OK then. Here we go... Cross tentcles that I do not screw this up!

AHA! Eight successes might just do it. :P
This message was last edited by the player at 21:32, Fri 16 Apr 2021.

Rayfe via Private Lines:
...all the systems on the station have to be linked, even if only peripherally, so that the control centre can fully monitor everything that is going on.... he knows the station must absolutely have some record of his presence.  ... He has a name now. So he can swiftly search all records for that name, and it should pull up his own record in the prisoner database.  From this, he can at least glean SOME information on who he happens to be. It's not much... but it's a start.

For this kind of thing--metagame considerations--I prefer to be open and transparent about it.  Characters should have secrets, but players shouldn't.  I want all of you--players--to see what's going on so that you have the opportunity to say, "oh god! Yes!  and..." and add your own stuff to the pile.   I really really want the freeform collaboration, because it takes the story in different directions and keeps me on my toes.

As to Rayfe's roll:
Originally I'd intended for you all to get on the Orishi, access the Galactic Opnet or the Orishi's computer core to discover who you are...

But with Rayfe's Epic(+8) success, I suggest that instead of just finding out who he is, he's got the files on all of you.  But a station-wide search isn't going to kick back results immediately and you just don't have the time to wait.  So, they're encrypted files...  or in database format, anyway, which will require some reconstruction.  I suggest that Rayfe downloads them to a hard media.

That would bring into existence a new Aspect to reflect that he has this information.

Your thoughts?

Rayfe, Do you care to name the Aspect?

Something like OUR LIVES IN MY HANDS perhaps? Or something of that sort.

That works for me... :)

That's more about the control which of the data than the data/object itself.  And it doesn't play out so well if it's possessed by someone not in the "Mine" or "Our" party...

How about something like Convict Manifest: The Keys to Identity?

That's rather nice, I agree. :D

Composing. Needed to clarify something that I want to do.

Going to Invoke the Glass for +2 and defend with Physique
Bai Ling-Li rolled -2 using 4 Fudge dice.  Defend (+5), Physique +2, Invoke Glass +2. Success? Haha. That roller is either Hot or Cold for me!

Roll I will use for defense.

However, I would like to put forward an idea.

I want Baylee to take a minor consequence: Riddle with Shards of Glass Because I invoked protection from the glass. I'd like large parts of it to shatter or break apart. To continue the trend of my pep shots cracking it plus the weakness from the hole.

Since you are one for openness OOC, my intention is for the glass to be weakened severely, then Baylee in tends to try to throw Amin through it. She is itching badly for hand-to-hand violence and she really wants to fuck with Amin badly.

If this works somehow, let me know. If we need to negotiate mechanics, cool! I want to dig into the system more and get to know it. I like its cinematic potential. Once this is settled, I'll finish my post IC.

Sigh.  It is always the Empathic Healer that will feel the pain eventually (in this case, Amin's pain)... ;)

Hmm, yeah, Baylee and CSX are a bit polar opposites.

I had similar thoughts, but was going to suggest hurling the corpse...

Heh.  I've been guilty in the past of going to easy on some characters.  The mechanics of Fate allow me to go rough, because you can always concede and define how you get taken out!

Baylee
4dF(-2) + Aspect(+2) + Physique(+2) = Result(+2) vs Target(+5) == 3 shifts

You could just take it as 3-shifts of stress ( going from P:[1][2][3][4] to P:[X][X][3][4] or even P:[1][2][X][4].  You aren't obligated (yet) to take a Consequence!

If you really want to take on the Consequence Riddled With Shards of Glass, I won't say no.  But a Minor Consequence is worth 2-shifts.  The extra shift would remain in your physidcal stress-track until the end of the scene. You'd end up with:  Physical Stress:[X][2][3][4], Consequences [X][2][4][6]

Please confirm that this is what you want.

As to the conflict with Amin...
What you're suggesting is a straight Fight roll.   I randomly rolled Athletics & Fight for him (Athletics(+1) & Fight(+3)), but if you take the time to set up an Aspect or two with Create-an-Advantage, you can probably catch him by surprise..
This message was last edited by the GM at 18:01, Sat 17 Apr 2021.

In reply to Control (msg # 101):

Uhh, my Physique is +5.

As to the fight, let me compose something and run it by you then.

Baylee:
Uhh, my Physique is +5.

