Alternative science cascade skills

[iainjcoleman]

I've never been terribly satisfied with the cascade skills in science as presented in the Mongoose Traveller main rulebook. In fairness, coming up with a categorisation of the sciences that is

(a) realistic
(b) consistent with the established skill system
(c) simple

is very hard.

I've tried to create a better system that achieves (a) and (b) and hopefully doesn't fail too hard on (c). The main differences from the canonical system are:

1. Some new subskills. Hopefully not too many, and they should all be reasonably obvious.

2. The addition of Planetary Science and Humanities as skills within Science.

3. Some subskills appearing under more than one skill. This is the key to coming up with a reasonably sensible system. It might not sit well with everybody, but it is not without precedent. Electronics appears in the main rulebook under both Engineering and Physical Science. The effect is that if you have Engineer (Electronics) 1 you get the other Engineering specialities at level zero, while if you have Physical Science (Electronics) 1 you get the other Physical Science specialities at level zero. This reflects the different contexts in which someone might learn the Electronics skill. I have extended this idea with gay abandon.

My alternative science skills cascade is as follows. New skills are defined on their first appearance.


Physical Science

Physics
Chemistry
Electronics
Astronomy: The study of stellar systems and other cosmic objects, and the physical processes by which they operate.


Life Science

Biology
Cybernetics
Genetics
Psionicology
Xenology


Planetary Science

Planetology
Paleontology: The study of the history of living creatures as preserved in the fossil record.
Climatology: The study of the dynamic processes that determine planetary climates, including terraforming.


Mathematical Science

Computers
Mathematics: The study of numerical and logical relationships
Robotics
Statistics: The study of probabilistic systems, including statistical prediction and experimental design.


Space Science

Astronomy
Planetology
Robotics
Xenology


Social Science

Archaeology
Economics
History
Linguistics
Psychology
Sophontology
Sociology: The study of social phenomena, including politics and criminality


Humanities

Philosophy
Literature: The study of artistic expression in written documents
Linguistics
Archaeology
History
Art: The study of artistic expression in visual form
Musicology: The study of artistic expression in musical form

 

[Easterner]

Seems logical. Since art is a skill already though that would seem to need a new name. Fine Art is about it. Though there is critic and appraiser both more trades than not.

 

[Dunia]

When I took university classes in Arts, it was called: Art History & Philosophy of Art

 

[TrippyHippy]

Aside from the issue of a few duplicates in different categories, I largely concur with all of this.

It was actually something I raised in play test - at the time there was just one Science skill, and everything was branched underneath as Specialities. I thought it was unrealistic that somebody who studied, say, History was automatically connected with the basics of Chemistry for example. The broke it down to the four categories in the final release, but I wasn't ever really satisfied with Social Science and Space Science still.

Social Sciences, like Psychology and Sociology are different in their approach to Humanities like Philosophy and History (basically, they attempt to be inductive and predictive in method), while I don't really see how Robotics was included as a Space Science (much better as a Mathematical or Computer Science), but Astronomy wasn't included!

 

[ShawnDriscoll]

Planetary Science

Planetology
Paleontology: The study of the history of living creatures as preserved in the fossil record.
Climatology: The study of the dynamic processes that determine planetary climates, including terraforming.

How does this skill come into role-play?

 

[iainjcoleman]

Planetary Science

Planetology
Paleontology: The study of the history of living creatures as preserved in the fossil record.
Climatology: The study of the dynamic processes that determine planetary climates, including terraforming.

How does this skill come into role-play?

As much as any science skill comes into roleplay, I expect. There are lots of different kinds of Traveller game, and a Scout-type exploratory campaign would be one where this sort of skill, and many of the other science skills, might come into play. In your more typical Firefly-esque merchants-n-criminals campaign, not so much.

 

[ShawnDriscoll]

Planetary Science

Planetology
Paleontology: The study of the history of living creatures as preserved in the fossil record.
Climatology: The study of the dynamic processes that determine planetary climates, including terraforming.

How does this skill come into role-play?

As much as any science skill comes into roleplay, I expect. There are lots of different kinds of Traveller game, and a Scout-type exploratory campaign would be one where this sort of skill, and many of the other science skills, might come into play. In your more typical Firefly-esque merchants-n-criminals campaign, not so much.

I figure a ship computer will report all planetary conditions to a crew so there is not much left for a character to "I think I'll land to roll for any plate tectonics learned."

