--- /dev/null Thu Jan 01 00:00:00 1970 +0000
+++ b/draft/scatter-4.txt Wed Aug 30 21:32:44 2006 -0400
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+| |-+ *Scattershot <http://www.indie-rpgs.com/forum/index.php?board=22.0>*
+| | |-+ *Part IV: Sorting the Nuts and Bolts
+<http://www.indie-rpgs.com/forum/index.php?topic=1096.0>* « previous
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+
+Author Topic: Part IV: Sorting the Nuts and Bolts (Read 596 times)
+
+*Le Joueur <http://www.indie-rpgs.com/forum/index.php?action=profile;u=73>*
+Member
+
+Posts: 1363
+
+
+View Profile
+<http://www.indie-rpgs.com/forum/index.php?action=profile;u=73> WWW
+<http://www.scattershotgames.com>
+
+<http://www.indie-rpgs.com/forum/index.php?topic=1096.msg10267#msg10267>
+*Part IV: Sorting the Nuts and Bolts
+<http://www.indie-rpgs.com/forum/index.php?topic=1096.msg10267#msg10267>*
+« * on:* December 28, 2001, 04:03:00 PM »
+
+
+------------------------------------------------------------------------
+December 28th, 2001 -
+
+At the behest of my friends here on the Forge, I will present
+Scattershot at the point I have it. Even though this is a
+work-in-progress and much of the terminology is in a state of flux, I am
+not trying to present a diary of the progress. Expect the lead
+component of this thread to undergo changes as Scattershot does. This
+edition was originally put together very early on Friday, December 28th,
+2001. This series of articles will detail strictly the mechanics of
+Scattershot, articles relating to the techniques of 'how to play' will
+have to wait until I have more of them centralized and organized. The
+third major component of the game, the setting and genre material is
+will be addressed once I get a new batch of playtesters.
+
+As promised /now/ we begin to describe the actual nuts and bolts of
+Scattershot's mechanics. Everything in Scattershot's mechanics revolves
+around resolution of actions that participants have their characters
+perform. In fact all other mechanics have been positioned so as to be
+simply another presentation of the resolution mechanic. In order to
+adequately explain all that goes into Scattershot's resolution process,
+first I need to lay out a number of descriptors.
+
+All things performed within Scattershot's resolution mechanic are
+described by Ratings. Mostly numeric, these Ratings are the most
+important part of this mechanic. There are many qualities and
+classifications involved in these Ratings and without describing what
+they are, a user might become confused what they are being asked to do.
+
+First of all, all Ratings in Scattershot break down into three different
+/Types/.
+
+Invoked
+
+ When the character performs an act or has one performed on them
+ (at either Specific
+ <http://www.indie-rpgs.com/forum/viewtopic.php?topic=1087&forum=2&0>
+ or Mechanical
+ <http://www.indie-rpgs.com/forum/viewtopic.php?topic=1087&forum=2&0>
+ play 'densities') a Rating is used to determine the
+ result.[/list:u]Magnitude
+
+ The Rating is used to determine how much of something can be
+ or is affected. In a fashion likened to Mayfair's DC
+ Heroes, Scattershot has a chart of 'amounts' that can be
+ affected (we have named this either the Universal
+ Equivalency or Universal Effect Chart - also known as the UE
+ or 'Huey' Chart). Lifting capability qualifies as one of
+ these.[/list:u]Resource
+
+ These Ratings are something that 'gets used up' during
+ play, either spent or reduced by circumstance.
+ Old-fashioned hit points are one example, but so are
+ Hero Games' Endurance Batteries.[/list:u]Next we
+ separate Ratings based on their /Application/.
+
+ Instantaneous
+
+ Any conscious action by a player results in this
+ kind of Application /for/ the character.
+ Examples would be things like sight-based
+ Observations, Fencing, Pottery, or any type of
+ Detection ability.[/list:u]Reactive
+
+ When some other party attempts an act
+ /upon/ a character or that might involve
+ them (whether they know it or not), this
+ is the type of Application used. Examples
+ include forms of sensation or magical
+ resistence.[/list:u]Residual
+
+ There are two kinds of Residual
+ Applications, on-the-spot and
+ preemptive. A preemptive Residual
+ Application happens when something
+ that is resolved has 'lingering'
+ effects. This might be how hard a
+ code is to break (which is created
+ when the code is invented); it could
+ also be how good a work of art is.
