Ship's Locker Contents: Your Rules?

[SpaceBadger]

After 36 years of playing Traveller (off and on) I have for the first time had a player kvetching about the way the ship's locker works. I told him that I know of two ways of operating the ship's locker:

Method #1: The Players completely stock it, listing everything they think they might ever need, including the kitchen sink. You can get some really silly ship's lockers this way, things that no working starship would waste money on buying and space on carrying. But if the Players want to do it that way, there is one drawback; if it turns out they need something but forgot to put it on the list, well, so sorry, ruh-roh, too bad so sad. That can really screw up some perfectly reasonable adventures.

Method #2: The ship's locker remains something of a mystery grab bag, and if the Players need something, and the GM thinks it is something they would reasonably have in there, then they have it. If they get greedy and want LOTS of something, the GM can roll to see how much they have, and let them figure out how to divide them up. If the Players expressly buy something and put it in there, then it is there and they know they have it. Otherwise, it is sort of a bag of needful things. THIS IS A TOOL FOR THE GM TO HELP OUT THE PLAYERS!

I have had Players ask for a Third Method, wanting me, the GM, to make them a nice equipment list, and then if I'd left something off and it turned out they needed it I could have it turn up in the locker. No way, no how. In addition to supplying them a ship, I'm supposed to think up all the gear they need, and then supply it later if I forgot? Hey, I'm the GM, not your nanny, try acting like an adult please. Does any other GM let Players have it this way?

EDIT: I have heard people talk about having the PCs put money into the ship's locker instead of stuff. Then, whatever they want can be pulled out, and the cost deducted. If they don't put in more money, they run out. I have two objections to this method: 1) too much accounting; 2) disbelief; it's too much like a Cosmic Granger Catalog that delivers instantaneously over any distance.

Any other methods of working ship's lockers? These are the ones I have always heard of or used.

 

[Dulinor]

I use a cross between your two methods :
- if the PCs put it in here, it is in here (if it wasn't stolen, that is )
- if the players or the referee think it should logically be in here, it is in here (except when the referee thinks it would be more interesting if it isn't).

Don't know if I'm really helpful here...

 

[Carlobrand]

You've already seen my post on the subject:

http://www.travellerrpg.com/CotI/Discuss/showthread.php?t=33009

I'm using that as a basic. It's most of the stuff that would keep a person alive in a bad situation, a lot of them items I didn't know existed or hadn't thought of till a year or so ago ago. Beyond that, I'd want the player to decide what else they wanted.

I figure the characters are experienced spacers, but the players themselves are not. I'll give allowance for the kind of thing an experienced spacer would know that an insurance-agent-cum-weekend-adventurer wouldn't be expected to know, like you should have patches for your spacesuit. I'm not much on the mystery grab bag (ergo the list), but I'd go there for something that we could reasonable expect to find on a ship in space: someone pointed out that a ship is likely to have materials for shoring and bracing in the event of structural damage, so if someone asked for a reasonable-size piece of sheet metal and a welder, or some heavy duty electrical wire, or even just some sturdy rope or duct tape, stuff like that, I'd probably allow that it was among the engine room maintenance supplies without needing to be on a list. Beyond that, I think it's the player's job to think ahead and plan for the adventure.

If I was playing a 20th century auto driver, I'd expect there to be a jack and a tire gauge in my car, maybe a triangle and some flares. If the player is playing an experienced long-haul truckdriver, then I'd probably say the character would have the sense to make sure he had a basic toolbox. If the player hasn't thought of it and I'm feeling generous as a gamemaster, a flashlight is not unreasonable. But, if the guy wants a pair of binoculars - well, he should have bought a pair of binoculars before he left; I'm not Santa Claus.

 

[flykiller]

try this.

1) gear that normally should be present is present. the vacc suit locker will have vacc suits, there will be repair kits and parts, etc.
2) the players list specialty gear that is present, AND the volume required to pack it along with the volume required for 1.
3) for non-specialty gear, roll to see if it just happens to be in there.

example 1): a vacc suit has a bullet hole, a player wants a vacc suit patch kit to repair it. auto success.

example 2): "we have a set of ir/starlight/telescopic goggles, AND spare batteries, AND a protective carrying case, AND it takes up thus-and-such space - which we have." "OK."

example 3): "we should have a titanium welding rig." "uh ... roll 11+ for success."

