Rules Question: Radio

[Dragonfly]

Hey guys,

How do you make a character that can pick-up and trasmit radio signals? This could be a character with a radio built into his or her power armor. It can be a character that controls radio waves? etc.

I'm assuming that a character with Radio Mastery would be able to do it as part of their power.

How would you handle it for the Power Armor character? Would you just say that they could have it as a mundane device attached to the power armor, or would you make them buy the power?

In the culture of Champions (the HERO System game), you'd buy the power High Range Radio hearing, regardless of the build. I'm wondering if BASH would do it differently.

(I'm tending towards mundane items for most communicators myself - and hence no point expenditures.)

Best,

Dragonfly

[Dustland]

I think Bashman's said before he hated the concept of buying mundane items. If this is a simple radio transmitter/receiver, I don't see why you'd pay for it.

Now if you're able to intercept, decode, modify the original transmission and resend it, or jam select transmissions, then I'd say Radio Mastery.

[BASHMAN]

If you are wearing an earbud, it isn't a power. It's a mundane communicator that I usually assume all members of a team possess, or you you have an old walkman.

If you can hear radio signals without an earbud (like say something built into a helmet, or your ears are just that awesome) then you just take Super Senses. I updated this power in the new printing- so it is now only 1pt for the first sense (so they are 1pt each now).

[Dragonfly]

If you are wearing an earbud, it isn't a power. It's a mundane communicator that I usually assume all members of a team possess, or you you have an old walkman.

If you can hear radio signals without an earbud (like say something built into a helmet, or your ears are just that awesome) then you just take Super Senses. I updated this power in the new printing- so it is now only 1pt for the first sense (so they are 1pt each now).

Thanks again, BASHMAN. Question - would Super Senses 1 (Radio) allow the character to transmit as well as receive? Or would a power armored hero who wants both those capabilities have to buy something like:

Helmet Communications Array:
Super Senses 1 (radio)
Radio Mastery 1


Best,

Dragonfly

[BASHMAN]

To transmit- that would just be a standard communicator device, which isn't a power.

[kevperrine]

To transmit- that would just be a standard communicator device, which isn't a power.

We've done just this with our games.
My thought is open to:

- if the "device" is something simple like a piece of equipment any on the team could have for the time period (ie. a smart phone today). Then it's a free equipment. However, that free equipment is subject to ANY issues the Narrator might come up with (bad reception, breaking in combat as a side-effect of a big attack, being taken, etc...). It's also a normal device for that timeperiod. So if it's a 1950s game, they're carrying a big walkie-talkie. If it's a modern game, it can be a smart phone with a blue-tooth ear-piece.

- if a PC-Hero wants the device to be MUCH more inconspicuous (than a modern blue-tooth earpiece) or if they want it to not be subject to Narrator issues (without appropriate rule-die rolls to break or disarm)... Or if it can do things a "normal" comm-device can't do for the Timeperiod. THEN it becomes necessary to BE a power.



Modern Cell Phones are just so common. And unless a character is "Destitute" (DISAD) there's no reason they couldn't or even shouldn't be able to have a top of the line Smart Phone in modern day.
In fact... A "Wealthy" (ADV) PC-Hero could furnish the team with Smart Phones and Blue-Tooth ear-pieces easily.

Modern Smart Phones are incredible as to the things they CAN do. I've never been one to think a player (and their character) should be unfairly limited with normal things since it's a supers game. So... until/unless the technology of the device exceeds the normal tech of the timeperiod the game is set in. OR until the device wanted is something the player wants "protected" by the rules (disarm or breaking) then they can have it and use it.


But also.... If giving that luxury to PC-Heroes.... DONOT forget (as a crafty Narrator) that some smarter villains (or even antagonistic NPCs) COULD potentially use this type "free" equipment against a PC-Hero!
If J. Jonah Jameson or the Kingpint or Mysterio continually sees Spider-Man using his Smart Phone to contact the Avengers or use the GPS or even an Internet search THEN they might try to muck with his plans by:
- tracing the cell signal to learn his true idenity!
- hacking in his signal to learn what he's up to!
- hacking his signal to change the info he's looking for to FAKE info as part of their plan to trick the web-slinger!


That's my take on pretty-much any equipment.
fun fun!
-kev-