old theme - What exactly is default?

[Randover]

Lately I have got into issue with my players. Here is an example.

Default car riding

Nearly every country has driving licence and to get it you need to pass training and exams. But who gets default for driving?

A/ Only someone who actualy did the training

B/ Everyone from our tech level

In B is valid how do you rate those who did the training but don't drive? Is it the same? (If yes, in what case?)

[tjbuege]

I would think if you have received any training in driving, you would have the Driving skill at some level.

Edit: Sorry, what I mean is, everyone can drive at the default, but if anyone has received any training at all, they would have the skill at some level.

[Turhan's Bey Company]

Originally Posted by Randover

But who gets default for driving?

A/ Only someone who actualy did the training

B/ Everyone from our tech level

Hidden option C: anyone who has enough experience of seeing driving and drivers to have a reasonable chance of making a car go. In the modern world, that's probably most people (who have seen lots of car driving on TV and movies, have ridden in cars and seen what drivers do, have heard drivers talking about driving, etc.), though some people may have led sufficiently sheltered lives that they need the training to fill in enough gaps in their knowledge to allow them a default roll. For those people who already have Driving at default, a minimum of formal training is unlikely to improve their skill measurably within the GURPS system.

[Pesterfield]

I'd agree with C.

If you've driven before then you can take situational modifiers like the +4 for routine tasks.

If you've just seen people driving on TV then you should just get plain default, since almost everything is trial and error.

[tanniynim]

I'll agree with C as well.

I think it's Basic Set: Characters that, when referring to defaults, mentions that a person who had any experience with SCUBA equipment, even seeing it on TV, would get a default, but a knight from the 17th century seeing it would have no default for it at all.

This would work the same way with cars, I assume.

[younglorax]

I agree with option C.

I'd say that anyone gets a default who has seen cars much (most everyone living at TL8), and the ones who've been trained get the +4 for routine task.


For example, I have a driver's license in the United States, but I'm not sure I have a single point in Driving (I think in the real world 1/2 pts are probably allowed, though, and I've probably got that).

I just use the default at +4 (probably with some other minor bonuses for following speed limits and stuff, and again, I think at this point I've got a half point in it).


ETA: I might suggest giving anyone who's completed Driver's Ed a +1 or so to their default.

[Randover]

Originally Posted by younglorax

I agree with option C.

I'd say that anyone gets a default who has seen cars much (most everyone living at TL8), and the ones who've been trained get the +4 for routine task.


For example, I have a driver's license in the United States, but I'm not sure I have a single point in Driving (I think in the real world 1/2 pts are probably allowed, though, and I've probably got that).

I just use the default at +4 (probably with some other minor bonuses for following speed limits and stuff, and again, I think at this point I've got a half point in it).


ETA: I might suggest giving anyone who's completed Driver's Ed a +1 or so to their default.

Do you remember where rutine task +4 modifier comes from? So I may add it to my list.

[younglorax]

Originally Posted by Randover

Do you remember where rutine task +4 modifier comes from? So I may add it to my list.

B171, last paragraph of the middle column.

[Bruno]

Originally Posted by younglorax

I'd say that anyone gets a default who has seen cars much (most everyone living at TL8), and the ones who've been trained get the +4 for routine task.

Note "Routine task": When it is snowing, little Jack is trying to beat little Molly to death with a talking Tickle-Me-Elmo in the back seat, and it's coming on night, the +4 goes right out the window.

This explains why apparently everyone forgets how to drive on the day of the first snowfall, causing hundreds of accidents in our city (mostly minor, but still - people, it happens EVERY YEAR).

Of course, four weeks later a little snow might prompt a spike of only 50 accidents - because after four weeks, for most people driving in the snow becomes a mostly routine task again. Or they've got rid of the familiarity penalty again and only have to deal with loosing their +4 :D

[Randover]

Hmm, this will propably give me even more trouble. But thanks.

Just to follow the lead, would someone care to stat these situations? Like rutine task - familiarity penalty with (trouble some) avarage?

The situation is normal guy (or mommy) with two fighting "monsters" at back seat during first snow (or other unusual situation) + would extra effort count?