Havelock Vetinari Posted September 28, 2012 Share Posted September 28, 2012 Oh. The nuclear attacks threw me off. Quote I believe you find life such a problem because you think there are the good people and the bad people. You are wrong, of course. There are, always and only, the bad people, but some of them are on opposite sides. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Krayzikk Posted September 28, 2012 Share Posted September 28, 2012 Oh. The nuclear attacks threw me off.Yeeeeeah. I think that bit of the backstory in particular needs some work. So, here's a bit of a different question. How would you guys improve it? Quote On this eve, the thirtieth anniversary of that first colony, many are left to wonder; is the world fast approaching a breaking point? Breaking Point: An OTC Mecha RPG Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alex Humva Posted September 28, 2012 Share Posted September 28, 2012 You can keep the "Earth's not so great" part by saying that, as the war with the machines progressed, the leaders of Earth realized that they were rather majorly screwed and while they were building the Exodus Fleet made a bunch of nukes. Even as they launched their ships they EMPed the world, hoping to destroy all the robots and start anew. Alas some robots made it into space (maybe a spy(s)?), and thus the fight continues. Earth is as good as ruined, for a civilization so technologically advanced to eliminate all electronics planetside, so there's still that chase through space. Quote 1 1 2 3 5 8 13 21 34 55 89 "In short, my English Lit friend, living in a mental world of absolute rights and wrongs, may be imagining that because all theories are wrong, the earth may be thought spherical now, but cubical next century, and a hollow icosahedron the next, and a doughnut shape the one after." -Isaac Asimov, responding to a letter he had received saying that scientific certainty was false, The Relativity of Wrong Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Xomeron Posted September 28, 2012 Share Posted September 28, 2012 they EMPed the worldSo we're saying that intelligent robots aren't intelligent enough to build faraday cages, or build Tempest Shielding into their own bodies? Quote That being said, thag thag thaggity thag thagness.-Rover "A memo was sent to Astaria asking if it would at all be possible to make a flying goat.""The Astarians responded that making a goat fly would be trivial; making it land safely would be another matter entirely." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HeavyMetalSunshineSister Posted September 29, 2012 Share Posted September 29, 2012 It's not a matter of them feeling compassion or mercy or anything else, Power. It's a matter of hate not being logical. The absence of compassion, furthermore, isn't genocidal raving hatred, but something closer to apathy. Therefore, getting them to be genocidal maniacs isn't a matter of removing anything from the programming, but of somebody - probably the humans with them, but more on that later - putting in a bit of extra code to make genocide seem perfectly reasonable to them.Now, my idea here is that, since we didn't exactly lose the ability to build less-than-sapient computers, it could be that the robots are sort of a puppet government - the majority of them are legitimately sapient, but those in charge are just close enough to sapience to be convincing, while being very nearly directly controlled by the governments of those nations that chose to side with the robots - the idea being, of course, that they had a pre-existing alliance, and basically engineered the entire crisis for their own purposes. If you think about it, even sapient machines probably wouldn't care that much about citizenship - unless they were nudged in that direction by somebody else. They see a few charismatic robot leaders cropping up with convincing arguments for why they should want it, then they make the demand public, and then shenanigans ensue.On the 11th century/9th century thing... if the only reason you want to shift it is so you have a ready-made counter for Basilisk's nomads, Rommel wasn't the right reading material for you. Quote We will remember - Skies may fade and stars may wane; we won't forget And your light shines bright - yes so much brighter shine on We will remember - Until the skies will fall we won't forget We will remember We all shall follow doom Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alex Humva Posted September 29, 2012 Share Posted September 29, 2012 (edited) Erm, Rover, for starters that never crossed my mind. In all honestly it's doubtful I'll see Vahki's nomads for a long while, and seriously that's implying that I'd metagame as a GM which is just slightly offensive. But then there's history; I believe the Mongols were stomping around the 11th-12th century, right? So if they managed to conquer the world then, I'm sure Vahki will still stand a great chance.EDIT: Checked, late 12th century. So they went up against more advanced technology and still won. I say nothing's really changed fairness wise or meta wise. Edited September 29, 2012 by Void Prophet Alex Humva Quote 1 1 2 3 5 8 13 21 34 55 89 "In short, my English Lit friend, living in a mental world of absolute rights and wrongs, may be imagining that because all theories are wrong, the earth may be thought spherical now, but cubical next century, and a hollow icosahedron the next, and a doughnut shape the one after." -Isaac