CT Only: NPC Thoughts

[Supplement Four]

I was looking at page 20 of TTB where a quarter of the page is given to NPCs.

A couple of points that I found interesting...



Recruiting.

When the PCs decide to recruit NPCs--maybe to fill a crew position on their ship--the Ref is directed to the character generation system. He rolls up characters until he rolls an appropriate character. By that, I take it that he rolls up a character with at least minimum skill to do the job that is needed.

The Ref should stop at the first appropriate character and use that character as the recruit that the PCs meet. If the PCs do not hire that NPC for some reason, then some time in the game should pass before another recruit shows up.

I read this is a type of penalty to keep the PCs from getting too choosy about the NPCs. It keeps the PCs from holding out for what they think is a perfect character--which would also keep the Ref generating character after character.

The non-appropriate characters are not wasted. The Ref does not trash these characters. Instead, that character is put into the Ref's NPC pool, and when a random NPC is needed in the game the Ref can select from this pool of previously rejected but already created characters.



DO THE PC'S KNOW?

This is an interesting question. Should PCs who are trying to add an NPC to the group be able to see a character's sheet?

Or, should the players have to rely strictly on the Ref's description of the NPC?

Should players see NPC skill levels? Maybe, if that skill is regulated or requires a license or some sort of documentation--a player seeing a skill level seems appropriate. I always think back to the line that Ellen Ripley says early on in the movie, Aliens, when she says, "Well, I can drive that loader. I have a Class-2 rating."

That sounds like she has a skill, Power Loader-2.





LOYALTY AND DEDICATION

Another comment from this book that I find interesting are the ones about NPCs being loyal. The book says to use the Character Reaction Table. That makes sense.

But, it also says that loyalty and dedication could be dependent on the PC skill (as well as how the NPCs are treated).

That's interesting. The PCs need a Navigator, and they get lucky by getting an NPC with Navigation-3. Then, the Ref plays the character as if he has no respect for the rest of the PC crew since all of them are Skill-1 at their primary shipboard jobs. His hostility increases until he leaves the ship, muttering about incompetents.

Man, this is a fascinating game.

 

[sabredog]

That's how I've always run it.

There are always certificates and permits that people in various industries collect to prove they can hopefully do what they say they can. I have several for various aspects of being a cop: my state number registered as certified by the academy and agency, radar LADAR certification, for emergency vehicle driving, etc... Some stevedore or other dock/yard worker will have their certs for driving the loaders, handling different types of cargo (hazardous, etc.).

A ship pilot will have a certification proving what size he is qualified on and if it is Jump-capable or not. I sure in the Imperium the Vilani need several banker boxes packed with papers to prove any kind of technical trade skills.

So I have the NPC provide that to the players, as in real life, but it "qualified" has a lot of wiggle room. There are a lot of bad drivers out there who have the same license I do but shouldn't be driving at all, for example. And I imagine the same paradigm applies in the any future areas.

And it's always amusing to have the NPC show his/her stack of papers showing they passed all the courses for something like Engineering, and then turn out to have little to no actual field experience fixing a failing drive that was damaged in combat or just blew a "wizzy Mk IV mod D" and "Gee, I only read about those but I missed that day in class."

 

[robject]

I read this is a type of penalty to keep the PCs from getting too choosy about the NPCs. It keeps the PCs from holding out for what they think is a perfect character--which would also keep the Ref generating character after character.

I think you're exactly right.

Should PCs who are trying to add an NPC to the group be able to see a character's sheet?

Sometimes I give the sheet to a player, sometimes I play the NPC myself, in which case they don't see a steenking thing.

The PCs need a Navigator, and they get lucky by getting an NPC with Navigation-3. Then, the Ref plays the character as if he has no respect for the rest of the PC crew since all of them are Skill-1 at their primary shipboard jobs. His hostility increases until he leaves the ship, muttering about incompetents.

That is my call, based ONLY on how the players are approaching the game. If they will enjoy that drama, and the NPC appears to be that sort of guy, then I will play it ... with relish. I love being a pompous ass (just ask certain members of this BBS). On the other hand, if they won't, I don't dare.

