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Aberrant: Quantum Zero - QZ - game mechanics

Asbjørn

By Asbjørn,
in Quantum Zero

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SkyLion Legendary

SkyLion

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Ack! I was in the middle of two good sized posts for Truth and Justice and American Revenants when my browser locked up and I had to reboot. ::brick ::brick

,,

Oh well. It was pretty late so I just went to bed. I'll get to reposting once my thoughts have collected a bit more (And I've gotten a bit more shut-eye)...

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ProfPotts Elite

ProfPotts

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I'm not sure if Alex's linguistic skills (i.e. Spanish) include Portuguese. I suspect that they do but will edit that Spanish (or even English) if need be.

Well the book lists both Spanish & Portuguese as 'major language familes'... along with Chinese & Norwegian... ::rolleyes so I'm thinking we can take their list with a big ol' pinch of salt & say that Spanish & Portuguese are close enough to be covered by the one 'pick'. If people actually bother to spend the points on taking Lingusitics I prefer to see it as an enabling, rather than limiting, Ability.

I don't think I have laughed so hard, long or loud in quite some time as when I read Ezekial's latest post.

My god...something about the matter-of-fact tone just keeps sending me into stitches!

Ah... Quantum Zero: home to super-porn... I blame myself... ::blush ::wink ::laugh

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ProfPotts Elite

ProfPotts

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Speaking of which, how does it look for getting back to me on those PMs?

After a hellish day at work, handling the ins & outs of chargen is a bit much for lil' ol' me... I see what I can do at the weekend (if you're lucky ::wink ) - just hang on in there. ::biggrin

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ezekiel Veteran

ezekiel

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Just saw your last QZ post Prof! WOW! Terry is in a spot now.

Terry's always in a spot... ::wink

So, did Zeke get a PM about Narcosis using some Enhancement on him, or is this all his idea?

Nope, no PM. I figured that Narcosis being who she is, Terry would want a hump. I'm sure she has mega-cha and mega-app up the wazoo.

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Alex Green Legendary

Alex Green

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Very good Phoenix. That works quite well.

RE: Expensive bio-mod plastic surgery

This is almost possible right now. No implanting of plastic or whatever, you just make them grow bigger. Given what we've seen done with that "demon" girl, it'd have to be possible (and a lot more legal).

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ProfPotts Elite

ProfPotts

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... What the clucking cook didn't realize was that what she had just assembled was calorie dense. Not only that but it had a good deal of the fats she needed to lubricate her supercharged neurons...

Okay, the subtle approach didn't work, so I better spell this out (I'm posting this here & not in a PM because the general principles are universal) ...

SkyLion - you're assuming too much in your posts. While Freestyle's atmospheric little trip to the kitchen was fine in principle (actually a nice character building bit) you incorrectly assumed that the castle kitchen was, I don't know, similar to that of a suburban American family home or something: it isn't. While I could have asked you to go back & edit your post (& ask everyone else who'd responded to Freestyle returning with the food to edit their posts too) I instead chose to incorporate your error into the narrative, to post a more correct description of the kitchens, & to introduce the NPC kitchen staff. That wasn't an invitation for debate - it was a description of the game world. Your response, in the quote above, goes on to assume you, or your character, know what the NPC is thinking - you don't. Essentially the basic principle here is that you post your own character's actions - you generally don't post the resolutions to those actions if they could possibly be in doubt, & you don't post what others or the world around you are doing - that's my job as the Storyteller. Now, if you'd started the line above with 'Freestyle presumes that the clucking cook...' then it would have been fine.

This little kitchen incident, once more, suggests that I've failed to get across the atmosphere & setting of the castle - so, sorry (again) for that. Just as with the mix-up with the dining hall, the rest of the castle (kitchens included) should be pictured as, essentially, a classic British country manor house - think old Agatha Christie stories or Jeeves & Wooster. There's a full staff of cooks, maids, & butlers - as well as the technicians, guards, & instructors who make up the PU facility. The Novas do not live in a vacuum - they're the 'upper class' guests of the house if you want to continue the country manor comparison. Meal times, for example, are full silver-service (the Novas are waited on) - breakfast is the only meal where they're expected to serve themselves (because, as I'm sure we all know, that is the proper traditional British ettiquette: gentlemen & ladies serve themselves at breakfast).

