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Ancient History
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Post by Ancient History » Mon Dec 11, 2017 8:59 pm

I may rework some of the ranges for things. I think I need to standardize them a bit. Seems...idiosyncratic right now.
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Ancient History
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Post by Ancient History » Mon Jan 01, 2018 7:31 pm

I haven't given up on this. I have fixed the ranges. I still have a lot of work to do.
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Ancient History
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Post by Ancient History » Thu Jan 04, 2018 1:45 am

N-rays done. Two more cosmic forces to go. Whooo...
Debating having players start with Level 4 wands instead of Level 5. I'll think about it.
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virgil
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Post by virgil » Mon Jan 15, 2018 6:33 pm

I can understand lowering starter wants to be level 4. I feel like you'd want to make a differentiation between Make and Level if you do that.
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Ancient History
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Post by Ancient History » Tue Jan 16, 2018 3:12 am

Well, as it stands PCs start out with a wand that can do all functions up to and including level 5, with the option to trade that in for a level 4 with two free mods (one of which could let it go up to level 5 for a specific cosmic force). The alternative is to start at level 4 and hold out level 5 as something PCs can aspire to through play.
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virgil
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Post by virgil » Tue Jan 16, 2018 10:56 pm

I think level 5 being the upgrade for advanced players would be a good idea.
Come see Sprockets & Serials
How do you confuse a barbarian?
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Ancient History
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Post by Ancient History » Sat Apr 07, 2018 6:52 pm

I finished off the Orgone effects. It's small progress, but it's something. Now for Vril...
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Ancient History
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Post by Ancient History » Tue Apr 10, 2018 2:42 am

Add the Vril beam. I've been wanting to add some "beam tricks," and this one sort of worked for me...I can't decide if it's maybe a little too complicated or versatile, if anybody wants to scroll down and look at it. But it opens up...interesting possibilities.
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Ancient History
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Post by Ancient History » Sun Apr 15, 2018 9:26 pm

Okay, that took a long fucking time, but all of the wand functions are finally written.
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Ancient History
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Post by Ancient History » Tue Apr 17, 2018 1:04 am

I have added the Build Your Own Wand system (trying to keep crafting relatively simple and headache-free), revised wand modification costs, and changed it so the default wand is a Mk. IV instead of a Mk. V. You can still start out with access to level 5 wand functions, but you'll need a modification to do it. So...next up: Equipment.
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Ancient History
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Post by Ancient History » Tue Apr 17, 2018 10:34 pm

Organizing the Equipment chapter (which I know you've all been waiting for). Taking one of Frank's suggestions on the limits of personal equipment, I'm also field-testing this idea for augmentations:

> Augmentations are cybernetic or biological implants within the user’s body, ranging from simple prosthetics to implanted wandtech. In the Federation, there is a slight stigma against obvious augmentations, but this is quite the opposite among Space Pirates and the Union-Republika, where augmentations are common and often ostentatious. Augmentations come with an additional cost: taking them converts some of the character’s health circles into hit boxes (&#8857;&#8594;&#8865;). When damaged, hit boxes are marked off first, before health circles; unlike health circles, hit boxes do not heal on their own, but must be repaired (see Damage & Repair of Inanimate Objects).

This will need an example, eventually, but the basic idea is that the total amount of damage you can take doesn't change, but prosthetic limbs get blown off first and can be repaired easier than waiting for your meat bits to heal up...provided you have the means to do so. Still lots to do with this chapter, I really need to expand my notes.
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Ancient History
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Post by Ancient History » Wed May 02, 2018 1:02 am

