Game in the Brain

 Anyone here finds Precedence Diagramming Technique / Sequencing Actions /Critical Chain/Path or Workflow/Resource Optimization /Resource Leveling helpful in narrating how A PC aids another PC given the limits of their skills and resources? 

Basically, you can Imagine the Task – inputs, discrete activities, and outputs and know what tasks can be “parallel”. 

Imagine Actions and Resources as a Fluid that moves along the terrain and constraints. Without having to go into the grit of this – you can just use your inherent imagination.

One of my problems now is Action Economic Implications in SCIFI, particularly traveler, If you have players who like expressing their skills creatively and allow them to let it bleed into the Game – the scifi elements of Traveller (or GURPS) can lead to some complexity. 

With Robots, Autonomous Programs (like INTELLECT and AGENT), cheap electronics, Expert Programs, someone with Electronics and Admin can use their 1-week Jumps to prepare some very useful protocols…. and that’s pretty much what professionals do on their “downtime” – make tools to make the job easier.  

This can be the same for spells that achieve the same autonomy – and aid in work. 

Admin –  is not limited to lists, with TL8+ software – Modeling, Wargaming, (Statistical) Simulations, as well as Probabilistic Models – and stuff I’ve mentioned before – Critical path/Chain – Taking the Complex and sorting it to Human Comprehendable visuals. 

Abstracting it for game mechanics – I tend to use a Homebrew mechanic called Resource Arbitrage/Difference – Basically ratio of resource (Time, Manpower, Materials) vs another Party’s time, manpower, and materials. The Degree of Difference modifies the Difficulty and roll. Someone with more Resources just has a better chance – but not an absolute certainty on some things. 

I tend to see it in anything – 2 vs 1, someone who Aids another, Suppression Fire and Flanking, its all having more resources against another party with less. Sometimes the resource is attention. Like splitting up against a larger Foe with centralized leadership – I’m trying to divide my enemy’s Leadership Attention, by sacrificing the opportunity to consolidate my resource and scale and creating more independent challenges. When one Subdivides attention of their adversary – there is a chance of a mismatched encounter.