Page 3 of 9

Re: Stars Without Numbers

Posted: Mon Jan 11, 2016 3:16 am
by Penny-Whistle
=)

Do tell! hahaha

Re: Stars Without Numbers

Posted: Fri Jan 15, 2016 5:25 pm
by Penny-Whistle
Game on tonight. New time 7:00 Central. Hope to see you there.

Re: Stars Without Numbers

Posted: Fri Jan 15, 2016 9:43 pm
by Treebore
Penny-Whistle wrote:Game on tonight. New time 7:00 Central. Hope to see you there.
My wife and I aren't going out or anything, so I plan on being "there".

Re: Stars Without Numbers

Posted: Fri Jan 15, 2016 11:12 pm
by Tadhg
Yah mo be there.

This hobo needs credits.

I think our group should become space rustlers.

8-)

Re: Stars Without Numbers

Posted: Sat Jan 16, 2016 5:03 am
by Tadhg
Great game tonight!

With our increased credits, perhaps we can find a planet to buy stuff as we travel back or to the next mission after finding the motherlode cache of credits in the cave we are exploring.

And I remind myself to continue reading the gamebook and reviewing all the good stuff that I should have at my fingertips when we're playing.

I'm really liking this game and how you are presenting it.

Well done!

:)

Re: Stars Without Numbers

Posted: Sat Jan 16, 2016 5:34 am
by Penny-Whistle
XP: 300 (grand total 1300) If you survive next week you will probably level up.
Loot: salvaged drive system parts
UPDATE: Todd's stats are complete and based mostly off the AI rules but he is unique and deviates a little. I gave him the expert Criminal Package along with the Security skill. He now officially has a laser pistol. He is equipped with a standard armature.


The crew agreed that lingering on Liberty was probably going to be a bad idea so it left at the first opportunity. Mrs. Laveau provided the job: pick up some apples (a resurrected fruit that has been extinct for thousands of years) on Tohoku Station to deliver to a warlord on Sepulchre. The party successfully negotiated an increase in pay citing the danger involved and pointing out that they were the only ship anywhere near the area. The pay will be 5000 credits each on completion.

They safely landed at Tohoku Station, an uncharted planet in Sector 0406.

Before they arrived, the spokesperson Eriko wondered about these people coming to her secluded planet. The last group had behaved terribly. They did not pick up the cargo and leave but lingered for three days. On their last night they got very drunk. They started horsing around and managed to totally destroy one of the vegetable gardens. With winter coming the loss was going to be a big problem. It got worse. They attacked one of the women leaving her with a damaged spinal cord. She probably would never be able to walk again. Rather than live with the shame of defilement and the possibility of being a burden she decided to take her own life. Horrified, the village agreed the men must die.

Before the players' ship landed, Eriko consulted the I Ching Oracle about the party's character to see if they would also bring trouble to the community. It told her:

Deep Waters on the face of the Earth:
Surface waters flow together.
The Superior Person recognizes the situation calls for joining together.
Thus he cultivates friendly relations.

Good fortune is possible.

While loading up, the party was attacked by giant hunter wasps. Eriko was nearly killed in the attack but the party pulled her to safety and provided emergency medical care. In gratitude, the villagers provided a feast of rice, veggies and roasted fish for the party. The party allowed a couple of small children to use Todd as a target as long as they promised not to dent him with their acorns. Baxter also served target duty making one boy terribly happy when he made a 10 point head shot.

A teenager, Goro, told the party he was a kidnapped prince from Sepulchre. Eriko said he was a hormonal teenager with big dreams. His mother died in childbirth and his father refuses to acknowledge him. His adoptive mother knew his birth mother and decided she would care for him since no one else was available. He was about 5 years old when the group emigrated to Tohoku Station. When he comes of age he is free to leave the planet and return to Sepulchre if he wishes.

