________________________________________ GURPS Vehicles 2nd Edition Additions MA Lloyd (malloy00@io.com) 9 August 1998 Modifications and Additions to Chapter 4: Instruments and Electronics ________________________________________ p47 Communicators. The attenuation of sea water is massively underestimated. Radio: count each yard of depth as 100 miles of range. VLF: count each yard of depth as 3.5 miles of range. ELF: count each mile of water as 200 miles of range. The large national transmitters have range to spare but the attenuation is not negligible. Incidentally radio ranges in soil or rock are slightly longer than through seawater. Laser: count each mile of water as 100 miles of range. p48 Radio Jammer. This option can be combined with the Gravity Ripple option to jam gravity wave communications. p49 Headlights. Power consumption is 0.05 kW. p52 Range to Scan Table. For FTL add 31, not 32 (round down). This table really belongs separately in Chapter 13, not under Radar. p54 Thermal and Passive EM Sensors Table. At absolute minimum flip the weights and volumes for Passive IR and Thermographs. p54 Other Sensors. MAD and Gravscanners. Drop the sentences about 5 times normal range. They do not agree with the actual detection rules. p55 Sound Intensity Table. The first line should read 0 dB, not 1 dB. p56 Navigation Instruments. Dead reckoning is accurate to about 5% of the distance traveled at TL3, and not much better until gyrocompasses and high precision differentials appear at TL6, at which point it improves to about 1% accuracy. p57 Navigation Instruments. Radio navigation is often passive from the vehicle's point of view, at least for military vehicles, so '...combined with a radio (p.47) capable of receiving transmissions from a network of such stations...' p57 Navigational Radar. Weather systems are big enough to detect at 10 to 20 times the standard range. p58 Targeting Radar or Ladar. These bonuses only apply if the radar can detect the target. Active sonar requires recognition to get the bonus. p59 Targeting Systems Table. Convert the per 5 miles to per mile by dividing the values by 5 and setting a minimum 5 mile range. p59 Dischargers. Add MAD Decoys (TL7) produce a strong magnetic field to fool magnetic sensors. Cost is $50. p60 Blip Enhancers. Divide power consumption by 10. p60 Blip Enhancers are available for Active Sonar at TL7 and Multiscanners at TL9. p60 TEMPEST Equipment. At TL8+ shorter ranged (20 yard) equipment is available with 1/10 the weight, volume and cost. p61 Dedicated Computers. The computer can run a package of related software (e.g. Vehicle Operation and the Sensor Operation program that allows the autopilot to see where it is going). p61* Robot Brains. Last sentence, the reference is to pp.RO54ff. p62* Terminals. Change 4th sentence to 'Unless the computer is intended for an unmanned vehicle, a battlesuit or as a backup system... p63 Cartography. The 600 hour limit is imposed by the dynamics of a ball of twine orbit, it does not change with TL. p63 Gunner. Phrasing problem, use: The Gunner program is never cumulative with other Targeting software. If used to assist a gunner it acts as a Targeting (+2) program. Ignore the 'prerequisite Targeting program' phrase. p63* Computer Program Table. Gunnery is TL7, Personality Simulation is TL8 p63* Robot Skill Programs. Replace the last paragraph with "Skill points placed in mental skills count quadruple; but regardless of skill points, no skill program's skill level can exceed that of the programmer (as set by the GM)." ________________________________________ Instruments and Electronics p47a Pre-Radio Communications ________________________________________ Most pre-electrical communications depends on visible signals. Since line of sight is limited by the horizon (see p168, about 3 miles on flat terrain, 10-15 miles from typical masts) ranges are short, but even so magnification is often needed to read signals on the horizon. Ranges given are for naked eye legibility. Data rates are also low. The main approaches are pulse codes (Morse code is a familiar though historically late example) and pattern codes using the shape, color, or position of something (flag codes or semaphore). By mid TL4 most navies adopted one or more signal books containing tens of thousands of standard messages that could be sent as few numbers, or a single flag group. This greatly speeds routine traffic, but does not help when the message is unique. Signal security depends on keeping the signal book, or at least the twist code, secret. Lights (TL0, historically TL2) Torches were used for night time shore to ship signals in classical Greece but fell out of use until TL4. Signal lights need not be very bright, at night a candle is visible at 0.5 mile, torches, lanterns or flashlights at 2 miles, early TL5 naval signal lamps (burning magnesium wire, limelights or arclights) at 15 miles and searchlights at 20 times the range they illuminate. Lanterns, flashlights or shutter equipped signal or searchlights can send a pulse code at 4 x skill characters per minute. Flag Hoist (TL0, historically TL3) Flag signals appeared during the Crusades, and by late TL4 almost every navy had a code of 15 to 60 different flags. Every fleet has its own patterns and signal books, so many vessels carry flag sets for several different systems. Any vehicle with masts can hoist flags; modern ships may add a mast solely for this purpose. Flags can be read at 1 mile with the naked eye (which is why the spyglass is associated with naval service) Transmission rate is 3 code groups per minute. Semaphore (TL0, historically TL4) The positions or motions of the signaler's arm(s) are used as a phonetic alphabet, each system is a separate Literacy. Hand signals are legible at 0.25 miles, using flags or colored rods (or torches at night) to amplify the motions extends that to 1 mile. Transmission rate is 4 x skill cpm. Semaphore is directional, reading it edge on is impossible. Combs or Dietz Disks (TL0, historically TL4) A pulse code can be sent by flashing a pole mounted colored shape toward an observer. Unlike hand semaphore the signaler can stay under cover, which made it popular in the trenches of World War I. Properly colored disks are visible at 2 miles, signal rate is 1 x skill cpm. Mechanical Semaphore (late TL4) A pair of movable pointers mounted on a mast can be used to send any hand semaphore alphabet. Range is 3 miles. Transmission rate is 8 symbols/minute. Systems using single pointers, rotating colored disks, shutter arrangements or more than 2 arms perform similarly, but don't use hand semaphore codes. Shape Telegraph (TL5) The standard Redl's Cone Telegraph consists of a mast with 4 fabric cones which can be opened like umbrellas. The 16 combinations of open or closed encode digits for reference to a signal book. Variants used collapsible cylinders or arrangements that could take more than 2 shapes. Symmetric shapes are preferred for legibility in any direction. Signal rate is slow - 6 groups per minute. Naked eye visibility is 3 miles. Light Telegraph (TL5) Uses the same codes as the shape telegraph, with colored lamps replacing the shapes. Early systems changed signals by running up new lamps (0.5 cpm), but shutters (15 cpm) or electrical switches (60 cpm) are much faster. Naked eye range is 3 miles for typical systems - beyond that the lamps are too close to reliably resolve. Heliograph (TL5) A heliograph consists of a mirror and a sighting device. Slight movements of the mirror send a pulse code by moving a reflected beam on or off the target. Only the target can read the signal properly, and messages can only be sent from a stable platform, not a ship or a moving vehicle unless the heliograph is equipped with TL7 Full Stabilization (p45). Signal rate is 4 x skill cpm, range depends on the light source: sunlight 30 miles, moonlight 5 miles, artificial sources attached to the heliograph as Lights. Larger mirrors