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Posted by: Coyote Mage Jul 10 2004, 08:05 PM

After reading the threads on casinos and cheating them, I wonder how do you all handle gambling in your games? Are there any canon rules? (if it were in the SSG i'd have to go buy it immediately.)

Also, this may or may not be unrelated. I've read something somewhere about 'markers' and 'underworld markers'. What are they?

Posted by: Cursedsoul Jul 10 2004, 08:43 PM

A marker, according to Guys and Dolls (musical starring Frank Sinatra, 1960's I think) is a bet you cannot welch on. You give someone a marker and come hell or high water you make good on it.

Its more or less an IOU only with a lot of weight behind it. I don't know what happens when you welch on a marker, my guess is you get your legs broken and your reputation stomped on by angry fat men.

Posted by: Reaper Jul 10 2004, 09:38 PM

I always thought it was the other way around, with your reputation being broken and your legs getting stomped on by angry fat men.

Posted by: Cursedsoul Jul 10 2004, 09:43 PM

Maybe its both?

Posted by: CircuitBoyBlue Jul 10 2004, 09:46 PM

As a minor point, wasn't Marlon Brando the star of the film version of Guys and Dolls?

Posted by: TinkerGnome Jul 10 2004, 10:08 PM

Gambling's easy. It's an IC explanation of karma for cash.

Posted by: Cursedsoul Jul 10 2004, 10:13 PM

According to the yahoo filmography Both Brando and Sinatra were in the movie, so its safe to say both were starring in it. I don't know what brando looks like well enough to go "oh yeah, that's him back in 1955"

1955 is when the movie was made apparently. I was sorta close.

Posted by: Crimsondude 2.0 Jul 10 2004, 10:31 PM

Bah. The IMDb is superior, least of all because it has http://ia.imdb.com/media/imdb/01/I/88/94/12m.jpg http://us.imdb.com/gallery/mptv/1122/Mptv/1122/5689-0010.jpg?path=pgallery&path_key=Brando,%20Marlon http://us.imdb.com/gallery/mptv/1228/Mptv/1228/5691_0019.jpg?path=pgallery&path_key=Brando,%20Marlon.

Posted by: Coyote Mage Jul 10 2004, 10:50 PM

What a way to go off topic guys

Posted by: Cursedsoul Jul 10 2004, 10:52 PM

Hey hey hey, I answered half of the question. I'm allowed to go off-topic gods dammit!

Posted by: RangerJoe Jul 11 2004, 12:01 AM

A marker is effectively an underworld IOU, minus the cutsey spelling. It's part of your rep: welch on your marker, and no one's going to take it as credit any more.

Posted by: FlakJacket Jul 11 2004, 12:56 AM

Legitimate casinos also offer certain customers a line of credit. They agree to offer you a line of credit up to a certain amount and you can just sign a chit/marker to borrow the money. This is of course a legal document so they're more likely to go the lawyerly route than Fat Tony with a metal pipe and a couple friends way. In either instance, your reputation is now worthless if you welsh on it. Legal casinos wont front you money and could more than likely bar you from the premises whilst with the unofficial kind you've got Fat Tony to worry about and no-one is ever going to lend you money again 'cause they know you're not good for it.

Posted by: Crimsondude 2.0 Jul 11 2004, 12:58 AM

QUOTE (Coyote Mage)

What a way to go off topic guys

It's not DS if it doesn't go off-topic.

Posted by: Coyote Mage Jul 11 2004, 01:21 AM

We pretty much established what a marker is.

I'm still interested in how you could make a system for gambling. Maybe a different system for each game.

I was thinking to represent a few deals of BlackJack, GM rolls 2d6 to determine TN (reflecting how easy or difficult luck is being on the character.) Player rolls knowledge skill Gambling(Blackjack). More successes = more overall gains.

Posted by: RangerJoe Jul 11 2004, 01:26 AM

Maybe something like scatter rules. You know how the card game is supposed to go.....

Posted by: Adam Jul 11 2004, 02:13 AM

hey Coyote - as you're a relatively new poster, just a polite request to please use more descriptive subject lines for your threads. Thanks!

Posted by: BitBasher Jul 11 2004, 02:29 AM

Actually just rill a pair of d6's and add them up. Highest wins, either Player or House. Player loses all ties. Gambling is not fair, and statistically you will LOSE. This is how casinos stay in business. Actually Ties lose or lower on 2d6 is probably better odds then you will get in a casino on most games.

A skill in gambling will only tell you to not gamble in a casino or play poker with people worse than you.

And yes, I have worked in a casino for 4 years and My dad has done it for over 30 years.

Posted by: Nephyte Jul 11 2004, 03:47 AM

Actually losing ties on 2d6 for the player *should* be much worse odd's then a Casino.

I believe most games reside in the high 40's for chance to win. Most common number on 2d6 is 7 (someone get me a bell curve ) that comes up something like 20%.

Just a thought.

Posted by: BitBasher Jul 11 2004, 03:53 AM

QUOTE (Nephyte)

) that comes up something like 20%.

Just a thought.

Yeah, but that's not the odds of Both people rolling a seven. House odds fall in their favor from 4-24% depending on the game and the bet.

Posted by: Crimsondude 2.0 Jul 11 2004, 07:05 AM

THis really seems like one of those times when it'd be a hell of a lot easier to just play blackjack with a real deck (which presents its own problems given that there are multiple decks in a shoe).

Posted by: BitBasher Jul 11 2004, 07:09 AM

QUOTE (Crimsondude 2.0)

THis really seems like one of those times when it'd be a hell of a lot easier to just play blackjack with a real deck (which presents its own problems given that there are multiple decks in a shoe).

Which, while fun, represents the player's ability to gamble, and not the character's ability to gamble. That's why I avoid things like that.

Posted by: shadd4d Jul 11 2004, 01:24 PM

Why not try a derivative of gambling from Deadlands? Everyone who gambles rolls. The loser pays the winner his success x stake. Repeat for next highest and next loser. If there's an odd guy out, assume he breaks even.

Don