When RPG task examples are lame

Shawn Driscoll · July 08, 2013, 08:32:41 AM

Was reading the rules for D6 Space just now. The first example (page 55) of die rolling for a task is "digging a hole". The next skill example is "jumping onto a table".

I lost interest already in this space RPG. I didn't even look to see if a target number is used or not.

Anyone here read RPG rules that had lame skill examples for their die rolls?

Mytholder · July 08, 2013, 09:14:14 AM

The best is and will always be Ghostbusters. "Say you're trying to eat a telephone...."

Brad · July 08, 2013, 09:55:08 AM

Quote from: Mytholder;669246The best is and will always be Ghostbusters. "Say you're trying to eat a telephone...."

That is intentionally stupid, though. Sort of like the brick-throwing example from Toon.

Exploderwizard · July 08, 2013, 10:34:35 AM

Quote from: Mytholder;669246The best is and will always be Ghostbusters. "Say you're trying to eat a telephone...."

That is the GREATEST example of skill use ever! I vill take two proton packs, Dhuurr!!!!

Warthur · July 08, 2013, 11:44:20 AM

Worse than boring skill examples: descriptions of where appropriate skill levels are set at which fly in the face of the way the system actually works. (For instance, in at least some versions of V:tM having three points in a skill means you're world class at it, four points mean you're best in the world and five means you're nigh-inhuman. The actual probabilities don't quite map out that way...)

Shawn Driscoll · July 08, 2013, 12:26:35 PM

Quote from: Warthur;669269Worse than boring skill examples: descriptions of where appropriate skill levels are set at which fly in the face of the way the system actually works. (For instance, in at least some versions of V:tM having three points in a skill means you're world class at it, four points mean you're best in the world and five means you're nigh-inhuman. The actual probabilities don't quite map out that way...)

So they're showing examples that will probably never happen in a game. Yep. That's almost like using an example from another game system.

The Yann Waters · July 08, 2013, 01:17:30 PM

Quote from: Shawn Driscoll;669282So they're showing examples that will probably never happen in a game. Yep. That's almost like using an example from another game system.

That's not the problem, since the characters can, obviously, be superhumanly competent. However, a single dot in a skill doesn't make anywhere near that much of a mechanical difference as far as actual rolls are concerned: it just adds one more die to your pool.

James Gillen · July 08, 2013, 06:46:36 PM

Quote from: Warthur;669269Worse than boring skill examples: descriptions of where appropriate skill levels are set at which fly in the face of the way the system actually works. (For instance, in at least some versions of V:tM having three points in a skill means you're world class at it, four points mean you're best in the world and five means you're nigh-inhuman. The actual probabilities don't quite map out that way...)

Oh, like we're expecting White Wolf to do the math on how dice pools work.

JG

Warthur · July 08, 2013, 08:39:45 PM

Quote from: The Yann Waters;669295That's not the problem, since the characters can, obviously, be superhumanly competent. However, a single dot in a skill doesn't make anywhere near that much of a mechanical difference as far as actual rolls are concerned: it just adds one more die to your pool.

Pretty much, and WW tended to paint it as though a) it made a radical difference and b) actually pumping enough dots into a skill to actually make a major difference was unacceptable powergaming.

Old One Eye · July 08, 2013, 10:52:51 PM

I rarely look at specific skill examples. Pretty much every rpg has a generic easy-typical-hard-incredible difficulty chart thingy. That is good enough for me to use on the fly.

RPGPundit · July 10, 2013, 01:47:08 AM

Quote from: Shawn Driscoll;669239Was reading the rules for D6 Space just now. The first example (page 55) of die rolling for a task is "digging a hole". The next skill example is "jumping onto a table".

I lost interest already in this space RPG. I didn't even look to see if a target number is used or not.

Anyone here read RPG rules that had lame skill examples for their die rolls?

Yeah, that'd probably be enough to make me quit.

Shawn Driscoll · July 10, 2013, 05:17:21 AM

Quote from: RPGPundit;669652Yeah, that'd probably be enough to make me quit.

Their "digging a hole" example was to show off their Lifting skill the game has. A Lifting skill? Yes, for lifting a shovel full of dirt. Is that a die roll per scoop? Are we trying to make hole masterpieces? Bottomless holes? Have an army to bury soon? Be able to dig a hole period? Be able to lift shovels properly?

I'm beginning to suspect that the D6 mechanic is just an excuse for dice-happy players.

JeremyR · July 10, 2013, 05:46:40 AM

I've got that book

You're taking it somewhat out of context. It's not an example of a skill per se, it's an example of how an object might modify a skill, in this case, a shovel adds 1D.

Is it a great example? Probably not, but presumably they wanted something that would work in all of their D6 books.

QuoteAn Advantage, Special Ability, or piece of equipment may provide a bonus to the roll. If the bonus is in the form of a die code (such as +1D), then you add the listed number of regular dice to the amount you would roll. If the bonus is in the form of a number (such as +2), then you add the amount to the total that you rolled on the dice.

Example: A shovel adds 1D to digging attempts. A character who decides to dig a hole uses her lifting skill. If your character has a lifting skill of 4D, you would roll five dice to determine how well your character dug the hole with the shovel.

Are those two paragraphs just so boring that you can't read on any further? It took you about 50x as long to complain about it than to read it.

As to the necessity of a lifting skill? Well, D6 works by having several attributes with die codes (like 2D to 4D), then skills that are attached to attributes that add on to it.

My guess is, they couldn't think of much else to added to Strength.

Shawn Driscoll · July 10, 2013, 06:15:01 AM

Quote from: JeremyR;669680I've got that book.

So you start out with attributes measured in nD. And you can add nD and +n to your attributes when rolling? Which page of the D6 Space book is the most interesting to read, in your opinion?

Bloody Stupid Johnson · July 10, 2013, 07:49:20 AM

lame, eh?
This may be inadmissible because its from a fan-made product, but here's an extract of the Phoenix Command Amatorial Rules, which made me cringe anyway:

QuoteRevived from suspended animation into a military bunker society, the very British Julius Morgan, PhD, a 67-year-old weapons specialist who invented the Infantry Lase (sic) Rifle, meets a delightful younger Australian woman named Jill, who has led a sheltered life and desires adventure. He meets her in Botanical 1 one day among the ponds and Grampians Bauera flowers, and feeling lonely decides to court her in gentlemanly fashion. His odds are 11 (keeps an predictable schedule) - F + 0 (Julius' Flirting SL). F here is 3 (effectively different nationality) - 2 (love-starved) = 1. With odds of 10, the first month he rolls a 12, so a piece of toilet paper is stuck to his shoe (he fails his Perception roll and doesn't notice). The second month, he tries again, this time rolling a 7. By the Grampians pond, he wins a kiss from Jill.

I'll spare you the Servicing rules.