Access the Internet

[Tech]

I think this was covered some time ago but I'll post this anyways. How would you build a power where someone can access the internet regardless of where they are on Earth? Yes, cellphones, ipods, laptops, etc., can do that wirelessly but I mean anywhere on the planet without any assistance. The concept is for a robot.

[薔薇語]

I'd say you should just build an Ipad or Smartphone and remove any limiters that refer to weakness of access.

 

There are various ways of building such devices but one way I recall and like off hand was to just buy some various skill bonuses (+2 overall for INT skills, Bonuses to Knowledge Skills) that have various limitations (perceivable by limited sense: radio, etc). If the character has a way to not only retrieve info but interact with it, then you can build it the same as a Radio. If the character can also display info (like show a youtube video, etc), then tacking on things like transmittable (and awkward and maybe not RAW legal build) should suffice.

 

Foreign Orchid.

[Tech]

I'd say you should just build an Ipad or Smartphone and remove any limiters that refer to weakness of access.

 

There are various ways of building such devices but one way I recall and like off hand was to just buy some various skill bonuses (+2 overall for INT skills, Bonuses to Knowledge Skills) that have various limitations (perceivable by limited sense: radio, etc). If the character has a way to not only retrieve info but interact with it, then you can build it the same as a Radio. If the character can also display info (like show a youtube video, etc), then tacking on things like transmittable (and awkward and maybe not RAW legal build) should suffice.

 

Foreign Orchid.

 

Unfortunately, I find a flaw with the bonuses to the KS. You cannot add skill levels to skills you do not have. I suppose an overall level to your INT roll would work but that doesn't feel right. If I want to snail mail to a company but don't know the address, even an INT roll wouldn't help unless I find out what that address is. Radio is works better. If info is displayable, why not add: visible (-1/4) to it?

 

Misc: what does RAW mean?

[薔薇語]

RAW is an acronym for "Rules as Written". That is to say, not a house rule or such. Transmittable can go on Enhanced senses but it isn't suppose to go on other powers. Thus it isn't part of the RAW way of handling the build.

 

Visible should not be allowed because "visible" is a limitation and not an advantage. Being able to share information is not a disad but an advantage. Thus the most basic reason why Visible is not acceptable.

 

When it comes to overall INT skill (5 point Skill bonus) or overall non-combat skill (8 point) bonuses, I do not worry about whether or not a character has the most relevant skill. I'd either let them use a relevant or similar skill they do have or allow them to roll against an untrained 8- with the bonus.

 

For learning things like addresses and such, you could just expand upon the idea of "cramming". Cramming already allows you to gain knowledge you didn't otherwise have beforehand. But it naturally requires lots of active investment of time to learn that new info. Allow that skill to be bought through the use of the internet.

 

Foreign Orchid.

[Tech]

RAW is an acronym for "Rules as Written". That is to say, not a house rule or such. Transmittable can go on Enhanced senses but it isn't suppose to go on other powers. Thus it isn't part of the RAW way of handling the build.

 

Visible should not be allowed because "visible" is a limitation and not an advantage. Being able to share information is not a disad but an advantage. Thus the most basic reason why Visible is not acceptable.

 

When it comes to overall INT skill (5 point Skill bonus) or overall non-combat skill (8 point) bonuses, I do not worry about whether or not a character has the most relevant skill. I'd either let them use a relevant or similar skill they do have or allow them to roll against an untrained 8- with the bonus.

 

For learning things like addresses and such, you could just expand upon the idea of "cramming". Cramming already allows you to gain knowledge you didn't otherwise have beforehand. But it naturally requires lots of active investment of time to learn that new info. Allow that skill to be bought through the use of the internet.

 

Foreign Orchid.

 

Thanks for the info on the acronym. The 5/8 pt skill suggestion doesn't rub well with me; I see what you're saying but no amount of guessing or genius-IQ will gain me instantaneous knowledge on the quickest course through a city I don't know or get me the cheapest ticket on an airline - though research will.

 

I going to go with your original idea of Radio Perception, with Transmit. Maybe add on Cramming, linked to Radio Perception.