Yup, you're right.   SO, I'm confused...


I have questions:

• What skill were you defending with?
• What's the Defend(+5) refer to?
• What's the Physique(+2) represent?

IS this what you wanted?
4dF(-2) + Athletics(+3) + Reinforced Spaceworth Glass(+2) == Baylee's Defend(+3) vs Marine-Mob's Attack(+5)
This message was last edited by the GM at 07:11, Sun 18 Apr 2021.

O0ps, Physique +2 was me entering my value wrongly. Should have been +5.

Defend (+5) was the roll I was making, a defend action, and the DC of that action (+5). That's generally how I always format such things. Should I have formatted it differently?

By my math, I defended successfully as I was using Physique to Defend. She stood there to take whatever got past the glass. It's in the write up I am working on currently.

Anyway, I got Stress and Consequence mixed up in my mind. *Runs off to read PDF quick* So, yeah, I'll take the shift in physical stress. That is what I was going for. And perhaps an Aspect? Riddled With Glass

Like I said, exploring the system.

EDIT: posted what I wanted the action to look like and some rolls that seemed to fit. Couldn't exactly find aspects except the ones on my card... Vengeance is the best desert and Hot or Cold, I am never in between working in that scene. Probably my vice as well.
This message was last edited by the player at 07:30, Sun 18 Apr 2021.

Ah, I gotcha.

Okay, a few things to unpack here:

Generally, you don't defend against a physical attack with Physique.  You'd defend with Athletics or maybe Fight.  Against a ranged attack, like a PEP shot, it's definitely Athletics.  I'm sorry I didn't call for it explicitly.   So... Let's let it stand the way it is right now, and move on.   I'll try to be more explicit in the future when I call for rolls.

This is the read:
4dF(-2) + Phsyique(+5) + Big Damned Hole in the Glass(+2) vs Marine-Mob Attack(+5) == A TIE

Therefore, the marine-mob gets a Boost on you (see page 58).  That could well be Riddled with Glass.  But that Boost Aspect will go away once the marine-mob invokes it.  It's not a Consequence, and it's not a full Aspect, because of it' transience.

Also note:
Becausee you invoked the Big Damned Hole in the Glass for the defend, it cost you a fate-point.
This message was last edited by the GM at 08:13, Sun 18 Apr 2021.

Perfect! I am aware it cost a Fate Point. I know I have only one left. Happy to let them have that boost as it fits the scene.

Was there any problems with the post I put up then?

Looking at it now...

Baylee
You've certainly taken things and run with them!   Unfortunately, you've kinda gotten way ahead of me...

Amin is a key NPC with much of the story tied to him, so he's not operating under mob-mechanics.  This means he does, actually, get to defend against every action, and he gets to take action, too.  He's not "protected", though...   he can be "taken out"!  Chances are, though, that I'll concede the conflict before it comes to that.

Was the "weakling" she backhanded, Maxir or Amin?  Either one needs to be able to defend against the attack.

Bai Ling-Li rolled 0 using 4 Fudge dice.  Deceive. Not great odds of creating Advantage there as she tries the tactic above. Not sure what Aspects can be used here.
Okay, Deceive in this case is a strictly physical action, so it's opposed by Amin's Notice. It's nowhere near a pinnacle skill, so I'll call it a Notice(+1).
Cmmdr Armin Amin rolled 4dF(+1) + Notice(+1) == Opposition(+2) vs Deceive(+0)...
Create Aspect Attempt FAILED

Flickering Lights might provide a +2 to the Deceive roll. If you feel it's worth it.  the +2 boost is only gonna get you a TIE, though, which will get you a Boost, not an Full-on Aspect.  if you only need it for one Invoke... then it'll work.   You could also choose to invoke it to re-roll (and take the better result of the two).

Do you want to Invoke Flickering Lights?


Grunted outrage followed.
If the "Weakling" is Amin, I'd kinda like to be the one to write out his response...  If the "weakling" is Maxir, well... yeah, I don't care if he lives or dies, so you can write him however you like.  He's a now a singular mob and is likely to flee at the first sign of a direct threat.

She turned, a wicked grin on her face, and grabbed at the man's crotch,
"The man" I'm assuming is now Amin?

