Wow,
Long night. I checked in this morning and read all the arguments.
Basically the lack of a "Techie" character seems to be because it wouldn't be a heroic character to play. Now I agree that the times to build something is out of whack. There should be some way of taking advantage of pre-made parts, and adapting other components. But that shouldn't be the only thing your character WANTS to do. Tech skills are a good thing, however even "Scotty" had command skills. (he couldn't have been left in charge so often otherwise!) Techs are supporting characters. In D&D you might consult a sage but you don't play him in an adventure. To properly balance a Tech with the other classes you have to have them totally inept with combat type skills or else you wind up with a class that has too many plusses and few minuses. I deplore "Game Balance" as a reason for anything but if everybody plays the same character then you don't have "Star Wars" you have "Star Techs".
Just my $0.02.
Bob
-----Original Message-----
From: Martin L. Shoemaker [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]]
Sent: Monday, January 22, 2001 9:42 PM
To: ogf-d20-l
Subject: RE: [ogf-d20-l] Does it make sense for PCs to make things?
From: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
[mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]]On Behalf Of Grok
Sent: Monday, January 22, 2001 11:19 PM
To: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Subject: Re: [ogf-d20-l] Does it make sense for PCs to make things?
<< > Actualy, the total lack of Scientist/Engineer/Techno class in the core
> SW rules is a VERY glaring omission. I wanted to create a sort of
> 'Scotty of Tatooine' and found I couldn't do it. Nor could I easily
> create a medic or a Dr. Huer type. I'm tempted to write up a
> 'Technician' class under the OGL 'for use in any science-fiction genre
> game'.
I don't think it is an omission at all. The Star Wars game is Heroic
Adventure.. its not 'Futuristic travels', which some seem to be missing. >>
OK. Then let's throw out the conclusion of Episode VI. Why? Because the
Battle of Endor hinges in part on a whole bunch of Ewok technicians creating
a bunch of clever traps and devices to use against the Stormtroopers. I'll
hazard a guess that none of those things could be made in the time frame of
the film using the existing game rules.
Heck, let's throw out most of the films, from the point where Luke makes his
own Lightsaber.
No one's missing the point, thank you very much. But the game is missing
things it needs to even reflect the films we have seen. And assuming it ever
comes into the realm of Open Gaming, well, part of the point of Open Gaming
is to have the community improve upon existing rules.
<< Like a movie, it basically is all action with minimal cut scenes to set
up
the next round of pulse pounding activity. If you are hoping for it to be
otherwise, or looking for it to be a mature Sci-Fi RPG, such as Traveller,
etc, then you are looking in the wrong spot.. At least until someone writes
a 'real' universe for the game mechanics >>
Then why have technical skills in the game at all? Or diplomatic skills? Why
have trips through hyperspace take time? Just make them all instantaneous.
RPG campaigns are not movies. They are much closer to novels. And in
novels -- certainly in the Star Wars novels -- characters are complex
individuals who do things in between the action scenes.
To say we're looking in the wrong spot misses the point: the spot is wrong,
not where we're looking.
Martin L. Shoemaker
Emerald Software, Inc. -- Custom Software and UML Training
[EMAIL PROTECTED]
www.EmeraldSoftwareInc.com
www.UMLBootCamp.com
