Author Topic: The math of stress boxes  (Read 2631 times)

Offline Ghsdkgb

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The math of stress boxes
« on: April 19, 2012, 04:20:45 PM »
1+1=1+2.

1+2=/=3, 1+2=2

2+2=3

3+3=4

3+3+2=4

3+3-2=3+1=/=4

4+1=4, 4+2=4, 4+3=4, but 4+1=/=4+2=/=4+3.

And 4+4=dead

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Offline Tedronai

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Re: The math of stress boxes
« Reply #1 on: April 19, 2012, 05:51:00 PM »
4+4 equals INJURED, with that injury ranging from a sprained ankle through to decapitation
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Offline Ghsdkgb

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Re: The math of stress boxes
« Reply #2 on: April 19, 2012, 06:30:21 PM »
I was neglecting consequences. That brings Algebra into things; I didn't want to complicate them :-P
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Offline Becq

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Re: The math of stress boxes
« Reply #3 on: April 21, 2012, 12:11:56 AM »
Here are some more for you:

2x3=3+4
3x2=2+3+4
4x1=1+2+3+4=2x1+2x3
2+2+2>3+3

As an aside (and perhaps overly picky), some of your math isn't quite accurate.  For example, 2+2 is more than 'just' 3, since two stress boxes are filled, though 2+2=/4.

Of course, stress box math also varies from character to character.  For example, consider a character with no Endurance or bonus consequences:

7*1>22  (the later can barely be soaked with all consequences; the former can't)

Yet for a character with Inhuman Toughness:

7*1=0

 

Offline Orladdin

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Re: The math of stress boxes
« Reply #4 on: April 23, 2012, 02:10:30 PM »
There isn't any way to keep track of which values are stress-in and which are boxes-out.  Until you're maintaining units on your math it's just numbers and isn't likely to trigger useful discussion.
It's like you're adding inches to minutes and getting liters.
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Offline Ghsdkgb

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Re: The math of stress boxes
« Reply #5 on: April 23, 2012, 04:15:11 PM »
7*1>22  (the later can barely be soaked with all consequences; the former can't)

Yet for a character with Inhuman Toughness:

7*1=0
I think you've failed to take into account the non-commutative nature of stress boxes. 7*1 =/= 1*7
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Offline ways and means

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Re: The math of stress boxes
« Reply #6 on: April 23, 2012, 05:51:00 PM »
2 Stress boxes =  3 ( x)
3 Stress Boxes =  6  (2x) 
4 Stress Boxes = 10  (3.33x)
6 Stress Boxes = 21  (7x)
8 Stress Boxes = 36  (12x)
10 Stress Boxes = 55 (18.33x)
12 Stress Boxes =  78 (26x)   

Why you don't want track skill of less than 3.
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Offline Becq

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Re: The math of stress boxes
« Reply #7 on: April 23, 2012, 07:36:35 PM »
I think you've failed to take into account the non-commutative nature of stress boxes. 7*1 =/= 1*7
No, I just failed to define my operators.  :)  In stress math, the stress multiplication operator (x or *) is defined as (number of attacks)x(stress level of each attack)=(final result).  Or, put another way: (numerator)x(sizerator)=(resultand).

But you're absolutely correct that stress multiplication is not commutative.

Offline Ghsdkgb

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Re: The math of stress boxes
« Reply #8 on: April 23, 2012, 08:03:16 PM »
You're right; I misread that.
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