[Q&A] Nathaniel Torson (Dr. Who RPG)

[18:59] <~Dan> This is Nathaniel Torson, one of the authors of the Dr. Who RPG.
[19:00] <~Dan> He's here to talk a bit about that game, and, more
specifically, about the forthcoming supplement.
[19:00] <~Dan> Nathaniel, the floor is yours!
[19:01] <+Pertwee> As Dan said, I'm mainly here to answer questions
about the forthcoming Time Traveller's Companion, but if you have
questions about the core game, we can talk some about that as well.
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[19:02] <~Dan> If I might make a suggestion, why don't we get any
general questions about the game out of the way first?
[19:02] <+Pertwee> I'm all ears. Or fingers.
[19:02] <+Pertwee> Mmm. Fish Fingers.
[19:02] <+Pertwee> And Custard.
[19:03] <~Dan> Hmm. Okay, then. Why don't you tell us a bit about the TTC?
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[19:03] <+Pertwee> Hey, Craig! Long time no see!
[19:04] <~Dan> Howdy, Craig!
[19:04] <+CraigOxbrow> Hello, hello.
[19:04] <+Pertwee> The TTC is THE supplement on Time Travel, Time
Lords and TARDISes for the Doctor Who RPG.
[19:04] * +CraigOxbrow sits in back quietly
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[19:05] <+Pertwee> It is full of interesting new rules for your DW
games and is also a fairly hefty reference resource for Doctor Who
fans in general.
[19:05] <+Gemini> ! The Doctor!
[19:05] <+Pertwee> Who?
[19:05] <+Gemini> :O
[19:05] <~Dan> (Just drop us a "(done)" when you're... well, done. :) )
[19:06] <+Pertwee> OK. (done).
[19:06] <+Gemini> What is full of interesting new rules, etc.?
[19:06] <+Pertwee> The Time Traveller's Companion for the Doctor Who RPG.
[19:07] <+Pertwee> Which should be out in the next few weeks in PDF format.
[19:07] <+Pertwee> A couple of months following that in dead tree.
(over... I mean Done).
[19:07] <~Dan> Heh.
[19:07] <+Gemini> Ahhh ok; cool. I have the Tenant era boxed set of
that. I hope to get a chance to run/play it soon, I'm feeling keen on
story points.
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[19:09] <~Dan> Ah, that brings up a good point: will the TTC work
seamlessly for those with the Tenant set?
[19:09] <~Dan> Howdy, Sara!
[19:09] <+Pertwee> THe new Matt Smith box is out now and its well
worth the extra dosh. If you can't afford it, go grab the free upgrade
kit from RPGNow.
[19:10] <+Sara> Hey! Apparently there are 0 people in this
room...still working out the bugs in Pidgin...
[19:10] <+Gemini> 'free upgrade kit?'
[19:10] <+Pertwee> Yep. For those who bought the Tenth Doctor set,
there is a free PDF with the new monsters, Gadget Cards, and character
sheets.
[19:11] <~Dan> Does it include the rules changes?
[19:12] <+Gemini> Oh nice
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[19:12] <+Gemini> Did the rules change at all?
[19:12] <+Pertwee> Nope. That would be because the changes are a bit
subtle and spread out across the new core box. A tweak here, a
redefinition there, a new bit around the corner (there is a new gadget
Trati for insatnace).
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[19:12] <+Gemini> Cool
[19:12] <+Pertwee> So yues, there are some changes, but not big ones
that make it incompatible with the old edition.,
[19:13] <+Pertwee> Think of it as the 'Moffet' version of the game.
[19:13] <+Gemini> Who is your favorite doctor? Oh? Hmm.
[19:13] <+Gemini> Moffet is prolific.
[19:13] <+Pertwee> Peter Cushing.
[19:13] <+Pertwee> LOL! Joking!
[19:13] <&Le_Squide> Hmm. As someone who HASN'T laid eyes on the game
at all, what do you think the biggest selling point is for a group
that's a mix of Doctor fans and the ambivalent?
[19:14] <+Pertwee> Easy peasy question: it's ot enough 'game' to
please a gamer, but is simple enough and has rules so evocative of the
series that it is right up the street of a non-gamer as well.
[19:15] <+Pertwee> For instance...
[19:16] <+Pertwee> 1. Story Points - Like Drama Points in other games,
but they flow a bit like the tide in this game and do some pretty
amazing stuff based on the series.
[19:17] <+Pertwee> 2. Basic Ruel: 2D6 + Attribute + Skill task
resolution, with three flavors - Simple, Opposed and Extended (your
typical combat type round).
[19:18] <+Pertwee> 3. Initiative is based on the reality of the
series, in that Talkers always go first, Runners always go next, Doers
always go thrid and Fighters always go last.
[19:18] <+Sara> Heh, nice.
[19:18] <&Le_Squide> I've heard about the initiative rule, which have
always tickled my fancy.
[19:18] <+Sara> I can only sigh and think, "Oh, Rory..."
[19:19] <~Dan> Mind if I make an observation, Nathaniel?
[19:19] <+Pertwee> There are a lot of small touches that work like
that. It really is a game based on the series, not the series
shoehorned into a game system.
