Space Madness!

[virgil]

The question wasn't about overlapping fields, but about sequential ones. What if you have three people with portable shields standing in a row, 1m apart, and you attempt to fire a beam that passes through all three. Or if you make your Visualization check and shape your Warp Field into a coil, such that a straight line can pass in and out of the field half a dozen times.

[Ancient History]

Ah. Okay.

[Ancient History]

Stacking Effect
If two or more fields overlap, only the most energetic (the one with the highest Sagan cost per round) persists—but the odd occasion may happen where something (beams, usually) passes through multiple separate fields. In this case, the effects of the fields stack.

Example
Space Pirates Clarence bin Boddi and Robyer Lynhoodt are standing guard outside of the group’s hideout; both have their Personal Shield Generators on (Warp Shields, X=2). Space Ranger Amanda Stacking is debating how best to take them out and gain access to the hideout.

If Stacking stands in front of the Space Pirates, both of them can fire their rayguns at her through their shields, and she can fire her wand at them through their shields. Everyone would add 2 to their Targets for the attacks, as they are only firing through a single (X=2) Warp Shield.

However, if Stacking flanks them, so that Clarence is between her and Robyer, the situation changes. Clarence and Stacking are both still firing through a single shield, and would add 2 to their Targets to attack each other—but if Stacking and Robyer attack each other, they are going through two fields (Clarence’s and Robyer’s), so the effects of the fields would stack—they would add 4 to their Targets to attack each other. (If, for whatever reason, Clarence and Robyer attacked each other, both shields would stack as more, adding 4 to their Targets)

Stacking decides to flank the Space Pirates; by putting Clarence and his shield in between them, she makes it much harder for Robyer to hit her—giving Li’l Cricket a better chance to take out Clarence. Of course, she has to move quickly, as Robyer will probably figure out what’s going on and move so he can get a clear shot!

The “Stacking Effect” (named after Space Ranger Amanda Stacking) only applies when crossing through multiple fields—it does not apply when crossing through the same field multiple times (as can be accomplished by creative shaping of the field using Visualization).

Tulu Token (₮)
Tulu-metal has an almost universal value to every extraterrestrial culture that the Federation has yet encountered—although the exact kind of value (monetary, religious, scientific, etc.) varies from culture to culture. As the supply of this material is strictly limited, it is usually reserved for major transactions, or to curry favor with local dignitaries. However, given their wide travels and frequent dealings with extraterrestrials, Space Rangers are occasionally permitted to carry small tulu metal tokens for emergencies. During a non-violent encounter, a Tulu token (₮) may be traded to any extraterrestrial NPC to immediately gain their favor, or in exchange for any reasonable non-violent service or exchange (one ₮ could be exchanged for one human hostage, for example). Some Space Rangers have found more creative uses for a Tulu token as well (such as tossing one into the midst of a group of extraterrestrials as a distraction). Human NPCs typically place less value on Tulu-metal than, but may still be affected at the Gamemaster’s discretion. If a Tulu token is spent or given away during an adventure, it is replaced as normal for lost or damaged equipment. Tulu tokens are also separate from any ₮ provided as part of the Space Ranger’s wallet during an adventure (see: What About Money?).

Tulu Charms
Space Rangers aren’t superstitious, but some of them have claimed that certain Tulu tokens have saved their asses more than once, and value them more highly for that...and Federation scientists have shown probability around certain pieces of Tulu-metal can act very oddly, and statistical analysis shows improbable events occur more often when nearby these objects. It is believed that this happens because the Tulu-metal becomes “charged” by the Ranger’s wand, causing minor fluctuations in the cosmic forces. If a player chooses to invest an additional 1 CLP in their Tulu token, then they may re-roll any three Tests or Contests during an adventure. If the Tulu token is expended or lost during the adventure, this charge is lost and the player must invest another CLP to gain the effect, although the Tulu token is replaced as normal. No more than 1 CLP may be invested in a given Tulu token at a time.

...and that's all the Exotic equipment. Next up: Equipment packages!

[Zaranthan]

I love the Tulu tokens. It's the 24th and a half century, but you can still create a diversion to escape by throwing money into a crowd.

