Accessory vs Power

[Figleaf23]

Ryan, Bruno, thanks. I see now I completely misread what RPK said.

Sorry RPK.

[Mailanka]

Hmmm, I've wondered this often regarding cybernetics. The implant computer is one point (actually 6, because you gain photographic memory, though I'm not clear why this is separated out). While I'll grant that this is a tiny computer, as it increases in complexity, you can gain access to things like targeting programs and augmented reality for +1 to vision. These are not non-combat bonuses (though one can argue that a flashlight gives "combat bonuses" in a similar fashion).

But then we flip to implant radios, and those are designed the actual telecommunication advantage, not an accessory (Radio). Why not? Why design it with an advantage and not an accessory? It would seem to me, especially in an ultratech setting, that a radio is less powerful than a computer, and yet the radio costs more.

I don't really follow the logic of this. Why accessory(tiny computer) but not accessory(radio)?

[whswhs]

Originally Posted by Figleaf23

The result would be you can build a godlike being for very few points at TL10.

Forcefield projector (but not a projector, just the effect)[1]
Morphing armor (but not armor, just the effect) [1]
Onboard battlecomp (but not a computer, just the effect)[1]
Grav flight-belt (but not a belt, just the effect)[1]
...

". . . provides minor, noncombat benefits not otherwise covered by a specific advantage." (p. B100)

The first two clearly provide combat benefits. The fourth provides benefits that are far from minor.

Not all technological devices count as "minor." A flashlight, a shovel, a siren, a vacuum cleaner, and the like are modestly priced and provide benefits that are smaller than the most nearly equivalent advantages. I'd allow the computer, since Transhuman Space treats having a computer as part of one's physical makeup as a perk, but the battle software's a different story.

Bill Stoddard

[Sunrunners_Fire]

Originally Posted by Mailanka

I don't really follow the logic of this. Why accessory(tiny computer) but not accessory(radio)?

Because there exists no advantage that gives you the ability to run programs like word processing software, but there does exist an advantage which gives you radio communication. (There is an advantage that gives you the ability to run skills-as-programs.)

[Mailanka]

Originally Posted by Sunrunners_Fire

Because there exists no advantage that gives you the ability to run programs like word processing software, but there does exist an advantage which gives you radio communication. (There is an advantage that gives you the ability to run skills-as-programs.)

Okay, sure, but there's also an advantage that gives you the ability to shine light on things (create light), but we still treat that as an accessory.

So it's not enough that an advantage doesn't exist, it needs to be sufficiently minor that it's not worth much, but in a setting where everyone has cell phones and comm systems, why isn't having one implanted an accessory.

Make a different one: Implanted time-piece: Accessory (Watch) or Absolute Timing?

Keeping in mind that tiny computer is WAY more useful than a watch.

[lexington]

Originally Posted by Mailanka

Okay, sure, but there's also an advantage that gives you the ability to shine light on things (create light), but we still treat that as an accessory.

The justification there was that "flashlight" is such a heavily limited version of "create light" that it should just be a perk.

[Figleaf23]

Originally Posted by whswhs

". . . provides minor, noncombat benefits not otherwise covered by a specific advantage." (p. B100)

The first two clearly provide combat benefits. The fourth provides benefits that are far from minor.

Not all technological devices count as "minor." A flashlight, a shovel, a siren, a vacuum cleaner, and the like are modestly priced and provide benefits that are smaller than the most nearly equivalent advantages. I'd allow the computer, since Transhuman Space treats having a computer as part of one's physical makeup as a perk, but the battle software's a different story.

Bill Stoddard

Indeed. As noted to another poster, I incorrectly conflated another concern into those examples.