Has anyone written up a Smart Phone

[Phoenix]

As the title says: Has anyone written up a Smart Phone?

I'm really stumped, should it be designed as a computer or as a collection of powers, talents and skills with OAF?

[Scott Baker]

There's this old post on it:

http://www.herogames.com/forums/topic/89400-smartphone-5e-or-6e/

[Phoenix]

Thank you Mr. Baker, exactly what I was looking for.

[Vondy]

I generally don't charge points for items both ubiquitous and mundane.

 

At most:

 

Perk: Smart Phone (1)

 

But even that, in my opinion, would be overcharging. 

[dmjalund]

I generally don't charge points for items both ubiquitous and mundane.

 

At most:

 

Perk: Smart Phone (1)

 

But even that, in my opinion, would be overcharging. 

but can you overcharge a smartphone?

[ghost-angel]

Depends on the battery and if the charge circuit is working properly or not...

[bubba smith]

computer

[Doctor Victory]

I wouldn't bother For the same reason you don't have to pay points to have a job, pants, arms, and legs.

[ghost-angel]

computer

 

This... I mean, it's literally a Computer.

[Christopher R Taylor]

Nope.  I think its worth using a "computer link" perk to represent someone who always has a phone or can, say, through their power armor, act like a phone, but its pretty much like a wristwatch now.  Do I need to buy absolute time sense with an OIF and continuing charge to represent that?

[DasBroot]

Nope.  I think its worth using a "computer link" perk to represent someone who always has a phone or can, say, through their power armor, act like a phone, but its pretty much like a wristwatch now.  Do I need to buy absolute time sense with an OIF and continuing charge to represent that?

 

Some GMs would make you - especially if someone else paid points for absolute time sense because it's one of their 'mutant' powers.

 

Me, I just have the 'paid for' powers work better.  Cell phone might be free but the guy who builds radio senses into his armor for actual points will never be told 'you have 0 bars and the call fails'.

[bluesguy]

In my game the players pay for a smart phone because it provides them with access to the Internet which means they can use Google and they can access their base AI to ask questions.

 

Think about all the things a modern smart phone provides:

• Instant communication with anyone in the world
• Photos & Video
• Access to knowledge
• Maps
• Navigation
• Time
• GPS
• Maybe even custom crime fighting apps (photograph a fingerprint and it searches fingerprinting databases)

Besides in Champions you pay points for everything.

[steriaca]

Besides in Champions you pay points for everything.

But only if the GM says you must. Read the section on what not to charge players points on in Champions Complete.

[ghost-angel]

Besides in Champions you pay points for everything.

 

You don't, actually. And no GM should make you pay points for something that any NPC in the game has or has access to without it being something better and above.

[Vondy]

 

Besides in Champions you pay points for everything.

 

That is not what the books actually say.

[Christopher R Taylor]

Yeah you pay for gear, but you pay for non-standard, combat gear.  Nobody has to buy LS: cold for their clothes, for example.  These days the cell phone, despite its immense utility, is pretty much standard equipment.  Think of it like a car: you don't pay extra for wheels, but you do for that nice stereo.

[womble]

In a way, a smartphone (at least a plain old mobile) is an "Everyman" skill. More people worldwide have mobile phones than pretty much any other domestic appliance. In a game based in the First World, smartphones are almost ubiquitous, so, like "AK: home town", they should be free...

[Anaximander]

It seems to me that bogging down character creation by creating stats for every possible piece of equipment that a character might own would be tedious and not very fun.  It kind of begs the question whether you should be required to have appropriate skills before using that equipment Like PS: Smart Phone usage (a skill I lack in real life as I have never owned a smart phone), or PS: AM/FM Radio Tuning.  I think I would just not worry about making such things an issue unless it is important to the player's character concept or unless the character can do things with the smartphones that cannot be typically done with real world smartphones. 

[Dr. Arcane]

 It kind of begs the question whether you should be required to have appropriate skills before using that equipment Like PS: Smart Phone usage (a skill I lack in real life as I have never owned a smart phone), or PS: AM/FM Radio Tuning.

Don't be ridiculous  , you can do all of this with the Systems Operations skill. Which (IIRC) is an everyman skill for modern campaigns...

 

  I certainly wouldn't require points to be paid for owning a smartphone, however if someone did pay points for it they would recieve some sort of SUPER phone that never loses it's signal, has virtually unlimited memory, and rarely runs out of power. as always YMMV.

 

  That said, I also lack familiarity with Smart Phones (although I figure they ain't too much different from my tablet), heck I have difficulty programming the TV to Record.

[steriaca]

On page 10 in Champions Complete states that points are not spent on...

 

1. Anything the GM agrees probably won't ever have an effect on the game.

 

2. Anything the GM needs to make an adventure work.

 

3. Anything that all characters get for free, including Everyman Skills or other Everyman Abilities

 

The cell phone thing falls under Everyman Abilities, because everyone in the campaign world (or the campaign area of the world) can buy or get one for free (heck, even homeless people have a flip phone).

 

So, unless the hero's phone is special, no points needed.

[Marcus Impudite]

As interesting an exercise as writing up a smartphone might be, perhaps it should only be necessary if the phone in question has capabilities/features a normal smartphone doesn't typically have. That said, I'd include Cramming and/or a VPP with the special effect of There's An App For That.

[steriaca]

As interesting an exercise as writing up a smartphone might be, perhaps it should only be necessary if the phone in question has capabilities/features a normal smartphone doesn't typically have.

You basically stated the only reason to force players to pay for a cell phone.

 

A big example, in Purty Guardian Sailor Moon (the live action show), all the senshi cell phones are able to take photos (like all cell phones). But only the senshi cell phones are able to disquise the senshi as whatever is in the photo.

[Dr. Arcane]

So, unless the hero's phone is special, no points needed.

 

Can I get an "Amen" brethren...

 

  I remember one of my early GM's getting in my face about carrying a length of rope. He tried to write up a Multipower of everything one can do with rope, and ended up with a 10' chunk of rope costing over 50 (real) pts. Wish I still had the write-up to show just how silly it was, slots for entangle, bonus to climbing, swinging, other stuff I cant even remember now. UGH!

 

Needless to say I dropped this guy's Game like a hot potato.

[bluesguy]

On page 10 in Champions Complete states that points are not spent on...

 

1. Anything the GM agrees probably won't ever have an effect on the game.

 

2. Anything the GM needs to make an adventure work.

 

3. Anything that all characters get for free, including Everyman Skills or other Everyman Abilities

 

The cell phone thing falls under Everyman Abilities, because everyone in the campaign world (or the campaign area of the world) can buy or get one for free (heck, even homeless people have a flip phone).

 

So, unless the hero's phone is special, no points needed.

 

Learn something new every day. 

[steriaca]

Learn something new every day.

For free, i mean without paying charater points. Dollars still are needed.