[Basic] Skill of the week: Research

[whswhs]

Originally Posted by johndallman

High-Tech has comprehensive library rules and computer-based Research, and Infinite Worlds gives Infinity portable computers with databases that give large skill bonuses -- with a successful Research roll. LTC1 has low-tech library rules and several useful things to research.

Are there such rules in High-Tech? Oh, computer-based Research, no doubt, but I don't remember library rules, whereas I definitely wrote some detailed ones for Low-Tech itself—effects of colophons, tables of contents, indexes, card catalogs, and so on on Research rolls. I think I at least significantly extended whatever rules were in High-Tech and the Basic Set.

[johndallman]

Originally Posted by whswhs

Are there such rules in High-Tech? Oh, computer-based Research, no doubt, but I don't remember library rules, whereas I definitely wrote some detailed ones for Low-Tech itself—effects of colophons, tables of contents, indexes, card catalogs, and so on on Research rolls. I think I at least significantly extended whatever rules were in High-Tech and the Basic Set.

High-Tech P18, first column. Definitely less complete than your rules in Low-Tech, but an upgrade on the Basic Set.

[Phil Masters]

Originally Posted by malloyd

One important modern application I keep wavering back and forth on being Research, Intelligence Analysis, or an entirely separate skill is dossier building. The art of combing through public records, credit reports, home town newspaper morgues, high school yearbooks, usenet posts, facebook pages and the like to construct a capsule biography of somebody. In a way this is the thing that Zeroed opposes, only all at once instead of to answer a specific question.

I'm sure that's Research. It's certainly finding data, and collating found data into a continually usable form is an important part of any Research above default - otherwise you just have a heap of notes that you have to shuffle all the time. What you do with that data might be Intelligence Analysis (or Psychology, or Leadership, or Brainwashing...).

I rather like the way that this skill became absolutely critical for every Ally AI assistant in Transhuman Space. Much of the point of having those things is being able to subvocalise "What's this about?" whenever you run into something unfamiliar.

[RogerBW]

This is one of the big ones for me - I very rarely run a campaign in which it isn't of at least some importance.

(As a friend recently commented on Cthulhu Invictus… "What's the first thing you do when you suspect there's a monster? Go to the library. But in ancient Rome there aren't any libraries!)

For experimental work: absolutely, the Science skill, possibly with the Invention rules.

[johndallman]

Originally Posted by RogerBW

This is one of the big ones for me - I very rarely run a campaign in which it isn't of at least some importance.

And of course, it's part of the modern intellectual trio, with Teaching and Writing, as the things you need to use any intellectual skill to full effect, and pass it on.

[whswhs]

Originally Posted by RogerBW

(As a friend recently commented on Cthulhu Invictus… "What's the first thing you do when you suspect there's a monster? Go to the library. But in ancient Rome there aren't any libraries!)

Well, actually, there were libraries; we even have floor plans for some of them. See http://eduscapes.com/history/ancient/100.htm for a sample. Lionel Casson wrote a book-length study of libraries in the ancient world.

[evileeyore]

Originally Posted by whswhs

Well, actually, there were libraries; we even have floor plans for some of them. See http://eduscapes.com/history/ancient/100.htm for a sample. Lionel Casson wrote a book-length study of libraries in the ancient world.

And even if a particular city doesn't have a public library, there are private libraries and probably temple libraries.

[jason taylor]

Originally Posted by whswhs

Well, actually, there were libraries; we even have floor plans for some of them. See http://eduscapes.com/history/ancient/100.htm for a sample. Lionel Casson wrote a book-length study of libraries in the ancient world.

I have that. It's a fairly small book though.

[whswhs]

Originally Posted by jason taylor

I have that. It's a fairly small book though.

How good is it? I haven't actually read it; I just saw it mentioned, and I know Casson's work on ships and seamanship and find it helpful.