Random Things to Lift and Smash

[Willy]

Thank you very much for all that work.

By the way the methods pre TL 5 to cure hide and make trophies allow the extraction of genetic material and there is emough historical material for it, and even at TL5+ the genetic material is not always lost. Teeth for example, or bone marrow are usual a good source for this. I a lot of museum cellars bones and teeth from a lot of big animal are stored in hugh numbers, the question is only the same as for every project:
Is anybody willing to pay the price tag? It can be done Svante Pääbo and his groundbreaking work are well known nowadays, so I guess any big animal living after the Neanderthals can be recreated.

[Pursuivant]

Originally Posted by Willy

By the way the methods pre TL 5 to cure hide and make trophies allow the extraction of genetic material and there is emough historical material for it, and even at TL5+ the genetic material is not always lost. Teeth for example, or bone marrow are usual a good source for this.

Remember that taxidermied animals are often nothing more than a skin stretched over a frame. Sometimes teeth & bones are preserved, but not always. Taxidermied fish might be nothing more than painted plaster casts. "Type specimens" in museum collections were often just cotton- or wool-stuffed skins.

DNA damage wasn't intentional, but was a common byproduct of TL6- tanning & pest control treatments. Fortunately, sampling techniques keep improving, increasing the number of museum specimens which might yield usable DNA. The amount of DNA required for a successful test or analysis is just a fraction of what was required 20 years ago.

Finding, or preserving, taxidermied animal specimens with "cloneable" DNA might be an interesting adventure hook - sort of a a prequel to the Jurassic Park series.

[Pursuivant]

Part 104: So I Lied - Smashing the Crockery

A small selection of serving & eating utensils, suitable a missiles for tavern brawls & domestic strife.

Other tableware can be approximated using suitably-sized Containers.

I can't believe that I missed doing stats for these when I was researching restaurant equipment!