Just to be clear, using all three rerolls isn't what you're referring to by "expending" the token, right? That line is talking about the character having to give away their lucky penny?

[Ancient History]

Yes, re-rolls are separate from spending the token to buy back a friend or make nice with the Martian or whatever. I guess I should clarify that language.

[Ancient History]

Equipment Packages
The Space Ranger Corps arranges basic starting packages of equipment for those who graduate the Space Ranger Academy. Most Rangers end up facing tough choices with regards to their equipment, unable to carry everything with them to their next station, but most appreciate at least having a choice of what gear to carry—something the Union-Republika denies its own agents. Each Equipment package consists of three items totalling 10 CLP worth of equipment. Players who select a package at character generation may already have equipment from their Backgrounds and Order: they will have to choose which items to keep and which to leave behind. Some packages have prerequisites to be selected, as noted.

Equipment Package Name (Prerequisite)
Description
Augmentations: Item [CLP cost]
Exotics: Item [CLP cost]
Kits: Item [CLP cost]

Duelist (Two-Gun cert)
The wand is not just a weapon—but it is a weapon, and Rangers that wish to make the most of their wand need special equipment to make the most of their training and dedication. For Rangers trained with two wands, the Duelist package assures they won’t be out-gunned.
Augmentations: Artificial Eye (Upgrade: Telescopic Vision) [3]
Exotics: External Power Supply [4], Mark IV Wand [3]
Kits: None

Undercover
Not all Space Rangers wear uniforms. Some are trained and equipped to go undercover among criminals, smugglers, Space Pirates, and worse. The Undercover package is designed for getting in among the bad guys—and hopefully for getting out again.
Augmentations: Artificial Eye (Upgrades: Camera, Microcompartment, Television) [5], Memory Implant (2)
Exotics: Personal Cloaking Device (Rating 3)
Kits: None

Worldtrekker
Issued to Rangers expected to travel extensively among alien worlds like Mars and Venus, the Worldtrekker package is designed for going to strange places, eating the food, and making friends with the locals.
Augmentations: Xenostomach [3]
Exotics: Tulu Token [3]
Kits: Survival Kit [4]

Clothing & Sundries
The Equipment chapter of Space Madness! does not specify whether your character wears the official, standard-issue Space Ranger boxer briefs (black, 1 pair, starscape print), a Venusian thong, or a Belter-style genital harness with port plug for zero-gravity toilets. The Augmentation section is silent with regards to tattoos, piercings, plugs, and ritual scars or brands. A great many of the critical and not-so-critical items which we use in daily life—changes of clothing, pens and pencils, makeup, sunscreen, etc.—are not addressed when it comes to Equipment slots or cost.

This is by design. You control what your character looks like. The Space Ranger Corps and humanity in general is fairly tolerant for self-expression as long as the character remains within the human norm—and the extraterrestrials don’t know what the fuss is about if one human has a bright neon mohawk. Belters, Space Pirates, and some other human sub-cultures have their own norms—piercings among Belters tend to be discrete, because you don’t want them to get caught on anything in zero g—but as long as it doesn’t interfere with your duties, the Space Rangers don’t care what you look like. You’re a Ranger. That is more than enough.

As far as the little stuff goes, like pens, clothing, and the like—to a ranger, it is all ephemeral. You cannot take it with you to your next station. One personal items, three equipment slots. Make the most of what you have.

Need about seven more packages, but debating whether I should have done the wand modifications first.

[Grek]

One personal item, not personal items.

Things that probably want an equipment package:
-Medical
-Detective
-Computer
-Space Mission
-Maximum Cyborg

[Ancient History]

Thanks. The trick is striking the balance between concept and utility - and with the full knowledge that some of the backgrounds/orders provide equipment options, so there's a greater degree of flexibility in the equipment than it looks like, but less so than just giving people a pile of CLPs to buy stuff with, Shadowrun or GURPS-style.

