In the Dojo (O.O.C. Chat - Session Zero)

[Purr]

The concept is cute. It makes me wonder what kind of martial arts he's going to have.

Yes! That makes two of us! =)

After a first glance at the pdf: Think I'll feel right at home with a hawk. No chicken, no turkey - sorry!

Might need to rethink the gunnery skills with the negative modifier without extra limbs since I don't want those. Points will likely go into flight and talons, mostly. And speech. Communication might be helpful at some point.

Really glad you've gotten the chance to look into the PDF! Gunnery isn't necessary as it might be for a Rifts or Ninjas & Superspies campaign. Martial Arts on the other hand are recommended!

Honestly - I might stick with a pistol just so she can complain about her disadvantageous anatomy.

Many a good pistol was made in the 1980s and before. =)

I just keep on looking at the PDF and wanting to start to pick some skills and finish up my bio-e expenditure without knowing what education background wee are getting. Everything is in a holding pattern until we get those numbers set.

Right! And to use your aeronautical analogy, once Sil has arrived at your airport, you'll be off and flying together!

In the meantime... here's yet another little idea I thought up tonight. Tell me what you think, everyone?

Kaerri Psychie Sherwood Silanon

Spoiler: Education - A Family Matter!

I'm going to repeat a little information here and then add something new so it's all in one place:

The Palladium After The Bomb writers recommend every player-character roll their Education randomly. One roll; one 1d100 result - that's what you get. It works for them.

I decided I didn't like that. So I upped the rolls to 3. 1d100 x 3. Whatever those 3 rolls come up with is what the player-character gets to select from.

Here's the new part I want to talk to you about. What if... as a family, you were able to exchange options with one another? Like trading cards?

Say, PC 1 rolls 21, 31, and 71. But PC 1 really wants that 41-65 result!
Meanwhile, PC 2 rolls 50, 50, and 68. But PC 2 really wants that 71-75 result!

They can swap PC 1's 71 for PC 2's 50!

Now, once those numbers are used, they're gone! So... PC 3 comes along and rolls 99, 15, and 12. But PC 3 really wants that 66-70 result! PC 1 and PC 3 can swap those because it's still available.

Furthermore, I can post all at once what everyone has rolled so each of you can not only look at your results, but your family members' too (including Toby/Spot's who will be looking for the Healer Apprenticeship)!

What do you think of that, Gang?

 

[Purr]

Silanon Have you taken a look at the Weaponsmith Apprenticeship on page 40? Maybe that'll set your hawk's wings to soaring?

Also... I just love some of the artwork in this book!

Additional thought: Oooh. What if the "Education - A Family Matter" (if approved by all) takes place in-character? Your characters literally helped form each other? Huh!

 

[Sherwood]

Yes! That makes two of us! =)


Really glad you've gotten the chance to look into the PDF! Gunnery isn't necessary as it might be for a Rifts or Ninjas & Superspies campaign. Martial Arts on the other hand are recommended!

Many a good pistol was made in the 1980s and before. =)


Right! And to use your aeronautical analogy, once Sil has arrived at your airport, you'll be off and flying together!

In the meantime... here's yet another little idea I thought up tonight. Tell me what you think, everyone?

Kaerri Psychie Sherwood Silanon

Spoiler: Education - A Family Matter!

I'm going to repeat a little information here and then add something new so it's all in one place:

The Palladium After The Bomb writers recommend every player-character roll their Education randomly. One roll; one 1d100 result - that's what you get. It works for them.

I decided I didn't like that. So I upped the rolls to 3. 1d100 x 3. Whatever those 3 rolls come up with is what the player-character gets to select from.

Here's the new part I want to talk to you about. What if... as a family, you were able to exchange options with one another? Like trading cards?

Say, PC 1 rolls 21, 31, and 71. But PC 1 really wants that 41-65 result!
Meanwhile, PC 2 rolls 50, 50, and 68. But PC 2 really wants that 71-75 result!

They can swap PC 1's 71 for PC 2's 50!

Now, once those numbers are used, they're gone! So... PC 3 comes along and rolls 99, 15, and 12. But PC 3 really wants that 66-70 result! PC 1 and PC 3 can swap those because it's still available.

Furthermore, I can post all at once what everyone has rolled so each of you can not only look at your results, but your family members' too (including Toby/Spot's who will be looking for the Healer Apprenticeship)!

What do you think of that, Gang?

It will certainly give us more chances at getting the educational background we really want.

 

[Purr]

It will certainly give us more chances at getting the educational background we really want.

