character question

[Jak Nazryth]

I'm am going to be helping roll up one of the last members of my group this weekend. He wants to be a scientist/ gadgeteer / inventor or a psi-cop.
The psi-cop is easy, but what character template would somebody recommend for a scientist/inventor "Dr. Everet Brown"?
Not sure what skill in Mongoose you would use for "gadgeteering" or inventing....
Any thoughts?
Tanx

 

[barnest2]

Engineer (gadgetry)? Or mechanic (gadgetry) more likely?
Character template would probably be... scientist from the core? Or psi-scientist (or whatever it's called) from psion?

 

[CosmicGamer]

What is meant by character "template"?

Not sure what skill in Mongoose you would use for "gadgeteering" or inventing....

Gadget:
1. a small mechanical device or appliance
2. any object that is interesting for its ingenuity or novelty rather than for its practical use

Mechanic skill specifically says it is not for building new devices but perhaps it could be used for gadgets which have no practical use.

Wouldn't Inventor be more of a personal trait like curiosity? If you want a character that is an inventor, just play them that way. Of course they won't be any good without the right skill and characteristics. Perhaps a GM might require some Investigation skill. I believe the science skills are the main inventing skills and it should depend on what you are trying to invent.

Examples
Engineer(Electronics) repairing something vs a Physical Science(Electronics) designing something.
A medic vs a Physical Science(Chemistry) to create a new drug.

 

[Jak Nazryth]

Sorry.... mixing game terms.
I and my friends come from a GURPS heavy gaming background.
Character career = Character Template

The character is not for me. I am the GM. And since he is coming from a GURPS background, he wants to build a scientist inventor gadgeteer like he can in the GURPS rules, which is quite difficult outside the GURPS game mechanics.
I just wanted to know what type of Mongoose skills he might try to get that could sub. If it isn't possible or practical, then he's simply out of luck.
I'll work it out through trial and error though. The closest I can think of is Jack of all Trades. If there isn't a skill that fits what he's trying to do like... I can just have him role his JOAT skill. I'll find out in more depth what he's after Saturday.

 

[Jak Nazryth]

Oh.... just had a good example.
What would MacGyver be as a Traveller Character? What kind of skills would he have? Part Indian Jones, part inventor, part scientist, gadgeteer...
I think that's what my friend is after with a bit more emphasis on the science side of things.

 

[BP]

Citizen - Worker gives a good chance of skills that could qualify: Drive/Mechanic/Trade/Engineer and Science (plus JoT appears in Colonist and Personal Development).

The Trade (any) which has a 1 in 3 chance on the Worker table is a handy skill for things that don't fit the existing skill list such as Gadget Making, Metal Working, etc. - (oh - and its also the skill I was trying to think of in another thread that is the exception to the Level 0 rules )

Of course, given a random chargen what one wants and what one gets are often drastically different

 

[locarno24]

Possibly Engineer (Miracle) from SP78 - that's mostly creating 'fake magic' technology, but that will involve a certain amount of bodging and mcguffin-izing skill.

 

[Egil Skallagrimsson]

Go for the obvious career, scholar (scientist (and go for engineering) or field researcher) for, say, 3 terms, then throw in a term or two as a psion (perhaps adept, though wild talent may fit his ideas better). On your contacts skills, go for mechanic and engineering.

Will probably have to allow the skill to be chosen rather than randomly rolled.

Egil

 

[Egil Skallagrimsson]

Go for the obvious career, scholar (scientist (and go for engineering) or field researcher) for, say, 3 terms, then throw in a term or two as a psion (perhaps adept, though wild talent may fit his ideas better). On your contacts skills, go for mechanic and engineering.

Will probably have to allow the skill to be chosen rather than randomly rolled.

Egil

Sorry, just realised that you said mad inventor or psi-cop, not both (though, now I think about it ...).

Four or more terms of scholar should give pretty convincing scientist/inventor etc.

Egil

 

[CosmicGamer]

Oh.... just had a good example.
What would MacGyver be as a Traveller Character?

To create a "natural" one in a million "superman" type character found in TV, movies and books might be a, well, one in a million chance! Don't know actual odds. Even if it is a more average character, using random chargen to create a specific type of character that someone already has their mind set on playing will probably lead to disappointment. The Select Skills or Point Allocation alternate character generation methods would probably be better suited for this situation.

What kind of skills would he have?

To me, there is a BIG difference between what MacGyver can do and what an inventor does.

The inventor might have a good Int and Edu score with +1 or +2 bonus and probably at least a level 2 skill in the sciences for the specific type of invention they are working on.

MacGyver would possibly have a very high characteristics with maybe a maxed out Int for a +3 bonus and a high JoT skill to negate unskilled penalty in numerous skills.