[Ancient History]

Added a piece of Exotic equipment, because I can't math:

Liao Drug
Humanity possesses senses that are largely dormant or vestigial, the same structures which are a part of their higher-dimensional selves that interact with the cosmic forces. Certain narcotics, known collectively as the Liao drug, are known to stimulate these vestigial structures...and trained and trusted Space Rangers are permitted to carry a vial with three doses of this drug. Whomever takes a dose gains the Sensitive cert for 1d6 hours; at the end of this period, the individual typically suffers hallucinations (-2 dice to all actions) for an equivalent period, and takes 1 point of stress. The “Plutonian hangover” can be offset by taking another dose, but the effects are cumulative and double for each additional dose (i.e. 2 doses causes -4 dice for 2d6 hours and 2 stress, 3 doses causes -8 dice for 4d6 hours and 4 stress, etc.) As a side effect of the Liao drug, the individual becomes unable to knowingly tell a lie while under its effects (-8 dice to all Deception Tests), making it an effective interrogation drug. Liao Drug effects cats similar to catnip; they neither gain the Sensitive cert nor suffer hangovers.

And some more packages:

Catmaster (Equipment Waiver cert)
War with the Moon-beasts expanded humanity’s awareness of the strangeness that lurks in unexpected places, and reinforced the special bond between humans and cats. The Catmaster package is often issued to Rangers with the Catbound cert, although the only real requirement is specialized training in the care and feeding of their companion animals, who assist the Ranger in myriad ways, and keep them alerted to the presence of other-dimensional intrusions.
Augmentation: None
Exotics: Cat Familiar (x3) [9], Liao Drug [1]
Kits: None

Chaplain
Some of the old religions have been forgotten, others revived in new forms. Contact with alien cultures and their beliefs have given rise to reciprocal cults among humanity—and because the Space Rangers have recognized this need, they issue Chaplain packages, for Rangers who will be dealing with this strange and esoteric lore.
Augmentation: Artificial Gills [3]
Exotics: Codex Dagonensis [3], Tulu Charm [4]
Kits: None

Cyborg
In the Federation, augmentation is a part and parcel of everyday life. Weak eyes may be replaced with artificial ones, the crippled walk and run again on artificial limbs, appearance changes to express outwardly the individual that they are. The Cyborg package embraces the possibilities inherent to augmentation, to better fulfill the Ranger’s mission.
Augmentation: Artificial Eye (Upgrade: Television) [2], Artificial Limbs (x2) [6], Headphone [2]
Exotics: None
Kits: None

Detector
Investigation is a critical aspect of what the Space Rangers do—to find the truth, and uncover it. Whether that be the hidden treasures and lost secrets of an alien ruin, or the careful analysis of a crime scene, the Detector package will help a Ranger find the hidden truth.
Augmentations: Artificial Eye (mounted in palm) (Upgrades: Camera, Infravision, Microvision, Radiovision) [5], Socket (Level 1) [1]
Exotics: None
Kits: Forensic Kit [4]

I know I need a rocketeer and probably a couple of others, but save that for tomorrow or the next day.

[Ancient History]

Civic
Not all of a Ranger’s duties involve beam-battles with Space Pirates and extraterrestrials; sometimes they must deal with civilians, appear in court, even deliver first aid. For these Rangers, the Civic package is designed to provide a versatile complement of gear to handle many different occasions.
Augmentation: Headphone [2]
Exotics: Lawkeeper [4]
Kits: Medicine Kit [4]

Recon
Some Rangers are trained in stealth and survival, to act as humanity’s forward line of intelligence-gathering and defense, to see what problems are on the horizon before they become problems. These Rangers are issued the Recon package, to travel lightly, see what must be seen, and do what needs doing—while keeping out of sight.
Augmentation: Artificial Eye (Upgrade: Radarvision) [2]
Exotics: Personal Cloaking Device (Rating 4) [4]
Kits: Survival Kit [4]

Rocketeer
Mobility is one of the great necessities of the Space Ranger Corps: with so few Rangers and the Federation spread out over so many colonies, the ability to get from place to place quickly is considered vital. Hence the Rocketeer package, providing the ability to go where needed.
Augmentations: Zero Seal [2]
Exotics: Rocket Pack [4]
Kits: Engineering Kit [4]

Okay, that's 10 packages in total. Should be enough.

