A proper IC thread is a good idea. Keeps all the OOC arguments out of the way.
Also:
Something subordinate or otherwise would be good. I'd just love to help in the logistics aspect of running the game//making it easier for the GM [c2man], and that if we're going space nomads, I've always loved the idea of intelligence officer or something like that but as a bridge between the people and the administration
Oh that'd be nice! I don't think we had a quartermaster character yet, they are responsible for allocating resources and training personnel and stuff like that. If you like number crunching this is good, or if you want to focus more on the personnel side an intelligence officer would also be good!
"He describes" seems to leave open a lot of....strategic disadvantages that might be applied by players. Was that a typo, or are the players going to be the ones telling the story entirely? You know, if I wasn't a big part of this game idea, I might have made a sarcastic comment about the GM becoming little more than a glorified dice-roller... Oh wait. That's what a GM is.
Also, coming up with fair disadvantages/problems for my own inventions is going to be difficult, at least for me.
Oh yeah, yes please on the IC/less-cluttered thread.
Soooo....how does turn order go? By which I mean, do I get to invent things for the mission, or do I invent things for the game and hope they apply to the missions we run into later?
So is turn order:
Show Up In System (Done)
Learn About Opportunities
Pick Opportunities
INVENT!
Prepare
Act
Or does it look like:
Show up
Learn -------- INVENT! (Simultaneously/before learning about what we'll be doing)
Pick -------- Watch
Prepare ------- Watch
Act ------- Make exasperated comments about failings of the operatives
That specific example was for operatives, inventors and the other roles are a little different, but I'll try to keep them fairly similar.
I do see and understand your concern, but I think that is a fair trade for "hopefully" faster going turns and more personal involvement. Also, rolling a 6 means it goes off without any significant consequences, a 5 and a 4 you can choose your significant consequence, a 3-2 I describe what happens with possible multiple consequences. and a 1 you probably will die. I'll probably create a list of consequences you can choose from. If problems develop I may make changes.
Turn order (rough draft)
GM updates the known situation, opportunities, any updates.
Leaders ( if present) create missions.
Inventors decide what to try to invent
Quartermaster decides items to acquire, personnel to train.
Operatives choose mission, equipment, and personnel.
Now I go in and assign difficulty values and any additional information needed.
After this you can decide to either do the main mission, do a side mission and the main, or do two side missions.
Side Mission: in the example this would be stealing the ID, it increases the positive modifier for the mission. So if you had a +1 modifier and rolled a 5, it would improve to a 6. For inventors these can be experiments that you perform, or going out and getting rare materials or creatures.
If you decide to do 2 side missions, you will have to wait till next turn to do the main mission, or to do more side missions if the assignment is particularly difficult.
There are limited consequences for the side missions. I'll get back to you and let you know the modifier (usually these are +1) and you can decide either to do another or the main mission.
I then roll for the main mission, and if it is low will describe the results. For inventions I will probably describe the basic characteristics.
If it is 4,5, 6 you can describe your results.
Quartermasters collect the rewards, and are responsible for distributing out needed equipment to departments. They can really do this anytime, but obviously will need money to distribute it.
Inventions become available the turn after they are invented. I figure people will make requests, and you have your own ideas of what to pursue.
Sorry if it is a bit confusing at the moment, but I'm hoping it will become clearer during actual play.