McCoy Posted April 16, 2007 Report Share Posted April 16, 2007 Traffic light changers are in the news locally, the fire department already has them, the police want them too. If you live in a big city you've seen them. The emergency vehicle has the lights and siren going, and all traffic lights it approches turn green. A while back I was trying to stat this out for the Batmobile, finally decided to includ it as part of the Emergency Vehicle perk. But what about the Foxbatmobile? If a non-flying villian wanted to have one of these, how would you build it? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
archermoo Posted April 16, 2007 Report Share Posted April 16, 2007 Re: How to build: Traffic Light Changer Traffic light changers are in the news locally, the fire department already has them, the police want them too. If you live in a big city you've seen them. The emergency vehicle has the lights and siren going, and all traffic lights it approches turn green. A while back I was trying to stat this out for the Batmobile, finally decided to includ it as part of the Emergency Vehicle perk. But what about the Foxbatmobile? If a non-flying villian wanted to have one of these, how would you build it? I wouldn't. To me at least it is at best a perk. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Doug Limmer Posted April 16, 2007 Report Share Posted April 16, 2007 Re: How to build: Traffic Light Changer When I was thinking up a character with this power, I decided to go with Change Environment. (Which reminds me --- I probably should actually finish writing up PDA May. One of these years.) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
casualplayer Posted April 17, 2007 Report Share Posted April 17, 2007 Re: How to build: Traffic Light Changer It can be done with the IR projectors (or is it ultrasound?) that the emergency vehicles have or it can be done as a system hack. Traffic control computers can't be that smart, maybe 4d6 Machine Mind Telepathy Single Command (change light to favorable,) if still too expensive maybe a smidge of Extra Time to represent the light having to increment from Red to Yellow then to Green. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gojira Posted April 17, 2007 Report Share Posted April 17, 2007 Re: How to build: Traffic Light Changer I think you need to reason backwards from effect on this one. Changing the traffic light is the SFX. What does changing the light actually do in game terms? If it lets you get to the scene of a crime quicker, or around town in general faster, maybe that's just a few extra points of DEX (or SPD) and a note in the description "has a light changer." If it lets you escape while hindering your enemies by changing lights against them, maybe that's CE. If it lets you cause a pile up by changing the lights incorrectly and really hinder your enemies, maybe that's a CE with more points in it. If you can hack lights and cause them to explode, that's RKA, Indirect. If you can cause the lights to jump up and attack your enemies, that might be Summon. Etc. All depends what you get out of it. Maybe it's just a bit of Power Skill, or Combat Driving (urban only) connected to the vehicle. Once in a while, you can do something "tricky" by changing the lights, or you just get bonuses in general driving around town. I don't think I'd pay a separate Perk for it, just include it in the Stats somewheres (like DEX, SPD or Combat Driving bonus) and note it in the description. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
McCoy Posted April 17, 2007 Author Report Share Posted April 17, 2007 Re: How to build: Traffic Light Changer A couple levels with combat driving, only off freeways in urban areas, is probably it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
archermoo Posted April 17, 2007 Report Share Posted April 17, 2007 Re: How to build: Traffic Light Changer It can be done with the IR projectors (or is it ultrasound?) that the emergency vehicles have or it can be done as a system hack. Traffic control computers can't be that smart' date=' maybe 4d6 Machine Mind Telepathy Single Command (change light to favorable,) if still too expensive maybe a smidge of Extra Time to represent the light having to increment from Red to Yellow then to Green.[/quote'] Last I checked most were visible strobes at a specific frequency. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