Asimov, responding to a letter he had received saying that scientific certainty was false, The Relativity of Wrong Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HeavyMetalSunshineSister Posted September 29, 2012 Share Posted September 29, 2012 On the other hand, as the GM, you wouldn't exactly want to have a situation in which one person can just curbstomp everybody without any actual military competition. It would quickly become fun for exactly one person.So, why are better crossbows so important? Quote We will remember - Skies may fade and stars may wane; we won't forget And your light shines bright - yes so much brighter shine on We will remember - Until the skies will fall we won't forget We will remember We all shall follow doom Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alex Humva Posted September 29, 2012 Share Posted September 29, 2012 Well, that's what we all have our brains and Wikipedia for, right?Because they're rather cool.Technically the Chinese had some pretty good ones around the 9th century, but they were bronze so prone to more bending. I'd like some crossbows that can actually survive for a while. Quote 1 1 2 3 5 8 13 21 34 55 89 "In short, my English Lit friend, living in a mental world of absolute rights and wrongs, may be imagining that because all theories are wrong, the earth may be thought spherical now, but cubical next century, and a hollow icosahedron the next, and a doughnut shape the one after." -Isaac Asimov, responding to a letter he had received saying that scientific certainty was false, The Relativity of Wrong Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HeavyMetalSunshineSister Posted September 29, 2012 Share Posted September 29, 2012 The trouble is, the further ahead we get, the more likely it is that some cheeky bugger will make guns, which means more instances of you having to roll your eyes and go fire and brimstone on somebody. Quote We will remember - Skies may fade and stars may wane; we won't forget And your light shines bright - yes so much brighter shine on We will remember - Until the skies will fall we won't forget We will remember We all shall follow doom Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alex Humva Posted September 29, 2012 Share Posted September 29, 2012 I think that after the first fire and brimstoning, we'll be fine. Quote 1 1 2 3 5 8 13 21 34 55 89 "In short, my English Lit friend, living in a mental world of absolute rights and wrongs, may be imagining that because all theories are wrong, the earth may be thought spherical now, but cubical next century, and a hollow icosahedron the next, and a doughnut shape the one after." -Isaac Asimov, responding to a letter he had received saying that scientific certainty was false, The Relativity of Wrong Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Havelock Vetinari Posted September 29, 2012 Share Posted September 29, 2012 The advanced tech will actually help the Mongols. Alot. Quote I believe you find life such a problem because you think there are the good people and the bad people. You are wrong, of course. There are, always and only, the bad people, but some of them are on opposite sides. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alex Humva Posted September 29, 2012 Share Posted September 29, 2012 A lot? Eh, no more than it did when they were off conquering the world.I just think crossbows are cool personally. Quote 1 1 2 3 5 8 13 21 34 55 89 "In short, my English Lit friend, living in a mental world of absolute rights and wrongs, may be imagining that because all theories are wrong, the earth may be thought spherical now, but cubical next century, and a hollow icosahedron the next, and a doughnut shape the one after." -Isaac Asimov, responding to a letter he had received saying that scientific certainty was false, The Relativity of Wrong Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Havelock Vetinari Posted September 29, 2012 Share Posted September 29, 2012 Oh Humva. I've read many books on Mongol siege tactics...This will be fun. Quote I believe you find life such a problem because you think there are the good people and the bad people. You are wrong, of course. There are, always and only, the bad people, but some of them are on opposite sides. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alex Humva Posted September 29, 2012 Share Posted September 29, 2012 I'm just hope that people will put their collective wits together and put up a real fight, maybe even win, rather than trembling and going "okokokokdon'tkillmeplease"I suspect fjords will be involved. Quote 1 1 2 3 5 8 13 21 34 55 89 "In short, my English Lit friend, living in a mental world of absolute rights and wrongs, may be imagining that because all theories are wrong, the earth may be thought spherical now, but cubical next century, and a hollow icosahedron the next, and a doughnut shape the one after." -Isaac Asimov, responding to a letter he had received saying that scientific certainty was false, The Relativity of Wrong Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Havelock Vetinari Posted September 29, 2012 Share Posted September 29, 2012 (edited) I do hope so. Hope is much fun. When I shatter it and send it screaming bloody and beaten into the dark void as the arrows bury themselves in it's exposed flesh! Edited September 29, 2012 by Basilisk Quote I believe you find life such a problem because you think there are the good people and the bad people. You are wrong, of course. There are, always and only, the bad people, but some of them are on opposite sides. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alex Humva Posted September 29, 2012 Share Posted September 29, 2012 I wonder, would it be possible to have what amounts to an aquatic nomadic civilization? Like, build big ships and live on them. The Chinese made some pretty **** big ships after all.Food for thought, though how that'd work IP wise I have no clue. Quote 1 1 2 3 5 8 13 21 34 55 89 "In short, my English Lit friend, living in a mental world of absolute rights and wrongs, may be imagining that because all theories are wrong, the earth may be thought spherical now, but cubical next century, and a hollow icosahedron the next, and a doughnut shape the one after." -Isaac Asimov, responding to a letter he had received saying that scientific certainty was false, The Relativity of Wrong Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HeavyMetalSunshineSister Posted September 29, 2012 Share Posted September 29, 2012 Oh my people will react in a way other than begging for mercy."Hi. Umm... would you like a navy? Ally with us, we'll attack any coastal settlement that looks at you funny, and then maybe we'll split the spoils of war 50/50." Quote We will remember - Skies may fade and stars may wane; we won't forget And your light shines bright - yes so much brighter shine on We will remember - Until the skies will fall we won't forget We will remember We all shall follow doom Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alex Humva Posted September 29, 2012 Share Posted September 29, 2012 Mercenaries! I'm sure you'll all be glad to know that's actually going be more profitable this go around, thanks to the IP system being more tangible. Quote 1 1 2 3 5 8 13 21 34 55 89 "In short, my English Lit friend, living in a mental world of absolute rights and wrongs, may be imagining that because all theories are wrong, the earth may be thought spherical now, but cubical next century, and a hollow icosahedron the next, and a doughnut shape the one after." -Isaac Asimov, responding to a letter he had received saying that scientific certainty was false, The Relativity of Wrong Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dRoko Posted September 29, 2012 Share Posted September 29, 2012 I HAVE A IDEA!!A folk of silent people who wear cloaks all the time, and have unerring accuracy with a crossbow.They also have (primitve) gunpowder Quote 8% of the people epically wins with comic making. If you are the 92% that fails at it, copy and paste this into your sig100% of people here are humans. If you are somehow a matoran, pate this in your sig.http://www.bzpower.com/board/index.php?showtopic=9187 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Toast of Awesomeness Posted September 29, 2012 Share Posted September 29, 2012 OOC: So every member of your nation is accurate with a crossbow, and they have gunpowder way too early?Don't think that's getting through. Quote Well, would you just look at that? I'm a piece of toast. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alex Humva Posted September 29, 2012 Share Posted September 29, 2012 We all have (the choice of having) primitive gunpowder. But here's the key thing, it's primitive. It took centuries in Asia to get it perfected, then centuries more in Europe to have guns that didn't blow up in your face. Making a gun isn't as easy as Captain Kirk would make it seem, because the ratios in the gunpowder have to be exactly right. Otherwise it burns too slow and you get less of a bang and more of a 'phsssssssssstpop.' So gunpowder will be less a weapon and more just a neat party trick.I could see accuracy with a crossbow as a national trait, assuming they were trained from since they were children. Quote 1 1 2 3 5 8 13 21 34 55 89 "In short, my English Lit friend, living in a mental world of absolute rights and wrongs, may be imagining that because all theories are wrong, the earth may be thought spherical now, but cubical next century, and a hollow icosahedron the next, and a doughnut shape the one after." -Isaac Asimov, responding to a letter he had received saying that scientific certainty was false, The Relativity of Wrong Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HeavyMetalSunshineSister Posted September 29, 2012 Share Posted September 29, 2012 I don't see the point in the entire nation being accurate with a crossbow - if their living conditions are harsh enough that every man, woman and child needs to be able to kill a man at thirty paces, they're probably going to go with regular bows, owing to them being somewhat simpler to make. Quote We will remember - Skies may fade and stars may wane; we won't forget And your light shines bright - yes so much brighter shine on We will remember - Until the skies will fall we won't forget We will remember We all shall follow doom Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Xomeron Posted September 29, 2012 Share Posted September 29, 2012 don't see the point in the entire nation being accurate with a crossbowI couldn't help but think how Varangia consisted entirely of Simo Haya.(not sure about spelling)I'm working pretty heavily on what Astarian culture will be like in this. Should be fairly interesting, I think. Quote That being said, thag thag thaggity thag thagness.