2 Check Circles in the Extended Tasks Work Track?

[kronovan]

STA 1E

Most of the indicators in the work track are completion boxes, but 2 of them are check circles. Their placement in the track is random, with their position varying depending upon the amount of stress set. I could imagine them being a good feature if they indicated break throughs, but it's not possible to set Magnitude/Break throughs for extended tasks.

So, why those 2 check circles there?

[superteddy57]

Those are break points at half and 3/4.

[kronovan]

Those are break points at half and 3/4.

So is that a 2E feature of Extended Tests/Tasks?

I ask, because that's not the way in works in 1E.
These are the rules for breakthroughs/break points in 1E;

"a. If 5 or more Stress is inflicted, after reduction for Resistance, you achieve 1 breakthrough.
b. If the Stress track is filled, or if you inflict any Stress when the Stress track was already full, you achieve a breakthrough. If you inflict 5 Stress and either fill the Stress track or it’s already full, you achieve 2 breakthroughs."

For 1E, it'd be much more usefeul if a check circle was set at every 5th position.

[superteddy57]

It's been some time since I implemented this feature and not sure why I placed it at those intervals. I will just add it to my notes to take a look when I am able to circle back.

[kronovan]

It's been some time since I implemented this feature and not sure why I placed it at those intervals. I will just add it to my notes to take a look when I am able to circle back.

Cool & thanks.
For for the sake of argument, the 2E rules no doubt have to be considered. I don't own them, but I'm aware they no longer use Challenge Dice. So I wouldn't be surprised if Extended Tasks have changed due to that.

Maybe someone who owns the 2E rules could confirm whether breakthrough/break point intervals have changed, or been replaced with some other play mechanic?

[kronovan]

So, I checked the 2E rules at Scribd and I can see that you did create Extended Tests for the newer 2E rules. The 2E rule states this for Breakthroughs:

"An extended task has two breakthrough spaces. The first will be halfway along the track (on the 6th space if the progress track is 12 spaces long, for example), and if the track is an odd number of spaces, round up (so a progress tack of 9 has the first breakthrough on the fifth space). The second breaktrhough is three-quarters of the way alonbg the track: take the spaces left after the first breakthrough, and the breakthrough will be halfway along that remaining section (again, rounding up as needed)."

Note though, that in both 1E and 2E they're called 'Extended Tasks', not 'Extended Tests'. Personally, I can see using the 2E rules sometimes in my 1E games. My players like rolling Challenge Dice though, so for the most part I'd keep with the 1E default. As I stated above though, not being able to set the check circles to be placed at every 5th interval, makes the track far less useable for 1E.

[superteddy57]

I will investigate a solution when I am able to circle back.

[Trenloe]

These are the rules for breakthroughs/break points in 1E;

"a. If 5 or more Stress is inflicted, after reduction for Resistance, you achieve 1 breakthrough.
b. If the Stress track is filled, or if you inflict any Stress when the Stress track was already full, you achieve a breakthrough. If you inflict 5 Stress and either fill the Stress track or it’s already full, you achieve 2 breakthroughs."

For 1E, it'd be much more usefeul if a check circle was set at every 5th position.
The breakthrough is not every 5th position on the work track, it's when 5 or more stress is inflicted as part of each task success. Breakthroughs, in 1E, are essentially the same as character injuries in combat - the mechanics are pretty much the same. It's possible to reach 0 stress on the work track and have no breakthroughs (the first being for filling the work track) - if each previous task success had done less than 5 "stress" to the extended task work track.

[kronovan]

The breakthrough is not every 5th position on the work track, it's when 5 or more stress is inflicted as part of each task success. Breakthroughs, in 1E, are essentially the same as character injuries in combat - the mechanics are pretty much the same. It's possible to reach 0 stress on the work track and have no breakthroughs (the first being for filling the work track) - if each previous task success had done less than 5 "stress" to the extended task work track.

Yes, you're correct. I was getting tripped up thinking how breakthroughs could be marked on a single work track, but really they can't. Probably the best track for 1e Extended Tasks, would be a simpler track that only contains check circles, or only contains completion boxes. It would be helpful if the magnitude could be set under the Resistance value on the pop-up form. And then displayed somewhere near the track with an editable field beside it, which the GM could change whenever a breakthrough occured.