consider altogether removing body parts from combat module (dismembering the combat module, so to speak)

[3:10 PM] yusuf: this is for combat module rather than 1.0, but a part of me wants to remove the idea of "body parts" entirely [3:11 PM] yusuf: i feel that they may add unnecessary complication [3:11 PM] yusuf: and we've had particular trouble balancing them with respect to size / protective factor / etc [3:11 PM] yusuf: maybe it could be a "submodule" [3:12 PM] yusuf: but i think the nicest part of the combat module is the whole 2x2 table of hitting/prevention/impact/protection, and damage calculations [3:12 PM] yusuf: and the suggestions of what should systematically go into determining those things [3:13 PM] yusuf: now i wonder if removing body parts would solve all our problems :O [3:13 PM] yusuf: (don't take that out of context) [3:13 PM] yusuf: to allow more granularity, we can still give everything the same "hp" and just make it 10 or something [3:14 PM] yusuf: then the deficits can be specific to hp and they can be DIFFUSE deficits without having to worry about body parts, and which body part is needed for archery (do you need your legs? or not?) [3:14 PM] yusuf: AND MOREOVER [3:15 PM] yusuf: we already have the idea of "targeting" body parts as something that already works more smoothly with the other components [3:15 PM] yusuf: so you can still try to hit someone's sword arm or whatever [3:15 PM] yusuf: but it wouldn't be a mandatory part of every combat calculation [3:16 PM] yusuf: and we've had particular trouble balancing them with respect to size / protective factor / etc (remember the arm/hamster thing?) [3:17 PM] yusuf: also it feels like maybe too "specific" of a mechanic, as opposed to the rest of the combat module itself [3:17 PM] yusuf: as in, when it's present in games, i think i view it more as a "cool gimmick" than a necessary thing [3:17 PM] yusuf: what think you? 4:43 PM] nonporous: I think I agree [4:44 PM] nonporous: hmmm but what about cool stuff like hitting someone's sword arm? [4:45 PM] nonporous: Or losing the ability to fire a bow due to a broken shoulder? [4:45 PM] nonporous: well okay that last one actually could be health condition [4:45 PM] nonporous: but what about hitting someone's sword arm? [4:45 PM] nonporous: how would targeting work? [4:45 PM] nonporous: there is probably a way to do it [5:08 PM] yusuf: actually, this is the final nail in the coffin for me [5:08 PM] yusuf: that's already possible! [5:08 PM] yusuf: and even described in the manual [5:08 PM] yusuf: as "targeting" [5:08 PM] yusuf: in fact , we didn't want people to be LIMITED to the GM-decided body parts, so we even specified that they could go outside of that with "targeting" [5:10 PM] yusuf: e.g. it would be weird for the gm to descibre "eyes" in humans but maybe a player wants to "go for the eyes", and the outcome of that, as currently descibred ( i think) would be: (1) harder to hit (penalty to hitting factor) (2) but if you DO hit, there's a special effect in addition to the usual damage (e.g. blindness, dropping the sword, or if it's a vital part maybe there is extra damage) [5:11 PM] yusuf: oh, something else that was unsettling me was the idea of "vital body parts", that death occurs when pre-defined body parts become mangled (or when conditions lead to it) [5:11 PM] yusuf: that felt weird to me [5:13 PM] yusuf: but the basic idea behind this is: i think the 2x2 table framefork (the Four Factors) is really nice, and i want the rest of the combat module to be smoothly integrated into it [5:14 PM] yusuf: so far everything else IS (like "situational modifiers" such as targeting...equipment...being on a hill...a giant vs. a mouse...etc.) , and that seems to work smeuthly [5:14 PM] yusuf: and even damage calculation is directly derived from it [5:15 PM] yusuf: the body parts kind of feel like a "second step" separate from it

NOTE: Completing this change should include (1) further discussion expanding on the above, (2) peussible expansion of the "targeting" blurb under "situational modifiers", (3) combing through the manual to make the change congruent with other parts of the manual (eg, body part questions would no longer be necessary in the "campaign questions" document included)

ebrahimebrahim / peupfudge

consider altogether removing body parts from combat module (dismembering the combat module, so to speak) #11