The boy Goro urged the party to join him on an adventure. He took them to a mysterious door in the mountainside. In the centre of the door was something that looked like a bright pink human ear. Above the doorway was an inscription. When the party guessed the answer to the riddle, the ear turned bright green and the door slid open. Down a dark passage the party encountered several Mothras attracted to their torchlight.The nasty stings of the Mothras were loaded with a poison that induced a nightmare state. Luckily, the party was able to destroy the moths. At present they are standing in front of another door. This one does not have an ear or inscription.

The party members didn't know it but during the bonfire, the children decided to have a poetry contest. Some of the more memorable poems went like this:

There once was a pilot all new to his sloop,
Who found himself in an asteroid soup.
As they flew through the cloud,
His copilot yelled loud,
"I think I'm going to poop."

There once was a cowboy whose horse,
Had the power to leap with great force,
Into space she did jump,
How the cowboy did slump,
When he died in the vacuum, of course.

There once was a scientist noob
Who mixed up some dangerous test tubes
The resulting explosion
caused quite a commotion
As the blast was considered most rude

There was a traveller so bright
He travelled much faster than light.
He set out one day
in a relative way,
and came back the previous night.

The poem about poop won of course.

Re: Stars Without Numbers

Posted: Sat Jan 16, 2016 5:47 pm
by Penny-Whistle
Rhuvein wrote:Yah mo be there.

This hobo needs credits.

I think our group should become space rustlers.

8-)
Perhaps you are on the look out for tribbles? I hear they make great pets.

Re: Stars Without Numbers

Posted: Sat Jan 16, 2016 5:53 pm
by Penny-Whistle
Rhuvein wrote:Great game tonight!

With our increased credits, perhaps we can find a planet to buy stuff as we travel back or to the next mission after finding the motherlode cache of credits in the cave we are exploring.

And I remind myself to continue reading the gamebook and reviewing all the good stuff that I should have at my fingertips when we're playing.

I'm really liking this game and how you are presenting it.

Well done!

:)

Thanks for the encouragement! I agree. I am really liking this system. Combat is quick and easy and having the option to visit many diverse worlds really opens up endless possibilities.
Let me know if you are interested in giving Hawthorn a physical disability or if that was just a brainstorm in passing. I would be willing to give him some kind of equivalent advantage in compensation. No problem if you want to keep him intact of course but I definitely can see story possibilities opening up if he does use a hovering device. You all have such great imaginations. This is turning into an interesting adventure.

Re: Stars Without Numbers

Posted: Sat Jan 16, 2016 7:10 pm
by Treebore
Yep, I enjoy it as well. My biggest problem is trying to play my character like the "new guy" that he is, rather than trying to use all the lessons learned in all the other sci fi games I've played or ran. Such as the not leaving the ship unmanned part. I was thinking of all the things I have seen go wrong in other games, while trying to think why this character wouldn't leave the ship unmanned. Then I remembered Damage Control/Response. You never know when an electrical fire or other problems are going to occur, which is a large part of why, as someone brought up, you never just shut down a US Navy ship and leave it dock side. Any system left up and running can have some kind of failure at any time. While its rare, it can and does happen. Every fire I responded to while on my ship was due to such a failure, and I had 3 such fires in the 5 years I was on my ship. I also know our ship has many of the same systems as my old Submarine did, just far more technologically advanced. Hopefully that means it is even far less likely for such system failures to occur, but I doubt it completely eliminates them.

So while our GM may not have been having any intention of having such an event occur last night, it doesn't mean she won't in the future, so its best to establish such "protocols" now, such as ALWAYS keeping our ship locked up. Whether we are in it or not. Why? Because you never know when someone might decide they own your ship, and you shouldn't.

