From: <srydzews@ix.netcom.com> I'm sure the mechanics of transmuting talents and spells into each other is problematic in some cases, but that is also a very interesting concept.
Stan,There are several spells I have trouble with. Others are very easy. Like ``wards.'' Its an obvious alarm system. I was stuck pretty bad on turning tallents into high level spells. It was one of my brothers, (of all people), who gave me the idea for using the psychic interpretation. That is, to make them psychic type spells. Since then I have found they fall in to place fairly easily. Making some of the less obvious spells into manufacturing talents has lead to the development of new Sci-Fi type technology. Stuff the players have never seen before. For example the ``quiver of replinishment.'' Not a spell per-si, but usefull for this example. I used it to design an ammo clip for a GAUSS rifle. The rifle uses magnetic acceleration and has very little, almost insignificant, kick back making it popular in zero-G. The ``ammo clip of replenishment'' is a cartridge of super compresed carbon gas. Yes. Carbon, in a gas state and super compressed. When the trigger is pulled some of the gas is released into a champer and electrically crystalized into a thin sharp sliver. A kind of carbon needle with near perfect crystal structure. The clip can produce millions of these before running out.
Thanks for your kind words on the half-breed work. When I was struck with the desire to re-publish TFT, or at least share what I have learned from it, I dug into the copyright laws. Struck by the fact that ``an idea for a game can not be copyrighted'' I have spent some time trying to cifer out the underlying formulas for the game. This has really appealed to my mathmatical side. I developed a formula that most weapons to a single decimal number. With the formula I can extract the damage done, ST required, range modifyer, and can even tell if it is finely made or not. Using this formula one could recreate the TFT weapons list, but one could also make any new mideval weapon. I have developed some formulas for the monsters and humanoids. With minor changes in the existing listings I could recreate all of them. The new formulaic definition of what a humanoid is, as opposed to a monster, is that the humanoids start with ``extra points'' to allocate to their character. These ``extra points'' becoming the definition of being raised in a civilized environment. The more points availiable to be allocated, the more civilized or advanced the culture is for its people. The giant is a obvious exception. But for the longest time I have run a giant as a ST 25 DX 8 IQ 7 and 1 extra point. That way a giant can put the point into IQ and start as a wizard, or they can pout the point in ST and start with a greatsword in one hand. This had become such standard practice in my campaign that one player, who was testing the character sheet program, asked me ``I thought giants had an extra point?'' I have civilized them a bit, according to the formula definition. Following this reasoning higher tech settings with have races with more starting points. Thus in a far future setting, starting men may look like this. ST 6 DX 6 IQ 6 and 14 extra points.
Lastly, I'm glad you were not offended by the theology. I tested that theory of ``the divine as low IQ'' against several religious authorities. Including one important local figure in Islam. My inside track to all things Muslem.
David Micahel Grouchy II
_________________________________________________________________
Get your FREE download of MSN Explorer at http://explorer.msn.com/intl.asp
=====
Post to the entire list by writing to tft@brainiac.com.
Unsubscribe by mailing to majordomo@brainiac.com with the message body
"unsubscribe tft"