Advantages List: Cinematic vs Realistic

[David Johnston2]

Originally Posted by Captain Joy

E.g. A character that snuck across the southern border from Mexico to the U.S. might realistically have this advantage, no?

Not even remotely. Zeroed is the ability to _stay_ undocumented...apart from documentation you deliberately create.

[Varyon]

Originally Posted by Captain Joy

It's supposed to be a general list, although I can't deny my personal biases aren't present.

Luck is spelled out in Tactical Shooting as a realistic Advantage, so should be moved on the list. I also don't think Double Jointed is spelled out as cinematic, and it's probably necessary to make a good contortionist.

Originally Posted by Captain Joy

E.g. A character that snuck across the southern border from Mexico to the U.S. might realistically have this advantage, no?

They probably still have documentation in their home country (Zeroed is no documentation anywhere). Being an illegal immigrant is more appropriately covered by things like Secret, Enemy (Border Patrol), Social Stigma (Second Class Citizen), low Wealth, and so forth. Depending on the GM's interpretation of current events, of course, things like Claim to Hospitality might also be appropriate.

[Captain Joy]

Originally Posted by David Johnston2

Not even remotely. Zeroed is the ability to _stay_ undocumented...apart from documentation you deliberately create.

From Zeroed [B100]: "To maintain this status, you must deal strictly in cash or commodities. Credit and bank accounts must be blind (keyed to pass-code, not a person – the “Swiss bank account”) or set up through a Temporary Identity (see p. 31)".

As I read the advantage, my example of an undocumented alien sneaking into a country would be a perfectly reasonable explanation. Staying Zeroed is not automatic as it requires the RAW hassles given above. The advantage does nothing to prevent you getting caught if you're not careful; the consequences of getting caught are given in the RAW.

The fact that you'll will almost certainly be eventually found out and Unzeroed doesnt make starting with it unrealistic. Zeroed is basically a worked example of a Secret, as I understand it.

[sir_pudding]

Originally Posted by Captain Joy

From Zeroed [B100]: "To maintain this status, you must deal strictly in cash or commodities. Credit and bank accounts must be blind (keyed to pass-code, not a person – the “Swiss bank account”) or set up through a Temporary Identity (see p. 31)".

As I read the advantage, my example of an undocumented alien sneaking into a country would be a perfectly reasonable explanation. Staying Zeroed is not automatic as it requires the RAW hassles given above. The advantage does nothing to prevent you getting caught if you're not careful; the consequences of getting caught are given in the RAW.

What you are describing isn't even remotely an advantage. What possible benefit do you think living as an undocumented person gives you? Kromm has said multiple times that Zeroed keeps you scrubbed. Look how it's used in Action or Madness Dossier for examples of advantageous scrubbed identity.

The fact that you'll will almost certainly be eventually found out and Unzeroed doesnt make starting with it unrealistic. Zeroed is basically a worked example of a Secret, as I understand it.

Secret is a disadvantage!

[Captain Joy]

Originally Posted by Varyon

Luck is spelled out in Tactical Shooting as a realistic Advantage, so should be moved on the list. I also don't think Double Jointed is spelled out as cinematic, and it's probably necessary to make a good contortionist.

If you have a page reference, I'll add that to the list.

From Double Jointed [B56]: "You cannot stretch or squeeze yourself abnormally, but any part of your body may bend any way." I call that cinematic.

[sir_pudding]

Originally Posted by Captain Joy

If you have a page reference, I'll add that to the list.

GURPS Tactical Shooting p. 36.

[Canology]

Why is Cultural Familiarity cinematic?

[Captain Joy]

Originally Posted by Canology

Why is Cultural Familiarity cinematic?

It's not; and the list has been corrected. Thank you. If you ever play in one of my games, remind me of this and I'll give you a free impulse buy. :)

[SCAR]

You might want to define what you mean by Cinematic and Realistic. Your lists assume that any mundane (not supernatural or exotic) is either one or the other, where as they might well be a third category, or abilities which could be either - Hard to Kill and Hard to Subdue are only really realistic for 1 or 2 levels.
Several of these traits I'd put into a Metagaming category (Luck, Serendipity, etc.) as they define player/GM rules, not character rules!
In fact, your starting point seems to be defining which traits are Cinematic, and therefore the 'other list' should be non-cinematic.

Originally Posted by Captain Joy

Cinematic (but neither exotic nor supernatural) Advantages:
Cultural Familiarity - this is Mundane, familiarity with your own or another Culture!
Double-Jointed - I've seen enough circus performers to consider this realistic
Intuition - I'd allow this as realistic
Luck - Metagaming, non-cinematic (not necessarily realistic either)
Serendipity - Metagaming, non-cinematic (not necessarily realistic either)

Realistic (and neither exotic nor supernatural) Advantages:
Charisma - high levels would be Cinematic (but how many levels)
Common Sense - Metagaming
Cybernetics - not really realistic at TL8 even, and certainly not at lower TLs. It's not really a true Trait but more of a place holder for other, not necessarily mundane, traits!
Danger Sense - realistic, really?
Daredevil - not realistic (any more than Luck) - Metagaming
Extra Attack - only 1 level
G-Experience - can we tell if this is realistic yet?
Hard to Kill - only 1 or 2 levels
Hard to Subdue - only 1 or 2 levels
High TL - realistic, really?
Improved G-Tolerance- can we tell if this is realistic yet?
Night Vision - I'm happy that this is realistic (at least in a few levels), but there has been previous discussions on the forums which have considered any level of this as cinematic - Cats only get Night Vision 5!
Photographic Memory - this might be borderline cinematic
Unusual Background - what realistic person has an 'Unusual Background'? definitely metagaming
Zeroed - has both realistic and cinematic aspects, depending upon how you look at it I think

[Varyon]

Originally Posted by SCAR

Danger Sense - realistic, really?

Tactical Shooting, p.36.

Originally Posted by SCAR

High TL - realistic, really?

TL is set by the setting's reference culture, not by the highest TL culture in the setting. If you were playing in the America's during the early points of colonization, and the reference society were the TL0 natives, someone playing as a TL 4 colonist would need 4 levels of High TL.

Originally Posted by SCAR

Improved G-Tolerance- can we tell if this is realistic yet?

Fighter pilots say yes.
(EDIT: The USAF has done a lot of experiments when it comes to humans handling acceleration, and something they learned from this is that some people can tolerate extreme G-forces far more readily than others - so Improved G-Tolerance is probably a realistic trait.)

Originally Posted by SCAR

Photographic Memory - this might be borderline cinematic

I know a guy who clearly has this, so I'd call it realistic.

Originally Posted by SCAR

Unusual Background - what realistic person has an 'Unusual Background'? definitely metagaming

The above TL 4 colonist may require Unusual Background in addition to High TL. Similarly, Martial Arts spells out several realistic Unusual Backgrounds (typically as Perks) for allowing otherwise-cinematic skills/Techniques/Advantages. It is arguably a metagame construct, of course.


Oh, and Captain Joy - I forgot to mention it before, but your list currently states it was last updated in 2017.