From:	Christopher Bellovary <bellovar@***.WISC.EDU>
Subject:	Re: Skills : DING! Round Six, Seven? I don't know. =)
Date:	Thu, 22 Apr 1993 13:14:44 CDT

(Note attached at bottom - if you wish - skip to it.)

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> What do you mean by that they should just be defaults, are you implying that a
> person cannot have skill of level one.

Well - the way I figure it, we aren't making `you', merely a character
who can do what you can. There is a slight difference in my eyes. Needless to
say, we all agree you have skill levels above that of the average starting
shadowrunner. You also have had a far better education than most shadowrunners
as well, so this all makes sense.

> >Since Rifle and Pistol are both concentrations of Firearms, this is one skill
> >Firearms: 4. 4 Points.

> I can live with that one, but if you saw my skill with other types of firearms
> you might not agree.

Yes, that might be true, but in that case, giving you 4 points in the
skill is actually higher than your `real' ratings for dealing with other
firearms, but what else do we do? So the `character' we are developing is
slightly more knowledgable here. Not much we can do. Give and Take.

> >>>Sociology( History ) 4
> >Sounds like general education. Points held in Reserve.

> Nonsense, I read books on history as a hobby. My favorites are Greek, Roman,
> Persian, and Egyptian.

3 is the rating for someone who knows what he is doing, so 4 means you
would really know your stuff. Not saying you don't, but as a hobby that just
seems rather high.

> >>>Tai Chi 3 ( Ah.. exercise )
> >Crossfire pointed out that Tai Chi is a martial art, thus this skill should
be
> >Unarmed Combat (Martial Arts Style(Tai Chi)) 1(1(3)). Specialization, 1
Point.

> Sorry to disappoint Mr. Crossfire but Tai Chi is definitely not a martial art.
> I think that he is probably thinking of Chou Li Fut, which I believe is
derived
> from Tai Chi.

I am sorry - but I have seen Tai-Chi as a combat art. At low levels
Tai-chi is merely relaxation techniques and centering, I imagine to attain
the state of `mushin' but at high levels it is actually an art of self-defence.
In any case - it is based off the art of self-defence, so it can be
viewed, as Nightstalker said, as a specialization of Martial arts. Merely what
you have been trained in at this point is not usable in combat. And if you
still
want to call it an exercise, be my guest - then it is athletics. *shrug*

> >>>Etiquette( Sciences ) 2 ( An interesting skill needing to be improved
)
> >Could be a Charisma or other Etiquette Default. Please elaborate. Held in
> >Reserve.

> First ShadowRun states that every subculture has its own etiquette skill. You
> can not talk to most scientists, that I have met, like an average person if
you
> want to be taken seriously.

I am a senior in Chemical Engineering and have worked with engineers in
the field. It is not a matter of an etiquette, merely ` do you know what you
are
talking about?' If so - fine, good. That isn't really an etiquette.

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Ok realize, perhaps we have trimmed back a couple skills more than
necessary, and defaulted some as well, but in contrast, there are also some
skills that we could seriously _attempt_ to argue, but it simply is easier to
trust you assessment of your abilities, after all, how can we tell many of them
just over the computer, we can't. No problem.

There is one other thing. Yes, perhaps many skills were trimmed back,
but also many of your skills that you do have aren't applicable in 2054. For
example, you have a good deal of experience with computers in 1993, however,
that
lacks any knowledge of matrix technology, decking/hacking (although I imagine
you
have some skill at hacking - just not 2054 level), cyber-implant programming,
and
probably others I cannot recall. To learn this extra knowledge, perhaps the
character who represents you could not have spent as much time, say, reading
history, or have a lower overall skill in the subject due to the extra coverage
that is required. *shrug*

Overall, I think it is a decent representation of your abilities
transferred to a 2054 character. Sure, it is not a perfect match, but neither
is it 2054. Acceptable?

Chris Bellovary
-- CrossFire --