[19:19] <+Pertwee> Shoot.
[19:20] <~Dan> Well, Squide, I'd just add that I'm somewhat ambivalent
on Dr. Who but found the demo game Nathaniel ran to be outrageously
fun.
[19:20] <+Gemini> Plus, it'd be easy to have everyone pick their fave
Doctor and do an X-doctors type game
[19:20] <+Sigul> Is it... /the/ Sara?
[19:20] <~Dan> (Even if my fellow player wasn't exactly... talkative.)
[19:20] <~Dan> Yes, that is the Sara. :)
[19:20] <+Sara> I've been led to believe so...?
[19:20] <+Sara> What in the world have you told them, Dan...
[19:20] <+Sigul> Sara! *HUGS*
[19:20] <+Gemini> (The Sara?)
[19:20] <+Sigul> <-- JasonP/JP
[19:20] <+Sara> JP! Hi!
[19:20] <~Dan> A long-time player of mine. :)
[19:20] <+Sara> 16 years. For realsies.
[19:20] <~Dan> If you guys want to catch up, I have #rpgnet2 open for
general chat.
[19:21] <+Sara> Sorry, we'll be good. :)
[19:21] <+Pertwee> Gemini, there is a special TTC related release that
will be setting up exactly that.
[19:21] <~Dan> No, I wasn't chiding you. It really IS open for that. :)
[19:21] <+Gemini> Nice!
[19:21] <+Gemini> I actually think I want to pick up the UNIT
handbook. Or something. :-|
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[19:22] <+Sara> Bah, sorry.
[19:22] <~Dan> wb, Sara!
[19:22] <+Sara> Radio-based internets. *facepalm*
[19:22] <+Pertwee> Basically, Gemini, there was so much material for
the TTC that some of it had to be cut. Dom and I worked out a way for
that material to be released as supplemental PDFs, so the 11 Doctors
and the campaign arc that goes with them will be a separate PDF
release.
[19:22] <+Gemini> Wow!
[19:23] <+Gemini> When you put it that way, it sure seems like a lot
of Doctors lol
[19:23] <~Dan> Sara, Nathaniel was saying that the TTC will contain
nifty time travel rules. Perhaps that might address the question you
had?
[19:23] <+Pertwee> That means you can get that material without the
TTC (although it will refrence that book in some places).
[19:24] <+Sara> Sort of. If it means that, well...you can be a Time
Lord from the past, as it were, but not the future, since all the
other Time Lords are dead?
[19:24] <+Pertwee> The Time Travel rules are pretty extensive, in that
they cover almost every bit of temporal phenomena or Time Travel
device found in the series.
[19:24] <+Sara> (Though there's Genny, which, tricky...)
[19:26] <+Pertwee> Sara: The TTC contains a metric butt-tonne of
information on fitting Time Lords into your game, including extensive
history and game information on Gallifrey.
[19:26] <+Sara> Nice!
[19:26] <+Gemini> Oh wow, nice.
[19:26] <+Gemini> Is this information all sourced from the show?
[19:26] <+Pertwee> You can play post-Time War as a Time Lord, a Scion
of Gallifrey (think River Song) or even a normal, non-Time Lord
Gallifreyan.
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[19:27] <+Pertwee> You can also set the campaign before or even durign
the Time War.
[19:27] <~Dan> Howdy, Adderlan! Dr. Who Q&A in progress! :)
[19:27] <+Pertwee> Yes, it is all based on the show.
[19:27] <+Sara> There were non-Time Lord Gallifreyans? I'm only
familiar with the current series, I'm afraid. That's cool!
[19:27] <+Adderlan> *thumbs up*
[19:27] <~Dan> Sara: Actually, I was thinking about your "fixed points
in time" question?
[19:27] <+Sara> I should play a Time Peasant...
[19:27] <+Sara> Oh! Yes. Yes, that does answer it.
[19:27] <+Gemini> There's an episode where someone says the Doctor's
name :P Or claims to; some dude from Gallifrey
[19:28] <+Gemini> It's in one of the Douglas Adams' episodes.
[19:28] <+Melum> So I know nothing about Doctor Who.  Could I do
"just" a time travel campaign using the rules?
[19:29] <+Melum> With minimum fluff involvement?  Or would that be
defeating the point?
[19:30] <+Pertwee> There is a section on doing just that and a number
of Time Travel Devices in the book to use with it. In fact, the whole
temporal phenomena section will allow you to run long campaigns with
nary a Time Lord in sight if you wish.
[19:30] <~Dan> "The book" being the core book, or the TTC?
[19:30] <+Pertwee> Fixed Points in Time are covered in the TEmporal
Phenomena section under 'Temporal Nexus Points.'
[19:31] <+CraigOxbrow> Due to rules like the initiative system, the
game might still feel rather Who-like. The new Primeval RPG is
probably more "generic".
[19:31] <+Pertwee> The TTC. The Core Box also talks a bit about
non-Time Lord campaigns and has ways of doing that, the TTC is more
detailed in that respect.
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[19:31] <+Sara> How did you manage to keep Sonic devices from being overpowered?
[19:31] <~Dan> Howdy, Randy!