> Kits
> The skills of Engineering, Forensics, Medicine, and Survival typically demand specialized tools to be used effectively in the field. Attempting to use one of these skills without the corresponding Kit gives a -2 dice modifier to all Tests and Contests involving that skill. The Space Ranger Corps carefully organizes a number of standard devices and imperishable tools to be used in the field (scalpels, universal socket wrenches, survival knife, compass, etc.), in addition to a small supply of vital prepackaged materials—medicines and bandages for Medicine Kits; chemical reagents, disposable gloves, and evidence bags for Forensic Kits; batteries, solder, nuts, screws, and common electrical components for Engineering Kits; food pills, water purification tablets, matches, and similar gear for Survival Kits.
> Every Kit begins an adventure fully stocked, with five (5) dice worth of consumable materials. A player character may expend these dice on appropriate Skill Tests and Contests throughout the adventure (i.e. Forensic Kits provide dice on Forensic Tests, Medicine Kits for Medicine Tests, etc.) The player may spend as many or as few of these dice as they wish, spread them out over multiple Tests or use them all on a single Test, etc. These count as a regular part of the dice pool as far as exchanging dice for an automatic hit.
> When the dice for a Kit are expended, the Kit still retains all non-perishable tools, and provides the normal benefit (i.e. no -2 dice modifier for not having a Kit.) Kits may be re-stocked with consumable materials between adventures, or during an adventure if the player character has the opportunity to replenish the consumables from stores.
> Normally, the exact type and quantity of consumable goods is not tracked individually (and will probably vary from place to place), however if a player ever wishes to pick a specific consumable item from their Kit for another purposes (say, removing bandages from a Medicine Kit to start a fire, or a survival knife from a Survival Kit as a weapon), they may spend one die from the kit per such use. Kits never contain wands, augmentations, or exotic equipment.

Thoughts?
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Zaranthan
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Post by Zaranthan » Thu May 03, 2018 2:59 pm

Maybe a caveat that if you have two kits, you can't add ten dice to a single test. That could get out of hand quickly.

> Koumei wrote:...is the dead guy posthumously at fault for his own death and, due to the felony murder law, his own murderer?

> hyzmarca wrote:A palace made out of poop is much more impressive than one made out of gold. Stinkier, but more impressive. One is an ostentatious display of wealth. The other is a miraculous engineering feat.

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virgil
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Post by virgil » Thu May 03, 2018 4:23 pm

I imagine it should be acceptable for someone utilizing base resources to functionally have a continual +5 to those checks.
Come see Sprockets & Serials
How do you confuse a barbarian?
Put a greatsword a maul and a greataxe in a room and ask them to take their pick
EXPLOSIVE RUNES!
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Ancient History
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Post by Ancient History » Thu May 03, 2018 10:11 pm

Tweaked the Kit rules a bit to cap effects. Laid out the basics for augmentations, with specific write-ups to start tomorrow:

> From simple prosthetics to more exotic implants, augmentations are tools designed to extend the range and capabilities of humanity, an expression of homo sapiens mastery over nature turned inward. While some individuals are still uncomfortable with the implications of augmentations and ask the question of what it means to be human, others are excited at the possibility of surpassing the age-old limitations of the human form.
> Augmentations come with an additional cost: taking them converts some of the character’s health circles into hit boxes (&#8857;&#8594;&#8865;). When damaged, hit boxes are marked off first, before health circles; unlike health circles, hit boxes do not heal on their own, but must be repaired (see Damage & Repair of Inanimate Objects). The number of boxes converted in this way is called the conversion cost, and is represented in brackets after the name of the implant.
> Example
> Ranger Xiao McCarter selects artificial eyes, which has a conversion cost of &#8865;. When this augmentation is taken, McRanger convers one of her health circles to hit boxes. So &#8857;&#8857;&#8857;&#8857;&#8857;&#8857;&#8857; becomes &#8857;&#8857;&#8857;&#8857;&#8857;&#8857;&#8857;&#8865;.
> No matter how many augmentations a character has, their final health circle (&#8857;) does not convert; this represents that part of them, no matter if it is little more than a lump of brain tissue, which remains biologically human. Specific hit boxes do not correspond to specific augmentations; while they suffer damage, assume that the rugged implants remain operable no matter how many hit boxes are marked off, unless specifically targeted by an effect designed to destroy them (i.e. a holding a prosthetic limb in a puddle of molten lava, firing a beam directly at an artificial eye, etc.)

