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Message no. 1
From: David Buehrer <dbuehrer@****.ORG>
Subject: Critters and Wound Modifiers
Date: Wed, 7 May 1997 08:14:42 -0600
<opening up to criticism>

I've always heard that the most dangeous animal is a wounded one.
Does anybody out there with RL experience feel that wound modifiers
should *not* be applied to nonsentient critters?

My thinking is that with people the pain from the wound interferes
with thinking clearly. Animals however go on instinct and I would
assume that instinct is not affected by pain, and in fact pain may
tigger instincts that balance it out.

-David
--
/^\/^\/^\/^\/^\/^\/^\ dbuehrer@****.org /^\/^\/^\/^\/^\/^\/^\
"His thoughts tumbled in his head, making and breaking
alliances like underpants in a dryer without Cling Free."
~~~http://www.geocities.com/TimesSquare/1068/homepage.htm~~~~
Message no. 2
From: James Paulsen <lowfyr@***********.COM>
Subject: Re: Critters and Wound Modifiers
Date: Wed, 7 May 1997 12:33:29 -0500
David Buehrer wrote:
>
>
> I've always heard that the most dangeous animal is a wounded one.
> Does anybody out there with RL experience feel that wound modifiers
> should *not* be applied to nonsentient critters?
>
> My thinking is that with people the pain from the wound interferes
> with thinking clearly. Animals however go on instinct and I would
> assume that instinct is not affected by pain, and in fact pain may
> tigger instincts that balance it out.
> That's an extrememly valid point that I hadn't considered before and I
have two RL experiences that help me lean that way in my game.

I have seen a black bear shot and run slightly less than fifty yards
before falling. When it was dressed, it was discovered that the heart
had been blown completely out of the chest cavity. Had it wanted to do
damage in that last fifty yards, it very well could have.

Another incident involved hitting a timber wolf doing seventy miles an
hour with a pick up. I didn't see it until it was in front of the car
and too late. After the impact, it rose up, seemingly unhurt, and
vanished at a run across a field and into the woods.

Even though both of these animals (probably) died, I like the idea of
maybe not ignorring wound modifiers per se, but toning them down
slightly, so that a L wound=no mods, M wound=L wound modifiers, M=S
modifiers and so on down the line until they are put down.

But I also think it is important to keep the animal in mind--a flying
squirrel is not going to be able to take a lot of damage from an assault
cannon round, etc. This will probably go into my house rules for certain
critter only.

Anyway, enough said,

Thanks for the idea,

Jim (who's sick to death of watching his critters get put down with one
bullet).
Message no. 3
From: "MARTIN E. GOTTHARD" <s457033@*******.GU.EDU.AU>
Subject: Re: Critters and Wound Modifiers
Date: Sat, 10 May 1997 13:35:56 +1000
> I've always heard that the most dangeous animal is a wounded one.
> Does anybody out there with RL experience feel that wound modifiers
> should *not* be applied to nonsentient critters?
>
> My thinking is that with people the pain from the wound interferes
> with thinking clearly. Animals however go on instinct and I would
> assume that instinct is not affected by pain, and in fact pain may
> tigger instincts that balance it out.
>

I had trouble with that kind of thing in my game; I never used to apply
wound modifiers to insect spirits, whether true or flesh form.... A lot
of the players bitched at me for it. I think it makes sense for insects,
but for other (para)normal critters? <shrug>

I think most of the wound modifiers in SR are meant to represent a
general breakdown in function due to pain as well as actual damage (a bit
hard to shoot straight when you've had a round through the shoulder)...

Whether or not you're thinking clearly, a serious wound is going to do
things to your body that you _can't_ compensate for without turning off
those parts of the nervous system that deal with feedback (ie where Pain
Editors and Damage Comps. come in). It's a natural response by the body
to minimise further damage.

I'd say that critters get affected the same way (unless they're cybered
with the above mods). For an analogy; A dog with broken ribs isn't going
to be able to bite you as 'skillfully' as a dog that's in top condition.

As far as wounded animals being dangerous; I'd agree but most animals
if hurt, would run away and try again later.... Only the most ferocious
predators, or those that don't feel pain, will ignore a wound. Sharks
are a good example of that kind of critter.

(Useless info for the day; Fishermen that accidently haul in sharks often
gut them and put them back overboard; The shark will eat its own
intestines in a feeding frenzy until it dies)

Marty

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