Tilting at windmills: A question of Savage Worlds probabilities pt1

Got busy and this project was nudged down the list by time and sleep deprivation, but it's still ongoing. With a Deadlands Classic: Hell On Earth game now joined, it seems a good place to examine things from for comparison. The company behind Savage Worlds I believe had little to do with Deadlands, but based their system on a much simplified version of it and purchased the rights to it, now sold as Deadlands Classic.

WHAT'S THE SAME?
Both Deadlands and Savage Worlds use D&D dice, from d4 through d12. Higher is better, and a target number system. Dice rolls explode in both systems if you score a max roll. Both use Edges and Hindrances to describe their system of advantages and disadvantages.

WHAT'S DIFFERENT?
Deadlands has stats drawn from a deck of cards for random generation, distributed into stats. Skills are based on the 10 parent stats, each point of skill nets you another attribute-sized die to roll during tests, which you take the single best result of. Savage Worlds, skills are capped by attributes, but gain no further benefit beyond cheaper advancement. Instead, Savage Worlds grants player characters a Wild Die, which is just a d6 unless they have a few high level edges that boost its power in some or all situations. In SW, Skills level from d4 to d12 just as attributes do.

WHAT'S THE PROBLEM?
The problems with Savage Worlds are at least twofold, possibly more.

The first problem is that high stats give next to no bonus to skills based upon them. A person who minmaxes with a d12 in a skill-controlling stat (dexterity or intellect) will spend exactly the same amount of points to get a wide array of skills to average level as a purely average competing character with d6 stats across the board. For a character to be remotely competent, let alone skilled, they must stay fairly laser focused on a few skills to be good at (at least with default 15 skill points). The wild die allows a d4-skilled character to still have a d6 available, but it's still sub-optimal and leads to a number of character concepts that simply can't properly be made because they require too broad of skillsets (My first experience was trying to port in a weird west bounty hunter, who had ranged skill, melee skill, a vehicle skill, with tracking and perception. In GURPS or Deadlands Classic, such a build was very doable, low investment skills had decent power even without the law of averages to help out if the controlling stat was good.

The second problem is somewhat subjective, the lack of a bell curve. Single die rolls have a flat probability, SW Extras get flat probability and named characters get the luck die for a weird bell curve. Having a bell curve is nice because it gives you some semblance of idea how you can expect to perform on a given roll; ie, average.

WHAT CAN WE DO ABOUT IT?
There's a few possible solutions. A simple one could just be to give more skill points starting. Giving everyone at least the same bell curve could be done by giving Extras an Extra Die, perhaps a d4 because fate doesn't give as much of a shit about them as the Wildcards, but still maybe a little. But that still doesn't solve the problem of attributes vs. skills disconnect.

What you could do is replace the wild die with an attribute die. Suddenly a high dex character can bring their natural aptitude to bear with only a little specific skill, while a high dex/high skill character is a true terror. Or, add the attribute die in addition to the wild die, or offer choice of best two out of three. Offering this same upgrade to the NPCs would be powerful, as they're not necessarily built the same way as players, and tend to just automatically have the required skills/stats they should for whatever place they'll be encountered in.


I think that's enough rambling on this for a single post, I'll finish it up with actual probability calculations and such in another post.

Budget wargaming: dollar store edition pt2

Now, as a follow-up to the last post, we get into 2x 35 packs of army men.

Pros: Models are much more detailed, and larger if you want a slightly bigger scale. Includes some specialty gear like minesweepers, flamethrowers, and mortars
Cons: Models are way bigger than the scale of most gaming terrain and anything else, and completely random. Where the 50 packs came with a squad of fireteams in each, this is just a grab bag. Maybe usable for decoration, or if you buy a vast quantity to hopefully random-chance your way to something resembling a distribution of units with which to assemble a team.