The couple other ways this might be achieved in Traveller:
- A Wafer Jack with numerous high level programs. I kind of like this more SciFi version over the "natural" high characteristics and skills method. This brings to mind the TV show "Chuck".
- Psionics. A good Psi strength bonus with the enhanced awareness Psi skill and JoT skill.
And if the character needs a boost to gray matter, there is always an Intelligence Augmentation.

 

[DFW]

Examples
Engineer(Electronics) repairing something vs a Physical Science(Electronics) designing something.
.

Actually, Engineer, Electronics is a EE. They DO design no items. That is a HUGE part of the curriculum.

 

[CosmicGamer]

Examples
Engineer(Electronics) repairing something vs a Physical Science(Electronics) designing something.
.

Actually, Engineer, Electronics is a EE. They DO design no items. That is a HUGE part of the curriculum.

EE? curriculum? huh? Are you talking MGT or something else? Is this a GURPS thing again?

 

[DFW]

EE? curriculum? huh? Are you talking MGT or something else? Is this a GURPS thing again?

Electronic Engineer. A Engineer (electronics) -1 in MGT is the equivalent to a person with a 4 yr EE degree.

 

[Jak Nazryth]

I actually just traded a few emails with my friend updating him on what we have been discussing on this thread. He created an Scientist with specializations in space science and genetics.
Based on his life events, he had the chance to test experimental drugs, he attained 2 rivals, decided to test the drugs on himself instead of victims/patients and resulted in the awakening of psionics in himself.
He then spent two terms as a psi-agent and psi-researcher.
Were going to flush out his character tomorrow. Should be fun!

 

[CosmicGamer]

Electronic Engineer. A Engineer (electronics) -1 in MGT is the equivalent to a person with a 4 yr EE degree.

Ah, your opinion; which you are entitled to.

Here is some backing for my position:
Note: MGTCR = Mongoose Traveller Core Rulebook

MGTCR pg 54 under Engineer

The Engineer skill is used to operate and maintain spacecraft and advanced vehicles

I don't see anything written in the rules that is close to designing or inventing. It also seams to be specifically spacecraft and advanced vehicles, nothing else. Just my opinion, but this would be more like a military school or trade school where you are taught what you need to know for a specific set of equipment but don't have a well rounded background.

MGTCR pg 57 under Science

Science skills cover not just knowledge but also practical application of that knowledge

This is more like a 4yr degree to me.

 

[CosmicGamer]

I actually just traded a few emails with my friend updating him on what we have been discussing on this thread. He created an Scientist with specializations in space science and genetics.
Based on his life events, he had the chance to test experimental drugs, he attained 2 rivals, decided to test the drugs on himself instead of victims/patients and resulted in the awakening of psionics in himself.
He then spent two terms as a psi-agent and psi-researcher.
Were going to flush out his character tomorrow. Should be fun!

Sounds interesting.

 

[DFW]

Here is some backing for my position:
Note: MGTCR = Mongoose Traveller Core Rulebook

MGTCR pg 54 under Engineer

The Engineer skill is used to operate and maintain spacecraft and advanced vehicles

I don't see anything written in the rules that is close to designing or inventing.

Well, it you had studied how to maintain/repair complex electronic systems you would then know that in learning that, you ALSO obtain the knowledge necessary to design them. It is de facto.

 

[Jak Nazryth]

There are examples of Gun Combat (and others I think) in the Mongoose Rulebook where you use the skill in question, but depending on what stat you use, can define very different effects.
I'm at work so sorry if I get this wrong... for instance....
Gun combat + dex allows you to shoot in combat
Gun combat + Ed allows you to determine what kind of guns made the wounds on the dead merchants you discovered in a damaged free trader.
Gun Combat + Int allows you to fix or or modify a gun.

I'm thinking that "Inventing" or "Gadgeteering" can be used in a similar fashion?

Just a thought. Sometimes player will ask "Can I do this?" and we as GM's need to be on our toes and have a plan that does not fall within the specifics of the rules.

 

[DFW]

Gun combat + dex allows you to shoot in combat
Gun combat + Ed allows you to determine what kind of guns made the wounds on the dead merchants you discovered in a damaged free trader.
Gun Combat + Int allows you to fix or or modify a gun.

I'm thinking that "Inventing" or "Gadgeteering" can be used in a similar fashion?

Just a thought. Sometimes player will ask "Can I do this?" and we as GM's need to be on our toes and have a plan that does not fall within the specifics of the rules.

Excellent examples of skill usage there.

 

[IanBruntlett]

Hi DFW,

Well, it you had studied how to maintain/repair complex electronic systems you would then know that in learning that, you ALSO obtain the knowledge necessary to design them. It is de facto.

At the moment, while I understand the basics of digital computer hardware I wouldn't say I could _design_ a new PCI card but I'd really like to work in a CPU development team I could work at the gate level (AND/OR/NOT/XOR, NAND etc) but designing a circuit board with resistors, capacitors etc would be beyond me. Its one thing to change a duff graphics card its quite another to design one

HTH,


Ian