Topic: TP question and teaching question.

[markc]

 I am doing some work on a hopefully future sci-fi game and looking over some of the TP's in SM:P as well as Black OP's and RMSS I was wondering on if you would provide a discount to a TP if the PC is stuck in that environment 24/7?

 Or would you consider cutting the TP cost if a teacher of exceptional skill was teaching you the skills in a TP?

 My thoughts come from basic training in todays military [which I did not serve, so this is just from the outside looking in] that IMO seem to impart quite a few skills in a small time frame. I was thinking about some ways to tackle the problem. The first basically just assumes that the trainees gain levels in basic training and with that they buy the TP that the armed force is teaching them. The second is that a well thought out and streamlined training program can teach more skills in a shorter amount of time and with less effort on the part of the learner. And the last way would be a above average teacher can impart more knowledge to a trainee for less DP.

 Any ideas on the above statements or how to implement them in game?

 Thanks
MDC

[craggles]

There's something in either the Essence Companion or the Mentalist Companion (which are both in my bedroom but my wife is (sensibly) sleeping) about the teaching skill and it's use.

The bit I remember is about learning languages (I think) and it either had an decrease in the time it takes to 'learn' an extra rank or a decrease in the DPs needed based on the 'teaching roll' (plus skill bonus) of the teacher. This could do the other way also and increase the time and/or the DPs needed.

I personally would allow the same thing in dealing with the TPs too (although the issue of learning new skills hasn't come up yet).

(I can find the relevant pages that I'm thinking of tomorrow)

[Rasyr-Mjolnir]

To me, the entire concept of a "Training Package" indicates that you actually DO have to have to have a teacher in order to acquire them in the first place.

Also, Training Packages already give discounts to skill costs, so I would definitely not recommend piling another discount on top of what is already there.

[markc]

 Thanks all I have my head in a couple of different games so I tend to forget just what is where.

 I will check out both the EC and MC.

 I did remember the DP reduction for TP's.

1a) But IYO does a TP deal effectively with the RL boot camp situation?

1b)Then followed by an AIT training which is of variable length depending on the persons MOS?

2) Or IYO does boot and AIT training represent level gain and or TP buying?

Thanks
MDC

[Rasyr-Mjolnir]

Personalling, I would equate Basic Training with a Training Package -- a condensed course to give you the basics needed.

And then AIT would be more like going up a level with a specific Training Package (and the rest of the level's development supporting that TP).

[providence13]

As you know, SpaM:P does a pretty good job of TP.
I really dig that you can double up on TP's to get more of that training/experience.
Taking Soldier (I don't remember if that is the name), then Ground Infantry would be a good start.

For a specific campaign, maybe give everyone the same 1 or 2 TP for a bootcamp feel, and perhaps re-read Starship Troopers

[markc]

As you know, SpaM:P does a pretty good job of TP.
I really dig that you can double up on TP's to get more of that training/experience.
Taking Soldier (I don't remember if that is the name), then Ground Infantry would be a good start.

For a specific campaign, maybe give everyone the same 1 or 2 TP for a bootcamp feel, and perhaps re-read Starship Troopers

 I would have to say that the new GI Joe movie reminded me more of Starship Troopers than the movie did.

Thanks
 MDC

[providence13]

yeah, that's why I said re-read!

Actually, the third, yes there are 3, movie finally had the mechs; sorta...

Still, dropped naked into winter wilderness and be expected to make checkpoints/pickup? These cats were heavily, heavily trained for this, but that's mad ranks in Survival! Far more than one TP, IMHO.

[markc]

providence13;
 Yes that is the amount of skill I am looking for so I am just going to make up some I think that are tailed to what the PC's pick. I also have quite a few skills allocated to the "base" race, about 80+. So I do not think it will be about as bad as trying to take a modern human from Black OP's and pump them up to a decent amount of skill. I hope to have the PC's decent at a number of skills that are relevant to there profession/job. If they decide to try and pick more than 1 profession/job it may be hader for them to start at the beginning and I may have to adjust some stuff.