Re: Stars Without Numbers

Posted: Sat Jan 16, 2016 7:51 pm
by Penny-Whistle
Treebore wrote:Yep, I enjoy it as well. My biggest problem is trying to play my character like the "new guy" that he is, rather than trying to use all the lessons learned in all the other sci fi games I've played or ran. Such as the not leaving the ship unmanned part. I was thinking of all the things I have seen go wrong in other games, while trying to think why this character wouldn't leave the ship unmanned. Then I remembered Damage Control/Response. You never know when an electrical fire or other problems are going to occur, which is a large part of why, as someone brought up, you never just shut down a US Navy ship and leave it dock side. Any system left up and running can have some kind of failure at any time. While its rare, it can and does happen. Every fire I responded to while on my ship was due to such a failure, and I had 3 such fires in the 5 years I was on my ship. I also know our ship has many of the same systems as my old Submarine did, just far more technologically advanced. Hopefully that means it is even far less likely for such system failures to occur, but I doubt it completely eliminates them.

So while our GM may not have been having any intention of having such an event occur last night, it doesn't mean she won't in the future, so its best to establish such "protocols" now, such as ALWAYS keeping our ship locked up. Whether we are in it or not. Why? Because you never know when someone might decide they own your ship, and you shouldn't.
Your party composition is new. You are all just beginning to establish safety procedures and protocols. As well as learning each person's relative strengths and weaknesses.

But I don't think of your characters as new guys at all. Your character had to have received extensive training just to be able to pilot a starship. If you want to leave him with the ship because his expertise demands it, then that seems perfectly reasonable to me. He is your character and you have total control over his actions. I am glad you are thinking of making another character so you can participate in the field trips. And if you don't find the time to create her, Todd has been completed and you are welcome to play him.

I suspect you'll be leaving the planet sooner rather than later to make sure the apples are in good shape for final delivery. Your pilot's unique skills are more and more likely to come into play as the party begins to spend more time travelling.

Re: Stars Without Numbers

Posted: Sat Jan 16, 2016 11:27 pm
by Treebore
Penny-Whistle wrote:
Treebore wrote:Yep, I enjoy it as well. My biggest problem is trying to play my character like the "new guy" that he is, rather than trying to use all the lessons learned in all the other sci fi games I've played or ran. Such as the not leaving the ship unmanned part. I was thinking of all the things I have seen go wrong in other games, while trying to think why this character wouldn't leave the ship unmanned. Then I remembered Damage Control/Response. You never know when an electrical fire or other problems are going to occur, which is a large part of why, as someone brought up, you never just shut down a US Navy ship and leave it dock side. Any system left up and running can have some kind of failure at any time. While its rare, it can and does happen. Every fire I responded to while on my ship was due to such a failure, and I had 3 such fires in the 5 years I was on my ship. I also know our ship has many of the same systems as my old Submarine did, just far more technologically advanced. Hopefully that means it is even far less likely for such system failures to occur, but I doubt it completely eliminates them.

So while our GM may not have been having any intention of having such an event occur last night, it doesn't mean she won't in the future, so its best to establish such "protocols" now, such as ALWAYS keeping our ship locked up. Whether we are in it or not. Why? Because you never know when someone might decide they own your ship, and you shouldn't.
Your party composition is new. You are all just beginning to establish safety procedures and protocols. As well as learning each person's relative strengths and weaknesses.

But I don't think of your characters as new guys at all. Your character had to have received extensive training just to be able to pilot a starship. If you want to leave him with the ship because his expertise demands it, then that seems perfectly reasonable to me. He is your character and you have total control over his actions. I am glad you are thinking of making another character so you can participate in the field trips. And if you don't find the time to create her, Todd has been completed and you are welcome to play him.

I suspect you'll be leaving the planet sooner rather than later to make sure the apples are in good shape for final delivery. Your pilot's unique skills are more and more likely to come into play as the party begins to spend more time travelling.
I'm not feeling like my character is being useless. After all, even when he is spending time on the ship, he is reconstructing the robot, which will come in as yet another handy resource once its operational. In fact, I am thinking of using that skill point to enable it to do maintenance/repair.

