computer use too overpowered ? (vs operations)

[christian]

with computer use and spacecraft prof/surface vehicule prof you can do any operation gunnery, systems, pilot, sensor, drive with -4 penality (even if operations cannot be use untrainned).

Sound that one skill witch can replace 5 others skills is overpowered or operations underpowered...

So why put skill points in operations when I can go on max computer use (with skill focus computer use) ?

 

[Gabriel_Luna]

Two reasons come to mind: One is that you can be much better at Operations because of the -4. If you took a skill focus in an Operations then you'd be that much better than using Computer Use.

Two is that you can't ever do all the Operations at once. Yes there are 5 Operation skills, but since you can't use them all at once, there's no reason to spend for all the Operation skills. So it's not like you're splitting between 5 skills unless you're _really_ devoted to being on a ship's bridge. The advice I give my group is for everyone to pick one Operation skill and put some points into it now and then, and they're certain to have the ship's bridge covered.

 

[R Arceneaux]

I have to agree with GL....

Given the reliance on computers on the various ships and their use for both operations and utility purposes on the space stations and such all characters should have some ranks in computer skills--even if its just 2 or 3 odd ranks.

This is especally true if the character has in their background any kind of formal education. For example you would kind of demand as a requirement of Officer Fighter Pilot a fair amount of computer skills. Telepaths being trained by the Corps would also be required to have a fair amount of computer skills. Private pilots of course you would expect extensive computer skills. Merchants would need to use computers every day to cash in the credits to their accounts. And of course the most skilled computer user of all--the computer rogue who steals credits by hijacking someone elses computer records.

R Arceneaux