For a space game based on Wod or dungeon world, does it make sense to have a move for fixing the space ship. Or is that just defy danger? Struggling with this. I abhor d20 skill rolls and their ilk (even old school thief skills). It seems like failure needs to move the game forward. How do you handle a techy in a space game for computers, hacking, fixing space ships, or do you not just have them? I have looked at various implementations stars with numbers and star world and just falling flat with me. This seems to be the biggest impediment to me for a space ole world game where the techy guy is there to fix stuff but at the same time what do you do if they fail? They just try again? You can’t have their vehicle just marooned all the time – doesn’t seem like it moves the game forward. Seems like a wall and saying no if they fail. If there is no failure the class doesn’t make sense to be playable but is iconic (like in firefly). Thanks in advance.
For a space game based on Wod or dungeon world, does it make sense to have a move for fixing the space ship.
For a space game based on Wod or dungeon world, does it make sense to have a move for fixing the space ship.
What’s the risk? if the tech guy has time and resources, then I’d say she just fixes the ship!
If they’re working in danger, then you’ve got a situation where a move comes in useful. Base it on the risk: they’ll get dragged into a black hole, caught by reavers, trapped in a tractor beam. Suddenly you’ve got consequences for a failure, and a middle ground where the ship barely escapes but it’s a dangerous repair, it takes resources you didn’t want to spend, or bits of the Ship are left behind.
When you do emergency repairs on your boat when you are under fire, in danger, or when the stakes are high, roll + Int.
☆On 10+, You succeed no problem.
☆ On 7-9 you take too long, place yourself in danger, or have to cannibalize your ship for parts, sacrificing other functionality.
☆ On a fail the GM makes a hard move according to the fire, danger, or stakes.
Note that you do not ask the player to roll if there is no danger. Just say how long it will take, what tools will be needed or wether people have to be hired.
There’s a good repair move from Inverse World.
Jury Rig (+INT)
When you have to repair damage to a vehicle on the fly, roll +INT. On a 10+, choose two. On a 7-9, choose one.
The vehicle regains the use of one Move.
The vehicle suffers one less ongoing penalty.
You repair any onboard equipment which requires
it.
You give the vehicle a temporary boost, granting
the pilot +1 forward on the next roll involving Control.
On a 6-, choose one anyway, but some side effect of the repair will cause another fault at an inopportune moment (the GM will tell you when).
Repair Kit
(6 uses, slow, 35 coins, 1 weight)
A Repair Kit is like bandages for robots. It takes a lot of time to use a repair kit, at least an hour, and supplies vanish fast. What you use a repair kit for determines how much of it is used up.
1 Use: Quick Fix. Take +1 to the Jury Rig vehicle move. Ignore the Slow tag when using this option.
1 Use: Temporary Fix. You remove one point of stress from the vehicle, but the next time someone rolls +Control with that vehicle, you mark a point of stress after resolving the roll.
2 Uses: It’ll Hold. You remove one point of stress from the vehicle, but the next time the vehicle would mark stress, it marks 2 stress instead.
3 Uses: Full Repair. You remove one point of stress from the vehicle, with no strings attached.
If there’s no real danger, and all the needs are at hand, fictionally (time, tools, supplies), then the tech fixes the ship. It does, however, take all of those things – and things continue to happen in the world while the tech works.
While I do like custom moves, I tend to try to interpret some of the basic moves in a broader manner. Short on time, tools, or supplies? “What danger are you daring by doing this repair without the proper (x)?”
I think the workspace rules from AW (which are pretty much like the wizard move Ritual) work pretty good.
You can add in defy danger for stuff that needs to get done fast, or is dangerous, and maybe custom moves for different characters, as long as they produce pretty awesome results (ie better than workspace or defy danger).
If you want to add some comedy to it, you can give a CHA-based move for convincing your captain it’ll take more time than it really will. Call it the Scotty move….
Thanks all James Hawthorne, see I get that only in an emergency thing, my problem I am trying to wrap my head around is the whole tech who fixes things or a hacker type as a class. It seems I almost have to create that as an issue – ship breaking all the time- for any kind of meaningful interaction at all. Probably same reason why I ditch the thief from my classic OD&D games. The skills delema. Maybe a tech class isn’t needed at all. There isn’t one in Star Wars, and really not one in any other space opera type of genre in general. Potentially it should be just a move that certain folks take like Starship Ace or Smuggler or captain or whatever. For the hacker types maybe it is either corporate hotshot or freedom fighter and the hacking is a move they take. Now the tech from dungeon planet I get, that is a really a class like a cleric or wizard with tech as a means.
Appreciate all the posts and help. Also feel free to keep the ideas and comments coming in. Would like to hear what folks think on the above.
I like the idea of ritual. I don’t have AW and probably won’t, doesn’t sound like my groove. I like a bit less gritty, and love moves don’t interest me. I get it and respect it, but not my thing.
Thanks all
Johnstone Metzger ” the workspace rules from AW (which are pretty much like the wizard move Ritual)”
Well, I missed that one. My only wizard player is far more interested in fireballs and spouting lore, so. 🙂
steven stewart If you’ve got DW, you’ve got Ritual. Also, I’d strongly suggest picking up Adventures on Dungeon Planet. There’s a Technician class in there, that mirrors/replaces the Wizard of DW.
Nothing wrong with fireballs and spouting lore! steven stewart it’s easy enough to reflavour Ritual. You don’t need to buy AW if you’re not interested. You can also download the AW character sheets for free, the Savvyhead sheet has the workspace rules on it. Just ignore the rest!
Noah Doyle , the Ritual move is the best bit of the Wizard! Get them to try it out 🙂
steven stewart, I know that feeling! A class that’s based around fixing stuff (whether people, ships or stuff) is always going to be situational. It sounds like it might be better to have it as part of a class. Something like Mass Effect’s tech specialist, who also takes control of robots, shuts down enemy tech and you could include building weapons/ special tech too.
I think I would just make some aspects of a move for a variety of classes. For space games potentially the classes are about where you are coming from vs. what you do. EG noble, drifter, military officer, corporate spy, fixer, smuggler, overlord, etc. the how you do it would be a set of moves. Maybe a general set of class moves that all can pick from plus a starting move and some advanced moves related to your background. So characters are still The Drifter and the Captain, and The Uber Galatic Corp Master Spy.
Peace steve
The real question is, for a SciFi game of WoD/DW set in an outer space setting, are the adventures in space or are they on strange alien worlds and derelict space stations? A game about space marines doesn’t need a tech guy. A game about naval battles? Probably going to come up.
PFC William Hudson, USCMC, would beg to differ, but he’s busy running a bypass to open a door. 🙂