HinterBlog

April 6, 2010

Skills for AI

Filed under: Games — Tags: , , — bilbo @ 10:49 am

Skills for AI have been handled in two ways in Iridium. First, there was essentially spending XP in learning new skills. This was meant to mimic neural learning nets. Second, there were S.C.I.M. slots. There are basically computer programs as they could be swapped out. The basic bays could be upgraded to and added on to increase the total skills. Ranks in the skills would cost more credits but take the same slots. So, you could have Unarmed Combat a 1 or at rank 5 and it would skill only take 1 S.C.I.M. slot but would cost the difference between say, 1 KC and 25 KC.

I can see the argument for the first way but really favor the second. Thoughts?

March 30, 2010

Stars in Neb SE

Filed under: Games — Tags: , , — bilbo @ 10:09 pm

So, out of the planet generate arises the question of stars that the planets would be orbiting. On one side, we have the “Be as scientifically accurate as possible”. On the other we have my preferred method of operation “Whatever is cool and fits”. Either way, I suppose there should be some sort of chart. So…

O Blue stars
B Blue-white stars
A White stars
F Yellow-white stars
G Yellow stars (like the Sun)
K Yellow-orange stars
M Red stars

Single Primary
Binary
Tertiary
Variable (this is assumed Intrinsic i.e. the star swells and shrinks over time varying output).

Size is often related to color so I am not sure having a second chart works here. Perhaps a notation on the color chart?

Anything else?

Thanks guys. I will hopefully be writing up all the ideas here shortly.

March 22, 2010

Aspects as applied to Ships in Neb SE

Filed under: Games — Tags: , , , — bilbo @ 9:31 pm

I have been giving some thought to Aspects as they could be applied to ships in Nebuleon SE. A few things I think would be useful:
1. Ships should still be divided up into 10 areas that are the systems of the ship. So, you might have
1 – Main Computer
2 – Propulsion
3 – Life Support
and so on…

2a. Aspects are specific characteristics of the ship. So, you might have “Over protective” for the AI in the computer.

or

2b. Aspects are the abstract characteristics of the ship. So, one example could be “Battered but never falls apart”.

or

2c. Aspects are game mechanics applied to the ship. For example, “Built for Atmospheric Speed” receives a +20 to any piloting in the atmosphere.

I can see advantages to any of those. What to you think?

March 18, 2010

Nebuleon SE: Planet Gen – The summing up

Filed under: Games — Tags: , , , — bilbo @ 9:28 am

So, putting together the comments from previous threads let’s try to sum up.

1. Price index seems to be good as is.

2. Basic Civilization – Add History, reworked some charts.
1 None
2 Hierarchy
3 Republic
4 Despotism
5 Theocracy
6 Parliamentary
7 Totalitarian
8 Plutocracy
9 Kleptocracy
0 Corporatism
11 Timocracy (Property owners rule)
12 Tribalism

Economy
1 Basic Trade
2 Market (Capitalism)
3 Planned (Command Economies)
4 Mixed (Part Capitalism, but regulated)

Unification
1-2 World Governemnt
3-8 Many (tens of different governing bodies)
9-10 Great Many (hundreds or thousands) of governments

Aggression
1. Peaceful
2. Peaceful
3. Peaceful
4. Moderate
5. Moderate
6. Moderate
7. Moderate
8. Warlike
9. Warlike
10. Warlike

Stance
1. Cultured
2. Expansionist
3. Expansionist
4. Extroverted
5. Extroverted
6. Introverted
7. Introverted
8. Isolationist
9. Isolationist
10. Xenophobic

Attitude
1. Introspective
2. Pacifist
3. Shallow
4. Changeable
5. Proud
6. Traditional
7. Rigid
8. Impressionable
9. Shallow
10. Neophilic

History
1. Civil War
2. Plague
3. Famine
4. Technologic Breakthrough (i.e. recent advance in TL)
5. Victim of Invasion
6. Invasion Repulsed
7. Independence from a planetary invader
8. Mounted an invasion
9. Economic Collapse
10. World War
11. Religious War
12….
Note: This has been edited
3. Environment – Not much changed here but I am not pleased with it. Not sure why. Maybe not enough options or some such. I will think on it more.
Type
1 Artificial habitat
2 Asteroid
3 Moon
4 Rocky planet
5 Gas planet

Gravity
1 Artificial G
2 Light G
3 Moderate G
4 Heavy G
5 Super Heavy G

Water
1 Dry
2 Arid
3 Watered
4 Wet
5 Aqueous

Life
1 Lifeless
2 Scarce
3 Abundant
4 Thriving
5 Riotous

Note: Old table
1 Artificial habitat
2 Asteroid
3 Moon
4 Mercury sized
5 Mars Sized
6 Earth Sized
7 Neptune Sized
8 Jupiter Sized

Atmosphere
1 Hazardous, protective gear needed
2 Hazardous, breathing mask needed only
3 Thin Atmosphere, breathable
4 Standard Atmosphere, breathable
5 Thick Atmosphere, breathable
6 Exotic Atmosphere

Note: the following has been edited
4. Tech Level – This the only way I can address tech level in a manner I can stand. So, here is my idea, I am MORE than happy to modify it.

