Out of Character Chatter

[Ahlmzhad]

Hey all, work and commitments started chewing up my time. Bindoner, I can summarise the supper conversation if you like, at least from Stefano's perspective. On the assumption that the two characters see the temporary joint venture as a good idea, he will discuss Antil Orlovski's request for a meeting. He'll add what little he knows about Vloxmar and the potential topic of long jump but stress that it's only guesses. The meeting is for (tomorrow) afternoon, if she can find and share anything by noon he'll use it as best he can and then meet with her afterwards to discuss.

Thoughts?

OK, not trying to rush you [too much], it just seemed you guys had stopped so I moved on to keep things moving. For the others all other events are after Stefano's meeting so I don't want to get too out of synch.

[The Bindoner]

Hey all, work and commitments started chewing up my time. Bindoner, I can summarise the supper conversation if you like, at least from Stefano's perspective. On the assumption that the two characters see the temporary joint venture as a good idea, he will discuss Antil Orlovski's request for a meeting. He'll add what little he knows about Vloxmar and the potential topic of long jump but stress that it's only guesses. The meeting is for (tomorrow) afternoon, if she can find and share anything by noon he'll use it as best he can and then meet with her afterwards to discuss.

Thoughts?

Seems sensible - we've re-acquainted the characters, they have reached an agreement to aid each other, time to move along.

Ahlmzhad: How do you you want to handle a Streetwise check? I was intending to send Kiki out and about to hear what other people know. Shall I narrate the procedure, or just make a roll and we'll dialogue the result?

[Ahlmzhad]

Hey all, work and commitments started chewing up my time. Bindoner, I can summarise the supper conversation if you like, at least from Stefano's perspective. On the assumption that the two characters see the temporary joint venture as a good idea, he will discuss Antil Orlovski's request for a meeting. He'll add what little he knows about Vloxmar and the potential topic of long jump but stress that it's only guesses. The meeting is for (tomorrow) afternoon, if she can find and share anything by noon he'll use it as best he can and then meet with her afterwards to discuss.

Thoughts?

Seems sensible - we've re-acquainted the characters, they have reached an agreement to aid each other, time to move along.

Ahlmzhad: How do you you want to handle a Streetwise check? I was intending to send Kiki out and about to hear what other people know. Shall I narrate the procedure, or just make a roll and we'll dialogue the result?

I like to dialogue or at least have you tell me what you're doing to gather info (ie goes down to the dock section and talks to ships crew/officers), and then that influences the streetwise roll. Basically let me know who and where so I can see how close you are to where you need to be.

On the salary, I pulled that from the book and it's twice the annual cost for the highest level of living. So if you're seeing something different let me know. I'm not hung on a number, but the goal is that you be paid well. Also commissions and bonuses are still to be negotiated.

[Leitz]

I like to dialogue or at least have you tell me what you're doing to gather info (ie goes down to the dock section and talks to ships crew/officers), and then that influences the streetwise roll. Basically let me know who and where so I can see how close you are to where you need to be.

On the salary, I pulled that from the book and it's twice the annual cost for the highest level of living. So if you're seeing something different let me know. I'm not hung on a number, but the goal is that you be paid well. Also commissions and bonuses are still to be negotiated.

For Stefano, he's already talked to the building Vloxmar staff, local places where people serve lunches for Vloxmar, etc. Other research would be directed to ensuring Antil saw Stefano as someone who came prepared. It is also to give Stefano fewer surprises during the conversation. For example, he didn't have to pause when discussing the long jump. He would be interested in Antil's personality, that can be gathered. Obviously not a lot of skeleton shaking stuff from a web search, unless there were older articles.

On Cost of Living (CoL), "per annum" means per year, doesn't it? Stefano is SOC 12 and the highport moves CoL up a grade, so Cr 12,000 per month. If the offer was Cr 40k per month then Stefano would wait a bit before trying to negotiate. It's not bad, but there are other questions to be dealt with. For example, having a budget is great, having control of the budget is better. Having an employee for Cr 5,000 per month is a good wage, but Stefano having a sizeable bonus budget helps as well. There's always failed hardware to buy, things available that no one brought, etc.

If Antil has researched Stefano's work with the Duke, it's very clear that Stefano will spend money to get the job done but isn't a wastrel and doesn't skim off the top. So, hiring him will be expensive but he goes "all in" to get the job done. Of course, asking about forming the team opens up the door to bring Kiki aboard.

[Leitz]

And I'm still trying to find the translation for "gespedin".

[Ahlmzhad]

My bad, I was moving too fast and thought that was the yearly cost, not monthly. So the Salary offer would be 480k cr.

Gespedin is a Russian word that was created after they had removed all titles from the language so instead of saying komrad, tavarish, or drug to everyone, you could address them as Gespedin sort of Mr or Sir as we would use those words in English in a more formal setting like school or business.

[Leitz]

My bad, I was moving too fast and thought that was the yearly cost, not monthly. So the Salary offer would be 480k cr.

Gespedin is a Russian word that was created after they had removed all titles from the language so instead of saying komrad, tavarish, or drug to everyone, you could address them as Gespedin sort of Mr or Sir as we would use those words in English in a more formal setting like school or business.

