Scene Factors

This section includes factor tables that sample actions refer to in order in target difficulties.

Auditory Noise

  • -3: scene is very quiet minus the conversation being overheard
  • 0: scene is noisy but not louder than the conversation being overheard
  • +2: scene is somewhat louder than the conversation being overheard
  • +4: scene is louder than the conversation being overheard or there is a barrier between the conversation and you

Complexity of Instructions

  • 1: Simple, universal commands
  • 3: Not simple commands, but not overly complicated
  • 5: Complicated commands that may require background information in order to understand

Difficulty of Act

  • 1: Simple melody / part / speech / maneuver / art with limited basic structure
  • 3: Somewhat complicated melody / part / speech / maneuver / art or somewhat complicated structure
  • 5: Very complicated melody / part / speech / maneuver / art or very complicated structure

Environmental Camouflage (EC)

Factor 1 EC Point 3 EC Points 6 EC Points
Darkness Dark room lit by indirect sunlight (or similar) Dark room lit by indirect moonlight (or similar) Nearly (or fully) Complete Darkness
Clutter One object just large enough to squat behind Up to three objects large enough to stand, sit, or lay behind or inside Four or more objects large enough to stand, sit, or lay behind or inside
Exits* One clear exit Up to three clear exits Four or more exits
Distractions One point of distraction – a loud noise, sudden movement from a secondary point, etc. Two to three points of distraction – noise, movement, light, etc. Crowds big enough to slip through

*Exits do not include the point of entry (i.e. One clear exit is technically two actual portals – the entrance and the clear exit).

 

In the above matrix, each column references a score for each factor. Tally up these points and then get the modifier from below:

  • 0: 0 – 3 EC Points
  • -1: 4 EC Points
  • -2: 5 EC Points
  • -3: 6 EC Points
  • -4: 7+ EC Points

Environmental Noise

Each factor (listed in the Factors that Contribute to Environmental Noise table) is either a Level 2, Level 1, or Level 0 (not a factor). Add up the levels for each factor for the scene. The sum total is the Level of Environmental Noise (LEN). Use the LEN table to determine the difficulty for the action.

 

Factors that Contribute to Environmental Noise

Factor Level 1 Level 2
Fatigue 1 – 3 4+
Clot 1 – 3 4+
Sensory Noisy and/or bright Extreme temperatures, stormy or other harsh weather
Familiarity Unfamiliar location Dangerous location
Presence of Strangers 1 stranger 2+ strangers
Presence of Antagonists 1 antagonist 2+ antagonists

 

LEN Table

 

Level of Environmental Noise (LEN) Target Difficulty
0 -1
1 – 2 0
3 +1
4 +2
5 +3
6+ +4

Familiarity of Part

  • 0: Unknown
  • 1: Somewhat familiar, practiced once or twice
  • 2: Familiar, practiced a few times
  • 3: Very familiar, practiced several times

Foothold Difficulty

  • 0: Built for climbing or appears that way (ladders, stairs, well branched tree, etc.)
  • 1: Not built for climbing but close (fences with foot sized mesh, wall facings with ledges good for foot and hand placement, etc.)
  • 3: Climbable but barely (fences with smaller-than-foot sized mesh, smooth barked trees with sparse-but-strong branches, etc.)

Jump Class

  • 0: Up to 1/4 the height of the jumper
  • 1: Between 1/4 and 1/2 the height of the jumper
  • 2: Between 1/2 and 3/4 the height of the jumper
  • 3: Between 3/4 and full height of the jumper

Levels of Quality

  • -2: Of poor quality or cartoonish in nature
  • 0: Of mediocre quality
  • +2: Of good quality
  • +3: Of great quality

Scene Vibe

  • 0: scene is not conducive to emotion at all
  • 1: scene is somewhat conducive to emotion
  • 2: scene is conducive to emotion
  • 3: scene is extremely conducive to emotion

Size Class

  • -2: Small (2cm – 30cm)
  • -1: Medium (30cm – 1.5m)
  • 0: Human (1.5m – 2.5m)
  • +1: Large (2.5m – 5m)
  • +2: Huge (5m – 10m)
  • +3: Grand (10m – 20m)

Terrain Difficulty

  • -1: Flat pavement; Slight downhill grade
  • 0:  Not-paved-but-not-rough
  • +1: Uneven; Ankle-deep water/snow; Slight uphill grade; Sticky surface
  • +2: Slippery surface; Loose gravel/sand; Severe grade (up or downhill)
  • +4: Ankle-deep sticky goo; Knee-deep water/snow
  • +6: Knee-deep sticky goo, Armpit-deep water/snow

Urgency of the Action

  • 0: No discernable effect on the actor
  • 1: Might make the actor happy
  • 2: Will harm the actor
  • 3: Life-threatening to the actor

Weight Class

  • 0: Light – Up to 20kg
  • 1: Medium – Between 20kg – 40kg
  • 2: Heavy – Between 40kg – 80kg
  • 3: Very Heavy – Between 80kg – 160kg

Zone Range

  • 0: Close range
  • 1: Mid range
  • 2: Long range
  • 3: Extreme long range