+ When an on-the-spot Residual
+ Application is required, it is
+ created right then, but treated as
+ though it had been continuously in
+ effect prior to when it was needed.
+ This could be a 'how well did I do
+ at the ball' savoir-faire result or
+ how well something was jury-rigged.
+ (Residual Applications form a
+ cornerstone to how the Scattershot
+ mechanic is used, but I'll get to
+ that later.)[/list:u]The next topic
+ is the /Kinds/ of Ratings there are
+ in Scattershot. I'll take them out
+ of order to make their structure and
+ relationships clearer.
+
+ Preternatural or Supernatural Abilities
+
+ This includes all manner of
+ superpowers and magical
+ effects. If you are doing it
+ with something other than your
+ hands or physical tools, it's
+ probably one of these. Every
+ use of a Rating in Scattershot
+ actually involves two Ratings
+ (but in some they can be
+ somewhat hidden). The first
+ is some measure or limit on
+ how much can be affected.
+ This 'quantity' (this is in
+ quotes because sometimes the
+ 'quantity' can be a distance
+ or a philosophical property or
+ otherwise) is indexed on the
+ UE Chart often using a
+ Statistic (more on these
+ later) for both superpowers
+ and magic (and most of the
+ rest of these abilities too).
+
+ The second Rating is the
+ number that the dice are
+ actually used with. This is a
+ Rating of efficacy that the
+ character can perform the
+ appropriate action with. When
+ the dice are compared to this
+ Rating, the /quality/ of the
+ success (or failure) is
+ determined. That's the basic
+ structure of all Scattershot's
+ resolutions. Know the amount
+ affected, randomly check
+ against the character's
+ efficacy, and determine the
+ result.
+
+ In the case of a superhero,
+ except in special
+ circumstances, all their
+ powers will be based on a
+ single Statistic, likewise
+ with a mage or psychic. When
+ these kinds of abilities are
+ Reactive they include things
+ like 'active' defenses. In
+ Residual Application these are
+ things like force fields,
+ memory wipes, illusions and
+ the like.[/list:u]Skills
+
+ These include primarily
+ things a character has
+ learned or is talented
+ with. Things that can
+ be done in the 'mundane'
+ fashion are considered
+ skills. The major thing
+ that separates skills
+ from the above abilities
+ is that skills use
+ static limits of what
+ can be affected. For
+ example, a psychic might
+ be able to lift a car
+ with telekinesis only
+ when something boosts
+ their power level, but
+ an auto mechanic is able
+ to repair a single car
+ in about 3 hours.
+ Modifiers alter this,
+ but not the same way as
+ a magician is slave to
+ the amount of
+ 'available' magic. Each
+ skill lists its base
+ parameters (and all of
+ them happen to be based
+ on 5 templates that are
+ offered later to create
+ additional material).
+ (An example of a Skill
+ used Reactively would be
+ a counterfieter
+ recognizing a forgery
+ that, itself, is a
+ Residual Application of
+ the skill used of the
+ original
+ forger.)[/list:u]Statistics
+
+ There are 6 Stats
+ in Scattershot
+ Strength, Agility,
+ Hit Points,
+ Reaction,
+ Observation, and
+ Power
+ (surprisingly it
+ /can/ be
+ pronounced;
+ SAHROP). Stats
+ are Ratings that
+ are
+ 'self-referent,'
+ this means that
+ when a roll is
+ needed, the amount
+ effected is also
+ indexed with the
+ same Stat.
+ Strength and
+ Power are
+ primarily
+ Magnitudes.
+ Agility,
+ Reaction, and
+ Observation are
+ usually Invoked.