We have several areas that can have independent ratings. The base though, is the following:
Physical Science (Physics, Chemistry, Geology)
Biological Science (Biology, Medicine, Psychiatry)
Social Science (Archaeology, Racial Studies, Social Engineering, Language, Law)
Applied Science (Engineering, Communications, space craft)

The tech level is chosen then modifers for the above areas applied. The mods are:
– Very Low
- Low
+ High
++ Very High
This effectively adds to the TL of the area the mod applies to. So, for instance, you have a TL5 + Applied, – Social, means that the civilization has a general TL of 5, an Applied Science TL of 6 and a Social Science TL of 4. All mods should sum to 0.

Start with a base Tech Level.
0 None
1 primitive
2 basic applied results
3 basic knowledge
4 basic applied knowledge
5 Moderate
6 moderate applied knowledge
7 Moderate theoretical
8 Advanced
9 Advanced theoretical
10 Advanced theoretical and applied

I could see an 11 and 12 where you have Hyper Advanced and Hyper Advanced Theoretical and Applied. The above range is open with an effective bottom of 0. Now, the tags of Theoretical means they understand but cannot do, Applied means they are able to apply the theoretical and no tags means they are limited to observed results (I put this plant on Bob and he died, o.k. that is bad).

Alt TL:
Instead of a range like the above, we say 0 is the Nebuleon norm level. From this, Neb civilizations actively involved with space travel can range from -5 to +5. Below -5 and they just do not possess the understanding to be more than cargo. More the 5 and they are most likely not directly in contact with the rest of the Nebuleos.

The range would be broken up with primitive orbital craft at -5 and advanced FTL at 5. Wormhole travel would be beyond 5. Non-space travel would be below -5.

The same problem for me pops up. What do the gradations mean? What values do we assign. Grrr.

So, thoughts?

March 8, 2010

Nebuleon SE : Classes

Filed under: Games — Tags: , , , — bilbo @ 12:56 pm

Now, even more so than in V1, Iridium V2 has essentially classes with little meaning beyond character generation. So, classes become life path short hand for skill packages. Essentially, you are picking what you have done for X years. One idea I have is to allow a package to be picked for each 10 years of age beyond 10. For instance, I might be 30 years old and I have been a spy and a soldier garnering me 2 groups of skills.

The problem I have with this and with any life gen system is that I have seen more than once, a group of impossibly old traders bumming it through the galaxy. I am not sure I will incorporate this but it is an interesting idea. You could also stack the packages taking spy twice and getting a better initial package.

Now, all of that said, this is the “classes” from V1:
Fighter Types
Bounty Hunter Pilot Police Soldier Specialist
Trader
Performer Types
Actor Artist Craftsman Reporter Tech
Intellectual Types
Medic Engineer Psi
Thief Types
Criminal Investigator Politician Raider Smuggler Spy

The two classes I have received the most flak from are the Reporter and the Politician. These are not popular. I was thinking of cutting them. Thoughts?

Also, I am considering adding Marine, Scientist, historian (although I expect the same “They are worthless”) comments.

So what do you think? What should I cut, should we go with the more life pathy setup?

February 28, 2010

To Percentile or not

Filed under: Games — Tags: , , — bilbo @ 9:26 pm

One of the big things worrying me about Iridium Version 2 is that it is all standardized on percentile. So, unlike V1 where you had percentile for skills and d20 for combat/stats you now have percentile for everything. I am torn. I made the split originally as a sort of easy short hand. I saw no need for combat to have the % breakdown, steps in the 5% range were fine. However, I have had enough customers mention that they want a “standardized” system that uses one sort of dice, either d20s or %. For me, it had always been no biggie since conversion was easy enough. Now, some of the more refined pints might run into trouble with conversion back and forth. I really like how the system has been stream lined and is a very nice system with the conversion to % though out.

Still, I have to wonder, am I throwing the baby out with the bath water. Any thoughts?

Here is the V2 rules as they currently stand.

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