Building Your Own Package
The packages presented here are only those most commonly issued to Space Rangers, and when combined with the equipment options from the character’s Backgrounds and Orders, should offer plenty of variety for the characters to pick their gear from. That being said, there is always the chance that the precise combination of gear that the player wants for their character is somehow not achievable at character creation—or perhaps the gamemaster has a specific campaign concept in mind that demands different equipment packages. In this case, players or gamemasters may choose to build their own packages. The limits are simple:

A package costs no more than 10 CLPs.
A package requires no more equipment slots than the character has.
Augmentations are limited by conversion cost.

Gamemasters may relax the first limit at their discretion (imagine a Catmistress package with four cats!); the second limitation should be fixed, the Equipment Waiver cert exists, and player characters should take it if they want more gear. Players should ask gamemasters for approval before having their character select a package of their own design.

Also, felt the need to revise Catbound cert slightly and add:

Cat Slots
If cats have equipment slots, they do not permit humans to use them. While there are unverified reports of Cats from Saturn associated with the Moon-Beasts bearing augmentations, and Cats from Venus who are worshiped may bear tulu-metal necklaces, rings, pectorals and the like, Cats from Earth do not abide such things. They may permit a certain amount of adornment (collars with radio-transceivers so they may be tracked, for example).

Just...no.

[Ancient History]

Will pick this up shortly. Life got in the way.

[Ancient History]

Really hard to find time to write. Anyway, first modifications are up:

Charge Boost
Normally, a wand can expend no more than its Rating in sagans on a given wand function. This serves as a hard limit to the power of most wands. The Charge Boost doubles the maximum number of sagans that may be spent on a wand function (i.e. a Rating 3 wand could spend up to 6 sagans, a Rating 4 wand up to 8, etc.) Every time a wand spends sagans in excess of its Rating, it takes 1 box of damage (e.g. a Rating 3 wand with Charge Boost would be damaged every time it spent 4 or more sagans on a given function).
Special: The Charge Boost modification may be taken multiple times; each time doubles the maximum sagans the wand may spend (i.e. 2 Charge Boosts allows the user to spend Rating x 4 sagans, 3 Charge Boosts allows Rating x 8 sagans to be spent—if only the wand has that many sagans available!)

Focused Emitter
This modification increases the effective Rating of the wand by 1 when using a single cosmic force, chosen at the time when it is installed. This Rating increase applies to wand functions that can be accessed, maximum number of sagans that can be spent on those functions, etc. but only for that specific cosmic force.
Special: The Focused Emitter modification may be taken multiple times, either applied to different cosmic forces, or increasing the Rating with regard to a single cosmic force more than once, or any combination thereof. The Focused Emitter cannot raise the effective Rating above 6 for any cosmic force.

Miniaturization
Wands are handheld devices, but too long and thick to be easily concealed, and are normally worn in a holster when not in use. However, with the incredible advances in miniaturization available to the Federation, Space Ranger wands may be condensed into more easily portable—and concealable—forms. A wand with the miniaturization modification may be so reduced that it could fit into a large ring, a necklace, torc, or other piece of jewelry, or whatever other form the user desires, provided it is compact.
Special: This modification may only be taken once.

Concealing Wands
Wands can be concealed in three basic ways: out of sight (i.e. in a concealed holster in the user’s clothing, surgically hidden within their body), by not looking like a wand (i.e. a ring or other piece of personal jewelry), or by looking like a lesser wand (an undercover Space Ranger might conceal their distinctive wand by making it outwardly resemble a Space Pirate’s raygun or a technician’s torch, for example.) Concealing wands can have social advantages, as the user is not visibly “carrying” and thus can seem more harmless, however Space Rangers are wise to such tactics and trained to look for concealed wands themselves. Spotting a concealed wand requires a successful Forensics vs. Deception contest. If the wand has the miniaturization modification, the character carrying it adds +4 dice to their dice pool.

Modifications are a little different in that while they're still aimed primarily at expanding utility, they also play directly with wand numbers. Still, plenty of options to "bling out" a wand.

