Sample Characters needed!!

[Manius]

Can all members who may wish to attend an event in the future please review the rules of the system and either Message or Email me a character generated using those rules.

No background plot is required at this time.

This procedure will serve two main purposes:

1 – To ensure all members are conversant with and understand the basic rules

2 – To test the Grim Darkness Administration.

From my point of view I do not wish the system to fail or for us to be in a position (Admin wise) that we can’t handle 30 character submissions in good order and quite rapidly.

Due to the nature of the system there are several operations that need to take place before character details can be sent out to paying players and I need to test how long these take and, ultimately, there monetary cost.

Each player will receive a confirmation of receipt but will not receive anything beyond that – if you fail to receive that message me via the forums and we can check email settings etc.

Once this initial exercise is completed we can look at scheduling a date for the first event, as we’ll know what lead time is going to be needed.

[Manius]

Post Numbers vs. Test LSA

Further to you compiling your test character I have decided to grant Long Service Award points according to number of posts.

Use these to enhance your character upon submission for the test phase only.

0-15 = No LSA points

16-40 = 1 LSA point

41-60 = 2 LSA points

61+ = 3 LSA points

There are also several members who are “Specialists”, most have the suitable title already (Commissar etc), please use the appropriate rule set for THAT title/position.

If you are confused or wish guidance, please contact me.

[roguesword]

Submitted one for my scout character, but there is slight confusion as to how the tiers stack: at startup are you prohibited from taking a tier 2 skill until you have the tier one skill? (IE does getting tier 2 scout cost 3 points or 2?) In other systems it's been played both ways...

[Manius]

Character Skill Tiering – Explained.

Thanks to this testing it has become clear that this issue needs clarifying.

Tier’d skills do not require, pre-requisite purchase of the previous Tier.

If you want a Tier two skill, you buy it outright.

The main reason for this is Character Skill Points (CSP). A normal trooper/base character only has three CSP’s to purchase skills and this has to be balanced between preventing players becoming over powered (done by only having three points to work with) but with the system consideration to allow characters to survive encounters (you can purchase Medicae Tier Two outright!).

The test being conducted currently is NOT representative of what each player will have at the first event.

Virtually everyone will only have three CSP’s to work with. Exceptions being NPC’s or vital PC roles (such as the regimental Commissar).

I have used a blanket ruling this time only to see how people read and understand the rules only. So far, its having the desired effect as we have already located something that needs addressing before we start.

Another item that may help will be a pro-forma character sheet to fill out but I wanted players to have a go at non-Imperial characters this time round too if possible so I didn’t put one out.

In the future, the question will be asked as for which Race a player will be characterising and the relating pro-forma will be issued to them.

[aitch]

Hey Manius.

I'll try and get a sample character to you, but it won't be until next week - It's 24 hours and counting until the Battlestar Galactica LRP game I'm co-running starts, so I've got a ton of props, costumes and video stuff to sort and pack.

Was thinking about doing a radio operator / vox-operator character. I'll have a mull./

H

[Manius]

Not really a deadline for this so as soon as you can.

Another issue pointed out now:

Battle Weapon Tiers - Character details run counter to the original aim of this system.

Basic characters are showing as having BW2 - Bolters etc - this is wrong. However, this places me with an issue. I want to encourage Medics etc to use Pistols by dropping BW skill point so they can focus more on the medical skills, but this would mean making Pistol weapons "free".

Thoughts?

[john]

Before joining he guard Tona Criid could use a pistol with some skill, this tends to suggest that its a general skill, also Doc Dorden uses one once to save someones life (Gaunts i think) and Doc Curth uses a las rifle in one of the later stories so not unreasonable I think.
Did you consider the suggestion that only those with real world medical training could play medics? makes it easier to spot a first aider on the field.

[Manius]

Medicae vs. First Aiders –

Good idea but I will not restrict the Medicae characters to actually qualified first aiders, however, as it’s IS such a good suggestion and I am installing a special sash/arm band that is IC but players will know indicates Real-World skills in this sphere.

Perhaps another thing I may consider is a unilateral 1 x LSA open point to any players booking as Medicae who can also produce a valid First Aid certificate/ID card.

This way we not only reward players willing to take a more non-combat role but also for the fact they have a valuable Real-World skill the system can make use of and is actually essential to events running.

(wishing other systems did similar)

[john]

Hows the excercise going? any other bugs located?

[Gor/Strauss]

I assume that this is in relation to the rules being hosted on the yahoo site correct?

And does Baalis have a funky title given that he's the Standard Bearer?

[john]

yep Baalis has a funky title, Las magnet
Mani was sure there were mistakes in the rules, the only way to find them is to use them. So thats what this is about.

[Manius]

So far its going quite well. Several issues and inconsistencies have been found in the rules as downloadable here and on the yahoo website and I’m correcting them currently in my master copy.

Once this operation is complete, I’ll issue Ver.IV of the rules for the forum and yahoo group.

We still have to get past this first hurdle and I don’t believe you players have quite finished finding fault yet but when I think you have – in a few more days – I’ll issue Ver.IV and we can continue the experiment as I still need to give myself a guide to the back-office work.

[Gor/Strauss]

I'll get a char to you by tommorow night at the latest mate (thats wednesday night)

[Manius]

Character received and I have responded to you.

Question was raised:

Adeptus Mechanicus / Imperial Navy based skills?

They’re already there in the rules. Skills such as Armour, Gunsmith, Computers, Languages, Map Making, Tier Two+ Explosives, Numerology, Crafting, Chemistry, Physics etc etc…can be all considered suitable skills for either Adeptus Mechanicus and Imperial Navy personnel.

The descriptions of each skill are a “guide” only as to the general scope that the skill covers. Whilst using the “mother rules” during live RP, we found each scope was nearly infinitely adaptable in line with the RP direction the player wanted to go.

During an event, quality of RP and thinking laterally about what skills you have available will be rewarded. For example at one event a player used:

Crafting & Chemistry

…to culture an explosive compound and contain it within a small and therefore restrictive metal container. Another player with Explosives at a base level was then able to use the explosive as it was primed and ready to use.

Another example is where players used:

Physics, Crafting, Chemistry and Numerology

To start up a particle accelerator! (the fact they then decided…willingly…to overload it and blow the entire county up, is neither here or there )

[cybersoldier]

Are there going to be special rules regarding officers and high level imperial officials like =][=?

I would suggest giving officers an automatic radio skill and map reading.