Gadgets from Ultraviolet

[Dust Raven]

At the moment, I'm not caring if it was a good movie or not, but the gadgets are unquestionably wicked! So, how to build them?

 

For those who haven't seen the flick, here are the various gadgets:

 

Dimension Compression Bracelets:

These handy items are basically bracelets that collapse items you'd like to carry around but might be a bit bulky or showy. Things like guns and swords. When needed, you just hold your hand out and the item materializes in it. When you are done with it, it dematerialized back into the bracelet. While it stands to reason that you can easily have several items out at the same time, Violet only had one item (per bracelet) out at a time (or at least in hand).

 

I remember several discussion about things like a magic ring that turns into a sword and such (amung other objects), but nothing about a bracelet that makes guns and sword appear out of thin air. I'm thinking of building it like a utility belt MP. The MP is IIF, and all of the slots are OAF. Does that sound about right?

 

Gravity Warping:

This handy item, built into a belt or into a vehicle, warps gravity to that the user's "down" is different than everyone else's. In the film, Violet used the belt to walk and run along the ceiling and "fall" up a ventilation shaft to the roof, and used one built into a motorcycle for a chase up and down the outside of a rather tall building.

 

The gravity warper is a bit more complex though. Sure, Clinging sounds about right, but this is creating a localized gravity warp that causes the object/person to fall in a direction other than down. It applies even if the character isn't touching something. I'm almost thinking it's a cleverly Limited Flight, but I'm not sure.

 

Color Changing Clothing (or "mood cloth"):

This is nothing more than spiffy clothing (and occasionally hair) that changes color at the wearer's whim, typically to accomidate their mood.

 

The clothing is definately Instant Change.

 

Holographic Projectors:

These were cool, and had a number of applications. One use is for a 3D video-phone. This may simply be a SFX for whatever normally is used for a cellphone, as the image may be projected in such as way that only the caller can see it.

 

The other application is in creating a hologram as a decoy. There must be a projector to project the hologram though. It can project from wherever, but must be placed in advance. I'd almost think it's Images with a Trigger, but it transmits in real-time, so you can't set up a hologram in advance. You have to have some kind device to broadcast the image to the projector. Any ideas?

[Sean Waters]

Re: Gadgets from Ultraviolet

 

At the moment, I'm not caring if it was a good movie or not, but the gadgets are unquestionably wicked! So, how to build them?

 

For those who haven't seen the flick, here are the various gadgets:

 

Dimension Compression Bracelets:

These handy items are basically bracelets that collapse items you'd like to carry around but might be a bit bulky or showy. Things like guns and swords. When needed, you just hold your hand out and the item materializes in it. When you are done with it, it dematerialized back into the bracelet. While it stands to reason that you can easily have several items out at the same time, Violet only had one item (per bracelet) out at a time (or at least in hand).

 

I remember several discussion about things like a magic ring that turns into a sword and such (amung other objects), but nothing about a bracelet that makes guns and sword appear out of thin air. I'm thinking of building it like a utility belt MP. The MP is IIF, and all of the slots are OAF. Does that sound about right?

 

If you can put anything you like in there then a VPP may be a better bet as you can't technically change MP slots once set.

 

 

Gravity Warping:

This handy item, built into a belt or into a vehicle, warps gravity to that the user's "down" is different than everyone else's. In the film, Violet used the belt to walk and run along the ceiling and "fall" up a ventilation shaft to the roof, and used one built into a motorcycle for a chase up and down the outside of a rather tall building.

 

The gravity warper is a bit more complex though. Sure, Clinging sounds about right, but this is creating a localized gravity warp that causes the object/person to fall in a direction other than down. It applies even if the character isn't touching something. I'm almost thinking it's a cleverly Limited Flight, but I'm not sure.

 

I thought of flight but then I thought: no- won't work - you won't 'fall', so I'm thinking change environment - gravity reversal.

 

 

Color Changing Clothing (or "mood cloth"):

This is nothing more than spiffy clothing (and occasionally hair) that changes color at the wearer's whim, typically to accomidate their mood.

 

The clothing is definately Instant Change.

 

Absolutely

 

Holographic Projectors:

These were cool, and had a number of applications. One use is for a 3D video-phone. This may simply be a SFX for whatever normally is used for a cellphone, as the image may be projected in such as way that only the caller can see it.

 

The other application is in creating a hologram as a decoy. There must be a projector to project the hologram though. It can project from wherever, but must be placed in advance. I'd almost think it's Images with a Trigger, but it transmits in real-time, so you can't set up a hologram in advance. You have to have some kind device to broadcast the image to the projector. Any ideas?

 

The phone may be a form of mind link?

