N.E.W. Playtest Document [July 2014]

[Morrus]

I have just uploaded N.E.W. Playtest Document [July 2014] to the downloads area.

This is the latest playtest document for Kickstarter backers only. It uses large amounts of playtest feedback, and contains some major changes to the core math. This therefore begins a second phase of playtesting. Note that this new math has not been playtested yet - that's what we're doing here! The core math (difficulties, die pools) may need tweaking based on feedback, but ti should be far less "swingy" than previous versions.

This update contains many changes including but not limited to:

- new careers
- psionic powers
- changes to starship construction
- starship combat advice and new electronic warfare rules
- a new overall exploits system
- new character sheets
- pregenerated iconic characters
- and more!

Not everything from previous playtest reports has been addressed; some items can be left for a later document. In particular, the environments chapter has not had major updates, nor has the worldbuilding section of the book. The sample starships still use the old math, but I left them there just in case they were useful.

You can find the file here in the downloads section. Please use this thread for comments.

 

[Primitive Screwhead]

Huzzah!

Started combing through for changes to use in my OLD playtest.. sorry to do this to ya...

Page 16: Description for Logic still references INTELLECT

Page 84 mentions you can add to your defense for the skill Hardy. On page 86 the same character does not appear to add this. I assume its 1 point per rank of Hardy? Talik on Page 89 appears to have this correctly listed.

Page 150: reads: "When a character is reduced to 0 HEALTH, he should record the amount of damage caused by the attack which did it. If he had 10 HEALTH, and fell from a cliff and took 17 damage, he records the number 17. This number is used by those attempting to give him emergency medical attention."

Recommend changing the last sentence to: "This number is the minimum difficulty used by those attempting to give him emergency medical attention."

I look forward to trying the new math out!

 

[Morrus]

Page 16: Description for Logic still references INTELLECT

Gajeebus holy.... that is so frustrating. How, in my infinity plus e read-throughs, did I miss that?

I'll upload a new version.

 

[Broken Reality]

Am I right in thinking that in career selection the rule of 1 means the following for starter careers....

-Experiment only Borian and Felan.
-Jock only Venetian and Android.
-Hacker only Ogron Spartan and Android.
-Scion only Borian Ogron and Spartan.

If so that doesn't seem to make much sense. Does the rule of 1 apply to starter careers? If not it needs making clear in the career section.

 

[Morrus]

Am I right in thinking that in career selection the rule of 1 means the following for starter careers....

-Experiment only Borian and Felan.
-Jock only Venetian and Android.
-Hacker only Ogron Spartan and Android.
-Scion only Borian Ogron and Spartan.

If so that doesn't seem to make much sense. Does the rule of 1 apply to starter careers? If not it needs making clear in the career section.

Ah, that rule was supposed to be removed. The replacement rule is supposed to say that a finished character with an attribute of 1 is not viable as a PC, but can be permitted with GM permission.

 

[Morrus]

Updated to fix that - negative career mods were supposed to have been deleted.

 

[Broken Reality]

Ok that makes a lot more sense. Will pass that on to the group I am playtesting with.

 

[TiwazTyrsfist]

So do you mean that no careers should have negative stat adjustments anymore?

 

[Morrus]

So do you mean that no careers should have negative stat adjustments anymore?

Redownload!

 

[Wojorides]

Psion Cost extraordinary

Seems to be extraordinary. 500 per rank of the power?? so to learn Electrokinetic Blast IV. it will cost 2,000 EXP?? 1,000 more for an additional target and 1,500 for for another target??? The Psion will have spent 4,500 that on ONE power while other characters go up in careers??

How did the iconic character start with a rank 5 skill?? He took Psychic three times. He ended up with 2 additional powers besides the basic Psi-blast which he extended, one rank 1, one rank 5? how does he get the rank 5 power?? Could he have taken a rank 9 power? why Not? And considering the cost of these powers would it not mak more sense to take 2 high rank skills from the career rather than pay the huge exp cost>

Actually looking at cost to gain skills I see that a shooter will have increased his skill about 2 ranks. What do you expect the average gaming session of 4 hours to award in EXP?

Starting characters will have to defeat a level 6 opponent EACH to gain approximately 600 points? even with a matching mission bonus that's a lot of shooting to raise their laser rifle skill from 3 -4.