Driving

Driving involves the manual control of any inatmo vehicle. An inatmo vehicle is any vehicle that is not a space vehicle. The central assumption is that a persona controls the vehicle and as the vehicle’s driver. This section is not for autonomous vehicles or vehicles driven by transportation robots. This section is for the tactical driving of vehicles from Inatmo Vehicles.

This section applies to the aggressive and dangerous driving of cars, tractors, boats, planes or skateboards. The basic assumption made about driving is that it is safe. Drivers that obey traffic regulations and employ reasonable amounts of common sense will be fine. The driving system only comes into play when personas speed, engage in combat or make reckless choices. Under normal circumstances, a vehicle allows an expedition to get from A to C to advance the story.

Observations about Speed

  • 1 h/u = 1 m/s

  • 1 h/u = 3.6 kmh

  • 1 h/u = 2.2 mph

  • 25 h/u = Gale force winds

  • 45 h/u = 100 mph

  • 54 h/u = Anthro terminal velocity

  • 120 h/u = Bullet from a pistol

  • 342 h/u = Speed of sound

Driving and the Hex Mat

Inatmo vehicles travel at tremendous speeds. Most vehicles will run out of tabletop combat mat in a unit or two. Vehicle racing, or chasing, is another reason to keep track of vehicle location. Car chases are fun. If there are no persona tokens on the mat, grab a smaller scale hex mat. The smaller scale mat allows for high-speed maneuvers and treacherous obstacles. Regardless of the scale of the hex mat, vehicles move like any other persona. They cover way more hexes every unit and can have lethal collisions.

Drawing of feline quadruped staring at box shaped hover car.

Cool cat. Cool car.

Collision Checklist
  1. Driving Roll (vehicle-based)

  2. Rally Roll (driver-based)

  3. Control Loss

  4. Collision Check

When to Check for Collision

Vehicular mishaps should be rare. The control check is the first step in losing control of a vehicle. Losing control can result in a collision that injures or kills passengers. Only under extreme circumstances will a control check be warranted. For the most part, the vehicle and driver will carry on without issue. When to make a control check is usually the referee’s decision.

Control Check Required
  • injury to the driver

    • getting attacked by a weapon or hot beverage

  • sudden dangerous change in road conditions

    • oil slick, chicken swarm

  • driver is distracted

    • arguing, telling jokes, or juggling dice

  • wilfully attempting a hazardous maneuver

    • drifting, high-speed turn, barrel roll

Driving Roll

The driving roll is a Task Roll where the player must beat a target on 1d100 or lose control of her vehicle. The driving roll functions like other task rolls in that it compares a skill level to a degree of difficulty to determine a target roll. The player must roll higher than the target roll or lost control of her vehicle.

Determine Driving Skill Score

The driving skill score is a combination of the vehicle’s handling level and the persona’s driving skill. Every inatmo vehicle created has a handling level. If a persona has no driving skill, the skill score is entirely dependent on the vehicle’s handling level. A persona’s dexterity has no role in driving skill score. The driver’s dexterity comes into play if they need to regain control of their vehicle.

Driving Skill Score

Skill Score = Vehicle Handling Level + Driver Skills

Handling level 5 and driving skill 2 gives a driving skill score of 7.

Determine Degree of Difficulty

Like all task rolls, the more difficult the task, the more difficult it is to succeed. The degree of difficulty (DD) is maneuver-specific for driving. The base degree of difficulty increases with increasing speed.

Speed Penalty

Speed effects are dependent on the persona’s dexterity. High dexterity reflects good eye-hand coordination, agility, and reaction time, all of which aids in avoiding accidents. The maximum speed that a persona can handle is one h/u per point of DEX.

Speed Penalty

Speed penalty (DD) = (speed h/u - dexterity) / 10

Driving at 20 h/u with 10 DEX is a +1 DD penalty.
Having a bonus for slow driving is up to the referee.

