Topic: Skills - Feedback

[chk]

We looked at the description of "Sniping", and were concerned. The range increments on most rifles in the game seems to be 30-40 meters, so to be within two range increments, a sniper must be within 60-80 meters of the target (90-120 if you count from zero as the Combat text does).This seems too close to us; certainly while the Canadian snipers are experts, they were working at ranges at least 10 *times* this in Afghanistan.

My understanding is that Sniper has two components: 1) getting in and out undetected, and 2) making a precise shot countering for all of the effects that would normally cause inaccuracy (breathing, hand shake, wind, *and* range to the target).

I noticed that on p.77 a scope reduces the range penalty for sniping, except that there is no range penalty; it's a separate all-or-nothing maneuver. There are several other similar items in the text. So there's an inconsistency there; everything else reduces the range penalty for sniping, but the range penalty for sniping is never more than -10 if the 2 RI limit applies (-20 if you count from zero like the Combat section does).

Thoughts?

[allenrmaher]

The Canadian snipers have a few "in game" advantages, considerable skill.  Scopes and high quality weapons designed for longer range.  Plus a talent like sure shot (which reduces range penalties).  Even when the sniping bonus does not apply, the scopes can add up to +30 and the sights up to +15 for good ones.  Reducing the range penalty in half,   say RI 40, at 200 m the attack would be at -25 (+30+15+OB), at 280m it would be at -100(+30+15+OB).  Most likely at that distance you would be well out of sight and hit the target unaware, or from behind or what have you giving you additional bonuses.

I see your point though, that really does not add up to real world sniper performance.  Two things would help this one is longer ranges on sniper rifles 50-80 m does not seem unreasonable when a long bow has a RI of 28 m.  (that would still only give 350-560m of effective range which is less than RL) A second option would be to remove the 2 range inc limit for sniping with firearms and energy weapons.

With projectile weapons, gravity is your enemy, they take a lot of care in making rifles that can shoot a specific man down at 1000m.  With laser weapons, the curvature of the planet and the beam spread are the problems.  It is not unreasonable to assume a laser can be built to effective ranges of a Km or more.

[wachinayn]

I also think that the 2 rang inc. limit should be removed. But if you want to maintain full compatibility with HARP this might be a problem. In that case I suggest change the scope so it increases the maximum rang inc. in which the weapon it's attached to can perform sniping.

[NicholasHMCaldwell]

I also think that the 2 rang inc. limit should be removed. But if you want to maintain full compatibility with HARP this might be a problem. In that case I suggest change the scope so it increases the maximum rang inc. in which the weapon it's attached to can perform sniping.

I think it is the scope that should be making the difference so that you can see well enough to make the precise shot beyond two range increments. Good idea, and good catch from chk.

Best wishes,
Nicholas

[chk]

I believe that sniping is more than just a good scope, but I'd accept "a good scope removes the 2*RI penalty" as a simple solution to the issue. This would mean that a sniper would still have range penalties for long-range shots, and that all the other things in the text that reduce range penalties when sniping would still apply, without also having to be re-worked!

(Simple is good

[lazarus]

A few comments:

1) Reading the Flying/Gliding skill description, I don't know how it works.  It claims it's an All-or-nothing skill, but it reads like an (incomplete) form of the reducing penalties type of skill.

2) Gunnery needs a chart like Weapon Skills.  As do the piloting skills.  Notably - what are the categories?  "Small craft"?  "Fighters"?

3) Dirty Fighting, at least (I'm sure there's another one) ... adds skill ranks to damage.  Does it add to Concussion Hits, or the Crit Rating?  This should be cleared up.

4) I would prefer the Language Chart in where the Language Skill description is, so that the player knows what ranks mean.  I understand that it's where it is for legacy reasons (at least).

Laz

[NicholasHMCaldwell]

A few comments:

1) Reading the Flying/Gliding skill description, I don't know how it works.  It claims it's an All-or-nothing skill, but it reads like an (incomplete) form of the reducing penalties type of skill.

On the list.

2) Gunnery needs a chart like Weapon Skills.  As do the piloting skills.  Notably - what are the categories?  "Small craft"?  "Fighters"?

On the list

3) Dirty Fighting, at least (I'm sure there's another one) ... adds skill ranks to damage.  Does it add to Concussion Hits, or the Crit Rating?  This should be cleared up.

It is an adjustment to the Adjusted Attack Roll, i.e. so increases the number that you look up on the crit table, rather than change an individual entry. I've made a note to that effect for Ambush, Dirty Fighting and Sniping.

Best wishes,
Nicholas

[lazarus]

I remember another point I was going to make here:

Resistance: Stamina is only mentioned as being able to resist stun in the "Reading the Critical Tables" section.  It should, in the skill description and "Important Skills", have a quick overview of that (given that it is vital for combat, and important to know how it works - especially when buying it, to know how much to get).  Notably, the other, less used, uses for Stamina are mentioned in the other sections, but resisting Stun is not.

Laz

[rad42]

About Medical Practice skill...shouldn't it be a separate skill for each race?  Or, maybe, we can take one of the options given for this problem in SM:P.  Develop a Medical Science skill for each race, and your Medical Practice skill is limited to your skill the relevent Medical Science skill when treating someone of a race other than your own.

Thoughts?

[NicholasHMCaldwell]

About Medical Practice skill...shouldn't it be a separate skill for each race?  Or, maybe, we can take one of the options given for this problem in SM:P.  Develop a Medical Science skill for each race, and your Medical Practice skill is limited to your skill the relevent Medical Science skill when treating someone of a race other than your own.

Thoughts?

There's nothing to prevent Medical Practice and Medical Science being specialized for specific species - that's at the level of SysOp customisation just as Planetology could be specialized to Geology, Meteorology, Oceanography.

In the previous incarnation of Zero-G Maneuvering it acted as a limiter on other skills. We've taken that out (partly because it would be yet another skill option), so it's not a technique that is likely to be put back in.

Best wishes,
Nicholas

[lazarus]

Another one: Pick Pockets.  Is there a reason that it's not an RR to be noticed by Perception?  It strikes me as an easier mechanic to use RR, rather than have a Pick Pocket roll to see if it succeeded, then a Perception (- Pick Pocket) roll to see if it's noticed, when it could be reduced to Perception vs Pick Pocket RR to see if it was noticed (having the Pick Pocket roll modified by difficulty, perhaps)

Laz

[Mungo]

Another one: Pick Pockets.  Is there a reason that it's not an RR to be noticed by Perception?  It strikes me as an easier mechanic to use RR, rather than have a Pick Pocket roll to see if it succeeded, then a Perception (- Pick Pocket) roll to see if it's noticed, when it could be reduced to Perception vs Pick Pocket RR to see if it was noticed (having the Pick Pocket roll modified by difficulty, perhaps)

Laz

Hi,

I asked a similiar question in the HARP forums a long time ago . There Rasyr said that noticing a Pick Pocket attempt is so much more difficult than Pick Pocketing, that a direct RR is not appropriate for the situation, as the chance for the target to succeed is much too high.

BR
Juergen