can do better - a square mile lightsail in Earth orbit should be visible at 10 AU, and might send a few characters per hour. Homing Pigeons (TL3) Pigeons are a one way, single destination signal system, and must be taken away from home to be useful, so they are often transported on vehicles. Pigeons average 20 miles per hour, but only fly in daylight and can cross no more than 80 miles without rest, which limits flights over water. The odds they reach home fall with distance: roll 3d for every 20 miles, on a 15-18 the pigeon never returns, on a 14 it is delayed 1d days. Each can carry perhaps an ounce (a single sheet of parchment or several of thin paper) Early Communications Table Weight Cost Power Lantern 2 lb $20 0 Signal Lamp limelight 175 lb $300 0 Signal Lamp, electric 30 lb $100 neg. Shutter System (per light) 5 lb $50 neg. Flag Hoists and Flags 300 lb $500 0 Semaphore Flags or Disk 5 lb $6 0 Mechanical Semaphore 200 lb $500 0 Shape Telegraph 200 lb $500 0 Light Telegraph 140 lb $800 neg. Heliograph 15 lb $250 0 Pigeon Cote (per pigeon) 20 lb $10 0 Location: A flag hoist can be mounted on any mast. Mechanical semaphores, light or shape telegraphs require a mast which can not be used for sail at the same time it is used for signaling. ________________________________________ Instruments and Electronics p47a Sound Communications ________________________________________ Voice is the oldest method of communications, but sound has never been a major method of distance communications, because it's difficult to encode mechanically, of fairly limited range, and requires an atmosphere to propagate. Voice (TL0): humans can yell at 90 dB, marginally audible at 512 yards. Musical Instruments (TL0): horns, drums, fifes, bells and gongs have all been used as signals. They can be louder than voice, but range is seldom more than a few miles. Instruments can send pulse codes at 1 x skill cpm; more complicated codes involving pitch can be sent up to 4 x skill cpm, but only at 1/4 range. Bullhorn (TL2): a device for focusing sound in a particular direction, doubling its range (+10dB) along that line. Bullhorns are sometimes fixed to ship's rails. Whistle or Foghorn (TL5): Any vehicle with a steam or combustion power plant may install a powered whistle or horn. It can be audible at 10 miles over normal backgrounds (150dB) and can send a pulse code at 1 x skill cpm. At TL7 any vehicle with a power plant can be equipped with an electrical version with equivalent performance. Voicetubes (TL5): a system of speaking tubes used to carry sound between key areas of a large vehicle. Any vehicle with mechanical controls may have them for free, otherwise they cost $20 per station so equipped. Intercom (TL6): the electrical equivalent, using telephone gear at TL6, later anything from coaxial cable to microwave guides to fiberoptics. Intercoms are free to vehicles with electronic or computer controls, otherwise they cost $50 per station. For an extra $1000 the necessary switches can be installed to allow several point to point conversations at once, and to selectively route general announcements. Speaker (TL7): an electronic sound generator able to reproduce any sounds at up to 120 dB without distortion. It can be used as a public address system, to play music, or just as a whistle or horn, though it isn't as loud the a dedicated design. Double cost for a speaker able to generate infrasonic or ultrasonic sounds as well. TL Sound Communications Weight Cost Power 0 Musical Instrument ~5 lb ~$100 0 2 Bullhorn 5 lb $50 0 5 Whistle or Foghorn 30 lb $100 neg. 7 Electric Horn 2 lb $50 neg. 7 Speaker 2 lb $450 neg. ________________________________________ Instruments and Electronics p47a Communications Cable ________________________________________ Hard electrical communication links are introduced at TL5. Any computer or TL8+ communicator comes with a cable port, at earlier TLs a telegraph or telephone set is 2 lbs and $20. A cable link is next to impossible to jam or intercept, but of course only works if there is an intact cable between the communicators. Standard wire can handle up to 10kHz weighs 0.05 lb and costs $0.05 per yard At TL7 bandwidth needs are high enough to exceed the capacity of wire, and specialized lines with up to a few MHz bandwidth are available at $0.5/yd. At TL8 10 GHz optical fiber is standard at 0.01 lb and $0.1 per yard. Add 20% overhead for a system to automatically reel and unreel the cable, reeled cable occupies weight/50 cf. Cables can also link a vehicle to a transmitter somewhere else, commonly either to avoid ARM strikes or to put the transmitter in a better environment, for example a radio buoy deployed by a submarine. ________________________________________ Instruments and Electronics p47a Communicators ________________________________________ Communicator ranges are given for terrestrial environments, where atmospheric and ground heating losses matter. In vacuum multiply radio ranges by 100, and laser ranges by 10,000. In highly absorbing environments, such as over gravel or through cities, radio ranges should be divided by as much as 10. Ranges assume a standard receiver of the same TL, multiply by the sensitivity of the receiver, and use the higher TL base if the receiver is more advanced than the transmitter. *Video Reception* To display video, text, code or other visual data, install a terminal (normally a display pad, see p62a). *The Speed of Light* Radio signals (and lasers, neutrinos, gravity ripples and any other communication system using real particles or waves) are limited to the speed of light. This can be ignored on a planet, but it matters in a Space campaign, since the speed of light is only 7.2 AU/hour. *Tight Beams* require you to know where the receiver is to send a message. Radio allows some uncertainty (the beam is 2 arccosine[1-(2/multiplier^2)] degrees wide) but for lasers or neutrinos you need either actual detection or accurate navigation data for both your target and your own vehicle. Note: while the signals can only be *reliably* heard in the cone, all antennas have side-lobes, and there is always some scattering, so encryption is still required for confidentiality. To a lesser extent this *does* apply to lasers and neutrinos. Replace the Range, Sensitive and Tight Beam Options with: Option - Increased Power (TL6): increases the energy content of the signal transmitted, extending range. Multiply the transmitter weight, volume, cost and range by the modifier selected. Multiply power consumption by its square. Option - Sensitivity (TL6): reduces noise levels and increases the detector area of the receiver. Select a sensitivity range multiplier (no more than x100 until 1 TL after the system introduction). Multiply receiver weight and volume by its square. Multiply cost and power consumption by its square root. If added to a transceiver, multiply only the receive component. Option - Tight Beam (TL7): radio or gravity ripple transmitters can use a larger antenna to focus the signal so it can be heard at greater ranges in a particular direction. Select a range multiplier (no more than x300 until 1 TL after introduction), multiply the weight and volume by its square, and the cost by its square root. Option - Altered Bandwidth (TL6): Bandwidth is the range of frequencies the signal uses, and determines the maximum information flow rate. A lower bandwidth takes longer to send the same amount of information, but because the power is spread over fewer frequencies it can be heard at longer ranges. Standard radio and gravity ripple ranges assume a clear voice signal (10kHz). For systems limited to other bandwidths multiply the range by the square root of the ratio. For example 300 Hz signal (a typical telegraph signal) can be heard at SQRT(10/0.3) = 5.7 times standard range, while a US low definition television transmitter (6 MHz) has only SQRT (10/6000) = 0.041 times the normal range. Add $100 to receiver or $1000 to