Re: Stars Without Numbers

Posted: Sun Jan 17, 2016 12:22 am
by Penny-Whistle
Treebore wrote:
Penny-Whistle wrote:
Treebore wrote:Yep, I enjoy it as well. My biggest problem is trying to play my character like the "new guy" that he is, rather than trying to use all the lessons learned in all the other sci fi games I've played or ran. Such as the not leaving the ship unmanned part. I was thinking of all the things I have seen go wrong in other games, while trying to think why this character wouldn't leave the ship unmanned. Then I remembered Damage Control/Response. You never know when an electrical fire or other problems are going to occur, which is a large part of why, as someone brought up, you never just shut down a US Navy ship and leave it dock side. Any system left up and running can have some kind of failure at any time. While its rare, it can and does happen. Every fire I responded to while on my ship was due to such a failure, and I had 3 such fires in the 5 years I was on my ship. I also know our ship has many of the same systems as my old Submarine did, just far more technologically advanced. Hopefully that means it is even far less likely for such system failures to occur, but I doubt it completely eliminates them.

So while our GM may not have been having any intention of having such an event occur last night, it doesn't mean she won't in the future, so its best to establish such "protocols" now, such as ALWAYS keeping our ship locked up. Whether we are in it or not. Why? Because you never know when someone might decide they own your ship, and you shouldn't.
Your party composition is new. You are all just beginning to establish safety procedures and protocols. As well as learning each person's relative strengths and weaknesses.

But I don't think of your characters as new guys at all. Your character had to have received extensive training just to be able to pilot a starship. If you want to leave him with the ship because his expertise demands it, then that seems perfectly reasonable to me. He is your character and you have total control over his actions. I am glad you are thinking of making another character so you can participate in the field trips. And if you don't find the time to create her, Todd has been completed and you are welcome to play him.

I suspect you'll be leaving the planet sooner rather than later to make sure the apples are in good shape for final delivery. Your pilot's unique skills are more and more likely to come into play as the party begins to spend more time travelling.
I'm not feeling like my character is being useless. After all, even when he is spending time on the ship, he is reconstructing the robot, which will come in as yet another handy resource once its operational. In fact, I am thinking of using that skill point to enable it to do maintenance/repair.
I hope nobody suggested he was. I am going to spend some time this week thinking about how to assign xp to a split party.

Re: Stars Without Numbers

Posted: Sun Jan 17, 2016 1:15 am
by Treebore
Name: Maureen Glasko.
Psychic Level 2

STATS
S 11
D 14 +1
I 12
W 12
Con 18 +2
Ch 09

HP: 11

Special Ability: Psychic Disciplines
Attack Bonus: 0

Saves:
Physical Effect Save: 13
Mental Effect Save: 12
Evasion Save: 15
Tech Save: 16
Luck: 14

Background: Biotech Crew
Training Package: Academy Graduate
Skills: Combat/Psi Tech 1, Culture/Space 0, Persuade 0, Science 0, Tech/Astronautic 0, Tech/Medical 01, Tech/Psi Tech 0
Psi Points: 8
Discipline (Primary) Metapsionic Skill 2
Power 1: Psychic Harmonization (page 27) Cost: 1
Power 2: Psionic Static Field Cost: 3
Discipline 2 Telekinesis 2
Power 1: Remote Manipulation (page 29) Cost 1
Power 2: Telekinetic Press Cost 3

Homeworld: The one we are currently on
Languages: English,
Money: 500 credits
Equipment:
Gear:, Monoblade, Woven Body Armor, Lazarus Patches x3, Power Cell, Type A, x5

Maureen went to planet (X) with her mother and father. All 3 are secretly Psychic. Maureen is tired of having to hide her abilities from her so called “friends” in fear of their burning/horribly killing her and her parents as a “witch”. She wishes to leave this planet and find people she can be safely “open” among. She thought she had her chance when after many years a merchant group was allowed planet side. Unfortunately they turned out to be a very violent group and were executed en masse. A new group has arrived, and they seem to actually be friendly. Will she finally get off this planet?

Re: Stars Without Numbers

Posted: Sun Jan 17, 2016 1:49 am
by Treebore
Huh, I just ordered the soft cover POD of the core book, and the "expanded" PDF for it is the exact same as the free one we have been using. At least they have the same page count. I have yet to spot the Mech chapter, etc..