[19:31] <+Randaconda> Dan!
[19:31] <+Randaconda> What's up, buddy?
[19:31] <+Pertwee> Craig: True, but then you can always revert to a
Coordination+Skill type system.
[19:31] <+Adderlan> Lots of Wood.
[19:31] <+Pertwee> ADD: LOL!
[19:32] <+Randaconda> How is everybody? :)
[19:32] <~Dan> Randy: Having a Dr. Who Q&A. :)
[19:32] <~Dan> (General chat is in #rpgnet2, if you're inclined.)
[19:32] <+Pertwee> Really, gadgets in the game are special objects,
first of all, and cost character points to use. Once you have them,
you can use any of their traits as often as you like...
[19:33] <+Pertwee> In addition, for those times when you need to do
something unusual that isn't covered by gadget traits, you have Story
Popints in the Gadgets themselves.
[19:33] <+Pertwee> So you could use the Sonic Screwdriver to fix
Barbed Wire or Psychic Paper to fool a card scanner.
[19:34] <+Pertwee> Thing is, once they run out of Story Points, the GM
is encouraged to say 'batteries died' 'the paper told a lie to big'
etc.
[19:34] <+Sara> So you actually assigned traits to the Sonic
Screwdriver? It seems kind of like a deus ex machina (literally) in
the show.
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[19:34] <+Pertwee> Yep. We assigned Gadget Traits to each gadget based
on a system of Minor, Major and Special ratings.
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[19:35] <+Sara> *gasp!* Sacrilege! But completely necessary. :D
[19:35] <+Pertwee> For an example, go download the free upgrade pack
at RPGNow. You'll see the gadgets from the 11th Doctor set.
[19:35] <~Dan> I think the deus ex machina effects fall under the
Story Point effects, correct, Nathaniel?
[19:35] <+Sara> Tried...not enough bandwidth. >.< But I've got it in
the queue, thank you.
[19:35] <+Pertwee> Absolutely. You can do the most incredible things with SPs.
[19:36] <+Gemini> What was the most incredible thing you've witnessed
SPs being used for in an actual game?
[19:36] <+Sara> Even Doctor/Donna-type stuff? I know Dan hasn't seen
that season, IIRC...
[19:36] <+Pertwee> The basics include bumping success levels, adding
dice to the roll, etc. but then there are the ones that force the GM
to give you a clue, or heal your damage.
[19:37] <+Pertwee> Specifically, there are some set ways of using (and
gaining) SPs but there is also a lot of advice on using them in off
the cuff situations as well, like haiving to save the universe that
you've inadvertantly doomed. This trypically costs a LOT of SPs, in
the neighborhood of 9-12.
[19:38] <+Pertwee> In these cases, you have to earn quite a few by
doing things that move the story along or play to your weaknesess.
[19:38] <~Dan> Do you awared Story Points for playing the character
well, weaknesses or not?
[19:38] <~Dan> Like, say, for cool quotes?
[19:39] <+Pertwee> Depends on the situation, but yes, on occasion, you
can earn SPs for good gaming.
[19:39] * ~Dan nods
[19:39] <+Pertwee> Cool Quotes are one in particular I reward, but I
tend to stick to the 'once a session' limit just to keep things in
hand.
[19:39] <+Pertwee> I'll give you a good example.
[19:40] <+Pertwee> In the old classic series, one of the old canards
was the twisted ankle. Now, let's say that Susan, the Doctor's
Granddughter, who has the clumsy Trait is being chased by something
and is not doing very well at escaping.
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[19:41] <+Randaconda> freaking internet >_>
[19:41] <~Dan> (wb, Randy!)
[19:41] <+Randaconda> Thank ya Dan
[19:41] <+Randaconda> Yeah so I came in the other night and one of the
mods was here lol
[19:41] <+Pertwee> The player knows she is likely to get caught and
needs more Story Points, so she declares 'Susan twists her ankle' and
gets caught automatically.
[19:41] <+Pertwee> Now she has a bonus SP to use for escape later.
[19:42] <+Pertwee> SPs tend to flow like the tide in the game, coming
in and going out.
[19:42] <~Dan> (Randy, let's chat in #rpgnet2. :) )
[19:42] <+Pertwee> They tend to come in slower than they go out,
however, although this tends to make play more exciting for everyone.
[19:43] <+Pertwee> Also, no more getting stuck as you can always throw
a SP at the GM to get a clue.
[19:43] <+Pertwee> That answer your question?
[19:43] <+Randaconda> Right, so on that unofficial fan page that
Palladium cried about, I actually got into an argument about whether
GURPS or Palladium had a better system >_>
[19:43] <~Dan> Nathaniel, another TTC question... can you give some
examples of the time travel rules in there? Are we talking stuff like
rules on paradoxes and the like?
[19:43] <+Sara> That sounds awesome. :D
[19:43] <~Dan> (Yup, it did!)
[19:44] <~Dan> (brb)
[19:45] <+Randaconda> ok
[19:45] <+Pertwee> Yep. Paradoxes (and the lesser known Coincidox),
the Blinovitch Limitation Effect, Causal Nexus Points, Skipping Time
Tracks, Time Spurs, Chronic Hysteresis, and a bit more.
