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Message: <blockquote data-quote="LightPhoenix" data-source="post: 5326169" data-attributes="member: 115">No, sorry, but you're wrong.  That argument is true for 4E, because of the bonus to rolls scales with level.  That argument is not true for Alternity, because the modifiers (d4/d6/whatnot) don't change much (if at all) with level, only with situation.  There are of course exceptions - most "knowledge" skills provide bonus modifiers, for example.  However, of the rest of the skills, the majority do not affect the modifier dice, regardless of skill rank.  Therefore, the matter of an upper/lower limit is irrelevant.Given that, it's simply more intuitive for higher to be better.  That's why most sports (and most games) do it that way.  If you don't accept that as true, then there's really nothing more to discuss on the matter.First off, again, a comparison between d20 and Alternity, regarding higher=better, is apples and oranges, as I explained above.  Now, if I gave the impression that higher=better was from d20, I apologize.  That was not my intent.  I only brought that comparison up with regards to variable modifiers versus static modifiers.  I perhaps should have made that more clear.Furthermore, I think in your example you're intentionally making one example obtuse and the other clear.  If, in Alternity, with it's (relatively) non-scaling targets, I told you that higher was better, and told you had to roll two dice and add them together, it's still logically sensible that it's a bonus.  Note that you still don't know the target number - but then again, you don't know it in the other system as well.  Oh, absolutely I agree.  More than the math side of it, I think the Critical Failure/Failure/Ordinary/Good/Amazing system is what makes the skill resolution system unique.  I just don't understand why saying (for example) 12/9/6 is okay and 8/11/14 is not, especially given that there's no level-based increase in Alternity.  I think it's mathmatical semantics and sacred cows versus any inherent good reason.No apology needed, conversation is always good!  In fact, over the course of the day (stupid boring work), I've come around a bit to the side of variable modifiers for precisely the reason you state - to me it feels a bit more heroic and a bit more random.  I still don't think it gels overly well, especially at the high end, but all this did get me thinking about old games, and really a three-step modifier was about on the higher end of things.  Personally, I'd go with d4/d8/d12 as a baseline to smooth out the curve (averages go from +0/+2.5/+4.5/+6.5), but a single die system also leaves it open for preposterous odds to work.I think what it comes down to is that when I think of what makes Alternity click, what made it memorable when I played it back in the day, there's a few notable things that jump out in my mind.  Those include tiered successes, damage tracks (especially versus HP), the skills system, and the flavor/settings.  What isn't on there is lower=better, or variable bonuses, or a lot of other math stuff.  What some people here obviously consider to be sacred cows, I see as impediments to a smoother game.  That's why they're opinions.</blockquote>

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