Megaphone

[Dust Raven]

I would like to write up a megaphone/loudspeaker type thing.

The trouble is, I can't make up my mind quite how to do it. Right now I'm thinkng either Images, which makes sense but seems disporportionately expensive, or simply buying Telescopic for the "voice" group, which seems kinda cheesy.

Any suggestions as to how to write this up?

[prestidigitator]

I think I'd go with heavily Limited Images.

[Bloodstone]

I'll second Images.

Something like: Hearing Group Images, +4 to PER Rolls (17 Active Points); OAF (-1), Set Effect (Only To Amplify Voice; -1)

Should be about 6 pts.

[Dust Raven]

I'll second Images.

Something like: Hearing Group Images, +4 to PER Rolls (17 Active Points); OAF (-1), Set Effect (Only To Amplify Voice; -1)

Should be about 6 pts.

Well, after applying 0 END and No Range, it's 25 Active points and 7 Real.

Should a megaphone really cost the same as a pair of handcuffs you think?

[ghost-angel]

Why stat something this trivial in modern society?

just curious.

As for a Megaphone being equal to a pair of Handcuffs ... yeah, probably. Considering a good person with a Megaphone can now do AoE Persuasion and incite riots, etc...

[Mister E]

It seems to me like Telescopic for the "Voice" Sense Power would be by far the simplest and most accurate way to go. Either that, or Enhanced Perception for simply being able to make your voice louder.

I can't remember, isn't there some kind of write-up somewhere for a Power that can make you heard by large groups of people?

[Log-Man]

I am of the mind that this is not something that needs to be statted out, unless you want some sort of mega-amplification ability. The range of a typical megaphone is not great enough to cost points, especially when you throw in the disad garbled.

[Dust Raven]

A lot of trivial things I don't typically stat out, but in this case, a megaphone is a useful item. Making yourself heard by a large noisy crowd that wasn't originally paying attention to you is very useful. So is making yourself heard by someone inside a building you don't feel like walking into at the moment (such as with hostages). Since the character intends to use it this way, it'll cost him points. I'm just not too sure if 7 points (well, 8 for this character, since it's OIF instead of OAF) is a fair cost. Seems a bit high.

Going the Telescopic Voice method, you get:

1 Megaphone: +4 versus Range Modifier for Voice (2 Active); OIF (-1/2)

I'm not sure if that's enough points.

[Super Squirrel]

Why stat something this trivial in modern society?And you call yourself a fan. :winkgrin:

[radioKAOS]

Well to be totally silly, aren't you actually giving the other people in the area a limited Clairsentience???

14pts MEGAPHONE!: Clairsentience (Hearing Group), 1 Recoverable Continuing Fuel Charge lasting 6 Hours (+0), Reduced Endurance (0 END; +1/2), Usable As Attack (+1), Area Of Effect Nonselective (321" Cone; +2) (90 Active Points); Independent (-2), Only to hear user of MEGAPHONE! Power loses about two-thirds of its effectiveness (-1 1/2), OAF (-1), Concentration, Must Concentrate throughout use of Constant Power (1/2 DCV; -1/2), One Sense Only (Normal Hearing Only; -1/4) [1 rc]


Apologies for not making it 'perfect' - I mean a real megaphone can have a range up to .5 miles (statute) is equal to 804.67200 meters, so 403" approx. They generally use batteries and have approximately a 6 hour Battery life.

[Dust Raven]

14pts MEGAPHONE!: Clairsentience (Hearing Group), 1 Recoverable Continuing Fuel Charge lasting 6 Hours (+0), Reduced Endurance (0 END; +1/2), Usable As Attack (+1), Area Of Effect Nonselective (321" Cone; +2) (90 Active Points); Independent (-2), Only to hear user of MEGAPHONE! Power loses about two-thirds of its effectiveness (-1 1/2), OAF (-1), Concentration, Must Concentrate throughout use of Constant Power (1/2 DCV; -1/2), One Sense Only (Normal Hearing Only; -1/4) [1 rc]

Not to pick nits on what is merely a joke power, but... You don't need 0 END on a Power with Charges; Charges make the Power cost no END automatically.

[radioKAOS]

Not to pick nits on what is merely a joke power, but... You don't need 0 END on a Power with Charges; Charges make the Power cost no END automatically.

ok, ok! I was tired!!!

15pts MEGAPHONE!: Clairsentience (Hearing Group), 1 Recoverable Continuing Fuel Charge lasting 6 Hours (+3/4), Usable As Attack (+1), Area Of Effect Nonselective (353" Cone; +2) (95 Active Points); Independent (-2), Only to hear user of MEGAPHONE! Power loses about two-thirds of its effectiveness (-1 1/2), OAF (-1), Concentration, Must Concentrate throughout use of Constant Power (1/2 DCV; -1/2), One Sense Only (Normal Hearing Only; -1/4) [1 rc]

[Dust Raven]

Hey, I just had an idea. Whether or not it's a good idea depends on your point of view.

Flash Hearing Group

Megaphone: Hearing Group Flash 2d6, Reduced Endurance (0 END; +1/2); OIF (-1/2), No Range (-1/2)

It costs 4 real points.

