New Home System Rules & Questions

[Gray Lensman]

Oh, Sarah, I think I've noticed a problem with your web page that you may want to fix...

The Robot Creation Guide doesn't link properly from the New Home main page. It sends the user to a blank page. I did, fortunately manage to find it after experimenting with the address.

The Robot Creation Guide can be found here.

Hope that helps.

[SilvaShado]

Thanks Steve for letting me know about the broken link and for your advice to Shan.

Shan - Other than suggesting that your Robot doesn't need that high of ranks in low-gravity manuevers, I think you've got a good start to your team.

If you look under the first description of a Robot, you'll see which human skills a robot can't take. So you may want to choose another skill for your robot, maybe from the human list or just bump up one of your other skills instead of having a 4 in low-gravity manuevers.

As for the serial code, maybe turn your name into numbers. The serial code is supposed to be a fun expression. It can be meaningful or not. Try to think about creative license plates, and you'll see what I mean.

I may have a few more questions that will help you develop the personality of both Jens. But I understand that playing the character will really help develop them.

1. Why did the human Jen create a robot? Was she all alone and needed companionship? Maybe there was a task she needed to do, but couldn't do on her own.

2. How old is the robot? Have the two been together very long or is it a new relationship?

Also, here's what I see in their stats that may help you start thinking about their history.

I see the human Jen as possibly being a sniper. She has the stealth and energy weapon skills, as well as limited hand-to-hand. But more than just a sniper, she can really be good as a scout into enemy teritory. She has techincian, communications and mind technician. Those three skills and the mind tech powers you've chosen would all be useful when breaking into an enemy computer system.

Robot Jen seems to have several purposes. Astrometrics gives her knowledge of space, which can be useful for navigating in space. And Low gravity manuevers means she can operate better out in space. Flora/Fauna at such a high level means she will be very useful when obtaining foreign samples and analyzing them. Robot Arm Parts, Robot/Cyborg Body Capacity and Robot Weapon Proficiency at such high levels means that she is prepared for battle as well as reconaisanse. The arm parts are useful for more than just combat. And Communications at level 3... hmm, I'd question that and think about maybe going with robot ground or water or air parts. Since the robot has Jen to improve her skills, I don't see much use for the robot to have it, unless you really want the robot to be able to operate communication devices, which is perfectly understandable. Just from the perspective of being able to improve her own skills, level 3 is useless.

I don't want to make the personalities for you, but I just wanted to let you know how I would look at the characters and begin to develop their histories.

[Shan]

Sarah, so you think the communication skill is really useless for the robot. I think I confused something in reading and trying to put everything together. Somehow I got the idea that for the robot's skills to improve she had to have the communication skill.

You also said that you thought her rank in low gravity manuevers was to high. Can you explain to me why? I had no idea what she would need and that is why I gave her a four.

I know some of the skills look high, but I don't know how high to go with stuff or how low to make it reasonable. I looked at other character sheets and the skills levels seemed to be high and others low, but I don't have any idea of what is a good level and what would just be throwing points away.

Here's another thing. I really don't see my characters as being combat oriented, but I would want them to be able to defend themselves. That is why the high level in weapons.

As for background, here is kinda what I see but I'm having a hard time pulling it together. Jen is young, probably about 19 or 20. She is highly intellegent, very friendly and outgoing, high spirited, energetic, extremely curious about stuff which can lead her into trouble quite often and loves learning new stuff.

She comes from a family that is computer and robotic oriented. She can hack into almost any computer she comes across and knows them inside and out. As for the robot, it was built by her father in hopes that it would be able to keep her out of so much trouble.

When Jen heard about this mission she was desperate to go, but her parents would only agree if the robot went with her, not as a protector but more as a guide to hopefully make Jen think more before acting.

Jen by this time had picked up her parents skills and already done some reprogramming to the robot to make it more of a companion and friend than what her father had built it for although for some reason the robot still had a protective streak where Jen was concerned and would still offer advice when Jen's curosity got the best of her.

Those are general ideas. Does that help you to help me more?

[Gray Lensman]

Jen sounds like an interesting start.

I can help a little on the characterization front, and see if that helps any. Let me ask some questions about Jen, and see if that prompts anything for you...

What motivates Jen to go out in space away from her parents? Is there any particular reason drawing her into space, rather than staying at home? What can space give Jen that she can't get on Earth? What is her relationship with her parents, and does it influence her decision in any way?

