[Torg] Weird science question?

[Benjamin Grant]

Here’s a home baked Weird Science ruleset.  As always, your mileage may
vary, ask if you have any questions:

Weird Science, the Gadgeteer

 

The Gagdeteer power is based around two skills: 

·         Gadget Design, based on Mind

·         Jury Rig, based on Perception

 

In order to design and use Weird Science Devices and Gadgets, you have to
have those two skills.

 

There are several things a Gadgeteer can do like designing blueprints, and
building and modifying their devices.

 

Before you can use a device, you have to build it, and before you can build
a device, you have to design a blueprint.  Designing a blueprint starts with
a design spec.


The Design Spec


 

The player tells the GM what he would like to make – what kind of device he
wishes to make a blueprint for, how it works, what mechanics are involved,
and what level the device would be.  The GM helps the player do this, and
both work out the details until they agree on the level of the device and
exactly what it can do, and how.  Thus the design spec is finished.

 

For example, say the player wishes to make a Force Field device that
projects a skin tight Force Field around the character.  The mechanical
effect of the device is that when powered on, the device adds +10 to the
player’s toughness.  The GM tells the player that such a device would
qualify for level 4, although it will look unfinished and experimental, as
well as being bulky.  They both agree, and the design spec is done.

 

Here are some guidelines for converting design specs into the appropriate
device level:




 


Effect GuidelineS


 

Determine the Effect Level.  Add levels based on Domain.  Subtract levels
based on Limitations.  Limitations cannot reduce the max level by more than
half.  If Device is to be small, portable, subtle, etc, add +1 level,
otherwise device is bulky and obvious


Effect Level of Gadget:


1.       Minor, such as +1 to an attribute, 5DV, adding or removing spice
from food, creating a chance for a minor distraction or chance to trip(black
cat illusion), creating a pleasant or unpleasant breeze, etc

2.       Moderate, such as +3 to an attribute, minor Fire damage (10DV),
healing shock and KOs

3.       Major, such as +6 to an attribute, moderate Fire damage (15DV),
altering moods, mending, healing, repairs or the reverse

4.       Superior, such as +10 to an attribute, High Fire damage (20DV),
mind control, change form, flight, heal 2 levels of wounds

5.       Extreme, such as +15 to an attribute, Extreme Fire Damage (25DV),
complete healing, creation of complex objects and structures

6.       Supreme/Cosmic, such as +22 to an attribute, Nuclear Fire Damage
(35DV), wish spells, alter reality, resurrection, summon army


Domain of Gadget’s Effect (Area of Effect/# of Targets):


·         Oneself: free

·         One other thing or entity: +1 level

·         A group of ten or a small area (scene): +2 levels

·         A group of a hundred or a large area (city): +3 levels

·         A group of a thousand or a very large area (county): +4 levels

·         A group of ten thousand or a huge area (state): +5 levels

·         A group of 100 thousand, or a wide area (nation or world): +6
levels


Use Limitations:


·         Activated Use: Costs X charges  to Activate, device can be used
for rest of scene: -0 levels

·         Instant Use: Costs X charges each use where X = the device level:
-2 levels

·         Instant Use: Costs 3X charges each use where X = the device level:
-3 levels

·         Instant Use: Costs 3X charges and consumes all Components: -4
levels


Boot Limitations:


·         Takes 3 rounds to boot up: -1 level

·         Takes 6 rounds to boot up: -2 levels


Skill Limitations:


·         Takes 3 successful Jury Rig rolls (one/round, dif:12+level) before
it can be used: -2 levels



Any Device of greater than level 6 cannot be made by a single person.  Any
Device of greater than level 7 cannot be made period.




In this case, the Design Spec of the Force Field Device which adds +10 to
the Toughness of the user is obviously a level 4 effect.  It only affects
the PC so no level cost for Domain.  It must be Activated to use it, so no
level discount.  It is a Level 4 Device, unless the player wishes the device
to be non-bulky and non-obvious, in which case it is a level 5 device (or it
only provides +6 Toughness and remains a level 4 device.)

 

With the design spec complete and agreed between the player and GM, if the
PC’s Gadget Design skill is at least equal to the Design Spec Level, the
next step in for the PC to design the blueprint.  This appropriately
involves repeated use of the Gadget Design skill.  For example, the Force
Field Device would require at least a Gadget Design of +4 to build the
blueprint for.


Designing the Blueprint


 

In order to successfully design a blueprint for a device, the PC must amass
enough design hours, and then spend a number of possibility points to
finalize the blueprint design.  