0	Bowl, 12 oz.	Restaurant Equipment	0.65	3	6	Ceramic	1	10	None	Homogenous. Brittle.
0	Bowl, 16 oz.	Restaurant Equipment	1	4	8	Ceramic	1	10	None	Homogenous. Brittle.
0	Bowl, 8 oz.	Restaurant Equipment	0.5	3	6	Ceramic	1	10	None	Homogenous. Brittle.
1	Drinking Horn, 16 oz.	Restaurant Equipment	1			Miscellaneous	1	10	2 lbs. Full.	
1	Drinking Horn, 32 oz.	Restaurant Equipment	2.5			Miscellaneous	1	10	4.5 lbs. Full.	
1	Eating Utensil	Restaurant Equipment	0.1	1	3	Metal	1	10	None	Homogenous. Typical fork, tablespoon, or table knife.
1	Mug, 12 oz.	Restaurant Equipment	1	4	8	Ceramic	1	10	None	Homogenous. Brittle.
1	Mug, 16 oz.	Restaurant Equipment	1.25	4	8	Ceramic	1	10	None	Homogenous. Brittle.
1	Mug, 8 oz.	Restaurant Equipment	0.6	3	6	Ceramic	1	10	None	Homogenous. Brittle.
1	Mug, Leather “Jack” 16 oz.	Restaurant Equipment	0.25			Leather	1	10	Homogenous. 1.25 lbs. Full	
1	Napkin	Restaurant Equipment	0.1	1	3	Fabric	0	10	None	Combustible. Diffuse.
1	Plate, 0.5'	Restaurant Equipment	0.5	3	6	Ceramic	1	10	None	Homogenous. Brittle. Can be used as Improvised Discus which does -2 HP/die.
1	Plate, 0.5'	Restaurant Equipment	0.5	3	6	Metal	1	10	None	Homogenous. Can be used as Improvised Discus which does -2 HP/die.
1	Plate, 1'	Restaurant Equipment	1	4	8	Ceramic	1	10	None	Homogenous. Brittle. Can be used as Improvised Discus which does -1 HP/die.
1	Plate, 1'	Restaurant Equipment	1	4	8	Metal	1	10	None	Homogenous. Can be used as Improvised Discus which does -1 HP/die.
1	Plate, 9'	Restaurant Equipment	0.6	3	6	Ceramic	1	10	None	Homogenous. Brittle. Can be used as Improvised Discus which does -1 HP/die.
1	Plate, 9'	Restaurant Equipment	0.6	3	6	Metal	1	10	None	Homogenous. Can be used as Improvised Discus which does -1 HP/die.
1	Tablecloth, 5' x 8'	Restaurant Equipment	1	4	8	Fabric	0	10	None	Combustible. Diffuse.
1	Tablecloth, 6' dia	Restaurant Equipment	1.2	4	8	Fabric	0	10	None	Combustible. Diffuse.
1	Teapot, 16 oz.	Restaurant Equipment	1.3	4	8	Ceramic	0	10	None	Homogenous. Brittle. Weights 2.3 lbs. Full.
1	Teapot, 32 oz.	Restaurant Equipment	2.6	5	11	Ceramic	0	10	None	Homogenous. Brittle. Weighs 4.6 lbs. Full.
1	Tray, 1.5'	Restaurant Equipment	1.5	4	9	Metal	2	10	None	Homogenous. Can be used as Improvised Small Shield (DB1). Cover DR 8-10.
1	Tray, 1' dia.	Restaurant Equipment	1	4	8	Metal	2	10	None	Homogenous. Can be used as Improvised Small Shield (DB1). Cover DR 8-10. Can be used as improvised Discus which does -1 damage.
1	Tray, 1' x 1.5'	Restaurant Equipment	1.5	4	9	Metal	2	10	None	Homogenous. Can be used as Improvised Small Shield (DB1). Cover DR 8-10.
1	Tray, 2' dia	Restaurant Equipment	3	5	11	Metal	2	10	None	Homogenous. Can be used as Improvised Small Shield (DB1). Cover DR 8-10. Can be used as improvised Discus which does -1 damage.
1	Wine Glass, 10 oz.	Restaurant Equipment	0.2			Miscellaneous	1	10	4.5 lbs. Full.	
2	Tea Saucer	Restaurant Equipment	0.3	2	5	Ceramic	0	10	None	Homogenous. Brittle.
2	Teacup, 4 oz.	Restaurant Equipment	3	5	11	Ceramic	0	10	None	Homogenous. Brittle.
2	Teacup, 8 oz.	Restaurant Equipment	0.5	3	6	Ceramic	0	10	None	Homogenous. Brittle.
3	Teapot, 16 oz.	Restaurant Equipment	1.8	4	9	Cast Iron	2	11	None	Weighs 2.8 lbs. Full.
3	Teapot, 20 oz.	Restaurant Equipment	2.6	5	11	Cast Iron	2	11	None	Weighs 5 lbs. Full.
3	Teapot, 96 oz.	Restaurant Equipment	8.6	8	16	Cast Iron	2	11	None	Weighs 14.6 lbs. Full
4	Beer Mug, 12 oz.	Restaurant Equipment	1			Glass	1	11	Brittle. Homogenous.	
4	Beer Mug, 16 oz.	Restaurant Equipment	1.25			Glass	1	11	Brittle. Homogenous.	
4	Beer Mug, 20 oz.	Restaurant Equipment	1.5			Glass	1	11	Brittle. Homogenous.	
4	Mug, Pewter, 16 oz.	Restaurant Equipment	1	4	8	Metal	1	11	Homogenous. 2 lbs. Full	
4	Shot Glass	Restaurant Equipment	0.1			Miscellaneous	1	10		
5	Cocktail Glass, 10 oz.	Restaurant Equipment	0.2			Miscellaneous	1	10	4.5 lbs. Full.	
6	Mess Tray	Restaurant Equipment	2	5	10	Steel	3	11	None	Homogenous. Can be used as Improvised Small Shield (DB1). Cover DR 10.
6	Serving Tray, 1' x 1.5'	Restaurant Equipment	0.75	3	7	Plastic	1	10	None	Homogenous. Can be used as Improvised Small Shield (DB1). Cover DR 1 (DR 2 vs. crushing, cutting, or impaling).
6	Serving Tray,1.5' dia.	Restaurant Equipment	2.25	5	10	Plastic	1	10	None	Homogenous. Can be used as Improvised Small Shield (DB1). Cover DR 1 (DR 2 vs. crushing, cutting, or impaling). Can be used as improvised Discus which does -2 damage/die.
6	Serving Tray,1' dia.	Restaurant Equipment	1	4	8	Plastic	1	10	None	Homogenous. Can be used as Improvised Small Shield (DB1). Cover DR 1 (DR 2 vs. crushing, cutting, or impaling). Can be used as improvised Discus which does -2 damage/die.
7	Cafeteria Tray, 1' x 1.5'	Restaurant Equipment	0.5	3	6	Plastic	1	10	None	Homogenous. Can be used as Improvised Small Shield (DB1). Cover DR 1 (DR 2 vs. crushing, cutting, or impaling).
7	Serving Tray, Large, 2' x 1.5'	Restaurant Equipment	3	5	11	Plastic	1	11	None	Homogenous. Can be used as Improvised Small Shield (DB1). Cover DR 1 (DR 2 vs. crushing, cutting, or impaling).

