Locate Self

From: TTrotsky_at_aol.com
Date: Fri, 9 May 1997 18:18:07 -0400 (EDT)

     Lorne Booker suggests a 'Locate Self' game mechanic:  

 << To sum up if someone is lost they would require three rolls.

1. a Scan roll
2. area sense (city, forest, underwater etc.) or similar construct + local knowledge roll.
3. Locate Self >>

     As mentioned in my last posting, I use a GURPS/Pendragon hybrid for my Gloranthan gaming. For those not familiar with GURPS, the 'Locate Self' skill is replaced by a generic ability called 'Absolute Direction', which you either have or you don't. Area sense/local knowledge would be covered by the Area Knowledge skill. In this situation I would require only the one roll, which would be a direction/locate self roll if you don't know the area but have the relevant ability, or an area knowledge roll if you do know the area. This seems a lot quicker to me. To avoid adding two new skills to RQ, particularly when they're only going to get used together anyway, wouldn't it be neater to just have one skill and give bonuses/penalties to it for familiar/unfamiliar terrain type? Personally, I wouldn't bother with a scan roll either (or its equivalent in my system), since the sort of geographical features you'd be looking for would tend to be the kinds of things you couldn't really miss, wouldn't they?

All hail the Reaching Moon

     Trotksy

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