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[Garrowolf]

I have few things I do differently with some of the test mechanics. I thought that I would offer them out to see if anyone else found them useful.

Extended Tests
I don't like a test that just tells me how long it will take but doesn't really reflect the difficulty. If there is no difficulty in it then just take the threshold and divide it by the skill rating or purchase the successes. What is the point half the time? I especially don't like the idea on hacking rolls where the longer you are at it the more alarms you will set off.

I try to always include a threshold in my extended test rolls. If you fail the roll twice or more then you have to make a willpower roll or give up. You become frustrated too much. The fun thing is too alter the threshold depending on what they do. If they try and do too many things then it goes way up. They get nothing done that day. If they come up with a good plan or the player researches it then it goes down.

Static Ratings for Equipment
I tend to think that the reason for the variety of success and failure in dice pools is because of the wild differences in focus that a person can have from moment to moment. But a device doesn't have attention span problems. It should provide a flat bonus or penalty whenever possible instead of altering dice pools.

For example, if you are facing a piece of equipment with a rating then that rating should be your threshold and not rolled by the GM. Then if you have a piece of equipment that helps against the other equipment then it's rating should lower the threshold back down. For example, a rating 3 maglock passkey should lower the maglock rating 4 to a threshold of 1. Or if the passkeyrating was greater then or equal to then it is exactly the device for the job and no roll.

I do the same thing with a lot of hacking rolls. I use one program to lower the rating of their programs or defenses. Exploit cancels out Firewall. Etc.

Do the same for ID checks. If your ID is of a higher rating then the reader then no roll by anyone. If your ID is less then the reader then start making rolls.

Use a threshold for range instead of a dice penalty but use the scope level to cancel that threshold out.