Traveller characters, set to a stopwatch? Talk about going against the designer's intent...
T5 Chargen Example
- Thread starter Jazzlvraz
- Start date
Traveller characters, set to a stopwatch? Talk about going against the designer's intent...
Folks who are having such difficulty creating T5 characters...
Are you using the checklists? The overall steps 1-5 are on page 69, and then there's the comprehensive checklist on pages 78-79.
If you are using the checklists, where do they fall down -- that's a serious question... I really want to know what needs to be fixed on the chargen checklists.
Are you using the checklists? The overall steps 1-5 are on page 69, and then there's the comprehensive checklist on pages 78-79.
If you are using the checklists, where do they fall down -- that's a serious question... I really want to know what needs to be fixed on the chargen checklists.
I started going through the checklist at the beginning. Here are my notes.
Page 79. Homeworld-1.
Step 1. Flux Roll for "Sp".
CONFUSION: Table ranges -6 to +6. This is not possible with an unmodified Flux roll. No modifiers are listed.
CONFUSION: 1 Homestar Table. Sp result for Flux -6 is OB. There are separate columns for O and B. "OB" is not listed. No clear resolution.
Presentation of text could be clearer. It is easy to miss the "roll a decimal" line. For clarity, this step should be more like:
1a: Roll Flux for Spectral ("Sp") type on table 1.
1b: Roll a decimal (0-9) and record the result next to the Sp.
1c: Roll Flux for the Sp result column. (I think this is Luminosity Class?).
Record the result (for example, G2 V).
CONFUSION: The presentation of the tables is also visually confusing, though I understand it's concentration for efficiency. Table 1 is really 2 separate things, Table 2 is 4 separate things.
Step 2. Orbits. Misleading title because you first have to determine planet or satellite.
This is up to three steps, crammed into one sentence.
Roll Flux to determine World, Close Satellite, or Far Satellite on table 2.
Roll Flux again to determine Habitable Zone Variance ("HZ Var").
If homeworld is a Satellite, roll Flux on the appropriate chart (Close or Far) and record the Orbit Identifier.
CONFUSION: If the first roll determines a satellite, HZ Var applies to the world that is orbited (which this process does not determine anything about, leading to the possibility of a large satellite around a smaller world - who orbits whom)?
2 Worlds and Orbits. Also has -6 to +6 Flux range with no modifiers.
CONFLICT. Hyrdo generation conflicts with p.433, comment above Hydrographics table (Hyd=Flux+Atm), but matches Regina example on p.430.
QUESTION: Why not continue full UWP generation, it's just Law and Tech Level left? Especially as Law Level is relevant for some Trade Classifications, and thus Homeworld skill determination.
COMMENT: Natives. The distinction between "of" and "from" is not especially helpful, particularly at this point. This interrupts the flow.
OMISSION: Worlds. Does not explain the difference between Close and Far Satellites. (Also interrupts the flow with current placement).
Climate.
CONFUSION: Too many "worlds". "Homeworld", "World" (as in 'Not A Satellite'), "Mainworld". If my homeworld is a satellite, is it also the mainworld? Or is the mainworld the body that satellite orbits?
No result for "Far Satellite".
The abbreviations "Tz" and "Lk" don't appear to have a purpose.
QUESTION: It appears that all Close Satellites are locked? If so, I think it would be clearer to say "All Close Satellites are locked to the planet they orbit." (Omitting "(Ay through Em)".
(That's all for tonight).
Page 79. Homeworld-1.
Step 1. Flux Roll for "Sp".
CONFUSION: Table ranges -6 to +6. This is not possible with an unmodified Flux roll. No modifiers are listed.
CONFUSION: 1 Homestar Table. Sp result for Flux -6 is OB. There are separate columns for O and B. "OB" is not listed. No clear resolution.
Presentation of text could be clearer. It is easy to miss the "roll a decimal" line. For clarity, this step should be more like:
1a: Roll Flux for Spectral ("Sp") type on table 1.
