Condottiere
Emperor Mongoose
In theory, you could hijack your own DNA as computer storage.
Or, maybe fat cells.
Or, maybe fat cells.
Cannot wrap my head around wafer jacks.
- Thread starter gds73
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Limpin Legin
Emperor Mongoose
Indeed that is RAW, and that is why I highlighted the non sequitur nature of your earlier interpretation
Terry Mixon
Emperor Mongoose
In Megatraveller, it takes time for the new skill to take hold and to fade once the wafer is removed. Perhaps this is a less straightforward rule meaning something like that.
Terry Mixon
Emperor Mongoose
I was looking for a wafer with greater capacity as a fabricator pattern won’t fit on one except for the smallest of patters. @Geir told me that wasn’t an issue and to just charge a little more for the wafers. I also made them slightly larger, but I’m not sure I needed to.
If that is the case, perhaps there can be high capacity wafer jacks that have oodles of skills as long as the computer can handle them.
If that is the case, perhaps there can be high capacity wafer jacks that have oodles of skills as long as the computer can handle them.
I don't think it is a wargame and has to be tied down to that level. The type of game will inform how long that time is. In a cinematic game it might be quite short - desperately trying to upload by ducking behind some cover. In a gritty game it might be decide before you go in or all bets are off.
I suspect the only criteria was to prevent carrying every skill, but since it can only add +1 to skills you already have this doesn't seem that powerful and referees can tune as they wish.
This is why the Ruggedised option exists.
However even without this the rules in CSC state that they are resilient (as you don't want a poorly made microwave sending your combat arm into attack mode). According to RAW it requires specific weapons (Ion, EMP grenade etc.) to be able to affect them, ruggedisation makes them impervious to even those.
Basically it is only a problem if your referee wants it to be.
Sigtrygg
Emperor Mongoose
Going by Agent of the Imperium and Names putting a skill wafer into a wafer jack causes some momentary disorientation.
I would rule that if you want to do it during combat you would be wise to seek cover as the disorientation is going to last long enough to give your opponent several free actions.
From The Red Ship:
"Within minutes, the Marine Force Commander presented herself. I showed her my wafer: withdrew it from the nape of my neck, let her turn it in her fingers. When she handed it back to me, I returned it to its jack, and gave instructions. “There’s a dead Agent in the wreck of Shamash. Someone can show you what he looked like. I need his body. Failing that, his wafer like mine.”
"“Yes, sir.” She extended a hand. In her palm a transparent envelope held a wafer smeared with blood. “I apologize, sir. Snith cut it out of a crushed skull. I was uncertain if cleaning would in some way damage it.”"
"I removed my wafer, and inserted the new one. Knowing what to expect did not reduce the piercing pain throughout my brain. There was an accompanying brightness through closed eyes and screaming in my ears. Suddenly the events on Shamash were memories that had always been there"
"He approached with a limp, which I ignored. When he saw me, he immediately offered my raw, blood-covered wafer. I took it and raced off to my quarters. Daellvoztillakug followed.
I removed mine. Inserted the new. The pain was intense, and my knees buckled. He reached to support me, and I waved him away. Leaned on a chair and raised myself up.
This wasn’t memories flooding back. They were already there; had always been there."
I would rule that if you want to do it during combat you would be wise to seek cover as the disorientation is going to last long enough to give your opponent several free actions.
From The Red Ship:
"Within minutes, the Marine Force Commander presented herself. I showed her my wafer: withdrew it from the nape of my neck, let her turn it in her fingers. When she handed it back to me, I returned it to its jack, and gave instructions. “There’s a dead Agent in the wreck of Shamash. Someone can show you what he looked like. I need his body. Failing that, his wafer like mine.”
"“Yes, sir.” She extended a hand. In her palm a transparent envelope held a wafer smeared with blood. “I apologize, sir. Snith cut it out of a crushed skull. I was uncertain if cleaning would in some way damage it.”"
"I removed my wafer, and inserted the new one. Knowing what to expect did not reduce the piercing pain throughout my brain. There was an accompanying brightness through closed eyes and screaming in my ears. Suddenly the events on Shamash were memories that had always been there"
"He approached with a limp, which I ignored. When he saw me, he immediately offered my raw, blood-covered wafer. I took it and raced off to my quarters. Daellvoztillakug followed.
I removed mine. Inserted the new. The pain was intense, and my knees buckled. He reached to support me, and I waved him away. Leaned on a chair and raised myself up.
This wasn’t memories flooding back. They were already there; had always been there."
But that burns actual bandwidth and the low level Jack hasn't got that much to play with. Neural Comm or Link frees you of that limitation (but possibly opens up the option for the external computer to be hacked more easily than the implants can)
The level of disorientation of assuming a personality would be more significant in my book than having the type of reference library in your head updated (as would be the case with the +1 augmentation of an existing skill possible with the CSC and CRB Wafer Jacks).
Sorry to keep going on about the Neural Comm, but that allows access to both forms of Expert package and entails no limitation on changing skills in the heat of the moment. The Neural Link allows the skills to be physical and also imposes no limitation.
That is why I assert that for the Wafer Jack it is simply the time taken to transfer the software from the physical media to the internal data store. The external computer to a Neural Comm has unlimited storage, the software is already loaded and all you are doing is accessing it remotely in real-time*.
If I was forced to put a number on the time it takes to upload a package to a Wafer Jack, I'd say it needs a Routine Electronics(Computer) INT/EDU 1dx10 Seconds check per package uploaded. This assumes it will simply overwrite any existing packages and that you have the media to hand). Doing this while rattled, dodging for cover or just moving might well impose a bane. This makes it possible with effort or luck but means it would be generally better done in calm circumstances.
*Though you will need upgraded Intellect Interface if you want to run more than one Expert package at the same time).
I was disoriented just reading it. It took me a few goes to work out what the heck was going on.
I lost weight, and I no longer have the jump coordinates to our destination!
Terry Mixon
Emperor Mongoose
I lost weight and can only calculate a jump 1 now.
Yes, there are various ways of running the Intellect program. You just have to decide if several different computers get to stack like that within the rules. Otherwise, the Intellect is running on your Neural Comp, but the Expert programs are running on a different computer.
Obviously, networking seems like a reasonable thing. But the game mechanics generally don't operate on the that principle, most obviously with ship's computers as written.
I think the Interface and the Expert package need to be running on the same computer. The Neural Comm is probably better off just running the communication to the off-board computer interface (and probably some crypto to be on the safe side).
It's wonky. Because if you have an Intellect program running, the computer can do the skill without you being involved. That's the whole point of the Intellect program. It's a super grade "Agent" program that can operate independently.
If you don't have the wiring to do physical skills, there's arguably no difference between running the expert programs on your iPhone or on your waferjack with the rules as written. The Agent does the skill or the Agent gives you a +1 to the skill. The only point of the waferjack in that situation is to make sure you can't forget your iPhone at home.
The waferjacks in the source material (AotI and T5) are significantly more versatile.
If you don't have the wiring to do physical skills, there's arguably no difference between running the expert programs on your iPhone or on your waferjack with the rules as written. The Agent does the skill or the Agent gives you a +1 to the skill. The only point of the waferjack in that situation is to make sure you can't forget your iPhone at home.
The waferjacks in the source material (AotI and T5) are significantly more versatile.
Condottiere
Emperor Mongoose
Difference between surgery, and cooking.
Terry Mixon
Emperor Mongoose
If you're Hanibal Lecter, not so much.
You can't do either of those with a basic wafer jack or Intellect program anyway. They are physical skills.
