Re: Community Support funkiness

From: David Cake <dave_at_...>
Date: Sun, 1 Apr 2001 23:39:02 +0800


At 12:46 PM +0000 28/3/01, Nick_at_... wrote:
>When the Lunar Empire or Kralori Empire puts its weight behind
>something, it can generate community support from MILLIONS of
>worshippers. I want a system robust enough to cope with this.

        Hence the logarithmic nature of the table. Personally, I think it should be just purely logarithmic, rather than sort of arithmetic at the start. The difference between the hundreds to thousands of normal clan based play and the millions of nations should be a handful of masteries.

>My solution would look something like this:
>
>10 Marginal Lay Member supporters: +1
>20 Marginal supporters: +2
>40 Marginal supporters: +3
>80 Marginal supporters: +4
>etc.
>
>Then, you multiply the base value for "number of supporters" by
>the "worth" of the support you're getting, whether this is measured
>in success terms (Marginal, x1; Minor, x2; Major, x3 [or x4?];
>Complete, x4 [or x8?]), or in involvement terms (Initiate, x2;
>Devotee, x3; Disciple, x4), or whatever.

        I like this idea. Its much more straightforward than the multiple charts that combine in some weird way of the current system, which is far from clear how to use even if you make the sanity checks against throwing people down the well.

At 12:46 PM +0000 28/3/01, Nick_at_... wrote:
>The problem I find I'm running into is that there are three sets of
>terms: for levels of success, for levels of support, and for levels
>of initiation (in theist worship). I think the level of *support* is
>the ditchable one, personally, as it adds extra complexity to what
>should be a straightforward mechanic.

        Or at least level of support is reduced in importance. I'm not sure why we have so many levels of variations in level of support, really. Especially as it seems like most heroquests end up with 'extraordinary' unless its a PC looking for cool magic items.

At 5:35 PM -0500 28/3/01, Michael Schwartz wrote:
> >You've never had to throw your best friends down a well,
>>then.
>
>Meaning what... RUNEQUEST?

        Nope. Meaning a certain consequence of the current rules, where it appears if you have a very small number of extraordinary supporters and a very large number of ordinary supporters, you are better off disposing of your best friends. And Nicks suggestion simply fixes this by having all levels of support combined into one number rather than spread across several columns.

At 5:35 PM -0500 28/3/01, Michael Schwartz wrote:
> >Or do you think Jar-Eel is *always* accompanied on
>>HeroQuests by *every* Lunar Disciple who thinks she
>>is a Good Thing?
>
>Perhaps not accompanied, but certainly given Extraordinary Support.

        You don't think, somewhere in the entire Empire, there might be quite a few Lunar Disciples who have other things to worry about?

	Cheers
		David

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