On Fri, 18 Apr 2003, Douglas Parks wrote:

> Actually, Iago, I'm thinking of a novel my friend wrote
> and creating a game around it. My plan was to use
> Exchange-Based combat. The story's in a near-future
> setting wherein this poor sap takes up vampire hunting. He
> has a light gun that rips through the vampires (you know,
> turning their heads into those little burnt-match-looking
> things from the cartoons). Seriously, it's like the
> effects of the sun on a vampire.
>
> This is an odd thing, I know. My thoughts were to simply
> base it on the shot. If he hits solidly, the vampire is
> toast. If not, there's no effect. Grazes would result in
> the smell of burnt flesh and angrier vampires.

Or, if you think this is too powerful to toss around
casually, make him invest skill levels in a 'Burns
Vampires' quality on the gun item and check off a box to
turn a hit of at least a Hurt result into toasting the
vamp -- _if_ you wanted a more mechanical method. But
honestly, I think what you're suggesting is just fine.

> Inside FATE, however, you do have specifics for various
> medieval weapons. I think it would be appropriate to add
> references to more modern and/or futuristic weapons. FATE
> is cross-genre and your rules would do good to show that
> more often. Even if it's simply changing the table from
> "Sword, Mace, Club" to "Sword, Mace, Club, Small Pistol"
> and "2-handed Sword, Polearm" to "2-handed Sword, Polearm,
> Big Pistol."
>
> You know what I mean?

Did we do that?

*pages through his copy*

Oh, right. 'Simple weapons and armor'. You're right, we
should add that in there, even if it's just as a
suggestion -- but I use the 'Dramatic weapons' option,
which is why I never think about this. :)

The real "problem" is that guns are even more of a
genre-buster than swordplay is. Super "realistic"
treatment of guns would make even a minor hit from a gun
incredibly traumatic. Other treatments allow for getting
hit by several shots and still going. So what I meant to
be advocating in my original response was deciding what
effect you wanted, and working back from that to the
mechanic, rather than starting with a mechanic that might
not be a best fit.

--
Fred Hicks <iago AT iago DOT net>
"Curse you iago and your fast fingers!" - Rob Donoghue
Fate RPG - http://www.evilhat.com/fate/
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