Light and Sound levels

[IndianaJoe3]

I've never liked the way Hero handles light creation. Images (only to create light) strikes me as an awful kludge - you aren't creating an image of anything, just letting people see what's already there. So, I created rules to facilitate this. They sort of expanded to codify ambient conditions for light/darkness and sound.

Change Environment

CE can now be used to change light levels. It costs 3 points for +/- one light level. CE may not reduce the light level below zero.

Images

Light Images now rely on ambient conditions to be perceived. They do not create light, and may require a PER roll to detect in adverse conditions. Sound Images default to a Sound Level of 6, but may be changed at will.

Advantage: Easily Perceived (+1/4) – An Easily Perceived Image can be detected regardless of the ambient conditions (visible in a dark room or audible in a noisy crowd).

Limitation: Obvious (-1/2) – an Obvious Image is automatically recognized as an image without a Perception roll.

 

Effects on Perception

Dark conditions give a -1 Sight PER modifier for every light level below 4. If the light level 0 or less, no sight perception rolls may be made (pitch blackness). Extremely bright conditions give a -1 penalty for every light level above 6. Some types of Sight Flash Defense may reduce this penalty at the GM's discretion.

 

Sample Light Levels

Cave Interior: 0

Moonless Night: 1

Moonlit Night: 2

Dim Interior Lighting: 3

Normal Interior Lighting: 4

Cloudy Day: 4

Full Sun: 6

Noon in the Sahara: 7

 

Listening for a quiet sound (less than the ambient sound level) incurs a -1 penalty for every sound level the sound is below ambient. Conversely, there is a +1 bonus for every level the sound is above ambient.

[Lucius]

Re: Light and Sound levels

 

It feels like I just got my computer online, and I'm already out of rep.

 

And I've ALWAYS thought using Images for light was a poor idea with no real justification at all.

 

And your proposal seems to me like a sound and enlightening idea.

 

Lucius Alexander

 

And an apparently disreputable palindromedary

[Duke Bushido]

Re: Light and Sound levels

 

Thanks, Joe. Very similar to what we do at our table. I'm assuming that the biggest differences are likely 6e related? (sound level; light level, etc)

 

Essentially we let Change Environment: Light reduce an amount of darkness-based PER rolls by the lower of the amount of light (ie, the amount of bonus assigned by the CE) or the total negative PER modifier imposed by the darkness in the first place.

 

(dark-based darkness; Not "Darkness, the Power"-based darkness, unless the SFX is something as basic as "destroys lightbulbs and closes miniblinds )

[IndianaJoe3]

Re: Light and Sound levels

 

Thanks' date=' Joe. Very similar to what we do at our table. I'm assuming that the biggest differences are likely 6e related? (sound level; light level, etc)[/quote']

 

I proposed these as a change for 6e, but they weren't included. They should work with everything from 4e on. (I can't remember when Images and Change Environment were added as powers.)

[Checkmate]

Re: Light and Sound levels

 

The only thing I don't like, I think Images should be able to generate their own light. I mean how do you do the D&D Spell Dancing Lights? Or the "Follow the glowing ball" trick?

[Hierax]

Re: Light and Sound levels

 

Looks pretty good and I like the idea of a continuum of values but more levels of granularity and/or greater penalties might be better.

 

e.g., Moonless Night is -2 to -3 PER but because PER is hardlinked into INT then some smart guy (INT 20+) can see as well on a Moonless Night as a Normal average Joe (INT 10) can see with Interior Lighting.

 

Can you extend/expand upon this?

[Duke Bushido]

Re: Light and Sound levels

 

I can't speak for anyone else, but I don't have an issue with an Image of a glowing ball or an image of dancing lights.

 

I have an issue with an image that isn't an image, but is instead "everything in your field of vision, only you can see it now as if the dark was gone."

 

Joe:

 

In the first two editions, Images was an EGO-based power called "Mental Illusions." Then the 2e supplement "Champions II" introduced "Light Images." 4e seems to be the point at which both were scaled back to basics sans any pre-assumed SFX (which I rather prefer anyway) and presented as the single Power: "Images."

 

Change Environment, as best I can tell from what I own, first appeared as canon in 4e.

[IndianaJoe3]

Re: Light and Sound levels

 

e.g.' date=' Moonless Night is -2 to -3 PER but because PER is hardlinked into INT then some smart guy (INT 20+) can see as well on a Moonless Night as a Normal average Joe (INT 10) can see with Interior Lighting.[/quote']

 

I think that changing this would require decoupling INT from Perception. The problem you identify exists in the rules as written (6e2 12).

[Duke Bushido]

Re: Light and Sound levels

 

And every edition prior to that one.