transmitter costs if the system can send or receive at more than one bandwidth. Incidentally laser, infrared and neutrino communicators have bandwidths in the MHz range or higher. Other options: Option - Infrared Beam (TL7): uses a modulated beam of IR light. IR beams are less focused than lasers, and so more tolerant of aiming errors, but are less secure and much shorter ranged. They are still approximately a line of sight communicators. The major applications are remote controllers and wireless peripherals; but sometimes short range is an advantage, for example though not secure within range, an IR communications net might well be invulnerable to eavesdropping from any equipment outside the perimeter fence. Option - Local FTL (TL?): This option allows short range FTL communications, eliminating lightspeed delay within a star system. The GM may set a maximum range, though these statistics approach those of the normal FTL option at long ranges. Option - Tachyon Communicator (TL15): a tight beam communicator using modulated faster than light particles. Tachyon communications is instantaneous at any range, cannot be jammed and will pass through any object, but like a neutrino beam requires the location of the receiver to be known - which requires pre-planning for interstellar signals. Communicator Table Options Infrared Beam x3 x5 x0.003 x5 Local FTL x200 x50 x1# x50 Tachyon x0.2 x25 x100# x3125 # The range of Local FTL Radios or T-coms is in light seconds, not miles. ________________________________________ Instruments and Electronics p49a Headlights and Searchlights ________________________________________ Some useful numbers: sunlight is roughly 10,000 lumens/square ft, good artificial light is about 50 lm/sf, darkness penalties start to apply about 1 lm/sf, moonlight is 0.04 lm/sf and starlight is around 0.001 lm/sf. Candles shed about 10 lm, kerosene lamps or gaslights about 30 lm, gas mantles 60-100 lm, flashbulbs about 20 million lm. Lamp efficiencies vary considerably: Firelight 0.1 lm/watt, gas mantles or limelights 0.5 lm/W, arclights 80 lm/W, the Edison lamp 3.3 lm/W, carbon filament incandescents up to 5 lm/W, tungsten filament incandescents up to 30 lm/W, discharge lamps (neon, krypton, argon, xenon, nitrogen, carbon dioxide, mercury and sodium) run 0.3 lm/W (typical neon) to 150 lm/W (best sodium vapor) with 30 lm/W typical, fluorescent 50-100 lm/W, electroluminescent panels 10 lm/W. The theoretical limit at the optimum sensitivity of the eye (5560 A) is 621 lm/W. *Running Lights* (late TL5): can be added to any powered vehicle at negligible weight and cost. When turned on they draw 0.0001 kW per square foot of vehicle area and eliminate darkness penalties for spotting the vehicle, giving the +2 anti-camouflage bonus instead. *Floodlights* (late TL5): illuminate an area around the light source. They are 10 lb, 0.2 cf and $200 per kW, and light a (4xTL) x square root of (kW) yard radius. ________________________________________ Instruments and Electronics p49a Sensors ________________________________________ The introductory header should read: Sensors allow distant or hidden objects to be detected. Each type of sensor is described separately, but a few general rules apply: Detection is resolved by a roll against a Sensor Operation skill or Vision, modified by sensor performance, the nature of the target, and local conditions (see Ch13 Detection) Direction: Most sensors can only detect objects in one direction, although indirect sensors are an exception. Decide which side of the vehicle a sensor looks out of (front, back, left, right, up or down). For universal coverage either install several sensors or install them in turrets. Nominal Range: Most sensors have a nominal range which determines its statistics and is used to compute its scan rating. Things can be detected beyond nominal range, but only with difficulty. [Ideally, all sensors would be reworked so the statistics were not linear in range. Passive signals fall with the square of range and increase with the area of the detector, so range should be proportional to weight^0.5 Active sensor signals fall with the 4th power of range, and increase with both area and power, so range should be proportional to weight^0.25 power^0.25. The same effect could be obtained by dividing Scan by 2 for passive sensors or 4 for active sensors (this works because scan is logarithmic in range) but of course that messes up the nominal ranges.] ________________________________________ Instruments and Electronics p50a Imaging Systems ________________________________________ [Replaces Visual Augmentation Systems and Thermal and Passive EM Sensors. Not only is this more logical, but allows closer modeling of the sensor packages in Robots] These are passive light collectors. Viewing range is limited by the horizon, and may be blocked by cover or atmospheric conditions. The usual detection roll is against Vision, but Electronics Operation (Imager) may be used if desired. *Human Eye* (TL0): The standard detection rules work for the naked eye as well as more sophisticated sensors. The eye functions as a visible light sensor with a nominal range of 0.5 miles. *Telescopes* (TL4): A telescope uses lenses or mirrors to gather light from far more area than an eye, allowing someone looking through it to see dimmer sources or finer detail. Because magnification decreases the field of view, a telescope is best at identifying objects detected by other sensors, or where hours or days can be spent searching. *Imagers* (late TL6): Imagers convert light to an electronic signal. Since the image is in electronic form it is easily recorded, sent over of a communications network or manipulated by signal processing. The standard imager is a Daylight TV camera using the rules for normal vision, but imagers can have any level of magnification and a variety of options: *Option -- Black and White* (TL6): The imager does not distinguish colors (or other frequency differences). Black and white imagers are available half a TL earlier than normal imagers (so they get the TL cost break earlier too) but provide somewhat different detail than color. *Option -- Antiglare* (TL7): The optics automatically darken to protect against glare, flashes, dazzle lasers and other hazardously bright lights. *Option -- Contrast Enhancement* (TL7): The color and relative brightness of parts of the image are adjusted to highlight details. This negates any penalties for glare or bright light, and reduces the penalties for camouflage, precipitation, fog, vegetation or darkness by 1. *Option -- Light Amplification* (TL7): The imager is sensitive to very low light levels. The person (or program) looking through it has color-blind Night Vision (p.B22), negating darkness penalties short of total darkness. *Option -- Infrared Imaging* (TL7): The imager is sensitive to infrared (heat) rather than visible light, giving the Infravision advantage (p. B237). Infrared sensors detect differences in temperature between an object and the background. Since objects are seldom at exactly background temperature this usually gives a reasonable, if somewhat blurred, image. Details the same temperature as the rest of the object (e.g., writing) are not visible. Infrared sensors can penetrate darkness and normal smoke or fog, but are obstructed by falling snow, rain or hot smoke and blinded by very hot objects, such as flares or fires. Infrared sensors can also see reflected infrared light, treat them as optical imagers if the target is lit by an IR searchlight (p49) or a source with a strong IR component such as the sun, firelight, or incandescent lights. *Option -- Microscopic Focus* (TL7): Allows the imager to focus on small nearby objects (within a hex) and magnify them by a factor of 10^(TL-5). *Option -- Thermograph* (late TL7): as on p53, but cut the see through walls ability and add: 'Thermograph images are much sharper than standard infrared images, and provide better