RULES

Version 2D

In this story you play a novice ISPF officer. As you read through the book you decide how to proceed in the investigation. Before you start playing the game, you will need to have two dice, a pencil, a rubber and a character sheet.

ABILITIES

Your character is represented by ten abilities in this game, hopefully covering all the relevant needs. A description of each of them is given below.

PHYSICAL is an amalgamation of fighting skill, strength and constitution.

REFLEXES represent reaction time and steadiness of hand. Manual dexterity and firing or throwing of weapons are covered by this ability.

COMPUTING* allows you to operate, maintain and program computer systems. With the amount of information held the use of this skill to obtain it can be essential.

ENGINEERING* is the ability to use, maintain, construct, adapt or repair the technological systems which are required for life in space.

MEDICAL* covers the skills you would expect a doctor to possess: diagnosis, knowledge of drugs, treating sickness and injuries. This ability also allows you to treat yourself when you see this symbol: next to your current paragraph. See GETTING RID OF WOUNDS.

PILOTING* is used when you are attempting to use a propelled vehicle in space. As well as shuttles and inter orbital craft it also includes the humble thruster backpack.

CHARM gives you the presence and the ability to bluff, threaten or charm other people. This is a handy skill to get people to talk to you and do what you want.

FORENSICS is the ability to investigate a crime scene using skills like fingerprinting and DNA testing. You are also trained to analyse what you locate using scientific methodology. The depth of your findings depends on the sophistication of the equipment you have access to.

LAW gives you knowledge of the powers and limitations of your role as a member of the ISPF. It also allows you to figure out if an offence has been committed.

PERCEPTION is using all your senses to gather information about your immediate surroundings. A good Perception skill will help you to pick up useful details and additional information as you go through the adventure.

You have the following minimum abilities;

Before you start playing the adventure, you may add to these ability scores. To do this, you are given a number of points to 'spend'. Roll two dice and add them up, then add 25. This is the number of points you have.

EXAMPLE If you roll 2 and 5, you have 2 + 5 = 7, plus 25, giving 32 points.

You can spread these points however you like among the skills listed above, except;

1, You may not have a rating of more than 10.

2, One of the abilities marked with an * must be at least 5 to represent your original profession.

EXAMPLE With 32 points you might spend them as follows;

Write all your final ability scores in the boxes provided on the Character Sheet. When you need to use a skill in the course of the adventure you will be instructed to make an Ability Check. To do this, you simply roll two dice, add them and your ability score in that skill.

ABILITY CHECK
THROW TWO DICE + ABILITY SCORE

EXAMPLE If the character shown above is asked to make a Engineering Ability Check, the player throws two dice. Suppose they roll a 2 and a 4, adding up to 6. Their Engineering ability score is 7, so he ends up with 6 + 7 = 13.

If the paragraph read:

MAKE A ENGINEERING ROLL:
16 OR MORE > 56
12 TO 15 > 109
11 OR LESS >233

Then the character would turn to paragraph 109, since 13 is '12 to 15'.

COMBAT

In the course of your duties it is possible that you might have to fight and apprehend a hostile person. There are two types of combat: Hand-to-hand Combat and Ranged Combat.

HAND-TO-HAND COMBAT
This is fighting at close quarters whether with a weapon or unarmed. This uses the physical ability.

RANGED COMBAT
This is using a weapon to try to wound an opponent at a distance. Knives and improvised thrown weapons also come under this category. The Reflexes ability is used to determine success. Due to the nature of the environment firearms are illegal and are not issued to Star Cop officers.

HEALTH POINTS
This represents how well you are. If you get injured points are deducted from your health points. If you reach zero your character is dead. Your starting health points equals physical + reflexes. Fill this in now on your character sheet.

RULES FOR COMBAT
When you fight an opponent, it is resolved in a similar manner to a normal ability check; rolling two dice and adding the appropriate ability score (Hand-to-hand or Ranged Combat). You then compare this to your opponents Fighting Score. Whomever is higher wins.

