One of the most important characters in any kind of show begining with the work 'Star' is usually given short shrift in discussions of narrative games.

That character of cours is the Spaceship. Quite simply without the Battlestar Galactica, Jupiter 2, Uss Enterprise and so on none of these series premises would be possible. And over time the quirks and characteristics of the ship tend to make it one of the most active and important of the characters of the series. Indeed whole series premises can hang on ONE quality of the ship! (The Robinson's wouldnt have been lost in space if the navigigation computer worked right...)
And of course the ship and its problems are an otherwise endless source of plot devices and drama (the engines can nay stand the strain...).

Using the 'Pool' as an example, I have decided to write up a spaceship as if it were a standard character for the game.

TTA(Thruspace Trade Authority) 'Wanderer'
The Wanderer was originally a starforce marines landing craft that was severely damaged by enemy fire during an assault, it was sold for salvage and a warp drive was installed to turn it into an interstellar craft. It has superior atmopheric handling and keeps military grade avionics and sensors as well as mountings for heavier guns than the light particle cannon it keeps.

Former Starforce Marine Landing Craft +2
Retrofitted Warp Drive
Superior Atmospheric Handling +4
Military Grade Avionics/Sensors +3
Light Particle Cannon
Heavy Weapons Mounts

In play the ship would act as a kind of trait pool that may be dipped into for the characters, for example if the Pilot is trying to land the ship in a storm he might get the +4 for its amospheric handling, or if the science officer it trying to scan something he might get the plus for the sensors. Whenever anyone made a succesfull roll he gets to MOV the act of using the ships trait.

Now that I have thrown this bone out, anybody want to elaborate on the potential?

b_bankhead wrote: Now that I have thrown this bone out, anybody want to elaborate on the potential?

I think you've got a neat idea in general terms. The thing is, is this set in The Pool just as an example, or are you actually suggesting this as an adjunct of The Pool. If the former, there's not really much to say, other than to ask what you intend to use it for. If the latter, we can talk about all sorts of ramifications, like whether or not the Trait dipped into stacks with the PCs, or is just used instead.

Mike

Mike Holmes wrote: I think you've got a neat idea in general terms. The thing is, is this set in The Pool just as an example, or are you actually suggesting this as an adjunct of The Pool.

Mike

b_bankhead wrote:
Both actually ,I want to design an SF oriented game with some director stance which lets the player customize the enfironment and play style.
It might be a good idea for players of the pool to consider some way to add character disadvantages to the system.

Mike Holmes wrote:

b_bankhead wrote:
The problem I see is that certain Ship Traits are going to play to certain characters. The handling Trait belongs to the Helmsman character, essentiall. The Drive Traits belong to the engineer, etc. As such why not just make them part of the character?

I'd like to keep them separate, but with good rules for combining traits from multiple sources (which would also cover group actions). This is because the sentient ship is fairly common in SF.

Andrew Martin wrote: I'd like to keep them separate, but with good rules for combining traits from multiple sources (which would also cover group actions). This is because the sentient ship is fairly common in SF.