Black box recorder

[garou]

At some point, I plan on adding a "black box" recorder to my character's powered armor. While the armor is build on the OIHID (since he will usually, but not always, have it), I was thinking of this for the black box:

 

Eidetic memory, IIF, Independent (total cost, 1 pt)

 

Would this be a good way to simulate it?

[MitchellS]

Re: Black box recorder

 

Eidetic memory is correct but I don't generally allow independent for superhero games. What's the drawback for the character with the OIHID armor? What justifies the -2 limitation value? Will the black box be broken every other adventure to force the player to buy new ones? If not then I would just go with the OIHID or IIF limitation and leave it at that.

[Super Squirrel]

Re: Black box recorder

 

Eidetic memory is correct but I don't generally allow independent for superhero games. What's the drawback for the character with the OIHID armor? What justifies the -2 limitation value? Will the black box be broken every other adventure to force the player to buy new ones? If not then I would just go with the OIHID or IIF limitation and leave it at that.

Let him use Independent. That way VIPER can steal it and use it for a tactical analysis of their enemy. And if they are lucky, the might even learn a secret or two.

[garou]

Re: Black box recorder

 

That's actually what I was thinking. The IIF is because you would have to hunt to find it - but a good ambush that strikes him down while alone on patrol could have Viper (or anyone else) downloading the black box and the technical details of the armor, and then dumping him (sans black box) in the city somewhere. He wakes up, remembers the ambush, and notes that the black box is missing.

 

Or, worse, they edit the black box and place the blame on someone else.

 

(They won't learn his secret ID - he has a public one, but they could learn plenty about the base operations, passwords, etc. It may not get stolen often, but it could be a major pain in the rear when it does.)

[Duke Bushido]

Re: Black box recorder

 

Eidetic memory is correct but I don't generally allow independent for superhero games. What's the drawback for the character with the OIHID armor? What justifies the -2 limitation value? Will the black box be broken every other adventure to force the player to buy new ones? If not then I would just go with the OIHID or IIF limitation and leave it at that.

I'd have to choose either Independant (at a much lesser discount in this case, as I assume it's not something that can be taken away from the player readily-- possibly even a -0 Limitation) or Useable by Others unless the player specifically stated that no one else could use / decipher / download the contents of that memory.

 

If it is modeled as an actual black-box, ala a flight recorder, then it's useable by pretty much anyone with the right patch cord, once they get their hands on it.

 

It's certainly not a -2 in my opinion, unless it is a highly tactile strong box with lots of handles secured to the outside of the armor with Scotch Tape . Further, I would not allow the OIHID Limitation on the box itself, as it sort of suggests that the only way to retrieve the data it contains is if the hero himself, alive and in good spirits, is wearing the armor and plugged into whatever download device is required. Of course, if this is the case, then ignore everything I've said so far about allowing Independant, and if the only armor only works for the hero himself (which I assume to be the case, as it the armor is OIHID as opposed to a Focus or vehicle construct), then ignore that Useable by Others as well...

 

Actually, if the armor only works for the one particular character and that character must be wearing the armor ("in his hero 'identity,'), then I think I might just have to whack him with the pizza bill for suggesting Independant in the first place....:D

[Super Squirrel]

Re: Black box recorder

 

Reasons why I think it should have Independent:

1) You are talking the difference of 2 points at tops off the power.

2) It can be accessed and used (good or bad) by anyone.

3) If an enemy knows where it is on the character and doesn't want battle information recorded, they can target the black box and destroy it. It costs the Player a whole whopping 1 XP to replace.

 

Furthermore, as a rule I think it should require a Systems Operations roll to be able to access information from the box. This isn't a limitation but rather a declaration. The player would have to place some points into Systems Operations to be able to use the power, negating any points gained from it.

[prestidigitator]

Re: Black box recorder

 

Ah, why the heck aren't you buying it as a Computer rather than with Independent? It is a very dirt simply Computer who's sole job is basically just to record everything that can be patched into it.

[Duke Bushido]

Re: Black box recorder

 

Ah' date=' why the heck aren't you buying it as a Computer rather than with [i']Independent[/i]? It is a very dirt simply Computer who's sole job is basically just to record everything that can be patched into it.

 

Well, I feel stupid.

 

Good call!

[Derek Hiemforth]

Re: Black box recorder

 

And this may sound weird at first blush, but I'm not sure I'd buy it with Focus. After all, those damn things are always found after the crash, and they never break during the crash. I think its being a device is just SFX, not an actual Limitation.

[garou]

Re: Black box recorder

 

Actually, they do sometimes get lost or destroyed - that's why planes have more than one. IIRC, there are always at least two - one in the nose, one in the tail, just in case one doesn't make it.

 

I could redo it as a computer. It means not getting it for a much longer time though.

[ghost-angel]

Re: Black box recorder

 

Most of the Black Boxes that are lost are in water crashes and the sucker sinks ... something about being made of really heavy metals so they don't break.

[Derek Hiemforth]

Re: Black box recorder

 

Err... guys, I was joking.

[Sean Waters]

Re: Black box recorder

 

...and I was going to do the one about 'Why not make the plane out of the same stuff as the BBR', but I don't think I will...

[garou]

Re: Black box recorder

 

I thought it, half typed it out, and decided not too. It was danged tempting though, wasn't it?

[ghost-angel]

Re: Black box recorder

 

Err... guys' date=' I was joking. [/quote']

We here at the HERO Boards do not have a sense of humor that we are aware of.

[Sean Waters]

Re: Black box recorder

 

We here at the HERO Boards do not have a sense of humor that we are aware of.

 

 

Yep, the last SoH in these here parts we hunted down and shot near on three year ago. Pesky critters.

[Duke Bushido]

Re: Black box recorder

 

Well all, it's been a busy night......

 

reckon I'll just go back through my old posts and do a little culling..... nothing to see here..... move along..... NO! NO! No humor, I swear!

[Jhamin]

Re: Black box recorder

 

We here at the HERO Boards do not have a sense of humor that we are aware of.

 

I bought my Sense of Humor with Independent to free up points. I was then defeated by my hunted & lost it.

 

Trust me, Independent isn't worth it.

[Doc Democracy]

Re: Black box recorder

 

Hmm.

 

I would be in favour of independent because the power should be available possibly after the character is dead - something that would require the particular effects that independent provides.

 

The power I was thinking of however was not eiditic memory which seems a bit too personal to the character possessing it but instead retrocognition, only through the senses of wearer of the armour (-1), only retrocognition (-1), only back to last time box was reset (-3/4) IIF (-1/4), independent (-2).

 

That seems more fitting in powers to me, even if it does cost 7 points for a base PER roll.

 

 

Doc

[garou]

Re: Black box recorder

 

THat's a good take on it. I might go with that, if I ever get around to it. (I spent my last XP on improving a couple things in the offensive multipower instead.)