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Message: <blockquote data-quote="innerdude" data-source="post: 5601655" data-attributes="member: 85870">So here's the real question -- Which dice mechanic works best for the style/genre you're trying to emulate? For example, it's pretty clear that most things in nature follow a normal distribution. It's just the "way things work," 67% of us fall within one standard deviation of "the mean," whatever it is we're measuring, and 95% of us fall within two. But the real question is, how do you set a scale for success? For example, how do you determine the DC for oh, say, a php/MySQL computer programming check? In D&D terms, supposedly if you roll a 20, it's still an automatic success, even though someone with zero skill in it is not going to have any chance of completing a DC 15 MySQL check within a week (sure, if you study the code long enough, and have any sort of reference material to guide you, you could probably figure it out eventually). Should there really even be a 5% probability that someone who's never looked at a computer in their life could complete that check? In D20 terms, the Alexandrian has been repeatedly quoted as saying that in "calibrating" the OGL / 3.x system, even the most epic "heroes" of the books we read are probably 6th level, 8th level at most. Einstein isn't a "20th level scientist;" he's basically a 5th level expert with an 18 intelligence, skill focus in Knowledge<img src="https://cdn.jsdelivr.net/joypixels/assets/8.0/png/unicode/64/1f61b.png" class="smilie smilie--emoji" loading="lazy" width="64" height="64" alt=":P" title="Stick out tongue    :P"  data-smilie="7"data-shortname=":P" />hysics, the standard 8 ranks available at that level, and that's about it. Some of this question probably revolves around our own experience, or view, on how human skill and performance works. A normal distribution model basically says, "If you're good enough, you're good enough, and it's pretty rare for you to luck into something." Which, I think for most of us, is a pretty realistic assessment. For example, I've never built a wood deck before, even though I've watched people do it. I know the basic principles of measurement, and hammering, and drilling, and creating support beams, etc., so it's not like I'd be going in blind if I tried. I could probably build a crude wooden deck that would be marginally functional, but to make something elegant, sturdy, and functional all at once? I really would have no chance at it, at least at my current skill levels. But then again, are RPGs really supposed to model anything but the most casual realism? I'm rambling a little bit here, but I think this is something that would be interesting to look into more.</blockquote>

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