Mainframe Computer

[Condottiere]

I tried an algorithm for diminishing returns.

I'll have a look and see if I can find it, or if it was for the previous edition.

 

[MasterGwydion]

I tried an algorithm for diminishing returns.

I'll have a look and see if I can find it, or if it was for the previous edition.

It doesn't have to be 'real-world" accurate. It just needs to be good enough for game purposes. Keep it simple. Any computer added, beyond the first, costs the same but only provides half of its normal Bandwidth. Easy.

 

[Limpin Legin]

Bandwidth

Looking at your replies on this issue, you appear to sense that you are *cursed* by this notion of bandwidth??

Consider it, partly, your RAM.

RAM usually has it's own bandwidth, and is less than the CPU (ie, "computer's") bandwidth. Since the CPU's bandwidth is so important, we only need quote the CPU's bandwidth number, and disregard the RAM bandwidth as being trivial, and negligibly different. Then, CPU bandwidth = Computer's bandwidth.

Or you do something like double the number of computers and gain 150% increase in Bandwidth. This handles your problem.

Yes, but I still like the idea of a Turbo Boost/Button that can arm the players with more bandwidth upon computer's initialisation (or whatever.)

 

[Condottiere]

Spaceships: Computers

Computer rating formula:

R=TL^2/CTM


R = Computer rating
TL = Technical level
CTM = Computer type multiple

Computer type multiple
Basic - 6
Distributed - 3
Core - 2

 

[Geir]

I don't have enough bandwidth for this....
(cymbal crashes to floor and rolls off the stage while audiences stares, glares, glazes, or walks out)

From what I can gather (which has about a 33.3% chance of being accurate) T5 sort of downplays or distributes the whole computer thing. Honestly, who would install systems on a ship and then cripple their capabilities by not giving them better software? Who would buy a jump drive and then buy software separately (unless forced to do so by some misguided anti-trust action)? Computing should just be a substrate in the hull of a technological ship, at least at TL9+. That would remove the constraints and probably more accurately simulate the great unknown of a TL9 computing system. Stealth gains ability with TL. So do smart missiles. So should lasers turrets, evasion protocols, and the software that runs the microwave so the chicken doesn't taste like rubber.

I went with the flow for Robots. Maybe I should have had them use 'Skill Slots' instead of 'Bandwidth', but then we'd be having heated discussions over the conversion of 'Skill Slots' to Ship Bandwidth.

 

[Condottiere]

 

[Limpin Legin]

I went with the flow for Robots. Maybe I should have had them use 'Skill Slots' instead of 'Bandwidth', but then we'd be having heated discussions over the conversion of 'Skill Slots' to Ship Bandwidth.

Skill Slots would be good to characterise different computer architectures available. Like AI works better on Neural Processing Units (NPUs) than any digital architecture. Digital architectures wont solve 'AI with consciousness' types of science fiction.

 

[Limpin Legin]

Mainframe Computer

I tried an algorithm for diminishing returns. I'll have a look and see if I can find it, or if it was for the previous edition.

forum.mongoosepublishing.com

@Condottiere , hadn't realised you had worked on similar calculations. But why not minimise the calculation as:

R=TL^1/CTM

R = Computer rating
TL = Technical level
CTM = Computer type multiple

Computer type multiple
Basic - 3
Distributed - 1.5
Core - 1

 

[Condottiere]

It was meant to be all encompassing, though couldn't figure out how to include cost.

 

[Arkathan]

and the software that runs the microwave so the chicken doesn't taste like rubber.

To be fair, everyone forgets that the microwave has settings other than 100%.
A coworker had perfected a power over time cycle for cooking the fish he brought for lunch. (No he wasn't popular with the people in his area shortly after lunch times) But they could not argue that the fish tasted like it came straight from a "real" oven.
I use 40% when making low carb single serving "cookies" for my wife.
Full power for less time produces a foamy mess.
Unfortunately, finding recipes that give hints to taming non-standardized magnetron zappers is an exercise in futility.

 

[IanBruntlett]

Unfortunately, finding recipes that give hints to taming non-standardized magnetron zappers is an exercise in futility.

Such a recipe book could be very useful.

 

[Geir]

To be fair, everyone forgets that the microwave has settings other than 100%.
A coworker had perfected a power over time cycle for cooking the fish he brought for lunch. (No he wasn't popular with the people in his area shortly after lunch times) But they could not argue that the fish tasted like it came straight from a "real" oven.
I use 40% when making low carb single serving "cookies" for my wife.
Full power for less time produces a foamy mess.
Unfortunately, finding recipes that give hints to taming non-standardized magnetron zappers is an exercise in futility.