information about point to point temperature variations' and 'At TL7 Thermographs may not have a nominal range greater than 25 miles.' *Option -- Passive Radar* (TL8): -- as p53. *Option -- PESA* (TL8): These imagers are sensitive to a broad segment of the electromagnetic spectrum from millimeter waves, through infrared, visible and ultraviolet light. They normally operate in combined mode, but can be set to function as any other type of imager. [Too late now, but I would have probably used Microwave and Multispectral Imaging instead of the (deceptive) Passive Radar and (rather ugly) PESA.] Visual Augmentation System Table Type TL Wt. Vol. Cost Pow. Telescope 4 5 0.5 $50 0 Telescope 5 4 0.4 $40 0 Telescope 6 3 0.3 $30 0 Telescope 7+ 2 0.2 $80 0 Optical Imager 7 2.5 0.05 $2,000 neg. Optical Imager 8 1 0.02 $500 neg. Optical Imager 9 0.5 0.01 $250 neg. Optical Imager 10+ 0.25 0.005 $125 neg. Options Black and White 6 x 1 x 1 x 1 neg. Antiglare 7 x 1 x 1 $400 neg. Contrast Enhancement 7 x 1 x 1 $400 neg. Light Amplification 7 x 1 x 1 $400 neg. IR Imager 7 x 1.5 x 1.5 x 2 neg. Microscopic 7 x 1.2 x 1.2 x 1.2 neg. Thermograph 7 x 2 x 2 x 4 neg. Passive Radar 8 x 2 x 2 x 6 neg. PESA 8 x 4 x 4 x 8 neg. Multiply the range of the sensor in miles by the numbers shown on the table to find its weight, volume and cost. Exceptions: If a sensor has a range of less than 3 miles, compute its weight and volume, but not cost as if it had a range of 3 miles. This doesn't apply if the sensor is to be used by a computer rather than by a human, it covers overhead for access space, eyepieces and/or monitors. If a sensor has over 125 miles range, its cost is the number shown on the table multiplied by [100 + (1/5 its range)]. ________________________________________ Instruments and Electronics p51a Radar (late TL6) and Ladar (TL8) ________________________________________ Option -- Multimode Radar (late TL7): This option allows the radar to switch between search radar mode, low-res imaging and high-res imaging in one turn. In low-res imaging radar range is halved (equivalent to -2 to scan). In high-res mode range is 1/50 normal (-10 to scan) Multimode Radar x1.5 x1.5 x5 x1 Drop AESA. A radar cavity can't generate a laser beam, and vice versa. ________________________________________ Instruments and Electronics p52a Sound Sensors ________________________________________ This should be a CC header, containing the subsections: DD Sound Detectors DD Passive Sonar Options - Dipping Sonar, Towed Array DD Geophones DD Active Sonar Options - Active/Passive, Depth Finding, Dipping Sonar, Imaging, No Targeting, Air Sonar. Change Sound Detectors to a dB based system as follows: A sound detector's sensitivity is rated in levels, up to a maximum... becomes 'A sound detector is rated for its gain in decibels (dB). Decide on the gain of the detector, up to 10 x (TL+7) dB...' Weight, volume and cost are [per 10 dB gain] Each level of sound detector doubles the range... becomes 'To determine the range at which a sound can be heard, add the gain of the sound detector to the sound intensity and refer to the sound intensity table. Each 10 dB gain effectively doubles the range at which the sound is detectable' To the Sound Intensity Table add: -30 dB Random air movements. This limits the maximum useful amplification to less than 150dB, since anything needing more amplification will be drowned out by the random noise. For Sonar remove the range reduction in air; air operation requires special equipment better treated as an option. The missing Active Sonar options are: *Option -- Imaging Sonar* (TL7): Imaging sonar is modified to use shorter wavelengths, enabling significantly better resolution. It can provide an image of the target sharp enough to make out centimeter sized features. *Option -- Air Sonar* (TL7): This option modifies an active sonar to function in air rather than water (because of the differences in fluid properties it is not practical for a single sonar to work in both environments). This option can also be combined with the Imaging and/or No Targeting options. Options Wt Vol Cost Power Imaging x2 x2 x5 x5 Air Sonar x10 x10 x5 x50 ________________________________________ Instruments and Electronics p54a Other Sensors ________________________________________ *Neutrino Sensors* (TL10): An indirect sensor sensitive to neutrinos - massless, nearly undetectable particles created by nuclear reactions and force screens. 10 Neutrino Sensor 1 0.02 $10,000 neg. *Orgone Scope* (TL 9): The price, weight, volume and power consumption of this device are identical to Radar, but it uses a form of deadly orgone radiation (see W23p106) reflected by things with life-force. Non-living items (and some alien races) will not register, a whale will produce a blip like the radar return of a small ship. An orgone scope can see through solid rock, though it may be blocked by horizon on a living world (by the plant cover and soil biota rather than the ground itself) *Ultrascanner* (TL10): a cinematic sensor type found under several names - ultrascanner, xadar, deep radar, some versions of gravscanners, and the ubiquitous x-ray vision - able to scan the interior of an object and produce a 3D model of it. The target must be detected first. Producing a blueprint quality model requires the complete attention of the operator for 1 turn per 30 cf scanned and an additional Sensor Operation roll; otherwise resolution is equivalent to multiscanners ignoring any penalties for sealed containers or cover. It is sometimes explained by x-rays, but that's not physically reasonable. Assume it uses whatever mysterious radiation allows multiscanners. Use the rules for multiscanners except each foot of solid material scanned through counts as a mile of range and force screens block the beam entirely. 10 Ultrascanner 20 0.40 $25,000 100 11 Ultrascanner 5 0.10 $10,000 25 12 Ultrascanner 1 0.02 $2,000 5 *Gravscanners* If these really were sensitive enough to detect vehicle sized masses, the vastly larger fields of gravitic technologies wouldn't require rolls. Downgrade their sensitivity (see p173a) and drop them 3 TLs, though until the introduction of gravitic technology they are of little use except as geophysics sensors. *Multiscanners* (TL8): in realistic settings multiscanners should be downgraded drastically. Drop the radscan function, use a PESA for that. For the rest substitute a T-ray imager - a terahertz (0.3 mm) spectroscopic radar, with the same statistics, but greatly reduced resolution. T-rays can image objects behind a few millimeters of metal, or several inches of non-conductive material, and can determine chemical compositions to the extent of identifying the main compounds in cubic inch sized objects. They can scan life forms like any other object, and identify large ones by shape and anatomy, but they can't detect microbes, do DNA scans, identify trace elements, search of the nearest chemical/lifeform/whatever of a given type, etc. *Neural Detectors* (TL9): A popular bioscanner variation, detecting mental activity rather than DNA. It can identify species and individuals by brainwave patterns, and can sometimes measure IQ, emotions or psi activity (on an Identification result). Otherwise treat is as a bioscanner which ignores anything without a nervous system. *FTL Effect Sensors* (TL?): A variety of sensors related to FTL drives may exist. In general design them as a radar or PESA but read the range in light-seconds or AUs rather than miles. Some suggested types are described on p.S30 (point detectors, FTL scan detectors, hyperspace emergence detectors and hyperdrive wake detectors) and others are possible. If gravity wells influence the campaign FTL system, FTL sensors may also detect them. ________________________________________ Instruments and Electronics p55a Scientific Sensors ________________________________________ Astronomical Instruments. Do not interpret magnification too literally. Though high