+ This leaves Hit
+ Points (and in
+ some genres,
+ Power) as mostly
+ Resources. (Power
+ is used as a
+ Reactive, Invoked
+ ability when
+ preternatural
+ characters act
+ upon 'natural'
+ characters. A
+ high Agility can
+ afford a small
+ Residual bonus on
+ skills listing its
+ effect.) I can go
+ into the unusual
+ interpretations of
+ these seemingly
+ classic Stats if
+ requested, but I
+ will leave that
+ until
+ later.[/list:u]Advantages
+ (and Disadvantages)
+
+ These are
+ the only
+ Ratings that
+ do not occur
+ as numerical
+ (especially
+ in the Basic
+ mechanics
+ <http://www.indie-rpgs.com/forum/viewtopic.php?topic=1087&forum=2&0>).
+ Their
+ primary use
+ is in
+ General Play
+ <http://www.indie-rpgs.com/forum/viewtopic.php?topic=1087&forum=2&0>,
+ but they
+ function as
+ Residual
+ Applications
+ when used in
+ either
+ Specific or
+ Mechanical
+ play
+ <http://www.indie-rpgs.com/forum/viewtopic.php?topic=1087&forum=2&0>.
+ Since they
+ rarely
+ benefit any
+ other roll
+ more than 1
+ point, the
+ horrors of
+ 'currency
+ issues'¹
+ never
+ arise.[/list:u]Like
+ Advantages
+ and
+ Disadvantages,
+ bonuses and
+ penalties
+ are treated
+ as Residual
+ Ratings.
+ This
+ becomes very
+ important in
+ certain
+ situations
+ in
+ Scattershot
+ and as far
+ as I know
+ may be an
+ original way
+ of looking
+ how these work.
+
+ There are a
+ few other
+ variations
+ worthy of
+ note in
+ Scattershot.
+ The
+ Durations of
+ ability
+ usage are
+ also very
+ important in
+ deciding how
+ an ability
+ affects
+ play. There
+ are three
+ Durations
+ noted in
+ Scattershot.
+
+ Immediate
+
+ These
+ are
+ acts
+ that
+ only
+ take a
+ single
+ action
+ by a
+ character,
+ like
+ firing
+ an
+ arrow
+ at a
+ target.[/list:u]Involved
+
+ These
+ activities
+ take
+ more
+ than
+ one
+ time
+ unit
+ in
+ Scattershot,
+ in
+ Mechanical
+ play
+ <http://www.indie-rpgs.com/forum/viewtopic.php?topic=1087&forum=2&0>,
+ the
+ exact
+ amount
+ of
+ time
+ can
+ be
+ very
+ important.
+ Sometimes
+ Involved
+ actions
+ are
+ considered
+ a
+ series
+ of
+ sequencial
+ actions,
+ such
+ as
+ taking
+ part
+ in
+ an
+ archery
+ tournament
+ (which
+ is
+ a
+ different
+ skill
+ than
+ normal
+ archery)
+ or
+ tracking
+ wild
+ game.
+ This
+ awareness
+ of
+ Duration
+ is
+ directly
+ linked
+ to
+ one
+ of
+ Scattershot
+ combat's
+ more
+ interesting
+ features
+ (but
+ I'll
+ save
+ that
+ for
+ later).[/list:u]Scenic
+ (I
+ really
+ need
+ a
+ different
+ word
+ here)
+
+ These
+ activities
+ basically
+ take
+ an
+ entire
+ scene
+ unto
+ themselves
+ to
+ play
+ out.
+ Only
+ on
+ rare
+ occasion
+ will
+ a
+ Scenic
+ Duration
+ skill
+ usage
+ be
+ 'played
+ out.'
+ They
+ are
+ usually
+ handled
+ during
+ naturally
+ occuring
+ breaks
+ in
+ play,
+ like
+ 'between'
+ scenes.
+ A
+ couple
+ of
+ examples
+ include
+ hunting
+ and
+ foraging.
+ Usage
+ of
+ a
+ Scenic
+ Duration
+ ability
+ usually
+ only
+ occurs
+ during
+ General
+ play
+ <http://www.indie-rpgs.com/forum/viewtopic.php?topic=1087&forum=2&0>.[/list:u]One
+ of
+ the
+ special
+ mechanics
+ in
+ Scattershot
+ involves
+ using
+ a
+ skill
+ (or
+ other
+ ability)
+ at
+ a
+ Duration
+ they
+ are
+ not
+ associated
+ with.
