tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1678761812929125529.post1780876020241395910..comments2023-05-27T11:14:02.426-04:00Comments on Some Space to Think: DrivingAnonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14216103531396452644noreply@blogger.comBlogger9125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1678761812929125529.post-69091632144663056632011-02-03T09:08:47.736-05:002011-02-03T09:08:47.736-05:00@Ben More precisely, I suppose, I would say that f...@Ben More precisely, I suppose, I would say that few systems handle it well. The GURPs example is a good one of ways to address it _outside_ the skill system, but that tends to require a bottomless supply of one-offs, which is not structurally sound over the long run.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14216103531396452644noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1678761812929125529.post-79196064485801382932011-02-03T07:06:55.697-05:002011-02-03T07:06:55.697-05:00I'm surprised you think so few systems deal wi...I'm surprised you think so few systems deal with the “everyone usually has this skill but sometimes it might matter to be especially incompetent or competent” issue.<br /><br />I would say FUDGE, and therefore FATE, also does this well. Any skill that everyone can be expected to have but that isn't specifically mentioned is at Mediocre level.<br /><br />Heck even GURPS does it fine: for basic stuff, no roll is required unless something interesting might go wrong; for showing off Mad-Skills-Driver-Girl, just have her attempt tasks with a high difficulty; and if you want Especially-Bad-Driver-Guy, he can take an Incompetence (Driving) as a disadvantage like any other.<br /><br />What am I missing in your application of this test?Ben Finneynoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1678761812929125529.post-41306183155592681742011-01-25T06:27:17.494-05:002011-01-25T06:27:17.494-05:00This is a really good question. I think the simpl...This is a really good question. I think the simplest solution in my mind is a "General Culture" skill. That's a combination of the Culture skill in Spycraft and the General Knowledge skill used in quite a few of the older-school games. <br /><br />To clarify: "Driving" is the skill of the Driver. But it is also just a means of getting around, and getting around is something that in all-but exceptional situations, the character knows how to do. <br /><br />For example: I am exceptional at driving on icy roads. It's what I do for a living and I take great pride in it. I go through tricky mountain passes in blizzards as a matter of routine. However, I've never driven a performance car in my life and I can count the number of times I've driven in heavy city traffic on one hand. <br /><br />Recently my company employed a doctor from Pakistan. He is a very smart gentleman and also a motor-head. I've had great conversations about driving with him and I can tell he knows his stuff. Yet the first 5 times we gave him directions to a field site, he got lost, and in a recent snowstorm he ran his truck into the ditch. <br /><br />Both of us can "Drive" we're of similar ages so I can assume we've had equivelant amounts of time on the road. We both take interest in our skills as motorists. The difference is that I've been driving in MY environment for 10 years while he came to Canada less than 6 months ago. <br /><br />So convert that quick and easy to a game system. You can have General Culture - US Cities, US Rural, or go as specialized as you want, but I figure that's unnecessary. If you made a Doctor character with the Medicine skill it should be a given that your character would understand the ins and outs of the health care system that employs him. <br /><br />Thus, a character has the capability to function in his environment without being forced to consider each and every skill he must take to do so. A new-yorker shouldn't need a specialized knowledge of the subway system or how to hail a cab effectively or have the Computer Operations skill to be able to check his iphone. You just include that degree of competence as a package according to the character concept. It can be a "Class Feat" even.Helmsmanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05248835491973291242noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1678761812929125529.post-27628592681606402722011-01-24T18:56:26.670-05:002011-01-24T18:56:26.670-05:00I prefer systems where skills represent profession...I prefer systems where skills represent professional competency, rather than being a straight measure of ability. For casual competency I generally base it on the raw characteristic. This philosophy is probably best summed up in that casual use you roll to do something, but is skilled use you roll to get out of difficulty.<br /><br />One of the best ways of doing this is to vary the die size of tests. FASA's <i>Star Trek</i> used a d10 to use a skill, but a d100 to test a skill (if you grokk the difference).