*sam* Posted Dec 3, 2009, 9:26 am	This patch adds the first set of Psionic abilities. These are the basic Personal Fortitude abilities, which don't require any specialism and can be attempted by any Psionic character. The more advanced abilities will be organised into groups, where each group is attained via a specialism. You'll see an extra button on the character 'Manage' panel in-game, if you have a psi. This button provides a drop-down list - currently you should see 3 abilities listed under the "Fortitude" heading. "Courage of the Sun" -- if successful, the Psi will become undemoralizable for the rest of the combat "Strength of the Bear" -- if successful, the Psi gains strength for the rest of the combat "Speed of the Wolf" -- if successful, the Psi gains speed for the rest of the combat How Psionics operates: Whenever you attempt a psionic ability, you must decide how much effort to use (ranging from 0 to 100, default 30).  The more effort you use, the more it will weaken the character for the rest of the combat (via concussion hits) but also the more likely that the psionic ability will be successfully carried out. (The psionic level, activity level, and current stress of the character are factors in this too). A badly failed attempt at a psionic ability may temporarily stun or even knock out a Psi character.
FireFly Posted Dec 3, 2009, 11:32 am	So, does this mean we can "Look" for psionic characters now, since almost none of us have any, and after going trough 30 recruits in firelight, almost impossible to find to boot. Another question, you can get knocked out from a bad roll, but can you fall unconscious from using psionics a lot... or rather, is there a limit to them, because if the concentrating gives you concussion hits, if they stack, wont they become ineffective in a long battle, maybe allow them to recover some if they are inactive for a good couple of turns?
*Ayjona* Posted Dec 3, 2009, 11:53 am	*sam* said: Whenever you attempt a psionic ability, you must decide how much effort to use (ranging from 0 to 100, default 30).  The more effort you use, the more it will weaken the character for the rest of the combat (via concussion hits) but also the more likely that the psionic ability will be successfully carried out. I haven't been to keen on seeing psionic powers added to a reasonably naturalistic setting (no, not the kind of setting where everyone goes about in the nude ), but I must say that this wager system sounds very nice. I always wondered how psionic abilities would be balanced, to prevent them from having both a too drastic, and a too insignificant, impact upon combats. Now I know.
*sam* Posted Dec 3, 2009, 3:10 pm	FireFly said: So, does this mean we can "Look" for psionic characters now, since almost none of us have any, and after going trough 30 recruits in firelight, almost impossible to find to boot. No, they're going to stay fairly rare. Mutants are your best route to Psionics.. and when I have implemented per-faction-rep, siding with the mutant faction will be your best way of recruiting mutants. FireFly said: Another question, you can get knocked out from a bad roll, but can you fall unconscious from using psionics a lot... or rather, is there a limit to them, because if the concentrating gives you concussion hits, if they stack, wont they become ineffective in a long battle, maybe allow them to recover some if they are inactive for a good couple of turns? Using them a lot will wear you out until you fall unconscious, yes. We'll see how they pan out before deciding on recovery etc... they need to remain quite rare and not over-powerful. Even if you can only manage it once or twice in an event, some of the more advanced Psi powers are going to be very useful.
FireFly Posted Dec 3, 2009, 3:48 pm	Well, first try, 1 skill psi... 70 effort, knocked myself out, hope it still counts as training, Psi is still trained from using Psi, isn't it?
Jety Posted Dec 3, 2009, 3:51 pm	An ability that "does x for the rest of the event" doesn't seem to jive with the slow progression of concussion you described. Especially if that ability is "undemoralizable". What's the point of not getting demoralized if you go unconscious instead? Do you "try" for a few rounds, then get the bonus, then you don't have to try any more? Is the idea that you turn the psi on at the beginning, after 10 rounds you've achieved the desired effect (str, speed, etc) then you turn it off and benefit for the rest of the event?
FireFly Posted Dec 3, 2009, 4:59 pm	And again... 30% effort, knocked out
Big Daddy Posted Dec 3, 2009, 6:19 pm	Will these psionic concussions put "general health" mileage on a character just like getting knocked around in collisions and weapon attacks?
FireFly Posted Dec 3, 2009, 6:48 pm	Oh god, I hope not, almost all of them are down to "good" or weakening when you recruit them already.