+ Using
+ 'strategy'
+ (managing
+ a
+ whole
+ battle)
+ in
+ place
+ of
+ 'tactics'
+ (taking
+ advantage
+ of
+ the
+ situations
+ of
+ a
+ fight)
+ is
+ one
+ example,
+ another
+ would
+ be
+ using
+ to
+ 'charm'
+ in
+ a
+ scene
+ in
+ place
+ of
+ 'savoir-faire.'
+ (This
+ 'defaulting'
+ is
+ actually
+ based
+ on
+ how
+ Scattershot
+ handles
+ the
+ bonuses
+ and
+ penalties
+ for
+ taking
+ more
+ or
+ less
+ time
+ to
+ do
+ something.)
+
+ Another
+ variation
+ noted
+ in
+ Scattershot
+ is
+ the
+ value
+ of
+ the
+ Scope
+ of
+ what
+ is
+ being
+ resolved.
+ This
+ not
+ only
+ includes
+ things
+ involved
+ with
+ concepts
+ like
+ the
+ Scope
+ of
+ a
+ subject
+ being
+ affected,
+ but
+ also
+ the
+ scope
+ of
+ those
+ performing
+ the
+ act.
+
+ Individual
+
+ Most
+ activities
+ are
+ resolved
+ on
+ this
+ level.
+ One
+ individual
+ acts
+ upon
+ another
+ or
+ a
+ small
+ group
+ (what
+ they
+ act
+ upon
+ is
+ alternatively
+ limited
+ by
+ the
+ UE
+ Chart).
+ This
+ works
+ on
+ every
+ 'density'
+ of
+ play
+ <http://www.indie-rpgs.com/forum/viewtopic.php?topic=1087&forum=2&0>
+ quite
+ easily.[/list:u]Squad
+ (another
+ term
+ that
+ needs
+ a
+ changing)
+
+ This
+ scope
+ is
+ especially
+ relevant
+ when
+ addressing
+ the
+ components
+ of
+ a
+ scene
+ individually
+ would
+ take
+ altogether
+ too
+ long,
+ destroying
+ 'flow
+ of
+ play.'
+ One
+ of
+ the
+ techniques
+ of
+ Scattershot
+ combat
+ involves
+ shifting
+ up
+ to
+ this
+ level
+ under
+ certain
+ circumstances.[/list:u]Mob
+ (and
+ so
+ on)
+
+ Other
+ Scopes
+ obviously
+ exist,
+ but
+ are
+ almost
+ always
+ handled
+ in
+ General
+ play
+ <http://www.indie-rpgs.com/forum/viewtopic.php?topic=1087&forum=2&0>
+ (though
+ sometimes
+ it
+ can
+ creep
+ down
+ to
+ Specific
+ play
+ <http://www.indie-rpgs.com/forum/viewtopic.php?topic=1087&forum=2&0>)
+ and
+ Scenic
+ Duration
+ (wars
+ can
+ be
+ handled
+ this
+ way).[/list:u]When
+ you
+ take
+ the
+ Types
+ and
+ Applications
+ of
+ a
+ Rating
+ into
+ account,
+ the
+ Kind,
+ Duration,
+ and
+ Scope
+ of
+ how
+ it
+ works,
+ you
+ begin
+ to
+ see
+ how
+ Scattershot
+ makes
+ use
+ of
+ the
+ Ratings
+ involved
+
+ Next
+ time,
+ peeling
+ away
+ the
+ layers
+ of
+ the
+ mechanics.
+
+ Fang
+ Langford
+
+ Logged
+
+------------------------------------------------------------------------
+Fang Langford is formerly the creator of the Scattershot Role-Playing
+Game System. This project has been permanently suspended. If you have
+any questions regarding the implementation of it or anything else, he
+can be reached at ripjack@mad.scientist.com
+<mailto:ripjack@mad.scientist.com>
+
+*Pages:* [*1*] Print
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