Advanced education

[Fluffy Bunny Feet]

Where in character generation is it written at what TL your education was? Even if your planet doesn't operate at TL 15, does that necessarily mean that higher education does not cover TL15 stuff.

Frequently the benefit of more advanced technology is that it is easier to use, not harder.

Whatever world you originated on should have an education system compatible with its TL. Also there are pocket empires that are NOT TL 15 (and non OTU settings that may not be TL 15). Red Zone worlds that were never part of the Empire also wouldn't have that education level.

But even if you assume everyone has a TL 15 education what happens when you encounter that TL 25 Ancient device and need to try and figure it out?

 

[MasterGwydion]

How about EDU vs a higher TL than your education? Example you are trying to run a TL 15 Jump drive and your training and education was at TL 9? Or trying to hack a TL 15 computer security system?

Use the TL Eras for this. Based on the character's background, set a rough TL of their experiences. Check and see what Era that is. Anything of that Era is uneffected. Other Eras can get a -3 Untrained penalty due to not being familiar with the technology. This can be overcome with one or more successful Study Periods. Set however many work best in your campaign.

Just an idea.

 

[MasterGwydion]

Learning and experience is not necessarily academic learning and experience. The companion has alternate pre-education (School of hard knocks). As I said previously I have met many graduates and post graduates I could not rely on to think their way out of a paper bag. I have met plenty of old and bold craftsmen who never even progressed to secondary education who can work miracles.

I would say that you are describing the difference between INT and EDU. Low INT high EDU, can't think their way out of a paper bag. High INT low EDU, geniuses with figuring things out and doing things in clever new ways.

We don't have so many characteristics in Traveller that we can afford to make EDU overly proscriptive.

Or you go the other way and make it meaningless, just like all of the UWP digits. If you broaden the definition of anything sufficiently enough, it becomes meaningless.

Whatever the writers intended, it is what they produced that matters.

Agreed. It should be changed for that very reason.

 

[Condottiere]

Strength is pretty easy to measure.

Character generation starts off with characteristics between two and twelve.

Which begs the question, exactly what qualifies an eighteen year old to have an Education/twelve?

Or, at the other end of the spectrum, why does he have Education/two?

 

[Fluffy Bunny Feet]

I would say that you are describing the difference between INT and EDU. Low INT high EDU, can't think their way out of a paper bag. High INT low EDU, geniuses with figuring things out and doing things in clever new ways.

There is also high INT high EDU who don't know how to THINK because their arrogance makes them believe that their first "thought" is always correct. Worked with such a guy, Fired for incompetence. Then again I also worked with a low INT guy (say 85 IQ) and he used it very well, he solved problems you would have thought beyond him, took him time but he got there. He also would figure out who to go to for help when it was beyond him and pick the best person. You can guess which I preferred working with.

 

[WHULorigan]

Learning and experience is not necessarily academic learning and experience. The companion has alternate pre-education (School of hard knocks). As I said previously I have met many graduates and post graduates I could not rely on to think their way out of a paper bag. I have met plenty of old and bold craftsmen who never even progressed to secondary education who can work miracles.

We don't have so many characteristics in Traveller that we can afford to make EDU overly proscriptive.

Whatever the writers intended, it is what they produced that matters.

There is a difference between EDU, INT, and earned skills. Thinking your way out of a paper bag is an INT task, not EDU. Craftsmen are using INT + Skills.

 

[swordtart]

There is a difference between EDU, INT, and earned skills. Thinking your way out of a paper bag is an INT task, not EDU. Craftsmen are using INT + Skills.

Could be, or they could be massively educated though an apprenticeship with a master craftsman but only in a single subject area. In that single area however they are still using skills they have learned (possibly with great personal effort), not just using native smarts and making it up on the fly.

CRC p60 offers us
"The main area of overlap is between INT and EDU. The former covers inspiration, improvisation and pure reasoning, while the latter is for trained responses and known solutions."

The example somewhat undermines this so it is a judgement call.