Aroooo

I just had Steve give me a clarification in the rules thread. Its even simpler than you outlined. Sensor ops is basically a character making a PER roll using Systems Ops as the skill roll (not their PER roll), adding any applicable enhanced perception mods those sensors provide to the sys-op roll.

So the fact that Spock could detect something Crewman Jones did not is really just a matter of Spock having a better Systems Op skill roll.

Adding a Requires Sys Ops Roll as a limitation is redundant, since they use that skill to make the perception test. You could of course keep it, simulating the requirement that sensors need constant adjustment (you would then have the tune sensors roll, then the detect cloaked Romular ship roll).

Aroooo

Sorry for the ambiguity. The question probably should have been written as:

Does an enhanced perception bonus apply to a character's systems op roll when using vehicle sensors?

Aroooo

Steve,

In reading through TUV (again), it says that characters using vehicle sensors to target an enemy vehicle use the System Operations skill, but that computers use their INT (Perception) instead.

So, how does Enhanced Perception work with a Systems Op roll; with a computer's PER roll?

Thanks

Aroooo

My viewpoint would be the FX. If the DS is electrical in nature (for example) then a wooden staff would not cause the attacker to get hit with it. Unless its a big crackling energy field and it arched (sp?) the gap between target and attacker.

Aroooo

Wouldn't part of that answer depend on the SFX of the being? I thought there was something in the FAQ about damage shields...

Q: If a character uses a sword or other weapon to attack a target with a Damage Shield, does the character take damage from the Damage Shield, since he doesn't contact it directly?

A: Generally, yes, he still takes damage. Damage Shield has no requirement that the attacker touch the character with his hands or bare skin or what have you. However, note the text on 5E 163 about characters possibly "insulating" themselves from a Damage Shield's effects by hitting the target with an object. It's up to the GM to decide what sorts of objects might qualify. A sword or dagger probably would not, a lamppost or tree trunk would; the in-between areas the rules leave to the GM.

Its not exactly what you are looking for, but you could apply the reverse - insulate the alien in a suit or force field or something. I don't have Fred with me, so I can't be more specific right now.

Aroooo

Someone needs to zap that guy's PRAM...

Aroooo

Re: Upload and comment

Originally posted by Eodin

I'm finding myself somewhat burned-out on the TrekHero and TNGHero docs... there's stuff I want to add, but when I sit down to work on it, the inspiration just isn't there. IF I get requests to add things (like the Tholians and Gorn), I will do so as convenient, but my regular updates will be less frequent than in the past. At least until I get my inspiration back.

Ah, writers block and burnout. I know the feeling all too well. Hope it gets better!

Aroooo

Originally posted by DrTemp

True. Now, what new SF subgenre should one use for an innovative RPG setting?

 

My feeling is, they have all been done already. Am I wrong?

Well, they say there are no original ideas... Personally I don't agree with that statement 100%, but is sure is damn hard these days.

Aroooo

Minor fix

Starfuries updated. I left some talents in the ships I forgot to delete while I was trying to incorporate the computers into the vehicle. DCV's for vehicle Size also corrected (thanks again Dan!). Web pages and HD downloads updated.

Aroooo

Not really an update

I started entering the existing starships into HeroDesigner. Look for the [HD] next to the ship names for the download links. Originally I built the computer into the ship write up., but now they are separate files (one zip download though).

I've done the 3 main Starfuries so far. There were some small changes, mostly cosmetic.

Aroooo

Originally posted by shadowcat1313

actually the 250mgw Beam Laser is the "Standard" ships laser

so its the medium

 

depending on which version of Traveller you use, there are lasers ranging from 37 megawatts to 1.2 giggawatts

and thats not counting laser bays or spinal mounts

Like I said, its been a while since I played Trav. in any of its variants. I was just going on memory. Making the assumtion that you're right about the scout laser being 'medium,' 8d6 is not too bad. Plus the sand will help a lot with the resistance.

One thing that came to mind on the turret I don't remember. Can they fire each rail at the same time? Or were they limited to only firing one rail, or type of weapon, at one time?

Aroooo

Yeah, now you get into the whole 'Hero damage does not scale well' debate, but we won't start that here

If you're going to use 8d6 as sort of a base for 'light' weapons, then you need to up the DEF a bit, or at least buy more DEF as a power and give it the Ablative limitation.

Aroooo

Thoughts

I finally had a chance to look this over tonight. Keep in mind that I don't know the base levels for your game, so some of this may be a bit off.

1) Beam laser: 8d6 seems a bit high. The couriers are supposed to be 'lightly armed.' Also, to use TUV and SH examples, they (and the missile) can't shoot at targets closer than 1km. Have you thought about building them as multipowers like SH/TUV?

2) Sandcaster: Like the idea of damage reduction in charges. Keeps the flavor from Trav. I don't know though about the PD damage reduction though. But its been a while since I played, so I may be missing something.