McCoy Posted April 17, 2007 Author Report Share Posted April 17, 2007 Re: How to build: Traffic Light Changer It can be done with the IR projectors (or is it ultrasound?) that the emergency vehicles have or it can be done as a system hack. Last I checked most were visible strobes at a specific frequency. Thank you, I hadn't checked, but I didn't think ultrasound would have the range. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sean Waters Posted April 17, 2007 Report Share Posted April 17, 2007 Re: How to build: Traffic Light Changer I don't think CE would work as it cannot create light Machine telepathy is only good if you have a machine with an EGO....I would not think traffic lights would. Well, maybe some of them Reasoning from effect would make this expensive...yes it makes you faster but it also makes a lot of other traffic slower. I'd go with what it is - a transmitter of some sort. You'd build a transmitter with images, or you might get away with a transmission sense like a diferently defined HRRH. Then, when the signal is sent, any traffic light fitted with the gizmo changes. Build it any other way and you need all sorts of custom lims like 'only on traffic lights fitted with a receiver' and such. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dust Raven Posted April 17, 2007 Report Share Posted April 17, 2007 Re: How to build: Traffic Light Changer I think you need to reason backwards from effect on this one. Changing the traffic light is the SFX. What does changing the light actually do in game terms? If it lets you get to the scene of a crime quicker, or around town in general faster, maybe that's just a few extra points of DEX (or SPD) and a note in the description "has a light changer." If it lets you escape while hindering your enemies by changing lights against them, maybe that's CE. If it lets you cause a pile up by changing the lights incorrectly and really hinder your enemies, maybe that's a CE with more points in it. If you can hack lights and cause them to explode, that's RKA, Indirect. If you can cause the lights to jump up and attack your enemies, that might be Summon. Etc. All depends what you get out of it. Maybe it's just a bit of Power Skill, or Combat Driving (urban only) connected to the vehicle. Once in a while, you can do something "tricky" by changing the lights, or you just get bonuses in general driving around town. I don't think I'd pay a separate Perk for it, just include it in the Stats somewheres (like DEX, SPD or Combat Driving bonus) and note it in the description. I think it makes the light in my direction look green. Images is the clear choice. What the rest of the campaign world does because the light is green is not my problem. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dust Raven Posted April 17, 2007 Report Share Posted April 17, 2007 Re: How to build: Traffic Light Changer Last I checked most were visible strobes at a specific frequency. Shapeshift (emergency vehicle) vs the Detect Emergency Vehicle sense. Or maybe just Mind Link set to the machine class, only to tell traffic lights I'm an emergency vehicle (also requires a KS of valid codes or whatever necessary for proper authorization of the light change during an emergency). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
archermoo Posted April 17, 2007 Report Share Posted April 17, 2007 Re: How to build: Traffic Light Changer Shapeshift (emergency vehicle) vs the Detect Emergency Vehicle sense. Or maybe just Mind Link set to the machine class, only to tell traffic lights I'm an emergency vehicle (also requires a KS of valid codes or whatever necessary for proper authorization of the light change during an emergency). Or just Perk (1pnt): Traffic lights change for you. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
McCoy Posted April 18, 2007 Author Report Share Posted April 18, 2007 Re: How to build: Traffic Light Changer Or just Perk (1pnt): Traffic lights change for you. As I said, for the legitimate emergency vehicles I included it in the Emergency Vehicle park. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BobGreenwade Posted April 18, 2007 Report Share Posted April 18, 2007 Re: How to build: Traffic Light Changer Shapeshift (emergency vehicle) vs the Detect Emergency Vehicle sense. Or maybe just Mind Link set to the machine class, only to tell traffic lights I'm an emergency vehicle (also requires a KS of valid codes or whatever necessary for proper authorization of the light change during an emergency). This is how I'd do it, with preference in that order (which one works better depends on how you want to build the changer). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wormhole Posted April 25, 2007 Report Share Posted April 25, 2007 Re: How to build: Traffic Light Changer Does the Foxbatmobile have headlights? I can't speak for the rest of the country or worldwide, but in the Tulsa and Okmulgee areas, traffic signals are equiped with a sensor that's triggered by the flashing of emergency vehicles' emergency lights. Most of them being of an older design, the sensor isn't very sophistocated and I know from personal experience that you can trick it by flashing your headlights when you're a few yards back from the intersection. I also know personal experience that you should only do this if it's absolutely necessary, and you especially should not let a traffic officer catch you doing it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dust Raven Posted May 1, 2007 Report Share Posted May 1, 2007 Re: How to build: Traffic Light Changer Does the Foxbatmobile have headlights? Yes, but one of them us burned out... though Foxbat insists the Foxbatmobile is "winking." Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CBikle Posted May 1, 2007 Report Share Posted May 1, 2007 Re: How to build: Traffic Light Changer Sounds like the Images power vs. normal sight (and radio waves ?) With reduced end, persist, focus limits, having a very narrow purpose, etc. I'd guess it costing between 7-10 pts. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zeropoint Posted May 2, 2007 Report Share Posted May 2, 2007 Re: How to build: Traffic Light Changer Paying 10 points to turn a traffic light green would be WAY too expensive. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dr. Anomaly Posted May 2, 2007 Report Share Posted May 2, 2007 Re: How to build: Traffic Light Changer Oh, I'm cringing at the thought the reaction to this, but... since you're talking about CHANGING the light... what about... Cosmetic Transform...? Just changing the color, after all... A couple of dice of that, with limitations like "Only vs. properly-equipped traffic lights" and such and it'll be pretty darn cheap... And if you want the ability to not just turn them green, but to turn them (for example) red to hinder pursuit, just go with the slightly expanded effect adder... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dust Raven Posted May 2, 2007 Report Share Posted May 2, 2007 Re: How to build: Traffic Light Changer Oh' date=' I'm cringing at the thought the reaction to this, but... since you're talking about CHANGING the light... what about... [b']Cosmetic Transform[/b]...? Just changing the color, after all... A couple of dice of that, with limitations like "Only vs. properly-equipped traffic lights" and such and it'll be pretty darn cheap... I'd also go so far as to say "properly equipped traffic lights" have a vulnerability to this Transform so you only need 1d6. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jtelson Posted May 2, 2007 Report Share Posted May 2, 2007 Re: How to build: Traffic Light Changer Does the Foxbatmobile have headlights? I can't speak for the rest of the country or worldwide, but in the Tulsa and Okmulgee areas, traffic signals are equiped with a sensor that's triggered by the flashing of emergency vehicles' emergency lights. Most of them being of an older design, the sensor isn't very sophistocated and I know from personal experience that you can trick it by flashing your headlights when you're a few yards back from the intersection. I also know personal experience that you should only do this if it's absolutely necessary, and you especially should not let a traffic officer catch you doing it. Snopes on this http://www.snopes.com/autos/law/strobe.asp. On the main topic - I'd agree that levels with Combat Driving, maybe also Shadowing and a few other skills,would be the most elegant build. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dr. Anomaly Posted May 2, 2007 Report Share Posted May 2, 2007 Re: How to build: Traffic Light Changer I'd also go so far as to say "properly equipped traffic lights" have a vulnerability to this Transform so you only need 1d6. Would they have a vulnerability or a susceptibility? Or maybe a physical lim the way a vampire dies when staked through the heart... amount of damage doesn't matter, the end effect just happens when the attack is applied, no matter how big or small... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JmOz Posted May 2, 2007 Report Share Posted May 2, 2007 Re: How to build: Traffic Light Changer Here is a really silly idea: How does it effect the game, when will a character be using it? Well it will let the character drive to point A to point B faster, this sounds to me like maybe A Combat Driving bonus so maybe +2 to combat driving, Focus, etc.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
keithcurtis Posted May 3, 2007 Report Share Posted May 3, 2007 Re: How to build: Traffic Light Changer I go with Perk. Not everything needs a mechanic. Keith "And not every perk is in-game legitimate" Curtis Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dust Raven Posted May 3, 2007 Report Share Posted May 3, 2007 Re: How to build: Traffic Light Changer Would they have a vulnerability or a susceptibility? Or maybe a physical lim the way a vampire dies when staked through the heart... amount of damage doesn't matter' date=' the end effect just happens when the attack is applied, no matter how big or small...[/quote'] Oh hell, just make it a physical limitation "must turn green when the emergency vehicle says so" But then we're back to what makes an emergency vehicle an emergency vehicle and do end up treated like one when you're not? Persuasion: Only Versus Traffic Lights? "I think you want to turn green now." Intimidation? "Turn green now or else!" Seduction? "Please turn green for me my little stop light of love..." Okay, I'll be back with some real suggestions after I get the taste out of my mouth. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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