1960s Batman's Red Phone

[Scott Anderson]

How would you build it?  My first thought is as a Mind Link, Limited class of Minds (Those who know the secret red telephone, +5A), OIF Immobile (-1 1/2)

 

Active: 10 Real: 4

[kukuli]

Or the hero can just give the guys his phone number.  The phone is more of a plot device than equipment.  I don't think it's necessary to spend points on equipment that is only there to drive the plot.

[Surrealone]

I concur with kukuli.  Likewise the bat signal should cost no points.  After all, Batman gains no real power or advantage from the existence of either of them ... so he shouldn't have to pay points for either of them.  If anything, the bat phone and bat signal are manifestations that play into a GM's ready exercise of a Gotham-related committment (i.e. psychological complication) that Batman has.

[massey]

Included for free as part of his Contact: Commissioner Gordon. And Commissioner Gordon's Contact: Batman.

[Scott Anderson]

Included for free as part of his Contact: Commissioner Gordon. And Commissioner Gordon's Contact: Batman.

 

Ooh, good one.  Now, what if it's been several Commissioners since Batman has used it, and nobody now in the Commissioner's office knows it's there?

[assault]

Ooh, good one.  Now, what if it's been several Commissioners since Batman has used it, and nobody now in the Commissioner's office knows it's there?

 

Plot device, and potentially a very amusing one. 0 points, naturally.

[Tasha]

One of the more difficult things about this system esp for GM's is learning what to Stat out with points, and what stuff is just a plot device and it works by GM Fiat.

[Lucius]

Ooh, good one.  Now, what if it's been several Commissioners since Batman has used it, and nobody now in the Commissioner's office knows it's there?

It's part of the Secret Identity Complication. Secret Identity implies ways that someone could try to figure out the secret, and tracing the physical phone line to where it disappears into the ground on or near Wayne Manor is a clue.

 

Lucius Alexander

 

The palindromedary reaches the answering machine: "You have reached the Batcave. The Batman is not in the cave right now. If this is an emergency, please activate the Bat Signal. If you are a supervillain trying to uncover the Batman's secret identity, please leave a name, number, and a good time to capture you. If you are a supervillain hoping to taunt the Batman by boasting of your next dastardly crime, please leave an enigmatic rant including ambiguous clues that will permit the Batman to heroically foil your plans...."

[Christopher]

It's part of the Secret Identity Complication. Secret Identity implies ways that someone could try to figure out the secret, and tracing the physical phone line to where it disappears into the ground on or near Wayne Manor is a clue.

 

Lucius Alexander

That would have been the most obvious way to get his secreit identify.

But did it ever happen? Did any criminal ever tap into said line? Why not?

 

It could have been it never came up in the setting. That would certainly mean it is a simple plot device/part of the contact.

 

However what if it was impossible for some reason or other? What if the line was encrypted or used some (never mentioned) wireless technology halfway through? I mean that Batman had a car powered by nuclear batteries that somehow never needed replacement.

Was it never used as a secure line of communication, if meeting in person was somehow not an option?

[Christopher R Taylor]

But did it ever happen? Did any criminal ever tap into said line? Why not?

 

 

Because that would ruin the entire premise.  Because the rules of the campaign were that nobody ever finds out secret identities.

[DasBroot]

The Batsignal:  Summon 500-point Batman, Specific Being (+1) (200 Active Points); OAF Bulky Fragile (-1 3/4), Arrives Under Own Power (-1/2), Antagonistic Annoyed (-1/4) RC:57

 

The Batphone: Summon 500-point Batman, Specific Being (+1) (200 Active Points); IAF Arrangement Fragile (-1), Arrives Under Own Power (-1/2), Antagonistic Annoyed (-1/4) RC: 73

 

[Christopher R Taylor]

I dunno, he always seemed really helpful and cheerful when someone used the batphone.

[DasBroot]

It's just to eliminate the ability to control him with a contested EGO roll.  Antagonistic Super Helpful and Cheerful (-0), then.

[ghost-angel]

The mayor/police commissioner bought

 

Contact: Batman (Contact has access to major institutions, Contact has extremely useful Skills or resources, Contact has significant Contacts of his own, Very Good relationship with Contact) 17-

 

The phone is SFX.

[Christopher]

Because that would ruin the entire premise.  Because the rules of the campaign were that nobody ever finds out secret identities.

Perhaps. Perhaps not.

It could be implied that the line is so damn secure that just following it or tapping it was somehow not possible.

 

For a comparision look at Thor 2. Heimdal was snuck up on by the Dark Elves. Twice (once the infiltrator, then the spaceship).

You could interpret it as Heimdaal being terrible at his job/ability to see things. Honset Trailers certainly did.

I interpreted that as the Dark Elves being incredibly good at sneaking/stealth. We know only Loki and the Dark Elves could sneak past him. The Dark Elves kinda came out of nowhere, while Loki had knowledge and a lot of time to test Heimdaals exact limits.

From all the thousands of foes and friends over thousands of years only Loki and the Dark Elves ever managed to avoid his gaze. Plus that place where the Ether was stored by the Asgardians, propably designed to block even him.

 

Was it never inteded for a foe to just tap or track that line?

Or was it so well secured there was never a foe smart enough to successfully tap or track that line, because of all the security?

[Mister E]

"You have reached the Batcave. The Batman is not in the cave right now. If this is an emergency, please activate the Bat Signal. If you are a supervillain trying to uncover the Batman's secret identity, please leave a name, number, and a good time to capture you. If you are a supervillain hoping to taunt the Batman by boasting of your next dastardly crime, please leave an enigmatic rant including ambiguous clues that will permit the Batman to heroically foil your plans...."

What is the beginning of eternity,

 

the end of time & space,

 

the beginning of every end

 

& the end of every race?

[Scott Anderson]

What is the beginning of eternity,

 

the end of time & space,

 

the beginning of every end

 

& the end of every race?

 

"Holy typography, Batman!  The answer is the letter E!" 

 

"And who do we know whose name prominently features tthe letter E, my little red avian chum?"

 

"E, as in Edward! Edward Nigma!"

 

"Better known as The Riddler, Robin.  Quickly, to the Bat-Copter!  We'll descend on that question-marked quizmaster from above!"

[bigdamnhero]

In a previous game, the players wanted an untraceable phone/internet/etc connection in their base. We gave the Base an Access Perk (2 points IIRC?) and called it good. Note that was on the Base's sheet, not the PCs', so the actual cost to the characters was negligible. So yeah, handwaving it as sfx works fine too.

[Ninja-Bear]

How would you build it? My first thought is as a Mind Link, Limited class of Minds (Those who know the secret red telephone, +5A), OIF Immobile (-1 1/2)

 

Active: 10 Real: 4

I would change OIF to OAF. You can knock the phone out of their hands or cut the wires.

[Ninja-Bear]

The mayor/police commissioner bought

 

Contact: Batman (Contact has access to major institutions, Contact has extremely useful Skills or resources, Contact has significant Contacts of his own, Very Good relationship with Contact) 17-

 

The phone is SFX.

I really like this answer necause it actually (and cleverly) answers the OPs question.

[Christopher]

I would change OIF to OAF. You can knock the phone out of their hands or cut the wires.

Bulky or Immoveable OAF perhaps even.

This is a old style phone. You can not just move around with it inside the building. While it is not as heavy as a Piano, the wire around your feet will be about as hindering in combat. For all intents it is bound to the Desk it is sitting on.