[Ar-list] Some Examples

[Carter T. Butts]

Xeon Darkblade wrote:
> Would anybody kind enough supplying me an example or two, with real
> numbers, in these areas:
> 1. Tests, especially concerning optimal results and continuous test

Here's a nontrivial standard form test, with an ORN:

Harold the Fine is attempting to shoot Thieving Larry with his light 
crossbow, from 30 meters away.  Harold has a Crossbow skill of 80. 
Larry is not aware of the impending attack (and hence cannot dodge), but 
is currently walking across Harold's line of fire; as he will cover less 
than 50% of the crossbow's range during the movement period, this 
results in a -10 modifier to the attack.  In addition, Harold has staged 
his ambush on a misty moor, and the moderately dense fog counts as a 
slight impingement on vision (-10).

Adding up our modifiers, we have:
   Base rating            +80
   Using an "Easy" skill  +0
   Weapon precision       +15
   Target moving          -10
   Obscured vision        -10
   Range penalty          -30
-------------------------------
   Total                  +45

To conduct the test, we plug 45 into the DRF, giving us a rolling target 
of DRF(45)=0.81.  Harold's player rolls percentile dice, and gets a 
value of 23%.  The success margin for the test is then 0.81-0.23=0.58 -- 
Harold has managed to hit Larry with a crossbow bolt.  To find the 
damage inflicted, we simply multiply the success margin by the ORN for 
the weapon (here, 350), giving us 0.58*350=203 points of damage.

> 2. Attribute and skill advancement tests

After polishing off Larry, Harold decides that it would be worth 
investing in additional crossbow training.  Over the next month, Harold 
spends a total of 20 hours being instructed by an expert in the skill. 
Harold's initial skill rating is 80; the relevant prerequisite for 
Crossbow is DEX-10, and Harold's DEX of 20 gives him a total 
prerequisite score of 10.  To determine whether (and how much) Harold 
learns from his training session, we perform a contest of the skill 
versus its prerequisite.  The rating for this contest is then 10-80=-60, 
leading to a rolling target of DRF(-60)=0.15.  Harold's character rolls, 
and luck is with him!  He obtains a roll of 10%, producing a positive 
success margin of 0.15-0.10=0.05.  This means that Harold picked up 
something new -- but how much did he learn?  To determine this, we note 
that the training table lists an ORN of 1.5 per hour, for a total ORN of 
30 points for the whole period.  Harold's success margin of 5% then 
indicates a total skill increase of 0.05*30=1.5 points, increasing his 
Crossbow rating to 81.5.  Not a lot of improvement -- but learning is 
slow when you're already an expert!

> 
> One thing, about applying modifiers, especially in contests. Because
> ratings range from -X to X, what if the resisting attribute's rating is
> less than 0? Ex. A with VRB 2 tries to bull B with QNT -1. Do I:
> a. Substract A's VRB with the absolute value of B's QNT [2 - 1], or
> b. Substract A's VRB directly with B's QNT [2 - (-1) = 2 + 1]

The latter, although if I understand your scenario it should be the 
other way around (i.e., if QNT is resisting the action of VRB, then we 
would have -1 - 2 = -3 for QNT).  One can pose the test either way, just 
so long as one keeps the interpretation consistent.  In a contest, it's 
the signed difference between attributes which matters, so we want to 
retain those minus signs...

Hope that helps,

-Carter