I don't think he'd take anyone grabbing his crotch lightly.  And certainly not in this situation...  At the least, he'd move to bat her hand away.  At the worst, he'd counter with a more physical response.   At the very least, he needs a chance to defend himself.

She then headbutted Amin
Please roll your Fight(+4) vs Amin's Fight(+3)
If you are spending the fate-point to invoke an Aspect in the previous roll... make sure i can see it and it's clear.

For streamlining as much as possible ,I've pre-rolled his opposition:
Cmmdr Armin Amin 4dF(+1) + Fight(+3) = Defend(+4) versus Baylee's Headbutt


...a move which splayed his nose across his face
The results of a successful attack need to be discussed...  Consequences may be involved.  I kinda feel that AI should be the one to describe what results you acheived... if successful.


Anything after this... well, we're in increasingly uncertain territory.  Much depends on if you're planning on invoking Flickering Lights or not.  This could change Amin's future actions/oppositions/reactions.   So, let's back it up a bit...


While I'm willing to concatenate a bunch of individual attacks into one attack roll for cinematic effect, your target still needs to be able to defend.

So far, you've headbutted, gut-punched, and leg-sweeped Amin without him being able to defend in any way whatsoever...

Her then hefting his body and twirling him about before throwing him at the window... seems... Well, it's confusing why he doesn't bother to defend.  He's not a ragdoll, after all.

---

Bai Ling-Li rolled 1 using 4 Fudge dice.  Attack, Physique +5, Fight +4. Well, you use two, so did I.
Huh?  Can you clarify this statement.  I don't understand what's going on here.  Physique is not used to harm people directly.  If I made that mistake earlier, it was a mistake.

You roll only one skill in an action.  I don't know how to parse it when you refer to two separate skills in a straight conflict.

"floating?"
Did we do something to negate the contragravity in the scene?
This message was last edited by the GM at 20:42, Sun 18 Apr 2021.

Coo.. Cool. I have been hesitating about what I can and cannot do. I decided to just write what I wanted and see how it parsed. Happy to discuss it, modify, and add rolls as needed.

Yes, all actions were directed at Amin. I had forgotten Maxir was in the scene whatsoever. Heh.

I am fine failing the Deceit roll to move on with the scene.

Ahh,  am sorry that I did not give the man time to respond. I can back the scene up to this point and let you write for Amin.

As for the "multiple attacks" I was operating under the assumption that a fight roll does not reflect a single attack/defend movement but reflects a few seconds of combat.

I see now that I should have done something slightly different! The Fight check that I use to Assault Amin is definitely meant to hurt but I probably want, more, to create a situation in which he is dazed, so I can do the toss.

Anyway, I'll edit the post to back it up. Let's say the backhand was part part of the attempt to distract him. Let's move forward from the crotch grab?

EDIT: edited
This message was last edited by the player at 03:05, Mon 19 Apr 2021.

I appreciate your taking this in the way its intended...  There is a certain amount of fuzziness in narrating the scene for sure.

Yes, a combat exchange does represent a few seconds worth  (Mutants and Masterminds goes so far as to specify six seconds, even).  So, the backhand, head-butt, crotch-grab and leg-sweep could definitely fall under one attack, because it's all color.  But, we need to determine the mechanics side of what happened.

It sounds like you want to get Amin into a dazed state before lifting him, spinning him, and throwing him through/into window. There are two ways to get that Dazed and Abused as an Aspect.

He's got two consequences at the moment:
2: Conncussion
6: Internal Damage

You could invoke either, I imagine...


Option 1:  Generate a Consequence
If you apply enough stress, you can force him to take on a Consequence.  He's in physically rough shape (P:[X][X][X], C:[X][4][X]), with only one consequence slot left, and a full-up stress track.

This means that if you land between one and four successes after his defence, you will end up applying that to his 4: Moderate Consequence slot.   If you do more than four shifts... you'll have taken him out.   If you take him out, you decide what happens to him.  Killing him is not out of the question.

But I don't think you want to kill him before throwing him through the window...


Side Note:
If he concedes before you roll for it, I decide what happens to him (in discussion with you, of course... it has to fit the scene). That's a part of why it's so important to me... because if you take him out, you're within your right to kill him.  Kaput.  If I can't concede because you've already rolled it, you're forcing it, and denying me the chance to concede.


Option 2: Create an Advantage
Creating an Advantage is precisely that.  The big difference is that it does not affect the stress or consequence track.

