Experiences with running mental powers against machine mines

[bret]

I'm interesting in what experiences people have with running the various cyberkinesis powers from UNTIL Super Powers Database I & II, especially Cybercontrol and Cyberillusions I against machines that are not fully AIs.

 

The examples suggest using Mind Control and Mental Illusions against Machine Minds. No problem when dealing with something written up as a full AI, or even something written up as a computer so it has an INT rating. As I see it, the problem is all sorts of systems would have embedded computers that don't show up as computers on the character sheet because their purpose is too limited. 

 

Every smart phone has a computer in it, do you bother rating the INT and if so what do you use as guidelines?

 

Something like Armadillo's Multipower used as an example in the rules for frameworks would have embedded computer systems in it. How do you handle someone using Cybercontrol on it?

 

I'm seeking guidelines people have used for how to adjudicate these powers when used against something that generally isn't given an INT or EGO rating, especially when it is someone else's equipment.

 

Thanks!

[Chris Goodwin]

I believe (though I could be wrong) that the item is treated as having INT or EGO equal to (Active Points in its highest Power/5).  

[bret]

I believe (though I could be wrong) that the item is treated as having INT or EGO equal to (Active Points in its highest Power/5).  

 

Thanks for the answer.

 

It seems a little on the high side (60 pts = 12 INT) but that might be alright. It would control the worst abuses.

 

Any idea where in the rulebooks this comes from? I would like to review that section, see if there is anything else I missed.

[Christopher]

Every smart phone has a computer in it, do you bother rating the INT and if so what do you use as guidelines?

APG I 70 deals with Cyberkinesis a lot. Machiens can substitute INT for EGO, if they lack it.

Cyberkinesis deals with "Simulated Intelligence", or "how much INT does it has for resisting Machine class Mental powers if it does not even has INT to substitute". There is a table with some values for household appliances

 

Something like Armadillo's Multipower used as an example in the rules for frameworks would have embedded computer systems in it. How do you handle someone using Cybercontrol on it?

You could always just use his score. Think of it as him having installed coutnermeasures or even actively countering your control. In turn you only get control of the stuff that is part of the Focus (as you did not target his mind, but the controller of the Armor).

 

But Foci also get a "Simulated INT" simiar to thier PD/ED from Acive Points (look that up in teh Focus Rules).

Inaccessibel Foci get's another +50% or +5 INT, wichever is smaller.

They have DMCV 3 or thier holders DMCV, wichever is worse.

They can get Mental Defense using the "Only for Users Foci" and "Only for this Focus" Limitations (in 6E1 Focus Rules).

 

It then goes into much more detail then I can make here, inlcuding stuff like "Pulling the Trigger on a gun".

[bret]

APG I 70 deals with Cyberkinesis a lot. Machiens can substitute INT for EGO, if they lack it.

Cyberkinesis deals with "Simulated Intelligence", or "how much INT does it has for resisting Machine class Mental powers if it does not even has INT to substitute". There is a table with some values for household appliances

 

You could always just use his score. Think of it as him having installed coutnermeasures or even actively countering your control. In turn you only get control of the stuff that is part of the Focus (as you did not target his mind, but the controller of the Armor).

 

But Foci also get a "Simulated INT" simiar to thier PD/ED from Acive Points (look that up in teh Focus Rules).

Inaccessibel Foci get's another +50% or +5 INT, wichever is smaller.

They have DMCV 3 or thier holders DMCV, wichever is worse.

They can get Mental Defense using the "Only for Users Foci" and "Only for this Focus" Limitations (in 6E1 Focus Rules).

 

It then goes into much more detail then I can make here, inlcuding stuff like "Pulling the Trigger on a gun".

 

I'm guessing APG is Advanced Players Guide?

http://www.herogames.com/forums/store/product/74-hero-system-advanced-players-guide-pdf/

Too bad it didn't make any mention of Cyberkinesis, bought UNTIL Super Powers Database because that book's description did mention it.

 

Sounds like they expanded the rules on Foci in 6e, looking at 5e Revised (which is what I am currently using) I don't see anything about simulated INT. I can find where it defines breakable Foci and how to compute the PD/ED of a focus.

 

Think I'll use the better of user's INT/EGO or Active Points /5, see how that works.

 

Thanks for the information!

[Chris Goodwin]

In 5E books it might be in the Ultimate Mentalist; that book had a lot of stuff on cyberkinesis.  

[Christopher]

I'm guessing APG is Advanced Players Guide?

http://www.herogames.com/forums/store/product/74-hero-system-advanced-players-guide-pdf/

That is the book, but it's for 6E. They did not mention it as it is only a small part of the Mental Powers discussion (3 pages + a table + new Mental Powers to use for this).

Stuff like the Superpowers Database is more prebuilt stuff then new rules. New rules are mostly in the APG's, with some genre Rules in the Genre books and some in the Pre-build stuff books (like Swarm Rules in 6E Bestiary).

 

Too bad it didn't make any mention of Cyberkinesis, bought UNTIL Super Powers Database because that book's description did mention it.

 

Sounds like they expanded the rules on Foci in 6e, looking at 5e Revised (which is what I am currently using) I don't see anything about simulated INT. I can find where it defines breakable Foci and how to compute the PD/ED of a focus.

I meant that the rules for calculating "Simulated INT" are very similar to the ones to calculate PD/ED for a Focus, with th few exceptions I noted. The Simualted INT rule is part of APG I Cyberkinesis, not 6E1 (where the Focus Rules are).