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<blockquote data-quote="Janx" data-source="post: 6228318" data-attributes="member: 8835">There is that too.&nbsp; We can't discount the Incompetence factor (a person who is incompetent is more likely to think they are more competent than a person who is actually competent at the same task).However, for the purposes of designing an RPG, is it more valuable to thwart an attempt by the PC to solve the problem because a professional NPC isn't available (and likely to be a common occurrance).&nbsp; Or is it more valuable to let them have a better than terrible, but less than good chance of success?For your dad, assuming you mean the float in a toilet, that's a pretty small mistake with a large impact (and oddly enough, a pretty simple detection/correction before it got that bad).&nbsp; I don't know how somebody screws that up with more than an &quot;oh crap,&nbsp; it's overflowing, raise the bulb, turn off the valve&quot; with the only consequence being wet socks and a mess to clean up in the bathroom.&nbsp; Obviously, when those go bad, floors get wet.&nbsp; But when one is fixing a float valve, one should be fairly cautious in making sure it works.Clearly, a case that I can't fathom getting into, because I'm inherently cautious about fixing plumbing because I'm not a pro, so I don't trust my work until it doesn't leak for a month.&nbsp; Yet just as clearly, it happened to somebody reasonably smart.For the Big Bang boys, part of that is exaggeration of nerdly ineptitude at all things practical, manly or automotive.&nbsp; Given my work in nerdly endeavors (tech industry rather than academic, and that might be the difference), all the engineers are pretty much nerds, but each had significant side skills in other areas.&nbsp; I knew several who were grease monkeys on the weekend, and could easily solve a car problem (having re-built and raced their own as a hobby).The probability of a car with 4 randomly selected actual nerds and none of them knowing how to fix a car shouldn't be that high.Either that or I've surrounded myself with more Ben Franklins than most other people.&nbsp; It's all about the Benjamins baby.</blockquote>

[QUOTE="Janx, post: 6228318, member: 8835"] There is that too. We can't discount the Incompetence factor (a person who is incompetent is more likely to think they are more competent than a person who is actually competent at the same task). However, for the purposes of designing an RPG, is it more valuable to thwart an attempt by the PC to solve the problem because a professional NPC isn't available (and likely to be a common occurrance). Or is it more valuable to let them have a better than terrible, but less than good chance of success? For your dad, assuming you mean the float in a toilet, that's a pretty small mistake with a large impact (and oddly enough, a pretty simple detection/correction before it got that bad). I don't know how somebody screws that up with more than an "oh crap, it's overflowing, raise the bulb, turn off the valve" with the only consequence being wet socks and a mess to clean up in the bathroom. Obviously, when those go bad, floors get wet. But when one is fixing a float valve, one should be fairly cautious in making sure it works. Clearly, a case that I can't fathom getting into, because I'm inherently cautious about fixing plumbing because I'm not a pro, so I don't trust my work until it doesn't leak for a month. Yet just as clearly, it happened to somebody reasonably smart. For the Big Bang boys, part of that is exaggeration of nerdly ineptitude at all things practical, manly or automotive. Given my work in nerdly endeavors (tech industry rather than academic, and that might be the difference), all the engineers are pretty much nerds, but each had significant side skills in other areas. I knew several who were grease monkeys on the weekend, and could easily solve a car problem (having re-built and raced their own as a hobby). The probability of a car with 4 randomly selected actual nerds and none of them knowing how to fix a car shouldn't be that high. Either that or I've surrounded myself with more Ben Franklins than most other people. It's all about the Benjamins baby. [/QUOTE]

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