Computer Link

[secretID]

I've always wondered about this, and now I have a player struggling with it a bit. When and why would one use it instead of a follower? How should it be priced?

As just one example (the only time I've ever put it on a character of mine), let's say the link is with the Social Security Administration - a pretty obvious choice. The point is to be able to use a name, address, or SS# of any U.S. citizen to find the rest of the info on that person. I would think that the link would be all that was needed.

This is pretty valuable. How do we price it? We can pull a number out of a hat (as I did with the character in this case). We could also build this as a follower, with very big KS and very simple programs. So, then...what's the difference? Since the follower build is more precise, why should we use Computer Link at all?

[Sociotard]

For me? How much control a character has over the computer.

If they have clearance/membership to be able to access a computer, but they have boards and managers that can outrank them or deny them access if plot requires, that is a computer link. They have limited control over what goes into the computer, what can be taken out and when, and even who else they can show the computers files to.

If it is their computer, that's different. Batman controls his computer. Bad guys might attack the batcave and damage the bat computer, but nobody can deny him access in a bureaucratic way. That computer is a follower.