[DGP Worldbuilder] Sub-Law Level Definitions?

Kilgs · #1 December 14th, 2018, 11:41 AM

I was finally working through DGP's Worldbuilder system and I really like the "personal" law level and tech idea.

But where can you find definitions for them? Like Trade? Civil Law?

Is it just a guideline and flesh it out on your own or are these contained somewhere or in some other book?

GypsyComet · #2 December 14th, 2018, 11:51 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kilgs

are these contained somewhere or in some other book?

Those breakdowns are distinctive to the three world building DGP books (Grand Survey and Grand Census for CT, and the WBH for MT).

Kilgs · #3 December 14th, 2018, 05:41 PM

So I need Grand Survey and Grand Census? Are they contained in just one of those...?

Supplement Four · #4 December 14th, 2018, 05:53 PM

Grand Census and Grand Survey were the first set of books written for CT. The World Builder's Handbook is the MT version of the rules.

I've got both. I'd have to dig them out, but IIRC, there's a large section on Law the describes everything. Just keep looking in the book. It's there.

GypsyComet · #5 December 14th, 2018, 11:47 PM

Either the Grand pair OR the WBH will have complete coverage, as the WBH compiled the two older books and updated them to MT.

Supplement Four · #6 December 15th, 2018, 03:11 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by GypsyComet

Either the Grand pair OR the WBH will have complete coverage, as the WBH compiled the two older books and updated them to MT.

IIRC, they both have the complete coverage. I know the CT books do, and I'm almost as sure about the WBH. It's in there, under the Law section.

Supplement Four · #7 December 15th, 2018, 01:44 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kilgs

I was finally working through DGP's Worldbuilder system and I really like the "personal" law level and tech idea.

But where can you find definitions for them? Like Trade? Civil Law?

I dug out my WBH. What you want is on page 57.

kilemall · #8 December 15th, 2018, 05:15 PM

So what is a sub law level?

Supplement Four · #9 December 15th, 2018, 06:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kilemall

So what is a sub law level?

Can you give me a page number on where you are seeing that? I'll look it up.

Hyphen · #10 December 15th, 2018, 10:27 PM

I think they are referred to as "Detailed Law Levels", rather than "Sub-Law Levels", but that's a minor quibble. ;-)

The first check regarding "Law-Related Details" is for uniformity of law: does the Law Level apply to the entire planet? (c.v. "Rescue on Ruie", JTAS 1).

The second is to flesh out the Law Profile, where the simple (simplistic? ;-) ) Law Level is broken down into the following "Detailed Law Levels":

Overall - Weapons | Trade | Criminal Law | Civil Law | Personal Freedom

e.g. 9-B76AA
(all WBH, p 82)

Then the referee applies their understanding of the basic Law Level rules to each component, when necessary. Law Level is defined as " The degree to which the law interferes with individual actions" (WBH, p 57).

And the WBH also says, "It is more difficult to make precise rules for law levels than for government types. the law related details given on the charts are largely suggestions -- you as referee must rely on your sense of the game to temper any law-related details." (ibid)

IOW, you can use the law level breakdowns as target numbers to roll against whenever you think the PCs are doing something you don't want them to do, or you want to chuck in some "heat" to keep them honest.

Law Level, therefore, is tempered by the speed of plot.