01-03-2023, 08:58 AM | #1 |
Join Date: Aug 2004
Location: Ronkonkoma, NY
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[UT] Built-in digital camera
Passive sensors are said to all incorporate a digital camera (GURPS Ultra-Tech, page 60). The reader is pointed to page 51. On page 51, in the section on "Digital Cameras and Camcorders," we see the flatcam, pocketcam, and portacam.
So if I buy myself a pair of infrared binoculars (page 61, 3 lbs), which digital camera is built into it? Presumably not a portacam: it's too heavy. The pocketcam has the same magnification as the infrared binoculars, so is it that? But if instead I buy infrared goggles, I can't go by magnification: they only magnify half as strongly as the flatcam. And which camera is incorporated matters, as this changes the effective skill of Photography. (Similarly, I don't think you can judge by the quality bonus of the passive sensors and the digital cameras.) Is there any way to be sure which digital camera the author meant to be included in each passive sensor? |
01-03-2023, 09:04 AM | #2 |
Join Date: Aug 2014
Location: Snoopy's basement
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Re: [UT] Built-in digital camera
Ultra-Tech is riddled with inconsistencies. It really should be thoroughly revised. In the mean time you'll have to make something up.
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01-03-2023, 09:09 AM | #3 |
Join Date: Feb 2007
Location: New York City
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Re: [UT] Built-in digital camera
I think the intent is that all the passive sensors can record what they see not that they have a separate digital device built in.
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01-03-2023, 09:14 AM | #4 |
Join Date: Jun 2013
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Re: [UT] Built-in digital camera
My guess would be that it's basically just "You can take a digital video/picture of whatever you see through the optics." Optics probably don't have all the various filters and features of TL 9+ digital cameras; I'd probably count them as Basic Equipment (+0 to skill) for Photography and the like. If you want your binocs to have the same bells and whistles as a professional-grade camera, consider using the rules for Combination Gadgets.
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01-03-2023, 09:17 AM | #5 |
Join Date: Aug 2004
Location: Ronkonkoma, NY
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Re: [UT] Built-in digital camera
I knew this was going to be the first answer. I appreciate you (Donny Brook) taking the time to respond, but it's not a helpful answer.
If the answer is "Ultra-Tech doesn't answer this question," that's fine. Is this definitely confirmed, or is this just an answer born of a general disregard for Ultra-Tech? However, in general, while going through Ultra-Tech with a fine-toothed comb — I'm trying to write a complete GCA data file for it — I have so far found very few of these fabled inconsistencies. In fact, Ultra-Tech appears to be the most intricate and consistent of all the GURPS books I've studied. The reference to digital cameras in passive sensors is the very first time I haven't been able to pin down what the book is pointing to, and that's after going through the incredibly detailed Core Technologies chapter. Up to now, it all works perfectly. I also started going through High-Tech and found it far less consistent in the way the various components interact with each other than in Ultra-Tech. There were many references that didn't lead anywhere specific or were forgotten quickly. For instance, in the Tech books, the listed weight of an item includes any power cells or batteries it uses. This works fine in Ultra-Tech, but in High-Tech the batteries sometimes weigh more than the item's listed weight. Last edited by Stormcrow; 01-03-2023 at 09:22 AM. |
01-03-2023, 09:21 AM | #6 | |
Join Date: Aug 2004
Location: Ronkonkoma, NY
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Re: [UT] Built-in digital camera
Quote:
I think I just answered my own question. This response pinged something in my brain, and I went looking... Page 51: "Passive visual sensors (pp. 60–61) can be used as digital cameras, but camera systems produce higher-quality images." So the answer is in the book. The built-in digital camera mentioned in the passive sensors is not one of the ones listed on page 51 but is of lesser-quality. Thanks for the kick to get my brain working! |
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01-03-2023, 09:48 AM | #7 | |
Join Date: Jun 2013
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Re: [UT] Built-in digital camera
Quote:
But these are honestly fairly minor issues, and (aside from the power cell issue) more a question of taste than substance.
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01-03-2023, 10:36 AM | #8 |
Join Date: Aug 2007
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Re: [UT] Built-in digital camera
It seems (in terms or real issues) to be rooted almost entirely in the ammo weights for TL9 firearms. Those are incorrect and inconsistent and are rooted in a publishing error. There was a later and more correct manuscript but an earlier version got sent to the printers.
Other firearms issues are probably legacy issues. That 10mm machine pistol dates to (at least) the first ed. UT in the early 90s. UT2 a few years later was already playing catch up with Real World guns (some of which were introduced after the first appearance in Gurps of their closest counterpart). The tanks thing is sour grapes about not having Ogres rather than comparatively more probable light tanks. Any perceived lack of armor is in the absence of a super-heavy Front armor facing which would have been easily avoided by mobile units fighting other mobile units. I seem to recall that the UT tanks (due to their Laminate/Electromagnetic armor) do stop 25mm HEAT to the sides and 64mm HEAT to the Front a their base TLs. Being able to resist 25mm HEAT might be their best claim for a reason to exist.
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Fred Brackin |
01-03-2023, 11:18 AM | #9 |
Join Date: Feb 2005
Location: Berkeley, CA
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Re: [UT] Built-in digital camera
The other problem for tanks is a legacy issue with the performance of explosives -- REF 4 at TL 9 and REF 6 at TL 10 doesn't match up with the improvements in other conventional weapons, and this also shows up in warheads (TL 8 LAW: 14.7 lb, 6dx6(10), single use. TL 9 IML: 4 lb, 6dx7(10), reusable).
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01-03-2023, 11:38 AM | #10 | |||
Join Date: Jun 2013
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Re: [UT] Built-in digital camera
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As I said, I think a lot of the UT's "issues" (at least now that various errors that were present at publication have been fixed) are more a matter of taste than substance.
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