Ambidexterity, etc - How to test for it?, RL character scenario Options

[Botch]

We want to do a short scenario based around us as SR characters.
Whilst most of the skills are easy enough to port into the game, how would you test RL ambidexterity to match it up with the edge?

Personally I can play frisbee and darts equally well with both hands, in fact I have no problem alternating between hands on each throw. I can swordfight and use a bow with either hand. My handwriting is poorer and slower with my left hand, but then its harder to write in a left-right language left-handed. What level would I have or what else do we have to test to establish a level?

[Kanada Ten]

I'm not sure there is a true test for it, more of a cobble of life experiences. I suppose in a corporate setting, they would be monitoring your brain during interactive games and seeing its various potentials, thus determining your life path.

"Ah, Ms Granger, your son shows heightened activity in motor skills on both sides of his brain. His survival instincts are also in high function, but those can be suppressed if we start soon. All in all the makings of a fine security guard."
"I'm so proud."
"Don't be, it's the genetics program here at Shiawase; you're just a host we inject them into."

Otherwise, I think characters discover the talent incidentally, perhaps not even thinking it odd.

[Sargasso]

Ambixederity is often the consequence of Impartial Dominance between the hemispheres of the brain, it has correlations to minor traits which really are too insignificant for the game. Ambidexerous people tend to waddle slightly for example, since they have no "lead" leg. Having a dominant ide of your body has some advantages in some situations. In Shadowrun though, all we care about is that they an fire two pistols simultaniously. :-P

Contemporary neurology has a lot of explainations on the causes of ambidexterity and the consequences thereof. Since Shadowrun has had another 60 years of research into that, very extensive research, a simple neuological assessment would probably indicate one's degree of Impartial Domiance. I wouldn't be surprised if there was a corporate dating service based on neuological compatabiliy.

All that begs the question, "Shouldn't there be an Ambidexetiry cyberware?"

RL testing ambidexterity, there's a series of hand motions which are commonly used to test neurological function. They involve touching yout fingers with your thumb in a certain order, and other really simple tasks. The speed and accuracy of those motions is a decent indicator of your raw dexterity with that hand.

This post has been edited by Sargasso: Sep 20 2004, 03:41 PM

[Botch]

Sargasso, you seem well informed. I was after a way of testing my players so that when they themselves are written up as runners I could assign an appropriate level of Ambidexterity Edge. Meta-planar questing with a twist!

As it turns out none of them could throw darts accurately with their off-hand so they didn't get any anyway.

[Sargasso]

Eh, the neurology class I took covered a lot of stuff with shadowrun applications. It was a lot of fun. :-P Read!

[Botch]

Could you throw a few things about Impartial Dominance (maybe in RPG terms) my way?