 

[creativehum]

Should players see NPC skill levels? Maybe, if that skill is regulated or requires a license or some sort of documentation--a player seeing a skill level seems appropriate. I always think back to the line that Ellen Ripley says early on in the movie, Aliens, when she says, "Well, I can drive that loader. I have a Class-2 rating."

Many of the skills in Book 1, per the rules, are used as ratings for employment... Medic, Pilot, Engineer. The rating of expertise of many of these serve as salary bumps for employment. So a lot of this is baked into the game as is.

 

[Supplement Four]

RE: The players knowing, ahead of time, NPC skill levels.

On the other side of the argument is Supplement 12: Veterans, and the way recruit character resumes are described in Book 4.

S12 is presented in two parts. The player part shows the characters of that book in the resume style of Book 4. That is to say, the player sees something like this:

1. Private: 477957, Army, two terms. Enlisted in Cavalry. (7-9)
Special Assignments: Cross Training in Support, Recruiting.
Awards and Decorations: One combat service ribbon.
Equipment Qualified On: Assault Rifle, Auto Rifle, Howitzer.

In the instructions to the book at the beginning, it says that the Ref's part of the book...

This chapter gives information about each character which the players would not know: his morale and skills. Skills are listed in alphabetical order. Of course, if any of the listings are used as player characters, the player should know this information.

And, the Ref's part of the character presented above would be for the Ref's eyes only, containing this info:

1. Morale: 2. Skills: Auto Weapons-1, Combat Rifleman-1, Electronics-1, Howitzer-1, Recruiting-1

 

[mike wightman]

I would be hesitant to bring the Veterans format to the basic game, since it contradicts the way starship crew members are rated and paid.

Achieving a high skill level in certain skills should come with convenient certification, they give a guide to approximate skill level.

 

[Condottiere]

Artificial intelligence programmes and vast pubic databanks could give recruiters a fairly accurate printout of the applicant's character and noted skillset.

 

[mike wightman]

Not if they are offworlders...

 

[McPerth]

This is an interesting question. Should PCs who are trying to add an NPC to the group be able to see a character's sheet?

Or, should the players have to rely strictly on the Ref's description of the NPC?

I've never let the players see the character's sheet (or the UPP, for what's worth) of any NPC. Personally, I've only give the description, and htey will find out how good he/she is accdording the results (so, some lucky dice may give them a wrong view).

In the case of the private you show from veterans

1. Private: 477957, Army, two terms. Enlisted in Cavalry. (7-9)
Special Assignments: Cross Training in Support, Recruiting.
Awards and Decorations: One combat service ribbon.
Equipment Qualified On: Assault Rifle, Auto Rifle, Howitzer.

My first description would jsut be: "Young person (26 years), Does not seem too fit for being an ex-army member (as STR is low)".

If they look at the credentials given: "Cavalry veteran from [name] world army, one CSR. Reecords show he/she was cross-trained to support, and show training in light weapons (as any army member, BTW, as Cbt Rifleman is basic training) and howitzers".

Of course, the fact he/she is still a private after 8 years of service should aslo tell something to the players (is he/she coward? shy? undisciplined...?).

Should players see NPC skill levels? Maybe, if that skill is regulated or requires a license or some sort of documentation--a player seeing a skill level seems appropriate. I always think back to the line that Ellen Ripley says early on in the movie, Aliens, when she says, "Well, I can drive that loader. I have a Class-2 rating."

That sounds like she has a skill, Power Loader-2.

That may also just mean she has atended the course for this level, but her specific skill level may vary (she may have been lucky on exams and having it lower, or she may have more experience than her certificate shows, and have it higher).

Of course, regulated skills should show the certificates. If the NPC can show a doctor licence, he/she must be at least Medic-3, ough a nurse or medic can also have this skill level, even while having not achieved the licence as lacking the formal studies.

LOYALTY AND DEDICATION

Another comment from this book that I find interesting are the ones about NPCs being loyal. The book says to use the Character Reaction Table. That makes sense.

But, it also says that loyalty and dedication could be dependent on the PC skill (as well as how the NPCs are treated).