[19:45] <+Pertwee> Basically, you could run an entire series without
duplicating phenomena.
[19:45] <+Randaconda> What game is this?
[19:46] <+Pertwee> Doctor Who and the Time Travellers Companion for it.
[19:46] <+Pertwee> Also, I cover every type of time machine form the
series, old and new.
[19:46] <+Sara> Question for a friend of mine. Bannakaffalatta. Playable?
[19:47] <+Pertwee> Yep.
[19:47] <+Sara> Yesss
[19:47] <+Pertwee> Aliens are built using Alien Traits. That includes Cyborgs.
[19:47] <+taurean82|bubbles> how does the campaign work? does one
player get to play the doctor and the other players are companions?
[19:47] <+CraigOxbrow> And Alien Appearance.
[19:47] <+J_Arcane> Wibbly wobbly timey wimey?
[19:47] <+taurean82|bubbles> oh that was supposed to go in the other
channel but nm
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[19:49] <+Pertwee> How you divvy the Doctor is a question that varies
from table to table. But there is an advantage to playing companions
as Time Lords use a number of their Story Points to become Time Lords,
own TARDISes and nifty gadgets, so a companion will almost always have
more SPs than a Time Lord, typically half again or more. Espceially
wit the TTC which gives Time Lo
[19:49] <+Adderlan> Now that the game has been out for a while, what
effect has the SP totals between Timelords and Companions actually had
vs what was intended, if anything?.
[19:50] <~Dan> (Howdy, Wondy!)
[19:50] <+WonderRat> Howdy, Dan
[19:51] <+Pertwee> It make a world of difference as the companion can
not only use mnore to aid their own efforts, but can share them to aid
the Time Lord. Think of the number of times Rose helpd the Doctor when
he ran out of time or ideas, for instance.
[19:51] <+Sara> I've always thought that was rather the point,
plot-wise, of the Companion. Besides being our surrogate, of course.
[19:51] <+Pertwee> They can also do things only a Time lord could do,
like operate the TARDIS for a scene by using the 'Is This How It
Works, Doctor' rule.
[19:52] <+Sara> Nice rule. :)
[19:52] <+Pertwee> Basically, the Doctor shows the companion how to do
something and thedy can do it for that scene.
[19:52] <+CraigOxbrow> (Cut off long answer: Especially with the TTC
which gives Time Lo)
[19:52] <+CraigOxbrow> (How does that sentence finish?)
[19:53] <+Pertwee> They still need th eDoctor to show them to 'Use the
Soic setting 15b and press that button when the meter goes 'ding.' But
for as long as the scene lasts, they can help.
[19:54] <+Pertwee> Sorry Craig: The TTC gives Time Lords a wholoe
bunch of nifty reasons to lower their SP totals, including new Time
Lord only Traits.
[19:54] <+CraigOxbrow> Cool, thanks.
[19:54] <+Sara> I keep envisioning this as the Craig from the Eleventh
Doctor series, sorry. >.>
[19:54] <+Pertwee> I have a player who made a Visionary Time Lord last week.
[19:54] <+Sara> What's that?
[19:54] <+Adderlan> The reason I ask is that on the few times I've
played, the difference didn't seem to make much of a difference, and
the Timelord always seemed to have more opportunities to earn SP too,
in addition to being far more capable.
[19:55] <+Pertwee> Redues the SP total, that Trait, but makes for an
interesting character.
[19:55] <+CraigOxbrow> Sara: Grrr.
[19:55] <+Pertwee> Visionary: basically a low key version of the crazy
fortune telling Time Lady from the End of Time.
[19:55] <+Sara> Cool
[19:56] <~Dan> How extensive are the alien/cyborg rules in the core
book, and does the TTC expand on them?
[19:57] <+Pertwee> Adderlan: The new Core Box really goes into that
subject by giving much better examples of how the SP economy works.
Other than that, the best advice is to encourage the TL to spend more.
[19:57] <+Pertwee> By making the difficulties for the things he does
specifically higher.
[19:58] <+Pertwee> The alien and cyborg rules in the core box cover
most of your bases, but to really get the most out of these types of
characters, including building races and star systems, you want the
Aliens and Creatures box.
[19:58] <+Pertwee> I'm uncredited on that box do to a snafu, but I
wrote the back third of that book.
[19:58] <~Dan> Oh, that's something that's already out?
[19:58] <+CraigOxbrow> Ouch.
[19:59] <+Pertwee> Ouch?
[19:59] <+CraigOxbrow> Goin guncredited.
[19:59] <+taurean82|bubbles> are there any rules covering how many
times the GM can revive the daleks after the players wipe them out?
[19:59] <+Gemini> ?
[19:59] <+Sara> Heh
[19:59] <~Dan> Guncredited is now my favorite word.
[19:59] <+Sara> You've gone and guncredited now, Dan.
[19:59] <+CraigOxbrow> And me a proofreader...
[19:59] <+Pertwee> Yeah. It happens. But the Core Box more than makes
up for it as I did revision, writing, editing, layout and graphic
design on it.
[19:59] <~Dan> :D
[20:00] <+taurean82|bubbles> if there are, can you send a copy of the
book to stephen moffat?
