I'm new and baffled!

[Brian Leybourne]

Of course you're more than welcome to post questions here... we don't bite, honest. Just don't ask how to make a fireball using the sorcery rules, that one has been done well past death and through a few thousand years of undeath into the bargain.

As for AI in the combat sim... yes, I did start that. So far it picks stances and whether to attack or not, and then I got to the part where I have to design an algorithm that will actually pick an intelligent attack based on what weapon it has, what weapon you have, where/what your armor is, how many CP it has, how many CP you have, whether this is exchange 1 or 2, how many CP it will need to protect itself if the attack fails and of course that depends on the expected number of CP you'll have left after you've defended in this exchange, and so on... Believe me, the guy who designed the Chess algorithm had it easy... it's pretty easy to look 3 moves ahead for every piece on the board and what all the possible counter-moves are etc, and then see which one leaves you in the best position... TROS combat, believe it or not, is a lot more complex than that.

Besides which, I've been working on the Character Generator software, which is actually finished, but I'm waiting for my testers to get back to me with any bugs, then I have to pretty it up and wrap an installer around it etc, and then I'll give it to Jake for the webpage.

Once that's actually done, and assuming I don't have any last minute OBAM changes to make after the editor has finished with it, I'll get back to the Combat Sim. If any of ya are really good at complex algorithm design...

Brian.

[Spartan]

I downloaded the Combat Simulator, and tried my hands at it. Combat looks quite exciting, almost as a game within the game...

That I believe, was the intention behind it.  Combat is very exciting... one wrong move and you could have a dead character on your hands.  One could spend hours running cool little combats... in fact, I used TROS to break in a totally newbie gamer to great effect. :)

And if I had a dime for every hour I spent with that combat sim, I'd likely be retired by now. ;)

-Mark

[Brian Leybourne]

And if I had a dime for every hour I spent with that combat sim, I'd likely be retired by now. ;)

Hey! If anyone should be retiring on proceeds from the combat sim, it should be me :-)

Brian.

[Tywin Lannister]

I'm happy to say that yesterday evening I introduced my players (and a new one) to THE RIDDLE OF STEEL. After my gushing and looking at the rules, they got really excited about it (they know my best games are the "realistic" ones, story-wise), and we proceeded to create characters. Some of it went well, some was difficult and generated some questions:

When you choose a Proficiency (say, 'Sword and Shield'), do you automatically receive all the Offensive and Defensive Maneuverds and write them on the character sheet?
Do you have a different (melee) Combat Pool for each proficiency? (A player has Sword and Shield: 8 and Dagger: 2). Do you keep one bowl of dice for each, or do you re-calculate whenever you change weapons.

[arxhon]

Hey, here are some answers for you Tywin.

When you choose a Proficiency...

Yes, as long as the character in question has a proficiency level high enough to use the maneuver. For example, Evasive attack requires a level 6 in Great/Longsword. If the character doesn't have a 6 to start off with, he cannot use it until he does get that level 6.

Do you have a different (melee) Combat Pool for each proficiency

Yes, since combat pools are calculated on Reflex+Proficiency level. So, using youe example, if you had a Reflex of 4, then your Sword and Shield Combat Pool would be 12, and your dagger would be 6.


However, if you look at the defaults, Dagger defaults from Sword and Shield at -2, you would have a Combat Pool of 10 in Dagger.

[Tywin Lannister]

However, if you look at the defaults, Dagger defaults from Sword and Shield at -2, you would have a Combat Pool of 10 in Dagger

Thanks for the answers, Arxhon. But if a character has both 'Sword and Shield' and 'Dagger', does the Default -2 still count?

I am going to answer your PM now, I look forward to see what you have made of the character creation. :)

[Alan]

However, if you look at the defaults, Dagger defaults from Sword and Shield at -2, you would have a Combat Pool of 10 in Dagger

Thanks for the answers, Arxhon. But if a character has both 'Sword and Shield' and 'Dagger', does the Default -2 still count?

