Quote:
Originally Posted by hal
In just about every bit of wording for things involving facial recognition in GURPS ULTRATECH for 4e, there does't seem to be any real "skill" or "attribute" tests involved. Artificial Intelligence software or simply database comparison software that measures, categorizes and then compares data points against other datapoints (much like fingerprint software finds matches) - generally tends to be very reliable.
To that end? I would largely avoid using a "skill" approach to facial recognition software. I would largely suspect that the sheer volume of faces being viewed by software may slow things down a bit, but I would suspect that the way it would work is like this:
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GURPS High Tech: Electricity and Electronics talks briefly about counter-surveillance on p45, and suggests using a quick contest of Camouflage or Electronics Operation (EW) against the observer's skill. TL8 high-def cameras are at -2 for Observation rolls, and so on. That's for acquiring the image first, but doesn't go into the database action of identifying it. It's probably Intelligence Analysis.
I'm not surprised that other tech books don't have complex gaming rules on how to do mass surveillance and counter-surveillance, it's necessary for space and focus. However, if I were running a game where countermeasures against facial recognition were a central part of the action, then I'd probably put together some useful rules.
As for the setting, we should look at the who, what and wheres of the surveillance.
Who is your PC? Is he a street hood, member of an organised crime unit, a rioter who stole a TV, a habitual mugger, a graffiti tagger, someone who got in a pub brawl then did a runner when the fuzz showed, or what? Does he know he's wanted? Was he trying to avoid fac-rec when he did the crime? What resources does he or his organisation have to avoid fac-rec?
Where does he live? If his neighbourhood is often targetted by the cops, then all the local street kids and gangers might make a regular sport of paintballing surveillance cameras or taking down drones, causing a big blind-spot in the fac-rec network's coverage.
I'd look at it as an arms race between surveillance and counter-surveillance, with the needle swinging back and forward on which has more dominance. Yes, modern day London takes 300 shots a day of regular citizens, but that's because they aren't fighting back against it. For every new sophisticated technique, for spotting hidden weapons or gait analysis or whatever mentioned above, a counter-technique will eventually be found that rules it obsolete. E.g. Does it use near-IR to determine what heavy gear you're carrying? Then maybe people start carrying super-bright IR beacons that dazzle the sensors, or wear overcoats webbed with IR-emitting LEDs.
You just have to determine where in your setting the needle happens to be pointing. Is AI fac-rec dominant, or is mass-social non-compliance providing an effective counter?