 

[iainjcoleman]

Aside from the issue of a few duplicates in different categories, I largely concur with all of this.

I reckon being relaxed about duplication is the key to getting a sensible-looking set of cascade skills. There's a lot of overlap between Social Science and humanities, but that's quite deliberate. Many disciplines, such as archaeology, have a wide range of approaches and techniques, with some practitioners coming at it from a humanities background and some from a more scientific background. This is the basis of many academic turf wars.

It was actually something I raised in play test - at the time there was just one Science skill, and everything was branched underneath as Specialities. I thought it was unrealistic that somebody who studied, say, History was automatically connected with the basics of Chemistry for example. The broke it down to the four categories in the final release, but I wasn't ever really satisfied with Social Science and Space Science still.

Social Sciences, like Psychology and Sociology are different in their approach to Humanities like Philosophy and History (basically, they attempt to be inductive and predictive in method), while I don't really see how Robotics was included as a Space Science (much better as a Mathematical or Computer Science), but Astronomy wasn't included!

I'm glad it was at least broken down into different disciplines, and thanks for raising the issue at playtest.

 

[far-trader]

I've never been terribly satisfied with the cascade skills in science as presented in the Mongoose Traveller main rulebook. In fairness, coming up with a categorisation of the sciences that is

(a) realistic
(b) consistent with the established skill system
(c) simple

I think you've done a good job of (a) and (b) but missed (c) by a little.

...is very hard.

Indeed. Probably one of those "pick two" problems. As in the classic: "You can have a job done: Fast, Cheap, and Well... BUT you can only pick two of those."

I think there might be room for a little more simplification and streamlining without unduly cramping realism, and consistency. It's a nice addition though and looks well thought out, thanks for sharing

 

[AndrewW]

Social Sciences, like Psychology and Sociology are different in their approach to Humanities like Philosophy and History (basically, they attempt to be inductive and predictive in method), while I don't really see how Robotics was included as a Space Science (much better as a Mathematical or Computer Science), but Astronomy wasn't included!

I actually used Space Science (Cosmology) myself for a character it fit.

 

[SSWarlock]

Very nice list!

I put together a similar one ever since MT was published because I also wanted to expand Science into something more useful. I've personally run characters with the Planetology and Biology skills and used them to successfully complete adventures. And they give players one more reason to have a lab included on their ship and to run scout-exploration missions.

 

[locarno24]

I figure a ship computer will report all planetary conditions to a crew so there is not much left for a character to "I think I'll land to roll for any plate tectonics learned."

The ship's computer will probably pass everything important that it can see to the players. However, your average merchant ship won't have detailed meterological scanners and nor would the average player be able to make sense of the output beyond 'so is is safe to land or not?'

You'll spot any active superstorm systems quite handily. What you won't know - and an educated PC may be able to determine given a few days - is whether any are likely to emerge in the future, say 1-2 years away. Which is potentially a big deal, if you're looking to hawk real estate to a bunch of colonists...

 

[torus]

Planetary Science

Planetology
Paleontology: The study of the history of living creatures as preserved in the fossil record.
Climatology: The study of the dynamic processes that determine planetary climates, including terraforming.

How does this skill come into role-play?

I view skills as a good mechanism for developing character background, so am quite happy to have plenty like this that have no likely use in a game situation.

 

[Hopeless]

I was wondering why Robotics was listed under Space Science instead of say Physical Science?

Has that been already explained somewhere else?

 

[locarno24]

Not that I'm aware of. For that matter, I would argue that it should in many ways be an engineering sub-discipline rather than a science one.

 

[ShawnDriscoll]

I view skills as a good mechanism for developing character background, so am quite happy to have plenty like this that have no likely use in a game situation.

That's how I view them also.

 

[ShawnDriscoll]

I was wondering why Robotics was listed under Space Science instead of say Physical Science?

Has that been already explained somewhere else?

Depends on the robot and where/how it's manufactured.

 

[Rikki Tikki Traveller]

I have actually gone for simpler and more generic rather than more specific. Most Travellers are not going to be world famous nuclear physicists.

I use ONE science skill, with each of the MGT sciences as a specialty. Generalists don't need to go much further than that.

So I have:

Science (Life, Physical, Space, Social)

Your Math skill (if needed) is equal to your highest level of Science skill (since they all use Math).

Should you really need to get much more specific than that (such as running a science game) then obviously this won't work, but for a bunch of people wandering through the universe that is good enough.