-Rover "A memo was sent to Astaria asking if it would at all be possible to make a flying goat.""The Astarians responded that making a goat fly would be trivial; making it land safely would be another matter entirely." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HeavyMetalSunshineSister Posted September 29, 2012 Share Posted September 29, 2012 In my defense, the Boers, and not all Varangians were dog-breeders. Only a few of them were Finnish.Also there's a difference between being somewhat experienced with a rifle (owing to cultural traditions regarding shooting people in the face) and being a demigod of shooting people in the face.Finally, and most importantly, the Boers. Quote We will remember - Skies may fade and stars may wane; we won't forget And your light shines bright - yes so much brighter shine on We will remember - Until the skies will fall we won't forget We will remember We all shall follow doom Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alex Humva Posted September 30, 2012 Share Posted September 30, 2012 So I just realized, I'm going need to account for weather in FoG. Even today weather is important in warfare, and back then a rainy day could mean you postponing your invasion. So I'm presented with, as I see it, two options; use my d20s and tell people what the weather is like, or just decide on a whim and go with that. Of course, I usually don't think outside of a few options (well, if I brainstorm I get plenty, but I've got other things to do), so I ask you, the people of COTRPGs, to find a third option that won't end with someone screaming "YOU BIASED ******!"Yes yes yes, I will use seasons and climates appropriately. I'm not daft enough to say there's a blizzard in July because my dice told me to, or that it's raining in the desert. Quote 1 1 2 3 5 8 13 21 34 55 89 "In short, my English Lit friend, living in a mental world of absolute rights and wrongs, may be imagining that because all theories are wrong, the earth may be thought spherical now, but cubical next century, and a hollow icosahedron the next, and a doughnut shape the one after." -Isaac Asimov, responding to a letter he had received saying that scientific certainty was false, The Relativity of Wrong Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kothra Posted September 30, 2012 Share Posted September 30, 2012 Something like this could be easily put into SK so long as its still alive. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wyrd Bid Ful Araed Posted September 30, 2012 Share Posted September 30, 2012 I'd be happy with whim. I don't see the sense in a system since weather is generally pretty unpredictable. Plus you give it a defined system and people are going to launch their attacks so it perfectly coincides rather than just picking the right season and hoping for the best Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alex Humva Posted September 30, 2012 Share Posted September 30, 2012 Yes, but the thing is, if I decide it on a whim someone is eventually going be on the short end of the stick, at which point we return to the screaming and I really dislike screaming. Quote 1 1 2 3 5 8 13 21 34 55 89 "In short, my English Lit friend, living in a mental world of absolute rights and wrongs, may be imagining that because all theories are wrong, the earth may be thought spherical now, but cubical next century, and a hollow icosahedron the next, and a doughnut shape the one after." -Isaac Asimov, responding to a letter he had received saying that scientific certainty was false, The Relativity of Wrong Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HeavyMetalSunshineSister Posted September 30, 2012 Share Posted September 30, 2012 Yeah, a rigid system wouldn't really work. Honestly, weather is the one thing where even dice-rolls would be quite satisfactory to me, since my preferred option (create a detailed computer simulation of the planet in question, programmed with everything we need to know for the climate, and base the weather on that) is patently absurd for a text-based RPG, and more work than even I would be willing to put into this. Quote We will remember - Skies may fade and stars may wane; we won't forget And your light shines bright - yes so much brighter shine on We will remember - Until the skies will fall we won't forget We will remember We all shall follow doom Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Havelock Vetinari Posted September 30, 2012 Share Posted September 30, 2012 Coin flips are nice. Quote I believe you find life such a problem because you think there are the good people and the bad people. You are wrong, of course. There are, always and only, the bad people, but some of them are on opposite sides. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wyrd Bid Ful Araed Posted September 30, 2012 Share Posted September 30, 2012 Yes, but the thing is, if I decide it on a whim someone is eventually going be on the short end of the stick, at which point we return to the screaming and I really dislike screaming.Then point out to them that thats how reality works. Sometimes it just screws you over. If they scream, point out that you're the GM and they're just making themselves look childish Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alex Humva Posted September 30, 2012 Share Posted September 30, 2012 (edited) Considering our best scientists can't even do that to a reliable degree (well, not in real time anyways; technically we do have the right models, it's just by the time you get done accurately predicting tomorrow's weather tomorrow is already here), methinks dice are our best bet.