There's a blurb on page 10 that mentions 'Where do I come from', but there aren't any worlds or skills listed.
Does anyone know what happened?
Does anyone know what happened?
MGT Only: MgT2 Update - Did Homeworld skills get taken out?
- Thread starter Spinward Scout
- Start date
Low-G Vagabond
SOC-9
The blurb is in reference to picking your background skills (page 9) as they would relate to your home world. Building a backstory for your character that is believable.
I just looked it all up.
The Background skills in 2E are still based on your EDU bonus +3.
Homeworld skills are on page 6 in Mongoose 1E and were based on your Homeworld's traits and trade codes. You had to take your Homeworld skills that matched your Homeworld's codes first. However many skills that were left over, you took from the Education list.
That whole Homeworld skills section is missing in 2E. And the list in 2E is somewhat different from the list of Education skills in 1E.
I can't believe I missed that. I've been using RPGSuite too much maybe?
I'm going to Houserule it and use the 1E Background skills since I have the book.
Thank you for another reason to ignore the MgT2022 "update".
BackworldTraveller
SOC-13
I've always wondered about some of those homeworld skills. Does everyone on earth have the same basic skill-set because they come from Earth? No. Ukraine is an agricultural country. Does everyone have Farming skills? No. I prefer the wider choice of Mongoose 2E.
That said, you can see someone coming from a Water world having a decent Swimming skill, someone coming from an airless or other toxic environment perhaps having Vacc Suit skill.
And perhaps the Homeworld is too coarse of factor, but that doesn't mean the idea of "background" skills isn't a good idea.
And perhaps the Homeworld is too coarse of factor, but that doesn't mean the idea of "background" skills isn't a good idea.
Condottiere
SOC-14 5K
Logical ones.
Technological societies are likely to have electronics skill(s).
Ghetto upbringing likely streetwise.
Technological societies are likely to have electronics skill(s).
Ghetto upbringing likely streetwise.
As much I have wanted to make homeworld skills a thing, they really were too narrow and deterministic a mechanic. Plus, they play into the old Planet of Hats trope.
I think a PC's homeworld should still be an important guide in determining what non-mechanical "soft" setting information the player can access: things like common knowledge, or how to use specific tech, or what cultural values are the "right" ones. But I find that's more easily handled with handwaves/roleplaying than skill ranks.
And just to be clear, MgT still has background skills -- players get to pick from a small subset of the total skill list based on EDU score. If you want your PC from a low tech water world to have Saling or Animal Handling, you can still go nuts.
I think a PC's homeworld should still be an important guide in determining what non-mechanical "soft" setting information the player can access: things like common knowledge, or how to use specific tech, or what cultural values are the "right" ones. But I find that's more easily handled with handwaves/roleplaying than skill ranks.
And just to be clear, MgT still has background skills -- players get to pick from a small subset of the total skill list based on EDU score. If you want your PC from a low tech water world to have Saling or Animal Handling, you can still go nuts.
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mike wightman
SOC-14 10K
If only there was a way to sumarise all the character learns during their formative years, you could even add to it if they learn new non-skill related stuff. during their career or even play.
I know - lets have a characteristic that defines this - we could call it Learning, or Knowledge, or education or something like that.
By the way the above is meant to be sarcastic humour and not aimed at anyone in particular, if it triggers anyone let me know and I will add one to my triggered snowflake tally
. This is also a joke.
I know - lets have a characteristic that defines this - we could call it Learning, or Knowledge, or education or something like that.
By the way the above is meant to be sarcastic humour and not aimed at anyone in particular, if it triggers anyone let me know and I will add one to my triggered snowflake tally
. This is also a joke.
BackworldTraveller
SOC-13
Seriously though, there are several ways. And each of the versions has modified it. Even within a single version, it's been upgraded by subsequent expansions.If only there was a way to sumarise all the character learns during their formative years, you could even add to it if they learn new non-skill related stuff. during their career or even play.
I know - lets have a characteristic that defines this - we could call it Learning, or Knowledge, or education or something like that.
By the way the above is meant to be sarcastic humour and not aimed at anyone in particular, if it triggers anyone let me know and I will add one to my triggered snowflake tally
And the "Other" 2d6 space games have alternatives too
As to the sarcastic humour, I'd like to point out that...
...Ah posting rules dictate that I should not start a discussion on that topic.
BackworldTraveller
SOC-13
Some members of technical societies have electronic skills. Some members of mechanical societies have mechanical skills. Mostly, technology is designed so the unskilled can use it.
I live in an agricultural area. Few farm.
I live in an area with:
* piped water. Few are plumbers.
* electricity. Few are electricians.
* many cars and poor public transport. Not everyone drives.
* an airfield. Few fly.
* gardens. Not everyone tends them.
* many computers. Few program them.
* complex cleaning products. Few (if any within miles) make them.
etc.