*Grograt* gary.r.horder@gmail.com Posted Dec 3, 2009, 7:25 pm	I think BD is refering too human gangers
FireFly Posted Dec 3, 2009, 9:53 pm	Right, after 5 attempts, 2 at 10% effort, 2 at 30% effort, and 1 at 70% effort, well, knockout, knockout, someone ring the bell (Yes, I know they are 1 skilled mutants, but shouldn't there be some kind of skill even they can pull of without fainting?) And the concussion hit was 40% at 10% effort, please tell me this scales with the power of the psi...
Marrkos Posted Dec 3, 2009, 9:59 pm	Quote: (Yes, I know they are 1 skilled mutants, but shouldn't there be some kind of skill even they can pull of without fainting?) Not necessarily. Have you tried lower than 10%, or is it in 10 point increments? Maybe 1, 3, and 5?
*sam* Posted Dec 3, 2009, 10:14 pm	You'd really need to ship them to Firelight and train them up a bit; I think anyone less than about 8 skill in psionics might be best considered a trainee rather than a practitioner.
*Rahn* Posted Dec 4, 2009, 3:42 am	Still regret getting the only psi I have ever had killed many months ago...
*Grograt* gary.r.horder@gmail.com Posted Dec 4, 2009, 10:11 am	I will slaughter any cross breed that attempts to join Renegades, they are an abomination and deserve no quarter ( and i havnt any pah )
FireFly Posted Dec 4, 2009, 11:41 am	*sam* said: You'd really need to ship them to Firelight and train them up a bit; I think anyone less than about 8 skill in psionics might be best considered a trainee rather than a practitioner. but one of them is, and how can I train them if they keep knocking themselfes out, unless that counts as training...
*sam* Posted Dec 4, 2009, 12:01 pm	Quote: how can I train them if they keep knocking themselfes out Set their weekly training to Psionics. There is (currently) no field training for psionics, and I'm undecided whether to add it... maybe it would be too easy to train that way since there's no real risk in entering a race and attempting psionics.
FireFly Posted Dec 4, 2009, 12:24 pm	But then again, if there is no field training, traing them will take forever, I got 1 point this week (all 3 of them), and If I only get 1 point per week in the future... well, I dont want to wait 2 months to even be able to cast one without knocking myself out...
*Grograt* gary.r.horder@gmail.com Posted Dec 4, 2009, 12:26 pm	But do we really want them gaining skill rapidly so they take over the world....
FireFly Posted Dec 4, 2009, 5:50 pm	*sam* said: There is (currently) no field training for psionics, and I'm undecided whether to add it... maybe it would be too easy to train that way since there's no real risk in entering a race and attempting psionics. Well, perhaps make it only trainable in the wild, so scouting and traveling would train it, arena/track evens would not, as it stands, I would just have them grow fat training in towns, and that's no fun...
*Grograt* gary.r.horder@gmail.com Posted Dec 4, 2009, 6:06 pm	you cant train when your unconcious
FireFly Posted Dec 4, 2009, 6:26 pm	Haha, no, but I guess failing to use the skill and knocking yourself out gives you some "experience" (You know, with getting knocked out) Unless a side effect is short term amnesia of course
*Lugal* Posted Dec 4, 2009, 10:08 pm	*sam* said: There is (currently) no field training for psionics, and I'm undecided whether to add it... maybe it would be too easy to train that way since there's no real risk in entering a race and attempting psionics. So much for my plan of loading up my psy students in the back of a mortar lorry behind the tank line!
FireFly Posted Dec 4, 2009, 10:26 pm	Right... one of my mutants just went from good to weakening from using psi powers... in other words, they will kill themselves LONG before they will have any actual skill...
Serephe Posted Dec 5, 2009, 2:58 am	Have it train depending how badly you get mutilated while scouting. When your life is in danger, hidden powers spring to the surface to help protect you. The more often you're in danger, the more likely you are to figure out how to harness these powers.
Joel Autobaun Posted Dec 17, 2009, 4:24 am	FireFly said: Right... one of my mutants just went from good to weakening from using psi powers... in other words, they will kill themselves LONG before they will have any actual skill... Sam can we get some idea on this?  I sure don't want to age my already Y46 - psi guy even faster. I was successful with a 30% at speed of wolf(about 20 speed) and got a minor con hit - do those "age" you...or only when you stun or knock yourself out.  if successes even age you - it's not worth using.
fleau Posted Dec 17, 2009, 8:57 am	*Grograt* said: But do we really want them gaining skill rapidly so they take over the world.... still thinking those psi gangster should be rare over evan.
