A Manual of Common Tasks

[Spinward Scout]

Had this idea of putting together a Manual of Common Tasks. The U.S. Army has several of these. I thought we could do something similar. Made for MgT2, of course. You might recognize some of these from over the years. Also found out that there's no Forgery skill in MgT2.

Here's 12 more tasks for you.

To determine the Starship's location by system beacon after exiting from JumpSpace
Easy (4+), Electronics (Comms) check, (1D Seconds, EDU)

To break in on a Comm Channel
Difficult (10+), Electronics (Comms) check (1D x 10 Seconds, EDU)

To locate the source of a radio transmission
Difficult (10+), Electronics (Comms) check (1D Minutes, EDU)

To scan for unidentified Starships
Average (8+), Electronics (Sensors) check, (1D x 10 Seconds, EDU)

To determine the Starship's location without a system beacon after exiting from JumpSpace
Very Difficult (12+), Electronics (Sensors) check, (1D x 10 Minutes, EDU)

To force a Maneuver Drive beyond its operating limits (OverDrive a Maneuver Drive)
+1G - Average (8+), Engineer (m-drive) check (1D x 4 Hours, INT)
+2G - Difficult (10+), Engineer (m-drive) check (1D x 10 Minutes, INT)
+3G - Very Difficult (12+), Engineer (m-drive) check (1D x 10 Seconds, INT)
+4G - Formidable (14+), Engineer (m-drive) check (1D Seconds, INT)

To perform a System Crosscheck on an Engineering system
Average (8+), Engineer (ship's system) check (1D Minutes, EDU)
- Exceptional Success: +3 to next (ship's system) check, +1 to the next following (ship's system) check
- Average Success: +2 to next (ship's system) check
- Marginal Success: +1 to next (ship's system) check
- Marginal Failure: -1 to next (ship's system) check, a Warning Light, but no situation occurs later
- Average Failure: -2 to next (ship's system) check, a Warning Light situation (system malfunction) to occur later
- Exceptional Failure: -3 to next (ship's system) check, a Warning Light situation (complete system shutdown) to occur within 1D x 4 Hours

To stay in formation with another Starship
Average (8+), Pilot (Spacecraft) check (1D x 10 Minutes, EDU)

To hide a Starship behind an asteroid
Difficult (10+), Pilot (Spacecraft) check (1D x 10 Seconds, INT)

To find information about a mysterious Patron
Difficult (10+), Streetwise check (1D x 4 Hours, INT)

To cross a Vacuum World on foot
Average (8+), Vacc Suit check (1D Hours, END)

To attempt an unusual maneuver in a Vacc Suit
Difficult (10+), Vacc Suit check (1D x 10 Seconds, DEX)

 

[infojunky]

Shades of Mongoose reinventing MegaTraveller...

 

[Spinward Scout]

Shades of Mongoose reinventing MegaTraveller...

Good eye! Several of those are from MegaTraveller.

 

[infojunky]

Good eye! Several of those are from MegaTraveller.

Honestly with a little work the manuel could work for most editions of the rules.

 

[ShawnDriscoll]

Looks similar to the task lists I've used.

 

[Spinward Scout]

Honestly with a little work the manuel could work for most editions of the rules.

I wish I had the time to make it for all editions.

Looks similar to the task lists I've used.

Would you mind posting any?

 

[infojunky]

I wish I had the time to make it for all editions.

With the current edition of MgT you would 3/4s or better of the way there.

 

[flykiller]

To determine the Starship's location without a system beacon after exiting from JumpSpace
Very Difficult (12+), Electronics (Sensors) check, (1D x 10 Minutes, EDU)

why very difficult? with deneb nearby seems all you'd need is an orientation and brightness check. and it seems like a navigation skill.

 

[mike wightman]

And this is why I dislike task libraries.

The original intent was for the referee to make up the target number/difficulty on the hoof, not produce a 278 page spreadsheet of every task ever written in every game book.

A sample of common applications showing a new ref how to do this would be how I would have done it.

