Re: 2020: Character Generation Query

In Message 2020, [email removed] (Chuck McKnight - Law) writes:

>I'm writing a MegaTraveller character generator and need some input from
>other referees regarding the 'serves as' skill subclassification.  I have
>been treating multiple occurrences of the same skill as increasing the level
>of proficiency (i.e., if the character gets a 'serves as' skill that is a -1
>twice, I treat it as bringing the skill up to a 0).

First, the rules declare two types of "Serves As"  Relative which is (by
example):  Pilot-4 Serves as Ships Boat-3   and  Absolute which is
Navigation-5, serves as Sensor Ops-1.  See Players Handbook Page 30.

Now, I think you are reading all skills as absolute.  Where the skill reads:
Serves as skill name MINUS 1 means, it serves as the skill listed at a level of
1 less than the skill that gave them the default.  Maybe the following
conversation may help:

GM:            "Starhunter, make a Steward roll."
Starhunter:    "I don't have a Steward skill, but my Carousing is a 4."
GM:            "Ok, you can use your Carousing, but since you don't know all
               the ins and outs of being a Steward, make your Carousing Check
               at a -1 to your Carousing skill."


If you are generating characters with this program, I wouldn't automatically
give every Pilot-4 a Ships Boat-3.  If you read further on Page 30, there is a
limit to the maximum skill levels that a character may possess.  If the
character is allowed to have 15 skill levels, then that Ships Boat-3 that you
just gave them may push them over the limit early.  Also avoid putting skills
with a -1 skill level in there.  If you put 10 skills as such "Chemistry -1"
then your math toward calculating the maximum skills will be thrown off.
Remember there are no "negative" skills in traveller.  If your skills is below
a skill level of Zero, then you are unskilled.

>As I want to distribute these programs to the TML, I'd like to know how
>any other refs handle this point.

I wouldn't mind a copy.  How about the rest of the list?

Rob Miracle