 

The requirements are 10 design hours collected per level of the blueprint.
When all have been amassed, the PC must spend one possibility per level of
the blueprint.  So a level 4 blueprint design would take 40 successfully
amassed design hours, after which the PC would spend 4 Possibilities and the
blueprint design would be finished.

 

But how does the Gadgeteer amass design hours?  This is how:

 

The PC spends 10 hours in the lab working on the blueprint and prototypes.
This can be all at once, or bit by bit.  The PC then makes a Gadget Design
roll versus a Difficulty of 12+the level of the design spec.  For a level 4
design spec, the Difficulty would be 16.  If the roll succeeds, 10 hours are
amassed toward the requirements.  If the roll is failed, the 10 hours are
not amassed and are instead lost.  If botched, the character cannot begin
again for 24 hours.  If double botched, prototype also goes BOOM, harming
the lab and the people within it.

 

Before being able to spend another ten hours in the lab, the PC must spend
at least one full scene outside of the lab looking for inspiration.  This
can be research in a special library, or field work, consulting with a
colleague, etc.  There should be few if any rolls required, but the PC must
put in a scene’s worth of time and attention.

 

It is only then that the PC can head back to the lab, and work another ten
hours on prototyping and the blueprint, after which another gadget design
roll is called for (again, versus 12+design spec level).  If a success,
another ten hours are amassed toward the requirements, if not, zero hours
are amassed.  If botched, the character loses ALL accumulated time and must
start the entire process over again.  If double botched, the character loses
all accumulated time and must start the entire process over again and the
prototype goes BOOM.

 

This cycle continues:

1.       Spend a full scene outside of the lab seeking inspiration or new
insights

2.       Return to the lab, spend ten hours on prototyping and blueprint
design.

3.       Make another Gadget Design roll versus 12+Design Spec Level,
success adds 10 design hours accomplished.

 

The PC simply keeps looping through the three steps above until they have
amassed enough total design hours – such as 40 for the Force Field
blueprint.  Once that has been done, the PC only has to spend X
possibilities (where X is the Design Spec Level), and the blueprint is done.


 

Once the blueprint is done, it is added to the PC’s library.  He can now
actually build the device.


Building the Device


 

Building the device is fairly straightforward when one has a blueprint and a
personal well-stocked lab.  One also needs special Components of the right
level  to build and use Gadgets.

 

The rule of Thumb is that the PC needs either one Component of the same
level as the Blueprint, or two Components of one level less.

 

Here is some guidance as to the rarity and difficulty in obtaining
Components of different levels:


Components


1.       Level one Components can be found in any consumer electronics, like
transistors, diodes, capacitors, etc.

2.       Level two Components can be found in higher level electronics, like
computers, TVs – such as microcircuits, microchips, polymers, etc.

3.       Level three Components take an effort to get, and aren’t cheap.
Substances like aerogel, complex solvents, design-to-order assemblages, etc.

4.       Level four Components are expensive and difficult to acquire, like
regulated apparatus, diamonds, gold, platinum

5.       Level five Components are rare and extremely hard to find, like
plutonium, or flawless diamonds

6.       Level six Components are ultimate and singular, like a cybernetic
brain, a piece of a neutron star, or a page from the Codex

 

Assuming that the PC has the Component(s) in hand, has the blueprint, and is
in his well stocked Weird Science Lab, he simply spends the required time
building and assembling, and then makes a Jury Rig roll versus a difficulty
of 12+Blueprint Level (which is obviously the same as the Design Spec Level
the Blueprint came from.)  The difficulty is +3 if two Components are used
in building the device.

 

The following is the amount of time required to build a device:

·         Level One: one round (ten seconds)

·         Level Two: one minute

·         Level Three: ten minutes

·         Level Four: 1 hour

·         Level Five: five hours

·         Level Six: one day (twenty four total hours)

 

Also, one cannot attempt to build a device of higher level then one’s Jury
Rig.  A Jury Rig of +4 is the minimum required to build a level 4 Device.

 

After spending the required time, make a Jury Rig roll.  The difficulty is
versus 12 + Blueprint Level+3 if two components were used, and if the PC
succeeds, the device is built, and any Components within it are fully
charged.

 

In the example, building a level 4 Force Field Gadget would take one hour,
and if a single level 4 Component is used (instead of two level 3
Components) the difficulty would be 12+4 or 16. (Otherwise it would have
been 19.)

