Re: Star Wars: Armour and damage: straw poll

On Feb 10, 3:19=A0pm, Peter Knutsen <pe...@[EMAIL PROTECTED]
> wrote:
> That "no death spiral" assumption is justified only by firearm injury
> statistical data, whereas much RPG combat involves weapons that function
> very differently, and wound very differently, from present day firearms.
>
> Either medieval weapons, or futuristic beam weapons, with lasers being
> one exception, and medieval arrows and crossbow bolts being the other.

The assumption here is that just because there is a lack of evidence
against something, it is therefore reasonable to assume the something
is true despite there being no evidence for it at all. Under certain
conditions, I don't really object to that line of reasoning. After
all, that's the core behind any number of religions.

I do however think this case of it is seriously misplaced as we do
have evidence that should bias the response. We know X does not apply
under condition Y at the very least, so why then would anyone jump to
assume that it exists under conditon Z unless they had something solid
to sup****t that? Doing so reminds me of people who believe in Bigfoot
or Nessie.

In point of fact, we have data points for the likely lack of a death
spiral for medieval and/or primitive weapons. See the boar spear for
example and the reasons for its design. Note that boxers have gone on
to win their matches after broken bones, something a death spiral
would prevent. Any serious consideration results in faith in the death
spiral (outside blood loss and/or the actual loss of mobility from
injury) becoming very questionable.

Projecting onto weapons that don't even exist is even worse. How being
blasted by an high energy particle weapon can both "leave you alive
with all limbs intact" and at the same time inflect a death spiral
unknown to any other type of injury is... an interesting leap if you
ask me. But I guess people have to search for that pot of gold at
rainbow's end.


None of that btw should change if you use or don't use Death Spirals
in game design. They have specifical impacts on play and that my well
be desired. But please don't try to rise any realism cards on its
behalf unless you have some serious evidence to back it up.