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Author Topic: Disabilities and Fantasy or SF Workarounds  (Read 5097 times)

RollingBones

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Disabilities and Fantasy or SF Workarounds
« Reply #45 on: August 26, 2020, 02:42:41 AM »
Quote from: Omega;1146504
1: In my own system I left it really abstract as theres so much variance and granularity doesnt really add a whole lot after a point. Its easier to just give examples of levels of impairment and let the player come up with what they think fits that level. Same with any workarounds. There are so may ways to approach these things.

But I kept this all fairly low on points gained for chargen to curb any thoughts of min/maxing or char-opping. The problems your character is getting far outweigh the points gained.


Thanks, the way I have structured chargen, points gained from 'flaws' can only be used to buy 'merits', not to directly boost stats. I also set merits slightly more expensive than the credit from an equivalent flaw. Hopefully that'll disrupt power gaming it. I might have to take a step back and see how I might be able to , as you say, abstract it a bit further, and see if that works better. Some things definitely get too granular. I haven't, for instance, bothered with Colour-Blindness because it wouldn't even be worth 1 point. Same with something like Tinnitus, though a severe case could make hearing or focus checks interesting, especially in a game with firearms. Cheers.

Quote from: Omega;1146504
One bemusing thing though is that of all things. A blind investigator in a Call of Cthulhu type setting, where seeing horrible things tends to be a really bad idea, is going to be practically immune to any SAN loss that relies only on seeing (or touching) something icky. Unfortunately in CoC. Hearing some horrible things can cause SAN loss to so dont think you are Cthulhuproof. heh-heh.


Ha! Yep, a blind character might make it through with their sanity mostly intact, but they're going to struggle with the endless 'spot hidden' rolls in a Chaosium CoC game. Just try finding a braille edition of the Pnakotic Manuscripts! A certain audiobook edition of the Necronomicon could play a role though...

Ghostmaker

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Disabilities and Fantasy or SF Workarounds
« Reply #46 on: August 26, 2020, 08:10:35 AM »
Quote from: RollingBones;1146516

Ha! Yep, a blind character might make it through with their sanity mostly intact, but they're going to struggle with the endless 'spot hidden' rolls in a Chaosium CoC game. Just try finding a braille edition of the Pnakotic Manuscripts! A certain audiobook edition of the Necronomicon could play a role though...

Considering the deleterious effects of reading such manuscripts, I'm not quite seeing the problem here...

In the wake of the infamous tale of Old Man Henderson, I'd also allow for temporary disabilities to cushion the blows of eldritch horror. You know, like being stoned off your ass when the shoggoth crawls out of the sink.

Omega

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Disabilities and Fantasy or SF Workarounds
« Reply #47 on: August 27, 2020, 03:09:40 AM »
Quote from: LiferGamer;1146509
Without going into detail, when I'm on the anti-depressants that 'work' I'm zoned out and fuzzy.  I hate the feeling, and my personality is all 'wrong'; It's not my place to advocate it one way or the other, but I choose to NOT take them.

Exactly. I know at least two people who feel that way as well. But also two who feel alot better and more functional when on then when off. Probably due to type and medication?

Which brings up another issue. One persons cure might not work for someone else. Or make things worse. Or negate the problem only to introduce a new one.

Like how some people can not deal with prosthetic limbs for various reasons.

Omega

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Disabilities and Fantasy or SF Workarounds
« Reply #48 on: August 27, 2020, 03:19:32 AM »
Quote from: Ghostmaker;1146533
Considering the deleterious effects of reading such manuscripts, I'm not quite seeing the problem here...

In the wake of the infamous tale of Old Man Henderson, I'd also allow for temporary disabilities to cushion the blows of eldritch horror. You know, like being stoned off your ass when the shoggoth crawls out of the sink.

Yes. Though I know of one case were being drunk did not help in the end. I suspect it deadened the initial horror. But it was drinking that got them into the horror in the first place.

