Digital Mind Question

[whswhs]

Originally Posted by Kelly Pedersen

There's also some discrepancy between Shell-Tech and Power-Ups 2: Perks, it seems. PU2, under its listing for Accessory, suggests that a computer taken as an Accessory "can run the utility software standard for ordinary desktop or smaller computers in your setting – word processor, spreadsheet, e-mail, games, etc. It can’t run software good enough to grant advantages or skill bonuses, or real-time combat aids like targeting programs." Whereas Shell-Tech has things like the High Arcadian Centaur (p. 13), with a compact Mainframe computer as an Accessory. At TL 10, that's Complexity 9. I can't imagine that's not capable of running more than just word processing and basic calculator software!

Of course it can, but you have to pay the points for it.

[GODSLAYER]

What are you paying points for? To be able to run Minecraft in your head?

If you can do complicated Multitasking, that's Compartmentalized Mind. If you have programs doing different tasks with their own skills, I've seen that suggested as being Allies in your head.

But if you have Digital Mind and want to run a Diagnostics on yourself? I don't think that would cost extra points. That's what Digital Mind is for.

IMO, if you have Digital Mind, and IQ 20. Getting a Complexity 10 Computer that can run better software is a benefit of IQ 20.

What's the alternative? Are you going to make someone who wants to play Commander Data pay 100 points in Signature Gear for the computer in his head?

[Kelly Pedersen]

Originally Posted by GODSLAYER

What are you paying points for? To be able to run Minecraft in your head?

For one point? Sure. You can run Minecraft, you can pop open a calculator program instead of carrying a physical one around, you can type up a report internally instead of having to find a laptop or terminal, do your taxes and so forth. Not a bad bit of utility for 1 point, in my opinion. It means having effectively basic equipment for a number of technological skills.

Originally Posted by GODSLAYER

IMO, if you have Digital Mind, and IQ 20. Getting a Complexity 10 Computer that can run better software is a benefit of IQ 20.

The problem is giving out too many bonuses for the points. A Complexity 10 computer could run Fine-quality software (giving a +2 bonus) for 2000
different Hard or Very Hard skills. Sure, you'd have to pay for the programs, but it's still a little much for just 1 character point.

Originally Posted by GODSLAYER

What's the alternative? Are you going to make someone who wants to play Commander Data pay 100 points in Signature Gear for the computer in his head?

Data is probably better represented by spending those 100 points on advantages like Compartmentalized Mind or just straight up high IQ.

[sir_pudding]

Don't Transhuman Space AIs have Modular Ability?

[evileeyore]

Originally Posted by Kelly Pedersen

At TL 10, that's Complexity 9. I can't imagine that's not capable of running more than just word processing and basic calculator software!

TL 10 MS Word is all bloatware...

[jeff_wilson]

Originally Posted by GODSLAYER

What are you paying points for? To be able to run Minecraft in your head?

"You are a sentient computer program...." That is, you have the conveniences and inconveniences of being accessible as digital information at some level.

Originally Posted by GODSLAYER

But if you have Digital Mind and want to run a Diagnostics on yourself? I don't think that would cost extra points. That's what Digital Mind is for.

If the computer or the program is thus configured, sure, much like a non-digital human being's mind can evaluate the state of its fleshy body.

Originally Posted by GODSLAYER

IMO, if you have Digital Mind, and IQ 20. Getting a Complexity 10 Computer that can run better software is a benefit of IQ 20.

By default, please recall; the GM could easily proclaim it goes by racial IQ or original stock IQ.

Originally Posted by GODSLAYER

What's the alternative? Are you going to make someone who wants to play Commander Data pay 100 points in Signature Gear for the computer in his head?

Eventually, perhaps, as Data seemed to grow in capability as episodes and films went on. He could spend XP as new capabilities are discovered or made usefully reliable.

[Donny Brook]

The text says you have the computer "by default". It does not say "prerequisite".

[sir_pudding]

Note that Digital Mind itself seems to be one of those traits that is difficult to figure out what it actually does that is worth points, or at least we seemed to have a lot of disagreement on this in the past.

[GODSLAYER]

I always thought it was obvious: It turns your mind into a computer with a Complexity equal to at least half your IQ.

[whswhs]

Originally Posted by sir_pudding

Note that Digital Mind itself seems to be one of those traits that is difficult to figure out what it actually does that is worth points, or at least we seemed to have a lot of disagreement on this in the past.

Digital Mind makes you immune to the normal forms of Mind Control, Mind Probe, Mind Reading, and probably Telesend and Detect Minds. That's a high-powered immunity for 5 points, but it's not quite a true Immunity. For one thing, I can't easily imagine Resistant to Nondigital Mind Control etc. at +3, though I suppose maybe it could be possible. For another, there is a fully effective set of abilities that works on digital minds, so it's really "being a different sort on entity."

What I've wondered about is

* If you have Digital Mind, and you buy Mind Reading, for example, does that let you read the minds of computers, rather than those of humans?

* If you don't have Digital Mind, can you acquire Mind Reading (Digital) as an ability? Does it have an extra cost?

* Alternatively, can you buy Digital Mind with Switchable? Or Compartmentalized Mind with one compartment having Digital Mind? How would you do a human/computer synnoesis?