performance instruments are built as if magnifications were in the thousands, the magnification in the technical sense is seldom more than x100. Increased light gathering aperture or adding an integrator such as film (TL5) or a CCD (TL7) is more effective than raising magnification, which also causes distortion. Planetary Survey Arrays: There are in fact two different kinds, optimized for either surface imaging or atmospheric studies. Using a system configured for the other application is at -6. Resolution actually means resolution, a change in the smallest detail detectable, not a skill roll modifier. A low resolution surface survey array provides enough data to forecast of a nation's crops, or make a good guess where to prospect for copper ore. High resolution tells you Farmer Jones' wheat has blight, or lets you make a good guess where the copper bearing glacial erratic boulder in his north field came from. Low resolution atmospheric data allows broad climate studies and regional weather forecasts, high resolution gives you single point data on temperature, wind speed, air pressure, wave heights and direction, and trace components of the atmosphere. Both kinds of high resolution array use some active sensors. If these are turned off (for stealth) resolution falls to medium. Specialized Instruments: Astronomical instruments or survey arrays can be used to model more specialized instruments. Astronomical Instruments that cover only part of the spectrum (radio, microwave, infrared, visible, ultraviolet, x-ray/gamma ray, or high energy particles) use the same statistics, but can be assumed to provide more detailed information. Specialized survey instruments perform some subset of a survey array's function - look for a specific mineral, map geologic structures, monitor atmospheric pollution, measure heat flux for climate studies, etc. and have 0.1 times the weight and volume, and 0.25 times the cost and power requirements. Meteorology Instruments (TL5): A weather station instrument package. It can measure temperature, air pressure, wind speed and direction, water vapor levels, amount of sunlight, and atmospheric opacity at several wavelengths. Compact Weather Station (TL7): Does more or less the same job, but uses solid state electronic components and miniaturized sensors to produce a much smaller and more rugged system. Radiation Sensor (TL6): A simple instrument able to detect radiation, measure its intensity (to within a couple percent) and sometimes give some idea of its source. Magnetometer (TL7): An instrument for precisely measuring local magnetic fields. It can be used to map a world's magnetosphere, to measure the paleo-magnetic field locked in rocks, or even as a short range (few yards at best) metal detector. Plasma Wave Detector (TL7): An instrument for remotely studying plasma events by listening to their radio emissions. In addition to magnetosphere/plasma wind studies, it can detect lightning or other electrical discharges. Plasma Analyzer (TL7): An instrument for measuring the composition, motions and electrical properties of plasmas; most often used in solar wind and planetary magnetosphere studies. Fields and Particles Array (TL7): A more sophisticated radiation detector, measuring radiation, electrical and magnetic fields. It can perform some spectroscopy of radiation sources, functions as a magnetometer and plasma analyzer, and includes an ion mass spectrometer and various particle and photon energy detectors. Dust Analyzer (TL5): A device for trapping dust particles and measuring their size and surface roughness. Applications range from measurements of interstellar dust, to looking for smokestack injected pollutants in the upper atmosphere. Generally the analyzer will pass the dust to another instrument for composition analysis. Spacecraft systems are often called micro-meteor analyzers instead. Mineralogy Package (TL7): Provides a detailed probe of a solid sample -- elemental analysis, identification and percentages of minerals present, and information about the grain sizes and textures that can be very useful in determining crystallization conditions or weathering history. The sensors include an electron microscope, and x-ray and gamma-ray spectroscopy and diffraction instruments. Data interpretation usually requires a Geology roll. Seismology Package (TL7): An instrument used to measure ground vibrations. These can be earthquake waves, nuclear detonations or nearby conventional explosions. Earthquakes or nuclear explosions can provide data about the interior structure of the planet. Conventional explosions can probe the local geology, but lack the energy to provide information about anything more than a few miles deep. To function a seismometer must be stationary and in good contact with the ground. Seismology packages are related to geophones, but optimized differently and not interchangeable with them. Isotope Analysis (TL7): Measures the ratio of a few particular isotopes in a sample. It is primarily used to date samples, exactly what it dates in the sample history and the useful time span depend on the isotopes. Potassium, rubidium and uranium are used to date the last time geologic samples were molten. Carbon-14 dates the death of organic samples in the last few tens of thousands of years. Tritium dates used in groundwater studies tell how recently the water has been open to the air, and will work only for a century or so following the sea surface thermonuclear tests in the 1950s. Life Detection Package (TL7): Primarily intended for planetary probes, this is a set of experiments designed to detect microbial life. Generally it will not work if either the life or the planetary soil, atmosphere or hydrology are very different than the package designers expected. Indeed the system flown on the Viking Mars landers yielded ambiguous results because the Martian soil chemistry was unknown when the package was designed. Chemical Probe (TL6): An instrument designed to detect and quantitate a specific chemical or related group of chemicals. Depending on the chemical selected, this could be an explosives sensor, smoke detector, nerve gas warning system, water vapor detector, engine emissions monitor.... Elemental Analysis (TL7): A low resolution elemental analysis instrument, but good enough for prospecting. There are various types, proton scattering and natural gamma ray spectroscopy are the most common. The sensor may be blind to hydrogen (proton instruments), oxygen or metals used in the optical chain. Gas Chromatography/Mass Spectrometer (TL7): An instrument for precisely measuring the composition of a volatile material, such as a gas or liquid with a reasonable boiling point. It provides both elemental and chemical compound information, and is capable of resolving complicated mixtures. Neutral Gas Analyzer (TL7): A less accurate but much lighter instrument for analyzing gases and aerosols. Complicated mixtures will not be resolved, but most atmospheres are not that complex. It is also much faster than the GC/MS setup. Chemical Sensor Array (TL8): This is identical to that found in the sensor packages in Robots (RO11). It is equivalent to the human senses of taste and smell, augmented with the Discriminatory Taste and Discriminatory Smell advantages. Drug Analyzer (TL8): The description of this on UT2p88 is very unrealistic. Instead assume it vaporizes a pinhead sized sample, and can identify compounds only if they are present in the analyzer database. It can detect them at part per million levels if the rest of the sample is chemically unrelated, but as little as 10 times as much related compound in the sample masks the signal. If the compounds are not in the database, no information at all is provided about them, certainly *not* structural formulas. Scientific Sensors Table 5 Meteorology Instruments 40 2 $500 0.02 7 Compact Weather station 5 0.1 $20,000 neg. 6 Radiation Sensor 2 0.04 $100 neg. 7 Magnetometer 5 0.1 $5,000 