Basically, the idea is that if you scream into a megaphone right in someone's ear, they'll be deafened for a moment. The fact it amplifies the voice is just the SFX. :D

[radioKAOS]

Oh yeah, there's a host of powers you could make with a megaphone as the SFX.

+25 PRE Offensive Only, OAF Megaphone, charges and all that....

Or some limited form of Mind Control with the "People are Sheep" SFX...

I'm sure there's more, but I am tired.

[Wilfred_Death]

I'm not too good at this but maybe:
Some sort of Naked Advantage On PRE Like Ranged ?

So the Character gets to do PRE attacks like "Calm Down!", "The next Train Leaves in 5 Minutes!"

At a guess, if you had some sort of 'Voice Only, and can't get full bonuses' -1 ????
might come out about 3 points.........

Too much simple equipment comes out at too many points. I mean you gotta charge them for the 'You always use that' powers.
But Standard Handcuffs for instance are ridiculously Overpriced,
So I generally make much cheaper versions.

[Sean Waters]

I would like to write up a megaphone/loudspeaker type thing.

The trouble is, I can't make up my mind quite how to do it. Right now I'm thinkng either Images, which makes sense but seems disporportionately expensive, or simply buying Telescopic for the "voice" group, which seems kinda cheesy.

Any suggestions as to how to write this up?

Ever feel sorry you even asked? :)

I'd probably go with the cheese. The 'voice' sense group is a bit weird anyway: why not make it weirder and stick telescopic on it? I mean, assuming you are not using it to buy presence attacks and hearing flashes it is mainly a bit of colour: broadcast system built into power suit sort of thing. You might want increased arc of edfect with that too....

[Dust Raven]

We went with the Flash Hearing Group method. It came to 4 points on his chararacter sheet, which is a cost we were both comfortable with. Thanks for everyone's help though.

Wacked out question though? WTF is up with messing with PRE and Mind Control for making a megaphone? Megaphones don't do any of that stuff. At most it would allow you to make a PRE attack over a much larger crowd, but hardly a more effective one over anyone.

In any case the Flash seemed the most appropriate. The megaphone has a built in mechanic for dealing with characters vulnerable to and susceptible to Flashes and sonic/sound SFX, and can be used as an impromptu attack against anyone at arm's length.

[radioKAOS]

Wacked out question though? WTF is up with messing with PRE and Mind Control for making a megaphone? Megaphones don't do any of that stuff. At most it would allow you to make a PRE attack over a much larger crowd, but hardly a more effective one over anyone.


Have you ever been in a crowd that had a megaphone used on them?

It certainly increases the user's presence, even just by sheer volume. Let me yell at you without one, then with one, and we'll see which is scarier.

People are far more likely to listen and obey someone with a megaphone. It's nearly a symbol of authority. I'm not saying it would grant mind control in the higher levels, but certainly could reach EGO+10 level of effect.

[Dust Raven]

Have you ever been in a crowd that had a megaphone used on them?
Yes.


It certainly increases the user's presence, even just by sheer volume. Let me yell at you without one, then with one, and we'll see which is scarier.

People are far more likely to listen and obey someone with a megaphone. It's nearly a symbol of authority. I'm not saying it would grant mind control in the higher levels, but certainly could reach EGO+10 level of effect.

Ever been to a highschool pep rally? Did you really think the dean spoke with more authority when he used the megaphone?

Imagine Al Gore or Dan Quale giving a speach with a megaphone...

They guy holding the megaphone only seems more influential because without it, you can't hear him from where you're at. And if you could, now he's only loud.

[radioKAOS]

Ever been to a highschool pep rally? Did you really think the dean spoke with more authority when he used the megaphone?

Absolutely. Do you think more people listened to what he said while using it? For sure. Did more people do what he asked because he was using it? Yep.


Imagine Al Gore or Dan Quale giving a speach with a megaphone...

Could you have picked any worse subjects?

Give that Megaphone to a Drill Instructor and I'll bet you do exactly what he tells you to.


They guy holding the megaphone only seems more influential because without it, you can't hear him from where you're at. And if you could, now he's only loud.

No, he IS more influential because you can hear him [and loudly at that]. Crowds are sheep and will do what they are told, loudly, if it doesn't seem too far out of reality. Hence the EGO+10 Mind Control.

Perhaps we need a skill roll on that Megaphone or something of that nature.

Or hey, keep your approach, no one is asking you to broaden your mind to accept these powers, they are only suggestions, reasoned from effect.

[prestidigitator]

"Reer raring rrorems rid ra rarrar, rrir."

"What?"

"Reer raring rrorems rid ra rarrar, rrir."

<<Snatches microphone>> "What?!"

"Reer raring rrorems rid ra rarrar, rrir."

:D

[Bloodstone]

A megaphone adding PRE is CLEARLY demonstrated by Oficer Hooks from Police Academy.

'Nuff Said. :p

[ghost-angel]

I don't know if a Megaphone actually adds to PRE, an idiot using a Megaphone is just a loud idiot. But it certainly adds Area Of Effect to a PRE Attack. Or at least increases the Area a PRE Attack already effects.

