X-COM: Aliens

[RogueZair]

So much noise. The world was full of so much noise.

The Quiet One rested silently in the nutrient tank, thinking of the day's events. On the planet there was noise and chaos. There were creatures there who were apparently unaware of The Masters. The Quiet One had followed The Masters' orders and, along with its creche mates, silenced the creatures.

The Masters were satisfied with their actions, so The Quiet One was satisfied as well. That followed as naturally as thought.

New knowledge intruded on its satisfaction, adding complexity to its thoughts. How many more of those creatures were there? What would the Masters tell it to do next and what new gifts would they give it? Why did the Masters feel the need to give it gifts at all since doing their wishes was a gift in itself? What else did it not know?

The Quiet One fell asleep and dreamed of ugly green lands under a sickly blue sky, full of two and four legged creatures fleeing noisily. It wanted to bring order and peace to this place, to silence the chaos.

[Lazybones]

+100 posting XP for Strong, Fast, Quiet, Pale, Scowling, Wild, and Nimble.

[Gulfwulf]

//Just a head's up: I'm having some sinus issues, so if I seem a bit quiet during the game, that'll be why. I should be able to make it because sitting at my computer isn't difficult as long as I'm not doing trig. Cya'll tomorrow.

[Vanya Mia]

((Server up with the usual suspects.))

[Topato]

The wild one was happy. They had more time to explore the world outside the ship, and more interesting things to see and do. He wasn't that amazing at building things but he was excited to try, rather than spend the down time between missions pacing backwards and forth waiting for the next one.

// 4 craft mechanical and 3 knowledge tactics (I suppose that might be useful for deciding how to apply advances?) He'll help someone with his skills quite happily, if somewhat erratically.

[Lazybones]

Research Rules

Each week, assuming that the party has access to a laboratory, they can conduct research into improving their equipment and other resources.

Research is accomplished by collecting Research points. Each week that the party is based on the ship (i.e., not when the session ends in the middle of a field mission) the laboratory gains 5 Research points. The party can add to this total as follows:

• Lead Researcher (i.e., party member with the highest rank in the appropriate skill [see below]) conducts research in the laboratory by making a post to that effect in the game forum. The character adds a number of Research points equal to a skill check. Example: A character with the Knowledge (earth and life sciences) skill is researching Regenerative Serum 1 in the Medical Domain. The character has an Intelligence of 14 and 6 ranks in the skill. The DM rolls a 10 for that week, resulting in 23 Research points (5 base, +18 from the skill check). The project is successfully completed with 3 Research points left over.
• If no one has the appropriate skill, a character may attempt a roll based on another skill, if they can come up with a good in-game reason for it. The DM judges whether a skill is appropriate. For example, a character wants to research Improved Armor 1, but doesn’t have any of the appropriate skills. However, the character does have the Repair skill. The player makes a post that explains how the character will use that skill to try to improve his armor. The skill check result is divided in two (rounded down).
• When the player posts, he/she should include their character's skill rank in the post.
• If the roll is failed by a large number, bad things may happen at the DM’s discretion. Similarly, if you roll a 20 awesome things might happen.
• Other players may help the Lead Researcher. Any character that can make a DC20 skill check in the relevant skill can add +2 to the result. If they don’t have the relevant skill they can add +1 by making a DC20 skill check in any skill they can relate to the project.
• The DM will make all skill checks using an online random number generator.
• Tier 1 projects require 20 Research points to complete. Each tier after that adds 10 to the Research points required.
• Characters must research up the tiers in order; i.e., a Tier 1 upgrade must be researched in a Domain before the Tier 2 upgrade is researched. Characters may switch between Domains at will, but if they do they lose any excess Research points accumulated.
• Manufacturing: Unless noted otherwise, consumables (ammunition, serums, health packs, grenades) are replaced each session that the party begins on The Ship. One such item is provided for each member of the party, unless the party has researched the Improved Manufacturing project in the Advanced Support domain.

Appropriate Skills for Research

• Medical Domain: Craft (pharmaceutical), Knowledge (earth and life sciences)
• Weapons/Gear Domain: Craft (chemical, electronic, or mechanical), Knowledge (physical sciences)
• Clone Enhancements Domain: Craft (electronic), Knowledge (earth and life sciences)
• Advanced Support Domain: Craft (electronic, mechanical, or structural), Knowledge (physical sciences)
• All Domains: Research (note: this is not a class skill for any of the basic classes allowed at the start, but you might consider taking it as a cross-class skill if you’re weak in all of the above, or you have extra skill points lying around)

[Lazybones]

And here are the Tier 1 choices, delivered to you via telepathy from The Elder:

• Medical: Regenerative Serum 1. Consumable that grants brief regeneration (1 hp/6 seconds for 2 minutes). Causes a minor penalty to strength, dexterity, and movement speed while working.
• Weapons/Gear: Improved Plasma Pistol. +1 attack and improved ammunition capacity. One pistol is updated per week once researched.
• Clone Enhancements: Alien Translator. Upload to implants allows clones to understand all human languages.
• Advanced Support: Improved Laboratory. Improves the laboratory; weekly base Research points doubles from 5 to 10.

You don't have access to the full research tree at the moment, just another happy side effect of the Masters' paranoia, but the tiers generally lead to better stuff (Clone Enhancements ultimately lead to better armor, Advanced Support eventually gives you party allies, etc.).

Feel free to ask the Elder if you have any questions, but he may not respond if the question could violate the Masters' security protocols.

[Lazybones]

As a working rule, let's say that you have to decide on your research choice by the posting deadline (i.e., 24 hours before game time). All leader/support posts must be in by that time and then I'll conduct the rolls and post the results prior to the game.

[Gulfwulf]

The strong one looked around the lab and immediately thought about how to expand it. A bigger lab would allow for more research, right? More research would mean better tools and less chance of being eaten again. He looked at the others: "I want bigger lab. Bigger lab mean more tools and not being eaten again." He grimaced as he rubbed his abdomen where the bear tore his previous incarnation apart.

//OOC: craft structural is 6 and intelligence is 12. Repair is also 6 in case something breaks.

[Topato]

Yes! More lab! More learning! I helps.

/craft Mech 4