How to: Memory Invisibility

[lensman]

How would you build a Power / Talent that

allows someone to interview / interact / interrogate another person/People but after 5 minutes of non-interaction, the targets have no memory of the interaction. Even if shown a video of said interaction, even if the target has Eidetic memoery Talent?

 

I built:

Invisibility, all Sense groups,

Limitation only applies to memory recall of interaction with User. -1/4

[Sean Waters]

Re: How to: Memory Invisibility

 

I wouldn't: i've played games in which that ability exists and, frankly, it is a pain in the neck.

 

If someone else wanted to do it, I'd suggest a mental transformation.

[ghost-angel]

Re: How to: Memory Invisibility

 

Invisible Power Effects: Effects Only, or Mental Transform if you use this. I'm with Sean - just don't. It's a pain in the neck and quite frankly I think it's unfair to players as a regular ability.

 

As a Plot Point in a single instances it might be fun to play out, in which case stats mean nothing.

[CraterMaker]

Re: How to: Memory Invisibility

 

I think the best way to model it is Mental Transform..

 

-CraterMaker

[braincraft]

Re: How to: Memory Invisibility

 

Mind Control with limitation (Single command: "Don't remember me after five minutes!", -1)

[SpydirShellX]

Re: How to: Memory Invisibility

 

Invisibility - Extra Time

 

Actually at one point I ran a character that had this ability. It worked OK, given that it was a minor character... and every body forgot her, not just the characters.

 

Minor Mental Transform 5d6 Trigger: Being Seen, BOECV, Ego Not Body, Persistent, 0 END, Always On, No Mental Awareness, Side Effect: Lost Time, Extra Time.

[Dust Raven]

Re: How to: Memory Invisibility

 

I agree with Sean, this is too much of a headache power to deal with. If it's for a PC, just don't allow it. If it's for an NPC, it doesn't really matter how you build it anyway.

 

That said, if this is something that has to be consciously performed, I suggest a Mental Transform to remove memories. If it has to be decided upon before the interaction begines, then include Extra Time. If it's something that always occurs without effort from the character, buy the Transform as an AoE, Continuous, Personal Immunity.

[zornwil]

Re: How to: Memory Invisibility

 

Invisible Power Effects: Effects Only, or Mental Transform if you use this. I'm with Sean - just don't. It's a pain in the neck and quite frankly I think it's unfair to players as a regular ability.

 

As a Plot Point in a single instances it might be fun to play out, in which case stats mean nothing.

Mechanically, we have used IPE.

 

I like this power fine and haven't had any problems with it in play. It comes down to players playing responsibly, and understanding there are realistic limits. But it works fine for "nobody saw me go in and do this" or "nobody notices me around here." We don't use it for combats or direct confrontations for the PC in question, it's just for stealth, so that's the context it works well for us in.

[Derek Hiemforth]

Re: How to: Memory Invisibility

 

I wouldn't use Invisibility as the base Power, because Invisibility conceals you from senses, and memory isn't a sense. It doesn't gather input about the outside world... it's a record of previously-gathered input. A person who goes deaf doesn't lose their recall of what a favorite piece of music sounds like, for example.

 

Therefore, I'd use some kind of Transform or Mind Control-based build. If the target had a chance of remembering if their mind was strong enough to resist the effect, then I'd use Mind Control; otherwise, I'd use Transform.

 

Both of these would make it problematic to have the effect work even when viewing a videotape of the interaction. But to be honest, I have a hard time imagining a special effect for this ability where it makes any sense to have it continue to be unrecallable, even when viewing a record of the event. (Dunno... magic, maybe?)

[Lord Liaden]

Re: How to: Memory Invisibility

 

I thought I remembered a previous discussion on this subject, and lo and behold: http://www.herogames.com/forums/showthread.php?t=40362 . Some interesting suggestions there. I particularly like the notion of defining "Memory" as a separate Sense Group, and buying Invisibility specifically for it.

