Steve Jackson Games - Site Navigation
Home General Info Follow Us Search Illuminator Store Forums What's New Other Games Ogre GURPS Munchkin Our Games: Home

Go Back   Steve Jackson Games Forums > Roleplaying > GURPS

Reply
 
Thread Tools Display Modes
Old 04-26-2016, 10:22 AM   #1
MIB2983
 
Join Date: Apr 2016
Default Multiple Tech Levels in a Campaign

Hey all, been a while since I ran a campaign and I'm not sure about the 4th Edition way to handle multiple TL within the Campaign. Like the Characters are Special Forces with access to Higher TL weapons, but how would you use Guns/TL9 with TL8 guns? Or is it assumed that if you can use TL9 you know how to use some lower TL items.
MIB2983 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 04-26-2016, 12:47 PM   #2
Christopher R. Rice
 
Christopher R. Rice's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jun 2006
Location: Portsmouth, VA, USA
Default Re: Multiple Tech Levels in a Campaign

Quote:
Originally Posted by MIB2983 View Post
Hey all, been a while since I ran a campaign and I'm not sure about the 4th Edition way to handle multiple TL within the Campaign. Like the Characters are Special Forces with access to Higher TL weapons, but how would you use Guns/TL9 with TL8 guns? Or is it assumed that if you can use TL9 you know how to use some lower TL items.
You can use TL8 guns with a TL9 skill, but you suffer a -1 penalty. See Other Technological Skills on p. B168 for more information.
__________________
My Twitter
My w23 Stuff
My Blog

Latest GURPS Book: Dungeon Fantasy Denizens: Thieves
Latest TFT Book: The Sunken Library

Become a Patron!
Christopher R. Rice is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 04-26-2016, 01:01 PM   #3
Emerald Cat
 
Join Date: Oct 2015
Location: Cincinnati, OH, USA
Default Re: Multiple Tech Levels in a Campaign

In early TL9, you can justify this by making these gadgets restricted to the military. In other words, these are LC2 technologies. I'd make it a perk per piece of equipment to eliminate the familiarity penalty due to TL difference. High TL would be cheaper if you want to operate more than 5 pieces of equipment.
Emerald Cat is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 04-26-2016, 01:13 PM   #4
Christopher R. Rice
 
Christopher R. Rice's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jun 2006
Location: Portsmouth, VA, USA
Default Re: Multiple Tech Levels in a Campaign

Quote:
Originally Posted by MIB2983 View Post
Hey all, been a while since I ran a campaign and I'm not sure about the 4th Edition way to handle multiple TL within the Campaign. Like the Characters are Special Forces with access to Higher TL weapons, but how would you use Guns/TL9 with TL8 guns? Or is it assumed that if you can use TL9 you know how to use some lower TL items.
Also, you'd need High TL for this - but you could specialize - just add an Accessibility to High TL (in this case, firearms would be about -60%)
__________________
My Twitter
My w23 Stuff
My Blog

Latest GURPS Book: Dungeon Fantasy Denizens: Thieves
Latest TFT Book: The Sunken Library

Become a Patron!
Christopher R. Rice is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 04-26-2016, 01:26 PM   #5
MIB2983
 
Join Date: Apr 2016
Default Re: Multiple Tech Levels in a Campaign

The Perk would work. The Campaign is a Military Style one that the Military Unit has access to higher Tech Levels through the Patron (Military Organization)
but the advanced tech is limited to that group so If the Patron Perk has the Access to Higher Tech. I was going to have the characters have TL/9 for their weapons but since the world is TL 8 I was worried if they picked up a regular weapon during a combat....
MIB2983 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 04-26-2016, 01:28 PM   #6
Christopher R. Rice
 
Christopher R. Rice's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jun 2006
Location: Portsmouth, VA, USA
Default Re: Multiple Tech Levels in a Campaign

If its one one specific TL skill (with speciality) then a perk works - but if you are using multiple "gun" skills you need Aspected High TL.
__________________
My Twitter
My w23 Stuff
My Blog

Latest GURPS Book: Dungeon Fantasy Denizens: Thieves
Latest TFT Book: The Sunken Library

Become a Patron!
Christopher R. Rice is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 04-26-2016, 02:17 PM   #7
evileeyore
Banned
 
evileeyore's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jul 2006
Location: 100 hurricane swamp
Default Re: Multiple Tech Levels in a Campaign

Quote:
Originally Posted by MIB2983 View Post
The Perk would work. The Campaign is a Military Style one that the Military Unit has access to higher Tech Levels through the Patron (Military Organization)
but the advanced tech is limited to that group so If the Patron Perk has the Access to Higher Tech. I was going to have the characters have TL/9 for their weapons but since the world is TL 8 I was worried if they picked up a regular weapon during a combat....
If every character will have the exact same training then I'd just make it a 'setting switch' and ignore the advanced TL penalties for the characters.

Otherwise if you're really concerned "they pay for the privilege" wrap the Perk into the Patron (and any disads) and make it Campaign Package that all characters get.
evileeyore is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 04-26-2016, 02:19 PM   #8
RyanW
 
RyanW's Avatar
 
Join Date: Sep 2004
Location: Southeast NC
Default Re: Multiple Tech Levels in a Campaign

Do keep in mind that TLs don't exactly end, so a lot of the penalty for using too high a TL skill needs to be reviewed carefully. You shouldn't apply a penalty for a modern shooter firing a TL6 pistol, beyond familiarity.
__________________
RyanW
- Actually one normal sized guy in three tiny trenchcoats.
RyanW is online now   Reply With Quote
Old 04-26-2016, 02:36 PM   #9
Eukie
 
Join Date: Dec 2013
Default Re: Multiple Tech Levels in a Campaign

Quote:
Originally Posted by RyanW View Post
Do keep in mind that TLs don't exactly end, so a lot of the penalty for using too high a TL skill needs to be reviewed carefully. You shouldn't apply a penalty for a modern shooter firing a TL6 pistol, beyond familiarity.
This is more of a houserule/acquired wisdom of the GURPS community, I believe. By the rules you absolutely should apply a -2 penalty when a Guns/TL8 (Pistols) character tries to fire a TL6 pistol, and I believe that specific example is even used in the books.
Eukie is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 04-26-2016, 02:48 PM   #10
evileeyore
Banned
 
evileeyore's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jul 2006
Location: 100 hurricane swamp
Default Re: Multiple Tech Levels in a Campaign

Quote:
Originally Posted by Eukie View Post
This is more of a houserule/acquired wisdom of the GURPS community, I believe. By the rules you absolutely should apply a -2 penalty when a Guns/TL8 (Pistols) character tries to fire a TL6 pistol, and I believe that specific example is even used in the books.
Yes... but it's a terrible rule and I ignore it.

It's like penalizing someone based on the TL differences who has learned Bow on self bows and has just picked up a compound bow.

Take it from me, there is no functional difference even though one bow is 7 TLs higher than other..



Now, Familiarity penalties? Use those all the time.
evileeyore is offline   Reply With Quote
Reply

Tags
tech level

Thread Tools
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Fnords are Off
[IMG] code is Off
HTML code is Off

Forum Jump


All times are GMT -6. The time now is 02:58 PM.


Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.9
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions, Inc.