Re: Vacc Suits
 

It's a loss if for some reason she can't use her bonded weapon, and it's not like you can't just take weapon bond later.

Re: Vacc Suits
 

It's not something I would let a player take just because they had the point. I would make them do a lot of searching through armouries trying to find the special weapon that just suited them. Or pay an armourer extra to work on giving it just the right balance and grip and so on.

And it's only 0.56% of her available character points.

Re: Vacc Suits
 

Are equipment bonds limited to improving one skill? It occurs to me the PC may be able to claim the bonus to Computer Operation, Artist (Virtual Reality), Typing, and possibly Writing (other cases where she's using the computer are probably too tangential, such as Research). I mean, it's not like a character who grabs Weapon Bond with a weapon that's usable with multiple skills only gets the bonus with one of those skills - someone with Weapon Bond to a spear should probably get the +1 when using it with Spear, Staff, Broadsword/Two-Handed Sword (like a jo or quarterstaff held at one end, depending on the length of the spear), Thrown Weapon (Spear), and possibly Spear-Thrower (if it's compatible with such).

Under that interpretation, that Perk is already earning its keep, and will be in even better shape once she starts improving those skills.

Re: Vacc Suits
 

I had assumed that it would benefit both Computer Operation and Artist (Virtual Reality). I would say probably not Typing; my guess is that that would depend more on the keyboard than on the computer. I'm not sure that keyboards have enough subtle variability for one of them to provide an Equipment Bond; do you think that works? But Computer Operation and Artist will probably be her primary uses of the equipment.

I'm up in the air about the applicability of Equipment Bond to Writing, at any TL—quill pens, manual typewriters, or word processing programs. Is it the equipment that matters here? There is software designed to aid writing, of course, but I think it would be too generous to let the computer give +1 to every program it runs to aid in any professional skill. And so far GURPS doesn't have "Software Bond." I'm not sure it should.

Re: Vacc Suits
 

I was thinking of treating the whole configuration (computer, monitor, keyboard, mouse - and possibly even sound system, should that matter) as a coherent whole, but then that would mean having to use different peripherals with her machine would probably ruin the Bond. So, if it's just the tower/box/etc, no Typing bonus.

But a keyboard would absolutely be eligible for Equipment Bond. There's a huge aftermarket for keyboard customization - various switches, keycaps, etc - and listening to enthusiasts talking about the differences doesn't sound dissimilar to listening to gun enthusiasts talking about trigger weight, grips, etc.

Now that I've slept on it, I think Writing is sufficiently tangential to the operation of the computer that it probably shouldn't count, just as Research shouldn't. At best, it might allow you to produce a work faster by making the act of creation faster/more comfortable, but the act of actually writing something out usually isn't the Rate Determining Step - it's thinking up what to write. "Software Bond" to represent having highly customized (and gotten used to the quirks of) specific programs might be appropriate, although given how readily such could be replicated, probably better to represent with software-specific Techniques, if at all.

Re: Vacc Suits
 

German, oversized keys and letters, bright white illumination.

More seriously, there's some text that may go with an older version of Weapon Bond that specifies that the weapon does not have to be physically special in any regard (Fine, custom, etc). It just has to be the exact one that suits _you_.

I would assume that Equipment Bond was the same.

Re: Vacc Suits
 

I think that's definitely the case.

Years and years ago, when I was writing one of my earlier GURPS books, I got ready to send it in—and having been short of sleep, I opened up a file, and erased virtually the entire text, and then realized that that file was my draft of the book! That was before Apple had come out with Time Machine, so I didn't have a backup of my hard disc, and I also hadn't formed the habit of saving earlier versions, so I literally had nothing. So I immediately got in touch with SJ Games to ask for an extension, and started recreating the lost book. I didn't know how long it would take, but as it turned out, it took me only about 20-25% as long as writing the former draft had taken.

So my experience is that about 80% of the work of writing is in the head, and 20% is on the keyboard. And of course while I'm writing it the in-the-head part and the on-the-keyboard part are taking place in parallel, and the latter contributes to the former (as an old epigram puts it, How can I know what I think till I see what I say?). But with the in-the-head part already done, the on-the-keyboard part can go really fast.

Conversely, if the skill were Artist (Calligraphy), having just the right physical equipment might matter. Though I think that low-tech writing tools weren't all that durable, and there isn't really a rule for having a bond with consumables.

Re: Vacc Suits
 

Yes. If someone had Weapon Bond with a sword or a pistol, and it was lost, destroyed, or stolen, I'd let them buy a new Weapon Bond; but I'd make them visit a long series of armorers of the relevant type, trying out different swords or pistols, until they got a really good roll (maybe a critical success on Connoisseur (Weapons) or something like that) and found the one that was Just Right.

Re: Vacc Suits
 

Incidentally, having Equipment Bond with your vacc suit could give you +1 to Vacc Suit, making it easier to put it on quickly.

Re: Vacc Suits
 

I'd allow it for a "Ship of Theseus" situation. That is, Equipment Bond (First Aid Kit) would be legitimate, even though you are replacing the contents (which I'd have happen largely "off-screen," and indicate it did indeed call for careful selection, but without actually charging the character more time/money/etc) frequently, so long as there's a sense of continuity (if that kit gets stolen/lost/destroyed, you've got to rebuild it from scratch, which may require repurchasing Equipment Bond). Doing that with a box of art supplies should similarly be an option. That may not be strictly realistic, but I think would work fine from both a narrativist and gamist perspective (and help add a bit of color to the character, which I feel is one of the important bits of traits like Equipment Bond - even if it's just "There are many like it, but this one is mine").