SG Screen & Reference Booklet Contents?

[loke]

@David_Chart

I don't think we can introduce something from an earlier edition.

why not? I mean, how is this different from the many other errata and clarifications you introduce? It does not contradict 5ed in any way, and I would count it as another clarification.

[neilnjae (Neil Smith)]

One really nice quality-of-life feature on the rules summary sheets / screen from the recent Dune rpg: page numbers for the full text of each summary. If the GM screen doesn't have enough detail for you in the moment, it points you straight to the section of rulebook you need.

[aelred]

@David_Chart

It would be useful to have around, but a lot of regiones have their own rules that take precedence, and it isn't something that tends to come up and take the SG by surprise — if there is a regio, the SG has planned for it, and that should include notes on getting in. I could see this being something to drop for space reasons. Although, again, maybe a page reference

I agree that regiones are too specific to need the rules on the screen or booklet. While I like screens to have page references for the rules they include, in case I need more detail, I would be cautious of too many page references for rules not covered. Presumably ArMD will already have a decent index, which can be used for anything which the booklet doesn't give detail on.

[loke]

I disagree. Having page references saves a lot of time when a lookup is needed.

[Ezechiel3571]

What I would like to see is that each table contains "(p XX ArMD) ", so it is easy to get to the exact detail rule set.
The current index references most entry regarding one topic, and sometimes, it is hard to get to the useful one (for example Wizard's Twilight has 7 pages referenced). So a direct link to the proper section would be very welcome in case the screen is not enough.

And for information, I compiled all forms guidelines, from all extensions. In size 10 character, it is 27 pages. With some optimal formatting, it should be possible to shrink to 20, but still a hefty document, too large for the booklet
I will gladly freely share this resources once I will have checked that the OGL allows me to do so.

[aelred]

@loke

Having page references saves a lot of time when a lookup is needed

That's true. But I'm imagining the situation where you want info on a topic which is not covered in the booklet. Having a section in the booklet which you flick to, only for it to tell you "go look in the book on page XX", is more annoying than not having that section and just looking in the index for the relevant page.

[loke]

Right. I did not think it an option to have it only give the page reference. The page reference is useful when the booklet/screen gives a formula or some other detail, with the page reference to expand if it does not suffice.

[aelred]

Understood: my original comment was aimed at a comment of David Chart's which I read as suggesting a page reference could be given instead of a summary of the rules. I may have been misreading him, of course.

[David_Chart]

@aelred

Understood: my original comment was aimed at a comment of David Chart's which I read as suggesting a page reference could be given instead of a summary of the rules. I may have been misreading him, of course.

I am considering this possibility for the screen — it might be useful (and faster than an index). I agree that it would be a terrible idea for the booklet. Adding page numbers to tables and summaries on the screen is, I think, an excellent idea.

@Ezechiel3571

And for information, I compiled all forms guidelines, from all extensions. In size 10 character, it is 27 pages. With some optimal formatting, it should be possible to shrink to 20, but still a hefty document, too large for the booklet

We just ran a test layout, and reached the same conclusion. The spell guidelines won't be in the booklet. A 5x10 table on the screen giving the page reference for each set of guidelines would be a possibility, though.

@Ezechiel3571

I will gladly freely share this resources once I will have checked that the OGL allows me to do so.

The licence will not be the OGL. The current leading candidate is Creative Commons BY-SA.

[neilnjae (Neil Smith)]

Having all the spell guidelines in one place is still a good idea: it makes reference to them much easier in play.

There's two ways of doing this. One is to have abbreviated spell level guidelines in a booklet. Have only the most common benchmark statements, eliminate the explanatory text, and aim to get six of them on a page. That gives you five pages for them. Is that too much?

The other way that would make them more convenient to use would be to re-order them in the "Spells" chapter. Move all the guidelines to be together, rather than having to flick through pages searching for the box you want when some annoying player-magus decides to spont a spell.

