Metric & Markets

[Derulbaskul]

Although I use metric in real life, I like my FRPGs to use imperial for that backwards/historical feel. It's a flavour thing for me.

 

[Krensky]

Metric, it's the future!

Actually if we were being logical, we'd all operate in Base 12, far better. Alas we usually only have 10 digits on our hands. One of the reasons in my games advanced alien races have 12 digits, they got a "one-up" (or rather "two-up" on the mathematics side a long time ago.

Count finger segments on one hand, ignoring the thumb.

 

[Umbran]

Duodecimal (base-12) beats decimal (base-10) because 12 is an abundant number, unlike 10, which is a deficient number. Simply put, it means 12 (2·2·3) can be divided into a larger variety of parts that 10 (2·5) can.

While true, that fails to give a practical reason why it is "better". Being abundant isn't of particular use to folks doing arithmetic - humans are already good at dealing with numbers down in the range of "a few" that there isn't much to be gained. And beyond arithmetic, the base hardly matters at all - unless you want to work in base e.

 

[Kask]

Outside America, only two demographic groups are familiar with the Imperial system of measurement: octogenarians and gamers.

Really? All my friends from UK/AUS/NZ are familiar with it and none are older than 40 and none are gamers. People I know from UK still use stones when referring to their weight...

 

[Kask]

Duodecimal (base-12) beats decimal (base-10) because 12 is an abundant number, unlike 10, which is a deficient number. Simply put, it means 12 (2·2·3) can be divided into a larger variety of parts that 10 (2·5) can.

Which is a reason why carpenters like the imperial inch, foot, yard system over metric.

 

[Morrus]

Outside America, only two demographic groups are familiar with the Imperial system of measurement: octogenarians and gamers.

What on earth makes you think that?

My scales say stones and pounds, I drive miles at a number of mph, I am 5'11" tall....

 

[Aexalon]

Duodecimal (base-12) beats decimal (base-10) because 12 is an abundant number, unlike 10, which is a deficient number. Simply put, it means 12 (2·2·3) can be divided into a larger variety of parts that 10 (2·5) can.

Improving accuracy of myself here: duodecimal beats decimal because 12 is a highly composite number (i.e. it has more dividers (1, 2, 3, 4, 6, & 12) than any smaller integer). 6 is higly composite too (having 4 dividers, being as good as 10 in that regard), but 20 isn't (having 6 dividers, being only as good as 12 in that regard).

More on topic, IMC, Rana, we use a vigesimal calendar:

                                                                     great
                seconds  minutes  hours    days    months   years    years    
1 second =      1        1/20     1/400    1/8000  —        —        —
1 minute =      20       1        1/20     1/400   —        —        —
1 hour =        400      20       1        1/20    —        —        —
1 day =         8000     400      20       1       1/20     1/400    1/8000
1 month =       —        —        —        20      1        1/20     1/400
1 year =        —        —        —        400     20       1        1/20
1 great year =  —        —        —        8000    400      20       1

with a ½ second round, a 1 minute short rest (40 rounds i.s.o. 50; "give me a minute to catcm my breath!"), and a 5 hour extended rest. The timescale match is: 1 Rana day is 1.1 D&D day (96000 D&D seconds), so the round is just as long as before (6 D&D seconds).

We also use a vigesimal currency system with 3 naming schemes:

                    copper   silver   electrum gold    platinum
                    pieces   pieces   pieces   pieces  pieces
1 copper piece =    1        1/20     1/400    1/8000  1/160000
1 silver piece =    20       1        1/20     1/400   1/8000
1 electrum piece =  400      20       1        1/20    1/400
1 gold piece =      8000     400      20       1       1/20
1 platinum piece =  160000   8000     400      20      1

                  English     Greek         Roman         Per Kilogram
5-copper piece    Farthing    Obol          As            400
silver piece      Penny       Drachma       Sestertius    1000
5-silver piece    Groat       Pentadrachma  Denarius      200
electrum piece    Shilling    Mina          Siliqua       500
5-electrum piece  Florin      Pentamina     Miliarense    100
gold piece        Noble       Stater        Aureus        250
5-gold piece      Souvereign  Pentastater   Histamenon    50
platinum piece    Scepter     Talent        Hyperion      125
5-platinum piece  Throne      Pentatalent   Hecatonaures  25

with silver worth 10 times its weight in copper, electrum (a 10/1 silver/gold mass fraction alloy) ten times its weight in silver, gold ten times its weight in electrum, and platinum ten times its weight in gold. The currency match is 1 D&D sp = 1 Penny (purchasing power, not weight), so gold prices are cut to 1/40th of book values. We don't use astral diamonds per se (as 2½ Thrones are worth 100 000 Pennies, just like an Astral Diamond is worth 100 000sp), but we do have Residuum at 10 times its weight in platinum as "ultimate" portable wealth: 1 kilogram of the stuff is worth 10000 kg silver (i.e. 10 million Pennies), which is a pretty close match for the value of Residuum on PHB1 p225.

For distance we use paces (a necessary consession to 4E's pervasive "squares", with larger units not really defined so far (suggestions for what to call 30m, 600m, 12km and 240km are welcome ).

 

[pawsplay]

Star Wars uses metric.

 

[Kask]

Star Wars uses metric.

So, does Traveller, since '77. Sci-Fi games have used metric & Fantasy games (for the most part) have used Imperial... It's a flavor thing.

 

[Aexalon]

Which is a reason why carpenters like the imperial inch, foot, yard system over metric.

Unfortunately, the english / imperial system is not duodecimal. It's a hodgepodge of all kinds of different bases across its base dimensions; They didn't even manage to stick to a single numeric base for a single dimension: while the smaller units of length fractions can be excused as divisors of 12, someone made a major booboo when they defined the rod as 11 cubits, the furlong as 10 chains, and the mile as 8 furlongs. Similarly, units of volume seem to have a binary thing going on, except for the vigesimal relation between pints and fluid ounces. Last, but not least, the units of weight are all over the place, with 16ths, 20ths, and even 14ths (gods forbid).

And don't get me started on the deviations the US customary measures made.

So, in conclusion: while the metric system uses the (slightly-inferior-to-duodecimal) decimal system, at least it uses the same one everywhere, all the time.