 

[pendragonman]

This is what comes in my ship's lockers

I list the following as in the locker, anything else kept in it the players need to put them there:

Enough basic vacc suits for the regular (book) crew + air bottles for 24 hours per suit. enough shotguns for half the crew, enough autopistols for the whole crew, 100 rounds for each weapon, 4 weeks survival rations and 1 week's water for the book crew compliment. flair gun, emergency beacon, orbit range satellite radio. Hostile environment shelter big enough for the book crew, filter masks for the book crew.

That is it. Unless the players augment this list, that is all that is there.

 

[mike wightman]

Method three - the ship's locker is actually a maker.

If you have a computer template for it you can make it.

 

[Carlobrand]

Method three - the ship's locker is actually a maker.

If you have a computer template for it you can make it.

Oooh, TL15 replicators!

I want one of those for the kitchen!

 

[aramis]

there is a 3rd way, and its canon for MGT...
The players have a cash allotment, and when they need something they don't have, and the Ref allows, pay for it out of the locker funds, and it's in there.

 

[Carlobrand]

there is a 3rd way, and its canon for MGT...
The players have a cash allotment, and when they need something they don't have, and the Ref allows, pay for it out of the locker funds, and it's in there.

Badger did mention that he'd heard of people doing it that way. Oof, gives my micromanaging little OCD soul the shivers.

 

[Spinward Scout]

From a Player's perspective:

You don't require Players to have complete knowledge of what's in a MedKit, do you? You don't require a Player to have real-life medical knowledge if they are playing a Surgeon, if they aren't in any way a Medical person in real-life, right? Why would you require a Player to have real-life knowledge of what's required for a Ship's Locker if the Player isn't a real-life Space Traveller? Maybe a Barbarian wouldn't know, but any character trained in Space Travel should have knowledge of what's required for it. Maybe 'Space Travel' or 'Spacer Knowledge' should be a skill.

To me, telling a Player that they forgot to buy a Whats-a-whos-it™ at Starship-Mart^© when they stocked up their Ship's Locker is kinda being a jerk about it, if the skills and Intelligence stats say the character should have known better.

The game is about playing Space Travellers, not becoming Space Travellers. This thing about Ship's Lockers is one of the reasons Traveller has a reputation for being 'Accountants in Space'. Some Players want that level of detail, some don't.

Just my 0.02Cr

Also, rules for Ship's Lockers are on page 110 of the MgT Rulebook.

 

[flykiller]

The game is about playing Space Travellers, not becoming Space Travellers.

yeah, but we also don't want the "ship's locker" to become a bag of holding. shotguns in space is one thing, but d&d in space is another.

 

[flykiller]

flair gun

oh, I wanna flair gun!

I list the following as in the locker, anything else kept in it the players need to put them there:

good idea. perhaps we can create an official standardized general-purpose ship's locker here. to start

short-term general excursion locker, 0.5 dtons
2 vacc suits, suit repair kit, recharging line from ship's life support
2 filter masks (with a dozen filter replacements each)
2 breathing masks with air bottles
2 spare air bottles (mask/vacc interchangeable)
2 radiacs
2 shotguns, 2 sidearms, 100 cartridges for each
2 blades
2 emergency beacons (visual/radio)
2 personal radios (short range)
1 sat radio (medium range)
2 high-powered lanterns

general purpose locker, 0.5 dtons
tool kits (electrical, mechanical, carpentry, etc)
large tools (crowbar, ax)
non-engineering spare parts
rechargeable batteries, recharging station

(add more)

 

[Spinward Scout]

yeah, but we also don't want the "ship's locker" to become a bag of holding. shotguns in space is one thing, but d&d in space is another.

True. You can always make it a task roll.

Search a stocked Ship's Locker for appropriate equipment.
Routine, 1-6 seconds, Int, plus any appropriate skills (Engineer , Steward, etc...)

