Getting from A to B

[Anders]

I want to get from A to B. What use is...

...Area Knowledge?
...Cartography (assuming I have a map)?
...Geography (Physical)?
...Navigation?

[malloyd]

Originally Posted by Anders

I want to get from A to B. What use is...

...Area Knowledge?
...Navigation?

Make a skill check. If successful, you know where you are and which way B is from here. If not you are either lost or don't remember where B is. Pick a direction randomly and hope for the best I guess. Or, you know, ask for directions.

...Cartography (assuming I have a map)?

Roll against your Navigation default (equal to Cartography -4) Having a map probably is good for a bonus.

...Geography (Physical)

Doesn't help. But a kindly GM might let you double default to Area Knowledge's Geography (Regional) -3 default and roll at Geography -8.

[Turhan's Bey Company]

Area Knowledge: May be useful for travel between notable points within the area, using other landmarks as guides but without necessarily comprehending aspects of the entire route. For example, someone with Area Knowledge may not know how to get to 123 Fake St., but upon learning that it's up the street from the famed Great Big Temple, will know to get on the #7 bus, change to the #59B at that fountain with the equestrian statue, and get off at the Artificial Avenue stop, which is a block away from the temple. That'll get him there, but he may not realize that he passes fairly close to the desired address on the #7 bus and goes well out of the way before coming even closer on the #59B.

Cartography: Use Navigation, which can default from Cartography.

Geography (Physical): Doesn't really help.

Navigation: Lets you plot an effective course between two points, but can miss social and political implications. For example, Navigation lets me sail a more or less straight line between Island A and Island C with a slight jog around Island B. However, Area Knowledge lets me know I need to give Island B a wide berth to avoid the coral reefs if they're not marked on the map, and Current Events lets me know to avoid the area altogether because of pirates.

[Gedrin]

Diplomacy
I ask directions.

Guns/Brawl/Sword/ect...
I demand directions.

First Aid
I wait for an injury (or cause one via default) and extort directions and car in exchange for bandaging and 911.

Mechanic
I sabotage a car. When the driver returns, I offer to repair the car in exchange for a lift.

next player
Economics


EDIT:
Ah...not that kind of thread. Sorry.

[PK]

Originally Posted by Anders

I want to get from A to B. What use is...

...Area Knowledge?
...Cartography (assuming I have a map)?
...Geography (Physical)?
...Navigation?

Navigation is the basic skill of knowing how to get from A to B if you don't know the area in between. The GM can have you roll once and figure how much time you spent, or roll every day and let that modify your travel time for that day, depending on how much focus he wants to give the journey.

If you have a decent Area Knowledge for a specific location, you don't really need Navigation. Roll against Area Knowledge to find your way; Navigation can still be a complementary skill.

Cartography is really the skill of making a map, and is thus primarily something you do during the journey so you have something to sell afterward, give to a Patron, and/or use yourself for the return trip. However, since Cartography is "the map skill," it would be reasonable to allow it to serve as a complementary skill to Navigation or Area Knowledge. Perhaps you're improving an existing map, or you're creating the map and therefore avoiding potential mistakes such as doubling back without realizing it.

Geography (Physical) is a useful skill to have while traveling, in that a Per-based roll should allow you to assess the terrain, avoid rockslides, and so on. However it is of no help (not even as a complementary skill!) in figuring out how to get from A to B.

[Ulzgoroth]

Originally Posted by PK

Geography (Physical) is a useful skill to have while traveling, in that a Per-based roll should allow you to assess the terrain, avoid rockslides, and so on. However it is of no help (not even as a complementary skill!) in figuring out how to get from A to B.

Uh? Geography is used to assess terrain, not to know where things are?

[robkelk]

Originally Posted by Ulzgoroth

Uh? Geography is used to assess terrain, not to know where things are?

Geography (Physical), not unspecialized Geography. Think "Geology for surface features only," not "what's where in the atlas."

[Anaraxes]

I'll have to disagree with all the "Geography: no help" replies. Or at least, depending on what you mean by "help".

Geography is certainly useful for knowing where A is relative to B, and what lies between. Getting to B that you know is on another continent beyond an ocean calls for a different strategy than getting to B that you know is just beyond the next town. Geography isn't going to steer you there on your own -- that's Navigation. But for planning the trip before you leave A? Sure. About how long will the trip take? Should you pack cold weather gear? Food? Any particular places to avoid en route? Do trains or planes even go there? How about river boats? Upstream or downstream? If you have to go by foot, are you going to have to traverse deserts or mountains?

Originally Posted by 198

Physical:The study of the physical properties of a planetary surface. A physical geographer could answer questions about climate, terrain, and so forth.

Political: The study of political regions – their borders, natural resources, industries, etc. A political geographer could answer questions about land claims, overpopulation, regional economic disparities, transportation networks, etc.

Not your primary skill, but not completely irrelevant, either. Geography also gives you a good Cartography default.

Navigation really only helps the navigator, and for a great many trips, you're just a passenger. Not once in my travels have I needed to pull out a compass or sextant to figure out how to get to Montreal or Tel Aviv or Shanghai.

[Ulzgoroth]

Originally Posted by robkelk

Geography (Physical), not unspecialized Geography. Think "Geology for surface features only," not "what's where in the atlas."

As one usually travels on or near the surface, that seems not so much a problem. It's not all the information you'd want, and it's not the right skill for applying the information either, but it's certainly relevant.

If you're planning a cross-country trek, Geography (Physical) seems like the applicable specialization (though a map or Area Knowledge would be preferable). If you're looking to take established transportation networks it's not applicable, but on the plus side you're likely to not be needing Survival and Navigation as much.

[whswhs]

Originally Posted by Anders

I want to get from A to B. What use is...

...Area Knowledge?
...Cartography (assuming I have a map)?
...Geography (Physical)?
...Navigation?

Really, I think Geography (Regional) would be more to the point.

Bill Stodard