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Old 02-06-2011, 02:14 AM   #1
Harry O'Gane
 
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Default Coffee and GURPS

Greetings,

I am doing a bit of coffee statistics for GURPS, and here is what I'm interested in:

1) Is caffeine addiction treated as an addiction worth [-5] points or is it treated as a quirk?

2) Can coffee substitute FP lost by missed sleep? If it can, how much? Since coffee can be prepared in various ways, how much of it would restore a cup of espresso, a cup of latte, a cup of cappucino and how much a cup of black Turkish coffee?

3) Does coffee increase anything temporarily, like perception?

Best regards,

Marko Zadro

Last edited by Harry O'Gane; 02-06-2011 at 02:23 AM.
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Old 02-06-2011, 02:23 AM   #2
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Default Re: Coffee and GURPS

That's pretty much a matter of opinion, I guess. Caffeine addicition should be a quirk, since withdrawal has no appreciable effects. It also doesn't recover any FP, you still need that sleep, coffee or no coffee, but it should grant a bonus to Will rolls you make to prevent falling asleep and might negate drowsiness. Likewise any advantage granted by caffeine's stimulating qualities is likely offset by it making you twitchy.

In general, coffee is simply too weak a drug to have much effect on GURPS's scale. After all, the much more powerful alcohol gives you only -2 to DEX and IQ, if you are really drunk. So, even a +1 bonus from coffee would be stretching credibility, IMO.
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Old 02-06-2011, 02:27 AM   #3
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Default Re: Coffee and GURPS

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That's pretty much a matter of opinion, I guess. Caffeine addicition should be a quirk, since withdrawal has no appreciable effects. It also doesn't recover any FP, you still need that sleep, coffee or no coffee, but it should grant a bonus to Will rolls you make to prevent falling asleep and might negate drowsiness. Likewise any advantage granted by caffeine's stimulating qualities is likely offset by it making you twitchy.

In general, coffee is simply too weak a drug to have much effect on GURPS's scale. After all, the much more powerful alcohol gives you only -2 to DEX and IQ, if you are really drunk. So, even a +1 bonus from coffee would be stretching credibility, IMO.
A friend of mine once told me that he had a caffeine overdose from instant coffee. He said that it seemed as though shadows around him were moving on their own (shadows of inanimate objects, that is), and that it seemed like everything is in motion blur.

This happened after 5-6 cups drank in a short period of time.
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Old 02-06-2011, 02:44 AM   #4
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Default Re: Coffee and GURPS

Over use of caffeine can give you palpitations (irregular heartbeat). An increased heart rate can make you feel tired.
Coffee increases blood pressure - decaf does the same.
Coffee may be used to wake you up but an apple is actually more effective (don't know the Why but chewing, sugar, and no increased heart rate sounds good to me). Caffeine can actually cause fatigue - it works like a burst of adrenaline. Adrenaline isn't all nice - diarrhoea, vomiting, tremors...

A coffee use study showed that it improved work rates by <5%; coffee, no sugar, led to more work but more errors. Coffee plus sugar got more work done due to less errors.

Withdrawal will leave you miserable for a few days; possibly migraine level headaches. This about the only thing that's measurable in GURPS terms unless you want to count a strong dose of coffee/caffeine/taurine as temporarily negating 1FP but having to be paid back double...

PS taurine "energy" drinks should be diluted with an equal volume of water.
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Old 02-06-2011, 02:55 AM   #5
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Default Re: Coffee and GURPS

I'd give a player character a +1 reaction bonus for offering to pay or make a coffee for a caffeine drinking NPC. Maybe. If I was feeling generous.

However, I can tell you, as a caffeine addict in real life, I get what could be considered IMHO as -1 Per and Bad Temper in real life if I don't drink any caffeine for more that four days. And if I drink one after 3pm I get what could be considered as Light Sleeper.
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Old 02-06-2011, 02:57 AM   #6
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Default Re: Coffee and GURPS

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...possibly migraine level headaches
Ahhhh, the memories.
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Old 02-06-2011, 03:07 AM   #7
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Default Re: Coffee and GURPS

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Originally Posted by Luke Bunyip View Post
I'd give a player character a +1 reaction bonus for offering to pay or make a coffee for a caffeine drinking NPC. Maybe. If I was feeling generous.

However, I can tell you, as a caffeine addict in real life, I get what could be considered IMHO as -1 Per and Bad Temper in real life if I don't drink any caffeine for more that four days. And if I drink one after 3pm I get what could be considered as Light Sleeper.
So practically, coffee might act as a mitigator for Bad Temper here, taken on a daily basis. Still, would you consider your addiction as a quirk or as a [-5] one?
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Old 02-06-2011, 03:53 AM   #8
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Default Re: Coffee and GURPS

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PS taurine "energy" drinks should be diluted with an equal volume of water.
Also that taurine has no effect on energy and is merely listed as a way to sell you a $3 can of caffeinated sugar water.* I've been told by a nursing professor that it's not an essential nor non-essential amino acid (and a quick check of Wikipedia verifies that) and while the body needs it, it's capable of producing it. (Unless you happen to be a cat, in which case it's an important nutrient for eye health.)

* One cup of coffee has more caffeine than a can of Red Bull.
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Old 02-06-2011, 04:01 AM   #9
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Default Re: Coffee and GURPS

I remember drinking triple cups 3 times in about an hour. Or about 9 cups... it did make me run around a bit.

I also did a double espresso challenge at work with a mate by drinking a double espresso on the hour every hour of work. After about the 4th we did talk crap quickly for a bit.

Redbull is a great pick me up, due to quantity I'd say it is better than a coffee. Their is also Redbull shots which are really mental.

They do not compare to amphetamines or cocaine. Then again coffee does not have long lasting harmful effects as narcotics.

Studies have see that coffee is good for the liver, well in helping to resist Hepatitis C. However, not enough results have come through but indications are looking at Coffee as the medicinal benefit
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Old 02-06-2011, 04:48 AM   #10
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Default Re: Coffee and GURPS

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Originally Posted by Harry O'Gane View Post
So practically, coffee might act as a mitigator for Bad Temper here, taken on a daily basis. Still, would you consider your addiction as a quirk or as a [-5] one?
I coulda swore it was in the books somewhere as a quirk.
As for mitigator, might as easily be cause but Bad Temper (Mit - morning coffee, 10%)... sounds fun.
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