<br /><br />I find it useful to alter the dice size rather than add bonuses because you don't artificially inflate or deflate skills. What's interesting is where you allow the protagonists to choose the die size (eg d10, d20, d30, d40, d60, d80, d100, d120, d200 etc assuming a basically percentile system) they are going to use to resolve the conflict and then use the largest one chosen for both people. The dice they choose indicates how far they are actually pushing the envelope in whatever they are doing. Of course, the penalties for failure tend to magnify as the die is increased, but if your opponent is unwilling to match your die then you have beaten them (provided you survive whatever thing you are trying).<br /><br />Has the nice touch that you can challenge the opponent to up the risks by increasing the die size (showing you are taking a greater risk), and daring them to respond. If they are unwilling to match you, you get a "bump" in the stakes of the contest. If you succeed. Or they get the bump if you fail. So, play it safe or take the risk?Reverance Pavanehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01217657347160811310noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1678761812929125529.post-7968388809018173302011-01-24T15:32:27.303-05:002011-01-24T15:32:27.303-05:00I should note the game Deborah is referencing is p...I should note the game Deborah is referencing is probably the first one I I ran that I can recall where language was really import (and tellingly, it's a "real world" game).Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14216103531396452644noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1678761812929125529.post-22342815335727180132011-01-24T14:50:58.810-05:002011-01-24T14:50:58.810-05:00@zdashamber My little Russian American engineer in...@zdashamber My little Russian American engineer in the Cold War game is a linguist (and actually, come to think of it, the driver). She speaks Russian and American English and drives like, uhm, well, like you're not going to give her the keys unless it's not likely you'd get there otherwise. I've had to roll Technician for truly absurd driving stunts, but I can't recall having to roll for language. I think the language was covered under her Petroyshka Aspect (Russian nested dolls) and a note in her official file (as a good american spy) that she has dual citizenship and is a fluent linguist.<br /><br />The couple times we've spent quality time with Russians who weren't Anna's relatives and/or spies, they were often shooting at us, but the language was handy to figure out /why/, admittedly rephrased through Anna. Beyond the usual reactionary behaviour, I mean.Deborah Donoghuehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13757575115119206182noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1678761812929125529.post-45354316863186791712011-01-24T14:08:50.814-05:002011-01-24T14:08:50.814-05:00Driving was a big problem for me when designing Sy...Driving was a big problem for me when designing Synapse because I wanted to have rules for really intense driving situations, but I wanted it to be simple too (the constant balance, right?) <br /><br />In the end, I found a way to make a single maneuver mechanic that would work for a variety of chase concepts; from the car chase to Ships of the Line to Mech combat. That way, I wasnt committing myself to a mechanic ONLY for driving.<br /><br />I actually have some problems with the way I wrote it and I intend to change it when I go back to finalize the beta, but I am sure I will keep a unified mechanic for a variety of things rather than simply driving.Pontifexhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01761338487255048337noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1678761812929125529.post-48287652009919735902011-01-24T13:29:50.590-05:002011-01-24T13:29:50.590-05:00One of my Brown M&M things is a bit unfair, si...One of my Brown M&M things is a bit unfair, since everyone muffs it: Languages. Because, in-game, you are never (or less than one session in 20, say) going to run into a situation where you can't communicate with the people necessary to talk to, because that means the plot is out of the reach of the PCs. So while it sounds cool to be a master linguist who can blend in/disappear, it's in fact just a way to waste points that could be doing something cool that would actually get rolled and thus get you some system credit for being cool.<br /><br />-MadelineAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1678761812929125529.post-72524254592084302402011-01-24T10:08:29.291-05:002011-01-24T10:08:29.291-05:00Driving is always tricky because you run into the ...Driving is always tricky because you run into the Pilot Principle - they guys who is really good at operating the vehicle wants to stick around the vehicle. Except that means he does a lot of rolls and is awesome, and the rest of the players are along for the ride.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12098545506479026723noreply@blogger.com