> once a subject has reached critical mass.
> 
> Ok, that's me. :-) Any objections?
        Some people = more than 1 I suppose? Well, it's good to have a 
head fogure though. Who decides when the "critical mass" is there? I 
believe there should be a team.

           -Towo Of Finland


--------
towo@swob.nullnet.fi (Mika Toivola)
Sweet Oblivion (+358 0 8092678, V.32bis 8N1) Official SRP Headquarters
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