Equipment rules are pretty strict, so we're not looking at a huge number of augmentations, but a representative sample of some stuff that's cool to have. Still need to work out the costs and mechanics. Augmentations of the same type (i.e. prosthetic limbs) take up the same equipment slot, to help keep things reasonable.
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virgil
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Post by virgil » Fri May 04, 2018 1:38 am

Is there a functional difference between a health circle and a health box, other than serving as a visual representation of how close you are to your augmentation cap?
Come see Sprockets & Serials
How do you confuse a barbarian?
Put a greatsword a maul and a greataxe in a room and ask them to take their pick
EXPLOSIVE RUNES!
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Ancient History
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Post by Ancient History » Fri May 04, 2018 9:37 am

Health circles heal, hit boxes have to be repaired.
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DrPraetor
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Post by DrPraetor » Sat May 05, 2018 4:57 am

You have "foundation" in five places (presumably after Asimov), which I think you meant to change to "federation" unless "the foundation" is someone else that you're going to define later?
I admire both the minimalism of your equipment system and the highly plausible in-game justification - bit there should be a cert that lets people have more gear if they really want.
I'm greatly enjoying this!
Chaosium rules are made of unicorn pubic hair and cancer. --AncientH
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Ancient History
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Post by Ancient History » Sat May 05, 2018 4:51 pm

Fhtagn. I'll fix foundation. Thanks. I guess a cert might be viable.
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Ancient History
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Post by Ancient History » Mon May 07, 2018 11:06 pm

Clarified equipment slots, augmentations and damage, added certs to gain more equipment and Technovirus. Still haven't actually written out any augmentations yet, but give me time...
Frank actually came up with the "3 pieces of equipment + small personal item" idea, so all due credit there.
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virgil
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Post by virgil » Tue May 08, 2018 5:10 pm

With mass being expensive as a justification for restricting the carried equipment (a good idea), I'm now imagining all Space Rangers being built like horse jockeys.
Come see Sprockets & Serials
How do you confuse a barbarian?
Put a greatsword a maul and a greataxe in a room and ask them to take their pick
EXPLOSIVE RUNES!
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DrPraetor
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Post by DrPraetor » Wed May 09, 2018 1:53 am

> virgil wrote:With mass being expensive as a justification for restricting the carried equipment (a good idea), I'm now imagining all Space Rangers being built like horse jockeys.

I was assuming they'd all be adolescents in super-technology ultralight spacesuits - majority female (they're lighter, after all) but a few would be emotionally stunted, effeminate boys.
Orphans are just better at attuning the wands, for whatever reason.
Last edited by DrPraetor on Wed May 09, 2018 1:54 am, edited 1 time in total.
Chaosium rules are made of unicorn pubic hair and cancer. --AncientH
When you talk, all I can hear is "DunningKruger" over and over again like you were a god damn Pokemon. --Username17
Fuck off with the pony murder shit. --Grek
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Mask_De_H
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Post by Mask_De_H » Sun May 13, 2018 6:32 am

Why not both?

> FrankTrollman wrote: Halfling women, as I'm sure you are aware, combine all the "fun" parts of pedophilia without any of the disturbing, illegal, or immoral parts.

> K wrote:That being said, the usefulness of airships for society is still transporting cargo because it's an option that doesn't require a powerful wizard to show up for work on time instead of blowing the day in his harem of extraplanar sex demons/angels.

> Chamomile wrote: See, it's because K's belief in leaving generation of individual monsters to GMs makes him Chaotic, whereas Frank's belief in the easier usability of monsters pre-generated by game designers makes him Lawful, and clearly these philosophies are so irreconcilable as to be best represented as fundamentally opposed metaphysical forces.

> Whipstitch wrote:You're on a mad quest, dude. I'd sooner bet on Zeus getting bored and letting Sisyphus put down the fucking rock.

