Ok, Started the afternoon by taking a few 1st ed characters that I had their generation sheets and walked back through the dice rolls using the new playtest pages.
-- Background Skills; These would be different. Between some new options as well as the removal of the world table restrictions, the skill lists could reflect more the hopes of the players.
** What I believe might be worth doing is still selecting one or two that make sense from the world you come from. But I understand those who don't want the world restrictions.
-- Basic Training; In most cases there were a couple of small tweaks. Electronic is seen more for obvious reasons. One exception to this. One Character had failed their Qualification for Marine and went Drifter. By elimination of the Basic Training coming from the specialty, the Basic Training list was very different and to be honest does not make sense for what the character is.
** Recommend adding back the Basic Training exception for Drifter.
--Terms; In most cases there were no changes except the adjustment of skills. Sensors to Electronics for example. There was a slight increase in skill levels for particular skills such as Gun Combat as (Slug Rifle)-1 and (Shotgun)-1 became (Slug)-2. But there was not a lot of this so it would still fall under minor tweaks
**Recommend offering a small conversion PDF as it seems there would be almost no changes to a Character other than skills to make them a 2nd ed character.
--Mustering Out; Again almost no real changes. One item, my Merchant Character grew in wealth. His one benefit roll for the "Free Trader" is much more valuable now. Very nice change.
I then rolled up a couple more without 1st ed stats. It felt the same and in fact once I ignored the new layout and skill names, it didn't feel different at all.
** Last Recommendation; The flow chart is somewhat awkward to use. Feels odd. I believe it needs to be simplified and cleaned up for use by a new player or Referee.