[lugaid]

Originally Posted by Pursuivant

That's my list for now, although I'll probably end up blowing it up & reworking it within the next few months.

Thanks to everyone who commented & especially to Lugaid for acting as online archivist.

Comments & requests welcomed.

Sorry that I was away from the forums for a few days. Also, thank you for the tremendous effort of putting this together. It seems such a potentially useful document, which is why I went ahead and put it together in Sheets.

In any case, the whole shebang is now up on Google Sheets, which you can find at this link. I think I caught all of the edits, but if anyone finds an incongruity, please let me know.

Final stats:

As a downloaded .xlsx file, 555kb.

As a downloaded .pdf of the entire worksheet with headers and footers giving page numbers, workbook name, and individual sheet names, 2105kb and 561 pages (524 pages of data entries, 37 pages of notes). That is within the limits of printable at such POD sites as Lulu, so you could just go that way. Or you could download each sheet (there are 104 of them) separately and then concatenate however many you want together. As I mentioned before, that would have the advantage of putting the notes directly after the relevant sheet, so there is also that to recommend it. It would be a good amount of effort to do things that way, but not really too terribly much.

[Pursuivant]

Originally Posted by lugaid

That is within the limits of printable at such POD sites as Lulu, so you could just go that way. Or you could download each sheet (there are 104 of them) separately and then concatenate however many you want together. As I mentioned before, that would have the advantage of putting the notes directly after the relevant sheet, so there is also that to recommend it. It would be a good amount of effort to do things that way, but not really too terribly much.

This is solid advice if you're a real fan of cellulose-based data or seriously old-school pencil & paper gamer, but a physical printout makes the whole thing much less usable.

I always imagined this catalog as an electronic data file, for use by GMs when designing adventures before play starts or as a quick look-up tool during play. Better yet, have players look up info for the GM if they want to do something creative. ("I want my character to swing off the building's flagpole. A 2" steel pole will support their weight easily.")

For people who absolutely insist on print-outs, create a customized list of "likely items" for your campaign and print that off. Maybe leave it out for players to look at to give them ideas of how they can use their environment. Very useful for brick-like supers or TK psis.

Another idea, which I think is worth repeating, is maps or tokens printed with DR, HP, Cover value, etc. of various objects. This would be very useful for players during combat, especially ranged combat.

[lugaid]

Originally Posted by Pursuivant

This is solid advice if you're a real fan of cellulose-based data or seriously old-school pencil & paper gamer, but a physical printout makes the whole thing much less usable.

I am a huge fan of paper references. Computers have the advantage of holding more in a smaller space, of course, but are limited in speed by the human delay plus the software delay (no matter how fast someone says they are with looking up things electronically, I have found that in practice they are always much, much slower than they think they are). And of course monitors are generally optimized for video rather than text.

For sure, it's useful for looking up stuff in advance and getting it into the notes for the particular session, but much less so for doing things on the fly.

I always imagined this catalog as an electronic data file, for use by GMs when designing adventures before play starts or as a quick look-up tool during play. Better yet, have players look up info for the GM if they want to do something creative. ("I want my character to swing off the building's flagpole. A 2" steel pole will support their weight easily.")

For people who absolutely insist on print-outs, create a customized list of "likely items" for your campaign and print that off. Maybe leave it out for players to look at to give them ideas of how they can use their environment. Very useful for brick-like supers or TK psis.

Another idea, which I think is worth repeating, is maps or tokens printed with DR, HP, Cover value, etc. of various objects. This would be very useful for players during combat, especially ranged combat.

Those are some very good suggestions.

[Pursuivant]

Originally Posted by lugaid

I am a huge fan of paper references.

