SF Planetary Science Mystery Adventures

Joseph Paul · 12-31-2015, 08:43 AM

Thank you John- I think adding a different task mechanic for situations where the player has to deal with uncertainty about the truthfulness of his data or what the analysis of it tells him would help. In GURPS such things seem to be handled by the GM releasing information on just a binary all-or-nothing roll. MegaTraveller had player and ref roll against player skill+mods (not all of which may have been known to the player). Four results can come of this -both make it, neither make it, player but not ref makes it, ref but not player makes it. If both make it the player gets the fullest information that can be had at this time. If neither makes it no information is available or misinformation is found. The other two conditions give partial true info possibly with partial misinformation. That seems to be something a little more nuanced.

Is there a Contest format that uses Margin of Victory/Failure to produce a series of modifiers that are additively applied against difficulty of the endeavour?

I am agreed with you that not every player is going to want to push that button just like not every player likes the 'rampant gun bunny on steroids' button. But I have had the good fortune in the past of running into players that did like puzzles.

As an aside one of the longer story arcs I am planning is an FTL Grand Tour of a half dozen extrasolar colonies settled via STL craft. Each player runs three characters one from each of Diplomatic, Sciences, and Ships Crew/Security complements so that no matter what is going on most everyone can be engaged.

12-31-2015, 08:43 AM	#11
Joseph Paul Custom User Title Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: Indianapolis, IN	Re: SF Planetary Science Mystery Adventures Thank you John- I think adding a different task mechanic for situations where the player has to deal with uncertainty about the truthfulness of his data or what the analysis of it tells him would help. In GURPS such things seem to be handled by the GM releasing information on just a binary all-or-nothing roll. MegaTraveller had player and ref roll against player skill+mods (not all of which may have been known to the player). Four results can come of this -both make it, neither make it, player but not ref makes it, ref but not player makes it. If both make it the player gets the fullest information that can be had at this time. If neither makes it no information is available or misinformation is found. The other two conditions give partial true info possibly with partial misinformation. That seems to be something a little more nuanced. Is there a Contest format that uses Margin of Victory/Failure to produce a series of modifiers that are additively applied against difficulty of the endeavour? I am agreed with you that not every player is going to want to push that button just like not every player likes the 'rampant gun bunny on steroids' button. But I have had the good fortune in the past of running into players that did like puzzles. As an aside one of the longer story arcs I am planning is an FTL Grand Tour of a half dozen extrasolar colonies settled via STL craft. Each player runs three characters one from each of Diplomatic, Sciences, and Ships Crew/Security complements so that no matter what is going on most everyone can be engaged. __________________ Joseph Paul