 

If one fails the roll, the only downside is that the time has been lost.
Single botch means you get a BOOM that causes no real damage to people, but
wrecks ½ of the equipment and devices in the lab.  Double botch or worse
means you wreck ½ of the lab AND lose all Components involved.

 

If one has a damaged Device and one wishes to rebuild it, the time costs and
difficulties are the same as building it in the first place.

 

Other cumulative penalties include:

·         +3 to difficulty for not using one’s own Weird Science Lab

·         +3 to +6 if the lab you are using is not well stocked or
substandard or unsuited for use

·         +3 penalty, as covered above, if you are using components of one
level lower than that of the blueprint.

 

Now our device is built and we can use it.


Using devices


 

Components carry charges.  When placed in a device, these charges power the
device.  A Component can have up to the Component level x3 charges in each.
Therefore a level 4 Component can hold up to 12 charges.  If placed in a
level 4 device, the charges are used by the device to perform its function.
Of course, one could instead place two level 3 Components within a level 4
Device, for a charge capacity of 9 charges each, or 18 total.

 

To use a device, it must first be *booted up* if it has a Boot Limitation.
If it has a Skill Limitation, three successful rolls must be made, one per
round, versus a difficulty of 12+Device Level.  If it has both a Boot
Limitation and a Skill Limitation, the required Skill rolls may be made
during the Boot Time, but both the Boot Time must pass and the Skill rolls
must be made before the next step.

 

Most devices have neither Boot nor Skill Limitations, and therefore skip
right to this step when being used.  If the device does not require
Activation, then it may be used immediately as an Instant Use device.  Using
the device, called “firing” or “triggering” it, costs a variable number of
charges, usually X where X is the Device Level.  Upon the PC spending these
charges (usually by hitting one or more switches on the device) the charges
are spent and its effect occurs.  For example, a level 3 Laser Canon may do
a 25 Damage Value blast when the gun is fired, costing 3 charges with each
shot.

 

It is up to GM Discretion, but some devices may be able to be used at half
power or lower, using a smaller number of charges in doing so.

 

Some devices are Activated Use devices.  These can be Activated, which costs
X charges where X is the level of the Device.  These devices remain on and
useable for the rest of the Scene, or until deactivated.  Removing a
Component from a device deactivates it, unless it is a Fully Integrated
Assemblage with charged Components remaining (more on that later.)  For
example, Dr Gerstein’s Level 2 Vertigo Gun is a Activated device – spending
2 charges allows him to use the gun for the remainder of the Scene, once per
round.

 

Note:  an Activated Use device which is used to move between Scenes, such as
a Glider, if Activated during the first Scene, remains Activated until
arrival at the new Scene, at which time the PC must decide if he wishes to
pay for Activation for this Scene as well.  On the other hand, if device was
only Activated at the very end of the last Scene, it will continue to
function to the end of the coming Scene without needing re-Activation.  It
is up to the player whether the time during a Scene change counts as part of
the previous Scene of the following one.  Of course, an especially long
transition, such as a train ride, may qualify as being its own Scene if the
time spent is acted out – the GM has full discretion.

 

Activation requires at least one round.  Using the device can commence the
round after it was Activated.  If either placing Component(s) into the
device, or mounting/demounting a mountable device from an assemblage, one
may simultaneously Activate an Activated Use device.  However, unless the
player specifically instructs the GM that he is Activating the device, it
isn’t.

 

When charges are used, the player may specify which charges come from which
Component, if the device has more than one attached.  Otherwise, the device
uses charges as evenly divided from all potential sources.

 

Of course, eventually one will run out of charges – if one does, one can
simply swap the empty Components in the Device for ones that are fully
charged.


Swapping Components


 

Components may be swapped in and out of devices at will using the Jury Rig
skill.  The main limitation is that you may only place a single component of
equal level into a Device, or you may place two components of one level
lower in a Device.

 

Performing a swap takes one round, during which you may:

·         Take any number of components out of any number of devices, so
long as all of those components are going into one single device.

·         Take any number of components out of one device.

·         Take any number of free (not currently installed) components and
place them into one device.

·         The maximum number of devices you can add components to in a
single round with a single JuryRig roll is ONE.

·         A Fully Integrated Assemblage counts a single device as far as the
above four points.

 

To attempt this, the PC makes a Jury Rig roll versus 8+the highest Component
or Device Level involved.  Penalties should be assessed to this roll based
on factors such as lighting, wind, and/or rain – even inebriation, loss of
confidence, and fear.

 

Upon success, not only is the swap made, but if Component(s) are being
swapped into an Activated Use device, that device may also be Activated in
the same round as the swap occurred.