Yes! And you can do it together! If... everyone's on-board with the idea?

 

[Silanon]

Silanon Have you taken a look at the Weaponsmith Apprenticeship on page 40? Maybe that'll set your hawk's wings to soaring?

Also... I just love some of the artwork in this book!

Not yet - skimmed through a few pages, enjoyed some of the art and checked the bird section thus far - more after work! I'll look into it then.

 

[Purr]

Not yet - skimmed through a few pages, enjoyed some of the art and checked the bird section thus far - more after work! I'll look into it then.

Super! Hope you have a great shift at work! =)

 

[Sherwood]

It does make me wonder with all the numbers bouncing around with this, why don't you just let us pick the packages we want? Is there a reason you want us to roll for this instead of just selecting? I'm not against the ranndomness of rolling, just curious as to what is going on in your noggin.

 

[Psychie]

Hmm. I do like the idea of getting more number choices to pick from. Gives me a better chance to get a good education that I want.

 

[Sherwood]

Well, I have another early morning ahead of me, so I'm off to bed. Let me know what we are going to do about the educational background stuff and I'll roll with it.

 

[Purr]

It does make me wonder with all the numbers bouncing around with this, why don't you just let us pick the packages we want? Is there a reason you want us to roll for this instead of just selecting? I'm not against the ranndomness of rolling, just curious as to what is going on in your noggin.

Simple! At the risk of repeating what I said when we covered this earlier, here it is again - expanded.

1. If I let everyone pick and choose, then I strongly feel almost every player in this game, present and future, is likely to choose the highest possible result! Oh, what's that? Yet another PC chose Elite Militia (even though there's only a 5% chance of rolling it)? Big surprise! Everyone else is either One of the Academic Underground or whatever selections provide the most skills?

Nah. It just... rubs me the wrong way.

2. This is a TMNT campaign, not Rifts, not Ninjas & Superspies. Huge amounts of skills at 98% or better are not required. Neither are Physical Attributes of 25+ each or 8 Actions per Round by 3rd level. This is a low-powered S.D.C. campaign where it is very difficult to get killed. It's also an experiment - I want to see where this takes us!

3. The spirit of this game is based around family. With "Education - A Family Matter!" Not only do the characters get to help each other, but the players do too! How cool is that? You're acting like a family before the game has even started - before the dice have even hit the table! I really like the spirit of that feeling!

2a. At least in this game, everyone begins to think in terms of "us" instead of "I" or "me." Psychie, you just innocently put this perfectly well with this sentence.

Gives me a better chance to get a good education that I want.

If there's a chance in this game, down the road, that each of you begin to think, "Gives us a better chance to get a good education each of us want," then I think you're all much closer to playing the family your characters are.

I am not trying to change you as players - I am trying to get you into the spirit of a game that revolves around family. Family is one of the great core ideas that make TMNT what it is - Splinter is the dad, the Turtles are his sons. It only goes upward from there! =)

 

[Purr]

Well, I have another early morning ahead of me, so I'm off to bed. Let me know what we are going to do about the educational background stuff and I'll roll with it.

Sherwood Are you on-board with Education - A Family Matter? Have a good night!

 

[Purr]

and I'll roll with it.

I see what you did there!

 

[Psychie]

I'm good. Lets see what everyone can come up with from the dice.

 

[Purr]

I'm good. Lets see what everyone can come up with from the dice.

Psychie Did you decide on a new name yet?

EDIT: Knowing a little more about your yokai shoki family might help. =)

Spoiler: What your character knows - the basics.

Your family name... is Khan! It is a feared name among demons and has been for hundreds of years! Everyone in the family studies Tiger Claw Kung Fu except for your older brother (who studies Shaolin Kung Fu). Some folks in your family have multiple styles to take on the thousands of types of demons!

You have an aging Dad (Khan Goh) who is both wise and powerful and an intrepid and nigh-fearless older brother (Khan Tzu) who takes after him. Both are legends in the world of shoki! They are no one to mess with! They travel together all over righting wrongs and helping people as they have for centuries!

You have a loving, doting Mom (Khan Soo) who knows things most yokai probably shouldn't. She shamelessly embarrasses you and your siblings out of the sheer love and pride she has for you - such a Mom!

You have a really cunning older sister (Khan Li) - a true cat and opportunist when it comes to living life. She prefers to use her considerable social skills and allure to find where her family is needed most. And oh, can she be a wise-ass!