The amount of damage inflicted on the loser is based on the difference between the two which is multiplied by the weapon modifier.

Modifiers
Normal Unarmed X 1/2
Large Knife X1
Sword X2
Pistol X3
Laser X4

As well as affecting damage weapons will also improve your chances of successfully striking your target.

EXAMPLE Our brave example star cop (Physical ability 9) goes hand to hand with a mad museum curator (Fighting ability 14).

Star cop rolls a 6 and a 3 which is then added to his Physical score of 9 for a total of 18.
18 – 14 = 4
As he is unarmed the damage is halved to give 2.

Our plucky star cop hits the curator causing a bloody nose and 2 points of damage. Hurrah

GETTING RID OF WOUNDS
Whenever you see the healing symbol beside the text, you can attempt to use your Medical skill to heal some of the wounds you have taken. Complete a medical ability check.

17 OR MORE > 2 dice of health points restored
12 TO 16 > 1 dice of health points restored
8 TO 11 > 1 health point restored

SPECIAL COMBATS
Occasionally, you will have to fight someone in a non-standard situation. If any modifiers apply you will be informed within the paragraph text. For example, you might have to fight an opponent who is partially under cover.

Combat is unpredictable and deadly. The wise officer avoids it when possible.

POSSESSIONS

These are marked in the second section of your Character Sheet and you start off with a selection of items at your disposal. As the story progresses, you may gain or even lose items. Choose 3 items from the list. The initial items give bonuses to your abilities but, apart from weapons, cannot take the rating above 10.

During the adventure you may acquire additional items or lose those you already have. When this happens, make sure you write down the changes on your Character Sheet.

STARTING POSSESSIONS
Laptop computer +1 to Computing skill.
Medical kit A much more comprehensive kit than the first aid kit the rules expect you to have access to. +2 to Medical skill.
Tool kit The tools used for non specialist tasks. +2 to Engineering skill.
Space suit A personal suit with thruster pack. A suitable item for those with high astronaut skills.
Large torch As well as being a handy light source, it is perhaps unsurprising, the uses a police officer can find for a long metal torch. +1 to Physical skill and X 1 damage in combat.
Forensic kit It includes a microscope, DNA tester and items used to collect evidence at crime scenes. +3 to Forensic skill.

STATUS POINTS

These reflect how well you are thought of by the group that the points represent. The first are your Starcop status points. You start at zero, if you do well you gain points and if you show yourself to need too much help you lose points. If you finish the gamebook with a low Status Point score you may find yourself thrown out of the Starcops and therefore having failed. The second are your Russian status points. If the Russians at the end of the gamebook think badly of you a official letter of complaint will be sent.

NOTES

The last section is for jotting down anything you want.

CLUES

At times you may be asked to ‘mark a clue’ on your Character Sheet. The section at the bottom contains a list of letters and a space next to them. At such times you will be told which letter and given a modifier (e.g. +10). Place a tick next to the letter in the appropriate box and write the modifier beside it. Whenever you see a letter that you have ticked off next to the paragraph number you are on, adjust the paragraph number number using the modifier and turn to the total. Read this new paragraph instead. So if you were on paragraph 164 and saw a symbol you had ticked off which had a +30 modifier you would instead read 194. If there is more than one letter next to the paragraph number which you have ticked off then apply all the modifiers. Some code letters may carry on to subsequent adventures.

FAILURE

It is possible that you will fail to complete this adventure when you read through it. You might run out of time, be killed or unable to solve the case. Whenever this happens and you come across the words 'The End', you have failed. But take heart - you can try again! You can either design a new character or use the same one as before. If you use the same character, remove all the clues and pick again the three items you will take. Remember to remove any marks in the paragraphs denoting time.

The regular Star Cops have undergone the transformation and can be found here to help illustrate how the rules work.

These rules have been adapted from those contained within 'The King's Demon' by Graham Staplehurst.