Here's how I play proficiencies:  If you put 8 proficiency dice into Sword and Shield for an 8 total, you get Dagger at 6 and can spend 2 proficiency dice to bring Dagger to 8.  So Sword and Shield 8 and Dagger 8 costs 10 points.

[arxhon]

I do it the same way Alan does, and i believe Jake does it this way as well.

So for example, if i have Sword and Shield at 6, and Pole-axe at 6, i would use the Sword and Shield proficiency to get a defaulted value for Dagger, since it is the better one (-2 vs -4). I could put 1 point into Dagger for a value of 5 there. Mind you, it would be better to place that point into Sword and Shield for 7, since you still get a level 5 in dagger after defaulting (at -2) while having a better skill in Sword and Shield.

It's a little confusing initially, but you get the hang of it pretty quick. Just remember that no Proficiency may have a default value above 6 (p50, near the bottom).

[Brian Leybourne]

Damn, but I'm constantly impressed at how helpful folk are to new faces on this list. Well done guys (and yeah, that's how defaults work).

Yes, since combat pools are calculated on Reflex+Proficiency level. So, using youe example, if you had a Reflex of 4, then your Sword and Shield Combat Pool would be 12, and your dagger would be 6.

However, if you look at the defaults, Dagger defaults from Sword and Shield at -2, you would have a Combat Pool of 10 in Dagger.

Actually, since he had already said he spent 2 points in Dagger, his Dagger Pool is 12. Minor picky point though.

Brian.

[Lance D. Allen]

One thing... Unless I'm mistaken, defaults are maxed at 5, aren't they?

Which means if Sword and Shield defaults to Dagger at a -2, and you have S-and-S at 8, Dagger can only be a 5. Of course, those two points can be added right on to it, and making it a 7.

I don't have the book right in front of me, and it might have changed from the pre-release to the revised edition, but I am pretty sure it's a max 5 on defaults.

[Shadeling]

One thing... Unless I'm mistaken, defaults are maxed at 5, aren't they?

Which means if Sword and Shield defaults to Dagger at a -2, and you have S-and-S at 8, Dagger can only be a 5. Of course, those two points can be added right on to it, and making it a 7.

I don't have the book right in front of me, and it might have changed from the pre-release to the revised edition, but I am pretty sure it's a max 5 on defaults.

Max default is 6, not 5-in both copies.

[arxhon]

Yeah, it is 6. Take a look at pg 50, left hand column, near the bottom.

[Tywin Lannister]

Damn, but I'm constantly impressed at how helpful folk are to new faces on this list.

I was surprised myself to get help this fast and this detailed. Thanks!

It's a little confusing initially, but you get the hang of it pretty quick. Just remember that no Proficiency may have a default value above 6 (p50, near the bottom).

I guess I'll have to find some time this weekend and re-read the parts on Proficiencies and Combat ,because as you say, it's really confusing and to be honest I don't understand the Defaults thing or the explanations above :(
(I'm more a story kind of guy than a rules type of guy, but I really want to found my new campaign in good, solid rules).

I have prepared a "prologue"  to my campaign in which one of the players is a House Knight and the other a young noble. In this way the two PCs can spend time *in* game practicing with their weapons in the courtyard of the noble PC's father, so that we may understand this game :-)

[Ashren Va'Hale]

Easiest way to learn is to play it out a few times and see what happens.
For proficiencies, think of defaults as your ability to pick up a similar weapon and apply what you know to that weapon style. I practice with long sword and I know a few polearm techniques from that training for example. Anyways, like I saidplay a few games and maybe try creating a character online here on the forge and maybe we can walk you through it?

probably by PM I suppose.....anyways, I am tired, I better quit trying to tye.

[Tywin Lannister]

maybe try creating a character online here on the forge

Thanks, but Arxhon has offered to send a write-up of character creation, and we have managed to create the two characters described above (except the details for weapons and armor, which I haven't had the time to study yet, and the before mentioned maneuvers).