Template List for Space Opera Noir: what to include?

[Xavier Onassiss]

Re: Template List for Space Opera Noir: what to include?

 

As a varient of politician or lawyer' date=' you might want to think about a bureaucrat. Either in government or a mega-corperation.[/quote']

 

For a while I considered a very broad template called 'bureaucrat' which could be tailored for use as a politician or corporate character. (Tailored 'suit', get it? Oh, I'm sick!) Then I decided that concept was too 'generic' -- the government and corporate templates need to be distinct from each other, although both are types of bureaucrat. "Lawyer" is a bit more specific -- either of them could fill that role with a professional skill.

[Folded]

Re: Template List for Space Opera Noir: what to include?

 

It wouldn't really fit in as a template, but maybe some broad strokes on the 'unknowable alien'? I have always liked the idea of something living in a space and nobody is really sure what it is, why it's there, or what it wants. Station management doesn't have time to track down every individual who isn't posing a direct problem. Think Ambassador Kosh without the title. Total mystery that can range from minor flavor in a campaign to a major plot hook.

[Xavier Onassiss]

Re: Template List for Space Opera Noir: what to include?

 

It wouldn't really fit in as a template' date=' but maybe some broad strokes on the 'unknowable alien'? I have always liked the idea of something living in a space and nobody is really sure what it is, why it's there, or what it wants. Station management doesn't have time to track down every individual who isn't posing a direct problem. Think Ambassador Kosh without the title. Total mystery that can range from minor flavor in a campaign to a major plot hook.[/quote']

 

Heh. In the setting I'm working on, that goes for almost all the aliens by default. From the campaign intro:

 

An alien is not an actor with a forehead appliance. It’s a bizzare-looking life-form which evolved in an environment completely different from your own, with an utterly different means of breathing/eating/mating/trading/ communicating/thinking. It packs completely incomprehensible technology you've never seen before, and won't ever see if you're lucky. If you're not lucky, you will, if only for a few moments. Don’t p**s it off.

[Cancer]

Re: Template List for Space Opera Noir: what to include?

 

Entertainer/Performer, perhaps? Might have substantial overlap with Clergyman, though you would swap out the theology for musical instruments & composition, or perhaps drama, etc.

[Xavier Onassiss]

Re: Template List for Space Opera Noir: what to include?

 

Entertainer/Performer' date=' perhaps? Might have substantial overlap with Clergyman, though you would swap out the theology for musical instruments & composition, or perhaps drama, etc.[/quote']

 

Oh, good one. Entertainer goes right next to Escort on the list. That'll probably do it. (For now!) This is an ongoing project, so there will be more threads discussing other parts of the process.

[lapsedgamer]

Re: Template List for Space Opera Noir: what to include?

 

Have you thought about playable A.I. or androids? Might break the system, but you can't really talk about sci-fi noir without at least considering replicants/androids.

[mattingly]

Re: Template List for Space Opera Noir: what to include?

 

Instead of Escort, I'd recommend Socialite. The key is "people skills for their own sake." Looking at the Noir part of the setting, some of the first roles that came to mind for me were Private Eye and Socialite (aka romantic interest).

[Steve]

Re: Template List for Space Opera Noir: what to include?

 

I would suggest the addition of a Dilettante package for the wealthy sorts.

[mattingly]

Re: Template List for Space Opera Noir: what to include?

 

Right. I was thinking of Dilettante as being one of the subcategories under Socialite.

[Xavier Onassiss]

Re: Template List for Space Opera Noir: what to include?

 

Over the weekend I paged through Mongoose's new Dilettante supplement for Traveller. It included a wide variety of sub-types: socialites, athletes, wanderers, philanthropists, entertainers, and more. The only common thread among all of them was that they were 'amateur' adventurers who were independently wealthy and had a high Social Status. Although it had a lot of good ideas, there were really waaay too many archetypes for one Star Hero archetype to cover, IMHO.

 

Most of these archetypes are rather uncommon as PC concepts in my experience -- not that I'd have a problem with them in my campaign. I'm just not sure if any of them rate including a template. At some point you've just got to say 'if it's not on the list, you can roll your own' and let players with unusual character concepts do their own thing.

 

However, since Star Hero doesn't have a built-in Social Status mechanic, I might have a couple of add-on mini-templates which any character can use: one for High-Status characters, one for Low-Status. They could be added to any other templates to reflect a character's Social Standing.

[dmjalund]

Re: Template List for Space Opera Noir: what to include?

 

Reputation combined with Distinctive Features: expensive clothing + 'noble' bearing

[Xavier Onassiss]

Re: Template List for Space Opera Noir: what to include?

 

Reputation combined with Distinctive Features: expensive clothing + 'noble' bearing

 

Yes. High Society skill will be de rigeur, and a few points for other skills and perks to accessorize appropriately.

 

The "Low Status" template will look much the same, but with a different Reputation and Distinctive Features, and Streetwise instead of High Society skill. (Not that a well-rounded character couldn't have both!)

 

This goes back to what I said up-thread about many templates having a 'criminal' counterpart which actually is very similar to the 'legal' version -- they're often so close together there's no need to write up two templates. An add-on template to reflect their Social Standing (High or Low) is a good way to differentiate them without writing up a whole lot of redundant templates.

