[gurps] Re: Alertness and Perceptions

[Ben Finney]

"Troy Guffey" <troyguffey at gmail.com> writes:

> Ben Finney wrote:
> > "Troy Guffey" <troyguffey at cyberdude.com> writes:
> >> I'm guessing that [GURPS 3e] Alertness adds to other senses like
> >> Awareness, Danger Sense, and Empathy, and any "sense" that
> >> normally gives you an IQ roll to notice/analyze it.
> >
> > The 3e-to-4e GURPS Update
> > <URL:http://www.sjgames.com/gurps/resources/4eupdate.pdf> has the
> > following note for 3e "Alertness":
> >
> >    Alertness
> >
> >        The new Perception characteristic encompasses sense rolls and
> >    Alertness. It can be bought up directly. Simply buy as many extra
> >    levels of Perception as Alertness.
> >
> > So, no, your list doesn't match the intent of the designers; Alertness
> > was for mundane physical senses only.
> 
> Maybe not in 3e Basic, but Awareness isn't in that.

The GURPS 3e-to-4e Update document covers all advantages in 3e Basic
Set and Compendia. Awareness is also covered in the Update (p. 7), so
clearly the authors knew about both Alertness and Awareness.

However, you're right for a different reason: I'm wrong that
Perception only covers mundane senses. According to p. B16, Perception
is used for any Sense roll (p. B358), and Detect (p. B48) also uses
Sense rolls.

So: 3e Alertness becomes 4e Perception; Perception is used for any
Sense roll; 3e Awareness becomes specific types of 4e Detect; and
Detect uses Sense rolls. So, they are connected as you guessed.

-- 
 \       "I am amazed, O Wall, that you have not collapsed and fallen, |
  `\            since you must bear the tedious stupidities of so many |
_o__)                     scrawlers." —anonymous graffiti, Pompeii, 79 |
Ben Finney