Techno-Wizardry construction?

[Stattick]

I've read the rules in RUE and Rifter 21 several times, and I still have no idea whatsoever on how to create a techno-wizardric device. My player's read both as well, and again, we're at a total loss. The section makes my eyes glaze over, and I keep reading through and thinking, "Ok, I think I get this part. But where's the rules on how to create a device? How does this effect the other aspects of creating a TW device?"

So, can someone maybe explain this without going through all the minutia?

How about walking me through creating something?




For instance, my player's character has a cordless drill and a kazoo. He wants to turn this into a sonic gun (real example from the game). What does he do?

[wyrmraker]

A big part of the problem is that TW Construction rules have never been clear cut. They have always been designed to involve both player and GM. In fact, the GM decides what the final, assembled product becomes, as opposed to anything the PC puts into it. And yes, this requires a lot of oversight.
And, to be rightly honest, there's just not enough information there to do it 'by the book'.

[Stattick]

A big part of the problem is that TW Construction rules have never been clear cut. They have always been designed to involve both player and GM. In fact, the GM decides what the final, assembled product becomes, as opposed to anything the PC puts into it. And yes, this requires a lot of oversight.
And, to be rightly honest, there's just not enough information there to do it 'by the book'.

The problem is, I don't even know how to get started. Is there an equation that got left out of the book? Where's the instructions? The section doesn't give an overview of the process that I can find.

Like if you were to sum up the process in a paragraph, just super generalized instructions, what would they be. For instance, if I were to give a brief summary of the process of making pancakes, it would look something like this: First, make sure you have all the ingredients and supplies you need. Next, mix the ingredients together to make the batter. Then warm up your cooking surface. Melt some butter on the surface, or use a thin amount of oil. Then pour batter onto cooking surface. Once the pancake is finished on one side, flip it over. Once it's done on the other side, remove from cooking surface, and start on the next pancake. That's all there is to it, it's not really all the complicated. In the following instruction, we'll cover each of the above steps in greater detail.

Bam. Done.

The problem is, I can't find anything like that in the instructions in the Rifts RUE or Rifter 21. It just dives immediately into all kinds of minutia, while I don't understand anything that it's talking about, nor the context for any of it. It's all just, "Add this and that and the other thing together. Then multiply it by 10. Then multiply it by 2. Then divide it by what day of the week it is. Then stare down a bull. I'm on a horse."

And then it goes on to the next "step", which doesn't seem to be connect to the step above it or below it as far as I can ascertain. Each step seems to make some sense, but I don't get how any of the steps work together. It's like I'm looking at all of the parts of a clock that's been taken apart, but have never seen a clock that's actually working. I can look at it, and say, "Well, I suppose I the faceplate might somehow be used to indicate time. Maybe that's the number of minutes... no... probably the number of hours... why isn't there a second faceplate? Why are there two hands? Do the hands point at the face plate to indicate what time it is... hmm... seems likely. Um. Not really sure how this works. What's this giant spring for?"

I'm confused.

[drewkitty ~..~]

I have the 2nd printing of RUE and the one problem I saw was that the construction time equation was not written correctly.

It should read "Device Const. Time=(P.P.E./10)x device level"

My advise would be to try to make a simple TW device. Slowly figuring out each step.

[Nekira Sudacne]

Can you explain what you feel the issue is a little more clearly? the rules seem perfectly consistant to me.

step 1: decide what you want to make
step 2: decide what kind of device fits what you want to make
step 3: decide what specific abilities and spell effects you want to put into the device.
step 4: decide how many spell chains you need to get the effect you have no control over.
step 5: get the gems you'll need.
step 6: calculate how much PPE you'll need to build it
step 7: calculate how much it'll cost to use
step 8: Calculate how long it will take to make
step 9: calculate how much it'll cost to make, gems included.
step 10: decide if you want it to store it's own PPE and how much.
step 11: calculate all the modifiers for the rolls
step 12: make the rolls and build the device
step 13: find out what the GM says you made, which may not be what you were trying for.

you may want to keep in mind that until step 12, you haven't actually built anything. steps 1-11 are just drawing blueprints, and all the actual work is done in a single set of rolls at the end.

[Stattick]

You know, I'd really like a copy of that spreadsheet, if you don't mind. Care to host it somewhere for me, or e-mail it to me?



stattick at yahoo dot com

[Stattick]

Ok, I finally figured out TW construction. Thanks for the help everyone.

Yup no problemo, I'll take care of it after work.

Thank you for the spreadsheet. That helped a lot too.

[McFacemelt]

If either of you still have this spreadsheet and could send it to deadhead1186 at yahoo dot com I would name a cosmo-knight after you, and he would ride a golden surf board.

[drewkitty ~..~]

Level 5 edit

[13eowulf]

I am not a master of excel, but I have also created myself a spreadsheet that does all of the calculations.

Once the math was made easy it all fell into place, it is just a matter of figuring out the spell chains.

[McFacemelt]

Yes I was able to get a copy and once the math got taken care of it was quite simple.

Now as I promised I have to make a golden surf board riding Cosmo-Knight to come smite my players this week, hooray for smiting evil TW wielding hooligans.

[Nightmask]

I've read the rules in RUE and Rifter 21 several times, and I still have no idea whatsoever on how to create a techno-wizardric device.

Just watch episodes of "MacGyver".

He could make a fusion bomb out of a pen, some bubble gum, and a shake machine.

Well to be fair they do leave out key steps in what he does so that viewers don't go around creating what he actually does particularly the criminal/murderous element. Something that leaves his work looking more magical than it actually is.

[Ectoplasmic Bidet]

I've read the rules in RUE and Rifter 21 several times, and I still have no idea whatsoever on how to create a techno-wizardric device.

Just watch episodes of "MacGyver".

He could make a fusion bomb out of a pen, some bubble gum, and a shake machine.

Well to be fair they do leave out key steps in what he does so that viewers don't go around creating what he actually does particularly the criminal/murderous element. Something that leaves his work looking more magical than it actually is.

Yep, that's how they kept his duct tape and bamboo stealth fighter out of the hands of the Russians.