 

If the roll is failed, and the PC was trying to swap two Components into a
device of one level greater, then the Components are stuck, rendering the
device useless and the components out of commission until the whole device
can be rebuilt back at the lab.  Otherwise, failure just means the time was
lost, but may be re-attempted next round.

 

Eventually the Components will not have enough charges and will have to be
recharged.


Charging Components


 

No roll is needed  when charging Components in one’s lab.  Otherwise the
JuryRig difficulty is 12.  The time to charge is 1 minute/charge on standard
power, 1 round/charge on industrial power. Failing this roll indicates that
after the component should have been fully charged, it will be found to have
only 1 charge in it.  The number of charges in the Component can only be
read when mounted in a device.

 

With a JuryRig roll of 15 or better, one can connect the device directly to
industrial power (although it must still have the proper Component
installed, even if the Component has no charges left), but the device
becomes very unstable.  Every round the device is used as such the
difficulty increases by 3 and a new roll must be made.  After the device is
removed from industrial power it must be completely rebuilt before it can be
used again, and the Component(s) within it are empty.  Failing this roll
fries the Device immediately (requiring a rebuild) and entirely drains the
Components attached to it.

 

Some further notes on advanced use follow, covering proper tools, adding to
an existing blueprint, adding new functions to a device, and mimicking other
p-positives power effects.


Proper Tools


 

Normally, one requires the proper tools to design, prototype, build, and
even do field work like Component or Module Swapping or Charging.  To
receive no penalties, the proper tools for blueprint design and prototyping,
and for building and rebuilding devices and assemblages, is one’s own
personal and well equipped Weird Science lab.

 

The proper tools for field work is a tool kit that fits in a toolbox or
medicine bag, which is required for swapping Components or Modules, charging
Components in the field, and other field work.


Adding to an Existing Blueprint


 

Sometimes the PC isn’t trying to reinvent the wheel, sometimes the Gadgeteer
just wants to improve an existing blueprint.  For example, a PC may have a
level Three Blueprint for a Glider that goes 85 mph, but he wishes it could
go much faster – say Mach Ten.

 

The existing Blueprint makes him take less time to make the new one.
Instead of meeting the full requirements for designing a blueprint for the
device from scratch, you only have to meet the requirements of the new
blueprint minus the existing blueprint plus one.  If the GM says that the
Mach 10 Glider is a level 5 Design Spec, and you already have a level 3
blueprint for the slower Glider, 5 minus 3. plus 1, equals 3 – so all you
have to do is go through the process of building a level 3 blueprint, which
only requires 30 amassed hours and 3 possibilities, and at the end you will
have your level 5 blueprint.


Adding New Functions to a Device.


 

Sometimes it is not about making the old blueprint more powerful, sometimes
you want to add completely new functions or effects to it.  For example,
perhaps you have a Glider that you wish to mount a Vertigo Gun on.  The
basic approach is to design the Glider and Gun blueprints separately (if you
already have them designed, you have saved a step!) and then to build a
single Integrated Assemblage device using both Blueprints.

 

The first thing to do is to choose one device to use to mount the others
into and onto – this device is called the Hull.  Secondly one must decide is
whether the Assemblage will be Fully Integrated, or whether it will be
Modular.

 

A Fully Integrated Assemblage only requires that the highest Device in the
Assemblage have Component(s), although any and/or all Devices in the
Assemblages can have Components.  The charges required to use each device
remain the same, but may be paid from any Component in the entire
Assemblage, at Player discretion.  (If the player does not choose, charges
will be spent as equally as possible between all Components in the
Assemblage.)

 

While Components may be swapped in and out as normal, Fully Integrated
devices need to be completely rebuilt to change, swap, mount, or demount
modules/devices. 

 

A Modular Assemblage on the other hand may be disassembled and reassembled
in the field, so long as the Hull remains functionally intact.  (An
Assemblage cannot be created in the field as you need your proper lab and
blueprints (and time) to create a Hull and Mount Points for and on the
Device Modules.)  Any Mountable Device built in the lab to work with the
particular Hull can be swapped in or out.

 

However, in a Modular Assemblage each Module (including the Hull) must have
its own Component(s), and get its charges from only that source.

 

So, for example, if Dr Gerstein Fully Integrated his level 3 Glider (the
Hull) with his level 2 Vertigo Gun, he would be able to pay for the charges
for the Glider or the Gun from any Component in the whole Assemblage, but he
is only required to have a Component in the Glider (the highest level device
in the assemblage.)  However, he cannot demount the Gun and use it as a hand
weapon in the field.