Establishing your approximate position following a jump, with a working computer and sensor suite, would be routine. Take your time and it drops to trivial. Need your exact position relative to the stuff in the system you have jumped to and it will take longer to run the calculations and comparisons with the nav data base, but it is a basic trig problem.

This is another issue with task libraries, the people who write the tasks often get them wrong or misapply them. The task roll becomes the focus of the event/encounter/scene rather than the role playing of the players and the actions of their characters.

Another thing game authors need is a basic understanding of probability.

Every task you have to succeed in to do something in a scene/encounter/event is actually lowering the chance the characters will succeed.

Requiring half a dozen (I'm inflating the number for dramatic effect) tasks to be successful to initiate a jump (that in CT didn't even warrant a roll of the dice) just causes more mishaps.

It's as if the game designers think the players are only happy and engaged with the game if they are rolling dice.

That all said, a comprehensive list of typical situations that may require a task roll could be useful to a lot of referees.

 

[flykiller]

It's as if the game designers think the players are only happy and engaged with the game if they are rolling dice.

well, what else would game designers design?

 

[pendragonman]

snip...

Establishing your approximate position following a jump, with a working computer and sensor suite, would be routine. Take your time and it drops to trivial. Need your exact position relative to the stuff in the system you have jumped to and it will take longer to run the calculations and comparisons with the nav data base, but it is a basic trig problem.

It is so routine, I don't even have them roll for it unless they misjump and so then have to figure out where (in the universe) they are.

 

[LiamKerrington]

Hello.

I like the idea of a list about typical skill rolls. But I also see the risk that there would be unnecessary mentionings of rolls. So I propose that a gaming group should agree on when and what to roll and what not; based on this „memorandum of understanding“ such a collections should be created.

Also I emphasize to keep the core concept of skill roles in mind - (pg 56 Core Rulebook of NewTraveller): „The referee should only roll for checks when

• The Travellers are in danger.
• The task is especially difficult or hazardous.
• The Travellers are under the pressure of time.
• Success or failure is especially important or interesting.“

Thus a list with typically rolls should only list checks with target numbers of 8+ in my humble opinion, because the quotet suggestion speaks of noth else but keeping the number of rolls as small as possible limited to those rolls really required for the proper game experience.

Finally I wonder how many more typicall roles there might be, if I compare such a list with all the skill role examples already mentioned in the core rule book. So, what would be the point in having such a list, if there is little deviation from the aleady written examples.

Best wishes!
Liam

 

[Spinward Scout]

why very difficult? with deneb nearby seems all you'd need is an orientation and brightness check. and it seems like a navigation skill.

The 'finding the Starship's location after jump' checks were from the MegaTraveller Starship Operator's Manual. Both Navigation and Sensor Ops were listed skills. Astrogation is handled a little different in MgT2.

I like the idea of a list about typical skill rolls.

And knowing more of what the players and NPCs are capable of makes it easier for the Referee. There doesn't have to be a skill check. But the Ref and the Players don't live in the 57th century and they might not know everything there is to know about running a Starship or Space Exploration or hanging out in Startown. Having a more thorough task list would definitely give them ideas and examples.

 

[aramis]

well, what else would game designers design?

Many design settings and story hooks.

 

[Hyphen]

That all said, a comprehensive list of typical situations that may require a task roll could be useful to a lot of referees.

Agree totally. And one point on the"typical situations": once you've made up a task, your players may expect you to be consistent - which is one of the few times I think a task list may be helpful.

Just make sure you get the _Players Who Demand Consistency_ to do the paperwork; i.e. recording the task, and maybe even recalling it. "Can't find the 'Scan for hidden starships' task? Oh well, I'll just have to come up with something [that will prevent you from finding it prematurely and ruining all my prep work!]!" ;-)

 

[kilemall]

I look at such lists as examples, not hard rules.

Also, to me this defeats the purpose of having a task system in the first place, which should be oriented towards rapid roll determination by situational criteria not hard definition.

 

[flykiller]

such lists ... defeats the purpose of having a task system in the first place, which should be oriented towards rapid roll determination by situational criteria not hard definition.

perhaps for novices. after several decades of gaming, many tasks should be well-understood and well-regularized and well-defined, yes?