[TML] T5 Rules question Jeffrey Schwartz

[snrdg082102]

Hello all,

Here is a question that Jeffery Schwartz posted on the TML that someone here may be able to answer.

I've been fiddling with T5's ship construction rules.

One thing I'm really liking is the TL adjusts on things.
It makes sense to me that you should be able to get things at a range
of size, cost, effectiveness, etc.

My question, though, is do the types "stack" ?

For example:
Power Plant-A is a TL9 thing.
If I build it as "Modified", then it is 2 TL's higher, a little
smaller, and half price.
So a TL-11 power plant would be half the price of a TL9 one, a little
smaller, a little more reliable. Makes sense.
You can build a TL9 plant as "Ultimate" , +4 TLs, and it's got much
more output, much smaller, more fuel efficient... and 4x normal price.
That kinda makes sense too : "We're taking every thing we know about
building these, and building the best we can, with cost as no object."
Such a power plant would be TL13.....

Which leads to my question:
Can one build a TL13 "Ultimate", then apply the +2TL "Modified" on it
to bump up to TL15?
Which would make it even smaller, more efficient, but best of all
change the price from x4 to x4/2 ?

 

[David Johansen]

Generally speaking classes of adjectives don't stack. So you can't, for example, make an Ultimate Sniper Rifle in Gun Maker because Ultimate and Sniper are both stages. I don't know why Sniper is a stage but there you have it.

 

[snrdg082102]

Evening David Johansen,

Thank you for the reply and a bit of information on T5.

Generally speaking classes of adjectives don't stack. So you can't, for example, make an Ultimate Sniper Rifle in Gun Maker because Ultimate and Sniper are both stages. I don't know why Sniper is a stage but there you have it.

Since I haven't had the cash to purchase T5 I can't say if the T5 weapon design system applies to the Jeffery Schwartz's design question about improving a power plant.

 

[Magnus von Thornwood]

Bzzzztt! DENIED!

No. You can not stack them by the Rules As Written.

Remember that Marc tends to be in favor of trade offs. You can get something spanky and cool (Utlimate), but you will pay for the goodies (x4 Cost). So basically you chose performance or cost as the benefit and pay for the choice with the other factor, cheap and simple or expensive and chock full of features.

Still, you can of course do what you will in your game, but stacking Stages renders the Thing improper for TUs that use T5 as written.

If you want to publish your creation then no stacking. If you are just using it in your game for fun then have a day and do what makes you happy.

 

[pendragonman]

No. You can not stack them by the Rules As Written.

Remember that Marc tends to be in favor of trade offs. You can get something spanky and cool (Utlimate), but you will pay for the goodies (x4 Cost). So basically you chose performance or cost as the benefit and pay for the choice with the other factor, cheap and simple or expensive and chock full of features.

Still, you can of course do what you will in your game, but stacking Stages renders the Thing improper for TUs that use T5 as written.

If you want to publish your creation then no stacking. If you are just using it in your game for fun then have a day and do what makes you happy.

Mags designs ships for T5 regularly, and has contacts with the Secret Controlling Cabal, so I would use his interpretation pretty strictly.

 

[Reban]

No stacking.

Also pass the following on to you're TML enquirer:

P-Plants are produced across a range of tech levels, from TL8 to TL16 and there's a table at the bottom of p338 that shows the maximum potential possible for P-Plants at each level.

Anything beyond the "Ultimate" version of a device is considered new technology.

An Ultimate P-Plant-13 still has a Base TL of TL9 and you can produce a Standard P-Plant-13 which may or may not produce the same potential.

It gets complicated to think about.

You could take a P-Plant with a Base TL of TL13 and apply just the Ultimate descriptor to it, but thats not the same as trying to stack and apply Modified and Ultimate to a Base TL9 P-Plant.