neg. 7 Plasma Wave Detector 5 0.1 $5,000 neg. 7 Plasma Analyzer 30 0.6 $20,000 0.02 7 Fields and Particles Array 100 2.0 $50,000 0.05 5 Dust Analyzer 15 0.3 $2,000 neg. 7 Mineralogy Package 100 2.0 $500,000 1 7 Seismology Package 50 1.0 $20,000 neg. 7 Isotope Analysis 50 1.0 $250,000 0.2 7 Life Detection Package 35 1.0 $50,000 0.05 6 Chemical Probe 1 0.02 $100 neg. 7 Elemental Analysis 5 0.1 $20,000 neg. 7 GC/MS 100 2.0 $100,000 0.05 7 Neutral Gas Analyzer 10 0.2 $10,000 0.02 8 Chemical Sensor Array 1 0.02 $8,000 neg. 8 Drug Analyzer 0.5 0.01 $400 0.01 ________________________________________ Instruments and Electronics p56a Audiovisual Systems ________________________________________ Any Imager option (p50a) can be applied to Cameras. This replaces the current IR and low light multipliers. *Minicamera* (TL6): equivalent to a handheld camera, able to capture a few dozen modest resolution still photos. Halve weight and multiply cost by 5 for the digital version. *Audio Sensor* (TL6): a microphone with the same sensitivity as human hearing (0dB threshold). Unlike sound detectors it cannot range sounds or zoom in, but it can amplify sounds it can pick up in the first place. *Broad Spectrum Audio* (TL6): a modification to an audio sensor or sound detector that allows it to hear sounds from 0.2 Hz to 200 kHz (spanning the hearing ranges of all terrestrial animals) AV Systems Table 7 Minicamera 0.5 0.005 $80 neg. 6 Audio Sensor 1.0 0.02 $100 neg. 6 Broad Spectrum Audio x1.5 x1.5 x2 neg. ________________________________________ Instruments and Electronic p56a Deflector Optics ________________________________________ At TL12+ deflectors can be used to generate huge virtual mirrors. Sensors that benefit from large focusing areas - including all types of imagers, radar, ladar and sonar - can be equipped with deflector optics. Select a range multiplier; the weight of the system is equal to the sensor weight times 0.01 x multiplier^2 for passive sensors, 0.01 x multiplier^4 for active sensors. Volume is weight/50, cost is $2000 x weight and power consumption is 50kW x weight. Energy weapons can likewise extend their ranges with adaptive deflector optics weighing 0.04 x range multiplier^2. Sensors can be used at the base range with the deflector optics powered down, but beam weapons do not have this option. ________________________________________ Instruments and Electronics p56a Navigation Systems ________________________________________ *Civilian GPS* These are built not to work properly at high speeds, to prevent them from being used for missile guidance. Since accuracy depends on data sent from the GPS transmitter, the organization controlling the transmitters can encrypt the signal and reduce the accuracy of all but their own military GPS units, though radio-triangulation (accurate to about 1 mile) remains possible even if the signal is completely unintelligible. *GPS Transmitter* (late TL7): The package of precision clocks, accelerometers, star trackers and frequency stable transmitters needed to function as a element of a GPS constellation. Despite the implications of the GPS description, a single friendly spacecraft is not sufficient to implement a GPS solution. The absolute minimum is 3 transmitters in precisely known orbits - which requires a precision gravity map of the world orbited and transmitters that are not maneuvering. *Gyrobalance* (TL8): a precision orientation system. If operating under sufficiently fast control - software or neural interface - the vehicle has Perfect Balance. It can travel a minimum width path without danger, gets a +6 to control rolls for slippery surfaces, a +4 to resist being knocked over and a +1 to rolls of any sort depending on balance. *Inertial Compass* (TL8): A cheaper version of the INS, it provides the equivalent of the Absolute Direction advantage (pB19). The effect is to provide a +3 to navigation rolls. Navigation Systems Table 7 GPS Transmitter 200 4 $500,000 0.25 8 Gyrobalance 0.1 0.005 $5000 neg. 8 Inertial Compass 1 0.02 $250 neg. ________________________________________ Instruments and Electronics p59a Electronic Countermeasures ________________________________________ Laser Listening Devices (TL7): bounce a laser beam off a solid surface to detect vibrations in it, allowing sounds to be heard as if the device were a microphone located at that surface. 8 Laser Listening Device 12 .24 $1,200 neg. 9 Laser Listening Device 6 .12 $600 neg. 10+ Laser Listening Device 3 .06 $300 neg. Replace all three Jammer entries with: *Area Jammers* (late TL6): These devices broadcast a signal that interferes with certain kinds of sensors and communications systems. Its Jam rating is subtracted from all rolls to detect or communicate with things within 5 miles x the Jam rating. The location of the jamming field (but not what is in it) is automatically detected by any vulnerable sensor within 20 miles x the Jam rating. At TL6 Area Radar Jammers are available that interfere with radar or radio signals. At TLl2 Area Gravity Jammers can jam gravscanners and gravity ripple communicators. At the same TL FTL signals become available, Area FTL Jammers can jam FTL sensors or radios. FTL Jammers have ranges in light seconds rather than miles. *Active Jammers* (late TL7): Emit a pulse of energy in an attempt to confuse or temporarily blind a sensor, primarily to break homing locks. The targeted sensor must make a new detection roll at a penalty equal to the jam rating to retain contact (see Breaking Contact p171a). At TL7 active jammers are available that generate IR (against IRH), sound (ASH) or light (OH, SALH, TVG) pulses. Active Radar Jammers are TL8, Active Neutrino Jammers are TLl0 and Active Gravity Jammers are TLl2. *Deceptive Jammers* (TL7): These devices are designed to fool sensors by altering the signal emitted or reflected from the vehicle. The jam rating is used to spoof sensors, returning false information about the target or its location (see Spoofing, p171a). Available types of Deceptive Jammers are: TL7 Radar (vs. radar or imaging radar) TL8 Active Sonar, Infrared (but not Thermograph), MAD TL9 Sonic (any sonar, geophone, sound detector or hearing). TL10 Multiscanner, Neutrino Honing, Holo Jammer (against any optical sensor, including vision, infrared, thermograph, passive radar, ladar or imaging radar) TLl2 Gravity On the Electronic Warfare Table: Area Jammers are unchanged Rename Infrared Jammers Active Jammers and raise power to 2* Divide Deceptive Jammers by 4, and note a rating of 2 is useless under these rules modifications. ________________________________________ Instruments and Electronics p60a Computers ________________________________________ Additional Computer options: *Option -- Biocomputer* (TL8): The computer uses neural tissue - cloned or harvested from living brains - as part of the processor. It must also have the neural net or sentient option. This is largely a cinematic option, as nerves are so much slower than electronics that if there were any advantage to them and you understood them well enough to pull this off it would be faster to simulate the nerves in software. *Option -- Extra ROM Slots* (TL7): ROM slots allow the computer to run software supplied on ROM cards or chips. Computers normally have a number of slots equal to their complexity, this option doubles that. ROM software is 50% more expensive, but runs faster (+1 to skills where speed matters) and is more secure (it cannot be modified, accidentally or on purpose). *Option -- Gestalt Computer* (TL10): Augments the computer with interfaced living brains, an even more cinematic option than biocomputers. See UT2p33 for details. *Option -- Optimized* (TL7): A step back from Dedicated, an optimized computer is designed to do one thing well, but can run other types of programs. Add 1 to the complexity of the computer, but any software outside its area of optimization is treated as 2 levels more complex than it actually is. Allowable