Various Blindness Related Questions

[oneofmanynameless]

In the description of Blindness it says that you are -10 if you're not used to it but only -6 if you are used to being blind. In particular, if you have the disad it's only -6 but if you've only just become blind it's a -10. How long, if you get blinded (let's say your eyes exploded from magic), before that -10 is reduced to a -6? Considering that the point cost of the disadvantage is the same either way is it only a familiarity (8 hours)? Should you have to have been blind for 200 hours of conscious awake experience?

Also, is it possible to "Aim" by way of hearing? let's say it's pitch black dark (-10 darkness penalties) but you're opponent is wearing a ton of bells that are jingling constantly when it moves. You want to aim at where the noise is coming from. is it possible to take an aim maneuver in that circumstance?

[Christopher R. Rice]

Originally Posted by oneofmanynameless

In the description of Blindness it says that you are -10 if you're not used to it but only -6 if you are used to being blind. In particular, if you have the disad it's only -6 but if you've only just become blind it's a -10. How long, if you get blinded (let's say your eyes exploded from magic), before that -10 is reduced to a -6? Considering that the point cost of the disadvantage is the same either way is it only a familiarity (8 hours)? Should you have to have been blind for 200 hours of conscious awake experience?

I'd say years. I'd call it something like a hard technique to buy off the penalty. So the first -1 takes 400 hours, and the next -1 takes 200 hours, and so on. So removing the -4 penalty is likely around a 1,000 hours of work. I'd probably restrict it to self-teaching unless you have another blinda fella helping you out.

In a cinematic game I'd like just call it a familiarity penalty and move on.

Originally Posted by oneofmanynameless

Also, is it possible to "Aim" by way of hearing? let's say it's pitch black dark (-10 darkness penalties) but you're opponent is wearing a ton of bells that are jingling constantly when it moves. You want to aim at where the noise is coming from. is it possible to take an aim maneuver in that circumstance?

You need Blind Fighting for that. I suppose you could use the rules from GURPS Powers: Enhanced Senses to add Targeting to your hearing for 2 points.

That's what I'd do anyways.