[Christopher R Taylor]

I've used high range radio+computer access talent in the past.  Its fairly cheap and works fine, especially if you put a "wi fi internet only" limitation on the radio.  Mind Link would work, too.

[薔薇語]

Thanks for the info on the acronym. The 5/8 pt skill suggestion doesn't rub well with me; I see what you're saying but no amount of guessing or genius-IQ will gain me instantaneous knowledge on the quickest course through a city I don't know or get me the cheapest ticket on an airline - though research will.

 

I going to go with your original idea of Radio Perception, with Transmit. Maybe add on Cramming, linked to Radio Perception.

If you assume the internet exists as a build separate from the character (a valid idea), go simply with the Radio perception build. You can also tack on "access" as Taylor suggests above.

 

As to gaining new knowledge about something, that is exactly what the skill "Cramming" is designed to do. The character goes from having no knowledge of something to having knowledge of something by conducting some kind of research. Using the net to research the best routes through a city (Google maps, maybe?) is a great way to justify 'cramming for a KS: City'. There are ways to add on more granularity for the acquisition of that knowledge but I would generally keep to using it as Intellect skill bonuses for the most part. The 5 point version in the book that can apply to ALL INT skills is a good choice but I also think the 8 point version that applies to all Non-Combat skills is also a good. The 8 point version makes the power a bit more costly (ever so lightly) so it helps control the impact of that build. But if it doesn't seem to be too imbalanced, drop it down to the 5 point version.

 

 

---

As a matter of design concept, there is a strong reason why I do not favor the Radio perception angle that much. And while adding in "access" does mitigate that issue, I still think that it is not quite right.

 

What is the benefit, mechanically, to having access to the internet when out and about in the world? Most notably, it is the ability to know about events and research a topic. This means it is mechanically akin to having access to a library. And I would build a library as a general knowledge skill bonus with the special effect being "library". Both (Library and Internet) also allow you to gain knowledge you didn't already have - that leads me to think of Cramming.

 

There are of course other mechanical builds that that also can fit those needs in niche ways, but in a general and overarcing way it is hard. For example, you could build Google.Maps as a fancy "Detect" power. You could build a chatroom or webforum as Enhanced Perception with transmit and receive adders to mimic the human to human communications. You could build youtube as an odd Images build, too. And yes, while a simple Skill Bonus can't capture all those intricacies, I think the game impact of the vast majority of those is limited. Thus I discount the builds for them. I also discount them because they can't mimic all that well the other benefits.

 

The Access build design I think can work but is a bit odd, to me. But to each their own.

 

Foreign Orchid.

[Christopher R Taylor]

The advantage of the Radio approach is that the GM can at any time just say "you get no bars here."  Just about anything can block a wireless signal, from metal framing in a building to heavy concrete structures, being underground, lots of wiring or interference in the area, etc.

[bigbywolfe]

The advantage of the Radio approach is that the GM can at any time just say "you get no bars here."  Just about anything can block a wireless signal, from metal framing in a building to heavy concrete structures, being underground, lots of wiring or interference in the area, etc.

Except that's exactly the opposite of what the OP asked for...

 

I think this was covered some time ago but I'll post this anyways. How would you build a power where someone can access the internet regardless of where they are on Earth? Yes, cellphones, ipods, laptops, etc., can do that wirelessly but I mean anywhere on the planet without any assistance. The concept is for a robot.

The entire point seems to be to have it be a power and not something that can be blocked by "just about anything" and treated the same as a smartphone. 

[IndianaJoe3]

HRRP with an access perk seems like the simplest build to me. The player and the GM need to work out how (or if) the power works in unusual situations (deep underground, in a villain base, far side of the moon, etc).

[Christopher R Taylor]

The entire point seems to be to have it be a power and not something that can be blocked by "just about anything" and treated the same as a smartphone.

Sure, I was just noting that if you go with that build, the GM has more flexibility with the events.  There's nothing about the radio build that compels the GM to run it that way.

[Asperion]

As far as being viewed, just assume that the char "sees" what is being downloaded without any specific mods. This is completely internal to the char and no one else can sense this action unless he actively tells them in some form.

