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From: hogge@uiucdcsp.CS.UIUC.EDU
Newsgroups: net.games.frp
Subject: Re: High Tech in AD&D (help).
Message-ID: <6700012@uiucdcsp>
Date: Fri, 24-Jan-86 21:53:00 EST
Article-I.D.: uiucdcsp.6700012
Posted: Fri Jan 24 21:53:00 1986
Date-Received: Sun, 26-Jan-86 04:55:15 EST
References: <1277@hpda.UUCP>
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Nf-From: uiucdcsp.CS.UIUC.EDU!hogge    Jan 24 20:53:00 1986


>Jeff Brown, the scum bag.

Hmmmm.  Scum Bag sounds about right.  Finding new ways of blowing away 
characters isn't hard and isn't very fun.  Nonetheless, if you like Jeff's 
suggestion for making techno-items tough (and dangerous) to figure out, 
Gamma world has a reasonable system for that purpose.  It makes use of flow 
charts which map the progress of tinkering with techno-items, with chances 
for accidents, success, and permanent failure.  The character progresses 
through his tinkering, getting "warmer" or "colder" towards learning the item.
Player's knowledge of 20th century technology doesn't matter.

Death is boring.  Challenging struggles to defeat death are interesting.
That's why I've always found instant killer traps and magic items droll.
A complicated trap that you know is there and that you have to think your
way through is fine, but nuking your dedicated players for pressing some
button is a bit harsh, don't you thing?  (flame-off)

--John