Re: broad abilities

From: Kmnellist_at_...
Date: Sat, 16 Jun 2001 02:52:42 EDT

In a message dated 15/06/01 23:42:02, you write:

<< A suggestion:  

 Each ability has an ability rating (as before) and a breadth rating  (new).
 The breadth rating is a positive real number; for convenience is  should be an integer or the reciprocal of an integer; broad abilities  have large values, narrow abilities have small values. >>

Alternatively, use the breadth reating to divide the ability when used for a specific thing. ie "tough" (say breadth 3) is divided by three when used instead of "withstand pain of stubbed toe" (breadth 1/2). This is really an alternaive to improve modifiers, and could be made up by the narrator.

Personally speaking, I do not have a real problem with broad abilities, especially if the story has a sequence where, for example, I have a short sequence "food is short for the next season, what does you character do to survive?"

I'll "tough" it out

I'll go and "survive in the wilderness"

I'll use my "wealth" to buy food.

It would not be appropriate, IMO, to "stalk" to survive a season, or to use "planeing" rather than "carpentry" (unless the game is in a Mostali enclave where such specialisation would please the 'economies of scale' Gold theorists)

Keith N