Edit: they are identical.

Re: Stars Without Numbers

Posted: Sun Jan 17, 2016 2:16 am
by Tadhg
Treebore wrote:Yep, I enjoy it as well. My biggest problem is trying to play my character like the "new guy" that he is, rather than trying to use all the lessons learned in all the other sci fi games I've played or ran. Such as the not leaving the ship unmanned part. I was thinking of all the things I have seen go wrong in other games, while trying to think why this character wouldn't leave the ship unmanned. Then I remembered Damage Control/Response. You never know when an electrical fire or other problems are going to occur, which is a large part of why, as someone brought up, you never just shut down a US Navy ship and leave it dock side. Any system left up and running can have some kind of failure at any time. While its rare, it can and does happen. Every fire I responded to while on my ship was due to such a failure, and I had 3 such fires in the 5 years I was on my ship. I also know our ship has many of the same systems as my old Submarine did, just far more technologically advanced. Hopefully that means it is even far less likely for such system failures to occur, but I doubt it completely eliminates them.

So while our GM may not have been having any intention of having such an event occur last night, it doesn't mean she won't in the future, so its best to establish such "protocols" now, such as ALWAYS keeping our ship locked up. Whether we are in it or not. Why? Because you never know when someone might decide they own your ship, and you shouldn't.
Good post and I'm with you now. After digesting what you said last night and reading this, it seems that until we really know the game and technical aspects - we probably should have someone on board when we leave.

Another part of me wondered (and maybe you did too, Tree) if you had a concern that if we left the ship, that the GM might take an opportunity to have an in-ship problem come up. I didn't say anything in game, as perhaps that's metagaming.

More food for thought:

Back to learning/knowing the game and this leaving the ship thing - I'm thinking that advanced computers would monitor the ship's internal and external systems and provide all safety measures like putting out any fires, administering security and pretty much anything else that could come up - and of course, it would be in constant communications with us.

:)

Re: Stars Without Numbers

Posted: Sun Jan 17, 2016 2:18 am
by Tadhg
Penny-Whistle wrote:
Rhuvein wrote:Yah mo be there.

This hobo needs credits.

I think our group should become space rustlers.

8-)
Perhaps you are on the look out for tribbles? I hear they make great pets.
Emm, that could be trouble! ;)

Re: Stars Without Numbers

Posted: Sun Jan 17, 2016 2:20 am
by Tadhg
Penny-Whistle wrote:brainstorm in passing.
I have those a lot as I'm sure you guys do ~ and then if I don't write it down, I forget! :lol:

Re: Stars Without Numbers

Posted: Sun Jan 17, 2016 2:22 am
by Tadhg
Penny-Whistle wrote:Let me know if you are interested in giving Hawthorn a physical disability or if that was just a brainstorm in passing. I would be willing to give him some kind of equivalent advantage in compensation. No problem if you want to keep him intact of course but I definitely can see story possibilities opening up if he does use a hovering device. You all have such great imaginations. This is turning into an interesting adventure.
Thanks for the offer, I will mull it over (during a bubble bath with Myrtle).

:P

Re: Stars Without Numbers

Posted: Sun Jan 17, 2016 2:25 am
by Tadhg
Treebore wrote:Name: Maureen Glasko.
Psychic Level 2
Very excellent!

I liked what little I read about the psychic and was tempted but didn't have the wherewithal to try it until I know the game better.

But, I'm glad you are giving it a go!