[Lord Liaden]

Re: How to: Memory Invisibility

 

How would you build a Power / Talent that

allows someone to interview / interact / interrogate another person/People but after 5 minutes of non-interaction, the targets have no memory of the interaction. Even if shown a video of said interaction, even if the target has Eidetic memoery Talent?

 

I built:

Invisibility, all Sense groups,

Limitation only applies to memory recall of interaction with User. -1/4

 

Personally, if I allowed this build I'd make the Limitation a lot larger, at least -1. It confers no stealth capacity and no combat benefits.

[ghost-angel]

Re: How to: Memory Invisibility

 

Mechanically, we have used IPE.

 

I like this power fine and haven't had any problems with it in play. It comes down to players playing responsibly, and understanding there are realistic limits. But it works fine for "nobody saw me go in and do this" or "nobody notices me around here." We don't use it for combats or direct confrontations for the PC in question, it's just for stealth, so that's the context it works well for us in.

 

In regards to Stealth - I have little issue with the idea.

 

In regards to the presented idea of "you don't remember interrogation, ever" I really think that's a power left as a plot point once or twice; not something to be built or used by a player and used constantly.

[lensman]

Re: How to: Memory Invisibility

 

The point is a good one, some powers should not be put in the hands of players. There are players I trust more than others with a power that has far reaching effects.

 

One such player has requested this power and I feel that I can accommodate him, it is just a matter of proper mechanics.

 

As an exercise of mechanics I don't think it should be out of reach.

 

As for Derek's 'there is no SFX' all I can say is that the SFX being used is that of Psionic suppression of memory tags and isolation of the memories.

 

Technically a Telepath could read those memories, they are not accesible by the target.

 

I don't want a solution that is as cheap as a lot of steath and th eInvisibility is looking mighty cheap.

Mind Control is grossly expensive, what with buying it continuous, buying a lot of dice, and overbuying for combatting the high INt, minus' to breakout roll and high but normal INT.

 

So it looks like Transform, which if bought right, will take about 5 minutes to act upon any targets in the area.

 

EDIT: I am considering making Memory part of th eMental Sense group, so that it can be affected by powers. A good idea that has floated around, it might be time to pull the trigger.

[zornwil]

Re: How to: Memory Invisibility

 

In regards to Stealth - I have little issue with the idea.

 

In regards to the presented idea of "you don't remember interrogation, ever" I really think that's a power left as a plot point once or twice; not something to be built or used by a player and used constantly.

I would allow it, but more as the rules provide for deep-level Mind Control where you can affect memory.

[Vondy]

Re: How to: Memory Invisibility

 

My gut reaction is that its a bad idea and shouldn't be allowed. On the other hand, without knowing more, its hard to say its a carte blanche problem. It could, for instance, be the akin to the MIB Memory Eraser Device, which could be genre apropos and useful in a setting sense in some cases. That said, I'd either build it as a burly mind control, or as a mental transform.

[Sean Waters]

Re: How to: Memory Invisibility

 

You've all come across this power before, realisied what a stupid idea it is in practice BUT FORGOTTEN. We were all there together in that room, you know, with the talking psionic halibut.

 

Remember, dammit, remember!

[Sean Waters]

Re: How to: Memory Invisibility

 

Oh and if we are making memory a sense group can we make stun a sense group too so I can flash people unconscious?

[Dust Raven]

Re: How to: Memory Invisibility

 

You've all come across this power before, realisied what a stupid idea it is in practice BUT FORGOTTEN. We were all there together in that room, you know, with the talking psionic halibut.

 

Remember, dammit, remember!

You had to bring up the halibut and restore all those repressessed memories didn't you?

 

Oh and if we are making memory a sense group can we make stun a sense group too so I can flash people unconscious?

 

I don't think you need to make STUN a sense group for you to make people pass by flashing them.

[Vondy]

Re: How to: Memory Invisibility

 

I don't think you need to make STUN a sense group for you to make people pass by flashing them.

 

A lot of people are stunned by flashers.