Metric? Keep or change?

[Anthony]

Originally Posted by tbeard1999

Ditch it. The vast majority of your players are unfamiliar with the metric system.

That's almost certainly untrue; we may not be a metric country, but that doesn't mean most people aren't still taught the metric system or have learned it for other reasons (such as other RPGs, including the previous edition, that used metric), and of course international players will be unfamiliar with US customary units.

[Flyndaran]

Most Americans do not think or play in metric regardless of what was officially taught in schools.

[Lord Azagthoth]

Even tough I am used to the metric measuremenbts and weights, I find it logically to use it for modern and sf campaigns.

But for fantasy, I like to use archaic measurements (passes, day's-marches, etc.). Exact measurement is nice info for the GM (absolutely not for PC's if they don't have range finders or spells which tells them exactly how far, how heavy it is) but it lacks the fantasy mediaeval feeling.

[Anthony]

Originally Posted by Flyndaran

Most Americans do not think or play in metric regardless of what was officially taught in schools.

Most Americans are familiar enough with metric that one meter hexes will not confuse them (it's sorta similar to a yard, right?), and unfamiliar enough with the actual weight of armor and weapons that it doesn't really matter if kilograms are confusing.

[Chris Goodwin]

I vote keep. Cidri has a science fictional vibe. Plus I've been playing Fantasy Hero in metric for years.

Approximations are good enough. One meter approximately equals one yard. One kilogram approximately equals two pounds. One liter approximately equals one quart.

[Flyndaran]

Originally Posted by Anthony

Most Americans are familiar enough with metric that one meter hexes will not confuse them (it's sorta similar to a yard, right?), and unfamiliar enough with the actual weight of armor and weapons that it doesn't really matter if kilograms are confusing.

Like you or someone else said, they're close enough to work as rounding errors. But if they're close enough one way, then they're close enough the other way. So no one should be getting their pants in a twist, right?
I suppose similar could be said for kilograms being close to twice the size of pounds.
That still leaves the question of why use modern units for fantasy settings. Even if "everyone" can make do with either.

[tbeard1999]

Originally Posted by Anthony

That's almost certainly untrue; we may not be a metric country, but that doesn't mean most people aren't still taught the metric system or have learned it for other reasons (such as other RPGs, including the previous edition, that used metric), and of course international players will be unfamiliar with US customary units.

If we assume that most TFT players are American - a reasonable assumption - then I think it's reasonable to assume that they are FAR more familiar with US customary units. Yes, I know that's slightly different than what I originally said, but I was speaking (metaphorically) informally. Consider my statement amended.

Most people in the US at least know about how long a yard is. Even if they know a meter is about 3" longer, there's no point in forcing them to think about the conversion. The same is true of kilograms. We know about how much a pound is; there's no point in making us subconsciously divide kilograms by 2.2.

In any case, there's no more reason to use the metric system in TFT than there was to use it in GURPS.

[Anthony]

Originally Posted by tbeard1999

In any case, there's no more reason to use the metric system in TFT than there was to use it in GURPS.

There's no need to use either system. There's just no particular reason to change.

[tbeard1999]

Originally Posted by Anthony

There's no need to use either system. There's just no particular reason to change.

I disagree, for the reasons I stated above. I think it's almost self-evident that the system that is most familiar to the majority of players should be used.

I follow this in my own game design - a 20/21st century miniature wargame. A Fistful of TOWs uses both metric and English, because each is the more familiar to most players in different contexts. Military distances are commonly expressed in meters (even by the US military). So the game scale is 1 inch equals 100 meters. Inches are easier to use by Americans (and none of my European players have demanded centimeters) because they are more familiar and require smaller numbers. It's just a little quicker to divide 10 inches by 2 (to determine close range) or multiply by 1.5 (to determine long range) than it is to divide/multiply 25.4 centimeters. And with hundreds of such measurements in a good sized game, I think it's worth avoiding the accumulated hassle.

Many UK wargames use inches, despite the UK being nominally committed to the metric system, I suspect for the same reason.