[UT] Why Computer is a Perk but Radio is an Advantage?

CarrionPeacock · 05-13-2021, 02:46 PM

I understand that Telecommunication (Radio) is more versatile than Accessory (Radio), but if the communication capabilities of a machine is represented as an advantage on a character sheet, why the computer is a perk instead of combination of multiple advantages like Lightning Calculator?

WingedKagouti · 05-13-2021, 02:52 PM

The accessory has all the disadvantages of a normal object of that type (like needing to be powered, being susceptible to EMPs etc.) while the Advantage does not need power, repair etc. unless specifically limited.

Phil Masters · 05-13-2021, 05:13 PM

Which said, I don’t think it’d be unreasonable to allow the capabilities of any device which is available off the shelf for a sub-$200-or-so price tag to be purchased as a 1 point accessory, regardless of how they’d be priced as an advantage.

On the other hand, there’s some value to having an ability which other people just don’t expect you to have without visible gear. I remember one of the Supers books had a character whose sole power was being able to transmit anything he saw or heard as a high-quality TV signal. His plot function was Fearless Reporter; totalitarian governments were driven crazy trying to work out how all those riots and such were being reported, when their cops were carefully smashing any cameras they saw.

Sorenant · 05-13-2021, 06:24 PM

I'm not the author but here's my guess:
A computer is in essence just returns an output given an input. It's not intelligent (IQ 0) and doesn't really make any sort of calculations, it just happens that calculations can be done with it. So by itself a computer has no real capabilities, it's there to be used by someone.
In the case of machine PCs, that would likely be an Artificial Intelligence. How well the AI can use the computer it's running on depends on its programming. By default (AI meta-trait), it has good integration with the basic features of a computer (Absolute Timing, Intuitive Mathematician, Photographic Memory), but it won't be able to masterfully use Excel, AutoCAD and Photoshop as well.
Other than AIs, a mind emulation might be run on a computer as well. In this case, the mind was not created from ground up to integrate the capabilities of the machine on its conscience, so checking time, making calculations and saving data requires discrete actions/thoughts, just like normal use of (mentally controlled) computer, so it's just a perk.

Donny Brook · 05-13-2021, 06:30 PM

A radio can be an Accessory Perk just a computer can.

The more correct comparison as an Advantage is Digital Mind+Lightning Calculator+Modular Powers.

whswhs · 05-13-2021, 07:30 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Donny Brook

A radio can be an Accessory Perk just a computer can.

The more correct comparison as an Advantage is Digital Mind+Lightning Calculator+Modular Powers.

And typically Eidetic Memory.

05-13-2021, 02:46 PM	#1
CarrionPeacock Join Date: May 2018	[UT] Why Computer is a Perk but Radio is an Advantage? I understand that Telecommunication (Radio) is more versatile than Accessory (Radio), but if the communication capabilities of a machine is represented as an advantage on a character sheet, why the computer is a perk instead of combination of multiple advantages like Lightning Calculator?

05-13-2021, 02:52 PM	#2
WingedKagouti Join Date: Oct 2007	Re: [UT] Why Computer is a Perk but Radio is an Advantage? The accessory has all the disadvantages of a normal object of that type (like needing to be powered, being susceptible to EMPs etc.) while the Advantage does not need power, repair etc. unless specifically limited.

05-13-2021, 05:13 PM	#3
Phil Masters Join Date: Aug 2004 Location: U.K.	Re: [UT] Why Computer is a Perk but Radio is an Advantage? Which said, I don’t think it’d be unreasonable to allow the capabilities of any device which is available off the shelf for a sub-$200-or-so price tag to be purchased as a 1 point accessory, regardless of how they’d be priced as an advantage. On the other hand, there’s some value to having an ability which other people just don’t expect you to have without visible gear. I remember one of the Supers books had a character whose sole power was being able to transmit anything he saw or heard as a high-quality TV signal. His plot function was Fearless Reporter; totalitarian governments were driven crazy trying to work out how all those riots and such were being reported, when their cops were carefully smashing any cameras they saw. __________________ -- Phil Masters My Home Page. My Self-Publications: On Warehouse 23 and On DriveThruRPG.

05-13-2021, 06:24 PM	#4
Sorenant Join Date: Jan 2015	Re: [UT] Why Computer is a Perk but Radio is an Advantage? I'm not the author but here's my guess: A computer is in essence just returns an output given an input. It's not intelligent (IQ 0) and doesn't really make any sort of calculations, it just happens that calculations can be done with it. So by itself a computer has no real capabilities, it's there to be used by someone. In the case of machine PCs, that would likely be an Artificial Intelligence. How well the AI can use the computer it's running on depends on its programming. By default (AI meta-trait), it has good integration with the basic features of a computer (Absolute Timing, Intuitive Mathematician, Photographic Memory), but it won't be able to masterfully use Excel, AutoCAD and Photoshop as well. Other than AIs, a mind emulation might be run on a computer as well. In this case, the mind was not created from ground up to integrate the capabilities of the machine on its conscience, so checking time, making calculations and saving data requires discrete actions/thoughts, just like normal use of (mentally controlled) computer, so it's just a perk.

05-13-2021, 06:30 PM	#5
Donny Brook Join Date: Aug 2014 Location: Snoopy's basement	Re: [UT] Why Computer is a Perk but Radio is an Advantage? A radio can be an Accessory Perk just a computer can. The more correct comparison as an Advantage is Digital Mind+Lightning Calculator+Modular Powers.