As far as food & supplies go, try to keep in mind a couple of points: firstly, the castle is located on a remote Scottish island - you can't just pop down the supermarket; secondly - they stock the best stuff, not 'off the shelf' junk (the kitchens are more like a proper restaurant than, say, a McDonalds). Peanut butter & chocolate spread in particular, although available, have never been popular in Britain - you're unlikely to find them outside of family households with hyperactive six-year olds, or student digs. The matronly cook at the castle is not only a traditionalist, she's a Highlander to boot - so if the Novas want a snack they can always find 'leftovers' like pies, cooked meats, haggis, black pudding, etc. - which should be enough protein for any Nova! Traditional Scottish cooking (thanks to the Highland climate) tends towards high energy food which sits like a lead brick in the stomach ::biggrin - perfect Nova fuel.

So, I hope that clears up the feel of the setting a bit more...

(By the way, I hope nobody presumes I like posting clarifications like this - I don't. In fact, the thing most likely to make me give up on a game in having to constantly stop & explain myself: after all, if I need to do that, it means that I'm failing as a Storyteller.)

On an unrelated point - Bridger has one dot of Psychic Link with no Extras: he can only communicate with one other person at a time. Also, although a Psychic Link is 'permanent', only the guy with the power (in this case Bridger) can 're-activate' it (with a Perception + Psychic Link roll). In other words, he can switch between those he's made the effort in the past to Link to, but they can't 'dial' him remotely. In this situation, either he's communicating with Haunt or he's communicating with Angel - he can't do both at once (that, after all, is the reason for the 'Extra Link' Extra).

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Alex Green Legendary

Alex Green

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On an unrelated point - Bridger has one dot of Psychic Link with no Extras: he can only communicate with one other person at a time. Also, although a Psychic Link is 'permanent', only the guy with the power (in this case Bridger) can 're-activate' it (with a Perception + Psychic Link roll). In other words, he can switch between those he's made the effort in the past to Link to, but they can't 'dial' him remotely. In this situation, either he's communicating with Haunt or he's communicating with Angel - he can't do both at once (that, after all, is the reason for the 'Extra Link' Extra).
Agreed... although the scene does work with some minor tweaking which I was assuming but should have stated outright.

Angel and Bridger are in the same room, when he relayed what Haunt had sent he spoke outloud (thus the purple words with quotes).

Angel can't use the link without a switch, but Jack knows she's mute so if she indicates she wants to talk, and it's not a combat situation, he can just switch the link. Granted, this takes a roll, but if he fails he'll just re-roll and since it's not in combat losing an action isn't a big deal.

I should have posted something like... "Bridger, seeing that Angel want to communicate, sends to Haunt *Hold up a moment* and then switches the link to her".

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SkyLion Legendary

SkyLion

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Okay. So.

,,

I apologize if you misconstrued my post Herr Proffesor. You stated that she clucked and rolled her eyes at Arielle. I figured you relayed that information because it was something that she was noticing. That sentance above *was* Arielle's thoughts towards the cook. What may have been more clearer would have been to say:

,,

Seeing the cook cluck and roll her eyes with obvious disdain for her 'lowbrow' dietary choices Arielle thinks, *Little does *she* know what its like to be a NOva. Obviously she doesn't realize...

,,,,

What I wrote above was what I intended to convey. I in no way was saying she knows what she was thinking. I think it may just be my writing style. I will make an effort to be more clear in the future.

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Oh yeah..and thanks for the further descriptors of the facilities. Its much clearer now. And I had no idea that simple things like peanut butter, or chocolate syrup wouldn't be as available. I admit my ignorance to the goings on across the pond.

