Does Warp have a Signature by default?

[CeeDub]

Salutations!

Warp can be visualized in any number of ways.

One way is simply disappering in one place and appearing at the destination, like a bad special effect from old movies - camera stops filming, actor walks a few steps to the left, camera resumes filming. No signature.

Another way is the Star Trek method, replete with light show and sound effects. Hella signature.

So, can I take Nuisance Effect if Warp has a signature, or do I need to take No Signature if I want the cheap SFX?

[Daigoro]

I'm pretty sure there's a noticeable pop and flash (or whatever special effects you choose) unless you take No Signature. A Nuisance Effect would be a noticeable thunderclap, crackles of lightning that start small fires, momentary magnetization, stuff like that.

[weby]

Powers goes to more detail on page 163 on detecting ability use, but basically unless the ability is based on mind influence ability or states that it has no signature it will be detectable. So you would need low/no signature on warp.

[evileeyore]

Having a signature also means 'detectable by sense powers that can detect such things", so it might leave an energy trace behind.

No Signature also removes this.

[Anaraxes]

Bamf. (Not to be confused with BAMF.)

[munin]

Originally Posted by weby

Powers goes to more detail on page 163 on detecting ability use, but basically unless the ability is based on mind influence ability or states that it has no signature it will be detectable. So you would need low/no signature on warp.

Unfortunately, Powers also says: "Unless a specific advantage description states otherwise, any attack without the Low or No Signature enhancement … has obvious effects. Most other advantages lack obvious effects except when given the Visible limitation…" (p. P113)

Then there's DR which is a passive ability so P163 wouldn't require Low Signature, yet it gets it in Monster Hunters.

I have no rules.

[David Johnston2]

This is one of those things that doesn't have rules. It has guidelines. It's up to the GM to decide which default applies to his campaign. But looking at the fictional models for the advantage, the ones that make noise and/or light are far more common than the ones that don't.

[roguebfl]

Originally Posted by munin

Then there's DR which is a passive ability so P163 wouldn't require Low Signature, yet it gets it in Monster Hunters.

DR without any modifers looks like hard chitins armour. DR (tough hide) is more like rhino or elphants hide

so Low Signature makes the DR look more like normal skin.

Warp at default problem has a noticeable pop and a rustle of displaced air

Night Crawler has Nuance effect of the sulphurs cloud he creates along side the BAMF

Warp with Low Signature probably dues without the displaced air

Warp with No Signature probably has no sound nor air movement to allow stealthy usage.

[weby]

Originally Posted by munin

Unfortunately, Powers also says: "Unless a specific advantage description states otherwise, any attack without the Low or No Signature enhancement … has obvious effects. Most other advantages lack obvious effects except when given the Visible limitation…" (p. P113)

Then there's DR which is a passive ability so P163 wouldn't require Low Signature, yet it gets it in Monster Hunters.

I have no rules.

Yes, consistency in all detection/perception based things is definitely not a strong suit of Gurps.

[David Johnston2]

Originally Posted by roguebfl

DR without any modifers looks like hard chitins armour. DR (tough hide) is more like rhino or elphants hide

.

Unless it doesn't. That applies to GURPS Space or Monster Hunters where nonhuman things tend to look weird/monstrous. Not so much to IST.