View Single Post
Old 06-12-2017, 06:22 PM   #1
hal
 
Join Date: Aug 2004
Location: Buffalo, New York
Default Wealth does WHAT?!!!

Quote:
Originally Posted by Icelander View Post
The Wealth Advantage basically represents the social background and connections needed to obtain better jobs and higher income than characters without it. Spending points on Wealth is the right way to indicate that a character has a professional reputation (note lowercase, a GURPS Reputation is not the only trait that implies some element of social recognition) that justifies more economic success than his skill levels otherwise support.
While I'm thinking about it:

Social connections

Social background

Professional Reputation

Economic Success

These are terms you threw about in your paragraph above, and I think to myself "Good". Now for the fun part... In this new thread, please take the time to DEFINE those and what they mean to you, as well as how you think they should be defined using GURPS characteristics.

For instance. What if I were born and bred, living a lifestyle with Famous Celebrity parents, in a jet-setter type of environment if you will. How would you define that in GURPS? Would I know how to identify clothing of a famous clothing designer? Would I know famous world wide renowned wines and beverages? Would I have some form of "Cultural awareness" that someone born and raised in the center of Harlem New York City, would never have a chance of learning, let alone mimic?

So, what is economic success as an attribute? Is it a Mindset? Is it being part of a "group" of like minded individuals who look out for each other at the expense of ordinary people?

Professional reputation - what is this? How is it different than a reputation as a gunslinger who is deadly with his guns? Is that NOT a professional reputation if that is his job? Even if it wasn't his job, how is that reputation as a gun slinger who is deadly, any different than a professional reputation, even if it wasn't his job?

Social background - how is this portrayed in GURPS? GURPS has Status as one advantage/disadvantage, and it has wealth as an advantage/disadvantage. It even LINKS the two together saying that Wealth 2+ imparts a free +1 status, and Status 4+ imparts a +2 overall free Status. However, Status and Wealth are still separate and distinctly different things (albeit, entangled together somewhat).

Last but not least...

What are social connections in GURPS? How would you portray it? Is it a contact group? Is it a allied group? Is it a Hospitality like advantage? Perhaps a combination of those listed in this question?

I find it rather odd, that people want to believe, that a man who has "comfortable wealth" somehow, can force employers to pay him up to double normal wages for a normal wealth level - regardless of whether they have a relationship with the man or not. Regardless of whether he's from America and is in Greece (for example) or an Armenian who doesn't speak fluent American English in Southern Michigan.

When I see an advantage that is being used in place of other advantages, and used in a broad sense such that I consider unrealistic - I have to ask "Is realistic or acceptable?"

So, this thread is here to ask people to BUILD the very "things" your words (sans definitions) imply should be there. Just as Combat Reflexes can be said to be underpriced for what it does, perhaps WEALTH is underpriced for what it is supposed to do.

While this may be a topic that can cause some dissent, please, everyone, keep it civil and keep it on topic. Think of it as a math theorem problem in which your evil math teacher has asked you to prove is true, but can not use an indirect proof.
hal is offline   Reply With Quote