I'm a fan, too, but my spreadsheet is huge to the point that it really isn't handy in paper form. Pick and choose 10-20 pages of the most relevant material and print it out in 12-14 point type if you're going to use it at the table. Leave wide margins so you can make notes.

[Rasputin]

What qualifies as a material? I ask because sometimes the listing will be "Metal," and sometimes it will be a specific metal, like "Tin" or "Steel" or "Stainless Steel." In game terms, when is the difference important enough to note?

[Pursuivant]

Originally Posted by Rasputin

What qualifies as a material? I ask because sometimes the listing will be "Metal," and sometimes it will be a specific metal, like "Tin" or "Steel" or "Stainless Steel." In game terms, when is the difference important enough to note?

Some of this is mistakes and inconsistency on my part, some of it's deliberate.

Generic "Metal" is either a mix of metals or whatever metal the GM feels is appropriate. For example, a "metal" dinner plate might pewter in a TL4 tavern, aluminum or stainless steel in a TL7 military mess hall, or sterling silver in a nobleman's dining room.

Stainless steel is indicated when a steel item might need unusual resistance to rust or corrosion. Steel is indicated when when structural strength or Cover DR might be superior to lesser materials.

Material composition really makes a difference for large items which provide significant cover DR, especially when the GM is altering stats.

For example, mild steel or cast iron might have DR50 per inch while Rolled Homogeneous Armor (RHA) will have DR70. That means that 1/4-inch thick mild steel provides DR 12, while RHA will provide DR 18 - the difference between possible penetration for a heavy pistol or SMG bullet vs. full protection.

[Pursuivant]

Part 105: So I Lied Part 2 - Throwing Them Under the Bus

A selection of buses, trucks, and garbage trucks. Weights listed are typically gross weights - i.e., packed to the roof with cargo or screaming victims.

DR has been uniformly set at DR 3, which might be a bit stingy. HT has been uniformly set at 11, which might be a bit generous.

As a dumb guess, assume that net weights for TL6-7 vehicles are 10-20% greater, but gross weights remain unchanged.

