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Message no. 1
From: dghost@****.com dghost@****.com
Subject: Custom Armor
Date: Tue, 19 Oct 1999 22:17:44 -0700
I'm going to make a system for custom armor (intended to replace most
armor) based on the armor system on page 49 of Cybertechnology. I'm
doing this because I don't think the current system (with an Armored
Jacket covering less of the body, but providing better protection than, a
Lined Coat) makes sense.

Therefore I've divided the armor locations into:
Head
Front Torso
Rear Torso
Upper Arms (shoulder to elbow)
Lower Arms (elbow to wrist)
Upper Legs (hip to knee)
Lower Legs (knee to ankle)

In this system, each location has its own armor rating used for called
shots. To find the overall armor rating, use the following formula:
(Head + Front Torso + Rear Torso + (Upper Arms + Lower Arms)/2 +
(Upper Legs + Lower Legs)/2)/5, round down.

My idea was to define the costs for certain articles of clothing (Jacket,
evening gown, pants, etc ...) and apply a multiplier for the type of
material used. Then, using the above formula, calculate the armor
rating.

I'm not sure how to define concealability or weight...

First, what materials should I define?
I was thinking:
Balistic Cloth (low rating, high concealability)
Blastic Plating (high rating, low concealability)
High Quality Balistic Cloth or Plating (as above but higher
concealability and price)
DuPont Crystle (See NAGtRL) (EXPENSIVE, very high conceal, low rating)
DuPont Crystle and faux diamonds (See NAGtRL) (as above)
Polymer (??? - the form fitting armored underwear, Modest ratings, very
high concealability, and modest cost)
Real and Synthetic Leather (Impact protection only, not normally
considered "armor")
Any thing else?

Next the clothing:
Areas covered are denoted as:
Head [H]
Front Torso [FT]
Rear Torso [RT]
Upper Arms [UA]
Lower Arms [LA]
Upper Legs [UL]
Lower Legs [LL]

Base Cost may be affect by factors such as designer make (x1-x3+), rarity
(an original WW II bomber jacket), etc ...

Clothing Areas Covered Base Cost
Cloak# RT,UA,UL ???
Dress* FT,RT,UA,LA,UL,LL 500?
Jacket FT,RT,UA,LA,UL 50
Kilt (See Skirt Entry) ???
Long Coat FT,RT,UA,LA,UL,LL 100?
Pants UL,LL 20
Skirt UL 20?
Sleeved Shirt FT,RT,UA,LA 15
T-Shirt FT,RT,UA 10
Vest FT,RT 25?
#A cloak's coverage may vary depending on how it is worn. However,
calculate the armor rating as if it covered the listed areas.
*Assumes full-length, sleeved, and with a back (and front ;). Variations
may reduce the area covered.

Are there any articles of clothing that I left out that you think I
should include?

(Btw, I'm not including Security or Military armor since I consider those
special cases ... This is for concealable armor clothing.)

Did I forget anything?

--
D. Ghost
Outside of a dog, a book is a man's best friend.
Inside of a dog, it's too dark to read.
-Groucho Marx

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Message no. 2
From: dbuehrer@****.org dbuehrer@****.org
Subject: Custom Armor
Date: Wed, 20 Oct 1999 07:28:27 -0600
dghost@****.com wrote:

[snip: armor locations and types]

\ Did I forget anything?

Are you going to do the same thing for vehicles, and buildings, and
anything else the runners could conceivably shoot? :)

I worked on a hit/armor location system for a little while, until I
realized where I was headed. After that, Shadowrun's armor rules were much
more attractive ;)

-Graht
--
"The battles that count aren't the ones for gold medals.
The struggles within yourself; the invisible, inevitable
battles inside all of us; that's where it's at."
-Jesse Owens
Message no. 3
From: dghost@****.com dghost@****.com
Subject: Custom Armor
Date: Wed, 20 Oct 1999 14:21:49 -0700
On Wed, 20 Oct 1999 07:28:27 -0600 dbuehrer@****.org writes:
> dghost@****.com wrote:
>
> [snip: armor locations and types]
>
> \ Did I forget anything?
>
> Are you going to do the same thing for vehicles, and buildings, and
> anything else the runners could conceivably shoot? :)
>
> I worked on a hit/armor location system for a little while, until I
> realized where I was headed. After that, Shadowrun's armor rules were
much
> more attractive ;)

the point isn't to create a detailed armor/hit location system, it's to
make players more concious about what their armor covers. The individual
hit locations are meant to be used only for called shots. Otherwise, the
system's meant to give overall protection without layering armor.
Additionally, it allows for custom armor (ie, you pick an article of
clothing and now how much the armored version costs.).

Judging from most games I've played in, the hit locations, and therefore
the individual armor values, would rarely come into play. Also, It makes
sense (IMO) that a called shot to the chest on someone wearing an armored
vest that provides 3 points of overall ballistic protection will be
defended against by more than 3 points of ballistic protection ...

--
D. Ghost
Outside of a dog, a book is a man's best friend.
Inside of a dog, it's too dark to read.
-Groucho Marx

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