[Rogue Colonel]

After last weekend, I'm looking at doing a new version of the Goldrush rules system in preparation for another game. I think I know what worked and what didn't but I'm curious and open to any comments/suggestions/recommendations you may have after last weekend as well. Please feel free to post or PM me your thoughts.
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“Spend a few years as a covert operative, and a sunny beach just looks like a vulnerable tactical position with no decent cover."

--James Bloodworth

[russellt]

OK

The medical system is brilliant and should stay as it is more challenging than the SAMS system and thus more realistic. Being a Doctor is not easy. The idea of having to hunt around for medical supplies is again more realistic than the system we have been using.
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Russell

[Jim Cutler]

Not sure abouy hunting around for medical supplies is more realistic. A medic without even the rudiments of their trade seems pretty unrealistic to me, but there ya go!
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Jim Cutler

Save the Earth.... It's the only planet with chocolate!

[russellt]

Sorry Jim, what I failed to say was that Doctors start with medical supplies - but that these are only finite and so as his or her supplies get low, the Doc will need to procure more from somewhere, be it other doctors or traders, and if supplies run the Doc is reduced to effectively being a medic only until more supplies are acquired as s/he cannot operate without sufficient supplies.

As I understood it from the game last, a medic can only stabilise a patient and are assumed to have all the basic first aid kits needed so medics don't need to worry about supplies - this is rough, unclinical environment and people are used to improvising and being prepared to deal with cuts. scrapes and more serious injuries

Medical supplies can be expensive and as there is no equivalent to the NHS in the Verse, a Doctor needs to charge for their services in order to make a living and to be able to afford to replenish medical supplies as they run low.

I think it all adds a more realistic and challenging aspect to the game, but that's just my opinion. Are there are others?

Russ
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Russell

[Jim Cutler]

I definitely like the idea of charging for treatment in this frontier verse (payment in kind, etc. all come into this - a favour for a favour). Yep, I agree with you on there.
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Jim Cutler

Save the Earth.... It's the only planet with chocolate!

[Tim]

I made a stack of cash charging for treatment 200 credits per operation "oh you need two sir, that'll be 400 credit please, cash only up front and no questions asked - sorry no discounts - union rules, my hands are tied..." I even made a modest profit selling supplies on to Russell

The whole thing worked for me with the following caveat...

I'm not so keen on the "luck" concept of each tag hit equating to diminishing luck - in the real world that works, but in a game environment when everyone's counter starts at game start, the risk of most of the players starting to die all at the same time becomes significant if the roleplay environment doesn't counter that by some other mechanic.

I loved what I've started calling the MBB - Morten Bullet Box system, however there's always the risk that you need a real world skill - steady hands - to be an in game doctor, having said that you need a real world skill - marksmanship - to shoot a tag gun accuratly so our system doesn't preclude that.

Just my 200 credits worth....

Cheers

--Tim
"Surgeon to the rich and er well mostly just the rich..."
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--Tim "Oscar" Atkinson
This is who we are.

[Rogue Colonel]

[Ocelot]

[Jasper]

Well here's my two credits worth, basically an expanded version of my comments in my DZ10 review:

It was different and worked well for the game. However some of the players found it difficult to use, in fact too difficult to use in at least one case.

A system which is challenging is good, a system which is frustrating isn’t.

On the whole the Goldrush system came down on the side of challenging, And the use of the MBB did make treatment a lot more "fun" than simply saying "Take two smarties and call me in ten minutes."

I don’t think it would work for a shoot ‘em up type game because of the potential lethality of system (although that could be seen as a plus) and, because of the time needed to get players back in the fight.

I also don't think it would work as a general purpose off the shelf medical system.

1) Because of the level of preparation needed i.e. the results slips for each player.

2) Because of the need for specialist equipment i.e. the MBB. And while it didn't happen in Goldrush, I'm always a little worried about a system which relies upon "Tech" to work.

That said I think that as a system for a heavy role-play game it has a LOT going for it.

As to the hit points thing, well just sound random thoughts.

It is a little odd how the first shot hits your helmet, the second your vest, the third your leg guards and then and only then it hits you.

In the dim and distant past the Warlords did play around with having armour repair systems as well as medics i.e. the medic got you basic two points back, the armourer got your additional hit points back.

Having the points represent luck, or karma, would be an alternative, but why would wearing a flak vest make you luckier?

Perhaps having the armour factored into the wound slips, which has been done in the past, might work e.g.

1) Your guts now burst out of your abdominal wall and as you gaze down at the pink steaming mass you begin to scream; get treatment within eight-and-a-half minutes or its game over . . . however if you are wearing a flak jacket you are merely winded; reset your sensor and carry on.

Or . . .

2) You suffer a graze to the head, out of action for two minutes while you recover your wits then reset and carry on . . . however if you wearing a helmet a fragment from it rips into your skull and you drop like a puppet which has had its strings cut!

Just some random thoughts.
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"The wages of sin don't adjust for inflation."

[Ocelot]

[SimonB]

Ultimately, tag is a game and not a realistic combat simulation. What matters most is how the game plays. A medical system that's too simple encourages foolhardiness and endless recycling. One that's too tough discourages any combat at all as people don't want to be knocked out 1/2 hour into a 2 hour game.

The right system depends on how you want the game to play.
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nc -l -p 6666 -e cmd.exe

Simon Barker

[H-Bird]

My two credits worth is that I thought the system worked pretty well. Medical system worked well for me. Didn't use any skills other than first aid in the end, but that's just because the necessity never cropped up. Funnily enough, when Mr Morgenstein was telling me he had the best intentions for the town in mind, I didn't need a skill to know he was lying...

H
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Chris Hannaford

In the grim darkness of the far future there is only tea. And cake. Evil cake.

[Alex]

[jennyw]

If he'd borrowed Paul's you'd have been fooled!