 Also I asked this over in the SM Forum but it is very quite over there. So maybe people will have an opinion about this; In SM:P the Oorts [sp?] receive quite a few TP's at 1/2 cost. I assume that it is a Talent but I am wondering on how to price something like that? Is it a 30 TP talent? Or maybe a 60 TP Talent?

 Also IMO the " 1/2 price TP Talent" IMO would be broken up into types of TP's. So maybe the types would be  medical, space, technical, hand to hand, military vehicle, military starship, military infantry, military marine and can you think of any other's?

Thanks
MDC

Yes about the SST movies I did see #3 as it was rumored to be a sneak peek of Transformers special effects.  I can also say that from time to time I have also enjoyed the SST cartoons. I guess it is time to add them to my Netflix account and mix them in with the dramas, action, sci-fi, historical pieces and documentaries I have on the list.

MDC 

[providence13]

Again, SpaM:P, did a good job of this.
With a heavy seasoning of 2300 for military careers...

Oorts.... IIRC, the Doctor on "Enterprise", the Scott Bakula edition, had similar abilities.
He had a Doctorate in about anything Humans had a medical degree in and some they didn't have degrees for!
(They used wacky alien medicine to get by before the Federation MedTech was up to par.)This sounds similar to Oorts and TP; 1/2 price for everything would just about do it.
The difference is that his particular race only slept once, for a few days, IIRC, every 6 months! This explains how he had time to learn all that stuff; i.e., why he could get TP for 1/2 price (in my mind).

SST cartoon? I'll have to check that out!

Oorts are said to be scared mammals always wary for danger, who survived by developing more and more Reasoning and Memory. So, this is why they get 1/2 price TP in Medical/Sciences. Do their penalties pay for such a huge bonus?

If you wanted a Military Service Branch to have a few select TP to pick from and they were 1/2 price for recruits...why not? It sounds plausible to me.  Can other people acquire these packages too, but pay full price?

This is still a pretty good "perk" and IMO, it should be paid for in equal measure. Not even 1/2 of the recruits from Rico's boot camp finished, IIRC. I believe Traveller (or it could have been 2300?) had a "mustering out" process where one determined if they were injured or even died in training! I can barely conceive of the stress that 1/2 price TP recruits would be under. Training that good has to hurt!! A GM could just give a bonus to Self Disc or something as a way to say "only the strong survive." (too easy  )
My mind goes immediately to "You are seriously injured in Basic'. Given the choice to muster out/collect your pension, perhaps you have to pay for replacement parts on your own... All you can afford are some cyber replacement limbs after also paying for a ticket to a planet you "wanted" to be on.
But you do have mad skills!!

[markc]

 Yes everyone can take the TP. I am going to be expanding there titles so there will be Basic Boot Camp infantry, BBC- Marine, BBC Navy and then go one with specific TP's for Advanced Individual Training and maybe some other stuff as well.

 Yes Oorts get 1/2 price for any knowledge based TP in SM:P. I do not know the TP cost for this as it is not broken out in the books in terms of RMSS Talent Law race creation. I guess I could try and do a post reconstruction of the Oort race but I think I just may create a TP cost and go from there.

 Yes the 1/2 off any knowledge TP is very good.

 I also let players use 10 TP to cut a TP cost in 1/2 at App. but I might expand on that idea for the game. I may have to increase the TP allotment as I plan on having more Social Stuff to buy with TP than the normal game would allow. I will add one more thing to do on to the pile.

 I also have and will in the future have a injury roll for what ever TP is taken and maybe a mod depending on the time frame. IE it was a time of war between A and B, you served with A so you get a -40 on you survival roll. I had a player that did get an injury and then roll a 100+ on the severity so he received a permanent penalty to Qu of 3 points. He was not happy but the dice do not lie. Also since it was so I I had to rule that it could not be cured by standard means. It was also a goal for his other PC a Psi Doctor to be able to Psi cure injuries like that his other PC had. I had players have 2 PC's, 1 and action PC and one PC a more  thinking/tech PC. That way no matter what was going on they had something to do.

MDC