Random Events

Locked
User avatar
Tyrel Lohr
Vice Admiral
Vice Admiral
Posts: 1466
Joined: Thu Oct 04, 2007 3:48 am
Location: Lusk, WY
Contact:

Random Events

Post by Tyrel Lohr »

In 1E, the random events rules were optional. However, in 2E, they will be an integral part of the game system. The reasoning for this change stems from the fact that, during earlier playtesting, it was found that having to make separate empire-wide morale, piracy, etc. checks for an empire was simply too onerous and time consuming. It is simpler to just require X number of rolls on the Random Events Chart each campaign turn, where X is based on your empire's GDP or Census (still trying to decide whether GDP / 50 or Census / 10 is the better determinant; Census seems a better fit).

Instead of a single random event chart, 2E is going to have one chart that the player will roll on to determine the type of random event, and then subordinate charts for each type of random event. The reason for this change is so that CMs can add, change, or modify individual charts in their campaigns.

Based on the charts that I have created to this point, you can expect to roll a D10 on an initial chart to see which subordinate chart to roll on, then roll a D10 on that chart for an actual effect. So it remains effectively a D100 roll, just in two stages. Now, the first chart may be converted to a 2D6 or 2D10 by the end; I really thinking that we need to have Morale and Piracy to have a greater chance of being rolled compared to other options, but I am still a bit on the fence on that one. Either way seems to work, and there is some crossover possibilities between some of the related charts (ex: loss of Census would also affect Morale).

-Tyrel
[i]"Touch not the pylons, for they are the messengers!"[/i]
wminsing
Commander
Commander
Posts: 158
Joined: Sun Oct 21, 2007 3:06 pm

Post by wminsing »

This sounds good to me- in my semi-playtest solo campaign earlier, I did find all the different campaign-wide checks became onerous.

I'd base the # of checks on census rather then GDP- presumably the intent is to have the number of checks go up with the 'size' of the Empire, and I think Census is a better indicator of 'size' then GDP would be. This might also be a good place to resurrect the 'Imperial Prestige' concept that was in the Piracy rules.

I'd actually strongly consider leaving the first chart as a straight D10- the reason for this is if we want to allow a CM to customize the chart, a straight D10 roll would be easier to manage then looking at the bell curve produced by 2dx and deciding how often the result should occur. If an event really should occur more often, then it just gets more 'slots' in the chart.

So the first chart might look like this:
1 - Piracy
2 - Piracy
3- Economy
4- Military
6- Political
7- Intel
8-Census
9- Morale
10- Morale

So Piracy and Morale still occur more often, but otherwise it's an equal chance for everything else. So if you're doing a 'Star Trek' game you can remove 'Economy' (Star Trek never has economic crises) and replace it with 'Technobabble' which links to a new 'Technobabble Event' chart. :)

Also, would all events be negative, or would positive events be mixed in there as well?

-Will
"Ships and sail proper for the heavenly air should be fashioned. Then there will also be people, who do not shrink from the dreary vastness of space."
-- Johannes Kepler, 1609
User avatar
Tyrel Lohr
Vice Admiral
Vice Admiral
Posts: 1466
Joined: Thu Oct 04, 2007 3:48 am
Location: Lusk, WY
Contact:

Post by Tyrel Lohr »

The only issue I was having with a straight D10 is that just based on the infrastructure stats you end up using 8 slots, then you add Piracy and Economy and you run out of options. An alternative that reduces the number of required charts is to combine similar elements onto the same charts. So "Economic" might have Census, RAW, PGP, and EP modifiers on that chart, while "Industry" might have Productivity, Shipyards, etc.

In a perfect world, we would probably have 40% of the base Random Events Chart taken up by Morale and Piracy events, with the remaining 60% affecting colony or planet statistics.

The effects on random event charts should be split 50/50 between good and bad results. That way a player could get a +1 RAW or +1 Productivity, but at the same time they might get -1 Carrying Capacity or -1 Census.

It is a shame that D12 and D20 dice aren't used in VBAM, because one of those two die types would be perfect for this type of thing. But we are trying to keep ourselves to D6 and D10 when at all possible.

-Tyrel
[i]"Touch not the pylons, for they are the messengers!"[/i]
BLHarrison
Lieutanant Commander
Lieutanant Commander
Posts: 72
Joined: Thu Nov 12, 2009 6:02 pm

Post by BLHarrison »

Tyrel Lohr wrote:It is a shame that D12 and D20 dice aren't used in VBAM, because one of those two die types would be perfect for this type of thing. But we are trying to keep ourselves to D6 and D10 when at all possible.
-Tyrel
You can simulate a d20 by using a d6 and a d10. d6 1-3 = d10+0, d6 4-6 = d10 + 10
Gareth_Perkins
Captain
Captain
Posts: 242
Joined: Wed Oct 10, 2007 11:39 am
Location: Exeter; UK

Post by Gareth_Perkins »

Have you considered pairing off infrastructure stats? That way each sub-table has effects for two different stats?

That gets you down to four table results? So you then have plenty of room to manoeuvre,

The catch being that swapping tables out and in becomes a little more annoying - and there is some elegance to 1D10/1D10 (especially as it can be rolled in one go with two differently coloured dice),
Gareth Lazelle
User avatar
Tyrel Lohr
Vice Admiral
Vice Admiral
Posts: 1466
Joined: Thu Oct 04, 2007 3:48 am
Location: Lusk, WY
Contact:

Post by Tyrel Lohr »

Gareth_Perkins wrote:Have you considered pairing off infrastructure stats? That way each sub-table has effects for two different stats?
There are some of the stats that would go well together doing that, but then others it becomes a bit harder to rationalize. I think what we will see on the final random events charts is an overarching concept that then subsumes one or more stats. For example, right now it looks like we will have a "Military Events Chart" which will include modifiers for Shipyards and Supply plus whatever else seems appropriate. An "Economic Events Chart" would then include modifiers for Census, RAW, and pure EP gain/loss.

-Tyrel
[i]"Touch not the pylons, for they are the messengers!"[/i]
Locked