The Peacemakers - Alternity, Star*Drive (OOC Discusssion)

[jkason]

Okay, between the two character generating programs, I think I can put together a character, though it may need modifying. Two questions:

1. Do people in military service for the Concord have to be Concordians? I was thinking the Austrin-Ontis Unlimited might be interesting. It would explain the character's father's "you have to be military to be important" philosophy (guns = power).

2. I'm thinking about some sort of sensory cybernetic enhancement (Dad bought it so the kid would be a better shot, but the kid's using it to help with his ability to find and observe alien life). The dos char-gen has cybertech, but I don't see anything like it. Is that available in this setting?

thanks,

jason

 

[Samnell]

Sounds cool. I'll look 'im over in more detail tonight. From a stats view point, is his background from the Concord, or from some other stellar nation? I assume he's a citizen of the Concord now? What do you think?

[sblock]He was raised Hatire, much to his continual dismay. But I don't see him retaining that citizenship. He probably claims Insight citizenship, but isn't legally so. For a mutant runaway from Hatire, the Concord is a logical enough recourse. He certainly isn't going to the Solars for solace.

So sure, works for me.

EDIT: Reading the stuff on Allegiance in the GMG, sounds like our present situation (working for the Concord, willingly or not) would be a textbook case of a Concord allegiance. [/sblock]

 

[Samnell]

2. I'm thinking about some sort of sensory cybernetic enhancement (Dad bought it so the kid would be a better shot, but the kid's using it to help with his ability to find and observe alien life). The dos char-gen has cybertech, but I don't see anything like it. Is that available in this setting?

Star*Drive has reasonably extensive cybernetics rules. You can get a computer in your brain, replace limbs, boost strength, get gun mounts, watches, etc.

EDIT: I see you want sensory enhancements. There are a quite a few eye options, if I remember right.

All cyberoptics require a nanocomputer (computer in the brain). The optics can be in an eye socket, or elsewhere. Base model is normal vision plus a digital camera. Good quality brings extended vision (300x zoom). Amazing (most expensive) Gives 500x and allows shifts between normal, night, and thermal vision.

How much cybergear you can host depends on your Constitution. Also, all cybergear that requires a nanocomputer takes a 10 point skill expenditure to learn how to use.

 

[NSpicer]

Apparently, Alternity is still going on strong in the fan world. Here is a link to AlternityRPG.net.

Here is a Star*Drive site (Tequilla Starrise) which appears to be pretty fancy and still active (unlike many of the other links, some of which are more than 6 years old...) Various character record sheets and other helpful sheets can be found here.

Hello everyone. Just dropping a quick note. Someone crossposted your game thread over at A.net. Just wanted to say good luck with the Star*Drive game. I'm one of the regulars at both AlternityRPG.net and Tequilla Starrise and contributed a few fan-created products to help keep the setting going over the years. It's great to see a group forming at ENWorld to continue gaming with the campaign setting, and using the original Alternity ruleset no-less!

1. Do people in military service for the Concord have to be Concordians? I was thinking the Austrin-Ontis Unlimited might be interesting. It would explain the character's father's "you have to be military to be important" philosophy (guns = power)...

2. I'm thinking about some sort of sensory cybernetic enhancement (Dad bought it so the kid would be a better shot, but the kid's using it to help with his ability to find and observe alien life).

At the onset of the Star*Drive campaign setting, the Concord is only just 30+ years old. In sci-fi terms, with longer than usual lifespans for virtually all of humanity, that isn't enough time for even a single generation to have really passed. And, given that the Concord is formed through the donations of territory, resources, and local citizenry from the other stellar nations, many members of the Concord haven't yet had time to take on the standard traits...retaining their original stellar nation background. Most Star*Drive GM's just indicate that they're recent immigrants to the Concord and leave their original stellar nation benefits intact. Other heroes who have always lived within the Concord, receive the standard GC stellar nation benefit instead. So an Austrin living and serving in the Concord should be feasible.

One element that won't get much mileage, however, is the notion of an Austrin (or his father) springing for cybertech to enhance their ability with guns. Part of Star*Drive's background actually had the Austrins fighting a grueling century-long war against the cyber-soldiers of the Nariac Domain. As such, virtually all Austrins abhor cybertech. They view it as an unnatural subversion of humanity and maintain strict laws against it. This direction from a campaign setting design standpoint helps to maintain the game balance between Austrins (who come with a natural affinity for guns of all kinds) and Nariacs (who come standard with at least some type of cybernetic enhancement).

Just FYI,
--Neil

 

[NSpicer]

I haven't played Alternity in about five years and reading through the books I'm not sure of something: Do the free broad skills from the species count against the limit on the number of broad skills you start with, as determined by intelligence?

The answer to this is definitely "no"...the free broad skills for each species does NOT count against your maximum number of starting broad skills. Also, just as FYI, if you're using the table in the Alternity Player's Handbook for defining starting skill points based on Intelligence, you might be interested to know that the original game designers for Alternity offered up an optional rule that they felt more adequately assisted with character generation and advancement. If they had ever released an Alternity 2.0, these rules would have been included as canon.

Starting skill points for every Alternity hero = (INT ability score x 3) + 30.
Humans still receive their extra 5 starting skill points on top of that. Aliens and mutants do not...

Maximum starting broad skills for every Alternity hero = 6 + (INT resistance modifier).
If a hero's INT resistance mod is negative instead of positive, it actually reduces the amount of starting broad skills they can have.