8	Tractor Trailer, Fully Loaded	Vehicle – Ground Vehicle	80000			172	344	Machine	3	11	Full	4	Combustible. Gives Cover DR 6. Contents or wheels might give extra Cover DR.
8	Garbage Truck, Fully Loaded	Vehicle – Ground Vehicle	51000			148	296	Machine	3	11	Full	4	Combustible. Gives Cover DR 6. Contents or wheels might give extra Cover DR.
8	Garbage Truck, Large	Vehicle – Ground Vehicle	62000			158	316	Machine	3	11	Full	4	Combustible. Gives Cover DR 6. Contents or wheels might give extra Cover DR.
8	Garbage Truck, Large, Fully Loaded	Vehicle – Ground Vehicle	72000			166	332	Machine	3	11	Full	4	Combustible. Gives Cover DR 6. Contents or wheels might give extra Cover DR.
8	Garbage Truck, Empty	Vehicle – Ground Vehicle	33000			128	256	Machine	3	11	Full	4	Combustible. Gives Cover DR 6. Contents or wheels might give extra Cover DR. Holds up to 28 cy, Payload 18000 lbs.
8	Delivery Truck, Loaded	Vehicle – Ground Vehicle	20000			108	217	Machine	3	11	Full	4	Combustible. Gives Cover DR 6. Contents or wheels might give extra Cover DR.
8	Bus, Type D, Fully Loaded	Vehicle – Ground Vehicle	30000			124	248	Machine	3	11	Full	4	Combustible. Gives Cover DR 6. Contents or wheels might give extra Cover DR.
8	Bus, Type C, Fully Loaded	Vehicle – Ground Vehicle	27500			120	241	Machine	3	11	Full	4	Combustible. Gives Cover DR 6. Contents or wheels might give extra Cover DR.
8	Bus, Type A2, Fully Loaded	Vehicle – Ground Vehicle	14000			96	192	Machine	3	11	Full	4	Combustible. Gives Cover DR 6. Contents or wheels might give extra Cover DR.
8	Bus, School, Mini, 14-Passenger, Fully Loaded (2005 Chevrolet Collins)	Vehicle – Ground Vehicle	9600			85	170	Machine	3	11	Full	4	Combustible. Gives Cover DR 6. Contents or wheels might give extra Cover DR. Net weight ~6800 lbs., 5 rows.
8	Bus, School, 72-Passenger, Fully Loaded (1996 Bluebird TC2000)	Vehicle – Ground Vehicle	30000			124	248	Machine	3	11	Full	4	Combustible. Gives Cover DR 6. Contents or wheels might give extra Cover DR. Net wieght ~15600 lbs., 12 rows, Maximum Speed 64 mph.
8	Bus, School, 65-Passenger, Fully Loaded (2004 International IC CE200)	Vehicle – Ground Vehicle	29800			124	248	Machine	3	11	Full	4	Combustible. Gives Cover DR 6. Contents or wheels might give extra Cover DR. Net Weight ~16800 lbs., 11 Rows.
8	Bus, School, 48-Passenger, Fully Loaded (1999 International Thomas)	Vehicle – Ground Vehicle	26850			119	239	Machine	3	11	Full	4	Combustible. Gives Cover DR 6. Contents or wheels might give extra Cover DR. Net Weight ~17250 lbs. 8 Row, Maximum Speed 64 mph.
8	Bus, School, 24+2-Passenger, Fully Loaded (2009 International IC CE300	Vehicle – Ground Vehicle	25500			117	235	Machine	3	11	Full	4	Combustible. Gives Cover DR 6. Contents or wheels might give extra Cover DR. Net Weight ~20300 lbs. 9 Rows, Maximum Speed 64 mph.
8	Bus, School, 18+1-Passenger, Fully Loaded (2010 Thomas Saf-T-Liner C2)	Vehicle – Ground Vehicle	25500			117	235	Machine	3	11	Full	4	Combustible. Gives Cover DR 6. Contents or wheels might give extra Cover DR. Net Weight ~21700 lbs. 8 Row. Top Speed 70 mph 
8	Bus, School, Mini, 14+4-Passenger, Fully Loaded (2001 International AmTran)	Vehicle – Ground Vehicle	27500			120	241	Machine	3	11	Full	4	Combustible. Gives Cover DR 6. Contents or wheels might give extra Cover DR. Net Weight ~23900 lbs. 8 Row.
8	Bus, Coach, 33-Passenger, Fully Loaded (2004 Thomas HDX Transit Liner)	Vehicle – Ground Vehicle	35350			131	262	Machine	3	11	Full	4	Combustible. Gives Cover DR 6. Contents or wheels might give extra Cover DR. Net Weight ~28750 lbs., 11 Rows
8	Bus, School, 28-Passenger, Fully Loaded (2003 Chevrolet Midbus)	Vehicle – Ground Vehicle	12000			91	183	Machine	3	11	Full	4	Combustible. Gives Cover DR 6. Contents or wheels might give extra Cover DR. Net Weight ~6400 lbs., 6 Rows, 70 mph top speed.
8	School Bus, 84-Passenger (2004 Bluebird All-American)	Vehicle – Ground Vehicle	36200			132	264	Machine	3	11	Full	4	Combustible. Gives Cover DR 6. Contents or wheels might give extra Cover DR. Net Weight ~19400, 14 Row.
8	Bus, City Transit, Medium, Fully-Loaded	Vehicle – Ground Vehicle	30000			124	248	Machine	3	11	Full	4	Combustible. Gives Cover DR 6. Contents or wheels might give extra Cover DR.
8	Bus, City Transit, Heavy, Fully-Loaded	Vehicle – Ground Vehicle	33000			128	256	Machine	3	11	Full	4	Combustible. Gives Cover DR 6. Contents or wheels might give extra Cover DR.
8	Bus, City Transit, Light, Fully-Loaded	Vehicle – Ground Vehicle	25000			116	233	Machine	3	11	Full	4	Combustible. Gives Cover DR 6. Contents or wheels might give extra Cover DR.
8	Bus, Tour, 30-passenger, Fully-Loaded	Vehicle – Ground Vehicle	30000			124	248	Machine	3	11	Full	4	Combustible. Gives Cover DR 6. Contents or wheels might give extra Cover DR. Net Weight ~24000, 8 Row. Top Speed ~90 mph/
8	Bus, Intercity, 60-passenger, Fully-Loaded (Greyhound MCI 102DL3)	Vehicle – Ground Vehicle	48000			145	290	Machine	3	11	Full	4	Combustible. Gives Cover DR 6. Contents or wheels might give extra Cover DR. Net Weight ~35100, 15 Row. Top Speed ~90 mph.