Thus a player with a DEX of 10 could travel at ten h/u (36 km/h) without having a speed penalty. For every ten h/u (36 km/h) over this driver’s maximum speed, any maneuver increases by 1DD. A persona with a 10 DEX is cruising at 40 h/u (144 km/h). The degree of difficulty has a speed penalty of +3DD. Even trying to drive straight can be dangerous at high speeds.

Maneuver Difficulty

Example Driving Degree of Difficulties
Degree of Difficulty of typical driving maneuvers.

MANEUVERS

DD

Straight Ahead

0

Drifting

Turning +1 per hex distance

Turning, avoiding, swerving

DD

1 facet point or 30o

2

1 facet or 60o

3

2 facet points or 90o

4

2 facets or 120o

7

3 facet points or 150o

10

3 facets or 180o

13

Parking

DD

Drive in

0

Back in

1

Parallel

2

Drift in

6

Land in

10

Flying in

6

Jumping

DD

Straight

3 per hex

Corkscrew

20

End over

25

Side walling

15

Dead Stop

5

PENALTIES

DD

Speed

h/u - DEX

+1 DD per 10 h/u

Fog, Smoke, Gas

DD

Normal

+3

Dense

+5

Opaque

+7

Darkness

DD

Moonlit

+3

Starlit

+5

Void

+7

Snow, sand storm

DD

Normal

+3

Heavy

+5

Blizzard

+7

Rain, hail storm

DD

Normal

+2

Heavy

+3

Monsoon

+4

Harsh Snark

+42

Determine Target Roll

The target roll can be calculated or tabulated. The table is included here for quick target roll checks. The tables below are connected copies from the section on task tables.

The target roll can be tabulated or calculated. A tabulated target roll employs a table comparing the degree of difficulty to skill score. A calculated target roll employs simple maths to determine the target roll. Very high skill scores and very high DDs require calculation.

Tabulated Target Roll

No calculations are required. Compare DD to skill score to get the target roll. For example, skill score 5 intersects with DD 5 to yield a target roll of 66. The player must roll 66 or higher on a 1d100 to win her task roll. The higher the persona’s skill score, the lower the player’s target roll. Very high skill scores and very high DDs exceed the Target Rolls Table’s limits and require calculation.

Target Roll Table
Skill Score vs DD. Beat target roll with 1d100. Skill score = EXPS + Skills.

Skill

Degree of Difficulty (DD)

Skill

Score

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

11

12

13

14

15

16

17

18

19

20

Score

0

60

64

68

72

76

80

84

88

92

96

100

104

108

112

116

120

124

128

132

136

0

1

59

63

67

71

75

79

83

87

91

95

99

103

107

111

115

119

123

127

131

135

1

2

58

62

66

70

74

78

82

86

90

94

98

102

106

110

114

118

122

126

130

134

2

3

57

61

65

69

73

77

81

85

89

93

97

101

105

109

113

117

121

125

129

133

3

4

56

60

64

68

72

76

80

84

88

92

96

100

104

108

112

116

120

124

128

132

4

5

50

54

58

62

66

70

74

78

82

86

90

94

98

102

106

110

114

118

122

126

5

6

48

52

56

60

64

68

72

76

80

84

88

92

96

100

104

108

112

116

120

124

6

7

46

50

54

58

62

66

70

74

78

82

86

90

94

98

102

106

110

114

118

122

7

8

44

48

52

56

60

64

68

72

76

80

84

88

92

96

100

104

108

112

116

120

8

9

33

37

41

45

49

53

57

61

65

69

73

77

81

85

89

93

97

101

105

109

9

10

30

34

38

42

46

50

54

58

62

66

70

74

78

82

86

90

94

98

102

106

10

11

27

31

35

39

43

47

51

55

59

63

67

71

75

79

83

87

91

95

99

103

11

12

24

28

32

36

40

44

48

52

56

60

64

68

72

76

80

84

88

92

96

100

12

13

8

12

16

20

24

28

32

36

40

44

48

52

56

60

64

68

72

76

80

84

13

14

4

8

12

16

20

24

28

32

36

40

44

48

52

56

60

64

68

72

76

80

14

15

0

4

8

12

16

20

24

28

32

36

40

44

48

52

56

60

64

68

72

76

15

Skill

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

11

12

13

14

15

16

17

18

19

20

Skill

Score

Degree of Difficulty (DD)

Score

Calculated Target Roll

Players can calculate the target roll using some simple maths and a tiny table. The higher the skill score, the greater the impact on the target roll.