1b: Roll a decimal (0-9) and record the result next to the Sp.
1c: Roll Flux for the Sp result column. (I think this is Luminosity Class?).
Record the result (for example, G2 V).
CONFUSION: The presentation of the tables is also visually confusing, though I understand it's concentration for efficiency. Table 1 is really 2 separate things, Table 2 is 4 separate things.
Step 2. Orbits. Misleading title because you first have to determine planet or satellite.
This is up to three steps, crammed into one sentence.
Roll Flux to determine World, Close Satellite, or Far Satellite on table 2.
Roll Flux again to determine Habitable Zone Variance ("HZ Var").
If homeworld is a Satellite, roll Flux on the appropriate chart (Close or Far) and record the Orbit Identifier.
CONFUSION: If the first roll determines a satellite, HZ Var applies to the world that is orbited (which this process does not determine anything about, leading to the possibility of a large satellite around a smaller world - who orbits whom)?
2 Worlds and Orbits. Also has -6 to +6 Flux range with no modifiers.
CONFLICT. Hyrdo generation conflicts with p.433, comment above Hydrographics table (Hyd=Flux+Atm), but matches Regina example on p.430.
QUESTION: Why not continue full UWP generation, it's just Law and Tech Level left? Especially as Law Level is relevant for some Trade Classifications, and thus Homeworld skill determination.
COMMENT: Natives. The distinction between "of" and "from" is not especially helpful, particularly at this point. This interrupts the flow.
OMISSION: Worlds. Does not explain the difference between Close and Far Satellites. (Also interrupts the flow with current placement).
Climate.
CONFUSION: Too many "worlds". "Homeworld", "World" (as in 'Not A Satellite'), "Mainworld". If my homeworld is a satellite, is it also the mainworld? Or is the mainworld the body that satellite orbits?
No result for "Far Satellite".
The abbreviations "Tz" and "Lk" don't appear to have a purpose.
QUESTION: It appears that all Close Satellites are locked? If so, I think it would be clearer to say "All Close Satellites are locked to the planet they orbit." (Omitting "(Ay through Em)".
(That's all for tonight).
Risk/Reward problem in the example
"Skills and Risk/Reward for a Spacer are determined by the Naval Operations they participate in, which require four 1D rolls: Year 1 =1 (Battle), Year 2 =4 (Patrol), Year 3 =2 (Strike), Year 4 =5 (Shore Duty). With these Operations, he elects to be Cautious (p.73) this Term.
Risk (C2): Dex 10-1 (Gunnery Branch)-2 (Battle Operation)-1 (Patrol Operation)-2 (Strike Operation)+2 (Cautious) =6, roll =5 Success
Reward (C2): Dex 10+1+2+1+2-2 =14, roll =2 Success, and he was awarded a medal (p.109): he receives a Campaign Ribbon and an SEH (C2 (Dex) =10 – Risk roll =2 =8) in his first term!"
I believe I have found an error in the Example. I don't think we add the die mods for all of the operations during a term. see below
"page 74, column 2, middle
Branch provides a DM which must be applied to Risk and Reward.
Armed Forces Assignment. The <Service> Operations
table provides assignments for the Armed Forces.
Roll for Assignment four times per Term (for four annual assignments).
Each assignment provides a DM. Determine the highest
value for the Term: it must be applied to Risk and Reward."
So I believe for Risk, the calculation should be Dex 10-1-2+2 = 9
And for Reward, it should be Dex 10+1+2-2 = 11
"Skills and Risk/Reward for a Spacer are determined by the Naval Operations they participate in, which require four 1D rolls: Year 1 =1 (Battle), Year 2 =4 (Patrol), Year 3 =2 (Strike), Year 4 =5 (Shore Duty). With these Operations, he elects to be Cautious (p.73) this Term.