You haven't lived (or wished you were dead) until you've smelled the failed attempt to microwave pork rinds.

 

[Condottiere]

And Jesus served the multitude with sushi.

 

[Limpin Legin]

To be fair, everyone forgets that the microwave has settings other than 100%.

Such a recipe book could be very useful.

A combi microwave (like mine) gets round this problem by having best of both conventional oven + microwave. Product shipped with own recipe suggestions at back of the documentation.

The other issue is when meal providers say "do not reheat" on microwavable dishes. While the advise stands up to be true with reheating at 900W+, if you simply adjust the setting to 400W - 600W, and increase cook time, then the result is less than overly dry rubberised food.

 

[MasterGwydion]

The CSC says on Mid-sized computers, that they can be linked into a Mainframe, but what is with the restriction that the combined bandwidth must be less than the TL being used to build the computer? The means that every Core computer violates that by just being built. Unless you are running games at TL-40+. I don't really care how they actually work. What I want to know is how can they be built in the first place.

Say I have a character who wants to design and build a computer from scratch. He wants a total Bandwidth of 100. How does he go about this. He could just buy a Core/100, but Core computers are specifically designed for Capital Ships. He wants a Computer for the Cargo Bay that he can convert to use as his lab.

Can I combine 4 Core/80s and get 100 Bandwidth?

 

[J. L. Brown]

The CSC says on Mid-sized computers, that they can be linked into a Mainframe, but what is with the restriction that the combined bandwidth must be less than the TL being used to build the computer? The means that every Core computer violates that by just being built. Unless you are running games at TL-40+. I don't really care how they actually work. What I want to know is how can they be built in the first place.

Say I have a character who wants to design and build a computer from scratch. He wants a total Bandwidth of 100. How does he go about this. He could just buy a Core/100, but Core computers are specifically designed for Capital Ships. He wants a Computer for the Cargo Bay that he can convert to use as his lab.

Can I combine 4 Core/80s and get 100 Bandwidth?

I ran into this exact problem. There is no official solution. My house rule:

Clusters of Computers: A cluster of computers is made up of a number of computers of (at least) a specified bandwidth; dissimilar computers can participate, but are limited to the bandwidth of the least capable computer making up the cluster. Clusters start with the bandwidth of the least capable computer as their 'base value'; the bandwidth of the cluster increases by the full base value every time the number of participating computers are doubled. It is standard practice to automatically drop individual computers from the cluster if their bandwidth drops to the point that they would hinder the cluster.

It doesn't completely fix the problem; sorry.

 

[MasterGwydion]

I ran into this exact problem. There is no official solution. My house rule:

Clusters of Computers: A cluster of computers is made up of a number of computers of (at least) a specified bandwidth; dissimilar computers can participate, but are limited to the bandwidth of the least capable computer making up the cluster. Clusters start with the bandwidth of the least capable computer as their 'base value'; the bandwidth of the cluster increases by the full base value every time the number of participating computers are doubled. It is standard practice to automatically drop individual computers from the cluster if their bandwidth drops to the point that they would hinder the cluster.

It doesn't completely fix the problem; sorry.

You are right that it doesn't fix the problem completely, but it is a decent enough solution. Thank you.

 

[Gavain]

I would say so. Since they are by definition already a computer cluster so I would apply the same rules using the building blocks presented.

 

[MasterGwydion]

Also, what defines a portable computer? The biggest one is 5kg at TL-7, Computer/0. Advanced and Superior Mid-Size computers weigh the same amount. Can they now count as portable computers and use the rules for Weight Reduction by TL?

+1 TL Tablet-sized
+2 TL Mobile Comm-sized
+3 TL Computer Chip-sized
+4 TL Microscopic Chip-sized.

A TL-10 Mid-Size Computer is 5kg, the same size as Computer/0 TL-7 Portable Computer. If you build the Computer/0 at TL-11, it is microscopic. Could the same apply to a Mid-Size Computer? Take a TL-10 Computer/4, build it at TL-14. Shouldn't this also be microscopic? Instead of 312.5grams? By RAW, no, but it doesn't make much sense that you have two conflicting rules for shrinking computers. They are both computers. They both start at the same size. Yet, 4 TLs later, one is microscopic and one is 312.5grams. Why is there a difference?

btw, this is from the CSC page 67

 

[Limpin Legin]

Also, what defines a portable computer?

Definition: Small enough to be battery operated. Often complete with integrated screen and keyboard. Power vs battery life is the design restriction. Physical size obviously limit for various sophont's combined Encumbrance characteristic.