:P

Re: Stars Without Numbers

Posted: Sun Jan 17, 2016 5:03 am
by Treebore
Rhuvein wrote:
Treebore wrote:Yep, I enjoy it as well. My biggest problem is trying to play my character like the "new guy" that he is, rather than trying to use all the lessons learned in all the other sci fi games I've played or ran. Such as the not leaving the ship unmanned part. I was thinking of all the things I have seen go wrong in other games, while trying to think why this character wouldn't leave the ship unmanned. Then I remembered Damage Control/Response. You never know when an electrical fire or other problems are going to occur, which is a large part of why, as someone brought up, you never just shut down a US Navy ship and leave it dock side. Any system left up and running can have some kind of failure at any time. While its rare, it can and does happen. Every fire I responded to while on my ship was due to such a failure, and I had 3 such fires in the 5 years I was on my ship. I also know our ship has many of the same systems as my old Submarine did, just far more technologically advanced. Hopefully that means it is even far less likely for such system failures to occur, but I doubt it completely eliminates them.

So while our GM may not have been having any intention of having such an event occur last night, it doesn't mean she won't in the future, so its best to establish such "protocols" now, such as ALWAYS keeping our ship locked up. Whether we are in it or not. Why? Because you never know when someone might decide they own your ship, and you shouldn't.
Good post and I'm with you now. After digesting what you said last night and reading this, it seems that until we really know the game and technical aspects - we probably should have someone on board when we leave.

Another part of me wondered (and maybe you did too, Tree) if you had a concern that if we left the ship, that the GM might take an opportunity to have an in-ship problem come up. I didn't say anything in game, as perhaps that's metagaming.

More food for thought:

Back to learning/knowing the game and this leaving the ship thing - I'm thinking that advanced computers would monitor the ship's internal and external systems and provide all safety measures like putting out any fires, administering security and pretty much anything else that could come up - and of course, it would be in constant communications with us.

:)
While I would agree that could be entirely possible for advanced tech ships, the chapter on space ships starts off saying all my fears I brought up are well founded. So apparently Tech 4 ships are not very close to being fully automated for such problems.

Re: Stars Without Numbers

Posted: Sun Jan 17, 2016 4:57 pm
by Penny-Whistle
Welcome, Maureen Glasko. I am excited to see the Psychic in play.
EDIT: One quibble. You don't say how old she is. If she was a minor when her family came to Tohoku Station then she couldn't have trained at an official Academy. Perhaps she was already an adult when she moved there? I have an idea to explain how she could have received the training on the planet but I won't reveal that idea until after you finish the dungeon.

Housekeeping Stuff:


I decided that if a party is split everyone will still earn the same xp. Some jobs may appear more or less glamorous/dangerous but they are all vital to your survival.

I am writing up a table that will itemize the xp for various activities (skill check, saving throw, role playing, healing, killing etc). So far I've been winging it and not liking the results. Suggestions are welcome.

Doing this from a sandbox approach does change a lot of things. I will always have a couple of handy pre-made dungeons but I encourage everyone to trust in the tables and let us see where random rolls will take us. The more checks and risks you take, the more you will find. But no pressure. I like making mini dungeons =)

I am concerned that when Marco stays on the ship he will be unable to accomplish his character goal of becoming a great trader. He won't have opportunities to find goods or make connections with locals. I suppose I could have locals come to the ship but I am reluctant to go there because split plots get tedious for the players who have to wait around.

So, to build on Rhuvein's suggestion ... suppose that in THIS universe the ship is fully capable of looking after itself for short periods of time. The hull is stronger than the vast majority of weapons found planet-side. The locks have been enhanced through Ingrid's tinkering and super mathmo skills. For internal issues: it has a fire prevention system with sensors and fire extinguishers. When locked, the motion detectors are automatically activated and will inform you if you have vermin or a stowaway on board. I am certain Treebore could think of many more possibilities. It might be kind of fun to make a list of Bad Things That Could Happen and how the ship might take care of each problem. These details still can add to the fun. Example, while you were away there was a fire in Hawthorn's room. When you return to the ship he finds his little space filled with foam. As soon as he touches the foam he has a serious allergic response. It was never safety tested for Halflings ...

I'll give the veto power to Treebore on this idea. If this breaks the verisimilitude for you then we will just carry on.

Re: Stars Without Numbers

Posted: Sun Jan 17, 2016 6:17 pm
by alcyone
Well, another thing is we can upgrade the ship over time to do the things we want it to do, including alarms and security.