 

On the other hand, if Dr Gerstein Modularly Integrated his level 3 Glider
(the Hull) with his level 2 Vertigo Gun, he would need the required
Components in each and every device in the Assemblage.  The Component(s) in
the Glider could not be used to power the Gun, and vice versa.  The Gun
*could* however be demounted and used as a hand weapon in the field.

 

Furthermore, if Dr Gerstein Modularly integrated his level 3 Glider, his
level 2 Vertigo Gun, and his level 3 Laser Cannon, Dr. Gerstein would have
to decide whether to make two External Mount Points on the Hull (Glider) so
as to be able to have both weapons attached at the same time, or whether to
build only a single External Mount Point, in which case only one gun at a
time can be mounted.

 

The game mechanics for building an Assemblage is to gather the required
blueprints, components, and other materials in the PC’s lab.  The same
penalties apply as if building a normal device, so, for example, using
someone else’s lab, even if that lab is well suited, is a +3 penalty.  Also
note that the +3 penalty for using components of one level lower is counted
for each and every device in the Assemblage for which this occurs.  (If the
level 3 Glider has two level 2 Components, and the level 3 Laser Cannon has
two level 2 Components, the total penalty for building both into the
Assemblage is +6!)

 

The roll that must be made is a Jury Rig roll versus a difficulty of 12 +
the highest level of blueprint + 1 for each Mount Point.  (Each Mount Point
must be specified as External or Internal when built.  External Mount Points
are more accessible, and required for things like guns, however External
Mount Points are also more easily hit and damaged.)

 

The only Devices that can be Mounted on the Assemblage are those built at
the same time as the Assemblage.

 

So, for example, Dr Gerstein wants to build a Modular Assemblage from his
level 3 Glider, his level 2 Vertigo Gun, and his level 3 Laser Cannon.  He
is only going to build 1 External Mount point because he will not be using
both guns at the same time.  The difficulty is 12+3+1, or 16.  Success means
that he now has a modular Glider Hull with one External Mount Point, on
which he can mount either the Vertigo Gun or the Laser Cannon.  However,
only one of those two guns can be Mounted on this Device at one time.

 

To mount a Mountable Device on a Mount Point, a Jury Rig of 12+the highest
level (device or Hull) must be made.  Demounting a device from a Mount Point
can be done as a Simple action.

 

In any case, the time taken to build the Assemblage and Mountable Modules
(if any) is the combined time to make each device independently plus 50% to
Integrate them – for the Glider with Mountable Vertigo Gun and Laser Cannon,
that’s a 31.5 minute build time – 10 minutes to build the glider, 10 minutes
to build the Laser Cannon, one minute to build the Vertigo Gun which is 21
minutes, times 1.5 = 31 and a half minutes.


Mimicking Other P-PositiveS’ Powers.


 

Each device can only do one specific stunt, trick, effect or use.  For
example, in order to be able to copy all of Jack’s abilities, a gadgeteer
would need one device *per stunt* that Jack had, and even then, the
device-replicated powers would be mechanical, not as flexible as Jack’s
were.

 

If created as an Activated Device, the device would not be able to create a
second effect until the first has been released.  So if an Activated Device
mimicked Jack’s ability to freeze things, it could not freeze second thing
until the first is unfrozen.

 

If created as an Instant device, the device can create an effect which may
last the entire scene, and may do so once per use.  Such a device could
freeze any number of people, one per shot.

 

-Benn Grant

eFix Computer Consulting

benn at 4eFix.com

603.283.6601

 

From: torg-bounces at justintimeadventures.com
[mailto:torg-bounces at justintimeadventures.com] On Behalf Of Steve Crow
Sent: Friday, November 07, 2008 10:40 PM
To: torgmail
Subject: RE: [Torg] Weird science question?

 

Did a bit of checking. The rules on page 84 of the Terra SB seem to address
the question of boosting attributes. They still don't talk about boosting
skills, though. And it's not clear what the limit is on a skill. Other than
the numbers given on page 84 of the NE SB (I said 77 earlier, sorry).

Do you just assume that whatever the skill is that the gadget user already
has, it's at the max so you just have to boost the skill and the limit value
equal amounts?

Or something else...?

So we're still kind of confused.

--- Steve Crow "Logic merely enables one to be wrong with authority." Check
out my website at: http://www.geocities.com/Area51/Stargate/4991/

  _____  

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