Skill costs for ranks higher than rank 1 = list-price.
This allows Alternity heroes to advance in skill ranks more rapidly and diversify their skills as they level-up. The original rules from the PHB indicate each rank costs the same as list-price + the current rank. That progression proved too slow in later playtesting.

Additional FYI,
--Neil

P.S. These optional rules can be found published at both AlternityRPG.net and Tequila Starrise, if you're interested. You can also find a copy of the Fast-Play Rules (a free downloadable PDF created by WotC during Alternity's hey-day) on those sites. That alone should get everyone up to speed very quickly on the basics of character creation and how skill checks (including combat) works.

 

[Ozmar]

Okay, between the two character generating programs, I think I can put together a character, though it may need modifying. Two questions:

1. Do people in military service for the Concord have to be Concordians? I was thinking the Austrin-Ontis Unlimited might be interesting. It would explain the character's father's "you have to be military to be important" philosophy (guns = power).

2. I'm thinking about some sort of sensory cybernetic enhancement (Dad bought it so the kid would be a better shot, but the kid's using it to help with his ability to find and observe alien life). The dos char-gen has cybertech, but I don't see anything like it. Is that available in this setting?

thanks,

jason

Quick replies:

You do not need to be from the Concord. You may have been raised in another stellar nation and emigrated, or otherwise found yourself in the service of the Concord's mission. You could be from the Concord, or from any other Stellar Nation.

Cybernetics are available, using the standard rules in the PHB (as far as I know, they're the only rules) and I'm pretty sure that there must be enhancements such as what you describe. I'll have to research to find 'em.

Ozmar the Quick GM

 

[Ozmar]

[sblock]He was raised Hatire, much to his continual dismay. But I don't see him retaining that citizenship. He probably claims Insight citizenship, but isn't legally so. For a mutant runaway from Hatire, the Concord is a logical enough recourse. He certainly isn't going to the Solars for solace.

So sure, works for me.

EDIT: Reading the stuff on Allegiance in the GMG, sounds like our present situation (working for the Concord, willingly or not) would be a textbook case of a Concord allegiance. [/sblock]

That's cool. There are specific game-related benefits for human characters based on the nation of their origin. Do you want to claim the Hatire benefit or the Concord benefit? (It appears that you took the Hatire one? The Faith perk for free? The Concord benefit is +1 to one of your resistance modifiers.)

Ozmar the Curious

 

[Ozmar]

These optional rules can be found published at both AlternityRPG.net and Tequila Starrise, if you're interested. You can also find a copy of the Fast-Play Rules (a free downloadable PDF created by WotC during Alternity's hey-day) on those sites. That alone should get everyone up to speed very quickly on the basics of character creation and how skill checks (including combat) works.

Guys, let's use Neil's (NSpicer) updates and recommendations unless I specifically state otherwise. I think he's got some good insight and I value his contributions.

So for the record:

Samnell's character should definitely be gaining the Hatire benefits. Other characters can choose the Concord's bene, but will usually be from another stellar nation and gain their benes.

jkason's father could have helped him get cybernetics, but be aware that this would be a very unusual decision, and as such, there probably should be a good background reason. (In any nation, there are hundreds of billions of people, so exceptions to every rule exist.)

And these optional rules/corrections will be used in this campaign:

1. Starting skill points for every Alternity hero = (INT ability score x 3) + 30.
Humans still receive their extra 5 starting skill points on top of that. Aliens and mutants do not...

2. Maximum starting broad skills for every Alternity hero = 6 + (INT resistance modifier).
If a hero's INT resistance mod is negative instead of positive, it actually reduces the amount of starting broad skills they can have.

3. Skill costs for ranks higher than rank 1 = list-price.
This allows Alternity heroes to advance in skill ranks more rapidly and diversify their skills as they level-up. The original rules from the PHB indicate each rank costs the same as list-price + the current rank. That progression proved too slow in later playtesting.

And thanks, NSpicer, for your input!

Ozmar the Grateful GM

 

[Ozmar]

OK, I think I have enough info on the Star*Drive setting, now. I'll work on an Alternity primer, but I am not sure how much I'll put together, because there are free quick-play rules linked above (and really, ya'll should splurge and spend $5 to buy the PDF if you really want to know the rules. )

Gotta go read and refresh my memory on this game. (And put the kid to bed.)

G'night!
Ozmar the Sleepy

 

[Samnell]

Samnell's character should definitely be gaining the Hatire benefits. Other characters can choose the Concord's bene, but will usually be from another stellar nation and gain their benes.

I'll understand if you take away the perk because I'm not playing it too well. The whole concept rests fairly heavily on him being Hatire-reared, but he's been working hard to put it behind him. Then again, it could be another tension in his persona.

And these optional rules/corrections will be used in this campaign:

1. Starting skill points for every Alternity hero = (INT ability score x 3) + 30.
Humans still receive their extra 5 starting skill points on top of that. Aliens and mutants do not...

I get one more skill point!

2. Maximum starting broad skills for every Alternity hero = 6 + (INT resistance modifier).
If a hero's INT resistance mod is negative instead of positive, it actually reduces the amount of starting broad skills they can have.

10 for me. I probably have the wrong mod in the sheet too, but I'll fix it in draft 2.

3. Skill costs for ranks higher than rank 1 = list-price.
This allows Alternity heroes to advance in skill ranks more rapidly and diversify their skills as they level-up. The original rules from the PHB indicate each rank costs the same as list-price + the current rank. That progression proved too slow in later playtesting.

That may very well give me a lot of points back.

Second draft coming.