But this actually gets touched on in some of Lovecrafts works where certain drugs allow the mind to expand enough that even the worst of the sanity wrecking things can be handled to some degree. Pretty sure CoC has a couple of sanity-proofing potions in there somewhere.

tenbones

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Disabilities and Fantasy or SF Workarounds
« Reply #49 on: August 27, 2020, 10:26:47 AM »
There are no physical or mental disabilities in RPG's that can't be overcome in the game or be compensated for.

There are no physical or mental disabilities that will be overcome by playing RPG's.

There are no RPG companies that are not susceptible to the people screaming with mental disabilities that may also have physical disabilities, but not exclusively so.

Those that overcome this, can have my money.

LiferGamer

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Disabilities and Fantasy or SF Workarounds
« Reply #50 on: August 27, 2020, 01:01:20 PM »
Quote from: tenbones;1146664
There are no physical or mental disabilities in RPG's that can't be overcome in the game or be compensated for.

There are no physical or mental disabilities that will be overcome by playing RPG's.

There are no RPG companies that are not susceptible to the people screaming with mental disabilities that may also have physical disabilities, but not exclusively so.

Those that overcome this, can have my money.

Agreed on all points.  Now go write about Fantasycraft.  ;)
Your Forgotten Realms was my first The Last Jedi.

If the party is gonna die, they want to be riding and blasting/hacking away at a separate one of Tiamat's heads as she plummets towards earth with broken wings while Solars and Planars sing.

tenbones

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Disabilities and Fantasy or SF Workarounds
« Reply #51 on: August 27, 2020, 05:44:31 PM »
Quote from: LiferGamer;1146684
Agreed on all points.  Now go write about Fantasycraft.  ;)

/shakes fist!

It's coming!

Spinachcat

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Disabilities and Fantasy or SF Workarounds
« Reply #52 on: August 27, 2020, 07:45:04 PM »
Quote from: Shasarak;1146310
I think, who are the illegally disabled?


Cripples, because they're all Crips and hate the Bloods.



Quote from: tenbones;1146664
There are no RPG companies that are not susceptible to the people screaming with mental disabilities that may also have physical disabilities, but not exclusively so.


Palladium!!! They are NOT susceptible to these clowns.

The most devoted fans can't convince them to do a system cleanup. What chance do the Twatter freaks have against the Unmoving Wall of Kevin???

Omega

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Disabilities and Fantasy or SF Workarounds
« Reply #53 on: September 01, 2020, 05:56:44 AM »
While looking at some old wheelchairs another idea came to mind for a conveyance like this.

A rickshaw or similar.  

Could be pulled by a hireling. Or a summoned monster like a skeleton. Or even a variation on the phantom steed. Or if Artificer is an option, the steel defender could pull it. Animate object might work as well.

LiferGamer

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Re: Disabilities and Fantasy or SF Workarounds
« Reply #54 on: September 01, 2020, 11:09:33 PM »
Putting aside all the 'should' it be in the game, my other beef is I can't stand Flinstones campaign worlds.


There are so many more interesting ideas than making your game '21st century but with swords and horses instead of guns and cars.'
Your Forgotten Realms was my first The Last Jedi.

If the party is gonna die, they want to be riding and blasting/hacking away at a separate one of Tiamat's heads as she plummets towards earth with broken wings while Solars and Planars sing.

Omega

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Re: Disabilities and Fantasy or SF Workarounds
« Reply #55 on: September 02, 2020, 07:50:49 AM »
While doing research it turned out that proto wheelchairs have been around since roman times apparently and by the 5th century China had some proto-wheelchairs as well. Some early ones were akin to a sort of reverse rickshaw with the porter in back rather than in front. So guess my fantasy idea was not too far the actual implementation.
But oddly wheelchairs as we know them did not really appear on the scene till something like the 15th century. One of the 15th century designs noted used little coaster type wheels which seem to me to be impractical even for most semi-modern cities. Probably why they moved to the larger central wheel. That and the person in it can move themselves with the right arrangement.
Interestingly much the same story for eyeglasses. Proto versions go back to the roman era and we start to see more recognizable forms around the 12th century.