@Power; a fair point, though I think that dice is probably better than a whim. Edited September 30, 2012 by Void Prophet Alex Humva Quote 1 1 2 3 5 8 13 21 34 55 89 "In short, my English Lit friend, living in a mental world of absolute rights and wrongs, may be imagining that because all theories are wrong, the earth may be thought spherical now, but cubical next century, and a hollow icosahedron the next, and a doughnut shape the one after." -Isaac Asimov, responding to a letter he had received saying that scientific certainty was false, The Relativity of Wrong Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Havelock Vetinari Posted September 30, 2012 Share Posted September 30, 2012 I should note when the SW RPG launches and if the Clone Wars happen...it will not be a straight good guy/bad guy situation. I have mentioned this before. I will also mention that joining up with one of the two factions will have some very nice benefits. Very nice. Quote I believe you find life such a problem because you think there are the good people and the bad people. You are wrong, of course. There are, always and only, the bad people, but some of them are on opposite sides. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HeavyMetalSunshineSister Posted September 30, 2012 Share Posted September 30, 2012 I've talked this over extensively with Basilisk, and the Republic's military hardware is getting a boost. Expect a lot more powered armor on their side, to balance out the simple fact that, with the clone troopers seen in the movies, a B2 battle droid with the competence boosting we've given them would be easily able to tank a squad of them.There will definitely be both idealists and morally-bankrupt scumbags on both sides. It's just a matter of the fact that, on one side, the idealist-in-chief wouldn't have to go through any paperwork to behead the scumbags if they, say, decide to go omnicidal on some planet. Quote We will remember - Skies may fade and stars may wane; we won't forget And your light shines bright - yes so much brighter shine on We will remember - Until the skies will fall we won't forget We will remember We all shall follow doom Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Havelock Vetinari Posted September 30, 2012 Share Posted September 30, 2012 Indeed. I'll be chatting with Kothra about this as well. Rover here just knows an ungodly amount about military/tactical matters. Quote I believe you find life such a problem because you think there are the good people and the bad people. You are wrong, of course. There are, always and only, the bad people, but some of them are on opposite sides. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Archer Vonn Posted September 30, 2012 Share Posted September 30, 2012 That's a valuable life tool. Quote 3DS: 3711-9364-3152 PSN: AidecVoros Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alex Humva Posted September 30, 2012 Share Posted September 30, 2012 Indeed, though I try to strike a balance between combat and strategic skills.Oh, right. Since in FoG we're all going be on the same continent and some people will probably start next to each other, I think it goes without saying but worth clarifying anyways that it'd be ok to work with the other person to make some cool histories with each other. Quote 1 1 2 3 5 8 13 21 34 55 89 "In short, my English Lit friend, living in a mental world of absolute rights and wrongs, may be imagining that because all theories are wrong, the earth may be thought spherical now, but cubical next century, and a hollow icosahedron the next, and a doughnut shape the one after." -Isaac Asimov, responding to a letter he had received saying that scientific certainty was false, The Relativity of Wrong Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kothra Posted September 30, 2012 Share Posted September 30, 2012 (edited) In the fiction clone troopers are quite afraid of going up against B2s. If I recall correctly, anyway. At least in the Republic Commando novels. Edited September 30, 2012 by Kothra Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Havelock Vetinari Posted September 30, 2012 Share Posted September 30, 2012 Indeed. That's what I based these B2's on. In other fiction they seem to have the durability of a wet paper bag. Not so here. Quote I believe you find life such a problem because you think there are the good people and the bad people. You are wrong, of course. There are, always and only, the bad people, but some of them are on opposite sides. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alex Humva Posted September 30, 2012 Share Posted September 30, 2012 Might we see more of those self shielding ball rolling droid thingies that I can never spell correctly? They always seemed useful to me, seeing as four managed to corner and scare off a Jedi master and his apprentice. Quote 1 1 2 3 5 8 13 21 34 55 89 "In short, my English Lit friend, living in a mental world of absolute rights and wrongs, may be imagining that because all theories are wrong, the earth may be thought spherical now, but cubical next century, and a hollow icosahedron the next, and a doughnut shape the one after." -Isaac Asimov, responding to a letter he had received saying that scientific certainty was false, The Relativity of Wrong Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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