[Dust Raven]

Absolutely. Do you think more people listened to what he said while using it? For sure. Did more people do what he asked because he was using it? Yep.
Ooooookay. What school did you go to? Sheepville High?




Could you have picked any worse subjects?

Give that Megaphone to a Drill Instructor and I'll bet you do exactly what he tells you to.
Telling me I'll do what a drill instructor says to do, and not what Gore says to do, is not much of a contest either way. Take the megaphone away from the drill instructor and he's still more influential (in the immediate) than either of the politicians would be.




No, he IS more influential because you can hear him [and loudly at that]. Crowds are sheep and will do what they are told, loudly, if it doesn't seem too far out of reality. Hence the EGO+10 Mind Control.
Um, if people are sheep, then no Power should be necessary. A general rule should then be that in any group of X people, the loudest voice automatically gains Mind Control over them. Somehow, that seems a bit much.


Perhaps we need a skill roll on that Megaphone or something of that nature.

Or hey, keep your approach, no one is asking you to broaden your mind to accept these powers, they are only suggestions, reasoned from effect.
I'd hardly call limiting people to sheep broadening my mind.

Conduct the following experiment:

Obtain a megaphone and go to the mall. Begine to instruct people to perform simple tasks while using it. Discover which happens first: The crowd obeys, or you get arrested.

[Dust Raven]

A megaphone adding PRE is CLEARLY demonstrated by Oficer Hooks from Police Academy.

'Nuff Said. :p

I thought that was a Dependence Disad.

[Sean Waters]

Ooooookay. What school did you go to? Sheepville High?



baaaaaaaaaaaaa!

[prestidigitator]

Obtain a megaphone and go to the mall. Begine to instruct people to perform simple tasks while using it. Discover which happens first: The crowd obeys, or you get arrested.
:lol: NOW PANTS THAT POLICE OFFICER, EVERYONE!

[radioKAOS]

"Reer raring rrorems rid ra rarrar, rrir."

"What?"

"Reer raring rrorems rid ra rarrar, rrir."

<<Snatches microphone>> "What?!"

"Reer raring rrorems rid ra rarrar, rrir."

:D

There's only ONE man who would DARE give me the Raspberry!

[radioKAOS]

I don't know if a Megaphone actually adds to PRE, an idiot using a Megaphone is just a loud idiot. But it certainly adds Area Of Effect to a PRE Attack. Or at least increases the Area a PRE Attack already effects.

Intelligence and Presence are two different things ;)

[radioKAOS]

Ooooookay. What school did you go to? Sheepville High?

Didn't we all? Isn't that what High School is designed for?


Telling me I'll do what a drill instructor says to do, and not what Gore says to do, is not much of a contest either way. Take the megaphone away from the drill instructor and he's still more influential (in the immediate) than either of the politicians would be.

Yes, I was reinforcing the point that your examples were not really relevent by doing the same, in the opposite direction.


Um, if people are sheep, then no Power should be necessary. A general rule should then be that in any group of X people, the loudest voice automatically gains Mind Control over them. Somehow, that seems a bit much.

Well firstly, I said that 'crowds are sheep.' Secondly, I don't think it's really necessary to point it out as a power, or a disad for the 'crowd' as a whole, but generally, yes, a crowd will listen to and obey [provided the suggestion seems reasonable at the time] the loudest voice in the group. They tend to follow a leader of some sort, and a Megaphone certainly helps you become that leader.

Truthfull though... only if a character wanted a Megaphone that would allow that kind of 'crowd control' would I bother stating something like that out.


I'd hardly call limiting people to sheep broadening my mind.

Perhaps you could broaden you mind by actually reading my post. I said 'Crowds are sheep' -and if you don't agree, well, I agree to allow you to disagree, and we move on.


Conduct the following experiment:

Obtain a megaphone and go to the mall. Begine to instruct people to perform simple tasks while using it. Discover which happens first: The crowd obeys, or you get arrested.

Well that's an awfully vague experiment, don't you think?

I'd have to say that it would depend on what you're asking them to do, what they are inclined to do, etc etc... [sort of like Mind Control, one may think]

Here's one back atcha, take a Megaphone to a football [soccer] game in Ireland. Attempt to incite a riot in the losing team's bleachers. I'd bet that Megaphone would help transform the crowd into a riotous mass.

Oh hey, there we go, Megaphone Multipower with +PRE, Mind Control AoE and Transform: Crowds into riotous masses!

Ok, enough, I am tired and must sleep.

[Phil]

I think I'd give it out for 0 points as a piece of standard equipment. Unless someone is trying to use it to boost a sonic-related power, in which case once it's a gimmick, twice it's a power stunt, third time it's an Aid.

[prestidigitator]

Come on guys! You're both right. There is a crowd mentality that develops when people are in large groups. Usually it takes getting one stupid person to do something, and as long as the general mood of the crowd is not totally opposed you will often get many or most (if not all) people reacting similarly. But you aren't likely to be able to go into a university graduate class and get everyone to admit that they are chickens, either. It is not an overly simple or predictable thing, although it very well can be volatile. The infamous shouting of, "Fire!" in a crowded building can insight panic and riot in just about any crowd.