 

If the char desires some manner of displaying the info to everyone, then perhaps the following power: Images - Only for Displaying Internet Activity

[bigdamnhero]

Assuming that other characters are already going to have Internet access most of the time for free, I'd just charge the "always connected" character a couple points for an Access Perk and call it good. But maybe I'm just feeling lazy this morning.

[Beast]

mega scale on radio for a planetary range w/ Computer access perk\

this assumes that normal radio  has just Km range

[massey]

Buy a computer that is defined as being at your base. It doesn't have to be expensive. Just a regular computer.

 

Then buy Mind Link with it.

[Lucius]

Assuming that other characters are already going to have Internet access most of the time for free, I'd just charge the "always connected" character a couple points for an Access Perk and call it good. But maybe I'm just feeling lazy this morning.

I am not a big fan of Perks, but this seems to make sense. For one thing, when I try building it as a Power I get

 

Always Connected: (Total: 34 Active Cost, 8 Real Cost)

Penetrative with Radio Group (15 Active Points); Limited Power Only for Internet (-1), Extra Time (1 Minute, Only to Activate, -3/4), Costs Endurance (-1/2), Lockout (-1/2), Restrainable (Only by means other than Grabs and Entangles; -1/4), Requires A Roll (14- roll; -1/4), Unified Power (-1/4) (Real Cost: 3)

<b>plus</b>

MegaScale (1m = 1 km; +1) for up to 10 Active Points of Radio Perception & Transmission (10 Active Points); Limited Power Only for Internet (-1), Extra Time (1 Turn (Post-Segment 12), Only to Activate, -3/4), Lockout (Other Radio Senses; -1/2), Restrainable (Only by means other than Grabs and Entangles; -1/4), Unified Power (-1/4) (Real Cost: 3)

<b>plus</b>

+6 versus Range Modifier for Radio Group (9 Active Points); Limited Power Only Internet (-1), Extra Time (1 Turn (Post-Segment 12), Only to Activate, -3/4), Restrainable (Only by means other than Grabs and Entangles; -1/4), Nonpersistent (-1/4), Unified Power (-1/4) (Real Cost: 2)

 

It might be worth that if no one has access for free at any time. But if you're just paying for a connection those rare times no one else could have one, I'm thinking this comes out overpriced.

 

Lucius Alexander

 

Palindromedary unplugged

[Ninja-Bear]

How about just buying clairsentence for past and present with a limitation internet (-1/2)? The limitation is for the GM to decide how the info was found on the net. You can access alot of information on the net but you need skills to make use of said information. I can find chemical formulas but that doesn't mean I know how to safely use them.

[Lucius]

 

How about just buying clairsentence for past and present with a limitation internet (-1/2)? The limitation is for the GM to decide how the info was found on the net. You can access alot of information on the net but you need skills to make use of said information. I can find chemical formulas but that doesn't mean I know how to safely use them.

 

 

For that matter, not everything found online is even true.

 

Lucius Alexander

 

Don't believe everything you read about palindromedaries

[Ninja-Bear]

What palindromedaries arent three headed?

[Markdoc]

When looking at building a power, I always first ask "What does it do?"

And by that I don't mean the mundane description like "gives always-on access to the internet" I mean "What does it do in-game?"

 

If the idea is simply flavor, so that the character can always access the internet, without any clear in-game mechanical effect, then it's a perk, worth at most 3-5 points - maybe even less, depending on your game's location and tech level.

 

If it is to gain access to knowledge or bonus to knowledge skills, which will be used in-game and with measureable effects, then it's probably best defined as cramming, plus skills or skill levels. KS: Stuff found on the internet, 14- would give you a very broad - if occasionally patchy - skill that could be used in virtually any situation. You'd probably want to bump it up to a much higher level to find really specific information.

 

If it is to use internet access to start hacking attached devices, discover heroes' secret IDs by hacking their communications and tracking their locations, mess with police bulletins, etc, then a global radio comnnection of the kind discussed + hacking skills is probably the way to go.

 

cheers, Mark