GURPS Uplift

[Magehound]

A player came up with an ur-species, specifically mentioning that it has eyespots down it's back. They can only sense light and dark, but given that the species has fully developed eyes at the head, it does not have a Blindness disadvantage.

However, I can't find any stats that could work for this kind of extra eye situation. I'm working around them, so they provide the Danger Sense advantage, but it's basically become a free advantage. I really would like to know though if someone has any idea how to rate eyespots as a point cost.

[David Johnston2]

360 degree vision (Only to avoid being surprised from behind -40%)

[The Benj]

Originally Posted by David Johnston2

360 degree vision (Only to avoid being surprised from behind -40%)

I call shenanigans. Surely that's the primary use for 360 degree vision.

[roguebfl]

Originally Posted by The Benj

I call shenanigans. Surely that's the primary use for 360 degree vision.

Well it can't tell you if it is a T-Rex that going to eat you, your your girlf frend thant going to tickle you...

[capnq]

My first instinct is to call the eyespots a Perk, but that assumes you're using Uplift in a 4th ed. campaign. I'm having trouble imagining much practical use for them; even treating them as Danger Sense seems overly generous to me.

You might convince me that they'd let the species treat its back hex as a side hex for purposes of defending from attacks.

[David Johnston2]

Originally Posted by The Benj

I call shenanigans. Surely that's the primary use for 360 degree vision.

No. The primary use for 360 degree vision is to obviate the defense penalty for attacks from behind.

[The Benj]

Originally Posted by David Johnston2

No. The primary use for 360 degree vision is to obviate the defense penalty for attacks from behind.

I was parsing those as the same thing.

[roguebfl]

Originally Posted by The Benj

I was parsing those as the same thing.

Not really. a Back Hex normally get the no defense due to not seen.

Treating it as a flank with the defense penalty because you spotted it is a is the penalty.

[Magehound]

Originally Posted by David Johnston2

360 degree vision (Only to avoid being surprised from behind -40%)

Sorry, it didn't occur to me to mention some other body measurements. The player just went off on making these things (mind you, they make pretty good PCs) they're semi-upright, but fly (that was a headache rolling for, trust me) so they actually have no "behind" to watch, they can see down and behind themselves already. The spots had to do with their fallow ancestors who had a distinct tendency to attack from above.

After asking her, she said the spots are meant to be a visual equivalent of a fish's lateral line, they hook up directly to the spinal cord and so react by reflex based on the "darkness" of the shadow (the darker the shadow, the closer the attacking target and bright overhead light makes for the sharpest shadows) and at the speed of which two or more eyes are "tripped".

Any input the brain has is delayed anyway, because it would take them too long to look up and then decide where to move when they have something stooping down at them anyway. Hence, my slapping it as Danger Sense, as there was no cognition, just a reaction.

And actually, I only have the 2ed Uplift sourcebook available.

[Pragmatic]

Ah, Uplift. I hope someone takes the time, someday, to post a revision of the ur-species rules. (Hint hint hint... Someone who has more experience with GURPS than me, that is! :-)

It's nice to know that someone is actually playing Uplift. One of my favorite "daydreaming" campaign settings.

Have you seen the Alliance for Progress Encyclopedia and Grey Matters Campaign website?

http://www.geocities.com/allianceforprogress/

Very cool website. (I'll have to remember to "synch it up" again, so if it ever goes down permanently, I have it in my hard drive...)