Affects Others ONLY? (Trilarian-inspired ship speed buff.)

[ericthered]

Is there a reason it shouldn't effect himself? If he's in a one man fighter he speeds it up. Given the strength of the technobabble you've given, I'd even allow the ability to apply to personal suits with thruster as long as the character is in space. For the reasonable enhancement of *1.5, that's a mere 15 points, and given the edge it gives, well worth those 15.

That said, if you're going to only effect others, I'd call it -50%.

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As a comment on building Trilarians in general (and not your specific spin-off), I would not add that advantage (either of the ones added above) to an entire race, even when doing space opera. It means its both too easy for people to get the advantage by hiring free-lancing Trilarians, and it sticks the race into a specific niche. I'd either make the number of Trilarians needed to make the effect much larger, meaning that to get the effect you need an entire crew, or I'd make Trilarians with the space-warping power much rarer (and thus special, valuable, and hard to get).

I'd also probably get more restrictive about where the effect works (such as hyperspace only, and maybe then only with special engines) or require the full attention of the person speeding up the ship, so he can't do anything else.

[LemmingLord]

It isn't flight but enhanced move Ftl.
0 % special effect for ships only as ships are already the only thing likely to have Ftl flight.

I'd give a 20% limit for "only while on active duty as ship's chiefengineer in a functional engine room or equivalent."

[vicky_molokh]

Originally Posted by ericthered

Is there a reason it shouldn't effect himself? If he's in a one man fighter he speeds it up. Given the strength of the technobabble you've given, I'd even allow the ability to apply to personal suits with thruster as long as the character is in space. For the reasonable enhancement of *1.5, that's a mere 15 points, and given the edge it gives, well worth those 15.

That said, if you're going to only effect others, I'd call it -50%.

I was originally only considering spaceships, at least SM+3 ones. Now that people mentioned thruster-equipped spacesuits, I'm unsure whether I want the trait to apply to them.

Originally Posted by ericthered

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As a comment on building Trilarians in general (and not your specific spin-off), I would not add that advantage (either of the ones added above) to an entire race, even when doing space opera. It means its both too easy for people to get the advantage by hiring free-lancing Trilarians, and it sticks the race into a specific niche. I'd either make the number of Trilarians needed to make the effect much larger, meaning that to get the effect you need an entire crew, or I'd make Trilarians with the space-warping power much rarer (and thus special, valuable, and hard to get).

I'd also probably get more restrictive about where the effect works (such as hyperspace only, and maybe then only with special engines) or require the full attention of the person speeding up the ship, so he can't do anything else.

That is certainly an interesting consideration. [/quote]This discussion is useful! I haven't thought about the niche being too narrow. The original idea was a rather racially mixed single-solar system [sort of] setting where personal spaceships are only slightly less ubiquitous than cars. So the idea of a racial shtick involved 'and they drive ships 50% faster!'.
The whole idea is very raw at this point, so don't expect anything coherent.)

Originally Posted by LemmingLord

It isn't flight but enhanced move Ftl.
0 % special effect for ships only as ships are already the only thing likely to have Ftl flight.

I'd give a 20% limit for "only while on active duty as ship's chiefengineer in a functional engine room or equivalent."

Actually, by RAW, FTL is considered Space Flight in GURPS; there's only four types of Enhanced Move. But while we're added, I only need sublight effects (even though FTL considerations can be interesting).

[David Johnston2]

Personally I'm prejudiced in favour of picking the advantage that actually matches the special effect.

In this case...Control Space to make the distances between here and there shorter.

[ericthered]

I've got several ways I would build 'trilarians', with fluff included. I present them to see if they are useful, and to demonstrate the ideas going around in my head. Obviously only the space-warping and subsequent effects are accounted for.

One thing that's important to distinguish is if the ship counts as a 'person' or if the character is required to buy area effect for his ability. One seems too cheap and the other too expensive. I have gone with area effect.

It should also be noted that as written these builds do not enhance the manoeuvrability of the ships. this may be desirable-- I'm trying to remember the right enhancement.