Why does Jen love computers and science? What does she hope to achieve with the knowledge she gains from it? Do these goals have anything to do with her reasons for leaving? Does her relationship with her parents have something to do with it? What does Jen think about her parents trying to protect her-- is it a help to her, a hindrance, or something else?

For the robot, I would ask similar questions. Firstly, how close to human are her feelings? Does she regard herself as a person or as a program? Does she think of herself as female? What does the robot think of going out into space with Jen? Is it just a question of duty and programming, or does it have any desires of its own beyond that? What does the robot think of humans in general besides Jen? Did Jen's reprogramming change the robot, and give her any desires or drives of her own? If so, what are they? Does she happily accept taking orders, or does she have an independent streak of any sort? How closely does her behavior and interactions mimic that of a human being?

So on and so forth. I'm hoping these are questions that will lead to some answers. Often, questions like this lead to more questions. Still, in the end, I hope you'll get some answers from them.

[Will (Property of Silva)]

For the most part Shan I think the stats look good. Sarah tends to play characters that are rather specific. If your character is curious though it would be better to take the approach you did.

Yes, Communications are needed for improving skills. I'd keep it the way you have it.

As for low gravity here's how it works. If you are in a low-g situation your skills will be limited down to 2 points. For each point of Low-g maneuvers you have it raises that limit. In your case you have 4 this means you can use a skill up to 6 points. Sarah was worried since none of your skills go beyond 5. Of course when and if you improve your skills you wouldn't have to worry about low-g according to how you have it.

Personally I think your character is great and is perfect for testing this system. As it is most of the characters so far have had a good deal of specializing involved and a well-rounded character is essential since we aren't sure at this point if the difficulty on certain tasks are set too high.

I would suggest at this point to work with Steve's questions and work on character developement more than skills. As long as the skills reflect the character it shouldn't matter what the skills are (level that is) If you can't play however it is that your character supposed to be played as then there is a problem with balancing and it's more my problem than yours.

Of course the idea is to find those very things and whether they exist or not.

[Shan]

Sarah, Will, I hate to say this but the two of you have me totally confused right now. How about unconfusing me?

This comes from your system rules as you know:

Communications – ability to use & program communication devices as well as translate verbal and written languages. Everyone can use general computers. For more advanced systems you will use this skill. It is also needed to advance Robot knowledge skills.

Sarah you said:

And Communications at level 3... hmm, I'd question that and think about maybe going with robot ground or water or air parts. Since the robot has Jen to improve her skills, I don't see much use for the robot to have it, unless you really want the robot to be able to operate communication devices, which is perfectly understandable. Just from the perspective of being able to improve her own skills, level 3 is useless.

Will you said:

Yes, Communications are needed for improving skills. I'd keep it the way you have it.

Does my robot need the communication skill or not? The system rules say that it is needed to advance robot area knowledge skills. Sarah you say it is useless, and Will is telling me to keep it. Do you see why I am confused?

Does my robot need low gravity manuevers? Can I drop that and be OK with her? Do I have to pick any human skills for her or can I just pick from the robot area of knowledge skills?

Does Jes need a robot body cpacity of level 5 to be able to use a robot arm of level 5?

Also since a robot starts out as nothing, not even a body, is Jen just bringing with her the programs for Jes instead of Jes? I'm confused about this also.

Here is what I redid with their stats trying to make it fit their personalities more.

Jen - Human

Commanding - 0/0
Technician - 0/5
Mind Tech - 0/5
Communications - 0/5
Armor Proficiency - 0/2
Fitness - 0/3
Climbing - 0/2
Swimming - 0/2
Use Energy Weapons - 0/4
Use hand ot hand - 0/2


Mind Tech Powers:

Computer Knowledge
Mind Technician
Machine Disassembler
Machine Operations
Mind Firewall


Jes - Robot

Skills:

Communications: 3


Robot Areas of Knowledge:

Fauna/Flora - 4
Human Psychology - 7
Machines - 6
Robot Arm Parts - 5
Robot Air Parts - 1
Robot Ground Parts - 1
Robot Body Capacity - 4
Robot Weapon Proficiency - 4

[SilvaShado]

I'm sorry for confusing you Shan. Will and I have differing opinions about Communication skill. I think that if your human has a high level of communications, that she will help the robot improve its skills. Will thinks that it would be good for the robot to be able to improve itself, without the help of a human. It's really up to you whether you want the robot to have the skill. It will still enable the robot to use communication devices. Will points out that it's more important to decide whether your robot can be good at communications, not so much about improving skills. On that point, I do concede and agree that it is important.