A persona with no aptitude indicates that a persona is attempting a maneuver out of her vocation. For example, a mercenary trying to identify an alien flower would have no aptitude.

Skill Score Multiplier Table
The more skillery the more betterer.

Aptitude

Skill Score

Multiplier

No

Any

0 times skill score

Yes

1-4

1 times skill score

Yes

5-8

2 times skill score

Yes

9-12

3 times skill score

Yes

13 and up

4 times skill score

Aptitude

Skill Score

Multiplier

Target Roll Calculation

Target Roll = 56 + (4 * DD) - (Skill Score * Multiplier)

DD 10 vs skill score 8 = 56 + (4 * 10) - (8 * 2) = 56 + 40 - 16 = 80
DD 6 vs skill score 11 = 56 + (4 * 6) - (11 * 3) = 56 + 24 - 33 = 47
DD 30 vs skill score 9 = 56 + (4 * 30) - (9 * 2) = 56 + 120 - 18 = 158
DD 2 vs skill score 18 = 56 + (4 * 2) - (18 *4) = 56 + 8 - 64 = -8

Roll 1d100

If the player rolls the target number or higher, they have won the driving roll. A successful driving roll indicates the driver has maintained control and exits the collision checklist. No one in the vehicles notices anything at all. If the player fails the driving roll, something has gone wrong, and the persona must rally the vehicle. The vehicle and passengers are one step closer to a collision, and the player now has to win a rally roll. Tension mounts.

Rally Roll

If a player fails her driving roll, all is not lost. The driver has a chance to recover from her driving error through dexterity and skill. The rally roll is a modified attribute roll using the persona’s dexterity and driving skills. The degree of difficulty is the same DD from the driving roll.

Rally Roll Target Determination
The driver may wiggle out of a failed Driving Roll.

Maneuver

Difficulty

Random

Fixed

DD

Description

Target

Target

<3

Trivial

1d6

6

4-8

Easy

1d10

12

9-12

Normal

1d20

18

12-16

Hard

1d30

24

17-20

Tough

1d50

36

21-24

Impossible

1d100

48

>25

Bizarre

1d1000

96

DD

Description

Target

Target

A successful rally roll indicates the driver has maintained control and exits the collision checklist. A rally roll represents actions that are obvious to everyone in the vehicle. There may be some dramatic overcompensation or even profanity from the driver. A failed driving rally roll moves the expedition further down the collision checklist. The driver has lost control of the vehicle, and the dice are taking over the story. Tension mounts even more.

Loss of Control

To arrive here, the player has lost both her driving roll and her rally roll. The loss of control could be just plain unlucky, but the vehicle was going too fast more often. Things are now getting dangerous. Loss of control of the vehicle allows it to travel in a somewhat random direction. The loss of control is temporary, and if there still is a chance that no collision will occur.

Loss of control has three elements.

Loss of Control
  1. Duration

  2. Deceleration

  3. Direction

These three elements may or may not lead to a collision.

Duration

The loss of control of the vehicle will last for 0 to 3 units (1d4-1). The driver loses control of her vehicle for that duration of time.

If the vehicle is travelling ten h/u and loses control for three units, the vehicle will travel for 30 hexes out of control.

Deceleration and deviation simulate the vehicle careening out of control every unit. This period is when everyone in the vehicle is screaming in fear, especially the nothing personas.

Duration of Loss of Control

Duration = 1d4-1 units (0-3 units)

A result of 0 indicates this unit only.
A result of 3 indicates this unit and the next two.

Deceleration

This speed loss can be from sensible braking, mad deviations, or both. While the driver is trying to regain control of the vehicle, the most common reaction is to brake. Swerving around also wastes energy, and a vehicle out of control always slows down.