I had really high hopes for these, but they were dashed by the reality of opening the bags and actually getting a good look at the contents. There isn't enough consistency to get them for minis, whether for wargaming or as tokens for a tabletop game on the cheap. Also, they're way larger than most gaming minis and terrain so you can't mix them in with other stuff.

Verdict: Not recommended

Up next in part 3, we look at assorted creatures and dinosaurs, and then in part 4 we get to the point of all this!

There's yer problem

Been going pretty hard at various things. Past couple weeks I've had issues with passing out basically any time I stopped moving or actively doing something and was remotely comfortable.

Now, after another one of these impromptu 3+ hour naps, following a 9 hour rest, I'm suddenly full of things like motivation and energy and stuff again. Remarkable what being remotely awake does.

We now return to your regularly scheduled rambling about guns, military futurism, and game systems nobody cares about.

Tuesday Training: Laser rifles?

Not going to make a thing of this enough to get a tag, probably, but I'm looking for a laser training rifle. I've found all manner of bore sights, at least one drop in laser-bolt for AR-15s, and of course the Laserlyte and SIRT pistols. But I haven't found a good, simple blue-gun rifle with the built-in laser, just a Laserlyte rifle. Maybe upgraded to a green laser for the additional range that grants.

Why? I want to practice. I run dot torture drills anywhere from weekly to nightly using my pistol, with both hands, sometimes in armor. Of late, I've been considering getting some nice targets I can hang around the basement with obstructions of some sort, form it into a poor-man's shoothouse. But, I'd like to run it with a rifle as well, and I DON'T want to use it with my real rifle even with a training laserbolt in it. Airsoft would work, but make a mess, same with my AR-15 style paintball gun.

This doesn't seem like it'd be that hard of a concept. A resetting trigger, and a hard plastic shell of the sort that litter the market from airsoft to toys. Like the laserlyte, close enough is close enough, as long as the simple laser mechanism lets you adjust the aim to properly zero it. The SIRT bolt accomplishes this using your existing gun (available in red and green lasers), but as mentioned having a spare fakegun set up to use as a dedicated trainer appeals.

I'm not averse to doing things myself, and could probably even bring it to market, but this seems like something that should already exist which is a far lazier option to acquire.

Tilting at Windmills, Savage Worlds Plan of Attack

In my previous discussion on this topic, I mentioned my intent to rework the absolutely abysmal equipment section included by default. I set out to make some vaguely simple rules for assembling weapons and armor within the way the system works, only for it to swiftly balloon in complexity and still not feel detailed enough. Still, it was handy trying to use the default system to be reminded why this is so important, but that also set a timeline on it;

I need a list. I know what the outputs of the various gear generators SHOULD be, and have a convenient list of everything ever in GURPS to reference for relative power and effectiveness of things. I have some real world measures of effectiveness (A single shot from a pistol is 85% survival rate, a stab from a large knife has the same wound characteristics as an FMJ pistol bullet, etc).

The reasons for making a gear list are twofold; the first is simple expedience. An incomplete gear creation system doesn't help my games queued up waiting on equipment that isn't awful and random. The second is to mine trends out of the completed chart, to make sure that the generator can craft all available options.

This is simultaneously a simpler and greater undertaking, as it will no doubt develop into a book not dissimilar to the GURPS Tech books, albeit a short and brief one.

Wish me luck.

Sunday Gunday, some actually real-gun related content: Vice is Terrible edition

https://www.vice.com/en_us/article/evd4we/the-good-guy-with-a-gun-theory-debunked

So, Vice, the most trustworthy of sites, partnered with the most unbiased source of The Trace to write an article about how guns are really the worst, ever, forever. I would love to give you a nice rundown and debunking, but it honestly hurts to read because there's so much shit science. Pretty much every statement is "We started with the assumption that guns were awful, and then when we looked we could find reasons to pin all ills upon them"

Having places that became more gun-friendly have less decline in crime doesn't mean ZOMG GUNS FUEL CRIMINALS, It might just be related to the fact that most of those places that kept their gun laws strict are contributing most of the crime.