3) Jump Drive: I would up the extra time. As I recall, you spent a week in jump space, so the extra time lim on teleport should be a week, not 1 hour. I would do the recoverable charge like a fuel charge instead, with easily replacable fuel - add to the side effect (misjump) roll for using low quality hydrogen fuel.

Also, if you have the 1"=1ly megascale, it should only be 2" not 6", since each jump 1 carried you 1 parsec. A quibble would also be to change the wording from LY to Parsec (even though the lim is the same).

4) I don't think you need the change env. for lights and stuff. I think thats a byproduct of the life support; but I'd have to read thru TUV again. Its not a bad write up, I just don't think you need it.

Thats about it for now. I'll look over the other ship later tonight.

Aroooo

PBEM

I started a thread in the player finder section to talk about the upcoming pbem:

http://www.herogames.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=13116

Join us there to talk about the setup.

Aroooo

What power level - heroic, supers, etc? What's the SFX of the weapons? If they all come out of a 'bag-o-weapons' then an EC or MP would both be appropriate. (I'd go MP personally.) But if the weapons are carried on various parts of the body, and have various levels of concealability, then I would probably say none of the above; make them all sep. powers.

Aroooo

PBEM?

I'm thinking of starting a B5 PBEM over at HeroCentral. Email me or PM me off list if you're interested. If there is enough interest, I'll start a thread over in the player finder section so we can talk about stuff before I set up HC.

Aroooo

Originally posted by GrimJesta

Well to people who are used to the newer, really watered-down systems like D&D 3.5 and the Storyteller System, the Hero System does look complex. It involves a serious character generation, detailed movement, and lots of cool variables like Power Frameworks and Disadvantages. So most people take a look at the book, see it all involves some brainwork as opposed to die-rolling or coloring some dots, and they dismiss the game as unneccessarily complex.

Guess they never saw a Fantasy Games Unlimited (FGU) game. Most of those required serious math!

Granted Hero character creation takes some getting used to, and it helps to have some experienced folks around to help you get started - but I don't think the other mechanics (combat, skill rolls, etc.) are any more 'complex' than any other system out there right now.

Aroooo

Are we talking about a game, or real world theory?

In game, I'd go with some sort of crystalin based hive mind sort of thing. Each individual part is a small living chunk of crystal, but you put them all together and you get sentience. Enough of the parts together can generate enough 'attraction' to actually make a form - i.e. a humanoid crystal shape to mimic Pluto's visitors. Communication would have to be all telepathy based.

Give me more time and i could actually write something up...

Aroooo

Its been mentioned several times through the SH forum about a program called Celestia. From their home page:

"Celestia is a free real-time space simulation that lets you experience our universe in three dimensions. Unlike most planetarium software, Celestia doesn't confine you to the surface of the Earth. You can travel throughout the solar system, to any of over 100,000 stars, or even beyond the galaxy. "

For the longest time it was PC/Linux/Unix only. I noticed today that there is now an OSX version!

http://www.shatters.net/celestia/

Have fun!

Aroooo

Technical

If you want to get technical, here's a good overview on the Orion 'drive.'

http://www.astronautix.com/lvfam/orion.htm

Aroooo

Re: Project Orion and bomb pumped Lasers

Originally posted by shadowcat1313

also, has anyone done rules for bombed pumped laser warheads for missiles?

I think thats a little too granular for Hero. Just call it a special effect of an AP attack.

Aroooo

Originally posted by bobrunnicles

Which brings me to another point; oddly enough SF actually seems to be a big seller for GURPS, you've got Traveller, Transhuman Space which both have expanding lines, and a lot of the other books have an SF focus - any idea why GURPS should be doing so much better with the genre? Is it because Hero is still so closely linked to Champions while GURPS was Generic from the get go?

I think that's part of it. Hero has a long history of being a supers game. Its taking time to get the word out to the player community - esp. those who don't have internet access.

Aroooo

Update/Additions

A small update and some new additions. See the General Section for the new Transport Familiarity breakdown. Added a Professional Package Deal for Earthforce Security Officer (HD package file in the downloads section). Updated the sample character Steven Midnight (display issue with Systems Op skill).

Aroooo

(P.S. I accidentially deleted a post! I was trying to click the Edit button when my browser display started jumping around and the click fell on the Delete button. Sorry if it was someone elses!)

LOL! I'm laughing because of your timing. Rigel sent me an email last night on this very subject.

The scripts are not books, they were made available online (for a while at least). The main source is gone now, but you can find them if you look through Goodle or Yahoo hard enough.

It so happens that I managed to find them late last night. I have them as .doc files. I can't post them online (legal issues) but I can email them to you.

Aroooo

Re: Re: Shadowrun - Cyber Fantasy

Originally posted by Killer Shrike

Use the Search utility to do a board scan -- there have been threads about this before, and you might find some interesting material.

Particularly in the Star Hero and Other Genre forums. (glenrm, I didn't notice before that you are new, or I would have mentioned this before.

Aroooo