[20:01] <+Sara> Don't be silly, the Daleks are amazing!
[20:01] <+Pertwee> Laurean: LOL! No, no specific rules, but there's
not a Dalek continuity enforcement squad to stop you from pulling a
Moffet either!
[20:01] <~Dan> Is there any support from the series for alien/cyborg Companions?
[20:01] <+taurean82|bubbles> (love DW really)
[20:01] <+Gemini> He pulled a Moffet from his Toffet
[20:02] <+Adderlan> I'm glad to hear the new set covers the SP economy
more, because that's the element which makes me NOT classify this as a
beginners game. It expects the GM to instinctively understand pacing
and influence it through SP, which is something many seasoned GMs
can't even do.
[20:02] <+Gemini> hmmm…. yeeeess?
[20:02] <+Gemini> to Dan's q?
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[20:02] <+Pertwee> Adderlan: I wrote a full page example that shows
not only the use of Story Points, but how almost every rule works.
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[20:03] <+Mostlyjoe> Yo folks!
[20:03] <+WonderRat> Howdy, Joe
[20:03] <~Dan> Howdy, Mostlyjoe! Dr. Who Q&A in progress! #rpgnet2
open for general chat if you're inclined. :)
[20:04] <+Sara> Possibly lurking for a bit...moving the baby to her
crib, hopefully...
[20:04] <+Pertwee> Aliens and Creatures adds to the Core Box. REally,
you can make any alien, robot or cyborg you can think of, and its
easy-peasy for the GM to come up with other ideas based on the
existing Traits.
[20:04] <+WonderRat> So is there infomation about the universe of
Doctor Who like the Earth of the future and diffirent planets shown in
the series as well as info added by the game writers. Sorry if this
has been asked already
[20:04] <+Pertwee> Also, you can be a 'human' alien, i.e. a brother
from another planet, without taking the Aline Trait.
[20:05] <+Pertwee> Alien.
[20:07] <+Pertwee> While on the subject of 'who plays the Doctor' and
imbalance, I am of the strong opinion that the best games use an
original PC Time Lord, as the Doctor is hugely experienced by his 11th
incarnation.
[20:07] <+Pertwee> The TTC is designed to make that a much more exciting option.
[20:09] <+Pertwee> The player who made a Time Lord using the TTC last
week create a bald, elderly but stunningly attractive  Time lady with
a fixation on gourmet cheeses and a predilection for brightly colored
and extravegant wigs (Ms. Slocombe, are you free?).
[20:11] * ~Dan laughs
[20:11] <+Sara> Back. And that'd be amazing, I never thought of that.
A beginner Time Lord, without all the knowledge of the current Doctor!
[20:11] <+WonderRat> Hmmm
[20:12] * +Gemini caught that reference.
[20:12] <+WonderRat> Yeah that could be fun
[20:12] <+Gemini> Yeah, beginner time lord would totally be how I'd want to go.
[20:12] <~Dan> Nathaniel: Did you see WonderRat's question a few lines back?
[20:12] <+Gemini> As a player or an ST.
[20:12] <+Pertwee> She wears Victorian garb and spent a lot of SPs on
the Visionary Trait and upgrading her TARDIS from Ancient relic ot
Decommissioned Museum Piece.
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[20:13] <+Sara> Very small question...do all TARDISes need six pilots?
[20:13] <+Sara> (Well, "need".)
[20:13] <+CraigOxbrow> Not really. It's a health and safety issue.
[20:14] <+Pertwee> Sorry Wonderrat: The time zones are only covered by
Tech Levels. Otherwise, it would be a boxed set the thickness of the
WFRP 3RD edition.
[20:14] <+Gemini> afk dinner
[20:14] <+Pertwee> However, each Doctor will get a set that describes
their particular adventures, the planets they went to, the times they
visited, the aliens they encountered, etc.
[20:14] <+Sara> And she's up...brb
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[20:15] <+WonderRat> Oh I understand that.
[20:15] <+WonderRat> Neat
[20:15] <+Adderlan> Will they all be boxed sets?
[20:15] <+Pertwee> When I started the TTCFD, it was intended to
include a book on Earth from the beginning to the 51st Century as wel
las an alien book...
[20:16] <+Pertwee> The TTC had to be focused more, howevre, so the
alien stuff ended up in aliens and creatures and the Earth stuff is
awaiting a supplement to fit into.
[20:17] <+Sara> This is going to take a while. Gotta run. But thanks
for answering my questions!
[20:17] <~Dan> Bye, Sara!
[20:17] <~Dan> So Aliens and Creatures is currently available?
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[20:17] <+Pertwee> the UNIT book will be out shortly and that will
cover recent Earth for UNIT style games. Also, for a precvious
comment, it includes an alternate combat system for initiative.
[20:17] <+Pertwee> You're very welcome!
[20:17] <+Pertwee> A&C is currently available.
[20:18] <~Dan> Sweet. You guys let me know if you want that reviewed as well. ;)
[20:18] <+Pertwee> Will do.
[20:18] <~Dan> Okay, weird question re: time travel....
[20:18] <+Melum> Yes, having sex with yourself is incest.