Re: Stars Without Numbers

Posted: Sun Jan 17, 2016 8:37 pm
by Treebore
I was figuring her parents trained her. They are Academy Psychs, so taught their daughter the same techniques, etc...

Re: Stars Without Numbers

Posted: Sun Jan 17, 2016 11:16 pm
by Tadhg
Treebore wrote:While I would agree that could be entirely possible for advanced tech ships, the chapter on space ships starts off saying all my fears I brought up are well founded. So apparently Tech 4 ships are not very close to being fully automated for such problems.
Thanks, I'll have to read that chapter. I think I only paged through it to get a rough idea about our ship.

Re: Stars Without Numbers

Posted: Tue Jan 19, 2016 1:43 am
by Treebore
BTW, I THINK I understand the Psychic Rules, but am not sure. IE I think my rank within each discipline determines which powers are available to me, it pretty clearly states the skill rank can be equal to my class level, and in addition to normal skill points, it seems to pretty clearly say a Psychic gets to spend a point on their Primary Psychic ability as well as one other, which is what I did.

Edit: So what I am asking is if you, Penny, think I am properly interpreting the rules, or do you think they say something else? While it seems pretty clear, there is room for seeing it differently, so I want to know if we are on the same page, or if not, how I can get on it.

Re: Stars Without Numbers

Posted: Tue Jan 19, 2016 4:22 pm
by Penny-Whistle
Treebore wrote:BTW, I THINK I understand the Psychic Rules, but am not sure. IE I think my rank within each discipline determines which powers are available to me, it pretty clearly states the skill rank can be equal to my class level, and in addition to normal skill points, it seems to pretty clearly say a Psychic gets to spend a point on their Primary Psychic ability as well as one other, which is what I did.

Edit: So what I am asking is if you, Penny, think I am properly interpreting the rules, or do you think they say something else? While it seems pretty clear, there is room for seeing it differently, so I want to know if we are on the same page, or if not, how I can get on it.
I asked Kevin Crawford a "hypothetical" question ;) What a nice person! He wrote back straight away.

"Psychics get the actual powers automatically as they level up- +1 level in their primary discipline, and +1 more level in any other discipline of their choice. Thus, a 3rd level Psychic has six levels of disciplines- 3 in her primary, and 3 more spread among whatever other disciplines she's developed.

As a consequence, if that Psychic has a +2 attribute modifier, she has 15 PP right now, less whatever she's spent mastering her abilities. She gets 3 at first level (1+2), 5 more at second (3+2), and 7 more at 3rd (5+2).

If she now decides she wants to master some of her powers, so she can use them freely without spending PP, she can permanently expend some of those PP to burn in the talent. 1st level powers cost 1 PP to master, 2nd cost 3, and she can't master 3rd level powers until she gains a level, since you can only master abilities of lower level than you are.

With hopes that this clarifies,
Kevin Crawford"

So, yeah. Your understanding appears perfect. Nicely done. Did you 'master' those powers or do you just 'know' them?

Re: Stars Without Numbers

Posted: Tue Jan 19, 2016 6:01 pm
by Treebore
Penny-Whistle wrote:
Treebore wrote:BTW, I THINK I understand the Psychic Rules, but am not sure. IE I think my rank within each discipline determines which powers are available to me, it pretty clearly states the skill rank can be equal to my class level, and in addition to normal skill points, it seems to pretty clearly say a Psychic gets to spend a point on their Primary Psychic ability as well as one other, which is what I did.

Edit: So what I am asking is if you, Penny, think I am properly interpreting the rules, or do you think they say something else? While it seems pretty clear, there is room for seeing it differently, so I want to know if we are on the same page, or if not, how I can get on it.
I asked Kevin Crawford a "hypothetical" question ;) What a nice person! He wrote back straight away.

"Psychics get the actual powers automatically as they level up- +1 level in their primary discipline, and +1 more level in any other discipline of their choice. Thus, a 3rd level Psychic has six levels of disciplines- 3 in her primary, and 3 more spread among whatever other disciplines she's developed.

