Engine Skill

[Agar]

I'm trying to figure out why engine's have been tossed into the broad "Manufacturing" skill and not something resembling logic, like "Manufacturing vehicles" or even "Manufacturing machines" Is there a reason for this?

He is in his fourties and is novicely working on project 'Building motorcycle engine'. He wears:


CURRENT SKILLS


Manufacturing vehicles — expertly Tailoring — novicely
Hunting — expertly Cooking — novicely
Drilling — expertly Manufacturing tools — novicely
Mining — expertly Farming — novicely
Shipbuilding — skillfully Manufacturing weapons — novicely
Manufacturing machines — skillfully Building — awkwardly
Burying — efficiently Fighting — awkwardly
Forestry — efficiently Digging — awkwardly
Manufacturing — novicely Refining — awkwardly

[formerly known as hf]

I've a gripe before about the skills - they lack coherency (i.e: great tool maker, or like the above)

But, then again, skills make so little difference in most cases as to be un-noticeable...

[psymann]

skills make so little difference in most cases as to be un-noticeable

Tell that to my poor hungry character who is taking nearly twice the normal time to farm some food! 1 day gone on a 1 day project... 54% complete!

psymann

[N-Aldwitch]

skills make so little difference in most cases as to be un-noticeable

Tell that to my poor hungry character who is taking nearly twice the normal time to farm some food! 1 day gone on a 1 day project... 54% complete!

psymann

Yeah! And with injury it's made all the worse!

[Elros]

I second Psymann, skills do have a pretty big affect on your projects. It just took one of my charries 2 and a half days to farm 1 days worth of carrots. Also it makes a big difference in hunting and everything else.

[T-shirt]

It only affects time used for most skills, but it affects the amount of damage received when being attacked by animals or characters.
There the skill levels do make a real difference; being able to work outside without fear of bears, because they can't penetrate your iron shield, or having to harvest healing food regularly, because most animal attacks will wound your character.

[Jos Elkink]

I've a gripe before about the skills - they lack coherency (i.e: great tool maker, or like the above)

And it should be our aim to be totally realistic in this area? So many thing can be classified as 'manufacturing' - "he's good with his hands" would apply to a huge amount of activities in Cantr. Would be a bit out of balance if one skill determines so many parts of the game, no? So I think some inconsistency for the purpose of a spread of skills is actually a nice thing.

[psymann]

I don't find it too hard to RP my way out of such confusions, and I agree with Jos that if you group together all things involving strength or manual dexterity, then you end up either good at everything or rubbish at everything. It's a bit odd, I agree though.

Maybe if related skills couldn't be more than two away (so if you were expert at manufacturing weapons, all manufacturing would have to be efficient or better) ?

And if you were awkward at digging, then other hard manual labour you wouldn't be more than efficient at....?

psymann

[Surly]

As the person responsible for this...

'm trying to figure out why engine's have been tossed into the broad "Manufacturing" skill and not something resembling logic, like "Manufacturing vehicles" or even "Manufacturing machines" Is there a reason for this?

Let's apply some logic, shall we?

The current "Manufacturing" skill covers radios and engines: which is to say electronics and complex machinery. I don't think the 2 are that dissimilar... the name may be general, but the category is actually not that broad.

Manufacturing machines - this covers such a broad spectrum as kilns, furnaces, anvils, sharpening blocks, spindles... how can this be called anything but broad? It also covers nothing remotely like an engine, or complex machinery of that type.

Now, I do understand that "manufacturing vehicles" would seem the logical choice. However, I don't see that building an engine requires the same skills as making the chassis, or crafting motorcycle tyres. It has just as much, if not more, in common with radios and the manufacturing skill.

Anyways, I think my point is that yes, it may seem illogical. But really, the other options were no more logical...

[wichita]

Thanks, Surly. I knew there was a system there.