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[20:19] <~Dan> ...Does the TTC explain why you can't assemble an army
of "yourselves" from each second of your life or suchlike?
[20:19] <+Pertwee> It also violates the Blinovitch Limitation Effect.
[20:19] <+Pertwee> Yes. See the Blinovitch Limitation Effect above.
[20:19] <+Pertwee> Wow, two different comments answered with the same question!
[20:19] <~Dan> Is that covered in the TTC or in the core?
[20:19] <~Dan> Well done, sir. :)
[20:19] <+Pertwee> TTC and, a bit in the core.
[20:20] <+Melum> I demand extensive time travel incest rules in all my rpgs.
[20:20] <~Dan> What about Bill & Ted-style silliness?
[20:20] <+Pertwee> The TTC really give you rules for it.
[20:20] <+Pertwee> Bill and Ted: yes.
[20:20] <~Dan> Seriously?
[20:20] <+CraigOxbrow> ... Blinovitch, not incest.
[20:20] <+Pertwee> The section on Coincidoxes is taiolor made for Bill
& Ted style sillines.
[20:20] <+Melum> Well, now I'm saddened.
[20:20] <~Dan> Like, "After this, we'll go back in time and leave
ourselves guns here... and here they are!"
[20:20] <~Dan> That sort of thing?
[20:20] <+Pertwee> Happens all the time in new Who.
[20:21] <~Dan> That's awesome. :)
[20:21] <+Pertwee> The Pandorica Opens, Big Bang is a most excellent examnple.
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[20:22] <+Pertwee> A lot of weird things happen when you start
travbelling about and you can't just have the universe go boom every
time you step on a butterfly, so I wrote about Conincidoxes.
[20:22] <~Dan> Did you invent the term? :)
[20:22] <&egyptian> Good thing nobody ever says, "Well if you're going
to be a jerk about it I'm not going to leave you a gun in the
future...and I didn't!"
[20:22] <+Pertwee> Not strictly from the series in name, but
definitely there in concept.
[20:22] <~Dan> egyptian: LOL
[20:22] <+Pertwee> Another good example, Kill Hitler and the 'I knew
you were going to do that' duel between the Doctor and River.
[20:23] <+Pertwee> Yep, I invented the name.
[20:23] <~Dan> Awesome. :)
[20:23] <~Dan> Obviously, the BBC folks approved? :)
[20:23] <&egyptian> or "I wonder how we managed to survive without the
guns, get back to the time machine unarmed and return with the weapons
we left for ourselves. Guess we'll never know now!"
[20:23] <+CraigOxbrow> (A different but compatible time travel ruleset
where stepping on a butterfly might destroy the world is in the
Primeval RPG.)
[20:23] <+Pertwee> We'll see! Still got to finish the TARDIS sheet
before it goes to approvals.
[20:23] <~Dan> Ah, gotcha.
[20:23] <+CraigOxbrow> Fingers crossed.
[20:23] * ~Dan knocks on wood
[20:24] <~Dan> So you said the TTC covers time travel, Time Lords, and
what else...?
[20:24] * +gemini-eating knocks on the knocked on wood.
[20:24] <+Pertwee> I cxan't see a problem with it. They don't mind
stuff as long as its seen mentioned or inferred.
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[20:24] <+Pertwee> TARDISes. Extensively.
[20:25] * &egyptian will knock on wood in the future, once everything
has worked out
[20:25] <+Pertwee> You want to know what a Time Vector Generator does
and why you would want to floor a Helmic REgulatoir? This is the book
for you.
[20:25] <~Dan> Can you say a bit about that?
[20:25] <+Gemini> When does this come out in PDF&Dead Tree fmt, again?
[20:26] <+Pertwee> About a month, I'd imagine, for the PDF. Two more
for the Dead Tree. Depends on approvals
[20:26] <~Dan> Can a TARDIS be armed?
[20:26] <+Pertwee> Don't hold me to that, however, as time is really a
bugger when it comes to these sorts of things. But the intention is
within the next few months.
[20:27] <+Pertwee> Can a TARDIS be armed? Why yes, it can, if it's a
War TARDIS. Ther eis a cool new gadget called the TEmporal Vector
Eliminator, but it usues up every last TARDIS SP to use.
[20:28] <+Pertwee> The TARDIS chapter is spread into three sections:
[20:28] <+Gemini> Nice, because you've definitely sold me.
[20:28] <+Pertwee> 1. TARDIS Navigation: rules for flying a TARDIS and
the special manuevers it can pull off. And yes, it helps to have 6
pilots.
[20:30] <+Pertwee> 2. The Systems and Rooms: Detials of the console,
the rooms and other misc. systems that a TARDIS has been shown to
have/use in the history of the series and rules for every last one of
them if you really want to know what advantage the Fault Locator room
or the TARDIS toolkit gives you..
[20:30] <+Pertwee> 3. Create a TARDIS: Exactly like it sounds - create
your own custom TARDIS with its own little quirks and features.
[20:31] <+Pertwee> I should point out that the console is completely
customizable, as TARDISes are mathematical constructs that have no set
physical form.
[20:32] <~Dan> Sweet.