The vehicle will decrease its speed by 0%-50% (1d6-1) each unit of lost control. A 0% deceleration indicates no loss of vehicle speed. A 50% deceleration indicates that the vehicle will be travelling at half its original speed.

The deceleration can be quite hazardous to the passengers if they lack proper restraints (aka seat belts). The decelerated speed is the one that determines the damage if an accident should result.

Deceleration In Loss of Control

Deceleration = 1d46-1 times 10%

A 1d6 result of 1 = 0% deceleration. A 1d6 result of 3 = 20% deceleration.

Direction

The struggle to control the vehicle is real. Once control is lost, the vehicle careens in a random direction. The last one, deviation, is left to the discretion of the referee. The ref must decide whether the vehicle-deviates left, right, up or down.

Direction of Loss of Control
Where the vehicle goes once control is lost.

Die Roll (1d100)

Vehicle Deviation

Explanation

01-40

Straight Ahead

No Change

41-50

Drift

1-3 (1d3) hexes

51-60

One Facet Point

30 Degrees

61-70

One Facet

60 Degrees

71-80

Two Facet Points

90 Degrees

81-90

Two Facets

120 Degrees

91-95

Three Facet Points

150 Degrees

96-99

Threes Facets

180 Degrees

00

Ref’s Own Table

Die Roll

Vehicle Deviation

Explanation

Diagram of hexagon demonstrating turn radius and difficulty.

Faceting the music in loss of control.

Collision Check

Losing control of a vehicle may result in a collision. A collision can occur if the loss of control causes the vehicle to crash into an obstacle or careen off the road.

Collision Indicated
  • loss of control path crosses:

    • another vehicle’s path

    • an obstacle

    • goes off the road

  • change of grade by 1/2 a hex

  • confined space with no other option

  • parameters decided by the referee

Drawing of three space age vehicles in a tussle on a futuristic highway.

Cosmic Highway Patrol

Collision Damage

The deadliness of a crash depends on the speed of the vehicle. The higher the speed, the more dangerous the collision. The speed of the collision determines the energy of the collision. The energy of the collision determines the amount of damage delivered. The vehicle and passengers are damaged simultaneously.

Driving is safe. Crashing is dangerous.

Relative Speed and Damage

The speed at which the vehicle collides determines the severity of the accident. The vehicle should use its decelerated speed as the collision speed. If there are multiple vehicles in the collision, the speeds of both vehicles come into play. The vehicle speeds are combined to inflict damage to both vehicles.

Relative Speeds
  1. Head-on collision (front three facets): add speeds together

  2. Rear-end collision (back three facets): subtract speeds

  3. T-bone collision (side facets): Use the higher speed

Collision Damage
Speed and damage to vehicle and passengers.

Damage

Speed (h/u)

Metric (km/h)

Vehicle

Passenger

01-05

0-18

0

1d8

06-10

18-36

Cosmetic

1d10

11-15

36-54

1

2d10

16-20

54-72

1

3d10

21-25

72-90

2

4d10

26-30

90-108

3

5d10

31-40

108-144

3

6d10

41-50

144-180

4

7d10

51-60

180-216

5

8d12

61-70

216-252

6

9d12

71-100

252-360

7

10d12

101-150

360-590

8

11d12

151-200

591-720

9

12d20

201-250

720-900

10

13d20

251-300

900-1080

11

14d20

301-355

1080-1280

12

15d20

355 plus

1280 plus

13

16d30

Speed (h/u)

Metric (km/h)

Vehicle

Passenger

Damage

100 km/h = 60 mp/h

Relative Wate and Damage

Speed indicates the energy delivered by a collision, but that is not the whole picture. The relative wates involved in the collision also affect the damage delivered. If the referee ignores relative wates, the referee can expect strange results. For example, a moped could ram an 80-ton military tank at high speed and kill the tank crew. Or a jet plane could crash into a convertible, and the car driver could escape injury. There are some faux Newtonian solutions to these potential problems.

Collision Wate Multiplier

Damage Multiplier = Larger vehicle wate / Smaller vehicle wate

The multiplier cannot exceed four times or one-quarter.