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Ancient History
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Post by Ancient History » Sun May 13, 2018 10:22 pm

> Prosthetic Limbs (&#8865; per limb)
> Prosthetic arms are functionally equivalent to the natural limbs humans are born with, and come in many shapes and sizes, from the rugged industrial models with grip-claws preferred by Belters to synthskin-covered replacements almost identical to natural limbs. Since the circuits are connected directly to the user’s nervous system, sensors within the limb can transmit the full range of human sensitivity—touch, pressure, temperature, position, even pain. Of course, replacing a limb is more than the limb itself: the limb has to be anchored to the character’s skeleton, interfaced with their nervous system, blood vessels and other systems moved or re-routed around it, artificial muscles woven into supporting groups so that the character doesn’t tear their own arm or leg off every time they move. Because of all this reinforcement, for each prosthetic limb, the character gains an extra hit box (&#8865;). This can bring a character’s combination of health circles and hit boxes higher than eight.
> Example
> Ranger Romeo Juliet Foxtrot loses his arm after a love affair gone wrong (never doubletime a Blemphroim!) and requests an artificial arm from supply—his first implant. After paying the conversion cost (&#8857;&#8594;&#8865;), his eight health circles (&#8857;&#8857;&#8857;&#8857;&#8857;&#8857;&#8857;&#8857;) becomes seven health circles and a hit box (&#8865;&#8857;&#8857;&#8857;&#8857;&#8857;&#8857;&#8857;) and then he gains another hit box for the artificial arm (&#8865;&#8865;&#8857;&#8857;&#8857;&#8857;&#8857;&#8857;&#8857;), for a combined total of nine health circles and hit boxes. If Ranger Foxtrot ever chooses to remove the artificial arm, he would lose both hit boxes and regain a single health circle.
> For every artificial limb, the conversion cost and CLP cost must be paid, but all artificial limbs occupy the same equipment slot.
> Implanted Kits
> Characters that have both a Kit and an artificial limb may convert the Kit into an Implanted Kit at no cost. Instead of being stored in a carryable container like a normal Kit, the tools and materials of the Kit are internalized into the functions of the limb: tools pop out of fingers and toes, compartments open to reveal storage spaces for compact consumables, etc. While the Kit and the artificial limb both still occupy different slots, it is much more difficult for characters to be separated from an artificial limb.
> Extra Limbs
> Characters are not restricted to the number of limbs that humanity was born with. Many humans, especially Belters and Space Pirates, have opted for adding an extra arm or two, or even a prehensile tail; such augmentations are rarer on Earth, as many are afraid of being mistaken for Mutants, but not unheard of. The hard limit on adding extra limbs is the conversion cost: characters cannot convert their final health circle. This sets the de facto maximum of artificial limbs a character has at seven. Characters do not receive any bonuses for having additional limbs beyond the standard complement.

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DrPraetor
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Post by DrPraetor » Sun May 13, 2018 11:14 pm

So, wait, replacing limbs gives you &#8857;&#8594;&#8865;&#8865; but adding them only gives &#8857;&#8594;&#8865;? Wouldn't it make more sense to just say you can't get more than &#8865;&#8865;&#8865;&#8865; bonus by adding limbs?
Also, what about Mr Stud's implantscosmetic cyberware? Can people just "look robotic" in various ways? I suppose we're not really cyberpunk, so no?
One thing I can't quite deduce from the current draft - the Federation has wands (and power crystals?) and the Union has a whole range of stuff that utilize the cosmic forces, but it's not clear what these gadgets do and how (if at all) they differ from conventional 20th century gadgets. Do they have hoverbikes and shit? What do the Wakandans have that the Federation or Union don't? This doesn't need to be comprehensive, but if my character concept is former racer who joined the Space Rangers, I need to know if he was racing in a formula one sports car or a hover bike or what. Likewise people will want to play (former) reporters, rock stars, and etc., all of which revolves somewhat around Federation society and the futuristic technologies that are in common usage.
Chaosium rules are made of unicorn pubic hair and cancer. --AncientH
When you talk, all I can hear is "DunningKruger" over and over again like you were a god damn Pokemon. --Username17
Fuck off with the pony murder shit. --Grek
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