That's interesting. The PCs need a Navigator, and they get lucky by getting an NPC with Navigation-3. Then, the Ref plays the character as if he has no respect for the rest of the PC crew since all of them are Skill-1 at their primary shipboard jobs. His hostility increases until he leaves the ship, muttering about incompetents.

Man, this is a fascinating game.

As I use to play with small groups, for long term NPCs I use to keep record of their relations with each team member. Sometimes, and NPC may be a good friend (or even lover= of a group member, while having worse relation with another one, or may respect the ship capitain, but have Little respect for the Engineer, that he/she thinks is not trustworthy...

Of course, role playing has strong effect on those relations. Helping the NPC will raise them, whe ignoring him/her will lower them...

 

[creativehum]

I am with Mike on this.

A lot of the material in S4's previous posts (drawn from B04 and S12) are about the troubles of finding solid combatants in situations where you are trawling through many possible recruits as mercenaries. Recruiting, hiring, and training recruits is its own mini-game per the rules. Given the nature of the game and the rules entailed for recruiting, hiring, and training it makes perfect sense the resumes are lacking full information for the players.

However, Books 1-3 make it clear that salaries are based on the expertise rating of an NPC or PC -- thus, in some cases the expertise rating is revealed directly. It is, as you suggested above, some sort of certification that allows a character to be "rated" at a certain level. For a small crew looking for a pilot, navigator, or extra muscle, I don't think the Referee needs to use the methods from B04 or S12. It adds a layer of mystery where there is no "mini-game" to plug the mystery into.

So, I offer (as is so often the case with early Traveller play) there is no "universal" or "right" way of handling this matter. It depends on what the Referee wants for his table, to provide the most fun, to engage rules (or not engage rules) as required.

This dosn't mean I dump the UPP or other skills of NPCs in general to the Players, or that the Players will hear everything about a given NPC. But for crewing a ship or simple mission hiring expertise ratings are available. Now, it may take some time. If they really want a Computer-2 hacker for a data breach, they can spend some time and resources to find that guy. But if they do spend that time and those resources, they will most likely find a Computer-2 guy.

 

[creativehum]

Artificial intelligence programmes and vast pubic databanks could give recruiters a fairly accurate printout of the applicant's character and noted skillset.

So much of this would depend on exactly what sort of setting the game is taking place in.

 

[ShawnDriscoll]

My players don't share their character sheets with each other. Otherwise, the role-play session would turn into something entirely different at the table.

 

[ffilz]

I share NPC sheets with the players if the NPC is hired on. This is simply out of convenience of keeping all the members of a crew (or other grouping of PCs and NPCs) together for easy reference.

As to finding NPCs with particular qualifications, these days I make a lot of use of the Classic Traveller Character Generator with the additions I've added. For example, I wanted a decent engineer NPC from the Navy so:

http://www.mindspring.com/~ffilz/Ga...ngineering&level=2&service=navy&minscore=8888

The use of the &hunt option makes the generator roll characters until the desired target is achieved. &hunt=skill looks for a specific skill, &skill is needed to specify the skill, &level allows specifying a minimum skill.

Now depending, I might take the first character that comes along that meets the qualifications, or I might be looking for a bit more and hit refresh a few times.

I usually save off the full history generated in case I need for information.

For those not aware, I have documentation here:

http://www.mindspring.com/~ffilz/Gaming/travellercharacter.html

Frank

 

[kilemall]

I have a certification minigame I worked out if you want me to link that thread. It was designed to reward players with higher skills and an interest in getting to X skill level in their profession, but it was also intended to allow both players and NPCs to certify below or above their actual skill level.

Obviously I would not share the sheets, I figure resume padding is a constant on the frontier- or having to make do with whoever is available, or people hiding from their past.

 

[mike wightman]

Is the UPP used in the game universe? Do Imperial citizens carry around an identity card that sums up their personal characteristics and certification in one easy to digest string?

The same was once asked of the UPP used for planets and the USP used for ships. The canonical answer for those two is they are indeed used 'in setting', so there is a pretty good chance that the UPP of a character is likewise easily transcribed data.