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MacRauri
Ensign
Joined: 26 Nov 2011
Posts: 47
Location: Twin Cities MN
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 Posted: Fri Jan 06, 2012 6:55 pm Post subject: |
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| Bren wrote: | | MacRauri wrote: | | has anyone created house rules to differentiate between fluent and flawless? |
I'm not sure what you mean by flawless as opposed to fluent. By "flawless" do you mean speaking like a native with proper accent and such or do you mean something different? |
I picked up the phrase awhile back. I think it came up during a discussion about the idea of various levels of fluency: Can I live in a foreign country and get by on a day-to-day basis, buying groceries and paying my bills. Can I engage in free-flowing casual conversation with my foreign friends. Am I capable of having a more serious conversation or debate in the foreign language (Bren's right: the persuasiveness should not fall under languages, but the capability should). And finally, is my spoken language indistinguishable from a native-speakers.
So I latched onto "flawless" as a catch-phrase. You're right to assert the ridiculousness of whether anybody can truly speak a language flawlessly. I work with quite a few native-speakers who make rather questionable use of the English language--myself included. Mostly I was intrigued by the idea of different levels of fluency. I think the RAW give a number of very nice and amusing examples of language difficulties based on how foreign the language is and the complexity of the idea being communicated. I just find their 5D=fluent somewhat lacking for what I like to do.
The suggestion of picking up dialects the more you specialize would create richness in the game and I'm excited to try it. It's about the characters trying to prove their connection to a people or just avoid having their cover blown. Doing this would be accompanied by a lot of culture checks for me. I became obsessed awhile back with the idea that you could be a flawless speaker of a second language and there would still be various clues that might give you away.
During WWII some Germans who spoke excellent English were sent behind enemy lines. The Americans couldn't detect them by accent, and of course they looked American, but anyone they suspected they would start grilling on who won the World Series or who was Popeye's girlfriend. Another example was back in the 1920s the US needed some spies in Egypt (ircc) so they got two Egyptian American guys, obviously they looked the part, spoke flawless Arabic, even had a village dialect they learned from their parents. Only problem: neither one of them had ever ridden a camel before. |
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Azai
Lieutenant Commander
Joined: 05 Jul 2010
Posts: 248
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| Posted: Fri Jan 06, 2012 9:14 pm Post subject: |
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Just a slight mention back to combat, vs NPCs.
I made a rule on the fly which I kinda stick to now. If someone chargers toward baddies guns blazing, out in the open with no cover, I make them roll dodge each time someone shoots at them(With MAPs).
Though if they go for cover, or are constantly on the move I keep it to one dodge rule. Now vs a few people, if the pc has high enough skill, it won't matter too much. Though it prevents a pc with high dodge trying to take on an entire squad or company of stormtroopers by themselves.
Last edited by Azai on Sun Jan 08, 2012 2:44 pm; edited 1 time in total |
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Bren
Vice Admiral
Joined: 19 Aug 2010
Posts: 3868
Location: Maryland, USA
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| Posted: Sat Jan 07, 2012 7:19 pm Post subject: |
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| Azai, that's an interesting way to handle the problem. More of a ruling than a rule, but it gets to the answer I am looking for. |
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ZzaphodD
Rear Admiral
Joined: 28 Nov 2009
Posts: 2426
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| Posted: Sat Jan 07, 2012 7:47 pm Post subject: |
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Hmm, I normally dont allow dodging 'towards' the enemy (if nearest cover isnt in that direction). Dodging is IMO getting out of the line of fire, and I move the PCs toward the nearest cover.
This 'one dodge per attack' might be a way to be able to dodge towards the enemy in the clear.
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Azai
Lieutenant Commander
Joined: 05 Jul 2010
Posts: 248
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| Posted: Sun Jan 08, 2012 2:41 pm Post subject: |
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Well, I also viewed dodge as a skill but also kind of... Luck. More of a game mechanic too.
For example, in my mind, I picture a cinematic battle. Blaster bolts flying everywhere, people diving into cover, taking pot shots, etc.
So if you are in cover and a group of people are shooting at you, your "dodge" isn't necessarily you moving out of the way. It is kinda the luck factor, the chaos of the battle, and in the end how hard you are to hit as a game function.
It last me have five characters hold a small fort against a company and be able to hold out. It also lets tension raises as there is a lot of near-misses, or grazing shots.
Though if you just straight walked up to five storm troopers and fire at them... Well your "dodge" is not so much your luck anymore as much as it is how fast you can run away or dive into cover. So this allows me to prevent the same characters from just charging in guns blazing all the time and also come out okay. Or that there is the same risk factor as getting cover. |
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atgxtg
Rear Admiral
Joined: 22 Mar 2009
Posts: 2460
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| Posted: Sun Jan 08, 2012 4:13 pm Post subject: |
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| garhkal wrote: |
True dat.. i have actually participated in a group where Mech/Tech (minus blaster repair and first aid) were the dump attributes cause he lacked any space combat.. |
Well, any stat that a given PC doesn't plan on using is a potential dump stat. Most groups don't need five techies, five commanders, or five scholars, or even five pilots, so quite a few stats COULD be dump stats.