Specialisation is the rule of the day - and has been ever since transport costs allowed low-value goods to be shipped in bulk
On the other hand,
* everyone deals with people and administration. Be it low culture, formal culture, administrators, etc.
mike wightman
SOC-14 10K
That's why Social Standing makes sense as a characteristic, along with Education, they define your background. You don't need background skills and knowledges and all that tosh - Soc and End define your position in society, you then modify that by achievement and rank earned during your career.
the whole "tech world so they must know electronics or computers" is observably false in my opinion. Those things become background, and no one knows how they work in terms of repair or programming, they are just appliances. Look at the early internet age, 1990s - people were playing around a lot with various things (hello blink tag!). However, essentially a generation on, most people don't care to know how things work , they just use them and hire someone who does know how to fix them. Or just get a new one as most electronics become disposable (my original 55" HD TV, bought about 20 years ago, was a rear-projection monster that cost about $3000 then. I replaced it last year with a 4K 70" TV for $600. TVs are replaceable now, not fixable. Along those lines, a friend of mine owned a radiator service. Used to be able to repair the metal radiators. Now they are plastic and cannot be repaired, just replaced).
I do like background skills though, as it makes sense you would know a few things just growing up. However (always on the fence, aren't I?) I can see social and education being representative of those background skills and knowledges.
I do like background skills though, as it makes sense you would know a few things just growing up. However (always on the fence, aren't I?) I can see social and education being representative of those background skills and knowledges.
BackworldTraveller
SOC-13
The question for me sould be: How representative of 18 year olds are those that come from character creation?
Olympic gymnasts would be peaking at that age (Athletics:0 doesn't hack that at all). Dancers have been training since they were 3 or 5. A trained 18 year old dancer is much better at dancing than an amateur one (Art(Dance):0).
Some people are very good at stuff at 18...and just EDU (or STR or DEX or END) isn't a good representation of that. Neither are just level 0 skills.
On the other hand, there are skills that are EDU related and fit well to that mechanic. Science tends to be something that is directly EDU/INT related.
And that's where the Mongoose "Package" and "Connection" skills make a huge difference to an 18-year old. They make 18 year olds playable. (And of course 18 year old psionics are a nightmare!)
Olympic gymnasts would be peaking at that age (Athletics:0 doesn't hack that at all). Dancers have been training since they were 3 or 5. A trained 18 year old dancer is much better at dancing than an amateur one (Art(Dance):0).
Some people are very good at stuff at 18...and just EDU (or STR or DEX or END) isn't a good representation of that. Neither are just level 0 skills.
On the other hand, there are skills that are EDU related and fit well to that mechanic. Science tends to be something that is directly EDU/INT related.
And that's where the Mongoose "Package" and "Connection" skills make a huge difference to an 18-year old. They make 18 year olds playable. (And of course 18 year old psionics are a nightmare!)
mike wightman
SOC-14 10K
18 year old Olympic class male gymnast - Edu 6, Soc 7, Str 9, Dex B, End 7, competition comes down to dice rolls.
Condottiere
SOC-14 5K
With athletes, especially those from more authoritarian regimes, or maybe corporate sponsors who expect results, they tend to get assistance, usually through medication.
In Traveller, I believe our characters peak physically in the mid thirties, and then hit a midlife crisis, which is why they go travelling.
With skill level zero, you could have a smörgåsbord of skills, essentially denoting familiarity.
In Traveller, I believe our characters peak physically in the mid thirties, and then hit a midlife crisis, which is why they go travelling.
With skill level zero, you could have a smörgåsbord of skills, essentially denoting familiarity.
BackworldTraveller
SOC-13
No-one is going to get near an Olympic team without DEX C and STR C and Athletics-1+ from package/connections. There are going to be literally thousands of people in the world who meet that criteria!
While I agree in not everyone in a World should have the sam backround skills, I'd instead forbid some due to homeworld. It's unlikely a 18 years old boy from a TL3 world can have learned electronics or computer, or someone from a very low pop to have learned streetwise of carousing.
I'd suggest no hard rule here, but only some logic to be used but, aside from those restrictions, I agree the background learning may be varied enough as not to assume most people in a world will have the same skills.
I'd suggest no hard rule here, but only some logic to be used but, aside from those restrictions, I agree the background learning may be varied enough as not to assume most people in a world will have the same skills.
mike wightman
SOC-14 10K
Str 7 is human male average, a gymnast will have trained to be well above normal, but not as strong as a power lifter of heavy weight boxer pr even a sprinter who could easily be Str12. As to Dex, again a gymnast is very dexterous but not as dexterous as a human female gymnast - hence the stats I chose.
The competition comes down to their skill throws for the events.
I knew when posting it that someone would come along and wonder why not Str C Dex C for an Olympic class gymnast, so here are my thoughts. Str C Dex C would represent something that gymnasts are not - they are not the strongest of athletes but are very strong, they are very dexterous but there has to be some differentiation between the male and female.
The competition comes down to their skill throws for the events.
I knew when posting it that someone would come along and wonder why not Str C Dex C for an Olympic class gymnast, so here are my thoughts. Str C Dex C would represent something that gymnasts are not - they are not the strongest of athletes but are very strong, they are very dexterous but there has to be some differentiation between the male and female.
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Oddly the Planet of Hats came up in a feed for me this morning (URL goes to TVTropes.org). Fits this discussion well. And funny how things show up in my various newsfeeds.
