 April 20, 2008 - 10:51am | Skills list - Draft
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 January 15, 2011 - 7:07pm | I like this for starters. As we're just broaching into KH and ZG1, I'll have to playtest more. I for one, am one that likes the ZG1 system. (at least as much as I've been learning, it seems quicker, simpler, and yet, adds more realism. (am I missing something?) |
 January 16, 2011 - 7:43am | I disagree with simpler and faster simply because every roll must reference a table after checking a character sheet, which takes time. (one of the downfalls of Rolemaster and Merp- they were table heavy and I actually liked one and loved the other) The beauty of AD style is that its fast play- you know that any give roll is 1/2 your ability score plus 10% per level which is, usually, easily done in your head or if in the case. If nothing else the character sheet is sitting right in front of you and the number for the roll is already calculated and starring you dead in the face. Common skill roll modifiers quickly become memorized (like cover during combat and etc.) This all combines to be very fast play, admittedly at the sacrifice of some reality. but then I still play D&D (3.5 & 4e) which are two bastions of reality (not!) I dont fault you for using Zebs, I just wont use the game mechanic in preference for AD or similar which has proven to be fast play- something I've complained about since being re-introduced to D&D in the guise of 3.5e. Just to give you an example of the speed of AD play- we had a group (D&D 3.5) member who showed latter than the rest of us because he had to go to dance school with his wife; so in the intervening 30-45minutes I ran encounters from SF-0 and inveribly we could get in 1-3 combats and some skill rolls or role play before this guy showed up but by comparison 1 3.5 combat took all night (2-3 hours). He didn't like us gaming without him and sorted out his situation and put an end to that SF campaign- now I miss him having dance school. I might not be a dralasite, vrusk or yazirian but I do play one in Star Frontiers! |
January 16, 2011 - 8:18am | I'm going to need to play out both AD & ZG more I guess. I haven't actually played with ZG. (only read the rules and consulted the charts) It seems like a one-roll for all would be easier with simple column -/+ shifts for modifiers. We'll see! I do appreciate your input though, SF is already a great system once you understand the basics. KH is also simple and fun to play, yet easily expandable. That's what I like in a RPG! |
 January 17, 2011 - 3:07pm | The only skill in AD that is 1/2 ability + 10% per level are skills in the Military PSA except Demolitions. AD has less lookups, but it has lookups. :-) |
January 17, 2011 - 5:08pm | ...so w00t, should I even bother with the ZG combat mechanics? I wish there was a group of experienced players near us! (for me, it's like starting over... and for my boys it's all completely new) |
January 17, 2011 - 7:55pm | That's up to you. :-) The idea of an optional system that determines "how" successful you are in a skill check appeals to me. I have not used AD mechanics in a while, I solely use A Skilled Frontier. You could use the ones die to determine % success. This method is really free form and depends on the skill used.
I really have not given thought to other skills. How does ZG determine the success of a robotics check, etc? |
January 20, 2011 - 6:10pm | @ SMKsensei: I was looking for a discussion that happened a couple months ago concerning the work I was trying to do with Zebs guide and some pointed questions from people about whether I was trying to bring back the zebs resolution system- I'm having diffuclty finding that thread but here is one that must have happened at the same time as the one I'm thinking about: http://www.starfrontiers.us/node/4502 In the above link you can read up on peoples opinions about zebs, the good, the bad and the ugly I've searched all over for the original discussion I was thinking of but cant find- there were questions like "are you trying to bring back the zebs resolution?" If I could find that thread for you, you'd see that there is quite a bit of non interest in the Zebs game mechanic. The only other system that it was tried with is OOP. Also when I say AD mechanic I really mean AD and Skilled Frontier from the fan zine as they are essentially the same. Skilled frontier is excellent stuff and i like it lots. (it still uses the AD mechanic as its only a skill system) I might not be a dralasite, vrusk or yazirian but I do play one in Star Frontiers! |
 January 21, 2011 - 1:32am | Basically, Skilled Frontier(SFMan#9)adds PSAs, allows for Secondary and Teritary Skill Areas, eliminates subskills, and simplifies the resolution mechanic for all skills to ½ attribute+10%/skill level. Like Jedi said, it's excellent work on the part of Bill Logan, and a better mechanic than the originial AD skill mechanics. As for Zeb's column shift thingy, it smacks too much of RoleMaster, Squad Leader, and other painfully unfun games. " 'Beware the Beast, Man, for he is the Devil's pawn. Alone among God's primates, he kills for sport, for lust, for greed. Yea, he will murder his brother to possess his brother's land. Let him not breed in great numbers, for he will make a desert of his home and yours. Shun him; drive him back into his jungle lair, for he is the harbinger of death." |
