House Game Mechanic, thoughts needed.

[rg56538 27]

So I am thinking of expanding on something I read in the game. In the table of examples of Equipment it has Textbooks which are used as a (+) bonus for specific actions. I was thinking of doing something along the lines of each player being able to carry 2-3 books and any given time which gives them a interchangeable ability set. Also at the end of a game sessions they have a chance to lvl up a book instead of adding or lvling up a feature.

 

Any reasons why this wouldn't work?

Any thoughts on how to make this better?

Etc etc...?

 

Or, am I just using this how they intended it (other than the lvling aspect)?

[rg56538 27]

Plenty of people have read and no one has any useful feed back, fantastic.

[Evil Genius Prime 62]

I didn't reply because I didn't really care for the mechanic. Also, I didn't really have any alternative suggestions either. Sorry, man.

[rg56538 27]

Didn't care for the mechanic is feed back. Or, I should say why you didn't care for the mechanic. I am not tied to it, just seems like a natural extension to what was already in the book. Just need some feed back so I know I am not talking out of my ass.

[caul 15]

I'll be honest I don't see the point. Let them carry as many textbooks as they realistically can (means less other supplies) and give them the (+) die when they make use of the information in the book. I don't think it needs to be more complicated than that.

[caul 15]

The upside is that if they have a duffel full of heavy textbooks, they also have a large improvised weapon

[rg56538 27]

Haha true. I was just trying to think of giving the PCs something other than survival to strive for. Guess I will abort this idea.

[caul 15]

Survival should be your only concern in this game. Even a protracted one. That is my feeling anyway.

[rg56538 27]

The more hooks/goals you have the longer you can keep your players attention.

[catachan23 399]

That's an objective for your players there. 

 

We need to repair this radio so we can call for help, but none of us know anything about how to do that.

 

Well, looks like we are off to the bookstore to see if we can find a book on small electronics repair.

 

If the players intend to pack the books around with them, I think I would allow the players to add Positive Dice to rolls using the books if they realistically have the time to read and compare the information in the book without too much external pressure on them.  I wouldn't allow my players that have a book about auto repair in their packs give them any positive dice on a roll to hotwire a car while there are zombies bearing down on them, if none of the players actually knows HOW to hotwire a car without the book in the first place.

 

The mental image of the players frantically flipping through pages of a book while glancing over their shoulders at the zombies reaching out to eat their brains is just too ridiculous.

 

If the players want to take the time needed to study the book for an appropriately long enough down time, they can.  Although if they intended to read a technical manual or textbook once and expect to remember it all, they will end up with negative dice as well for the possibility of remembering the information incorrectly.

Edited February 8, 2015 by catachan23