*sam* Posted Dec 17, 2009, 10:32 am	Joel Autobaun said: FireFly said: Right... one of my mutants just went from good to weakening from using psi powers... in other words, they will kill themselves LONG before they will have any actual skill... Sam can we get some idea on this?  I sure don't want to age my already Y46 - psi guy even faster. I was successful with a 30% at speed of wolf(about 20 speed) and got a minor con hit - do those "age" you...or only when you stun or knock yourself out.  if successes even age you - it's not worth using. Only criticals age the character. Concussion damage due to minor Psi failures (and successes) don't. This is the same as how mileage works with regular damage effects. Concussion hits are essentially representing a character getting tired out, nothing more serious.
FireFly Posted Dec 17, 2009, 10:34 am	*sam* said: Joel Autobaun said: FireFly said: Right... one of my mutants just went from good to weakening from using psi powers... in other words, they will kill themselves LONG before they will have any actual skill... Sam can we get some idea on this?  I sure don't want to age my already Y46 - psi guy even faster. I was successful with a 30% at speed of wolf(about 20 speed) and got a minor con hit - do those "age" you...or only when you stun or knock yourself out.  if successes even age you - it's not worth using. Only criticals age the character. Concussion damage due to minor Psi failures (and successes) don't. This is the same as how mileage works with regular damage effects. Concussion hits are essentially representing a character getting tired out, nothing more serious. Yeah, but I am sure the "Knocked out" has an effect...
*sam* Posted Dec 17, 2009, 10:39 am	FireFly said: *sam* said: Joel Autobaun said: FireFly said: Right... one of my mutants just went from good to weakening from using psi powers... in other words, they will kill themselves LONG before they will have any actual skill... Sam can we get some idea on this?  I sure don't want to age my already Y46 - psi guy even faster. I was successful with a 30% at speed of wolf(about 20 speed) and got a minor con hit - do those "age" you...or only when you stun or knock yourself out.  if successes even age you - it's not worth using. Only criticals age the character. Concussion damage due to minor Psi failures (and successes) don't. This is the same as how mileage works with regular damage effects. Concussion hits are essentially representing a character getting tired out, nothing more serious. Yeah, but I am sure the "Knocked out" has an effect... Yes, 'knocked out' is a critical hit. Anything with descriptive language in it rather than just "XXX concussion damage" is a crit.
FireFly Posted Dec 17, 2009, 10:45 am	*sam* said: ... Just so I get this right, if you put less effort into it, the lesser the penalty for failing, but lesser the chanse of it working?
darthspanky Posted Jan 19, 2010, 3:10 am	damm nobody tell xander we have psy power he has one with 60 skill lol ,
*sam* Posted Jan 19, 2010, 8:15 am	FireFly said: *sam* said: ... Just so I get this right, if you put less effort into it, the lesser the penalty for failing, but lesser the chanse of it working? Yep. And in some cases, the effect of the power if successful will be less, too.
FireFly Posted Jan 19, 2010, 8:58 am	*sam* said: FireFly said: *sam* said: ... Just so I get this right, if you put less effort into it, the lesser the penalty for failing, but lesser the chanse of it working? Yep. And in some cases, the effect of the power if successful will be less, too. Well, back when I had my lower skill people try (3-5ish), I did it at 1% a couple of times, naturally, that should not work, BUT, it should not mean instant knockouts either, and that's what it did, all the time. Might want to have a look at the penalties tied to the low effort attempts?
*sam* Posted Jan 19, 2010, 9:08 am	Yep, thanks. I have tweaked a few things recently.
FireFly Posted Jan 19, 2010, 9:35 am	*sam* said: Yep, thanks. I have tweaked a few things recently. Tweaking is all good, but please let us set things on fire soon! No pressure! (But really, would be nice to be able to have anything offensive, even thou you are currently squashing bugs)
*sam* Posted Jan 19, 2010, 10:24 am	New Psionic personal power: "Patience of a Saint".
*Grograt* gary.r.horder@gmail.com Posted Jan 19, 2010, 10:29 am	Hee hee
FireFly Posted Jan 19, 2010, 11:31 am	*sam* said: New Psionic personal power: "Patience of a Saint".  Now, If I only had psionic powers, that might actually help
*Lugal* Posted Jan 19, 2010, 4:02 pm	*sam* said: New Psionic personal power: "Patience of a Saint".  I tried that, but knocked myself out.