[aelred]

@David_Chart

We just ran a test layout, and reached the same conclusion. The spell guidelines won't be in the booklet. A 5x10 table on the screen giving the page reference for each set of guidelines would be a possibility, though.

That's a shame, but understandable - I suspect a player made booklet with spell guidelines will be on DriveThruRPG within a week of release anyhow.

I still hate the idea of having something which is solely a page reference on the screen - maybe have it on the back page of the booklet? The screen, imo, should be immediately useful - that's the whole point of having the info in your eyeline.

[mad_irishman]

There are a few tweaks I might make when revisiting, but naturally I would recommend much of what I have on my 5e SG screen:

http://www.mad-irishman.net/pub_ars.html#storyguide_screen_50

Best,
Patrick

[temprobe]

@David_Chart

I am inclined to restrict this to formulae, for two reasons.

Yeah, I think the formulae for the DC of the Second Sight, Magic Sensitivity, Sense Holiness check would be appropriate.

[David_Chart]

@temprobe

Yeah, I think the formulae for the DC of the Second Sight, Magic Sensitivity, Sense Holiness check would be appropriate.

Those are very sensible suggestions, thank you.

@mad_irishman

There are a few tweaks I might make when revisiting, but naturally I would recommend much of what I have on my 5e SG screen:

Apart from the fact that it uses about twice as much space as we have available, that is a good set of choices. It looks as though about half of it is material I was thinking of putting in the booklet, though, so it might work out.

@aelred

The screen, imo, should be immediately useful - that's the whole point of having the info in your eyeline.

I think having the page references for the spell guidelines in your eyeline might well be immediately useful. It could easily halve the time needed to look them up.

@aelred

That's a shame, but understandable - I suspect a player made booklet with spell guidelines will be on DriveThruRPG within a week of release anyhow.

I'll probably make one. I have all the text in electronic format, after all.

[loke]

@David_Chart

I think having the page references for the spell guidelines in your eyeline might well be immediately useful. It could easily halve the time needed to look them up.

... and if you make it a hyperlinked piece of software instead of ground and baked tree, the reduction is a factor of ten at least ...

[David_Chart]

This is the current state of my thinking, based on people's input and the realisation that the Spell Guidelines will have to be separate. The (?) by Shape and Material is because there are a lot when you collect them, and they might not fit in the booklet. But they would go nicely in multiple columns, so I think they probably will.

Further comments still welcome.

Screen

Range, Duration, and Target table

Spell size table

Aura interactions, including extra botch dice for regiones

Voice & Gestures modifiers

Other casting options

Spell casting results

Spont summary

Ease Factors

Botch dice, general and spell

Penetration calculations

Combat mechanics

Non-combat damage

Fatigue levels and recovery

Travel distance

Concentration

AC duration/Pen multiplier

Confidence

Encumbrance

Second Sight/Magic Sensitivity/Sense Holiness

Warping

Impact

Heat/Corrosion

Poison

Deprivation

Booklet

Vis capacity by material and size

Enchantment modifiers (number of uses etc)

Lab activities summary

Experimentation Tables

Shape and Material Bonuses(?)

Seasonal activities summary (books and such)

Aging

Twilight

Wound recovery

Combat totals

Weapon & armor stats

Advancement Table

Certamen

Regiones

[Jank (Medusa)]

Seems pretty good to me.

[Red-Shadow-Claws (Itzhak Even)]

If you're doing the Heat/Corrosion, maybe there's room for the Cold rules from Rival Magic?

[loke]

logically twilight should be on the screen, with other on-stage features

obviously, if you are out of space, I do not object to twilight being the first one to overflow

arguably, Certamen belongs on the screen too, but most players I play with do not want it in the game at all, so that may be ok

[Jank (Medusa)]

Yeah certamen happens rarely enough and has so much crunch that it is not worth the space investment on the screen.

I must say that it is one of my leadt favourite things in the while game and notnally house rule it as a single stress die + Te + Fe + relevant modifiers roll-off.