New Technique of the Week: an ongoing thread

[RogerBW]

Originally Posted by johndallman

Deprogramming (Brainwashing-2 or Psychology-6). Average, cannot exceed Brainwashing+4 or Psychology (whichever you based it on).

I know people who assert that deprogramming is just brainwashing the victim into a mindset that the people paying for it regard as acceptable. If that's the case in a particular game world, it wouldn't be a technique at all, just a regular use of the skill.

Action 2 p. 17 para 2, and Transhuman Mysteries p. 25, suggest that the default should equal Brainwashing.

[johndallman]

Originally Posted by RogerBW

I know people who assert that deprogramming is just brainwashing the victim into a mindset that the people paying for it regard as acceptable. If that's the case in a particular game world, it wouldn't be a technique at all, just a regular use of the skill.

Fair point, and that could be done even if restoring the original view was possible.

Action 2 p. 17 para 2, and Transhuman Mysteries p. 25, suggest that the default should equal Brainwashing.

Ah, missed those. How's this for a revised version?

Deprogramming (Brainwashing or Psychology-6). Average, cannot exceed Brainwashing+4 or Psychology (whichever you based it on).

This is reversing Brainwashing. In some settings, that isn't possible, this technique doesn't exist, and the most that can be done is to Brainwash the subject to a more acceptable form of behaviour, which is a regular use of Brainwashing.

If this technique is available and used, it is rolled in a Quick Contest with the subject's Will. Taking extra time is common, the base time is a week. Modifiers: +2 for access to people who knew the subject well before they were Brainwashed, and +1 for having successfully Deprogrammed someone who had been Brainwashed in the same way as the subject. Cultural familiarity and language penalties apply. Psychology, Fast-Talk and Intimidation are possible complementary skills. Suggested by Vicky_Molokh.

I reckon this is a Technique rather an optional specialisation because there are (or were) people who specialise heavily in this, and have only a basic knowledge of psychology. The shorter timescale in Action 2: Exploits suits action movie conventions and the penalties for meme effectiveness in Transhuman Mysteries reflect the effectiveness of Transhuman Space's memetics.

[roguebfl]

Originally Posted by RogerBW

I know people who assert that deprogramming is just brainwashing the victim into a mindset that the people paying for it regard as acceptable.

That's a problematic integration, given the Cult Programming typically involves Sleep deprivation and Food Nutrient deprivation to compromise your reasoning capabilities during indoctrination. Given Deprogramming first rebuilds these to strengthen you reasoning to help you reevaluate, it hard to call it the same thing.

[johndallman]

Formal versions of two of Donny Brook's suggestions:

Sightlines (Observation -2 or Tactics). Hard, cannot exceed default+4.
This technique is used to determine lines of sight from positions other than the current location of observation.

Skate Backwards (Skating-2). Average, cannot exceed Skating.
Roll to succeed, effective Move is -1.

[Donny Brook]

Originally Posted by johndallman

Formal versions of two of Donny Brook's suggestions:

Sightlines (Observation -2 or Tactics). Average, cannot exceed default+4.
This technique is used to determine lines of sight from positions other than the current location of observation.

Skate Backwards (Skating-2). Average, cannot exceed Skating.
Roll to succeed, effective Move is -1.

I still think Sightlines should be Hard. You have no way to verify if you got it right until the rubber hits the road.

[johndallman]

Originally Posted by Donny Brook

I still think Sightlines should be Hard. You have no way to verify if you got it right until the rubber hits the road.

Fair enough. Changed.

[ericthered]

Originally Posted by Donny Brook

I still think Sightlines should be Hard. You have no way to verify if you got it right until the rubber hits the road.

But does that argue for making the skill hard, or for increasing the basic penalty? I'd prefer to increase the penalty.

Sightlines is an awesome idea -- I've never enforced that kind of play, but it sounds awesome. You may also want to make it a specialty of stealth.

[johndallman]

Originally Posted by ericthered

But does that argue for making the skill hard, or for increasing the basic penalty? I'd prefer to increase the penalty.

Sightlines is an awesome idea -- I've never enforced that kind of play, but it sounds awesome. You may also want to make it a specialty of stealth.

Sightlines are something that's significant in Tactics, and while they aren't a major use of Observation, that skill has a major element of "see what's there, not what you expect" IMHO, which makes it applicable.

Stealth is about being unnoticed: it can be very helpful with getting to use other skills, but that doesn't make them part of it. An excellent scout would have good Stealth, but also Observation, Navigation and Cartography.

[Daigoro]

Originally Posted by ericthered

But does that argue for making the skill hard, or for increasing the basic penalty? I'd prefer to increase the penalty.

The way Techniques are priced, is there a significant material difference? Presuming that you're talking about only an extra -1 in difficulty.

[Phantasm]

Are there any Techniques based off Piloting for flying remotes or drones? Examples would be the recreational/law enforcement vertol things you can pilot from a smartphone app and the military Predator drone.