[Ancient History]

Multibeam Emitter
This modification allows the wand-user to use two wand functions simultaneously with the same action. These wand functions must both use the Shoot action, and must both have legitimate targets; in terms of sagans, each function is paid for separately. If the targets of the wand functions are different, the wand-user takes a -2 modifier to their dice pool for any relevant Test or Contest related to the functions.
Special: This modification may only be taken once.

Power Crystal Boost
By the incorporation of a small Power Crystal, the storage capacity of a wand can be greatly extended. The Power Crystal Booth modification doubles the storage capacity of a wand (i.e. if it could hold 10 sagans at full charge, it can now hold 20 sagans).
Special: The Power Crystal Boost modification may be taken multiple times; each time doubles the maximum charge the wand may hold (i.e. 2 Power Crystal Boosts stores base x 4 sagans, 3 Charge Boosts allows base x 8 sagans to be stored, etc.)

Remove Manual Controls
Most wands come equipped with switches, knobs, movable rings, triggers, and other manual controls that allow the functions to be selected, the power and range to be set. However, these same controls may be compromised—and so some wand-users elect to remove them, relying on their attunement to control the functions of the wand directly.
Special: Only available to wands that may be attuned (Rating 3 or higher). This modification may only be taken once.

[Ancient History]

Rugged
While not flimsy, a typical wand only has ⊡⊡⊡, more than enough for standard wear and tear—but Space Rangers tend to put their wands through much more abuse. The Rugged modification reinforces the wand with stronger materials and additional layers of protection, redundant circuitry and back-up systems which together double the wand’s total number of hit boxes (i.e. from ⊡⊡⊡ to ⊡⊡⊡⊡⊡⊡).
Special: The Rugged modification may be taken multiple times; each time doubles the wand’s hit boxes (i.e. 2 Rugged mods gives ⊡⊡⊡⊡⊡⊡⊡⊡⊡⊡⊡⊡, 3 Rugged mods gives ⊡⊡⊡⊡⊡⊡⊡⊡⊡⊡⊡⊡⊡⊡⊡⊡⊡⊡⊡⊡⊡⊡⊡⊡, etc.) Rugged is incompatible with the Miniaturization modification.

Trap
Many wand-owners are protective of their wands, and so incorporate certain “safeties” into the design to ensure no one else can use them, even if they are taken away. These may range from a simple combination needed to unlock the controls (if there are any), to a poison needle hidden in the grip, or even a self-destruct option. Paranoid Space Rangers may incorporate any of these traps and more into their own wands, see Wand Traps.
Special: This modification may be taken more than once.

Wand Traps
The limit for wand traps is mostly limited to the size of the wand and the imagination and resources of the person making it. Players and gamemasters are encouraged to work together to come up with reasonable and fun traps, the following are samples:
Comboring: Unless a ring on the wand is rotated in a certain combination, the controls (if any) are locked, rendering the wand useless unless the wielder is attuned to it. Common on many commercial designs. The comboring may be used as a triggercondition for other traps.
Poison Needle: Unless disarmed before being grasped, a small diamond needle thrusts into the user’s palm, delivering a dose of nulltox (or more exotic poison, if the user can source it).
Self Destruct: Unless disarmed before being used, the wand self destructs. The wand expends all sagans and does X damage to everything within X/10 meters (rounded up), where X is equal to the number of sagans expended.
Traitor: Unless disarmed before being used, the wand’s functions are always directed at the wand-user (as far as applicable), regardless of the intended subject.

Unshielded
Many proto-wands and early wands ran “hot”—without the radiation shielding and protective layers worked into contemporary wand designs. Unshielded wands are more efficient, costing 1 less sagan per function level to use (e.g. Level 1 functions cost 1 sagan less, Level 2 functions cost 2 sagans less, etc.; the minimum cost for any function is still 1 sagan.) This efficiency comes with a cost: the spillage washes over the user, causing characteristic “wand burns” (and, eventually, cancer), dealing 1d6/2 (round down, minimum of 1) points of damage to to the wand user with each use.
Special: Unshielded may only be taken once.

