06-07-2014, 05:09 AM | #1 |
GURPS FAQ Keeper
Join Date: Mar 2006
Location: Kyïv, Ukraine
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Software Tools for technical skills: Cost, Quality, Complexity
Greetings, all!
As you likely know, many /TL skills require proper software to work (B472). This explicitly includes Engineering, and most surely includes Computer Hacking/Operation/Programming and Intelligence Analysis (the two which made me look into the issue). I'm not so sure about Current Affairs, which is /TL too. And UT25 mentions that it is normal to use Accounting, Artillery, Market Analysis, Strategy, Tactics, and Writing with software tools (which seems logical). According to Basic Set, at TL10 it takes a a Complexity 7 (B472) programme to use with such skills. The base price doesn't seem to be listed anywhere. This seems a bit high, as this implies that a programme for designing a new car or for data mining is about as complicated as a human mind. According to Ultra-Tech, such programmes are effectively free/included with the default device or OS for Basic Quality; Complexity 5 for Good Quality (+1); Complexity 7 for Fine Quality (+2); assuming Average to Very Hard skills, that is. According to UT25, a typical Complexity 5 programme costs $100, and a C7 one costs $1k, at TL10. Line Editor Masters commented that UT's default software prices are possibly too low for THS. So now I'm trying to figure out:
Thanks in advance! |
06-07-2014, 05:22 AM | #2 |
Night Watchman
Join Date: Oct 2010
Location: Cambridge, UK
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Re: Software Tools for technical skills: Cost, Quality, Complexity
At TL10, I could believe that, because they'll have many of the capabilities of a human mind, or better, for their respective fields. The CAD software will have a direct appreciation of shape, kinematics and materials science superior to that of all but the most talented engineers. The data miner will be very effective at spotting distantly connected ideas.
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06-07-2014, 05:28 AM | #3 | |
GURPS FAQ Keeper
Join Date: Mar 2006
Location: Kyïv, Ukraine
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Re: Software Tools for technical skills: Cost, Quality, Complexity
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06-07-2014, 06:16 AM | #4 | |
Night Watchman
Join Date: Oct 2010
Location: Cambridge, UK
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Re: Software Tools for technical skills: Cost, Quality, Complexity
Quote:
An idea that's slightly below GURPS resolution, but may be a useful rationalisation: the bonus for assistive software is essentially an extra time bonus: it allows you to work faster, or take "extra time" and work at the unassisted speed. |
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06-07-2014, 03:44 PM | #5 |
Computer Scientist
Join Date: Aug 2004
Location: Dallas, Texas
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Re: Software Tools for technical skills: Cost, Quality, Complexity
I think there's some received wisdom in FIFTH WAVE about Comp Op/Programming/Hacking that supercedes the UT rules, at least with regard to routine consumer use. IIRC, with *AI operating systems running, Comp Op is not required for users at all since the *AI uses its own skill set to interpret user requests and carry them out.
Of course, Comp Op might still be desirable because you can substitute your own scores for those of a modest NAI, but even then additional software tools should not have to be bought. |
06-07-2014, 07:27 PM | #6 |
Join Date: Feb 2005
Location: Berkeley, CA
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Re: Software Tools for technical skills: Cost, Quality, Complexity
Actually, it assumes that design software will use sufficient power to stress a desktop computer of the relevant tech level. This may or may not involve actual complexity in a programming sense -- many forms of number crunching software are actually pretty simple, they just require lots and lots of computer power. For example, stuff like raytracing can eat loads of computer power despite not really being a terribly complex problem.
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06-08-2014, 01:15 AM | #7 | |
GURPS FAQ Keeper
Join Date: Mar 2006
Location: Kyïv, Ukraine
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Re: Software Tools for technical skills: Cost, Quality, Complexity
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06-08-2014, 11:43 AM | #8 |
Join Date: Feb 2005
Location: Berkeley, CA
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Re: Software Tools for technical skills: Cost, Quality, Complexity
First of all, GURPS complexity ratings don't necessarily tell you anything but the amount of computer power required to use them. Secondly, many of those systems will do modeling and simulations, which can have bloated processing requirement in much the same way as graphics.
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06-08-2014, 11:58 AM | #9 | |
GURPS FAQ Keeper
Join Date: Mar 2006
Location: Kyïv, Ukraine
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Re: Software Tools for technical skills: Cost, Quality, Complexity
Quote:
I do understand that a small program can nonetheless require lots of RAM/CPU if the data it produces/works with is significantly larger. |
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06-08-2014, 12:10 PM | #10 |
Join Date: Feb 2005
Location: Berkeley, CA
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Re: Software Tools for technical skills: Cost, Quality, Complexity
GURPS rules for software tools don't say how big they are.
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complexity, equipment, quality, software, software tools |
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