12-08-2017, 03:08 PM | #1 |
Join Date: Nov 2016
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Mindlink, telecom and HUD interfaces
Alright, I have two characters, namely a wizard and a golem.
I want to set up the following: 1. The golem has slave mentality. It should have a HUD (head-up display) enabling itself to keep track of its stats and make annotations or display messages. Think of Robocop, Terminator, Master Chief's Cortana, etc. For this HUD, which would the advantage be? What would the cost be? 2. The wizard must be capable to see the HUD and issue orders to this golem, remotely. Obviously, this is telecom+telesend. Now: A) Special rapport could be the cost effective option to let the wizard know when his golem requires further instructions. B) The wizard could take mindlink+sensie to see the golem's HUD and read its messages. C) Finally, this wizard could employ telesend to issue new orders. HOWEVER: I don't quite understand whether they both need telecom+telesend or not... I suppose the wizard requires telecom+telesend to issue the orders, but is the golem going to need telesend if the wizards requires to see the HUD? Is it enough with mindlink+sensie? Or, could they pick special rapport + sensie? Then what would be a cost effective solution for this? How do I make a HUD in GURPS? (this is a HUD of magical nature) Thank you! -Hide |
12-08-2017, 04:20 PM | #2 |
Join Date: Sep 2007
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Re: Mindlink, telecom and HUD interfaces
For two-way communication, you have two options: (1) give both parties Telesend; or (2) Give one party both Telesend and Mind Reading. In the first case, either party can initiate a conversation. In the second, only the party with the abilities can start the conversation.
Special Rapport gives you the limited information cited in the advantage automatically (master in trouble!). It's a separate Advantage. Mindlink just makes the Telesend roll to contact an automatic success. It doesn't in and of itself provide any information. If you want to see what the golem sees, then you either want the Video Enhancement on the golem's Telesend (otherwise, it's limited to sending pictures "as fast as you can draw them"), or else you want to build a wizard ability on Clairsentience (perhaps anchored to the golem). The description "it's a HUD" is just a special effect. Buy the mechanics you need, and describe them in whatever manner fits the concept. If the idea is to have the wizard use an external physical object like a tablet, then you might make the tablet a Gadget and use Gadget Limitations on the abilities. Were I GM, you might be able to talk me into allowing the +20% Enhancement "Sensory" on Telesend (with Video), allowing the transmitter to send full sensory information rather than just speech. That would avoid the necessity to buy Mind Reading just because Telesend doesn't have a modifier to send that information. The info provided by Special Rapport might be good enough, though. |
12-08-2017, 06:14 PM | #3 |
Join Date: Jul 2008
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Re: Mindlink, telecom and HUD interfaces
This is true, but not necessarily useful. How do you buy 'is constantly aware of own HP', for instance?
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I don't know any 3e, so there is no chance that I am talking about 3e rules by accident. |
12-08-2017, 06:57 PM | #4 | |
Join Date: Nov 2016
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Re: Mindlink, telecom and HUD interfaces
Quote:
In Final Fantasy there’s a skill called Libra. It let’s you know a character’s stats. Please note that I am not looking for external aid (items). Thanks! -Hide |
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12-08-2017, 07:06 PM | #5 |
Join Date: Feb 2016
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Re: Mindlink, telecom and HUD interfaces
GURPS does not have secret HP, so everything is implicit aware of its HP unless it has a specific disadvantage that limits it (a HUD does not give HP anyway, just ammo, power, vital signs, etc). I am not sure that a wizard would know what a HUD was unless they came from a TL8 or higher background, so I would not allow a lower TL wizard even conceptualize such a thing, at least not without the relevant TL penalties. An enchanted scroll that updates a picture of the physical status of the golem, an enchanted crystal ball that shows you what the golem sees, and an enchanted horn that broadcasts what the golem hears would be acceptable low tech alternatives though.
Now, I do not think that anything with Slave Mentality can initiate communications unless explicitly ordered to do so, so a golem with Telesend will have limited utility. It can be ordered to warn you if an enemy passes it's position, but it will not tell you if an elephant comes wondering by (even if it is an obviously bad illusion) because it was not ordered to tell you about wildlife. Entities with Slave Mentality should be painfully literal because they lack the free will required to improvise. |
12-08-2017, 09:52 PM | #6 | ||
Join Date: Nov 2016
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Re: Mindlink, telecom and HUD interfaces
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Thanks! -Hide |
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12-09-2017, 03:31 AM | #7 | |
Join Date: Dec 2006
Location: Meifumado
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Re: Mindlink, telecom and HUD interfaces
Quote:
- "Go down to the forest and report on what you see." - "Build this fortification and report to me when you are finished." - "Contact me if anyone passes your position." - etc.
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12-09-2017, 07:42 AM | #8 | |
Join Date: Jul 2008
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Re: Mindlink, telecom and HUD interfaces
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It also doesn't say anything about coming with Literal Genie Disorder, though where exactly to draw the line between 'intelligently following the order given' and 'taking initiative to do the right thing instead of the most literal thing' isn't necessarily crystal clear. I might suggest an IQ roll (not IQ-8) in cases where an action seems borderline. But, for instance, it doesn't seem at all out of line for a Slave Mentality unit to (A) recognize that the elephant is in fact an illusion and (B) conclude that someone trying to run an illusion past it is fairly likely to be an enemy and thus should be reported. After all, you're already trusting it to know what 'enemy' looks like, and 'people trying to sneak past the sentry' is definitely a thing enemy looks like!
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I don't know any 3e, so there is no chance that I am talking about 3e rules by accident. |
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12-09-2017, 03:51 PM | #9 |
Join Date: Feb 2016
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Re: Mindlink, telecom and HUD interfaces
Slave Mentality is a disadvantage because it makes entities dangerously literal and makes them incapable of initiative. A turtle possesses more initiative and a frog possesses more willingness to investigate oddities than an entity with Slave Mentality. If you want a capable servant, I would suggest Reprogramable rather than Slave Mentality.
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12-09-2017, 05:04 PM | #10 | |
Join Date: Jul 2008
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Re: Mindlink, telecom and HUD interfaces
Quote:
Slave mentality means (almost) no initiative, and also a rather severe level of suggestibility. It does not impose any limit on the ability to understand orders, which is what pathological literalism is. Nor does it prevent investigating oddities when doing so is either obeying a direct order or part of an established routine. (I think the suggestibility part has serious issues. It seems that you don't need to outwit Slave Mentality guards - you can just walk right up to them and talk them to death given the slightest competence. Even if per their orders they have no reason to care about anything you could say.)
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I don't know any 3e, so there is no chance that I am talking about 3e rules by accident. |
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