Re: [BNW] Weak Powers

["D. Stacy" <dstacy@3wave.com>]

    If you've ever seen Saving Private Ryan, you know that in one unit there is
usually only one person who is fluent in the language. Even then, their fluency
is marred by the forced, sped up learning that they received. In America in the
1940's we we HIGHLY isolationist and we didn't like other countries.
Consequently -very- few people spoke foreign languages of any type (and they
weren't taught in schools), let alone Japanese or Chinese. Almost assuredly not
German. Perhaps some French (Canadians being so near) and maybe some Spanish
(for mexicans in the south). Other than that Americans really didn't frequently
know any languages and didn't want to know. Over time some of the soldiers
picked up some words in the foreign countries, a very small percentage learned
to actually speak the language. The Translator is invaluable n the WW2 setting.

Steve Crow wrote:

> >There has been some discussion over "weak" power packages (especially the
> >Translator).  Maybe I'm a strange Guide, but I have not found any powers to
> >be weaker than the others.
> >
>
> i don't believe I said it was "weak", but rather that it didn't seem to have
> many useful overall applications in a campaign.
>
> >First, the Translator.  I currently have a modern setting going on
> >Tuesdays,
> >and a WW2 game on Thursdays.  The new guy in my group plays a translator in
> >both campaigns.  If you only role-play for combat (which is very boring),
> >then sure, he's weak.  Get creative, that's what makes it fun.  In both
> >settings, I allow him to speak with a regional dialect as a trick.
> >Combined
> >with a high persuasion:bluff skill and a german uniform, he has already
> >started several conversations from fellow soldiers from "his home town."
> >This distracts them long enough to have the others sneak in or knock out
> >the
> >guard, or whatever.  In Crescent City modern day, he has acted like a reg
> >and distracted primers whose accent he hears (a Texan and a New Yorker, so
> >far).  The trick also grants him the use of slang from those areas.
> >
>
> But why are they sending people into an area for infiltration if the group
> in question can't speak and/or read the language?  "What's this big red sign
> say, Fred?"  "Don't know, Charlie.  What is the German word for
> elec...*bzzzttt!*"
>
> So assuming that everyone in the group can speak the language, the benefit
> the Translator is getting here is basically a bonus to his persuasion: bluff
> attempts.
>
> I think the "Share Translation" trick I posted helped, but the main problem
> with the Translator package is that it draws attention to use of language in
> a RPG.  Kinda like how the Star Trek episodes that revolve around some flaw
> or problem with the Universal Translator just point out all the
> inconsistencies when the darn things are working right, or how movies will
> have someone speak in a foreign language (with subtitles) for the first few
> lines and then "take over" and just have the characters speak English (for
> English-viewing audiences, at least)...
>
> >but the fight is broken up by some primer blasters.  BNW powers are gained
> >randomly, and that makes it interesting.  Just my two cents.
> >
>
> They're gained by the PC randomly, but they are chosen by the PC
> deliberately.  Therein lies the difference, if that helps...
>
> >Colan Kennelly
>
> ---
>
> Steve Crow
>
> "Logic merely enables one to be wrong with authority."
>
> Check out my website at:  http://www.geocities.com/Area51/Stargate/4991/
>
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