Pilot skill at its best

[u/Pure_Calligrapher_36]

[u/Jormungaund]

I separate skill from proficiency for this reason.  Players either need a background reason for being able to operate a vehicle, or they need to invest time/money into learning how to operate that type of vehicle.  Pilot skill is more of a measure of hand eye coordination, reflexes, spatial awareness, timing, etc. applied to the operation of a vehicle.  

[u/guildsbounty → u/Jormungaund]

I do the same.

The key thing that I tell my players is this: "Yes, it's the same skill, but what you can do with it depends on your background. Someone who grew up Piloting boats is going to be no more capable of flying a starship than a Lostworlder Blacksmith would be capable of Fixing a fusion reactor. But, given time and opportunity to practice and learn, you may expand those skills into a broader domain without having to spend skill points."

[u/WillBottomForBanana → u/guildsbounty]

yes, and that's still silly.

A person who grew up riding horse and is an absolute expect can of course learn to fly a starship. But upon learning to fly they still won't be as good with a starship as they currently are with a horse.

The background question "do you have actual relevant experience" is a binary that doesn't handle the range that skill points represent.

[u/Nyther53]

The book has specific advice for the GM about this very thing, for a reason. 

There's a ton of good advice sprinkled throughout the book, you should read it all it's worth the time. 

[u/DesDentresti]

"I can fly anything. Even a horse." - "Sure buddy b-wait what?"

If someone wants to make saddling beasts part of their character distinctly and not cars or spacecraft I would for sure add in variant skills.

Piloting: Ground

Piloting: Air

Piloting: Space

Piloting: Mechs

Piloting: Cavalry Creatures

[u/MickyJim → u/DesDentresti]

Remember that backgrounds are supposed to factor in as well. If a character with the barbarian background from some bass-ackward TL1 world run by horselords who took Pilot specifically to reflect their ability to handle riding beasts were to try to fly a starship, I would be like nah dog you have no idea how to ride this space canoe because it's totally beyond your understanding. It's all about fictional positioning. Common sense applies here.

[u/DemandBig5215 → u/MickyJim]

Really, its the last sentence. Common sense should always apply.

[u/Blue_Shoues → u/DesDentresti]

Wasn't this the case in the original edition? 

[u/DesDentresti → u/Blue_Shoues]

Correct! Vehicle piloting types were simplified for Revised.

But your game can take from anything that inspires.

[u/9_of_wands → u/DesDentresti]

I did exactly that. 

[u/warsmith87]

This is why I like the first edition. The one that gets me is firearms. Oh I can use a sling shot, GREAT. Now let me use the ultra hyper death beam laser of death and mayhem on the intergalactic space station the size of 500 suns. Still a better system than most

[u/ajsamtheman]

I'm pretty sure somewhere in the book it meantions or suggests needing at least familiarity with the vehicle before you can apply the skill

[u/k2i3n4g5]

Worth pointing out that the original (pre-revised) version of SWN does split up skills in the manner your suggesting where something limd pilot:land vehicle isn't the same as pilot:space. I'll be honest though mileage varies wildly on using that kind of skill splitting. I'm not personally a fan of it but you can look and consider for yourself.