Encumbrance in low G

[z0boson]

Hello,

I asked the same question in the general GURPS forum, but did not get much response. I was wondering how you handle encumbrance in (very) low G environments, like Luna or Titan. After 4th edition rules one should multiply the encumbrance with the local gravity, but that leads to ridiculous carrying capacities.

While I understand that this is realistic to pick stuff up and lift it, it seems wrong for many skills and dodging, which rely on sudden movements that are IMHO resisted by the mass, not the weight of the gear. Not sure how to treat encumbrance and dodging in zero G as well.

I was wonder how people treat this issue. Or do you think it is fine? It doesn't seem realistic to me, and it is also not very much fun if the characters with heavy battle suits and tons of gear can dodge as nimble as lighter fighters.

[Flyndaran]

Dodge is based on speed not movement.
Also it isn't about flinging yourself around like a hummingbird. It's usually about moving just enough to avoid the damage.

What kind of situations are you imagining where characters are forced to be holding such large masses and dodging?

[z0boson]

Originally Posted by Flyndaran

Dodge is based on speed not movement.
Also it isn't about flinging yourself around like a hummingbird. It's usually about moving just enough to avoid the damage.

Exactly! It is about acceleration, so it should be anti-proportional to your mass (F = m x a).

Originally Posted by Flyndaran

What kind of situations are you imagining where characters are forced to be holding such large masses and dodging?

Well, just a space battle suit and some weapons and equipment can already add to a significant mass, where a reduction in dodge would seem appropriate.

[z0boson]

Just to be clear: Encumbrance gives penalty on Dodge and skills that depends on flexibility of movement, like fencing, karate and judo. I have the feeling that for these cases the encumbrance should be based on mass, not weight, and one shouldn't multiply the carried weight with local G (or cap the benefit of this reduction).

[z0boson]

Originally Posted by Owen Smith

In our campaign set on Mars we basically ignored this. No-one carried stupid amounts of gear, and we all assumed we were in the unencumbered category.

Yes, I guess that is the best way to do - only use the rules that actually are important for play. I have mainly a problem with the balance between the characters with heavy armor and more lightly armed ones. It would be fairer that the heavy armor gives some dodge penalty otherwise there is no reason not to wear it...

[ClayDowling]

Do the math for how much can be carried, but figure encumbrance without accounting for local gravity and you'll be in the clear with the physics of it. But I also like the spherical cow approach of just not getting into this situation.