Just... Have a read, if you can tolerate this much obvious bullshit packaged from an ivy league school that wishes you'd accept that you are a vile heathen and should submit to their will.

The folly of technology

I celebrated surviving another swing around the sun recently. As part of it, I just acquired a Samsung Gear Fit2 today.

I connected it to my phone with the manager, and attempted to update.

It got stuck in the update.

Then it shut down.

Now it won't restart.

Welp, time to bother the Samsung specialists at Best Buy to fix it, and potentially have the housemate who formerly worked as one show them how it's done.

Right, using this; Also new upper

Been quiet for a while. Had topics but precious little motivation, due to big projects at work beating me down. Those are pretty much all caught up now, and a load off my shoulders. Got a new car, nice compact SUV with decent fuel economy and some good capabilities that I'll possibly get a picture of sometime when I can be bothered.

Also bought a new AR-15 upper back in December, finally snapped a picture of it

An AR-57 and a couple of mags, plus a box of ammo for a steal. I expressed interest in it and the store owners began a bidwar with each other to offer a low enough price to get it off their damn wall.

The ammo's labeled "police and military only" from way back when it was first introduced and ZOMG hype better ban it because it can shoot through tanks its so armor piercing. This lead the bf to ask if it was better than 5.56

"No, no it's not. It's actually worse in almost literally every way. About 1/10 the power, more expensive, less range, strange and slow (but neat!) reloads, and I couldn't be happier"

This gun is basically my stupid fondness for pistol carbines, SMGs, and PDWs given its ultimate form. Now it just needs optics and somewhere to actually test it out.

Fantasy Friday: Transcribe Your Tomes

It had never made any sense. Why did everyone spend so many hours copying scrolls and spells into their books? I mean, sure, there's the extra bit of memory that comes from manually transcribing things, but he was a strong enough, fast enough reader to just cast right off the page. Breezed through his wizardy classes, always the first done on magical tests involving new spells, no problem.

Now it all made sense. A last minute proofread, a check to make sure everything is legible. All his classes, the professors had nice clean handwriting. This old scroll, a deal at the shop, looked like it contained rituals of untold power. It.... turns out it did not.

At least it was cheap.

Motor Monday: Opportunity Missed and Motorcycle Musings

On a business trip with my company to see applications of our products (volumetric fillers). We had some time to kill today, so we stopped at a classic car dealership with a side of museum to it right on the way to the hotel. As we were heading out the door I realized I should have taken pictures, but taking pictures isn't usually a thing I do. Oh well. 30s era cars continue to be gorgeous and we all agreed that something with modernized hardware and that kind of styling would be pretty great and we'd all want one if it was reasonable. We all lamented the PT Cruiser as an attempt that did it wrong but at least got a little credit for trying.


So, I've had my bike a few months now, barely put 200 miles on it because I won't ride unless I'm physically sound and mentally present, and I'm often very tired and have a moderate length commute. Went with a new bike because dodging issues and surprises associated with buying used... only to get a recall notice in the mail. Bah. Nothing major, mine didn't have the issue and it didn't cost me anything, so whatever.


Still having trouble figuring out leg armor that plays nice with a gun on the hip. Beginning to suspect I might either have to find a shoulder holster I like (vertical gun position instead of horizontal), belly band, or anything else that moves said gun off my hip, or just suck it up and strap motorcycle pants or chaps or whatever on over the top of it. I guess I can IWB my OWB by wearing a pair of armorpants.

Murderhoboing along

Things Players Do that Real People Never Would

I've run into other players that behaved in a manner that made me curious how they functioned in the real world, they were so poorly able to function in a simulated/imaginary one.

Dear every gun parts maker/seller

I appreciate that you offer specifications (sometimes), but it's not particularly helpful when you don't feature weight and that is the specific thing I'm shopping based on.