optimizations are up to the GM - mediaframes (UT2p33), cyberdecks and 'scientific' computers are the most common. *Option -- Tempest Hardened* (TL7): Tempest gear and SQUID devices cannot read anything from the computer. Hardened computers have this automatically. Computer Table Type of Computer Tiny 0.5 0.01 $200 neg. TL-7 Options Biocomputer x1.5 x1.5 x5 - +1 Extra ROM Slots x1 x1 x1.5 - - Optimized x1 x1 x1 - +1* Tempest Hardened x1.2 x1.2 x1.2 - - _____________________________ Instruments and Electronics p60a Limiting Computers _____________________________ The standard rules allow computers to outperform humans in virtually all areas. This might be realistic (though I think not to the extent GURPS takes it), but it clashes with many classic SF settings, and so devalues character skill it's hard to see why the computer needs the PCs. Some possible fixes: Drop the EM multiplier to software skill points. I recommend this for humans too, few (non-Lore) skills depend that heavily on memorization. Put an upper limit on TL improvement. Classic space opera computers rarely exceed TL7 performance (unless sentient), and a cap at TL 8 or 9 might even be realistic. Don't be fooled by growth curves; historically other technologies have had equally sharp ones for a while, and the curves for high end computers are much shallower than for personal computers anyway. Forbid skill programs entirely. Less realistic but often in genre, computers are limited to providing a bonus to the skill roll of the user. Forbid artificial intelligence and/or neural nets and/or sentient computers. _____________________________ Instruments and Electronics p60a Neural Nets _____________________________ Neural Nets (TL8) (and the term includes other learning systems) are much less similar to standard computers than the rules imply. Neural nets do not run programs, instead they are taught skills (use the AI skill to teach them). A 'net can be trained up to an IQ of Complexity +4 and 20 complexity^2 points worth of mental abilities. Most are trained to the IQ limit and taught a language at IQ at the factory, but cheap models may not be. A 'net can develop a personality as it learns IQ, factory trained models learn under identical conditions and have identical personalities, but field trained 'nets may develop unexpected quirks. Note neural nets do *not* necessarily have Eidetic Memory or any of the other advantages sometimes attached to Computers other than Reprogrammable Duty. Hardware neural nets are all unique, copying one is of similar difficulty to transferring a braintape. Sentience (TL10) Sentient computers are complexity 5 or higher self aware neural nets (software sentience is possible on neural net simulators). They begin with the standard IQ or 'net complexity +4, but have no character point limits and can increase their IQ through study like any other character. Most will have bought off Reprogrammable Duty or Slave Mentality. _____________________________ Instruments and Electronics p60a Parallel Computers _____________________________ Parallel Computing (TL7): Multiple identical computers can be linked to reach an effective complexity of one of the systems plus the log of the number of systems in the parallel architecture, with an overhead for the connection hardware of 0.1 lb and $50 times the square of the number of computers. Software written for standard computers will not run on parallel architecture and vice versa. ________________________________________ Instruments and Electronics p62a Terminals ________________________________________ The statistics on p.62 are for specialized vehicle control terminals, hardware designed to monitor and control of a complex device. They are not necessary for anything other than a vehicle or a large industrial process control system. The following options are available for terminals: *Option -- Personal Terminal* is a typical computer interface - a display, keyboard, pointer, removable storage system and printer - equivalent to the Peripherals package (UT30). If it is used to run something as complex as a vehicle, or interact with more than one program at a time, any skill rolls required are at -2. *Option -- Microterminal* a fairly minimal computer peripherals package - keyboard, low definition display and single removable media drive. Skill rolls for complex interactions are at -5. *Option -- Display Pad* is a small display perhaps with a simple input device like a track ball or keypad. It is suitable for map displays, videophone i/o, database readers and the like. It can not be used to control a vehicle, but a computer controlled vehicle could use one to display a status map and ETA, or get a new destination. *Option -- Compact* and *Option -- Hardened* These computer options are available for any type of terminal. Terminal Table Personal Terminal x0.5 x0.5 x0.3 x1 Microterminal x0.15 x0.15 x0.15 x0.5 Display Pad x0.025 x0.025 x0.15 x0.25 Compact x0.5 x0.5 x2.0 x1 Hardened x3.0 x3.0 x5.0 x1 ________________________________________ Instruments and Electronics p62a Software ________________________________________ *Operating System* (TL7): A command line, graphical or voice recognition operating system allows the computer to stop and start other programs, communicate with peripherals, schedule processor time, and parse commands in a single language with a skill of 2 x program complexity +4. Software is written for a specific operating system. If it isn't the system the computer came with, the alternate OS must also be running for the program to work. Cost is $250 x program complexity^2 *Intelligent Operating System (IOS)* (TL8): This software provides a limited intelligence. It can extract a useful model of the world from sensor data, understand and converse in a natural language, perform many simple tasks without additional software, and most importantly run programs providing character points rather than a flat skill level. It replaces the standard operating system. The program provides an IQ of complexity +3, a language at IQ, Absolute Timing, Eidetic Memory 2, Lightning Calculator, Mathematical Ability, Cannot Learn, No Sense of Humor, Reprogrammable Duty and Slave Mentality. Cost is $2000 times complexity^2. *Astrogation* (TL7): A complete interplanetary and realspace interstellar/ relativistic navigation package, providing a skill of 12 (or +4 to skill rolls). It can generate standard course control files for an autopilot or vehicle operation program. *Counterbattery Fire Direction* (TL6): Calculates the location of a gun or launcher, from either tracking data of a projectile it fired or observations of a particular launch by flash or sound detection from two locations. It requires 2 minutes if sensor data is entered manually, 2 seconds if the sensor is datalinked to the computer. Assuming successful detection rolls, the program has a skill roll of 12 to locate the firing position. Roll at +2 if the exact characteristics of the weapon are known, roll at -4 if tracking a self powered projectile (rocket, CLGP or scramjet assisted), guided missiles cannot be used to backtrack the firing location accurately enough to be useful for targeting. *Expert Systems* (TL8): provide a fixed level of some skill. While not intelligent or terribly creative, they can cope with new questions or situations. A Cx3 Expert System has a skill of 13 (easy skills), 12 (average), 11 (hard) or 10 (very hard). Each +1 to complexity doubles cost and adds 1 to skill. *Ghost Program* (TL14): A merger of braintape and sentient computer technology; a ghost program is a braintape that will run on computer hardware. It may be available earlier if both precursor technologies are. It includes the complete personality, memories and skills of the 'taped person, retains his IQ and DX (modified as for neural interfaces), and is self-aware and capable of learning. Complexity is racial IQ-2, regardless of the actual IQ of the 'tape. *Hazard Avoidance* (TL8): A