Mind Control of Vehicles

user-unknown · 04-10-2011, 02:22 AM

I'm writing a space-based sci-fi campaign (about TL9-10) and am trying to work out how to make a certain advantage.

The idea I have is that more advanced vehicles (such as space fighters, heavy tanks, starships, etc.) are not controlled by the user pushing buttons, but rather by linking to the control systems using a cable jack and entering a VR simulation where they *are* the vehicle (similar to the way ships are controlled in EVE Online for those of you who have played that) and can make it move, fire weapons, etc. as easily as moving their body in the real world.

Taking spaceships for example, the control room would have VR couches for the command crew - the pilot would take command of the ship to move it around, while the commander could have a zoomed-out tactical view of the battlefield, etc. Gunners would link to their individual turrets in the same way, and if the ship could launch fighters, the fighter pilots would stay on the carrier and remote control their fighters, etc. (for the moment, ignoring the EWAR problems with maintaining the link...)

What sort of advantage(s) would this require? I was thinking:

* Cable Jack (UT p31) [5]
* Mind Control (Sensory +20%; Puppet -40%; Cybernetic Only -50%; Telecommunication -20%) [10] (would be 5 without -80% limit!)

Does this sound about right? Mind control should also have an accessibility on it for 'appropriately equipped vehicles that you know the access codes for' I suppose, as well as the electrical disadvantage for being an implant. With the Telecommunication limitation and a cable jack, does that mean that the user has to be directly connected to the target, or for the remote control fighters, could we say that they have to be connected to the mothership directly, which then relays the signal using its own transmitters?

Also, what would be required in terms of skills? I was thinking about just saying eg. Piloting/TL10 is training in how to control a ship through this interface, but for using the ships sensors and things, would that require Electronics Operation or just a straight sense ?

jeff_wilson · 04-10-2011, 02:43 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by user-unknown

* Cable Jack (UT p31) [5]
* Mind Control (Sensory +20%; Puppet -40%; Cybernetic Only -50%; Telecommunication -20%) [10] (would be 5 without -80% limit!)

Does this sound about right?

You wouldn't need Mind Control unless the ship has a mind of its own or at least pre-programmed directives and otherwise cannot be operated via the jacks.

jacobmuller · 04-10-2011, 03:00 AM

It may only require modifiers to Cable Jack. I know Vision is +40%, Sensie +80% but they just communicate senses and I can't think or find what using CJ as a control system would cost. Must be somewhere in THS...or not required.

The cybershell/ vehicle you're controlling needs the Compartmentalised Mind [25/lvl] advantage; each level is an extra set of controls. Or CM (Dedicated Controls) [10/lvl] for each system to be controlled, eg senses, weapons, movement.

As for skill, good question. Should Pilot be replaced by Aerobatics or Freefall, E.Ops Sensors by Per&Observation? Might make an entertaining way to differentiate between non-jacked people and jacked. Or it could just be covered by familiarity penalties. Or it's a separate category of sub-skill defaulting to each other at -4?

user-unknown · 04-11-2011, 02:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jeff_wilson

You wouldn't need Mind Control unless the ship has a mind of its own or at least pre-programmed directives and otherwise cannot be operated via the jacks.

This would mean anyone with a cable jack could operate it?

In any case, I just noticed that my adv. may not be allowed anyway - I thought Mind Control had the same 'use Mind Reading enhancements' comment that Mind Probe does, but it looks like it's just a special case for the Cybernetic/Cybernetic Only modfiers. I think Telecommunication still makes sense but not sure about the Sensory one.

Ignoring my comments about use then, how would an offensive hacking version of this be modelled? , e.g. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pOVQi_xvh3Y Given that I'm not sure about Sensory being allowed for Mind Control - would it be better to build this as Mind Control with Puppet (and Sensory), or as Posession with Telecontrol, Puppet, etc.?

Anthony · 04-11-2011, 02:20 PM

Yeah, no mind control is required, this is just a specialized control rig.

David Johnston2 · 04-11-2011, 02:25 PM

Mind control would only be necessary if the machine wasn't designed to be controlled that way.

04-10-2011, 02:22 AM	#1
user-unknown Join Date: Jul 2010	Mind Control of Vehicles I'm writing a space-based sci-fi campaign (about TL9-10) and am trying to work out how to make a certain advantage. The idea I have is that more advanced vehicles (such as space fighters, heavy tanks, starships, etc.) are not controlled by the user pushing buttons, but rather by linking to the control systems using a cable jack and entering a VR simulation where they are the vehicle (similar to the way ships are controlled in EVE Online for those of you who have played that) and can make it move, fire weapons, etc. as easily as moving their body in the real world. Taking spaceships for example, the control room would have VR couches for the command crew - the pilot would take command of the ship to move it around, while the commander could have a zoomed-out tactical view of the battlefield, etc. Gunners would link to their individual turrets in the same way, and if the ship could launch fighters, the fighter pilots would stay on the carrier and remote control their fighters, etc. (for the moment, ignoring the EWAR problems with maintaining the link...) What sort of advantage(s) would this require? I was thinking: * Cable Jack (UT p31) [5] * Mind Control (Sensory +20%; Puppet -40%; Cybernetic Only -50%; Telecommunication -20%) [10] (would be 5 without -80% limit!) Does this sound about right? Mind control should also have an accessibility on it for 'appropriately equipped vehicles that you know the access codes for' I suppose, as well as the electrical disadvantage for being an implant. With the Telecommunication limitation and a cable jack, does that mean that the user has to be directly connected to the target, or for the remote control fighters, could we say that they have to be connected to the mothership directly, which then relays the signal using its own transmitters? Also, what would be required in terms of skills? I was thinking about just saying eg. Piloting/TL10 is training in how to control a ship through this interface, but for using the ships sensors and things, would that require Electronics Operation or just a straight sense ?

04-10-2011, 03:00 AM	#3
jacobmuller Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Not in your time zone:D	Re: Mind Control of Vehicles It may only require modifiers to Cable Jack. I know Vision is +40%, Sensie +80% but they just communicate senses and I can't think or find what using CJ as a control system would cost. Must be somewhere in THS...or not required. The cybershell/ vehicle you're controlling needs the Compartmentalised Mind [25/lvl] advantage; each level is an extra set of controls. Or CM (Dedicated Controls) [10/lvl] for each system to be controlled, eg senses, weapons, movement. As for skill, good question. Should Pilot be replaced by Aerobatics or Freefall, E.Ops Sensors by Per&Observation? Might make an entertaining way to differentiate between non-jacked people and jacked. Or it could just be covered by familiarity penalties. Or it's a separate category of sub-skill defaulting to each other at -4? __________________ "Sanity is a bourgeois meme." Exegeek PS sorry I'm a Parthian shootist: shiftwork + out of country = not here when you are:/ It's all in the reflexes

04-11-2011, 02:20 PM	#5
Anthony Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: Berkeley, CA	Re: Mind Control of Vehicles Yeah, no mind control is required, this is just a specialized control rig.

04-11-2011, 02:25 PM	#6
David Johnston2 Join Date: Dec 2007	Re: Mind Control of Vehicles Mind control would only be necessary if the machine wasn't designed to be controlled that way.