"Everyman" Psychological Complications

[megaplayboy]

It occurs to me that most humans have a variety of basic motivations and inhibitions which they don't "get points" for, but which are relevant for purposes of persuasion/motivation/coercion in-game. For example, most sapient beings have a strong sense of self-preservation, so trying to talk them into something suicidal or otherwise self-destructive is correspondingly difficult, even though they don't have "Code of Self-Preservation, Uncommon, Total(or Strong)" on their "sheet". So, what other common "everyman" psych lims might it be reasonable to assume the average NPC has?

Protective of Family(if they have one)

Loves Spouse

Likes Money(moderate--most people can be motivated by the lure of financial enticement)

Social/Cultural Taboos(e.g., nudity, incest, swearing(in some cultures), keeping kosher, etc.)--some of these are moderate, some probably strong or total

 

 

What's the relevance? Well, just a nice little "Crib sheet" to have handy when a PC/NPC is trying to persuade/motivate/coerce another NPC/PC--even if there are no on-sheet psych lims that apply, it may still be "human nature" for the target to be more/less susceptible, depending on what they are being asked/pushed to do. For example, commanding someone to jump off a tall building using mind control would typically be interpreted as requiring an EGO+40 result in some campaigns, just because everyone who isn't depressed or suicidal would be very strongly against jumping off a building to their likely demise. Persuading someone to give you their life savings to invest in a Ponzi scheme would also be similarly difficult(well, maybe slightly less difficult, but not much). I just think it's good to have some benchmarks for stuff like this.

[IndianaJoe3]

Somewhere (Dark Champions, I think) it is stated that most people have Reluctance to Kill. 

[megaplayboy]

Somewhere (Dark Champions, I think) it is stated that most people have Reluctance to Kill.

I would add that it's somewhat difficult, at least, to induce ordinary people to knowingly commit a crime, particularly if that crime involves jail time. I suppose you could have a generic "act goes(somewhat/strongly/completely) against target's rational self-interest" set of penalties or benchmark levels.

[Christopher]

What's the relevance? Well, just a nice little "Crib sheet" to have handy when a PC/NPC is trying to persuade/motivate/coerce another NPC/PC--even if there are no on-sheet psych lims that apply, it may still be "human nature" for the target to be more/less susceptible, depending on what they are being asked/pushed to do. For example, commanding someone to jump off a tall building using mind control would typically be interpreted as requiring an EGO+40 result in some campaigns, just because everyone who isn't depressed or suicidal would be very strongly against jumping off a building to their likely demise. Persuading someone to give you their life savings to invest in a Ponzi scheme would also be similarly difficult(well, maybe slightly less difficult, but not much). I just think it's good to have some benchmarks for stuff like this.

That is a level of finetuning that I personaly think is handeled by the roll/skill value. You know it will be hard to convince a Jew to eat Pork. Only a very bad roll (wich simulates lack of background information/pikcing the really wrong approach) did the Character something stupid.

 

Another idea might be to have this campaing function based. We can asume that most higher ups with nuclear codes have at last a Strong Psy Comp to not let it fall into terrorist hands. This could be anything from beign patriot, not wanting to be resposible for massmurder, stubbornness, personal resentment for htat organsation/goals, just not liking to be ordered, protecting ones familiy (becasue they could be caught in the blast) or a high focus on "Political Survival". And a few other ideas. The game effect is harder to Interrogate/Mind Scan/Mind Control, the special effect may varry.

We can asume that somebody who has privileged inforamtion is unwilling to part with it. Because you would not give your secrets to someone that will tell them easily. They are mostly NPC so they should not be too immune (PC/antagonsits should still be able to convince them below EGO+30 level).

[sinanju]

Combat Paralysis. Not everyone, of course, by a long shot. But many, many people have seldom or never experienced real, in-your-face violence because they live in a remarkably safe society (despite the fearmongering of the news media and politicians). When confronted with it, they often freeze up--at least initially.

[Vondy]

Combat Paralysis. Not everyone, of course, by a long shot. But many, many people have seldom or never experienced real, in-your-face violence because they live in a remarkably safe society (despite the fearmongering of the news media and politicians). When confronted with it, they often freeze up--at least initially.

 

This could probably be settled with Ego rolls for everyman types who haven't been trained and/or "blooded."

[Christopher]

Combat Paralysis. Not everyone, of course, by a long shot. But many, many people have seldom or never experienced real, in-your-face violence because they live in a remarkably safe society (despite the fearmongering of the news media and politicians). When confronted with it, they often freeze up--at least initially.

I say that is setteled by a start SPD of 2 and starting DEX of 10. And mind you those values are only starting values for PC, NPC on that low level might have lower values (and/or even sold some back).

Everybody who is combat capable outside of unit fighting has a SPD of 3. Major Heroes and Villains (even those not design for combat) have 3-4. Combat Paralysis is only a Complication because normally they could act fast isntantly.

[sinanju]

To some extent, that's true. But a friend of mine who worked for many years as a jail guard (and other similar occupations before that) and now does a lot of seminars on violence (real world vs the comforting myths of the media and too many martial arts schools), use of force rules, and the like has often talked about how rookie cops aren't really considered true peers until their first real conflict. Because until you're confronted with up-close and personal violence (or the threat thereof) nobody--including YOU, no matter how well you think you will handle it--knows how you'll react. Some people run toward the sound of violence; some people run away; some freeze up; and some (mostly in jobs where they're supposed to deal with it) dither and _walk_ toward it, hoping the meat-eaters who ran ahead will take care of things before they get there.

 

But at that point we're talking about the messiness of real world violence as opposed to a workable way to represent it in a game.

[megaplayboy]

I think also that some of the presence attack modifiers tend to reflect this: violent action gets a bonus, e.g. So being presenced could cause a person to hesitate or even panic in the face of a real violent, threatening situation.

 

In terms of realism, I find it useful to judge things along a spectrum of settings:

1. Near Real World--this is as close to real world reality as you can get in a game --reactions are highly individualistic and idiosyncratic

2. Cinematic--this is the "default" Hero System setting--nobody needs a bathroom break, heroes shrug off gunshot wounds, etc. Characters react the way they typically(stereotypically, even) do in genre fiction, films and tv series(NOT "gritty realistic" fiction, films, or tv, however)--reactions are more generalized(e.g., if you're attractive, then most people will react the same way)

3. Over the top heroic/Superheroic--people react and act in a manner consistent with a 4 color comic book --this is pretty far from real world realism, and if you impose those expectations upon the setting, "UR DOIN IT WRONG"

[Ninja-Bear]

Aversion to fire. Fireman run in where others run out. Hazmat runs in where fireman run out. And if you see a Hazmat run-run faster!