 November 1, 2014 - 5:10pm | I'm building up a game for play over the Thanksgiving weekend that will place my PCs on a starship without spacer skills. I want the captain to hire them on for general work and to aid in exploration duties, cargo duties, etc. What other jobs are non spacer skills that a ship needs? -iggy |
 November 1, 2014 - 5:43pm | Security officer, medic, ship psychiatrist, surface explorer, communications officer, liaisan officer (linguist), computer technician, robot technician, vehicle mechanic, utilities mechanic, botanist, surface geologist, entertainment officer, midshipman (Spacer in training), serving staff, cook, ship's laundryman, yeoman, chaplin, chamberlain. View my profile for a list of articles I have written, am writing, will write. "It's yo' mama!" —Wicket W. Warrick, Star Wars Ep. VI: Return of the Jedi "That guy's wise." —Logray, Star Wars Ep.VI: Return of the Jedi Do You Wanna Date My Avatar? - Felicia Day (The Guild) |
 November 1, 2014 - 5:47pm | Boarding party (security, inspections, warding off invaders, etc) Medic(s) Technicians (to assist engineers) - may also operate communications & detection equipment etc Roboticist Computer Specialist (maintaining the computer, or perhaps operates a surveillance station) Environmentalists (for scientific/exploration or mining vessels) Steward (cook, houskeeping, etc...particularly for larger crews or liners) |
 November 2, 2014 - 10:40am | Psych-social skilled Ship's Councilor, Dralanna Toy. Bar tender in Ten Forward? The highly logical Scientist, Vr'ock I might not be a dralasite, vrusk or yazirian but I do play one in Star Frontiers! |
November 2, 2014 - 9:10pm | Other positions could include: > Freight Handler (operates the cargo arm) > Shuttle Pilot (technician lvl-6 according to the skill description in AD, could also operate a launch) > Vehicle Operator (for any atmospheric craft, assuming the ship itself is atmospheric capable) > Cruise Director (liner) > Deck Hand (responsible for maintaining the interior and/or exterior) > Administrator (book keeper etc) On a smaller ship (i.e. smaller crew) several positions could be manned by the same character, such as a shuttle pilot/freight handler/technical asst. to engineer. |
November 2, 2014 - 9:01pm | Ships Purser I might not be a dralasite, vrusk or yazirian but I do play one in Star Frontiers! |
 November 2, 2014 - 9:48pm | I still think that all of these jobs would at least involve knowing how to use a spacesuit. Perhaps there would have to be some basic training when they are first aboard. |
November 2, 2014 - 11:13pm | I'm liking what is coming up here. Thanks for the feedback. Keep the thoughts coming. As for skill using a space suit I think that could be taught when hired on. -iggy |
November 3, 2014 - 7:57am | I think that knowledge of spacesuit use would be a basic but essential requirement for everyone. I also think that anyone involved in boarding parties would have to know how to use one in a more advanced way, above this basic training. As boarding has a lot of potential for being a difficult situation, the last thing you'd want is one or more of the boarders messing things up simply because they'd don't really know how to use a suit. |
 November 3, 2014 - 5:23am | I agree space suit would be required for crew by real life rules. In real life if you are a crew of a commercial ship you are tested by the coast guard, that you know how to get your survival equipment on. Passengers would get a safety talk I am sure... Depends on the ship's mission & what the vision is but: Art-Music Instructor Xenozoologist Biologist Teacher/tutor for onboard child/children Camera Crew (filming documentary of...) "Never fire a laser at a mirror." |
November 3, 2014 - 5:54pm | I think that knowledge of spacesuit use would be a basic but essential requirement for everyone. I also think that anyone involved in boarding parties would have to know how to use one in a more advanced way, above this basic training. As boarding has a lot of potential for being a difficult situation, the last thing you'd want is one or more of the boarders messing things up simply because they'd don't really know how to use a suit. Well you ride a plane and they cover safety equipment. I think use of the vac suit is covered. however I dont thing you need an actual skill for it like in SF2000. I might not be a dralasite, vrusk or yazirian but I do play one in Star Frontiers! |
November 4, 2014 - 1:44am | But spacesuits are a much more complex item to deal with. I also especially think that anyone involved with baording parties would need a skill with one. |
November 4, 2014 - 4:34am | But spacesuits are a much more complex item to deal with. I also especially think that anyone involved with baording parties would need a skill with one. I'm sure they are today, but in a setting where space travel is much more democratized I think they will have been simplified for the the masses. If you think about the first automatic weapons some were mounted like a cannon on wheels, others had water filled jeckets to cool them, these were complicated mechanisms that were largely crew served, today you have machine pistols that 10 years olds can opperate. Apollo astronauts suited up with a team helping them and a KHs spacer can done a suit in 10 minutes (by himself) as per the rules. I might not be a dralasite, vrusk or yazirian but I do play one in Star Frontiers! |
