[HotNW] Column 9-17

[godfather punk]

(I propose starting a new thread every week, so we can discuss the latest column)

Hi,

- I like your idea for non-lethal handling of combat, but these rules also seem to imply that once somebody draws a gun there will be a fight.  Before shots are fired I think there should be a sort of intimidation check to see if the opposition just sheepishly grins, backs off and goes to report to their boss (Difficulty factor for the Intimidation check depends of course on type of weapon, motivation of the opposition, previous encounters etc.).  Would this be resolved by a normal skill check or also as combat , reducing first Luck (to make the others run away), then Move (to make them surrender).

- Of course you know that AEGIS is already used as a name for a contemporary organisation in EDEN's Conspiracy-X.  

- The Sin Brotherhood.  "After a 40 years hiatus..."  I've been thinking a bit about my perception of the 80's and one thing I remember is the way the view on nuclear weapons has shifted during these years (from a european adolescent point of view).  

In the early 80's there was still a healthy fear of all things nuclear (Harrisburg, the No-Nukes protest marches, Carters' Neutron Bomb).  This was reflected also in the media.  Not only you had movies like 'The Day After', 'War games', 'Maleville', the remake of 'Night of the living dead', 'Dreamscape' and even 'Terminator' where nuclear war were seen as a Bad Thing.  The only exception I can think of is the 70's 'The spy who loved me' where 007 uses 2 (TWO) nukes to take out two submarines).  Nuclear explosions were also used in pop songs and video clips ('Lets dance', 'Atomic', 'Dancing with tears in my eyes', 'Red skies over paradise').  

In the next decade nuclear weapon became more a reason to use cool special effects and seemed less lethal in the long run.  In 'Predator' we see Arnold walk away mostly unharmed from what I can only think of as a mini-nuke (white flash, mushroom cloud).  In 'True Lies' a nuclear explosion is used as a backdrop for a romantic scene.  In 'Broken Arrow' a nuke explodes on US territory but nobody is harmed.  In 'Sum of all fears' Jack Ryan goes for a walk through Ground Zero mere hours after the explosion...

I was wondering if this change of perception could be an 80's thing, part of the yuppi culture, but maybe you could give this a different spin in your story line.  Is it a coincidence that this happens just when the Sin Brotherhood resurfaces (they are planning this for some devious reason) or are the good guys seeing that nukes are the only thing that can protect us from evil and are they using the media to make people more receptive of the idea?

Cheers,
Marc

[Stephen]

Before shots are fired I think there should be a sort of intimidation check to see if the opposition just sheepishly grins, backs off and goes to report to their boss (Difficulty factor for the Intimidation check depends of course on type of weapon, motivation of the opposition, previous encounters etc.).  Would this be resolved by a normal skill check or also as combat , reducing first Luck (to make the others run away), then Move (to make them surrender).

This is a good point.  My suggestion is to base anything social on Knack, plus an appropriate Hook (maybe something like "R'spect Mah Author-Tay, Ah am da MAN!" which so many cops seem to have).  Roll Intimidation as a skill check, with the ease based on the target's dramatic role (minor lackeys at x7, The Big Bad at x1).

Character design question:  How many Hooks are characters typically envisioned as having?  To go on with the Knight Rider example, KITT was Michael's biggest Hook, but he had at least two others ("Good-Looking Guy", "Contacts at Knight Industries", and (IIRC) "Ex-Cop" (?).

[peteramthor]

I like the idea of Knack going down as sort of a morale meter, like Stephen was talking about.  When it bottoms out they run for it.  Ending combat before the physical side enters the scene.

---Then, lastly, damage goes to Luck. When you're out of Luck....well, then you're out of luck. Unconscious, Dead, Out of the Story...depends on who you are and how important you are.

The "how important you are" part got me.  Wondering if you were going to use a system similiar to your HKAT stuff about the more important the character the harder it is to hit them.  Or am I reading to much into this already and you are basically leaving it up to the GM?

Lastly a comment on the characteristics going up and down during combat.  Since this is going to require a bit of paper work and erasing I have a suggestion or two.  Putting a row of boxes under the characteristic to keep track of this, or suggesting in the book that players keep a D10 out on the characteristic and adjust it up or down as needed throughout the game.  

Just some quick thoughts.  Later.