[Xavier Onassiss]

Re: Template List for Space Opera Noir: what to include?

 

Have you thought about playable A.I. or androids? Might break the system' date=' but you can't really talk about sci-fi noir without at least considering replicants/androids.[/quote']

 

I'm going to have a number of genetically modified strains of humanity, but no playable AI's or androids. True artificial machine intelligence hasn't been created by humanity in my setting, although there are simulations which come close -- usually referred to as Virtual Intellects or Synthetic Intellects. Although extremely useful, they're still considered software, not sentient, can be owned as property, bought, sold, copied or erased at will, etc.

 

There are a few examples of alien AI's, but they have a tendency to get out of control and cause all kinds of mayhem. (Alien nano-tech is even worse....)

[Nevelon]

Re: Template List for Space Opera Noir: what to include?

 

 

Most of these archetypes are rather uncommon as PC concepts in my experience -- not that I'd have a problem with them in my campaign. I'm just not sure if any of them rate including a template. At some point you've just got to say 'if it's not on the list, you can roll your own' and let players with unusual character concepts do their own thing.

 

What is uncommon in one group is everyday in another. One of the players in my group almost always gravitates towards the dilettante template, regardless of the system. And the other players will give it a go from time to time. If you are just building this for your group and know none of -your- players are going to make one, you can probably skip it. Of course, having templates for everything lets people know how the universe is built, so they can fit their builds in better and know what to expect from people they meet.

[Xavier Onassiss]

Re: Template List for Space Opera Noir: what to include?

 

Hmmm....

 

It's beginning to sound like there's enough of a demand for this type of template to merit including it. But it's not just one template -- it's several, and it could almost double the length of my template list. Can the 'Dilettante' template be written up as a broad archetype with several options, and still remain coherent?

[mattingly]

Re: Template List for Space Opera Noir: what to include?

 

Here's one idea on how to handle the dilettante/dabbler/jack-of-all-trades. For each of the templates you're writing up, do them at different levels. Offer an "expert," "good," and "rookie" version. Then the dabbler archetype just takes a few amateur packages and bingo!

[Xavier Onassiss]

Re: Template List for Space Opera Noir: what to include?

 

Here's one idea on how to handle the dilettante/dabbler/jack-of-all-trades. For each of the templates you're writing up' date=' do them at different levels. Offer an "expert," "good," and "rookie" version. Then the dabbler archetype just takes a few amateur packages and bingo![/quote']

 

This is a very interesting idea -- it worked extremely well for character creation in Blue Planet v2.0, and I'd love to adapt the concept for Hero. This will, however, involve re-working most of the professional templates I've already done. And there's still a metric exoton of work to do on world-building, etc. How soon does this thing need to be finished?

[Xavier Onassiss]

Re: Template List for Space Opera Noir: what to include?

 

I've been giving some thought to how this will work. Rather than doing three different versions of every template, I've come up with a much simpler, more flexible approach. I'd like to know what the Hero Board community thinks:

 

The basic templates are going to be called just that: "Basic." They'll be the baseline for professional competence. If someone wants to play a 'rookie' they should take the template, and nothing else related to that profession; no other relevant skills or skill levels. (Rookies might very well have unrelated skills, perks or talents, though!) Rookies can also 'reserve' some unspent points for later career development, if desired.

 

Standard characters will want to buy the Basic professional template, and round out their skill list with a few more skills; some from their template list, and some not, plus skill levels. This is represented by the "Expert" template: +10pts of skills/perks from the Basic template skill list, +2pts in the PC's chosen "specialty" Skill, and either a 4pt Skill Level with all template skills, or a 5pt Combat Skill Level. Total cost: 16-17pts. This still leaves points for customizing the character.

 

Characters who are the very best at what they do will go even farther, and take the "Master" template. This is identical to the Expert template, although most characters will wish to spend the points differently; by this time they will probably have all the Skills they need, and will instead want to spend the +10pts on additional perks, such as Rank, Reputation, etc. Total cost: 16-17pts. Depending on the power level of the campaign, this might use all the character's points.

 

Altogether, the Expert and Master templates cost 32-34pts, which approximately doubles the cost of most professional templates on my list. In a low-powered game, a Master will be almost entirely focused on a single profession. In a high-powered game, OTOH, a character may be a Master in one field and know the basics of at least one more, while a 'Dilettante' character could conceivably learn the basics of three. (maybe four?) But the Dilettante will have few skill levels and relatively fewer points for characteristics, talents, powers, etc.

 

Note that for characters who learn martial arts, this system is very flexible: most Basic templates allow the purchase of 10pts of Martial Arts -- enough to begin learning one style. Adding the Expert and Master templates each gives another +10pts, which can be used to learn two more styles, or 'triple down' and put a total of 30pts into a single Martial Arts style, making the character a "Master" in another sense entirely!

 

Regarding the 4pt Skill Levels with all template skills: The relevant template should be defined when these Skill Levels are purchased, and should not be changed thereafter. For most templates, this is a real bargain on points, cutting across several categories of skills, to reward characters who specialize in a career. Some GM's may wish to increase the cost of these Skill Levels for game balance, if they feel this is too cheap.