First and foremost about the robot body, your robot will start with a basic body regardless of what the skill level is at. You'd have to buy a better body. The basic body is called Robot Body 0: www.geocities.com/silva_shado/nh_mrobot.htm#body

As for the robot body capacity & arm levels, not all level 5 arm parts require body level 5. Take a look at the arm parts: www.geocities.com/silva_shado/nh_mrobot.htm#arm

Each arm part takes up so many slots on the arm. A robot body level 5 has 8 slots. Looking at the arm parts (http://www.geocities.com/silva_shado/nh_mrobot.htm#arm), the largest level 5 arm takes up 6 slots (Condensed Repair Bay Tools). So you could go with a lower level of body capacity if you wanted.

As for your robot needing low grav manuevers, it's really whether you want the robot to be able to function normally out in space. But if you've designed the robot to be more for planet-side, then low-grav would be pretty useless.

I hope this helps.

[Shan]

Thanks Sarah. I think I will leave the 3 in communications then. I have redone both characters' skills some and hopefully I am just about through with them.

I modified the stats in the thread above. If you guys would take a look at them and tell me what you think I would appreciate it.

There is still alot that I am not sure of, but I am not sure it will make sense to me until I see how the game plays.

[Will (Property of Silva)]

We looked it over and really like what you did.

Sarah also wants to tell you that the boot camp will be a true test of the system. Hopefully you'll have any questions you didn't ask answered there. Also if someone doesn't like their skills at that point in the game Sarah won't mind people changing and shuffling points around.

Also if you aren't sure what to buy with your personal credits the boot camp will be a good place to buy things.

[Shan]

I had been fighting with something that felt right for both of them, and finally what I posted last seems to fit their characters the best. i think i am ready to fill out character sheets for them.

When I think of a robot I think of R2D2, so Jes is more of an android. She looks human. That is the reason I kept her on more the technical side.

Sounds great about boot camp. I think it will help me alot in understanding things by playing. I usually can work things out better after I see what is going on.

And right now, I have no idea what to buy, so what you said Will sounds good.

Thanks Sarah. Thanks Will. I really appreciate all of the help. Just so you guys know, Steve has also been a big help to me.

[Gray Lensman]

`Twas nothing. You got it done yourself. I just helped point you in the right direction.

Anyway, I think the characters look good so far. Should be interesting to see how well it all works in play.

[Will (Property of Silva)]

We'd like to thank you Shan for playing. The system is nice and all but doesn't really matter if there is no one to play it with us.

And Thanks Steve you've been a big help. Just watch out with the "twas" type lingo Shan may call you Mr. knight again

[Gray Lensman]

She does that anyway, Will. I guess I'll just get used to it. ;D

[Will (Property of Silva)]

LOL! You got it Mr. Knight.

[Shan]

greylensman said:

`Twas nothing. You got it done yourself. I just helped point you in the right direction.

Don't believe him guys. He's just trying to be modest about his accomplishment. ;D

He really had to work hard to get me with Jen and Jes ready to play. It wasn't easy.

Shan

[Shan]

Just watch out with the "twas" type lingo Shan may call you Mr. knight again

Lingo or no lingo, he's stuck with it Will. ;D

She does that anyway, Will. I guess I'll just get used to it. ;D

Yeah, you better get use to it, Mr. Knight. ;D

Shan

[Will (Property of Silva)]

Shan - Sarah said your characters look good. The only thing to add at this point is that Jes has robot body level 0. Don't worry about the stats right now, just want to make sure she has a physical form.

We're just waiting to hear from a few more people as to whether they're gonna play and we'll actually start Boot Camp, aka The Tutorial!

By the way, just curious if anyone's taken a look at our NPCs and what you thought of them... and the background sounds...

[Shan]

Thanks Will.

Do I add that under Personal Gear/Robots Parts?


I looked at them a while back. To answer your question I would have to take another look.

Shan

[Will (Property of Silva)]

Yes, the robot body goes under Robot Parts.

[Shan]

Thanks Will.

I will make the additon there.

Shan