Supplement Four
SOC-14 5K
Although I really like the idea of a FLUX based task system for T5 (I think it is simple, easy to use, learn and teach, and capable of fixing a lot of T5 problem areas), some people really like the T5 System as it is presented in the core book.
Marc certainly put a lot of work into it.
One of the things I don't like about the T5 system is that it doesn't hide target numbers from players. I think this is a valuable tool in the Ref's bag of tricks to promote uncertainty and mystery in a game. This was a tool I learned to use to great effect back in my AD&D days. A player may be able to tell the base AC of a foe, given his armor type (that can be seen), but the player would have no idea of a foe's level, the pluses any magical armor might have, how many hit points the foe had. This stuff was always kept from players--information that, not known, makes the game more interesting to play.
You can't hide a target number from a player using the T5 system as the target is created by adding skill and stat. The game system suggests using uncertainty dice (FLUX), but, in addition to all the other quirks of the system, I've always found this to be fiddly and cumbersome.
I suggest a remedy that I think will make using the T5 task system more enjoyable.
HOUSE RULE: A player never throws more than 2D for difficulty. Any other dice thrown to succeed on a task is thrown by the Ref in secret.
So, basically, what happens here is that a player has lots of information about Easy and Average tasks. There's nothing hidden. But, starting at Difficult (3D), a player will only roll 2D (and the Ref rolls the remaining 1D). On a Formidable task, both the player and Ref roll 2D each. As a task gets harder, there's more uncertainty for the player about the outcome of the task. A Ref will never tell his rolled total to the player. Instead, the Ref should play out the outcome--roleplay out the success or failure of the task.
This takes the emphasis off of watching dice roll and places the focus on what the character actually experiences--promoting roleplaying.
Watch, in these two examples, how one is boring and the other promotes an exciting game....
Example 1 (where the players roll all the dice).
Tarce has EDU 8 and Computer-3, making an target number of 11. Tarce is attempting to use a computer interface to break into the secured harddrive of a starport to see the cargo manifests of outgoing ships. Tarce plans on using this information to help him get avoid over-saturated markets at various destination.
The Ref says this is a Difficult task, which means it's a throw for 3D, looking for 11-.
The player picks up three dice and rolls them. "OK, I failed. I guess I'll return to the ship."
This is just rolling dice. This is not playing out the situation in an exciting manner (which you could still attempt to do, but the moment loses something when the player immediately knows the outcome of the task without Ref description of the situation.)
Example 2 (where the players roll a maximum of 2D).
Here, we're going to make the moment of rolling a task a lot more insetting.
Tarce has EDU 8 and Computer-3, making an target number of 11. Tarce is attempting to use a computer interface to break into the secured harddrive of a starport to see the cargo manifests of outgoing ships. Tarce plans on using this information to help him get avoid over-saturated markets at various destination.
Since a player can only roll 2D, that's what he rolls.
The Ref secretly rolls the remaining 1D and does not tell the player the outcome.
Instead, the Ref says, "You tap your last keystroke, and the panel lights up red! It's blinking, on and off! But, the keys are dead. The station is locked."
Player asks, "An alarm?"
The Ref shrugs. That's for the player to determine. "The terminal goes completely dark now."
Player: "I'd better run!"
Obviously, the task was bricked, but the player doesn't know that immediately. Instead of playing off of dice rolls, the player plays of the situation as his character senses, tastes, feels, sees, hears it.
It's a much more engrossing way to play.
Marc certainly put a lot of work into it.
One of the things I don't like about the T5 system is that it doesn't hide target numbers from players. I think this is a valuable tool in the Ref's bag of tricks to promote uncertainty and mystery in a game. This was a tool I learned to use to great effect back in my AD&D days. A player may be able to tell the base AC of a foe, given his armor type (that can be seen), but the player would have no idea of a foe's level, the pluses any magical armor might have, how many hit points the foe had. This stuff was always kept from players--information that, not known, makes the game more interesting to play.
You can't hide a target number from a player using the T5 system as the target is created by adding skill and stat. The game system suggests using uncertainty dice (FLUX), but, in addition to all the other quirks of the system, I've always found this to be fiddly and cumbersome.
I suggest a remedy that I think will make using the T5 task system more enjoyable.
HOUSE RULE: A player never throws more than 2D for difficulty. Any other dice thrown to succeed on a task is thrown by the Ref in secret.
So, basically, what happens here is that a player has lots of information about Easy and Average tasks. There's nothing hidden. But, starting at Difficult (3D), a player will only roll 2D (and the Ref rolls the remaining 1D). On a Formidable task, both the player and Ref roll 2D each. As a task gets harder, there's more uncertainty for the player about the outcome of the task. A Ref will never tell his rolled total to the player. Instead, the Ref should play out the outcome--roleplay out the success or failure of the task.
This takes the emphasis off of watching dice roll and places the focus on what the character actually experiences--promoting roleplaying.
Watch, in these two examples, how one is boring and the other promotes an exciting game....
Example 1 (where the players roll all the dice).
Tarce has EDU 8 and Computer-3, making an target number of 11. Tarce is attempting to use a computer interface to break into the secured harddrive of a starport to see the cargo manifests of outgoing ships. Tarce plans on using this information to help him get avoid over-saturated markets at various destination.
The Ref says this is a Difficult task, which means it's a throw for 3D, looking for 11-.
The player picks up three dice and rolls them. "OK, I failed. I guess I'll return to the ship."
This is just rolling dice. This is not playing out the situation in an exciting manner (which you could still attempt to do, but the moment loses something when the player immediately knows the outcome of the task without Ref description of the situation.)
Example 2 (where the players roll a maximum of 2D).
Here, we're going to make the moment of rolling a task a lot more insetting.
Tarce has EDU 8 and Computer-3, making an target number of 11. Tarce is attempting to use a computer interface to break into the secured harddrive of a starport to see the cargo manifests of outgoing ships. Tarce plans on using this information to help him get avoid over-saturated markets at various destination.
Since a player can only roll 2D, that's what he rolls.
The Ref secretly rolls the remaining 1D and does not tell the player the outcome.
Instead, the Ref says, "You tap your last keystroke, and the panel lights up red! It's blinking, on and off! But, the keys are dead. The station is locked."
Player asks, "An alarm?"
The Ref shrugs. That's for the player to determine. "The terminal goes completely dark now."
Player: "I'd better run!"
Obviously, the task was bricked, but the player doesn't know that immediately. Instead of playing off of dice rolls, the player plays of the situation as his character senses, tastes, feels, sees, hears it.
It's a much more engrossing way to play.
.