Risk (C2): Dex 10-1 (Gunnery Branch)-2 (Battle Operation)-1 (Patrol Operation)-2 (Strike Operation)+2 (Cautious) =6, roll =5 Success
Reward (C2): Dex 10+1+2+1+2-2 =14, roll =2 Success, and he was awarded a medal (p.109): he receives a Campaign Ribbon and an SEH (C2 (Dex) =10 – Risk roll =2 =8) in his first term!"
I believe I have found an error in the Example. I don't think we add the die mods for all of the operations during a term. see below
"page 74, column 2, middle
Branch provides a DM which must be applied to Risk and Reward.
Armed Forces Assignment. The <Service> Operations
table provides assignments for the Armed Forces.
Roll for Assignment four times per Term (for four annual assignments).
Each assignment provides a DM. Determine the highest
value for the Term: it must be applied to Risk and Reward."
So I believe for Risk, the calculation should be Dex 10-1-2+2 = 9
And for Reward, it should be Dex 10+1+2-2 = 11
pendragonman
Absent Friends Margrave
"Skills and Risk/Reward for a Spacer are determined by the Naval Operations they participate in, which require four 1D rolls: Year 1 =1 (Battle), Year 2 =4 (Patrol), Year 3 =2 (Strike), Year 4 =5 (Shore Duty). With these Operations, he elects to be Cautious (p.73) this Term.
Risk (C2): Dex 10-1 (Gunnery Branch)-2 (Battle Operation)-1 (Patrol Operation)-2 (Strike Operation)+2 (Cautious) =6, roll =5 Success
Reward (C2): Dex 10+1+2+1+2-2 =14, roll =2 Success, and he was awarded a medal (p.109): he receives a Campaign Ribbon and an SEH (C2 (Dex) =10 – Risk roll =2 =8) in his first term!"
I believe I have found an error in the Example. I don't think we add the die mods for all of the operations during a term. see below
"page 74, column 2, middle
Branch provides a DM which must be applied to Risk and Reward.
Armed Forces Assignment. The <Service> Operations
table provides assignments for the Armed Forces.
Roll for Assignment four times per Term (for four annual assignments).
Each assignment provides a DM. Determine the highest
value for the Term: it must be applied to Risk and Reward."
So I believe for Risk, the calculation should be Dex 10-1-2+2 = 9
And for Reward, it should be Dex 10+1+2-2 = 11
You are correct, you only add the worst of the negative DMs, so either the Battle or Strike negative 2. It then becomes a positive 2 on the reward roll.
Thanks, I just found that last night myself. Once upon a time we could edit our posts for quite a long time afterwards, but that capability seems to've gone; I can't change it now.
I hope anyone starting the thread will read through to your post, as you're exactly right.
pendragonman
Absent Friends Margrave
Editing is still possible, just not for an unlimited amount of time. I think its after 24 hours, but I could be wrong. I can still edit a post I made a couple hours ago...
Yep.
I might just be missing this, but I was trying to make a character that changed careers, and the only reference I see to changing careers is one line at the top of page 74 in the final PDF that says:
"Changing Careers. A character may avoid the Continue
roll by selecting one of the Career Change Options for
which he is eligible."
Does that simply mean any career that isn't otherwise forbidden specifically by something, or is there supposed to be a list of what careers can follow from prior ones?
"Changing Careers. A character may avoid the Continue
roll by selecting one of the Career Change Options for
which he is eligible."
Does that simply mean any career that isn't otherwise forbidden specifically by something, or is there supposed to be a list of what careers can follow from prior ones?
There was a list in the beta drafts. A lot of comments in the beta that people didn't like the restrictions as they could come up with background stories that could overcome the restrictions. Looks like Marc pulled the restriction list last minute, but this text remained behind...looks like it should be raised in the errata thread for Marc's consideration to get rid of the text.
Yes, it's come up at least once there.
I figured it was something like that, thanks. It does seem to make more sense that you should be able to gamble your time and effort on a career that you might be suited for, since you're paying with years and risk in chargen.
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