You have a "younger" brother (Khan Boh) who is actually older than you but you matured faster (yokai can be strange like that). Because he was raised with the family, Boh knows everything he should. He knows you don't, but he eagerly looks up to you anyways because he believes in what you could (should?) be. Boh is a genuinely good kid!

And you? What will your first name be, Mister Khan? =)

 

[Sherwood]

Sherwood Are you on-board with Education - A Family Matter? Have a good night!

Mornings are too early. <grumble grumble>

Yes, I will be on board with this plan. I’m down.

 

[Purr]

Mornings are too early. <grumble grumble>

I wish we lived closer together - I really like the coffee I make and I'd share some with you - especially for these morning shifts of yours! =)

 

[Silanon]

In the meantime... here's yet another little idea I thought up tonight. Tell me what you think, everyone?

I don't mind the idea, but I'd think about the numbers: for a 5% education there's a chance of 0.95^15=0.46=46% to miss it. That's... Pretty much a coin flip. I don't like coin flips. Feels bad if it's the one you really wanted. I'd take a look at whether we should get a skill at 5% - yes or no - and either go with more rolls if yes or fewer if not. Fewer makes trading more relevant, too - the fewer options you have, the more you think about whether to give one away for a blank someone else got.

 

[Sherwood]

I wish we lived closer together - I really like the coffee I make and I'd share some with you - especially for these morning shifts of yours! =)

Unfortunately, my religion as a member of the LDS church prohibits coffee. I’m trying to get through the day with just the soda I drink, but it’s not easy. lol

 

[Purr]

I don't mind the idea, but I'd think about the numbers: for a 5% education there's a chance of 0.95^15=0.46=46% to miss it.

Sil! I just love this feedback and I love the math you're using! I'm going by the "Step 3: Background, Education & Skills" found on page 17? You roll 1d100 and only with the 71-75 result do you get Elite Militia. That's a 95% chance of getting something else. But with 15 rolls (3 rolls for 5 characters), there's a 54% chance that Elite Militia won't come up at all! How did you come up with this? It's... it's like you've gone to University or something! I'm so proud of you! Ha ha ha!! 8D

I'd take a look at whether we should get a skill at 5% - yes or no - and either go with more rolls if yes or fewer if not. Fewer makes trading more relevant, too - the fewer options you have, the more you think about whether to give one away for a blank someone else got.

Yeah, that's a good point. I'll think about this and get back with you! Maybe I'll find a good compromise.

Unfortunately, my religion as a member of the LDS church prohibits coffee. I’m trying to get through the day with just the soda I drink, but it’s not easy. lol

Ack! Does that include tea, too? I bet it isn't! Soda is far worse for the body than either tea or coffee. (Hello, diabetes!)

 

[Sherwood]

Just speaking for my own self here, I would have little issue with most of the education backgrounds. The ones without an apprenticeship offer up better bonuses to your stats and bio-e points, balancing them out. I would lean away from the criminal background ones because my elephant is an honorable type and will not stoop to stealing. The only other one that doesn’t really appeal to me is the Raised on the Frontier because it is so heavily loaded down with just Domestic skills. Even so, as long as I can hopefully purchase my tai chi I can deal with it. There are some advantages to those skills that I can work with.

 

[Silanon]

I'd be happy to give away anything with too much education. Other than that, I'd probably be able to make due without too much trouble.

 

[Purr]

Just speaking for my own self here, I would have little issue with most of the education backgrounds.

This is one of the reasons I am allowing multiple choices instead of only one. I'm involved in a monthly game of 1st Edition Gamma World where much (too much!) is decided by single random rolls. What you roll you are just stuck with! I tried hard to like it, but I just don't.

I'd be happy to give away anything with too much education. Other than that, I'd probably be able to make due without too much trouble.

That's kind of you. =)

 

[Sherwood]

First edition Gamma World? Talk about a classic! That brings back some memories from way back.

 

[Kaerri]

Wow, y'all have been busy. Over 3 pages of posts in less than 24 hours!

So much to read through and I've forgotten to click "Quote" on things I'm supposed to respond to, but I don't recall having a problem with much of it except where folks got impatient because they have more time to read than others do.

The family system for rolling/trading/selecting education sounds good.

 

[Purr]

Wow, y'all have been busy. Over 3 pages of posts in less than 24 hours!

The family system for rolling/trading/selecting education sounds good.

Kaerri Yeah, we definitely got carried away, but it was fun! Glad you like the family system!

The Khan family is one I created a long time ago but not Kiseko's family. I'm having to make them up from scratch. Do you want Kesuke in as an honorable mention (since he too is your character)?