[20:32] <+Pertwee> Here's a quote from the book on Tertiary Systems
and their placement on the console...
[20:32] <+Pertwee> When it comes to Minor System Controls on a TARDIS
console, you should feel free to put just about anything you like in
the blank spaces left over after the main systems (with GM permission,
of course). The only restriction is that no panel may be left bare and
once you’re out of spaces on that panel, you’re out of room as well.
From material fabrication cont
[20:32] <+Pertwee> From material fabrication controls, as seen on the
Eleventh Doctor’s TARDIS console, to medical monitoring and diagnostic
stations or any other function that the operator needs easy access to,
this is your chance to really customize the design to reflect the
needs and interests of your Time Lord’s present incarnation.
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[20:32] <+Pertwee> It doesn’t have to always be practical either.
Perhaps your Time Lord is a bit of a glutton and likes to have a food
dispenser handy at one of the console stations. Or maybe they’re
really sentimental and keep a digital photo frame on one station that
shows a slideshow of all their previous companions and adventures.
Anything you think your Time Lord finds im
[20:33] <+jtbullet> evening folks
[20:33] <+Pertwee> important is fair game for a Tertiary Control system.
[20:33] <~Dan> (HOwdy, jtbullet! Dr. Who RPG Q&A in progress!)
[20:34] <+Pertwee> There are also fairly extensive rules for judging
TARDIS use, so you can keep it from becoming too prevelant in the
game.
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[20:35] <+Pertwee> I particualry am proud of the rules for fixing
systems. In other words, you can't just park the TARDIS and fix
everything, you have to rol lfor each system to see if you run out of
parts or just get bored and wander off
[20:36] <~Dan> Heh. That's hilarious. :)
[20:37] <~Dan> Another question about the Time Lord rules...
[20:37] <~Dan> ...Does the TTC expand upon psychic powers?
[20:37] <+Pertwee> Happens all the time in the show. To this day, the
Chameleon circuit is still stuck.
[20:37] <+Adderlan> 1/6 of my console is always a Pipe Organ Keyboard.
[20:37] <+Pertwee> Not really, but there are three new Time Lord
Traits that revolve around them: Blunt, Mind Lord and Visoinary.
[20:38] <+CraigOxbrow> "Every time the TARDIS materialises in a new
location, within the first nanosecond of landing, it analyses its
surroundings, calculates a twelve-dimensional data map of everything
within a thousand-mile radius and then determines which outer shell
would best blend in with the environment.... and then it disguises
itself as a police telephone box from 1963."
[20:38] <+Adderlan> So every repair = an adventure. Right?
[20:38] * ~Dan chuckles
[20:39] <+Pertwee> Some, like the Chameleon Circuit are, but mostly
its a Resolve test to keep from wandering off and going fishing
instead of fixing vital systems.
[20:39] <+J_Arcane> CraigOxbrow: Actually, that brings to mind a good
question: You do cover other TARDISes right?  Ones that might even
still work right?  Are there rules as well for generating unique
little quirks for the PCs' TARDIS?
[20:39] <~Dan> What do Blunt and Mind Lord do?
[20:40] <+Pertwee> J: Yes, your TARDIS will be pretty much unique from
the get go and there is even a damage result called 'Quirk' that can
give it even more personality. I cover three broad categories of
TARDS:
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[20:40] <~Dan> (Presumably the former doesn't fill a cheap cigar with weed.)
[20:41] <+Pertwee> Ancient: Types 1-29, really really old and, in most
cases, sentient though they keep that from the Time Lords.
[20:41] <+J_Arcane> Pertwee: Do you cover the "mind" of the TARDIS?
The psychic link, and the eye, and all that weebly wobbly stuff?
[20:41] <+Pertwee> Very damaged or lacking in advanced systems though.
[20:42] <+Pertwee> Decommissioned: Types 30-59, like the Doctor's
TARDIS. Museum or training vehicles with a good deal of system
degredation.
[20:42] <+Pertwee> Modern: Types 60-89, like the Rani's TARDIS.
Advanced, and in good condition for the most part.
[20:43] <+J_Arcane> And how do you handle the Time Lord history?  Does
the game make a default assumption as to whether it's before or after
the Time War, or do you leave things open to the players and cover
both?
[20:43] <+Pertwee> Advanced: The TARDISes of the Time War 90+. Young,
hotheaded and belligerent, but armed with the most advanced systems
and a weapon. Cost 5 SPs to own, though!
[20:44] <+Pertwee> Four. Four broad categories! Fear, Surprise, etc.
[20:45] <+Adderlan> I don't like this 'resolve' thing. I don't think
it's necessary. If repairs lead to adventure then there's no problem,
and if they don't then I'm going fishing anyway.
[20:45] <+Pertwee> Dan: Blunt means the Time Lord is a pshycic dud,
not even capable of the basic psychic recognition of the average
Gallifreyan. Psychically retarded.
[20:45] <~Dan> So does he fly a reTARDIS?
[20:46] <+Adderlan> :rimshot
[20:46] <+Drakkar> haha
[20:46] <+Pertwee> Mind Lord's are the opposite. They excel at Psychic
hoobaja, especially when it involves mental combat in mindscapes like
The Matrix (which is also covered in the TTC).
