Re: [DS] Points system

On Thu, Apr 04, 2002 at 10:58:57AM -0800, Brian Bilderback wrote:
> Assuming, of course, that weapons range/damage, armor capabitlity,
etc. is 
> easily translated between systems.  I'd rather actually see DS3 with a

> working points only system.

Well, that's sort of my ironic point: the JC system is wonderful and
flexible and does /everything/ you want in a design system ... but the
results, by necessity, are much more detailed and complex than DS2
elements /ever/ are.

To fix DS2's construction system, one of its underlying axioms will
have to change.  EITHER it'll need to give up pretense of limiting the
technology represented to a certain "sweet spot" region, which grows
out of trying to represent both utility and "monetary value" at the
same time, OR it'll have to stop billing itself as a generic SF game
and tie itself more tightly to the setting as given in the books in
order to justify its element costing.

Maybe in my setting I /do/ want giant robots which can dodge incoming
fire and use massive energy swords to fight with.  Maybe I want
3-wheeled motorcycles with energy shields that can deflect orbital
bombards and thirty rotary cannon.  Maybe I want a tank that can carry
a Century into battle, but thanks to ECM and stealth has only a tiny
targeting signature.  In order to represent such a broad spectrum of
elements, you /have/ to give up any pretense of costing based on
"monetary investment" and limits based on, well, anything, and just
figure up "utility values."

-- 
Alexander Williams (thantos@telocity.com)   |	 http://www.chancel.org 
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"But when a long train of abuses and usurpations, pursuing invariably
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same object evinces a design to reduce them under absolute Despotism, it
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