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Message no. 1
From: "S. Keith Graham" <vapspcx@***.GATECH.EDU>
Subject: PSI initial abilities
Date: Mon, 14 Nov 1994 18:08:33 -0500
Well, I finished some of Mercedes Lackey's books this weekend, and
she featured the mental powers fairly heavily.

Some of the themes in common with most of the rest of the literature,
that I'd like to see in our system:

#1: People have individual strengths and weaknesses. You may be good
at Farseeing, but not so good TK, and unable to PyroKinese. And
these are built into your wiring. You can hone those abilities,
get more skill using them, but there is some natural limit. Some
folks just can't jump high enough to slam dunk the ball. A full
PSI just has more wiring than an "Adept". A Wild probably has a
default skill, but is unable to train it.

#2: An untrained but active PSI is very vulnerable to other PSIs. (But
if you're still latent, you're safe.)

#4: It is not uncommon for Mages to be PSIs, but they are usually of a
lesser potential.

(We've already got the fact that they are similiar in some kinds of
thought, in that some PSIs trained as Mages. I assume allowing
someone to go Pick A / Pick B with 2 different columns is the
right way to go to allow #4.))

Comments, in particular to #1?

Keith Graham
vapspcx@***.gatech.edu
Message no. 2
From: "Robert A. Hayden" <hayden@*******.MANKATO.MSUS.EDU>
Subject: Re: PSI initial abilities
Date: Mon, 14 Nov 1994 21:16:07 -0600
On Mon, 14 Nov 1994, S. Keith Graham wrote:

> #1: People have individual strengths and weaknesses. You may be good
> at Farseeing, but not so good TK, and unable to PyroKinese. And
> these are built into your wiring. You can hone those abilities,
> get more skill using them, but there is some natural limit. Some
> folks just can't jump high enough to slam dunk the ball. A full
> PSI just has more wiring than an "Adept". A Wild probably has a
> default skill, but is unable to train it.

Sorta: Adepts are your one-dicipline experts. Wilds, as of the last
incarnation, are adepts with zero training (only a rating of two in their
chosen dicipline and no known abilities, thus only able to hack a force 1
power).

> #2: An untrained but active PSI is very vulnerable to other PSIs. (But
> if you're still latent, you're safe.)

Wilds are fairly vulnerable. We still have to work out the details of
HOW vulnerable they are, and how psi-combat works.

> #4: It is not uncommon for Mages to be PSIs, but they are usually of a
> lesser potential.
>
> (We've already got the fact that they are similiar in some kinds of
> thought, in that some PSIs trained as Mages. I assume allowing
> someone to go Pick A / Pick B with 2 different columns is the
> right way to go to allow #4.))

A for psi, B for mage, C for tech. Gives you a human Full Psi, and a
magician adept, with the tech points to cough up for both.
____ Robert A. Hayden <=> hayden@*******.mankato.msus.edu
\ /__ -=-=-=-=- <=> -=-=-=-=-
\/ / Finger for Geek Code Info <=> I do not necessarily speak for the
\/ Finger for PGP Public Key <=> City of Mankato or anyone else
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Message no. 3
From: "J.D. Falk" <jdfalk@****.CAIS.COM>
Subject: Re: PSI initial abilities
Date: Tue, 15 Nov 1994 18:35:39 -0500
On Mon, 14 Nov 1994, S. Keith Graham wrote:

> #1: People have individual strengths and weaknesses. You may be good
> at Farseeing, but not so good TK, and unable to PyroKinese. And
> these are built into your wiring. You can hone those abilities,
> get more skill using them, but there is some natural limit. Some
> folks just can't jump high enough to slam dunk the ball. A full
> PSI just has more wiring than an "Adept". A Wild probably has a
> default skill, but is unable to train it.

That'd be hard to put into the rules. The way it is now, you can
be (A) Really, really good at one discipline, (B) Good at one discipline
and okay at another few, or (C) passable at all of them. Of course,
there are many and varied degrees of B, but you get the idea.
I agree that the above makes sense -- I just don't see how it can
be added to the rules without seeming extremely contrived.

-------------========== J.D. Falk <jdfalk@****.com> =========-------------
| "Love thy neighbor as thyself, but choose your neighborhood." |
| -Louise Beal |
----========== ftp://cais.com/pub/jdfalk/html/homepage.html ==========----
Message no. 4
From: Jordan Keister <jordank@*******.TAMU.EDU>
Subject: Re: PSI initial abilities (fwd)
Date: Tue, 15 Nov 1994 18:07:38 +0000
Gen-

Following on the tail of JD Falk's response; not only is it fairly
difficult to avoid the feeling of exceptional artificiality, but what you are
essentially doing is trying to enforce the players following the particular
brand of role-playing that you espouse. That's rather a draconian
approach, by my view.

Forwarded message:
> On Mon, 14 Nov 1994, S. Keith Graham wrote:
> > #1: People have individual strengths and weaknesses. You may be good
> > at Farseeing, but not so good TK, and unable to PyroKinese. And
> > these are built into your wiring. You can hone those abilities,
> > get more skill using them, but there is some natural limit. Some
> > folks just can't jump high enough to slam dunk the ball. A full
> > PSI just has more wiring than an "Adept". A Wild probably has a
> > default skill, but is unable to train it.



--

Dark Thought Publications & Doom Technologies, Inc.
>>> Working on solutions best left in the dark.