MCr 0.48 is a good starting place. Post amended.

[Leitz]

It looks like Stefano is ahead of Kiki, behind D'Arcy, and I'm unsure where Fred is. Stefano's next two goals are to pay detailed attention to what Antil is sharing and then once he's out of Vloxmar to send Kiki a note asking if she'd mind joining him for an early supper.

Ahimzhad, do you have more for Antil to say/do or should I just write up a wrap and let the characters start catching up to each other? Or just hold for a bit?

[atpollard]

It looks like Stefano is ahead of Kiki, behind D'Arcy, and I'm unsure where Fred is.

Fred is just looking to fill the time between waking up and a 2PM meeting with SOMETHING to do.
If it were D&D, I could go and kill someone.

Since this is Traveller, I was trying more "in character" activities.

I was refreshing how MgT handled weapons to try and figure what the Revolver would be like (in game mechanics) and possibly cost/be worth. If this were Classic Traveller, I would just use FF&S from TNE and backwards convert it.

For MgT, a basic REVOLVER is CR 150 and 3d6-3 damage. The TRADE rules suggest that upgrading it from "Basic Machinery" to "Advanced Machinery" [a good description for a TL 5 weapon made with TL 10-12 technology at TL 14] should increase the cost/value by x10 to about Cr1500. The FF&S description of an ETC round places it just a little worse than a Gauss round, so 3d6-1 is probably a better damage. Who knows the value if I can make a roll to create a "work of art".

Anyway, If I finish the revolver soon (Fred has been working on it for a week in jumpspace), then Fred will need another project to start to work on. So I figured that buying some Crystaliron or Superdense rough castings for a shotgun would give Fred a 'next project' to work on in jumpspace.

My initial thoughts were SHOTGUN = Cr 200, so steel parts = Cr 67; Labor = Cr 67; Profit=67. Advanced TL SHOTGUN = Cr 2000, so parts/labor/profit = Cr 667 each.

[Ahlmzhad]

It looks like Stefano is ahead of Kiki, behind D'Arcy, and I'm unsure where Fred is. Stefano's next two goals are to pay detailed attention to what Antil is sharing and then once he's out of Vloxmar to send Kiki a note asking if she'd mind joining him for an early supper.

Ahimzhad, do you have more for Antil to say/do or should I just write up a wrap and let the characters start catching up to each other? Or just hold for a bit?

Actually hold for a bit, more is coming.

[Ahlmzhad]

It looks like Stefano is ahead of Kiki, behind D'Arcy, and I'm unsure where Fred is.

Fred is just looking to fill the time between waking up and a 2PM meeting with SOMETHING to do.
If it were D&D, I could go and kill someone.

Since this is Traveller, I was trying more "in character" activities.

I was refreshing how MgT handled weapons to try and figure what the Revolver would be like (in game mechanics) and possibly cost/be worth. If this were Classic Traveller, I would just use FF&S from TNE and backwards convert it.

For MgT, a basic REVOLVER is CR 150 and 3d6-3 damage. The TRADE rules suggest that upgrading it from "Basic Machinery" to "Advanced Machinery" [a good description for a TL 5 weapon made with TL 10-12 technology at TL 14] should increase the cost/value by x10 to about Cr1500. The FF&S description of an ETC round places it just a little worse than a Gauss round, so 3d6-1 is probably a better damage. Who knows the value if I can make a roll to create a "work of art".

Anyway, If I finish the revolver soon (Fred has been working on it for a week in jumpspace), then Fred will need another project to start to work on. So I figured that buying some Crystaliron or Superdense rough castings for a shotgun would give Fred a 'next project' to work on in jumpspace.

My initial thoughts were SHOTGUN = Cr 200, so steel parts = Cr 67; Labor = Cr 67; Profit=67. Advanced TL SHOTGUN = Cr 2000, so parts/labor/profit = Cr 667 each.

Those numbers are fine with me.

[Leitz]

A friend of mine takes a $500 rifle action, does little to it but provide an exquisite wooden stock, and they go for $5000. Another friend takes ~$800 in parts and turns it into a $3000 competition handgun. Needless to say, *I* can't afford either.

Works of art command higher markup than "high quality firearms". Of course, the combination is really pricey.

[atpollard]

Sorry Kiki ... I rolled to see if Fred might be in a position to help ... [2d6] = 3 ... I guess if your search leads to any trouble, Fred's machinist is in another part of town.

[Leitz]

Nice ship image!

[Ahlmzhad]

Thanks

[The Bindoner]

Open Office shows a blank document for the ship image, and my image editing software just won't open it....

EDIT

Got it, saved the blank document as an HTML and the .png dropped out

Nice image indeed - haven't seen that one before.

[Leitz]

@Bindoner, does your avatar represent Kiki? If so, poor Stefano is outclassed!

[The Bindoner]

Yes, I'm trying it out as the character image. I have a couple of other options. My folder of character images is quite large.... ( Pinterest/Deviant Art can eat up spare time and disc space very easily )

I ought to change into a jumpsuit.

[Ahlmzhad]

Like the changing avatar.

[The Bindoner]

It amuses me.

Late for bed, longer IC post tomorrow PM