The UNIVERSAL GAME MECHANIC - better than ever edition

[Signal]

That's where I'm at too S4. When a non-combat skill throw is required it's usually a key part of the scenario - such as bouncing around in your ATV on Mithril or getting off planet in (shudder) Exit Visa.

I like the flavoursome elements of the skill throws as described in the rule book.

 

[Supplement Four]

I like the flavoursome elements of the skill throws as described in the rule book.

I love customizing a throw on the spot. Boom, bam. We're done. Move on. Nothing to look up. Nothing to bog the game down.

"My character shoves his shoulder into the hatch, pushing with all his might to force it open."

"No problem. Roll STR or less on 3D6."

"Hey! Last time this happened, you had me roll STR or less on 2D6!"

"Yeah...I did. This hatch is harder to force open than that one." :devil:



The simplicity of Classic Traveller.

I LOVE IT!

 

[Supplement Four]

Just found this. It's a pdf of the UGM, tweaked a bit by Omer Golan, but close enough to my original version for all practical purposes.

It's on the Children of Earth web site. The Universal Game Mechanic pdf.

 

[Frankymole]

The BITS task system combines the task levels for about 6 different versions of Traveller on one page: http://www.bitsuk.net/Archive/GameAids/GameAids.html

 

[Supplement Four]

Introduction


As the UGM is used in Traveller games, it's natural that people make suggestions and improvements are made. After the UGM was first developed and posted here on the CotI Forum, the UGM's revised version was released. Now, it's time to incorporate a few more tweaks, so I am presenting to you the "better than ever" edition.

What is the Universal Game Mechanic?

It's a task system for Classic Traveller. It's designed to be used with CT without changing official Classic Trav rules. Just pop this sucker into your game when you need a character to attempt a task.

As I was designing this task system, I benefitted greatly from the input of other Traveller gamers from both this forum and the TML. (See the threads on both this forum and the mailing list.)

The Universal Game Mechanic is a very simple task system that will be very familiar to Classic Traveller players. When a task is called for, the player simply rolls 2D, adds mods, for 8+.

Every UGM task roll succeeds if the throw totals 8+.

Besides that simplicity, what this task system will bring to your game is the influence of a character's natural ability (rarely referenced in official CT rules with respect to tasks). And, each and every level of a character's stat will provide a benefit (i.e. you won't have your Pilot-2 EDU-9 and Pilot-2 EDU-5 guys always making the same roll as you do with the DGP/MT task system).

The UGM is probably the most Classic-Traveller-centric, CT-intuitive task system I've ever designed.

I hope you find it useful in your games.

EDIT! Note the date! The UGM was written long before Mongoose's version of Traveller was born. My task system here is in no way a copy or version of the system used in MGT.



.

 

[HG_B]

The Universal Game Mechanic is a very simple task system that will be very familiar to Classic Traveller players. When a task is called for, the player simply rolls 2D, adds mods, for 8+.

Every UGM task roll succeeds if the throw totals 8+.

.

Been using this since 1980. Well, for CT games.

 

[Supplement Four]

Been using this since 1980. Well, for CT games.

And...the rest of the UGM? The way Stats and Skills are handled?

 

[HG_B]

And...the rest of the UGM? The way Stats and Skills are handled?

Just the part I quoted

 

[Supplement Four]

Just the part I quoted

Just the part you quoted is not the UGM. It's the overall target number taken directly from CT.

The UGM was designed for use specifically with CT, and, thus, using the 8+ target was intentional.

I made the edit above because the UGM and the Mongoose Task system are similar, and I've received comments that the UGM is based on the Mongoose system.

I'm just pointing out that I developed the UGM, right here on these boards, at least a year or so before MGT was born.

 

[HG_B]

Just the part you quoted is not the UGM. It's the overall target number taken directly from CT.

The UGM was designed for use specifically with CT, and, thus, using the 8+ target was intentional.

I made the edit above because the UGM and the Mongoose Task system are similar, and I've received comments that the UGM is based on the Mongoose system.

I'm just pointing out that I developed the UGM, right here on these boards, at least a year or so before MGT was born.

Cool! Looks like a certain publisher may of liked your ideas too...

 

[Supplement Four]

Cool! Looks like a certain publisher may of liked your ideas too...

Maybe. I sent it to them when they were developing MGT. They never said anything to me about it, though.

 

[Kpeterson]

Hello. I have a question about the UGM in relation to High Natural Ability and Fumbling. Pardon me if this has been already asked and answered within this thread.

Let's say you have a character with a 13 in an attribute that applies to a specific task roll. It's an Easy task, and the character has a skill that applies to the task. When the attempt is made, the player rolls snake-eyes. He's at a risk of fumbling, but with all of the +DM factored in (High Natural Ability, skill levels, task difficulty, situational modifiers) the result is 8+. Do you check for critical failure, and assume success if otherwise? Or does the successes negate the need to check for critical failure?

An edge case, I'm sure, but I'm curious how it resolves. Thanks.

 

[Shonner]

Two 2s trump any DM'd roll that was 8+. The roll is still a success, but the player is now blind. See Operation Annihilate! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jC6BXt6wl7k

 

[Kpeterson]

"Two 2's"? Sorry, your response didn't make any sense to me.

 

[Shonner]

"Two 2's"? Sorry, your response didn't make any sense to me.

I know, huh. Two 1s, I meant.

 

[Supplement Four]

Let's say you have a character with a 13 in an attribute that applies to a specific task roll. It's an Easy task, and the character has a skill that applies to the task. When the attempt is made, the player rolls snake-eyes. He's at a risk of fumbling, but with all of the +DM factored in (High Natural Ability, skill levels, task difficulty, situational modifiers) the result is 8+. Do you check for critical failure, and assume success if otherwise? Or does the successes negate the need to check for critical failure?

The double 1's (snake eyes) is your indicator that a critical failure may happen, regardless of modifiers. When you see the double 1's, do the Critical Failure Check. (When you see the double 6's, do the Critical Success Check.)

If Critical Failure is avoided by success on the Critical Failure check, then add up the dice + mods normally. You said the total is 8+, so the task would be a success.

If the Critical Failure Check is failed, then, regardless of the throw (the original dice + mods), the character suffers a Critical Failure.

 

[ebesensei]

PDF

Anywhere to download a consolidated PDF of this?

 

[Supplement Four]

Anywhere to download a consolidated PDF of this?

Just do a quick Google. The UGM was quite popular when I wrote it. I just typed in "Universal Game Mechanic", and the third hit is a pdf that Omar Golan did.

I know it's still posted on a couple of other sites, too.

Be sure to see if the author of the pdf made any changes (and report good changes!).

 

[Marchand]

This is a fantastic task system, and should form the basis of Traveller 6 (!).

I like the elegance of the way UGM differentiates each and every stat level.

However, the MGT system has a couple of extra features that are good to have: trading off time vs difficulty, and the rules for assisted effort, for example, I try to calibrate the sensors to help you trace the compound we need on that ice asteroid.

Time vs difficulty tradeoff seems like an easy plugin straight into UGM.

Assisted effort: you could give Task 2 a +1 DM if Task 1 succeeds, or a -1 if Task 1 fails. Maybe +2/-2 for critical. Ref discretion whether assistance is feasible, clearly (or the mods can mount up).

 

[Supplement Four]

This Thread may be interesting reading for the UGM user.