Space Bender: Enhanced Move (Space) .5 (affects others +50%, area effect 5 +250%) [40], Wealthy [20]
Psionic Giants capable of speeding ships up to SM+9 in size, Space benders are rare among Trilarians. They are coveted by both merchants and admirals, and the suggested wealth level is really only a baseline depending on rarity, the cost of a ship in the first place, and how close of an eye the government keeps on Psis this powerful: Filthy Rich is not unreasonable in some settings. If there is a Tilarian government they are likely to draft such beings and use them as a secrete weapon. Depending on the setting, they may have higher status, be classified as valuable property, or even have a social stigma or regard. Space Benders capable of moving smaller or larger ships may exist. A character who wants to play a poor bender will need to explain why he can't just walk up to a merchant captain and cut a deal to move goods a lot faster.

Space Singers: Enhanced Move (Space) .5 (affects others +50%, area effect 1 +50%) [20]
Trilarians can bend space to speed journeys, but are significantly limited as to the size of the area they can effect. Some particuarly strong singers (area effect 2 or 3) can pilot a fighter by themselves, but most of the time the effect requires a Trilarian crew, stacking their abilities together. There are two basic ways this may work: require the ship to be covered, or use the rules for combining powers. I would only let one of them work. If you find the rules for combining powers restrictive (particularly the touch requirement), allow technology or some other sort of specific coordination (such as singing in unison) to replace it, or add detect (space warping) and count that. If using the rule that the entire area must be covered, I recommend raising the area effect by at least one level.
This option is not as kind to PCs... its a setting feature that will mostly be unavailable to PCs, unless they play an all Trilarian crew or are in small craft. It limits the technology to organizations with a strong Trilarian base in factional settings. In a cosmopolitan setting it makes them a key part of any successful voyage relying on speed: the players will either be quite slow by comparison or have a compliment of Trilarians on their ship.

Trilarian Drive: Perk: UB:can use Trilarian drive [1]
This option uses technology to do almost all of the heavy lifting. It requires special modifications to be made to the standard drive, and a mental interface for a Trilarian to jack in and operate. Trilarians work in this niche all over the shipping industry, but its a lot cheaper to get a Trilarian than to get a Trilarian drive. This route keeps Trilarian technology unique without placing the burden on the PC's point budget. It gives him a central role none of the other players will be able to do, but he is useful for other things as well, and the response of NPC's is 'nice ship' rather than 'nice pilot'.


Ship SMs for levels of area effect:

area effect:  radius    diameter    SM 
1                2        4            2
2                4        8            4
3                8        16            6
4                16        32            7
5                32        64            9
6                64        128            11

I am aware I am rounding up: the area is round, and if the ship was that shape it'd get a +2 to SM.

[Not another shrubbery]

Originally Posted by Genesis

I'd say Affects Others Only is no worse than -50% (for a net +0%), and the second is Accessibility (Must be doing one of a few jobs on ship) -20%.

-100% for removing the basic function of an ability is a rule of thumb that would usually fit such a case, but this one does feel like a net -50% to EM is a bit generous. It does look like it should have Area Effect though.

[Genesis]

Originally Posted by Not another shrubbery

-100% for removing the basic function of an ability is a rule of thumb that would usually fit such a case, but this one does feel like a net -50% to EM is a bit generous. It does look like it should have Area Effect though.

But it doesn't really remove that functionality, since the person in question is going to be on the ship in question the whole time, and so will benefit from the EM every time it comes up (it doesn't come with racial space flight, after all). In fact, that's precisely why I don't want to give a big point break for it - you shouldn't get a discount if there's no practical limitation. In retrospect, however, I like Area Effect as a means of getting the ship in. Call it: EM (Space Flight; Affects Ships +0%; Accessibility, must be doing one of a few jobs on board, -20%; Area Effect, as required, +50%*x).

[Not another shrubbery]

Originally Posted by Genesis

But it doesn't really remove that functionality, since the person in question is going to be on the ship in question the whole time, and so will benefit from the EM every time it comes up (it doesn't come with racial space flight, after all). In fact, that's precisely why I don't want to give a big point break for it - you shouldn't get a discount if there's no practical limitation. In retrospect, however, I like Area Effect as a means of getting the ship in. Call it: EM (Space Flight; Affects Ships +0%; Accessibility, must be doing one of a few jobs on board, -20%; Area Effect, as required, +50%*x).

Not that I disagree with you, but if you feel that way, why do you think it's worth so big a discount as -50%? It seems to me that it should be worth closer to the full cost in that case. Note that AE by itself does not allow you to Affect more Others than your levels in that enhancement would permit. I allow Force Field to combine with the two other enhancements for that, but that is a house rule.