,,

Oh, and save for Bridger Arielle probably has the easist time popping over to the mainland supermarket... :mach4b:

::wink

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Alex Green Legendary

Alex Green

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I should have posted something like... "Bridger, seeing that Angel want to communicate, sends to Haunt *Hold up a moment* and then switches the link to her".
Which raises a different point I should ask about as long as we're on this subject.

Can I assume the link shifts outside of combat? I.e. right now I'm linked to Angel, to shift the link back to Haunt (assuming a non-stressed situation) do I write, "Jack shifts the link back to Haunt and sends..." -or- should I write "Jack attempts to shift the link back to Haunt and if successful sends..."

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ProfPotts Elite

ProfPotts

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Can I assume the link shifts outside of combat?

Sure: I was just trying to clarify for everyone (some may not have the APG to hand after all) how his Psychic Link works - it's not quite the Martian Manhunter JLA or [insert mutant telepath of choice] X-Men mental switchboard linking the whole team together at once, after all (hey, what do expect for a single Nova point, right ::wink ). The last few posts seem to suggest that once the 'hard bit' of the Link is formed, then people can call in at any time - I felt in important to point out that isn't the case before it cropped up in a more serious situation.

Oh yeah..and thanks for the further descriptors of the facilities. Its much clearer now. And I had no idea that simple things like peanut butter, or chocolate syrup wouldn't be as available. I admit my ignorance to the goings on across the pond.

No probs... although your character being French (& a medical Doctor & an athlete), you'd expect her to be even more against junk food than most people! ::tongue

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ProfPotts Elite

ProfPotts

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You told me, in no uncertain terms, that she was born in France, & wasn't just an ethnically-French Swiss person... which is it? ::confused

In any case, I doubt that the Swiss are too into peanut butter & chocolate spread either... ::unsure

Snowborders may be American-influenced, but there's also a huge European influence, & the best are athletes - & I'm guessing that even American athletes generally don't eat like six-year-olds... ::tongue

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Centimane Experienced

Centimane

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... & I'm guessing that even American athletes generally don't eat like six-year-olds... ::tongue

You'd be surprised (and probably appalled). American snowboarders don't just eat like six-year-olds, they generally act like them as well. However, I can't really speak with much authority on how the professional-level snowboarders eat, my experience is mostly with diehard snowboarders from the Colorado and Alaska snowboarding scenes.

Potheads and slackers to a man (or woman). But fun to hang out with. ::happy

But having said all of that, I'm not at all sure how many people (nova or not) would actually eat Arielle's concoction voluntarily. It sounded more like something a person would eat on a dare rather than as a treat. It also sounded like a major choking hazard (Warning: This Product should Not be Served around Small Children or Infants ::indifferent ).

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SkyLion Legendary

SkyLion

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Lol! You guys are funny!

,,,,

She is a Frnch-born Swiss woman. Meaning her parents are Swiss but were living in France at the time. She may have a dual citezenship. Sorry if I wasn't more clear but i had thought I told you that much. She was inspired by a Frnch-born Swiss actress.

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And regarding snowboarders, i have not known them to act like 6 year olds...maybe teeneagers perhaps and Arielle is quite young. Yes, they are athletes but in the same sense that Tony Hawk is an athlete. For that matter many NBA stars are potheads too...Kobe Bryant anyone? I was going more for the Stoner image....snowboarding is like a fusion of alpine and urban cultures and so even the Olympians are potheads (though they probably have to quit before Olympic drug testing). Its a *very* counter culture sport. I was going for a sort of scooby-doo munchie feel.

,,

and anyways...there is just no accounting for taste. Someday I am going to try and put together what Arielle made, cuz now y'all have me curious. it was just a post yanno...

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Alex Green Legendary

Alex Green

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diehard snowboarders from the Colorado and Alaska snowboarding scenes. Potheads and slackers to a man (or woman).
The Olympics recently had to figure out what to do when the head America snowboarder tested positive for Pot.

On the one hand, it's illegal. On the other, it's not a performance enhancing drug.

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