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Old 07-02-2019, 09:38 AM   #1
Captain Joy
 
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Default New Advantage: Multitasking

Based on feedback, I’ve made significant changes. Updated multitasking advantage, perk, and technique are in thread #13

Multitasking
2 points/level
Prerequisite: Operator Officer

You are unusually gifted at performing multiple tasks at once. For every level of this advantage, remove -1 in multitasking penalties. E.g. during Space Combat Turns (GURPS: Spaceships) Multitasking 2 would allow an Operator officer to do both the communication tasks—Supervise Damage Control and Signal Enhancement—at no penalty. Multitasking 4 would allow an Operator officer to do both a Move Maneuver and Sensor Detection task at no penalty in the same space combat turn (assuming the controls for both tasks where accessible from the same station, like in a shuttlecraft).

--- --- ---

I'm considering the above advantage for my Star Trek game. Let me know what you think. I'm especially wondering if the 2 points/level cost is too cheap.

Last edited by Captain Joy; 07-24-2019 at 06:06 AM.
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Old 07-02-2019, 09:44 AM   #2
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Default Re: New Advantage: Multitasking

I don't know. It might actually make sense as a leveled perk.
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Old 07-02-2019, 03:37 PM   #3
Donny Brook
 
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Default Re: New Advantage: Multitasking

How does it compare functionally to Compartmentalized Mind?
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Old 07-02-2019, 03:52 PM   #4
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Default Re: New Advantage: Multitasking

Why not just a Technique?
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Old 07-02-2019, 04:42 PM   #5
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Default Re: New Advantage: Multitasking

Quote:
Originally Posted by Refplace View Post
Why not just a Technique?
That's actually a good idea. It seems like something you could practice.
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Old 07-03-2019, 04:59 AM   #6
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Default Re: New Advantage: Multitasking

I'd vote for a leveled perk. You can still let players train it, can still control how many levels they can take and how fast. And cap levels by race for example.

As for the cost...
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Old 07-03-2019, 07:43 AM   #7
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Default Re: New Advantage: Multitasking

tldr
Multitasking (choose skill) is a 1 point/level perk.
Synchronized is a 5 points/level advantage.

Sound better?

Quote:
Originally Posted by Donny Brook View Post
How does it compare functionally to Compartmentalized Mind?
Good question. Compartmentalized Mind is 50 points/level. I allows you at an extra mental maneuver each combat turn. It also gives you extra mind compartments that are treated separately as far as mental attacks and things are concerned.

My Multitasking advantage reduces the penalty for doing two or more things at once. Depending on the situation, such penalties range from:
  1. -1 (e.g. having another spell on (GURPS Magic, p, 10)),
  2. -2 (e.g. doing two different space combat actions from the same categories (GURPS Spaceships, p. 50)),
  3. -3 (e.g. concentration on another spell (GURPS Magic, p, 10),
  4. -4 (e.g. doing two different space combat actions from different two different categories (GURPS Spaceships, p. 50)).

The examples above are leveled. So having five spells on would give you a -5 to cast a new one. When doing a Piloting, Gunner, and Sensor task in the same combat turn, all three tasks would suffer a -12.

I’m thinking in a magic campaign, where it could be used to reduce the penalties for having multiple spells going, this advantage is massively under priced at 2 points/level, and should priced as Compartmentalized Mind (-nn% no extra mind compartments) for [something less than 50 points/level].

For my Star Trek campaign, I wasn’t really seeing it as allowing for an additional tasks during combat turns. If was to model people good at juggling two or more long tasks at once. So, it doesn’t grant an extra maneuver; you don't do any more at the same time than anybody else, you just do it better when you do it.

If I consider Multitasking a nerfed Compartmentalized Mind (-80% maximum cost reduction) it would come in at at least 10 points/level.

Quote:
Originally Posted by whswhs View Post
I don't know. It might actually make sense as a leveled perk.
Other penalty-reducing skill perks are Efficient and Off-Hand Training (GURPS Power Up 2: Perks, p. 16). Efficient lets you waive -2 in penalties; Off-Hand Training lets you waive -4 in penalties. Neither is leveled, and both are limited to a single skill.

1 points/level perk that reduces -1 in penalties for multitasking with a specific skill seems a good idea. And, just like five different Off-Hand Training perks can be traded in for Ambidexterity; I could argue that five Multitasking perks can be traded in for Synchronized (I had to come up with a new name), which reduces -1 in penalties for multitasking with any skill.

Quote:
Originally Posted by Refplace View Post
Why not just a Technique?
Quote:
Originally Posted by whswhs View Post
That's actually a good idea. It seems like something you could practice.
Techniques are great for reducing commonly encountered skill roll penalties. A technique generally starts out at some known default, e.g. Scaling's default is Climbing -3. For multitasking, there would be no standard known default for adding an as yet unknown additional task to your technique. So, I don’t like the technique option.

Last edited by Captain Joy; 07-05-2019 at 07:48 AM. Reason: moved "tldr" to the top of the post
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Old 07-03-2019, 03:09 PM   #8
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Default Re: New Advantage: Multitasking

Quote:
Originally Posted by Captain Joy View Post
Techniques are great for reducing commonly encountered skill roll penalties. A technique generally starts out at some known default, e.g. Scaling's default is Climbing -3. For multitasking, there would be no standard known default for adding an as yet unknown additional task to your technique. So, I don’t like the technique option.
There's precedent for a Technique that negates/reduces a variable penalty. Close-Hip Shooting and Close-Quarters Battle (TS45) serve to negate Bulk under different circumstances (close combat and Move and Attack, respectively), and it applies regardless of if you're shooting a Bulk -1 Deringer or a Bulk -4 Desert Eagle. The way such are written, they simply default to the skill itself at no penalty, with a notice that any bonus can only apply to negating a specific source of penalties. That said, making it a leveled Perk - or leveled Advantage, when it applies to all skills - also works.
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Old 07-03-2019, 03:12 PM   #9
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Default Re: New Advantage: Multitasking

Thanks for your explanation, Captain.
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Old 07-03-2019, 11:39 PM   #10
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Default Re: New Advantage: Multitasking

You might want to consider capping how much of the penalty can be negated. For example, Targeted Attack is a Technique that's capped at removing half of the penalty, because it was determined that completely removing the penalty would be unbalanced. Check whether completely removing the multitasking penalty might be abusive.
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