From:	Wafflemeisters <evamarie@**********.NET>
Subject:	Re: Rollerblades
Date:	Sat, 9 May 1998 16:43:33 -0500

>
> Re: Rollerblades (David Buehrer , 12:36)
>
> Fade wrote:
> /
> / You know, shoes with a bunch of wheels on'em...
> /
> / What would be the effect of wearing them, as a 'gimmick' combat
> / style? Great speed, and okay stability on asphalt, but not something
> / you really want to use on uneven ground?

Funny you should ask. Since most of our SRun players have them and we
used to go for wee-hours romps after playing, the question a naturally
occured to us, and having paintball guns and supper soakers, the
experiment was performed...
Shooting is unaffected, except by speed (lead your targets). Also, I
know form experience, Melee is more or less unaffected, as long as you
are not on hard ground, or can attack while moving (sudden evasions can
be a problem, as course changes are more limted). On soft ground, they
don't roll, and are basically plaform steel-toes, to the suprise of one
smartass who harassed me 6 years ago. I actually AIMED for soft ground,
when I knew I couldn't ignore the bastard.

>
> You can still walk okay on uneven ground, as long as it's hard. If it's
> soft it really slows you down.
>

Yeah, but you can still run on it pretty well, especially if your ankles
can flex. Call it running-1 multiplier, athletics (running) +1 TN.
Broken ground SUCKS, if its pebally or some such- smooth enough, you
can't walk, but rough enough, you trip when you roll...

> / Double 'uneven ground' penalty, just 'attacker walking' instead of
> / running (still target running) and quickness*4 speed, throwing in
> / crash tests once in a while (using athletics).. does that sound about
> / right?
>

The big movement edge is continous speed- I'd say you can runnon ALL
your actions, if you choose.
Maybe- the movement is VERY smooth, so shooting is easy if you are not
winded, and just coasting, as long as you "lead" the target. Standing
still is no real problem, except on slopes. I'd say "target running"
only, If you move in a straight line, and "firing un-mounted weapon in
vehicle" otherwise (r2, +2tn, so same as walking, I guess <g>).
Gyromounts probably would NOT help, and would screw up your skating,
too...

> I'd allow a +2 to the character's running multiplier while on smooth,
> flat surface. Walking would be unaffected. If the character is not
> on a smooth flat surface they would receive a -2 to their running
> multiplier and walking would be unaffected. If the character is on a
> soft surface (sand, mud) they cannot run and thier walking movement
> is reduced by half.

Soft surfaces are FINE- its the broken pavement that BITES. I'd expect
205X skates to fix this problem somewhat, either with wheel locks that
let you walk over broken pavement, suspension, smartwheels, improved
wheel compounds / pnuematic wheels, or some other wakkiness (just bigger
wheels, like on the "offroad skates" would help, but "trick skates",
for
EX, have TINY wheels). Even today, the differnece between $75 and $350
skates is pretty big (reduced atletic test TNs for beter skates, I'd
say, both for speed and "trouble" manuevers)

>
> And then require the odd athletics test at your discretion.

Definately, for going around tight corners (feet radius in MPH is a good
"safety margin" today- thats, um, maybe meters diameter per meter/sec?)
and obstacles. STAIRS are a BITCH- atletics 4, succeses get you 1 meter
(up or down), unless you skate down (quite hard indeed).

I'd also expect a power version. Its not that hard to do, really, just
put a contact motor on the back wheel of the brakeless boot. SR quality
batteries and motors would maketh is much easier, smaller, and more
effective. Adds to quickness for speed? Use a datajack to control
speed?

-Mongoose