Influence Mechanics

[lategamer]

There's some stuff on the Discord on Influence and how it works.

In what's written it's a little vague on whether the influence is personal or exclusively pooled.
(Reading from page 11).It seems to mention Pools as an individual thing. As in, if I gain Influence from mustering out, they go into my pool.e.g.
"One of the benefits a Pioneer can receive is Influence. A Pioneer’s influence..."
"Most Pioneers participate in one or two missions, but they only acquire a pool of influence points once and should use them judiciously."
- the implication here is the highlighted word is the singular.

As written, this Influence is a little isolated. You'd think that Rich and Civil Service (Government) and Media folks would gain outsized Influence. We've not seen their mustering benefits tables but Technicians, Engineers and Military may represent the lower end of Influence.

 

[rinku]

That makes sense.

Is there even any currency in use at all? There's a probable cut and paste typo under the Profession skill description that talks about using it to earn credits... but that doesn't feel on brand for Pioneer. In space, no one can hear you buy...

To me Profession skill seems very much as the catchall skill category for when you need a mission specialist, like a Psychologist, or for everyday jobs in a mature colony (Teachers, Managers, Accountants etc).

 

[lategamer]

That makes sense.

Is there even any currency in use at all?

Outside of “Rich”?

Which is telling me that they see the game as 90% spacebound where I see a lot of potential for earthbound stories.

Unclear how it’s going to work on, for example, the lunar colony. I’m guessing you’ll be paid but air and accommodation and travel is either going to be part of the package (military) or charged (capitalist agency style). Either way we ain’t getting rid of money any time soon.

 

[shirgall]

I would like to leverage the influence mechanic to avoid the "shopping at SpaceMall" phase of character creation that plagues Traveller starts kind of like the "ship's locker standard loadout" mechanic helped not spend a billion years buying pouches, rope, and torches. The shopping scene in a TV show is a montage not an episode.

 

[lategamer]

I would like to leverage the influence mechanic to avoid the "shopping at SpaceMall" phase of character creation that plagues Traveller starts kind of like the "ship's locker standard loadout" mechanic helped not spend a billion years buying pouches, rope, and torches. The shopping scene in a TV show is a montage not an episode.

I “force” my players to do that in between sessions. I’ve no interest in that activity.

 

[AndrewW]

I “force” my players to do that in between sessions. I’ve no interest in that activity.

Oh I dunno, I managed to get some players lost in a mall once upon a time. So can have it's highlights. But certainly wouldn't want to do that all the time.

 

[MasterGwydion]

For almost every character I have ever played I have kept a detailed equipment list. I started this after a few bad sessions with DMs telling me that if it is not on My character sheet, then my pc doesn't have it. Now I never have that issue, as I write everything down and keep track of every last piece of pocket lint that my pc may acquire.

 

[lategamer]

By all means going to get a Doohickey can be interesting but going to the interstellar version of Costco? Much less so.

 

[MasterGwydion]

By all means going to get a Doohickey can be interesting but going to the interstellar version of Costco? Much less so.

Oh yeah. It is definitely a, "do in downtime on a day the game is not being played so you don't detract from other players who do not have the same attention to detail"-type of thing

 

[rinku]

Really, any mission would be better supplied, with better equipment, than anything they could shop for. I expect it'll be more along the lines of "you have 1500 grams of discretionary mass per crewmember. Write down what you're bringing."

 

[MasterGwydion]

Really, any mission would be better supplied, with better equipment, than anything they could shop for. I expect it'll be more along the lines of "you have 1500 grams of discretionary mass per crewmember. Write down what you're bringing."

Personal items like a Star Trek uniform to send back photos and videos of "Starfleet" for the nerds back on Earth.

 

[rinku]

Yep. just as long as you fit it in to your personal item mass allowance.

Really, mass is the currency that matters.

 

[lategamer]

Yep. just as long as you fit it in to your personal item mass allowance.

Really, mass is the currency that matters.

Will astronauts have height/weight restrictions?

Because you’d think that would matter more than 1500 grams of personal. (Sudden realisation I’ll never go to space. Too chonky)

 

[rinku]

It's a good point. And may be a thing.

But most likely allowances will be made for the right people. Especially if they're on the board.