Omega

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Re: Disabilities and Fantasy or SF Workarounds
« Reply #56 on: September 09, 2020, 11:13:46 AM »
Something that was touched on in another thread is the issue of just how much access people have, or dont have, to restorative magic. That can be a big factor in seeking workarounds when theres no recourse.
Example: In BX D&D there is no regeneration spell. The only thing existing is the Ring of Regeneration. And fairly rare too with a mere 2% chance of showing up in random treasure rolls for rings which themselves have only a 5% chance.
AD&D on the other hand has various curative magics. But several of the better ones require the higher levels to cast and finding NPCs to cast said spells may be few and far between. Or far too costly for the common folk or low level adventurers.

Omega

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Re: Disabilities and Fantasy or SF Workarounds
« Reply #57 on: September 26, 2020, 08:22:32 PM »
ok this is really painfull to type so please excuse the occasional lack of puntuation.
Finally out of ER after 5 hours of staring at the ceiling unable to move.
Why?
because was in a really bad biking accident. Probably the equivalent of falling off a horse at gallop in fantasy terms. Last thing remember was hitting the fence. Eventually come to half way back on the bike path... and can not move... just pain and numbness combined...
Luckily a friend was biking with me and more luckily he was behind me and while mostly unable to help me directly, was able to call my roommate fore help, who got a ride out as close as could as I crashed in the middle of nowhere.
Helmet I had just bought the other day probably saved me.

Meanwhile got back the use of my legs, but hands were totally useless at first, but gradually got bacl use of a few fingers on one hand. Got to standing and tried to stagger to a meeting point using the bike as a support, but it was a mess so roommate manhandled it to the ride a mile off while I staggered along.

Get to ER and just short of full body x-rays. Somehow succeeded in not breaking or fracturing any bones and was eventually released. They didnt check for muscle or other damage. But no bones broke.
necks in a cast for a while and can barely use hands. just typing this out is an ordeal. My head and face actually looks worse than my hands.

if id been alone or my friend ahead of me and not realized Id wrecked that would have been really hell.
So right now in getting to see first hand, no pun intended, what its like to lose most of the use of your hands.
Eating is a trial, getting dressed is a trial, and holding things is a trial to pretty much impossible.Sleep? with this sort of pain? aint happening. Kiss goodby any short or long rests. Spells with somatic components? aint happening. Cant even hold a practice bokken a player got for me. Getting into armour with straps and such aint happening. For a modern setting guns are out, can noty hold a nerf gun or pull the trigger. And for more modern or futuristic, using a keyboard is an ordeal and really slow going.

So there you go. Wear a damn helmet!

addendum: and all this happened because I am handicapped and it kicked in at the worst possible time, causing me to crash.
« Last Edit: September 26, 2020, 08:26:14 PM by Omega »

SHARK

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Re: Disabilities and Fantasy or SF Workarounds
« Reply #58 on: September 27, 2020, 09:28:19 PM »

Greetings!


Damn, Omega! That sounds like a terrible experience! Well, as you alluded to, the situation could have been far worse for you. Thankfully, you have no broken bones and such. I hope that your recovery goes well, Omega!


Perhaps you may be able to enjoy some reading while you recuperate! I always enjoy diving into some good books! ;D


Semper Fidelis,


SHARK
"It is the Marine Corps that will strip away the façade so easily confused with self. It is the Corps that will offer the pain needed to buy the truth. And at last, each will own the privilege of looking inside himself  to discover what truly resides there. Comfort is an illusion. A false security b

Omega

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Re: Disabilities and Fantasy or SF Workarounds
« Reply #59 on: September 28, 2020, 01:12:41 AM »
Thanks. The worst was that initial waking up to being paralyzed.
right now I cant even hold a mug hardly. got use of one finger and thumb on each hand that is not painfull. The rest are still painfull even to touch. Physical book probably not going to work. But been wanting to read Dream Park for a while now as have an early print but never time to read it.
Another insight. with hands disabled like this even getting up off the ground can be an ordeal. Scribing scrolls will be right out too.
addendum: sent a big thank you to shwinn for making that helmet!