DEX is always good because most combat skills use it, especially Dodge. STR is always good since it helps to soak damage and to inflict damage in melee/brawls. But with the other stats it is usually not that important to have everybody have good stats in them-nor desirable.
Plus, with the way D6 skills work, a character can have a good skill code in a low stat. In our current group, I've got a kid with alow KNO (2D) who is the cloests thing to the group's linguist. I've got Languages at 4D and took some specialties, so I am fluent in Herglic and Verpine, and am working on Shriwook. |
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garhkal
Sovereign Protector
Joined: 17 Jul 2005
Posts: 14168
Location: Reynoldsburg, Columbus, Ohio.
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| Posted: Sun Jan 08, 2012 4:50 pm Post subject: |
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Though one thing i have always wondered.. how can one (when behind cover) dodge??
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Grimace
Captain
Joined: 11 Oct 2004
Posts: 729
Location: Montana; Big Sky Country
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| Posted: Sun Jan 08, 2012 6:24 pm Post subject: |
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Simple. Flinch dramatically when you hear a shot being fired. That's a "dodge" while behind cover.
Sure, you can't see the shot so you're not specifically dodging THAT particular shot, but you're still moving in an erratic way that could conceivably be a dodge. |
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ZzaphodD
Rear Admiral
Joined: 28 Nov 2009
Posts: 2426
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| Posted: Sun Jan 08, 2012 7:35 pm Post subject: |
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| Grimace wrote: | Simple. Flinch dramatically when you hear a shot being fired. That's a "dodge" while behind cover.
Sure, you can't see the shot so you're not specifically dodging THAT particular shot, but you're still moving in an erratic way that could conceivably be a dodge. |
I assume that is Dodging in most situations. If you dont have really fast reflexes and can move really fast... 
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Last edited by ZzaphodD on Mon Jan 09, 2012 3:27 pm; edited 1 time in total |
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Azai
Lieutenant Commander
Joined: 05 Jul 2010
Posts: 248
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| Posted: Mon Jan 09, 2012 3:14 pm Post subject: |
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Beyond Jedi, I don't think really -anyone- in the galaxy would see a blaster bolt and be able to jump out of the way. No matter how fast the reflexes.
If it is anyway close to how bullets work, as soon as you've taken the time to realize a shot has been fired it is too late.
Why I view dodge as more of 'luck', 'flinch', 'diving for cover, or blaster bolt not being able to hit. Then someone actively dodging specific shots |
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CRMcNeill
Director of Engineering
Joined: 05 Apr 2010
Posts: 16281
Location: Redding System, California Sector, on the I-5 Hyperspace Route.
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| Posted: Mon Jan 09, 2012 3:50 pm Post subject: |
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It would be possible if you are dodging the shooter, not the blaster bolt. Close observation of the shooter's forearm muscles, trigger finger, etc, would give the dodger some physical clues that a shot is about to happen. But you are right about luck playing a factor. Dodge is a good place for Wild Dice to play a drastic effect.
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ZzaphodD
Rear Admiral
Joined: 28 Nov 2009
Posts: 2426
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| Posted: Mon Jan 09, 2012 4:42 pm Post subject: |
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| crmcneill wrote: | | It would be possible if you are dodging the shooter, not the blaster bolt. Close observation of the shooter's forearm muscles, trigger finger, etc, would give the dodger some physical clues that a shot is about to happen. |
Maybe you dont need to be a Jedi, but you certainly would have to be named Chiun...
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jmanski
Arbiter-General (Moderator)
Joined: 06 Mar 2005
Posts: 2065
Location: Kansas
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| Posted: Mon Jan 09, 2012 7:14 pm Post subject: |
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Dodging is just making yourself harder to hit. Moving, weaving, bobbing, etc.
And Chiun has a very, VERY high dodge.
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garhkal
Sovereign Protector
Joined: 17 Jul 2005
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Location: Reynoldsburg, Columbus, Ohio.
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| Posted: Wed Jan 11, 2012 4:20 pm Post subject: |
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Was that pic from remo williams?
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ZzaphodD
Rear Admiral
Joined: 28 Nov 2009
Posts: 2426
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| Posted: Wed Jan 11, 2012 4:38 pm Post subject: |
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| garhkal wrote: | | Was that pic from remo williams? |
Yes, I tried to find one of the old book covers (as that is 'my' Remo from when I was a teenager).. but it has to do.
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