Going to be late to place my BAG day order to balance this stupid thing out because I'm trying to find a grip to add to the order still and can't tell which I want other than 'well that looks heavier maybe?"

Parts Cost

Been looking to beef up my AR-15 so it balances properly, and looking at one of the Magpul stocks (the UBR). Was kind of flabbergasted at the price, compared with other stocks, such as the $30 magpul one that I have now. Until I remembered that the UBR includes the $90-at-the-cheapest buffer, as well. Still pricier, but not so bad. Should have taken the advice, buy once cry once (at the time I hadn't seen the UBR, and didn't realize how ludicrously frontheavy my AR would be).

On the plus side, in addition to generally being a better stock (more cheek weld, sturdier, balance), you can buy an aluminum toothed strike plate for it. I want one, because reasons.

Thankfully, the flatmate is looking to begin building his own AR.

Edited because McThag complained of the lack of pictures of something I don't yet have to take pictures of, and was planning to do when it actually arrives. Here's what it'll look like when it arrives before it's mounted.

And with the strike plate

Guns Akimbo, musings on a ridiculous weapon technique

While on vacation, I had the pleasure of visiting a free-to-play arcade. One of the games I played was a light gun shooter, and after a bit I wound up using both the guns, as I often do. During this period of dual wielding, despite using two guns and using them to track and fire at separate targets as often as not, I ended the section with the approximately 78% accuracy with both hands. Presumably this is due to my double eye dominance. As I understand, most people have one hand or the other that's off target if they try to point both at an object. I do not have this problem.

Things of note while dual wielding in this manner. Using them both on a single target is quite easy, there's little to no indication that it's any different from a single gun firing at double rate when you can see the round impacts. However, it gets marginally harder within the front cone of view and no longer on a single target. Do do this, you unfocus your eyes to bring all targets into equal mental consideration. GURPS terms, I'd say it's a -1 within Tunnel Vision range, and a -1 to checks to identify specific targets. Out a little wider, I'd say it goes up to an additional -1, and further -2 for target ID when something moves into the field of view you're watching. 

That said, I definitely want a matched pair of somethings. 

Glock 17 Gen 4. I already have one, and you can switch the mag release to the other side for lefty use.

Glock 34, I'd need a pair, and probably go for custom engraving while I was at it. I want a gen4 34 eventually anyway, because longslide.

.22lr something. They're marginally cheaper than most full on handguns, and far easier to feed (in theory, anyway. Can we buy .22lr again? I haven't seen it in ages).

PLR-16s, piston drive AR-15s in .300 blk, or something in 5.45 or 7.62 x39 like a Krinkov or Draco pistol. They're light, enormous, and ridiculous, all of which are perfect. 

PLR-22. All the ridiculousness of above, but with the theoretical ease of feeding of .22lr.

Super Redhawk .454 with 10" barrels. These, in custom made show leather holsters, would be my guns for open carry were I ever to do so. I have a lot of the gunslinger aesthetic about how I dress, so it makes sense, also big magnums because again, ridiculousness is mandatory (and I can keep control of a magnum one handed with very little difficulty)

Zimmerman

I have a theory.

If you call the press and say "George Zimmerman Did A Thing", you can get 100% of reporters within 100 miles and the interest of all journalists in the country.

They'll probably have the report that Zimmerman is a big mean doodie head published faster than various emergency services can arrive at any given scene.

Dern it; flashlight edition

My Protach 1L flashlight has gone missing. Was wearing a pair of fancy, thin fabric dress pants yesterday, so it may have managed to slip out sometime during the day, because my phone and keys are both enormous and could have caught on it. If it turns up around the apartment, I suppose I'll give it to someone, since I'm upgrading to a 2L flashlight for more power.

On the plus side, it lasted more than a whole year, which is a long time. My pockets grind things into powder in remarkably short time.

I'm also still waiting on the buffer retainer pin for my AR-15, thinking I'm just going to order one when I buy a nice stack of Magpul 40 rounders.