[20:46] <~Dan> Is that what the Master does?
[20:47] <+Adderlan> Ooh, can a Timelord PC hide their name from the
cosmos like The Doctor did?
[20:47] <+Pertwee> Speaking of the technology of the Time Lords, wait
until you see the section on creating Time War WEapons. Can you say
'Apocalyptic Traits?' I knew you could..
[20:47] <+CraigOxbrow> I can, but I dare not.
[20:47] <+Drakkar> oh man
[20:47] <+Pertwee> There is a boxed seciton on naming your Time lord
that wil lanswer both of those.
[20:47] <+Drakkar> i am going to do scenarios that dip into the time war asap
[20:48] <+Pertwee> I know I keep saying 'oh, and then there's this'
but ther ereally is a lot of stuff crammed into the TTC. 240 pages
worth.
[20:49] <+Pertwee> A labour of love, it is.
[20:49] <~Dan> The Time War weapons are in the TTC?
[20:50] <+Adderlan> Please don't spoil The Moment.
[20:50] <+Pertwee> Not THE Time War weapons. No Nightmare Child or
Skaro Degredations. Couldn't get away with doing that! No, there are
rules for creating weapons of apocalyptic levels, like those in the
Time War so you can set adventures durign that period OR set
adventures involving one or more of them slipping out of the Time lock
in the post-war period.
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[20:51] <~Dan> Is there a weapon for just killing time?
[20:51] <+Pertwee> Time Eater.
[20:51] <~Dan> I was joking. O.o
[20:51] <~Dan> Howdy, jann!
[20:51] <+Gemini> Sounds awesome!!!!
[20:52] <+Pertwee> We've seen Time Eaters in the show already. In the
Pertwee era, we had Chronos, the Chronovore.
[20:52] <+CraigOxbrow> And now we have Reapers, "wild" time eaters.
[20:53] <+Pertwee> And there is a section in the temporal phenomena
section on entering interstital time and encountering things like
that.
[20:53] <~Dan> Okay, we've got just a few minutes left. Anyone have
any last questions?
[20:53] <+Gemini> Reapers? Which episode are they from?
[20:53] <+Pertwee> And a bit on Time Spurs for the rEapers.
[20:53] <+Pertwee> Father's Day.
[20:53] <+CraigOxbrow> Chrsitopher Eccleston's series.
[20:53] <+Pertwee> Rose tries to prevent her dad from dying and mucks
up the niverse.
[20:54] <+CraigOxbrow> By Paul Cornell.
[20:54] <+Pertwee> Manages to get the Doctor eaten.
[20:54] <+Gemini> Ah, okay; I'll have to check that out.
[20:54] <+Pertwee> Any last questions?
[20:54] <+Gemini> None for now, thanks for all of the information!
[20:55] <+CraigOxbrow> Will the TTC and the UNIT set now be books?
[20:55] <+Gemini> I'm looking forward to this supplement!
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[20:58] <+Adderlan> Maybe sum up the rule differences between the old
and new editions, if you haven't already?
[20:58] <+Pertwee> You're very welcome.
[20:58] <+Pertwee> Craig: Can't answer that one, I'm afraid. Not yet.
[20:59] <+CraigOxbrow> Righto.
[20:59] <+Pertwee> Sum up the diffirences? You're not asking for much
in the next minute are you?
[20:59] <+Pertwee> : P
[20:59] <+Gemini> There's a free 'upgrade pdf' @ rpgnow
[20:59] <+Adderlan> Eh, the most important in your opinion then :)
[21:00] <+Gemini> Which I haven't read, but that might be a good summary?
[21:02] <+Pertwee> I'd say the best thing about it is it is
streamlined and cleaner, easier to reference and has a lot of
recalibration. Autons now have lethal blasters, there is a new TRait
for Gadgets that gives you a skill, armour and cover are more detailed
and, more importantly, the attributes are much cleaerer.
[21:02] <+taurean82|bubbles> which doctor most influenced you when you
were writing the book?
[21:02] <+Pertwee> All of them. The TTC is chock full of imagery from
across almost 50 years of Doctor Who.
[21:02] <+Pertwee> And all the material is drawn from that same history.
[21:03] <+Pertwee> Dan knows this, but I have a memory like a sieve
EXCEPT when it comes to this shgow, which I can remember scene by
scene over the entire series.
[21:03] <~Dan> He really can. :)
[21:03] <+Pertwee> Scary, really.
[21:04] <+Pertwee> Last call!
[21:05] <+Pertwee> Right, its been fun, folks, but I gotta engage in
some wifetime now!
[21:05] <+CraigOxbrow> Thanks, and goodnight.
[21:05] <~Dan> Alrighty then! I'd like to thank Nathaniel for stopping
by tonight. :)
[21:05] <~Dan> Nathaniel, I'll get you the chat log to do with as you will.
[21:05] <+Adderlan> night
[21:05] <+Pertwee> Thanks Dan and thanks to Dom, Dave, and Gareth as
well as all the other writers that work on the line!
[21:06] <+Pertwee> C7 Rocks! Buy their stuff!
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