12-27-2011, 03:43 AM | #1 | |
Join Date: Jul 2005
Location: Germany, Leonberg
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[High-Tech] How far can a shout be heard?
Hi folks,
this came up recently in one of my campaigns: The situation: Quote:
I guess there should be some kind of bonus for the flat surface and the silent surroundings but I'm not able to find any such modifiers in the books - has this really been missed or is it just me being unable to find them? :) In case this is really an oversight... has anyone a good houserule for situations like this one (like +4 for complete silence, +2 for no barrier in between etc)? Thanks in advance, Markus. |
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12-27-2011, 04:11 AM | #2 |
Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: Gothenburg, Sweden
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Re: [High-Tech] How far can a shout be heard?
"Routine" task +4?
GM smacking the player repeatedly over the head screaming "sometimes good rules give bad results and that's why we have a GM to make common-sense rulings"?
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“When you arise in the morning think of what a privilege it is to be alive, to think, to enjoy, to love ...” Marcus Aurelius Last edited by Anders; 12-27-2011 at 04:16 AM. |
12-27-2011, 04:33 AM | #3 |
GURPS FAQ Keeper
Join Date: Mar 2006
Location: Kyïv, Ukraine
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Re: [High-Tech] How far can a shout be heard?
I asked a similar question a long time ago, something along the lines of 'what is the hearing equivalent of the In Plain Sight Modifier'.
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12-27-2011, 05:36 AM | #4 | |
Join Date: Sep 2006
Location: Seoul, Korea
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Re: [High-Tech] How far can a shout be heard?
This falls under the Task Difficulty Modifiers rules. The situation you're talking about most clearly matches the description for Automatic:
Quote:
Last edited by doulos05; 12-27-2011 at 05:37 AM. Reason: Fixing grammar |
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12-27-2011, 05:41 AM | #5 | |
Join Date: Sep 2006
Location: Luxembourg
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Re: [High-Tech] How far can a shout be heard?
Quote:
But in case a roll was wanted: some rules for background noise and identifying sounds are in Gurps Mysteries p48. In the case described, a 'generous' bonus is obviously in order. Gurps Mysteries have an unusually quiet area at +4 but -1 for the light vegetation damping the sound, You can also add: +1 for the shout being 'at the top of his lung' +1 for the sound being directed toward him, +1 for the shout being his name or something that attire attention. +4 or more for doing nothing but standing there listening (having your clothes on fire is only -2 for distraction, so doing nothing is definitively good for a nice bonus) So, that's a +10 bonus for being called by someone at 8 yards in a silent meadow while doing nothing : hard to miss, and qualify for 'automatic, no roll'. A 'lesser' shout at 8 yard, neither especially loud, nor distinctive nor directed at him, among minor background noise would be at unmodified per to be noticed while being busy doing something. Not totally unbelievable if a bit low. I know I have missed people calling me from the other side of the street because I was distracted. My hearing is neither bad nor good, so my ear undoubtedly processed the sound, but my brain did not. A Gurps per roll cover both. Hope this help celjabba Last edited by Celjabba; 12-27-2011 at 08:05 AM. |
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12-27-2011, 05:54 AM | #6 |
Join Date: Sep 2006
Location: SF Bay Area, CA
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Re: [High-Tech] How far can a shout be heard?
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12-27-2011, 06:15 AM | #7 | |
GURPS FAQ Keeper
Join Date: Mar 2006
Location: Kyïv, Ukraine
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Re: [High-Tech] How far can a shout be heard?
Quote:
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12-27-2011, 07:57 AM | #8 |
Untagged
Join Date: Oct 2004
Location: Forest Grove, Beaverton, Oregon
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Re: [High-Tech] How far can a shout be heard?
Shouldn't there be a big difference between hearing that someone shouted, and actually understanding what they shouted?
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12-27-2011, 09:05 AM | #9 |
Join Date: Dec 2007
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Re: [High-Tech] How far can a shout be heard?
Sure there is. The loudness of the noise. Anything louder than conversational tones should have a positive modifier.
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12-27-2011, 09:23 AM | #10 | |
Join Date: Aug 2005
Location: Denmark
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Re: [High-Tech] How far can a shout be heard?
Quote:
Remember that the default situation in GURPS is "an adventuring situation". Very likely a combat situation or other action-scene such as a chase. It's in those situations where it's logic that you use the default modifiers. If it's any situation where you or the players stop and think "why do I even have to roll" its probably because you shouldn't. |
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Tags |
high-tech, perception, rules |
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