And that's all of the wand modifications. Now I need to make like a dozen or two different example wands with associated costs...

[Shrapnel]

So, like, how much further do you have till this is finished?

[Ancient History]

Lessee...

Wand Table, Sample Characters/NPC/Bestiary (which needs to include Mutations), some adventure seeds, a brief look at the Cthulhu Mythos and Space Opera (with bibliography), and I think I need to go back and add examples of combat and character generation, and that's it.

[Ancient History]

Stat'd out a baker's dozen of example wands, so now on to the NPCs...

[Ancient History]

Ugh, behind on everything...got the character profile set up, and an initial list of sample characters/NPCs/aliens to stat out, which will take a little while and occupy pages, as such things tend to do. No real mechanics except I'm adding a Threat Assessment, which is basically just highlighting the character's highest dicepool so that gamemasters can have a rough idea of their best ability and how it fares against the PCs.

For example, if the average dicepool of the PCs is 12, and the Threat Assessment of the NPC is Combatives 16, that's one automatic hit better than the PCs in any given confrontation using Combatives.

[Ancient History]

I'm meditating on psionics, because honestly I'm just finding it hard to concentrate on anything these days, even though the NPC write ups are just number-crunching and should be fairly quick. Anyway, three options:

1) Skill-based, with one psionic skill per attribute. This would basically be a whole 'nother subsystem so meh.

2) Psionics basically let you replicate wand functions w/o a wand. A little easier.

3) Psionics are one-off individual powers detailed like certs. Less work than #1, more work than #2.

[OgreBattle]

2 sounds good

3 is something you can add in an expansion

[virgil]

I'm with Ogrebattle

[Ancient History]

Just finding it hard to find time to write these days. Anyway...

Got the sample PC stats up, one for each Order, and did a little tweaking of numbers while I was at it. I'm debating the merits of actually writing out a description for each profile, or killing the names and making them more generic archetypes.

Also, have basically low-balled the Mutant rules by revising the Mutation cert and adding the Supermutant cert:

Mutation (Mutant)
Select one wand function of any level. The character may use that wand function without a wand. Their effective wand rating for functions acquired by the Mutation cert is equivalent to the number of Mutation and Supermutant certs they have (i.e. taking the Mutation cert for the first time gives them a rating of 1); their effective max charge is 10 sagans, and they cannot recharge from an external source.
Special: The character can take this cert more than once, each time electing a different wand function. Each mutation is accompanied by some obvious, physical deformity such as lumps, antennae, misshapen bodily structures, etc. The player may specify the nature of the deformity; removing the deformity surgically removes the cert.

Supermutant (Mutation)
Choose one wand modification; that modification applies to the character’s mutant abilities.
Special: The character may select this cert more than once, selecting another modification each time. Incompatible wand modifications cannot (i.e. Rugged and Miniaturization) cannot be selected. Miniaturization, if selected, hides the character’s deformities internally: outwardly, they appear completely human, though an autopsy or in-depth medical examination will still reveal their anatomical deformities. Rugged, if selected, doubles the character’s Health Circles. The Trap and Remove Manual Controls modifications cannot be taken.

A little lazy, since it piggybacks off of the Wand Functions and basically makes these guys X-Men style mutants, and probably unduly influenced by the Aberrant feats, but with the added bonus that the certs compound and it's still more of an NPC attraction than a PC one...

[virgil]

What kinds of numbers did you change, besides the sample PC stats?

[Ancient History]

The Experienced Cert went from Skill 8+ to Skill 6+... Might have adjusted some of the background skill numbers, although no specific examples are coming straight to mind.

[Ancient History]

Cat Familiars
Felicia’s stats are typical for cats trained as familiars and paired with Space Rangers (see Certs: Catbound); use her stats as the basis for any cat familiars paired with PCs or NPCs. Cat familiars earn 1 CLP for every 3 CLP their partner earns: these CLP may only be spent to upgrade the cat familiar’s skills, attributes, and certs. Cat familiars cannot buy the Catbound cert, and will not accept any form of augmentation.

Finally got a couple NPCs stat'd out, and added this.