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Post by olegrand on Feb 17, 2015 19:22:23 GMT
Hello everybody I've just uploaded the updated & augmented version of THE TEMPORAL TOYBOX, my collection of DWAITAS house rules. You can download the PDF from my DWAITAS blog, A Journal of Impossible Things: dwaitas.blogspot.fr/2015/02/the-temporal-toybox-20.htmlAllons-y! ( The Temporal Toybox is a 100% non-profit, fan-made, unofficial supplement.) |
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rulandor
2nd Incarnation
Posts: 149
Favourite Doctors: Three, Four, Seven, War, Twelve
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Post by rulandor on Feb 18, 2015 18:06:06 GMT
Just did a quick read-through of your file.
Your Fear Factory house-rule makes a lot of sense - in contrast to the official rule. You are quite right: giving a Zombie or a Dalek or a Cyberman a Presence attribute doesn't make any sense, as they have neither personality nor charisma. So basing the Fear Factor on Presence does not make any sense. Your rule is much better.
The same applies to the this strange "being actively fearful" thing. Doesn't make any sense either. I would assume that a Dragon or a Zombie has an "always-on" fear mode simply by virtue of being a Dragon or a Zombie.
On the other hand your file makes clear how easy it is to change and shuffle rules elements of this very flexible game.
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Post by Escher on Feb 19, 2015 12:20:29 GMT
I’m going to make a different observation here and I hope I don’t offend. I’m not challenging the interpretation of Olivier’s house rule but offering another viewpoint.
In the series there is an ‘on-off switch’ for scariness and a creature can be scary when it suits a scene in the story without it being 'always on'.
A column of Daleks pursuing the characters screaming ‘EXTERMINATE’ is a Fear Factor moment.
The captured characters stood in a holding area trying to make a reasoned argument to persuade the Daleks they are useful, are not being ‘Actively Scared’ by the Daleks.
For example, in ‘Hide’ the creature is 'actively' scaring people in the first part of the story and in the last part is no longer scaring people.
Fear Factor can be used 'on' when the creatures are stalking, pursuing and intimidating characters and also during their first dramatic reveal, when they shock the characters. It’s GM’s call (and dramatic licence) when the creatures are not being scary.
As we’ve seen in both the classic and new series, it’s possible for characters to be scared by creatures in one scene, and then hold conversations with them later in the same story and not be scared.
So, I think the ‘actively scaring someone’ rule for Fear Factor actually works according to how it’s portrayed in the show and simulates this quirk.
Just my opinion.
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Post by olegrand on Feb 19, 2015 12:34:00 GMT
I’m going to make a different observation here and I hope I don’t offend. I’m not challenging the interpretation of Olivier’s house rule but offering another viewpoint. It's a very interesting view - and hey, let's face it: interpretations AND house rules are made to be challenged.  On the top of my head, here is an attempt to include the reasoning behind your observations to my house rules: creatures with a Fear Factor can "turn it off" is they so wish, but probably not on the first encounter or contact. And as Rulandor has pointed out, the flexibility of the DWAITAS system makes it very easy to fine-tune and tweak. |
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Post by Polar Bear on Mar 14, 2015 22:05:31 GMT
It’s GM’s call (and dramatic licence) when the creatures are not being scary. Yeah, I think that's the right balance. It's not the NPCs (generally) who are deciding when to be scary; it's the GMs who are deciding when the NPCs are doing something that would scare the PCs. Olegrand, other than picking that nit, I love the new Fear Factor rules (and stats), and I'll be implementing them in my games, as I have so many other of your TT 1st edition rules. Great ideas! |
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Post by olegrand on Aug 10, 2017 17:16:07 GMT
I've just posted an updated and augmented version of the TEMPORAL TOYBOX, my compilation of house rules and variants for the Doctor Who RPG. This "third edition" features updated or refined versions of the earlier contents (stuff on skills, story points, combat, fear factor etc.), a more developed version of my recent variant chase system, plus a few new tidbits here and there (such as stuff on psychic combat, resistance rolls etc.). Enjoy! |
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Post by olegrand on Jan 17, 2021 13:50:28 GMT
Hello everyone Just a quick note to let you know that The Temporal Toybox, my collection of unofficial, optional and alternate rules for the Doctor Who RPG has just regenerated into its sixth edition! You can access the new/updated/regenerated version from my BLOG or directly from HERE. See you soon for the blurbs of Lady Penelope's latest episodes! |
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Post by Escher on Jan 18, 2021 17:20:59 GMT
Hello everyone Just a quick note to let you know that The Temporal Toybox, my collection of unofficial, optional and alternate rules for the Doctor Who RPG has just regenerated into its sixth edition! You can access the new/updated/regenerated version from my BLOG or directly from HERE. See you soon for the blurbs of Lady Penelope's latest episodes!
