Universal Linguist

[Killer Shrike]

Hello Steve;

Q: If one were to reverse engineer Universal Translator and buy Detect Speech and Detect Text and apply Transmit to both for 2pts each, would the possessor of these detects be able to speak/write any language in more than a 'crude fashion'? If so, would they be fluent and would they have an accent?

Q: If they applied Sense to both Detects, would they need to make any roll to do this?

Q: Would they have to apply Discriminatory to both Detects to know things like what language they were speaking? If yes, what other benefits would Discriminatory (and by extention Analyze) provide?

Q: Am I correct in assuming that these Detects would use the Simulated Sense rules to 'piggyback' over Hearing/Speach in most cases? And therefore qualify for the -1/4 Simulates Two Sense Groups lim?

Q: Are there any other considerations to take into account relating to doing this?

Thanx!

(By the way, sorry for accidentally setting off the Mechanon Self Destruct thing -- it wasnt my intention to question your design decisions; I was just seeking clarification on how the construct was intended to work. :( )

[Steve Long]

No problem on Mechanon; it's given me some good design ideas, actually. Besides, now the pronunciation of the name is clear. ;)

It must be something in the water. I've been positively bombarded with Universal Translator questions lately. The forthcoming FAQ update now has big section on UT, where it used to have just one or two questions. ;)

1. I would say “no,” because that seems horrendously abusive. But as always, GMs are free to allow it if they want. At the very least, I’d expect the speech to be not fluent (even if not “crude”) and to be accented.

2. Yes. Sense doesn’t remove the need to roll; it removes the need to spend time detecting the whatever.

3. I’d say Discriminatory would be mandatory — Detect Speech might just, in the hands of a cruel GM, let you detect that someone was speaking, but not the meaning. ;) Analyze would allow for the understanding of idioms and dialects unknown to speakers of the main language, I s’pose.

4. Hmmm. Price of tea in China? Air speed of a cocoanut-laden African swallow? :) Seriously, I’d say wait a couple days for the FAQ update and review all the new questions; that may lead to further ideas (or questions).