My final arguement on Thought Control
948 by: Jon Simola
<...crap snipped...>
> Let's look at the problem: Thought Control is not the end all of all ultimate
> power tipping weapons or systems. It is just an option that you can use,
> and has its own advantages and disadvantages.
Very true. In fact, I have even heard that you can build mecha without any
multipliers! Horror of horrors! <grin>
> For the cost of a X.5 multiplier, you get +2Mv, +1WA, +67% MP, x2 to
> all control mutlipiers on remotes, and you get a tingling feeling of 1 hit
> going to your head for every 3 Kills of damage your mecha takes.
> Now, let's look at it this way: Is the Thought Control System worth all
> that? What else could you get for the same cost and get the some of the
> same effects?
The same cost and same effects can be bought elsewhere, but would cost more if purchased seperately rather than
in this package. But the main point is that TC allows you to increase your MV above 0, which can unbalance a game
if the GM isn't careful.
> How about +5Mv Man. Veiners? What about a supercharged powerplant
> and +2Mv man veiners? What other things can you do? Is the TC system
> really what you need for the task at hand? Couldn't you just say that the
> mecha read impulses from the pilots brain, and call it a "story effect?"
MZ+ is effects-oriented, and many would say that it is too much so. Replacing Thought control is difficult. If
the campaign would be unbalanced by Thought Control, use Reflex cockpit controls and call them TC. Or use SMT:Merging
With Your Mecha instead. In many cases, the system that fits the concept isn't related.
> If you ever sit down and think about it, Mekton is reasonably balanced,
> and offers so many ways to get around any problem. Point costs is only a
> comparison of how much is on one mecha, not the total effectiveness of
> said unit.
Mekton is reasonably balanced, but does require a good GM to ensure that the designs and players involved in the
combat are balanced in effectiveness.
In a 200 point campaign, spending points for the gamma armor will pretty well ensure you survive combat, but it
would get boring. Devote 100 points to missles, and you can easily have 250 2K missles in zero spaces. Both designs
are immensely effective in a 200 point campaign, but aren't play balanced.
> You can spend 5,000 points on a unit, and I can spend only 500 points to
> destroy it. It all depends on how you use your points and your head.
> There is no magic bullet system, weapon, or mecha in mekton..... just
> different things that can do certain tasks either slightly better, or somewhat
> worse.
Always. This becomes far more of a problem with under 300 point mecha, as it's easy to create single-purpose mecha.
Creating mecha that could survive a five minute battle becomes more of a challenge down there, as pilot skill is
a major factor and construction multipliers are a killer.
> Well, that's my two cents worth....
> Do us all a favor, crack open your game books and read it all for once!!!!
Uhh, yeah. Okay.
TTYL... Jon
