Metric? Keep or change?

[tbeard1999]

Originally Posted by Anthony

Listing weights in Encumbrance Units is a perfectly viable option, and has the useful side benefit that you can adjust the rating for objects that are unusually convenient or inconvenient relative to their weight.

Yes, but there are many times where you need to know what something weighs. Encumbrance units wouldn't be an accurate or useful system for that.

I agree, by the way, that weight isn't necessarily correlated to encumbrance. I'd be fine with a separate encumbrance system. At the least, give certain items an adjustment to weight when determining encumbrance.

[Anthony]

Originally Posted by tbeard1999

But how is it a BETTER option than simply expressing weights, distance, etc., in the most familiar units to most TFT players?

It lets you do things like "your carrying capacity is equal to ST".

[tbeard1999]

Originally Posted by Anthony

It lets you do things like "your carrying capacity is equal to ST".

Well, Steve asked if he should use the metric system or the US traditional system. Your final response seems to be "neither; you should make up a new system." Have I accurately paraphrased you?

<shrug> If so, I can't agree.

I'm perplexed by your argument. It seems self-evident to me that in a world of limited resources, Steve has far better things to do than make up an imaginary system of weights and measures. And equally self-evident that there's no benefit in burdening players with converting and learning new, imaginary system.

So I contend that TFT doesn't need the metric system any more than GURPS did. If most TFT players are expected to be American - a reasonable assumption, I think - then it would seem to make the most business sense to use the system most familiar to most Americans. There's no benefit to SJG in trying to force the metric system upon its customers and definitely no useful benefit in wasting time creating a whole new system of weights and measures.

[Chris Goodwin]

Originally Posted by tbeard1999

Isn't it reasonable to assume so? Most copies were sold in the US, after all. I'd expect that Americans make up the majority of purchasers for GURPS for instance.

And while everyone is of course encouraged to play it, why unnecessarily inconvenience the majority of your players? Are non-Americans so fragile that they'll reject a game that uses pounds and yards? Is there any evidence of that?

Are American gamers so fragile that they'll reject a game that uses meters and kilograms?

Around 1985-1990, you could go to a convention, and there'd be as many Champions and Hero games as *D&D games and as many of each of those as all the others combined. Hero uses metric and always has. Never seemed to bother anyone then.

I also note that I've played UK rules that used centimeters for measurement - that didn't so deeply offend me that I refused to play the game. I really think non-American gamers are made of equally stern stuff.

I think that American gamers are pretty tough as well, tough enough not to be offended by metric.

Aren't we?

Perhaps expressed another way - IF the majority of TFT players are American, doesn't it make sense to use units of measurement that are the most familiar to most of them?

Any American who went through the public school system in, say, the past fifty years ought to be familiar enough with metric that they shouldn't have any trouble with meters.

[Anthony]

Originally Posted by tbeard1999

So I contend that TFT doesn't need the metric system any more than GURPS did.

GURPS using US customary measures is actually problematic, so that's not exactly a strong argument (it creates a lot of problems with tech books since basically no-one uses US customary units for science and technology, and it creates problems with international support).

[tbeard1999]

Originally Posted by Chris Goodwin

Are American gamers so fragile that they'll reject a game that uses meters and kilograms?

...

Any American who went through the public school system in, say, the past fifty years ought to be familiar enough with metric that they shouldn't have any trouble with meters

Ah, so that's the REAL reason. Got it.

Well, good luck talking Steve Jackson into imposing the metric system on the majority of TFT purchasers Because It's Good For Them. That really doesn't help sales, you know?

[tbeard1999]

Originally Posted by Anthony

GURPS using US customary measures is actually problematic, so that's not exactly a strong argument.

It sure does seem to be a better argument than arguing that Steve should design a whole new system of weights and measures.

"Problematic" is conclusory, so I really can't respond.

[Chris Goodwin]

Originally Posted by Chris Goodwin

Are American gamers so fragile that they'll reject a game that uses meters and kilograms?

...

Any American who went through the public school system in, say, the past fifty years ought to be familiar enough with metric that they shouldn't have any trouble with meters

Originally Posted by tbeard1999

Ah, so that's it.

Well, good luck talking Steve Jackson into imposing the metric system on the majority of TFT customers Because It's Good For Them.

Hey, you went there first. I'll quote your post that I was responding to, in its entirety, with the relevant bits bolded. That was your wording.

Originally Posted by tbeard1999

Isn't it reasonable to assume so? Most copies were sold in the US, after all. I'd expect that Americans make up the majority of purchasers for GURPS for instance.

And while everyone is of course encouraged to play it, why unnecessarily inconvenience the majority of your players? Are non-Americans so fragile that they'll reject a game that uses pounds and yards? Is there any evidence of that?

I also note that I've played UK rules that used centimeters for measurement - that didn't so deeply offend me that I refused to play the game. I really think non-American gamers are made of equally stern stuff.

Perhaps expressed another way - IF the majority of TFT players are American, doesn't it make sense to use units of measurement that are the most familiar to most of them?

[Chris Goodwin]

Originally Posted by tbeard1999

It sure does seem to be a better argument than arguing that Steve should design a whole new system of weights and measures.

Cite? I can't see where anyone argued that.

[tbeard1999]

Originally Posted by Chris Goodwin

Hey, you went there first. I'll quote your post that I was responding to, in its entirety, with the relevant bits bolded. That was your wording.

Well, it seems that you've disclosed your real reason for wanting to keep the metric system.

I am confident that Steve will be able to decide whether it's a good idea to use the system that most TFT players are most familiar with or to impose the metric system on them Because It's Good For Them.