Re: Call Bloat
Posted by:
Josh M (IP Logged)
Date: September 4, 2018 08:40PM
We are open to suggestions for specific calls we can cut to streamline the rules.
That being said, here are a few notes on our thinking:
“Reduce” is, we feel, necessary for making combats that are fun to fight without instantly being short circuited or just immune to attacks. It is in fact currently in use, effectively, with our Power Armor Rules for soaking Gun and Blade attacks. Better to have this called in a way that is clear to the person interacting with it.
“Cleave”, or “Cleave to Living”, is already inflicted by our Microwave Barriers under a longer effect call, and we are abbreviating it. We also have changed Death to a Level 6 Effect, so there is space for a lesser but still serious call.
“Repair” is not simply “Heal to Automaton”, allowing a skilled repair-person to reduce the cost of fixing a Broken Device. We would like to see people actually Repair Devices after they are Broken, rather than treating them as effectively Destroyed due to current cost structures.
“Wither” and “Bleed” are new and novel and we acknowledge that, but we believe they are necessary to the sorts of stories we will be telling in the next arc.
“Mangle” is meant to be a meaner Pierce, delivering the new Wither and Bleed calls based on location hit, but is a call we could drop if we need to.
“Stim” is meant to make it easier for new and returning players to access the most commonly used contingency that can otherwise be hard to grasp or to call correctly in the heat of battle.
“Surgery” is already used in our game with a level of sophistication and complication that is spread over a number of Perks I have lost track of, with varying durations, requirements, and outcomes. We are attempting to simplify the current assortment of rules to be easier to navigate and build upon if so desired by starting with a foundation that contemplates modular additions.
“Forget” and “Jam” are not necessary, per se. but Jam would be effectively replacing Disarm not adding another call. “Forget” was being added to be able to be more forgiving to errors in Stealth Mods, but we do not see as necessary in the same way.
We removed “Armor,” “Dodge”, and “Parry” as separate stand alone calls to address this, as we did not feel they communicated useful feedback information during combat. We consolidated Bind and Snare into a single call to reduce complexity.
-Josh Marcus
Head of Plot, FI 3