Search a stocked Ship's Locker for uncommon equipment.
Difficult, 1-6 minutes, Int, plus any appropriate skills

Increase the difficulty for an under-stocked or well-used Ship's Locker and so forth...

But that's also why I think there should be a generic Space Knowledge skill. Maybe equal to how many Terms of Service the character spent in space, on a ship, or something similar.

 

[pendragonman]

Method three - the ship's locker is actually a maker.

If you have a computer template for it you can make it.

OOOOOOOOH! This is an excellent idea! Gotta ponder this a bit...

 

[flykiller]

This is an excellent idea!

I dunno man, sounds like a bag of whatever-I-want. can't say too much against it though. a modern 3d printer can print pretty much anything that is plastic, so if a tech 12 3d printer can utilize aluminum or steel or carbon fibre or glass then there's not too much that can't be printed up. 'course it would take an hour or two, and it couldn't print up gunpowder or medicine or an electric charge or fabric ....

 

[SanDragon]

Gee.

Ordinarily, I'd post something snarky or funny, depending on the reader's mood, but I'm tired of getting my kickstand stomped on...

I usually fill out my character's Locker with specifically purchased items and, if I run out of money and still need what I'd consider important, reset my priorities, adjust the list, and hope for the best.

 

[pendragonman]

I dunno man, sounds like a bag of whatever-I-want. can't say too much against it though. a modern 3d printer can print pretty much anything that is plastic, so if a tech 12 3d printer can utilize aluminum or steel or carbon fibre or glass then there's not too much that can't be printed up. 'course it would take an hour or two, and it couldn't print up gunpowder or medicine or an electric charge or fabric ....

Yes, but you put it in there, with the space suits, weapons, and a backup generator. Put a "medicine maker" in the first aid kit...

the GM just limits the # of uses.

 

[Magnus von Thornwood]

Gak.

I use a cross between your two methods :
- if the PCs put it in here, it is in here (if it wasn't stolen, that is )
- if the players or the referee think it should logically be in here, it is in here (except when the referee thinks it would be more interesting if it isn't).

Don't know if I'm really helpful here...

While it irks me, I have to agree with the Tratior p) on this one. I have a running list of stuff I think it should/could reasonably have and then we see if the players are lucky if they want/need something not listed. That roll is mostly for not normal stuff, things like ropes, pulleys or tools of some sort are probably just under some boxes in the back, spend 2D minutes unpacking the locker to get them.

 

[Enoki]

I think its easier to base this whole concept on what kind of ship and crew you are dealing with than some hard and fast rule about what is or isn't in a "ship's locker."

Instead you base it on the type and age of the ship, its state of repair, and the skills of the crew.

Most of the crew doesn't have vac suit training? Why would they have vac suits? Even if they did, they're going to have lots of issues with using one starting with getting the thing on.

Your "engineer" has a couple of level 1 skills? He gets a very basic tool box that maybe has what you need. If the part doesn't exist on board he sure isn't making it even if a machining center / part maker exists on the ship.

The ship is a 30 year old merchant of some sort that hasn't been serviced lately and the Captain is nearly broke? Probably don't have much in the way of whatever you need on board.

One crew member is a steward 1... If the ship has a galley its stuff from packages and the "microwave." Doesn't matter that the galley is a fully equipped restaurant level one. He doesn't know what half the stuff does.

A new ship, one owned by a corporation, or a warship will have better equipment aboard.
An engineer with level 1 to 3 skills in a range of stuff has a huge selection of tools and knows how to make parts.

A steward level 4? This guy complains there's too much vibration on the ship to cook a soufflé for dinner and demands the Captain shut the engines down. He can use the restaurant quality galley.

Most of the crew has good weapons skills? Weapons are available. They have next to no skills then they have a couple of whatever to defend the ship.

That's really considerably simpler than having pre-concocted lists in detail for everything. This way you do or don't have what you need for the situation you are in based on the situation your party and the ship are themselves in. Amateurs are unprepared, pro's are.

 

[Carlobrand]

...2 radiacs...

2 whats?