 

Not seen the film but you probably need some sort of recoverable charge (projector) if you have to leave a projector in-situ, coupled with the trigger perhaps; very often when I've seen this sort of thing in films it has not been thought through properly.

 

You could take a leaf from the Red Dwarf book, and have the hologram emitted from a light bee: well that's really just sfx for what I suggested above. BTW you could have a limitation if it can ONLY project a real time image of you, not a recorded on.

[Dust Raven]

Re: Gadgets from Ultraviolet

 

If you can put anything you like in there then a VPP may be a better bet as you can't technically change MP slots once set.

Technically, it would be anything, but in the film she just had a selection of guns (and enough ammo to warrent 0 END) and a sword, so an MP with just those slots should work. Of course, if you wanted to keep a supply of weapons and other equipment back at the base, it could just be VPP. In that case though, how would you buy it and have the weapons only be in existance when you wanted them to, instead of all the time?

 

I thought of flight but then I thought: no- won't work - you won't 'fall', so I'm thinking change environment - gravity reversal.

That might work. There is a special way to by CE so that it becomes a self only power. Seems a bit cheap though for such a drastic effect though.

 

 

The phone may be a form of mind link?

 

Not seen the film but you probably need some sort of recoverable charge (projector) if you have to leave a projector in-situ, coupled with the trigger perhaps; very often when I've seen this sort of thing in films it has not been thought through properly.

 

You could take a leaf from the Red Dwarf book, and have the hologram emitted from a light bee: well that's really just sfx for what I suggested above. BTW you could have a limitation if it can ONLY project a real time image of you, not a recorded on.

 

The device works like this: You plant the projector, then it projects whatever image is being broadcast from another location. Assuming the psudo-science of holography, it's perfectly reasonable. Building it as a Power in the Hero System is baffling me though.

[dbcowboy]

Re: Gadgets from Ultraviolet

 

At the moment, I'm not caring if it was a good movie or not, but the gadgets are unquestionably wicked! So, how to build them?

 

For those who haven't seen the flick, here are the various gadgets:

 

Dimension Compression Bracelets:

These handy items are basically bracelets that collapse items you'd like to carry around but might be a bit bulky or showy. Things like guns and swords. When needed, you just hold your hand out and the item materializes in it. When you are done with it, it dematerialized back into the bracelet. While it stands to reason that you can easily have several items out at the same time, Violet only had one item (per bracelet) out at a time (or at least in hand).

 

I seem to recall Rolemaster having some magic items that did that kind of thing. What about using Extra-Dimensional Movement with the Usable as an Attack advangtages and then appropraite limitations to restrict it to small/medium sized objects, one at a time, if bracelet looses power/broken objects unable to be retrieved, etc..

 

Something like:

Compression Braclet: Extra-Dimensional Movement (Single Dimension), Reduced Endurance (0 END; +1/2), Usable As Attack (+1) (50 Active Points); OAF Durable (braclet; -1), Limited Power Power loses about a third of its effectiveness (only one small/medium sized inanimate objects; -1/2) - Real Cost: 20

 

Add more limitations on number of objects, charges, etc as desired.

[prestidigitator]

Re: Gadgets from Ultraviolet

 

Dimension Compression Bracelets:

These handy items are basically bracelets that collapse items you'd like to carry around but might be a bit bulky or showy. Things like guns and swords. When needed, you just hold your hand out and the item materializes in it. When you are done with it, it dematerialized back into the bracelet. While it stands to reason that you can easily have several items out at the same time, Violet only had one item (per bracelet) out at a time (or at least in hand).

I'd probably just build that as a large Concealment skill (bonus) built through an IIF (or IAF if you prefer) Linked to Extra Limbs (yes, Linked to a Persistent Power; in this case it makes sense since the Concealment only applies to things that you are actually holding with those Extra Limbs).

 

If you prefer, use Limited Invisibility instead of the Concealment Skill (I say Limited because Invisibility would normally cover your entire person plus foci; in this case it only covers the foci).

[Dust Raven]

Re: Gadgets from Ultraviolet

 

I'd probably just build that as a large Concealment skill (bonus) built through an IIF (or IAF if you prefer) Linked to Extra Limbs (yes, Linked to a Persistent Power; in this case it makes sense since the Concealment only applies to things that you are actually holding with those Extra Limbs).

 

If you prefer, use Limited Invisibility instead of the Concealment Skill (I say Limited because Invisibility would normally cover your entire person plus foci; in this case it only covers the foci).

 

That could be interesting. Would also work with the VPP version of carrying gadgets and would also allow you to pick up addition stuff along the way and put the in as well.