Galdernit

Something in intermediate caliber pistol with a wrist brace was on my list of things to buy. The ATF has figured out that if you let people have a really easily available loophole around a stupid, bullshit law, they're going to take it, and have moved said wristbraces into weird legal territory of "perfectly legal unless you do things with it in which case it becomes Super Illegal Forever" because once something gets classed as an SBR it is an SBR forever because that makes perfect sense.

Don't get me wrong, I still plan to get my .300 BLK and/or 5.45x39 pistols because along with SMGs, intermediate caliber pistols are something I have an unabashed, unreasonable love for (also, because They say you should use a pistol for home defense, right? It's technically a pistol, it counts!)

Headlines; What they say vs. what really happened.

http://www.jrn.com/tmj4/news/Actor-known-as-Screech-from-Saved-by-the-Bell-arrested-in-Ozaukee-County-286876021.html

Screech from Saved by the Bell got arrested up here right near my town. The headline that shows up all around the social media says it's because of the switchblade he had.

What they DON'T mention until you actually click through for more, is the fact that he stabbed someone in a barfight and fled the scene. Quite a world of difference between assault and "You had something we said not to have".

For reference, carriage of arms without a license (anything, even a 1.75" blade pocketknife, can still be counted as a concealed weapon if the police decide they don't like you) is a misdemeanor, and I believe that so is possession of a switchblade, because WI is still stuck in the 50s where only gangsters and greasers have switchblades and banning them turns them into harmless law abiding citizens.

Motor Monday: Concept Supertires, Why American motorcycles kinda suck, and Pretty Bikes

Not quite Rollcages, but I'd happily have a go in one of those things.


Anyway, on to bikes

http://lanesplitter.jalopnik.com/why-no-one-will-sell-you-the-bike-you-want-1641411378
Motorcycles are dangerous. It's inherent to the design, asking less surface area to do more, the fact that cars can't fall over (and don't try to do so if you attempt to slow down while turning, because they aren't leaned halfway over using the lean to keep from falling completely over). But there's a fair bit of distance between the inherent danger of motorcycles and how many people manage to get killed or kill themselves with them. Why?
Because of how they've been marketed in the States. Other countries with colossal motorcycle ridership don't have anywhere near the death rate from them we do. They also don't have motorcycles where "Enough horsepower to smear your remains across FOUR COUNTIES!" is a selling point.

Another problem with the motorcycling crowd is the resistance to safety gear, or insufficient safety gear. With the right gear, life is a hell of a lot safer.
http://indefinitelywild.gizmodo.com/everything-you-ever-wanted-to-know-about-motorcycle-sa-1596858706 The things people can and have walked away from after motorcycle crashes are frankly astonishing. Combined with above (driving things back towards bikes that aren't 40 billion tons and marketed as ludicrously expensive toys that will kill you), it would seem quite reasonable to assume that a good full suit of motorcycle armor should just be factored in as part of the price of the bike.

Also, a lot of them make you look like a damn space marine. I've yet to figure out why people don't like the idea of the protective gear. I'd go around dressed like a space marine all the time if I could get away with it.


And now, a few pretty bikes. Have some Futuristic Streamliner and Art Deco.

More at the link

More at the link

IT IS DONE

Kind of. All the AR-15 parts are here, except for the Buffer Retainer that they missed sticking in the parts kit. The Upper has been in town a while, apparently, somewhere my apartment number got missed, and the "Hey, pick this up or we're sending it back" message didn't arrive until today, the day it was scheduled to ship out. It is safely with me now, and very, very nice. Can't wait to have that one missing pin so I can put the rest of it together (Other than that retainer, everything is together and ready for assembly. Unfortunately I live somewhere where nobody anywhere has AR-15 parts that I can just go buy, so I have to either see if I can get Brownells to send me one, or order one.)

I also got 5 posters and a hat out of all the various parts I ordered, and quite a few stickers that I have no idea where I'll put because I never use stickers.