November 4, 2014 - 5:48am | This does bring up an interesting point... Assuming the tech of SF is super easy, then when SF era folks encounter & try to use older tech they might have problems say putting on an ancient Space Suit or, operating a door or computer... I have seen Sci-fi shows joke about this, but there is some truth... In real life, how many people could use a slide ruler, or an old type writer (replace the ribbon), or in one case I took my currently #3 vehicle to another driver #3 is a very old vehicle; and like the horseless carriage my job also has; only 1 mechanic knows how to repair it, all the newer vehicles have a radically different engine design & new mechanics are no longer taught to repair the older ones in school... anyhow I had to show the driver how to operate my beloved junker as it's layout/tech inside is unlike modern vehicles, he had never driven such an old vehicle. Many people can't even start #3 and think it is broken when it is not, they just do not understand it's tech. Another example is the calculator I used in college, it was archaic then, and my math teacher felt I would fail the class, (I could not afford the one he wanted me to use), I passed the class, I just had to in my mind keep track of more steps & numbers then everyone else durring tests, and use scratch paper... I had to do it the old fashion way. "Never fire a laser at a mirror." |
November 4, 2014 - 8:49am | One company has developed a skin-tight spacesuiit that works without all the machinery. You simply put it on and attach the helmet and oxygen pack. The suit's skin-tight nature and material takes care of the heating and cooling. No machinery needed. Which also means it is lighter and much less bulky without all the life-support mechanisms. View my profile for a list of articles I have written, am writing, will write. "It's yo' mama!" —Wicket W. Warrick, Star Wars Ep. VI: Return of the Jedi "That guy's wise." —Logray, Star Wars Ep.VI: Return of the Jedi Do You Wanna Date My Avatar? - Felicia Day (The Guild) |
November 5, 2014 - 9:17am | But spacesuits are a much more complex item to deal with. I also especially think that anyone involved with baording parties would need a skill with one.
I have the "vacc suit" skill in my game. Vacc Suit Success Rate: automatic Any spacer, upon acquiring one of the various ship skills, is eligible to learn the skill of donning and using a spacesuit. One experience point must be expended (regardless of PSA) and there is no skill level, the success rate is automatic. Non-spacers (no ship skill) may opt for the skill at 2XP. Time is halved when donning a spacesuit compared to the unskilled, and the skill adds a +10% bonus to any suit repair work performed as well as negating the -10 DEX/RS modifier of spacesuit armor. Armored movement is 75% instead of halved. (edited for clarification) |
 November 4, 2014 - 10:01am | One company has developed a skin-tight spacesuiit that works without all the machinery. You simply put it on and attach the helmet and oxygen pack. The suit's skin-tight nature and material takes care of the heating and cooling. No machinery needed. Which also means it is lighter and much less bulky without all the life-support mechanisms.
I saw a show a few months back about that being the next generation of suits that were not yet ready for use. I think suits in SF are supposed to be more dexderious than our suits of today are... but from a style perspective I thought there were still supposed to be bulky. Or maybe they are just often mass produced and most of the time are very BAGGY because they made for the fattest of people. Modern suits are fitted to the astronaught and very ridgit, requiring help putting on like a knight of old in his full plate armor. ----------------------------------------------- |
 November 4, 2014 - 10:47am | SS, That seems a fair way to deal with things. That gives the players a choice going forward in the game and if they want to risk the dice during an encounter. |
November 4, 2014 - 2:14pm | I'm sure they are today, but in a setting where space travel is much more democratized I think they will have been simplified for the the masses. If you think about the first automatic weapons some were mounted like a cannon on wheels, others had water filled jeckets to cool them, these were complicated mechanisms that were largely crew served, today you have machine pistols that 10 years olds can opperate. Operating something, even if relatively simple, still might involve someone showing how to use it properly. A spacesuit would still fall within that remit, as it would need some instruction on it's use so that you don't end up being killed. Even with a more more space-savvy general culture, some things would need a bit more explaining. In the long run it also helps the more experienced crew - in an emergency, the last thing they'd need is various individuals causing problems due to not understanding their spacesuits 
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November 4, 2014 - 2:33pm | I don't think I could charge my PC's XP for something that would be so basic of there characters. I'd count it as an automatic based on character background. And even then, some non-spacers might be familiar with protective suits like firefirghters, or if you bull's-eye womp rats back home. ----------------------------------------------- |
November 4, 2014 - 8:32pm | I don't think I could charge my PC's XP for something that would be so basic of there characters.
Well the thing is you really don't need the skill, it's just there as an option to negate some of the penalties incurred from wearing the suit itself. You can still wear the suit without the skill a la canon, you simply deal with the full penalties instead. |
November 4, 2014 - 10:48pm | where are these penaties? ----------------------------------------------- |
November 5, 2014 - 9:17am | Pages 28-29 in the KH Campaign Book details penalties for applcation of patches, time required to don the suit, and armor penalties. |
