Money System

[Icel]

Re: Money System

 

That 450 credit spread is not an accurate representation of the difference between a person who makes 1 million a year and a person who makes $75,000 per year, IMO.

Again, this is only "creation" cash. After character creation the perk will work as you say in the game setting.

[Guest Black Lotus]

Re: Money System

 

Agian' date=' this is only "creation" cash. After character creation the perk will work as you say in the game setting.[/quote']

 

Icel, I think -- and this is my personal opinion -- that there are, realistically, only three ways to handle money in-game.

 

One is to allow "Money" Perks and Disads, as you plan on doing, and give each character a fixed income based on the level of Perk or Disadvantage he possesses, but not hand out money awards at all in-game. This works especially well for a sci-fi system where everyone has digital credsticks and the like. AND, it discourages too much corpse-looting for purposes of reselling the spoils of battle.

 

Another is to disallow the Money Perk entirely except to reflect the actual events in-game. In other words, the PCs are adventurers -- they get what they find, and nothing more. If they get a whole lot of money in-game, through stealing it or finding it or what have you, give them the Perk just to show that they're rich. This works well for Fantasy and Martial Arts campaigns, and is the default model for Post-Apocalyptic campaigns.

 

Third, but most complicated, is to allow both the Perks and the in-game awards. If you do this -- and I think this IS how you plan on doing it -- you have to reflect it by giving the characters with a Perk a steady income, which can be augmented with the spoils of battle and such, and TAKE a steady amount from the characters with Money Disads to show that they are in debt or just that they spend their money poorly. So if someone makes $1,000,000 a year, he gets (1,000,000/ 365) = $2740 a day, PLUS whatever spoils he gets from adventuring. If a character is really poor, just occasionally inform them that they have to ive up some money (this is tricky).

 

Each method has its advantages and disadvantages. Which one you use is up to you.

[Icel]

Re: Money System

 

I am going to use the third system, to some extent.

Players will be payed in-game for their work (as long as they stay mercs), but the basic value will be changed according to perk/disad they buy in character creation.

This basicly means that characters with the Money perk are more wealthy and/or know how to take care of their money, while character with the Money Disadvantage has trouble handlingmoney and/or are in debt.

So, the basic "wages" they get is not just the gross value, but the net value after "taxes" and/or "interest".

[Guest Black Lotus]

Re: Money System

 

I am going to use the third system, to some extent.

Players will be payed in-game for their work (as long as they stay mercs), but the basic value will be changed according to perk/disad they buy in character creation.

This basicly means that characters with the Money perk are more wealthy and/or know how to take care of their money, while character with the Money Disadvantage has trouble handlingmoney and/or are in debt.

So, the basic "wages" they get is not just the gross value, but the net value after "taxes" and/or "interest".

 

Or, alternatively, getting paid more Money could denote a higher rank or more seniority within the merc system that the PCs work for. Some players might be upset by such a decision, but I think it makes a lot of sense in game terms, and could create good roleplaying opportunities.

 

After all, higher rank comes with higher pay.

[Roy_The_Ruthles]

Re: Money System

 

i like the idea of buying rank as a perk, and rank has money as well as lots of other bonuses (like good bathrooms). That seems to make a lot of sense to me.

[Tom Carman]

Re: Money System

 

Just remember, money can be easily gained or lost, while Character Points spent on Advantages and Disadvantages may be semi-permanent or permanent.

 

Thus, I feel that permanently sacrificing CP to buy the "Money" Advantage should permanently provide one with more money, and vice versa -- not just on a one-time basis.

After years of playing Champions, I found tracking money to be a pain. If I start another game, I plan to use the Money perk to determine an income level. Then set some fraction of that as a "free expenditure" (as long as a player doesn't try to use it constantly) of the cash a player would normally have "on hand". A progressively steeper activation roll (possibly with Burnout or Jammed when their credit line is pushed too hard) would be applied when a player wants to spend a larger percentage of their income, with a reduced roll if they say (well ahead of time) that they are saving up for something. Some mission "treasure" would be a Money Favor: no-activation one-shot wealth usable for some large purchase(s), no change given when cashed in.