Steve Jackson Games Forums - View Single Post - TFT Gamemasters Screen -- What needs to be in it?

JLV · 07-29-2018, 04:27 PM

These are excellent choices. I know we're all going to ask for our own special needs/desires to be added, but given your space limitations, this looks good. And yes, I think your Time/Speed/Distance table would be much more useful in the full RPG version if it addressed overland movement on larger area maps.

I will mention a couple of items that might be nice if you can find some room, or are otherwise helpful in speeding play.

In the original ITL, there were rules for mounted combat -- having a diagram of how mounted combat works (how, specifically, the horse moves, for example) might be useful. Similarly for aerial combat, (though the rules for that were prototypical more than polished, so unless more work is going to be done on them, perhaps this would only confuse people...)

A Movement Allowance table -- that talks to how MA is affected by terrain and encumbrance. (Perhaps this is part of the Time/Speed/Distance table already addressed by you.)

Page references on each table so the GM/Player can look up the relevant rules easily, if necessary.

When using glossary terms in the tables, bold them so people know they are in the glossary and can look them up, if necessary.

Something that talks about Light and vision in the underground world. A table, for example, that lists how many hexes a torch, lantern, flashlight (just kidding!), or LIGHT Spell illuminates, as well as maybe saying how far away such a light source can be seen. It could also provide info in tabular format on how effective other forms of vision are (infrared, mage sight, etc.) in terms of the distance that can be seen. You could also talk to lighting conditions (dusk, dawn, moonlight, etc.)

As another pull-out (for GM use only, normally) a simple stat listing of the kinds of monsters/creatures/plants, animals, etc., included in the basic book, along with a page reference where the full write-up can be found. This would be enormously helpful to the GM, I think.

That's about all I can think of, off the top of my head. Might come up with one or two additional things later...

Oh, and I'll second Chris's suggestion on the Spell costs -- though you might have to make that another pull-out!!! ;-)

07-29-2018, 04:27 PM	#3
JLV Join Date: Nov 2010 Location: Arizona	Re: TFT Gamemasters Screen -- What needs to be in it? These are excellent choices. I know we're all going to ask for our own special needs/desires to be added, but given your space limitations, this looks good. And yes, I think your Time/Speed/Distance table would be much more useful in the full RPG version if it addressed overland movement on larger area maps. I will mention a couple of items that might be nice if you can find some room, or are otherwise helpful in speeding play. In the original ITL, there were rules for mounted combat -- having a diagram of how mounted combat works (how, specifically, the horse moves, for example) might be useful. Similarly for aerial combat, (though the rules for that were prototypical more than polished, so unless more work is going to be done on them, perhaps this would only confuse people...) A Movement Allowance table -- that talks to how MA is affected by terrain and encumbrance. (Perhaps this is part of the Time/Speed/Distance table already addressed by you.) Page references on each table so the GM/Player can look up the relevant rules easily, if necessary. When using glossary terms in the tables, bold them so people know they are in the glossary and can look them up, if necessary. Something that talks about Light and vision in the underground world. A table, for example, that lists how many hexes a torch, lantern, flashlight (just kidding!), or LIGHT Spell illuminates, as well as maybe saying how far away such a light source can be seen. It could also provide info in tabular format on how effective other forms of vision are (infrared, mage sight, etc.) in terms of the distance that can be seen. You could also talk to lighting conditions (dusk, dawn, moonlight, etc.) As another pull-out (for GM use only, normally) a simple stat listing of the kinds of monsters/creatures/plants, animals, etc., included in the basic book, along with a page reference where the full write-up can be found. This would be enormously helpful to the GM, I think. That's about all I can think of, off the top of my head. Might come up with one or two additional things later... Oh, and I'll second Chris's suggestion on the Spell costs -- though you might have to make that another pull-out!!! ;-)