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Old 07-18-2016, 07:42 AM   #1
Sunspark
 
Join Date: Jul 2014
Default Learning defaults

I did search for this, but either my search-fu is weak, or it hasn't been asked.

Assuming that you drop a character in a completely unfamiliar place, how long does it take for him to start getting defaults for things like Area Knowledge and skills that only exist in the new place.

I.E. a Banestorm scoops up Joe Average and drops him off in Yrth. How long until he picks up enough background knowledge that he can start making default rolls for Area Knowledge and basic magical lore that's common knowledge, assuming he doesn't actively go out of his way to study the topics. (Or even it he does, how long would it take before he gains even a default roll?)

One thought that strikes me is that such a character could be created (or acquire) a variant of the Incompetent quirk for the various skills that he's lacking, and time spent in the new world could count towards points to buy off the quirks at the same rate as on the job learning (I.E. 800 hours of time spent out in the world is enough to remove the quirks.) Actively studying to remedy his deficiencies would count as self study, and if he has someone helping him, it would count as time being taught, with the associated reduced times.

Not sure if that would be excessive or not, though.
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Old 07-18-2016, 07:53 AM   #2
whswhs
 
Join Date: Jun 2005
Location: Lawrence, KS
Default Re: Learning defaults

It seems like the simple way to do it would be to have the character buy Cultural Familiarity. Per the rules on earmarked points, you get 4 hours a day toward that, so it takes 50 days of full immersion in the new culture. That's assuming no TL barriers, of course; if you have to buy off Low or High TL it will take a lot longer.
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Old 07-18-2016, 08:04 AM   #3
malloyd
 
Join Date: Jun 2006
Default Re: Learning defaults

The obvious way for the locational ones is to make him buy the Background Knowledge perk for his new location, which is all about giving you a set of defaults you wouldn't otherwise have.

Anything social probably comes with Cultural Familiarity.

For the technical ones it's trickier. Move to a higher TL and you presumably get them once you buy off Primitive, but the reverse isn't addressed. I personally go with a Tech Familiarity advantage for any TL covering all your skills and defaults for 5 points, but RAW I guess it is impossible to ever adapt.

Edit: it's probably fair to extend the 4 hours per day of immersion to all of those, so for a new language [6] plus Cultural Familiarity [1] plus Background Knowledge [1] plus Tech Familiarity [5] you need 650 days, about 2 years of total immersion before you blend in completely. Seems about right, immigrant kids can blend fairly invisibly in two or three years anyway.
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