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Old 02-24-2019, 08:24 PM   #1
DataPacRat
 
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Default Describing a copy-clan with Boardroom & Curia

In a hard-SF TL9 setting with TL10+ computers, I'm poking around at stats for people who've uploaded themselves. Right now, I'm looking at using B&C to describe the copy-clan of one of the poorer emulated minds. But I'm not particularly familiar with B&C (or Social Engineering); I suspect I'm missing a trick or three. Can someone double-check my initial rough figuring, and suggest other improvements?

-----8<-----

** The "LoadBear" Copy-Clan

* Mission Statement: Provide services to existing copies, including safehouses (and other emergency services), lobbying and liasing, secure comms, and a clan library.

* Capabilities:
* TL: at least superscience-free TL9, with TL10+ computers
* Members: 1,000
* Wealth: Struggling
* Contacts: Administration-21 [4], Engineering skills-12 [5]
* Member Traits: Claim to Hospitality (other copies) [5], Signature Gear ($15k, baseline robotic bodies) [1], Extra Life (Requires Copy) (provides storage of digital backups of members' minds) [20], Undisclosed Facilities (safehouses) [1]
* Notable Resources: Rathauses (robo-dorms), private comms, computers
* Reaction-Time Modifier: -2 (TL9 (-1), Administration-21 (-2), Complexity +1)

* Costs and Values:
* Startup Cost: $21.6M + PointValueAsPercentage(min -20%)=36%*PreviousNumber = $29,376,000
* Resource Value: StartupCost/200 = $146,880
* Patron Value: 10
* Enemy Value: -30?
* Ally and Dependent Value: ?

* Social Attributes:
* Type: Fraternal (copies), Trade (copy-clan guild), Advocacy (for em rights)
* CR: 3
* Loyalty: Very Good (16; +3)
* Rank: Guild Rank 0-3 [2/level] (Nominal Hierarchical Position With Title (1/level), Chain of Command (1/level), Typical Resources (1/level), Not Dominant or Unique (-1/level))
* Income Range: $? Struggling to $? Comfortable
* Reputation: +1 (extropians, transhumanists), +0 (other ems, who share some interests but also compete for similar economic niches), -1 to -4 (anti-emulationists and other anti-immortalists)

* Notes:
- Copies who diverge enough to lack a Sense of Duty to other copies are free to stop paying dues and stop receiving benefits.

----->8-----
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Old 02-25-2019, 01:16 PM   #2
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Default Re: Describing a copy-clan with Boardroom & Curia

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Originally Posted by DataPacRat View Post
In a hard-SF TL9 setting with TL10+ computers
I'm skimming through Advantages and Disadvantages to throw into the copy-clan's Traits, and one that's caught my eye is Gadgeteer. B&C notes it as an explicit option, but I'm not aiming for a group whose Q-Branch can throw together rayguns and force-fields. I'm thinking more along the lines of having the tools, institutional memory, and back-end infrastructure to create new software, and maybe custom-built Computers that are faster at certain algorithms (ie, what 3e called 'Dedicated').

Is there an existing Limitation for Gadgeteer for 'Programming and computer hardware only; no weapons, armor, or other gear'? The best I can think of is the old reliable, Accessibility, at maybe -50%.
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Old 02-25-2019, 01:20 PM   #3
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Default Re: Describing a copy-clan with Boardroom & Curia

[QUOTE=DataPacRat;2245278 I'm not aiming for a group whose Q-Branch can throw together rayguns and force-fields. I'm thinking more along the lines of having the tools, institutional memory, and back-end infrastructure to create new software, and maybe custom-built Computers that are faster at certain algorithms (ie, what 3e called 'Dedicated').

Is there an existing Limitation for Gadgeteer for 'Programming and computer hardware only; no weapons, armor, or other gear'? The best I can think of is the old reliable, Accessibility, at maybe -50%.[/QUOTE]

This sounds to me like Gadgeteer(25 pts) with Aspected for about -50%. I think I've seen that for Aspected (Alchemy) and you may be only looking for things covered by Engineering (Computers).
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Old 02-25-2019, 02:16 PM   #4
DataPacRat
 
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Default Re: Describing a copy-clan with Boardroom & Curia

Quote:
Originally Posted by Fred Brackin View Post
This sounds to me like Gadgeteer(25 pts) with Aspected for about -50%. I think I've seen that for Aspected (Alchemy) and you may be only looking for things covered by Engineering (Computers).
Well, Computer Programming and Engineering (Computers). :)



On a related note, I don't think B&C was really designed to cover a group whose members share nearly every item in their character sheets. For example, "Member Traits" includes both Traits of the organization itself (eg, Versatile or Rash), and Dis/Advantages required of all members (which, in this case, could be just about everything on the sheet). Anyone care to offer advice here? For example, since all the members are uploaded minds, could I reduce the Startup Costs by throwing in the Electrical (-20) or Social Stigma: Second-Class Citizen (-5) disadvantages?

Given that uploading is at least as controversial in this setting as, say, abortion is in the present-day - including the occasional sniper or bomber - what level of Power should I set for the group's "Enemies"; a "large group of less-powerful people"?

Can an organization itself have 'self-imposed mental disadvantages', such as Honesty or Truthfulness that limit the organization's choices of action?

One trait I'm adding to this group is "Compulsive Gambling", in the form of "futures prediction markets", which have been proposed by economist Robin Hanson as an alternative way for organizations to lay out plans.

Silly thought: An organization with "Phantom Voices" at the "Annoying" level, defined as spending too much effort interacting with various forums and social media. :) (Higher levels might involve getting stuck with ever-worse levels of trolls...)

I've jotted down a few other items from some character sheets that might work well for this group... sure, most of the example organizations have few-to-no Traits at all, but why should I let that confine me? :)
[-1] Quirk: Trademark: Logo/brand/Identifying apparel: Pair of blue-tinted teashades
[-1] Quirk: Extremely Limited Disadvantage: Kleptomania: "Compulsively downloads torrent libraries" (pPU6-11).
[1] "What really matters.": Perk: Controllable Disadvantage: Extreme Fanatacism (philosophy: prevent the permanent extinction of sapience).
[1] "Remember to rotate your magnetic tapes regularly." Perk: Shtick: Standard Operating Procedure (make digital backups) (PU2p15)
[1] Perk: Shtick: SOP: On Alert: always have bug-out kits packed and ready to go (PU2p15)
[1] Perk: Skill: Efficient (Computer Operation) (PU2p16)
[1] Perk: Skill: Efficient (Research) (PU2p16)
[1] "Let me Google that for you": Perk: Skill: No Nuisance Rolls (Computer Operation, searching for data) pPU2-16
[1] "I know /all/ the libraries": Perk: Social: "Born Researcher": Networked (Organizations: Information Sources), pSE79, pSE46


Hm... based on B&C's "Rash" levelled perk, think "Efficient" could be adapted to the same, subtracting 1 from the Reaction-Time Table per level, for appropriate assistance checks?
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Last edited by DataPacRat; 02-25-2019 at 02:35 PM.
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