You have Perception all wrong and there is no need to make new rules for it because it is not broken. What is broken is some of the words used in the book.
This is an obvious error in syntax and I hope they correct it in later editions.
Certain words in all the core rule books are misleading. 'Actively Looking' confuses the act of researching something to find specific facts or knowledge and should be called 'Doing Research' or something similar. The character is not 'actively looking' as in scanning the horizon for moment etc. They are searching for infos or facts.
Here's the latest core book with amendments in bold. The vital parts you need to be aware of are in italics.
Quote:
Noticing or Spotting Something
Spotting an important clue is another tricky one that can be handled in a couple of ways. If the character is not actively looking for something and the Gamemaster wants to give them a chance to see the giant bug before it attacks, they will have to make an attribute-only roll, usually Awareness + Ingenuity.
However, if they are searching books for a clue, looking into medical records for information, or something similar, the character is actively looking doing research and their skills come into play - in this case it’s Awareness paired with a skill that reflects the subject.
As a rough guide: Passively noticing something (not actively
looking, but there’s a chance of seeing it): Awareness+ Ingenuity.
Actively researching something (in documents, books, files etc):
Awareness + Skill (related to the subject, such as Knowledge, Medicine, Technology, and so on).
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Post by olegrand on Jan 18, 2021 19:38:09 GMT
Sorry but I don't think I've got "perception all wrong", since what you are explaining is exactly what I had understood in the first place. So I fail to see how I have misinterpreted things and how this invalidates the house rule I suggest using:
"passive" perception (while focusing on something else, etc.) = roll raw Awareness
"active" perception (searching, paying attention, etc.) = roll Awareness + Ingenuity (or Awareness + relevant skill if applicable and this gives a better chance.
This ensures that actively searching / paying attention etc. always give you a higher chance of detecting stuff - this IS the glitch I was trying to fix here.
Anyway, as all house rules go, it's utilmately a matter of taste and style. Creating a variant rule for something does not mean this thing is "broken" - just that you think that your approach works better or is simpler etc. Likewise, I don't expect everybody will enthusiastically adopt my variant rules for not using dice or Story points for NPCs - but since they work well in play, maybe they'll interest a few other GMs. And their existence does not imply that I consider the system to be "broken". I've been GMing this RPG for more than 10 years now and the Temporal Toybox is just the compilation of my various alternate / house rules, tweaks etc.
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Post by Escher on Jan 18, 2021 20:03:24 GMT
"active" perception (searching, paying attention, etc.) = roll Awareness + Ingenuity (or Awareness + relevant skill if applicable and this gives a better chance. This ensures that actively searching / paying attention etc. always give you a higher chance of detecting stuff - this IS the glitch I was trying to fix here.
'Active Perception' as it is called in the rules, is only when researching via books, computers etc. It is not general searching, paying attention. This is where you are confused. It is confusing and it is due to misleading words. It should be called 'Research' or something similar.
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Post by olegrand on Jan 18, 2021 20:15:07 GMT
'Active Perception' as it is called in the rules, is only when researching via books, computers etc. It is not general searching, paying attention. This is where you are confused. It is confusing and it is due to misleading words. It should be called 'Research' or something similar.
OK I get your point - but the language is indeed misleading (and I'm still using the 1st edition rules as my main references...  and the point I'm making is still 100% valid (since I'm not really talking about "research" here but about active perception per se as opposed to passive perception per se). Anyway, I'll probably clarify this in the next few days , just for clarity's sake. |
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Post by olegrand on Jan 18, 2021 21:22:14 GMT
I've fixed the section - without really changing anything to its core contents but deleting the unnecessary paragraphs about the way the official rules are supposed to work. Thanks to ESCHER for prompting me to rewrite this section! It's much clearer (and succinct) now. storygame.free.fr/TOYBOX.pdf (it's on p.8) |
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and the point I'm making is still 100% valid (since I'm not really talking about "research" here but about active perception per se as opposed to passive perception per se). Anyway, I'll probably clarify this in the next few days