RE: [HOE] Mechanics for mechanics (HOPLER)

["Jeff Yates" <jyates@poboxes.com>]

Figuring out what's wrong with the car is a spiritual thing -- at least with
my car ;-)  Actually performing the repair would be a matter of remembering
what goes where, and how hard to tighten the bolts.  'Course, the tech
spirit that grew as part of the VW I own is a tempermental spirit, prone to
being miffed at me for not waxing the car enough.  I'm hoping a
rebuild/restoration will appease it.

But back to game rules -- like I said, there's all sorts of overlap.  Like
you said, Tinkerin' is a catch-all skill.  But if you studied cars, you'd be
better at fixin' them, and might even call it your "trade", rather than just
Tinkerin' around with cars, like I personally do (since I'm not a mechanic,
but a computer programmer by trade).  Alot of Marshal judgement there, I
know.  Maybe look at this fuel-switching thing this way:  you could Tinker
around with the engine until it ran good with the new fuel, or you could
_know_ how to adjust the fuel system to use the new fuel because it's your
job, your Trade.  As a marshal, I'd give the character that knew what to do
a bonus on the skill check to do it, if not actually make it a
success-unless-bust kinda roll.  The Tinkerin' character is
tweak-and-try-ing their way to success, and would require a higher TN.  The
mechanic going bust would only cause bad damage to the engine if Unlucky or
Jynxed.  The Tinkerin' character going bust would most probably cause engine
damage, and maybe even personal harm if Unlucky or Jynxed.  On the flip
side, an auto mechanic is not going to be able to do much to repair an
Apache helicopter or a suit of powered body armor, but a good Tinkerin'
character might be able to feel the thing out.

Jeff Y.


> -----Original Message-----
> From: owner-hoe@gamerz.net [mailto:owner-hoe@gamerz.net]On Behalf Of
> sam.desmith
> Sent: Wednesday, November 08, 2000 12:13 PM
> To: hoe@gamerz.net
> Subject: Re: [HOE] Mechanics for mechanics (HOPLER)
>
>
> Ah, but I was under the impression that Tinkerin' was all manner
> of repairs,
> regular or otherwise. After all, you use Tinkerin' to clear a blocked gun
> (although, admittedly, there's Trade: Gunsmithin' in DL), and it seems
> rather more appropriate that fixing a car is an instinctual
> (Smarts) rather
> than an intellectual (Knowledge) thang. Think of the way most
> auto mechanics
> behave (sweeping generalisation? Me?)
>
> Sam de Smith
>