 

Would this Concealment/Invsibility be enough to handwave the mass of the objects?

[Dust Raven]

Re: Gadgets from Ultraviolet

 

EDM would be cool, but how would you get the stuff back?

[Zeropoint]

Re: Gadgets from Ultraviolet

 

" . . . "

 

"Well, that's clearly a hihg-priority feature for the next model."

[dbcowboy]

Re: Gadgets from Ultraviolet

 

EDM would be cool' date=' but how would you get the stuff back?[/quote']

 

I'd just use a second application of the EDM.

 

I was thinking more about it though and the real stickler is: what happens to objects that have been compressed if the braclet is destroyed? Either you can say that the object(s) are automatically returned to normal space (probably safest) or you need to build some extremely nasty EB on a trigger to destroy anything compressed.

 

Personnally, I'd choose the former.

[prestidigitator]

Re: Gadgets from Ultraviolet

 

I'd just use a second application of the EDM.

 

I was thinking more about it though and the real stickler is: what happens to objects that have been compressed if the braclet is destroyed? Either you can say that the object(s) are automatically returned to normal space (probably safest) or you need to build some extremely nasty EB on a trigger to destroy anything compressed.

 

Personnally, I'd choose the former.

If they never actually left real space to begin with it becomes a bit simpler. Remember that using, "extra-dimensional," technology doesn't literally have to make use of EDM or the Transdimensional Advantage. It can be the SFX of other Powers, too, depending on the behavior. Even if the stuff is lost when/if the Focus is destroyed, we can call that a Side Effect/Limitation rather than actual use of EDM.

 

As for the Concealment/Invisibility taking care of extra weight? Hmm. Probably not. You can always build extra Limited Str in, of course. You could also build it as Shrinking (probably a Limited version, just like the Invisibility). That carries with it both a reduction in mass and a built-in Concealment bonus. If it makes the stuff small enough to tuck under/into your Inobvious Focus, then hey! We've just folded everything into a, "microsized dimension!"

[Zeropoint]

Re: Gadgets from Ultraviolet

 

I was thinking more about it though and the real stickler is: what happens to objects that have been compressed if the braclet is destroyed? Either you can say that the object(s) are automatically returned to normal space (probably safest) or you need to build some extremely nasty EB on a trigger to destroy anything compressed.

 

Or, the stored objects could just stay where they are. Good luck getting to them.

[Curufea]

Re: Gadgets from Ultraviolet

 

What about the standard OIF weapons of opportunity? Wearing the bracelet counts as having the weapon nearby. Otherwise you don't.

[dbcowboy]

Re: Gadgets from Ultraviolet

 

Or' date=' the stored objects could just stay where they are. Good luck getting to them.[/quote']

 

I was imagining the device as basically digitizing objects and storing them in its internal drive. Since it doesn't work on people (or animals for that matter), saying objects stay where they are or are lost is probably fine.

 

Here's another interesting idea though: do objects still function while compressed? If the owner picked up a bomb and compressed it, would the bomb explode while compressed? For me it would depend on the special effect (download vs actually moving to other dimension vs shrinking). Downloaded I'd say no, but the other two, sure it still goes boom.

[Dust Raven]

Re: Gadgets from Ultraviolet

 

Here's another interesting idea though: do objects still function while compressed? If the owner picked up a bomb and compressed it, would the bomb explode while compressed? For me it would depend on the special effect (download vs actually moving to other dimension vs shrinking). Downloaded I'd say no, but the other two, sure it still goes boom.

 

Interesting question. Since Violet never picked up a ticking time bomb or live grenade with it (actually, she never picked up anything, just stuck with what she came with and never used anything else through the whole film), and never went into detail on how the technology worked (just a comment about "spatial compression" or some such), there is no way of knowing.

 

There was one sceen where Violet was being scanned for weapons and when the bracelets were found, the scanners logged each and every item stored there. That implies that everything stored is in fact in real-space, just "compressed" into the bracelets ready to be uncompressed and used. I'd say it wouldn't do any good to stuff a bomb ready to explode in there then, as it would just explode normally, with it's full effect, right from where the bracelet is. I might treat the bracelet's DEF as a FW surrounding the bomb, (if it had any Defense Powers, or it's figured DEF based on being a Foci if not) just due to SFX, but certainly nothing more than that.

[Tiree]

Re: Gadgets from Ultraviolet

 

I am thinking OIHID is probably the right limitation to choose for the weapon/concealment.

 

I would build this as a MP with 0 END on the weapon slots with a limitation Real Weapon so I would have to change clips or drop the gun etc... Even though this is probably a SFX saying she is able to quickly change clips while fighting and wouldn't really require it.