If a 1200 kg vehicle collides with a 400 kg vehicle, the larger vehicle will take 1/3 damage. The smaller vehicle will take three times damage. The referee should round the damage multiplier to the nearest manageable number (1, 2, 3, 4) or (1, 1/2, 1/3. 1/4). The damage factor cannot be increased more than four times greater or be reduced by less than 1/4.

Persona Damage

Collisions can deliver massive amounts of damage and easily kill personas. Collision damage works the same as any other damage inflicted on the persona. The referee generates the damage, and the player subtracts the value from her hit points. The referee can roll damage once for all the personas in the collision or individually for each persona.

Every persona involved in the collision takes the HPS damage. If two vehicles collide, then all the personas in both vehicles take damage. In a collision at 35 h/u, every passenger in both vehicles takes 6d10 HPS in damage. Relative wate can increase the damage by up to 4 times or decrease it by 1/4.

Pedestrians hit by vehicles will take damage as if they were in an accident with the vehicle. A vehicle travelling 35 h/u would do 6d10 to a pedestrian.

Unrestrained Personas

A deceleration of 50% will damage unrestrained passengers. Being savagely thrown about in a vehicle could happen without a collision. For instance, a vehicle that decelerates to 50 h/u from 100 h/u will throw unrestrained passengers around inside the vehicle. Personas can hit the interior bulkheads at 50 h/u. Bright explorers wear their seat belts!!

Vehicle Damage

Vehicles do not have hit points. Vehicles suffer damage in a fashion similar to other inorganic objects. Vehicle damage resembles robot, exatmo vehicle, and artifact damage. The higher the speed of the vehicle has its collision at the more damage that it endures.

A vehicle in a collision at eight h/u will not sustain damage, but the passengers may. A vehicle in a collision at 28 h/u would sustain three vehicle damage table rolls. A vehicle that collides at 60 h/u (250 km/h) would take six damage table rolls.

Each vehicle damage roll indicates a location of damage and the extent of the damage. The location of the damage is entirely random. The extent of damage can be random or modified depending on the irritation level of the referee.

Location of Vehicle Damage

A roll on the Location of Vehicle Damage table must include an Extent of Damage roll. The location of damage determines which vehicle function is affected by the damage.

Location of Vehicle Damage
What got done broke from smash up.

Die Roll (1d100)

System Damage

Effect

01-12

Locomotion

Speed and handling level

13-24

Cargo

Space Reduced, cargo damage

25-36

Engine

Acceleration and speed

37-48

Fuel

Range

49-60

Speed System

Speed

61-72

Acceleration

Acceleration

73-84

Steering System

Handling level

85-99

Accessory

Random accessory.

00

Ref’s Own Table

Die Roll

System Damage

Effect

Extent of Vehicle Damage

The extent of the damage roll indicates the decrease in efficiency of the damaged part. Major damage would decrease the system to 60% of the previous function. Major damage to the speed system would reduce the vehicle’s speed to 60% of the previous function. The vehicle’s maximum speed of 30 h/u drops to 18 h/u. Vehicle system damage is cumulative.

Artifact Extent of Damage
How badly is it broke?

Die Roll (1d100)

Descriptor

% Previous

Multiplier

01-10

Trivial

100%

1.0

11-60

Minor

90%

0.9

61-90

Major

60%

0.6

91-99

Critical

30%

0.3

00

Destroyed

1%

0.01

Die Roll

Descriptor

% Previous

Multiplier

The Collision Wate Modifier should modify the extent of the damage. The referee may multiply the extent of damage roll by the multiplier. If the player rolls 50 on the Extent of Damage Table, this could be multiplied by as much as 4 or 1/4.

Further Complications

There are further complications that may interest the referee. Passenger entrapment equals 1% per HPS of damage inflicted on the passenger. Post-collision fire is dependent on fuel type and damage to the fuel system. A Sphincter Roll is required to determine if there is a fire complication. Whether the vehicle is drivable depends on the damage to systems during the collision. The final vehicle resting position is entirely up to the decision of the referee.