As a consequence, if that Psychic has a +2 attribute modifier, she has 15 PP right now, less whatever she's spent mastering her abilities. She gets 3 at first level (1+2), 5 more at second (3+2), and 7 more at 3rd (5+2).

If she now decides she wants to master some of her powers, so she can use them freely without spending PP, she can permanently expend some of those PP to burn in the talent. 1st level powers cost 1 PP to master, 2nd cost 3, and she can't master 3rd level powers until she gains a level, since you can only master abilities of lower level than you are.

With hopes that this clarifies,
Kevin Crawford"

So, yeah. Your understanding appears perfect. Nicely done. Did you 'master' those powers or do you just 'know' them?
I just know them. I'll probably engage in mastering down the road, for now I just want to get a feel for what can be done with the PP she has.

Re: Stars Without Numbers

Posted: Wed Jan 20, 2016 3:08 am
by Tadhg
Penny-Whistle wrote:So, to build on Rhuvein's suggestion ... suppose that in THIS universe the ship is fully capable of looking after itself for short periods of time. The hull is stronger than the vast majority of weapons found planet-side. The locks have been enhanced through Ingrid's tinkering and super mathmo skills. For internal issues: it has a fire prevention system with sensors and fire extinguishers. When locked, the motion detectors are automatically activated and will inform you if you have vermin or a stowaway on board. I am certain Treebore could think of many more possibilities. It might be kind of fun to make a list of Bad Things That Could Happen and how the ship might take care of each problem. These details still can add to the fun. Example, while you were away there was a fire in Hawthorn's room. When you return to the ship he finds his little space filled with foam. As soon as he touches the foam he has a serious allergic response. It was never safety tested for Halflings ...

I'll give the veto power to Treebore on this idea. If this breaks the verisimilitude for you then we will just carry on.
I did review the starship section along with system/world building and your ideas based on my suggestions seem appropriate per the rules, if you were to incorporate them.

But, I'm happy to agree to let Treebore veto the idea! Now that we have another PC added to the party, then the pilot probably should stay with the ship!

8-)

Re: Stars Without Numbers

Posted: Wed Jan 20, 2016 4:17 am
by Tadhg
The paragraphs on salvage and interstellar trade are very interesting!

:)

Re: Stars Without Numbers

Posted: Wed Jan 20, 2016 5:00 am
by Treebore
Rhuvein wrote:
Penny-Whistle wrote:So, to build on Rhuvein's suggestion ... suppose that in THIS universe the ship is fully capable of looking after itself for short periods of time. The hull is stronger than the vast majority of weapons found planet-side. The locks have been enhanced through Ingrid's tinkering and super mathmo skills. For internal issues: it has a fire prevention system with sensors and fire extinguishers. When locked, the motion detectors are automatically activated and will inform you if you have vermin or a stowaway on board. I am certain Treebore could think of many more possibilities. It might be kind of fun to make a list of Bad Things That Could Happen and how the ship might take care of each problem. These details still can add to the fun. Example, while you were away there was a fire in Hawthorn's room. When you return to the ship he finds his little space filled with foam. As soon as he touches the foam he has a serious allergic response. It was never safety tested for Halflings ...

I'll give the veto power to Treebore on this idea. If this breaks the verisimilitude for you then we will just carry on.
I did review the starship section along with system/world building and your ideas based on my suggestions seem appropriate per the rules, if you were to incorporate them.

But, I'm happy to agree to let Treebore veto the idea! Now that we have another PC added to the party, then the pilot probably should stay with the ship!

8-)
I'm fine with doing this. Just the book says that maintenance is a big issue, and break downs of one or another are still very common. I would think, so agree with, a hi tech ship being fully capable of monitoring itself, detecting a failing component before it even fails, replacing or repairing itself before the failure even occurs, preventing the fire by detecting the increase in heat before actual combustion, etc... makes perfect sense to me in a hi tech ship.