[I'm baaaaaaaaaaaack!]
Message no. 5
From: "S. Keith Graham" <vapspcx@***.GATECH.EDU>
Subject: Re: PSI initial abilities
Date: Tue, 15 Nov 1994 21:43:43 -0500
>On Mon, 14 Nov 1994, S. Keith Graham wrote:

>> #1: People have individual strengths and weaknesses. You may be good
>> at Farseeing, but not so good TK, and unable to PyroKinese. And
>> these are built into your wiring. You can hone those abilities,
>> get more skill using them, but there is some natural limit. Some
>> folks just can't jump high enough to slam dunk the ball. A full
>> PSI just has more wiring than an "Adept". A Wild probably has a
>> default skill, but is unable to train it.

> That'd be hard to put into the rules. The way it is now, you can
>be (A) Really, really good at one discipline, (B) Good at one discipline
>and okay at another few, or (C) passable at all of them. Of course,
>there are many and varied degrees of B, but you get the idea.
> I agree that the above makes sense -- I just don't see how it can
>be added to the rules without seeming extremely contrived.

Well, we could put in something to restrict your power from ever more
than doubling..

We could allow you to buy maximum values at the beginning.

Alternately, have a power and a skill, and have the power never go up..
(But let you raise your skill.)

I dunno, just throwing out ideas.

But it was a good theme, and it kept a single person from being
overpowering, but a mega-pyrokinetic with a farsee-er could do lots
of damage...

Keith Graham
vapspcx@***.gatech.edu
Message no. 6
From: "Robert A. Hayden" <hayden@*******.MANKATO.MSUS.EDU>
Subject: Re: PSI initial abilities
Date: Wed, 16 Nov 1994 11:34:48 -0600
On Tue, 15 Nov 1994, S. Keith Graham wrote:

> Well, we could put in something to restrict your power from ever more
> than doubling..

Kludge

> We could allow you to buy maximum values at the beginning.

Kludge

> Alternately, have a power and a skill, and have the power never go up..
> (But let you raise your skill.)

Kludge

> But it was a good theme, and it kept a single person from being
> overpowering, but a mega-pyrokinetic with a farsee-er could do lots
> of damage...

The thing is that these "mega-powerful" types exist in magic and if you
thing about it are perfectly realistic. Some people are just good at one
thing and with practice they get REALLY good at it.

____ Robert A. Hayden <=> hayden@*******.mankato.msus.edu
\ /__ -=-=-=-=- <=> -=-=-=-=-
\/ / Finger for Geek Code Info <=> I do not necessarily speak for the
\/ Finger for PGP Public Key <=> City of Mankato or anyone else
-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-
(GEEK CODE 2.1) GJ/CM d- H-- s-:++>s-:+ g+ p? au+ a- w++ v* C++(++++) UL++++$
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j R+++$ G- tv+ b+ D+ B--- e+>++(*) u** h* f r-->+++ !n y++**
Message no. 7
From: Nightfox <DJWA@******.UCC.NAU.EDU>
Subject: Re: PSI initial abilities (fwd)
Date: Thu, 17 Nov 1994 20:55:03 -0700
>From: Jordan Keister <jordank@*******.TAMU.EDU>

>Dark Thought Publications & Doom Technologies, Inc.
>>>> Working on solutions best left in the dark.
>
>[I'm baaaaaaaaaaaack!]

hmmm. TAMU - that means Texas A&M University

Dark Thought Publications & Doom Technologies, Inc.

Hmmm Its a good possibility that its either Flare or Loki
Though I really don't know - the name Jordan Keister don't ring a bell.

Nightfox
Message no. 8
From: Jordan Keister <jordank@*******.TAMU.EDU>
Subject: Re: PSI initial abilities (fwd)
Date: Fri, 18 Nov 1994 10:14:11 +0000
Forwarded message:
>
> >From: Jordan Keister <jordank@*******.TAMU.EDU>
>
> >Dark Thought Publications & Doom Technologies, Inc.
> >>>> Working on solutions best left in the dark.
> >
> >[I'm baaaaaaaaaaaack!]
>
> hmmm. TAMU - that means Texas A&M University
>
> Dark Thought Publications & Doom Technologies, Inc.
>
> Hmmm Its a good possibility that its either Flare or Loki
> Though I really don't know - the name Jordan Keister don't ring a bell.
>
> Nightfox
>

Nightfox-

Try both, including (but not limited to) Father Clement, Blinder,
and Scratch.

It's all due to this bloddy bass-ackwards Unix system I'm on (or should I
say; its sysop). I feel like I'm in the bloody Korn shell. Help!

Long time no hear, Nightfox.



--

Dark Thought Publications & Doom Technologies, Inc.
>>> Working on solutions best left in the dark.
<a href="http://visage2.tamu.edu/~jordank">Loki's Homepage</a>
Message no. 9
From: "Robert A. Hayden" <hayden@*******.MANKATO.MSUS.EDU>
Subject: Re: PSI initial abilities (fwd)
Date: Fri, 18 Nov 1994 11:25:01 -0600
On Fri, 18 Nov 1994, Jordan Keister wrote:

> It's all due to this bloddy bass-ackwards Unix system I'm on (or should I
> say; its sysop). I feel like I'm in the bloody Korn shell. Help!

Note that there is a move to get the Korn shell renamed to the Kosh
shell. Why? Because "it is efficient."

____ Robert A. Hayden <=> hayden@*******.mankato.msus.edu
\ /__ -=-=-=-=- <=> -=-=-=-=-
\/ / Finger for Geek Code Info <=> I do not necessarily speak for the
\/ Finger for PGP Public Key <=> City of Mankato or anyone else
-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-
(GEEK CODE 2.1) GJ/CM d- H-- s-:++>s-:+ g+ p? au+ a- w++ v* C++(++++) UL++++$
P+>++ L++$ 3- E---- N+++ K+++ W M+ V-- -po+(---)>$ Y++ t+ 5+++
j R+++$ G- tv+ b+ D+ B--- e+>++(*) u** h* f r-->+++ !n y++**

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