So, you want to create Dazed and Abused..  He'd still oppose the create-advantage action with Fight (if he counters or blocks) or Athletics (if he runs, <I>maybe if he dodges).  Failure to oppose the create-Aspect action still would not affect his stress or consequences.  Which would allow you to attack, invoke the Dazed and Abused to throw him into the window.

Ok, that all sounds awesome!  But I really don’t want to be holding things up. I expect the other two folks in the control room should react if they wish and the people outside don’t pause for me either. Keep going around me. I made a small exit to change the crotch grab into a provoke attack. She is trying to rile him up as per my stunt Rile them up, Lay them out.

I had forgotten his Consequences. I will probably Invoke something in the upcoming roll. But that is for a subsequent post once the reactions to this are in. Of the options below, the first probably works best to my mind. It is what I will go for once the Provoke is resolved.

Cool?

The narrative/crunchy balance in this system is intriguing.

I'm still not certain what effect, if any, my Psi Cloud had.  One marine started firing randomly, but was that because of CSX?  O_o

Okay, I'm sitting down now to do this...

Re: Psi-Cloud
Sheng-Xin created an Aspect.  It's still active.  Aspects are persistent in the scene until they aren't.  Nobody has yet invoked it.  In fact, we should make it clear that it is open for others to use your free invoke...

The problem you're facing is that we created an intangible aspect--brought something into being that didn't have a clearly defined narrative impact.  I think when we create Aspects that don't have a physical form, let's try to craft ones that suggest or infer an impact.

I was kinda running with a "slow and stupid"  effect, but it's something that the mob and, well, anyone in the zone (including Rayfe, Baylee, Maxir and maybe Amin) will have to deal with (because Aspects are persistent).  They just haven't yet had a chance to do so....

However, You brought the effect into play, so you have the liberty to describe what narrative impact it's going to have.

So... what does Psi-Cloud do?

I'd say that "slow and stupid" is a reasonable summary.  CSX is trying to hinder their alertness, reaction times, thinking processes, etc. by clouding their minds (to whatever degree he can) with psi static.

I am slow and stupid in RL regarding game mechanics, so how exactly my attempt works is left to folks more adept in such mysteries than I...

Ideally, I would daze them all at once rather than trying to pick them off one by one to minimize the danger they pose.  Also ideally, I would daze the bad guys and avoid dazing the good guys.  Just how capable CSX of such finesse is also left as an exercise to our fearless GM...  :)

Ideally, I would daze them all at once rather than trying to pick them off one by one to minimize the danger they pose.

And that is the key difference between the create-advantage action and an attack action.

A create advantage action creates an aspect, but it does not apply any direct stress (and, therefore, no consequences).  The Aspect so created is persistent, meaning that it exists until it doesn't.

An attack might well apply stress (and, therefore, consequences), but once it's done, it's done.  An attack is not persistent--it's a one-and-done kinda thing.


I'm put in mind of two different examples:


Mike is being chased by a hellhound.  In a desperate attempt to forestall the inevitable, he  topples one of the big bookcases on top of it...  He created the Aspect "Toppled Bookcase" to slow the hellhound down.  The bookcase is toppled but it doesn't actually slow the hellhound down until Mike or someone else invokes the Aspect.  Next round, Mike tries to escape, rolling Athletics to climb out the window...  and he invokes the Toppled Bookcase to give him the dice-boost to do so.  That's when the Aspect comes into play...


So, how to affect an area with an attack?
Mike pulls the pin on a frag-grenade and lobs it into the center of the magical circle...  It's a zone-area attack because, well, narratively, it makes sense that a grenade would affect everyone in the zone.


But, I'm drawing a very heavy line against CSX being able to weaponize the psi-power into an attack form.  I might be convinced to allow it for a fate-point down the road, but I think that's the kind of thing that's got to be earned through roleplaying and milestones.  At this stage of his progression, I don't want him doing direct attacks with the psi-power.


Also ideally, I would daze the bad guys and avoid dazing the good guys. 
I once directed you to Fate Core page 207 "Compels and Multiple Targets".  I think it applies her.   If you want to  attack a zone and filter it out, then you've got to make the attack and divide the successes up across all the targets you want to affect.  But it's a moot point as I don't want CSX to be doing psionic attacks at this stage in the game.