program designed to prevent you from doing anything risky. It gives a +2 (and a minimum skill of 12) to any rolls to avoid a disaster, including control rolls, but also refuses to accept control settings that would require a control check or a vehicle HT roll, cause you to collide with something it can detect with the onboard sensors, pull enough gees to require a pilot GLOC roll, fall below stall speed without the landing gear down and a low altimeter reading, or exceed the legal speed limit. If they have it at all, military vehicles can easily turn off this program, but civilian vehicles may have dedicated computers running it constantly. *Net Client* (TL7): Allows the computer to use the resources of a particular data net. The standard Internet version supports e-mail, web browsing, a news reader and FTP. The other side of the link, the Net Server is a more complicated package; assume it is complexity log (number of clients). *Neural Net Simulator* (TL8): This program functions identically to a neural net of one complexity level less than the complexity of the program, using the serial computer to simulate neural net hardware. The great advantage is the learning system is entirely in software, so it can be copied as a standard computer program rather than by laboriously training an identical neural net under identical conditions. Cost is $5000 x complexity^2 *Professional Toolkit* (TL7): A software aid for a particular skill. It gives a bonus of +(Cx+1) to uses of the supported skill. Each level of increasing complexity doubles cost. Some skills may be more complex or expensive, but many which are difficult for humans are easy to support - detail heavy skill aids needn't be very accurate at all, merely remind the user of possibilities, and skills used under pressure can benefit considerably just from catching common dumb mistakes. Creative and people skills are the hardest to support. *Reader/Indexer* (TL7): The program needed to read a database. Most databases come with a free one, but separate versions for standard formats are available for $100 at TL7. Reader cost drops with TL, but databases are priced by the value of the data - $1000 per gig is an approximation. Huge public domain databases may cost little more than the storage media they are written on, and a few sentences can sometimes be worth a fortune. *Robot Operating System* (TL7): The software that provides the core functions of a robot: IQ = 3+Complexity, DX = 8+(Complexity/2), sensory processing, natural language capability, communications management, and the routines for hosting skill programs. Each model of robot requires a unique program. Robots normally run a version equal to their brain complexity (which takes up the difference in the number of programs they can run relative to normal computers), but this isn't required. A system with a lot of functions might run multiple copies of a simpler ROS to allow multitasking, and a new or custom design might have to run a less complex ROS because the more complex version isn't written yet! If multiple ROS need the same skill program, multiple copies of it will also need to be running. Cost is $2500 times complexity^2 *Skill Programs* (TL8): Programs that provide an ROS or IOS with a number of points in a skill - in brackets after the name, e.g. Navigation [2]. Use the system DX or IQ and the table on pB44 to find skill level. Two skill programs can not combine points, use only the higher total. Cost is $2000 per point, doubled for physical skills, multiplied by 2.5 if over 8 points, 5 if over 20 points. Complexity depends on the number of points, Cx1[0.5], Cx2[1], Cx3[2], Cx4[4], Cx5[8], Cx6[16], Cx7[24], Cx8[32], .... Cx+1[+8]. *Important*: Robots allows EM2 to multiply the points in skill programs, I recommend not allowing this. In addition to not making any sense, the difference for a typical Cx6 ship's computer is between skill 16 (competitive with the PCs) and skill 40 (PCs make good cannon fodder?) *Sound Editor* (TL7): This program allows the computer to generate music or other sound files, and permits recorded sound to be mixed, edited or utterly transformed. Add a speaker to create a universal musical instrument, or a microphone and CD burner to set up a record studio. *Task Programs* (TL7): Software that performs some simple specific task (at skill 12 +2 per added Cx in the unlikely event skill rolls are required). Typical examples include routine office tasks - keep the orders database sorted by priority, call routing (press 23 to continue); equipment or dumbot operation - run a machine tool, sweep the floor, label and stack cargo containers; or monitoring programs - filter a newsfeed for topics of interest, sound an alarm if a process goes out of tolerance. *Vehicle Control* (TL7): This program must be running for a vehicle to use computerized controls. Its complexity is equal to the log of the maximum number of control stations it can emulate at once (round up). There is no point being able to emulate more stations than the vehicle has systems, but it is sometimes useful to run more stations than the vehicle has terminals. If using a neural interface, this program must run *in addition to* the interface environment program. *Videomasking* (TL8): This program modifies a video signal in real time. The standard configuration mutes the background and improves the image of the central figure - masks minor blemishes, disarranged hair, bloodshot eyes, inappropriate clothing, fatigue in the voice etc. This improves his effective appearance by one level. The software can be configured to do something else though - generating a false background and making the central figure look or sound like someone entirely different are probably the most common alternate configurations. One could also run it with a security expert system to filter anything sensitive from the outgoing image. *Voice Synthesis* (TL7): Allows a computer linked to a speaker or audio communicator to generate a normal sounding voice. Cheaper versions (half cost) generate obviously artificial voices (treat as Speech Impediment); more expensive versions (x5 cost) can generate voices with the Voice advantage. Note the actual words must be provided by other software, Voice synthesis just reads them aloud. Computer Program Table 7 Astrogation $2000 2 6 Counterbattery Fire $4000 2 8 Expert System $5000 3 14 Ghost Program $25,000 IQ-2 8 Hazard Avoidance $3000 2 7 Intelligent OS varies varies 7 Net Client $400 1 7 Net Server varies varies 8 Neural Net Simulator varies varies 7 Operating System varies varies 7 Professional Toolkit $500 1 7 Reader/Indexer $100 1 7 Robot Operation System varies varies 8 Skill Program varies varies 7 Sound Editor $6000 2 7 Task Program $1000 1 7 Vehicle Control incl varies 8 Videomask $800 2 7 Voice Synthesis $800 1 ________________________________________ Instruments and Electronics p64a Cyborgs ________________________________________ The logical extension of the surgical neural interface - the brain and spinal cord of the user are removed from the body and installed in an artificial life support system. See ROp52 for more details. Cyborg Brain Table 8 Cyborg Brain 40 0.8 $50,000 9 Cyborg Brain 20 0.4 $25,000 10 Cyborg Brain 10 0.2 $12,500 Options 8 Compact x0.75 x0.75 x2 8 Ultracompact x0.5 x0.5 x3 Cost includes only a life support system suitable for a human brain - the actual brain is extra! ________________________________________ Instruments and Electronics p64a Neural Interfaces ________________________________________ The bonuses for neural interfaces, particularly multi-tasking (sidebar p177) are not really plausible. The interface does not speed up the slow step - human decision making - and certainly doesn't allow you to process sensory data better or give you an instinctive knowledge of ballistics. For flashy bonuses link to a computer running the appropriate software aids; all the interface itself does is replace the control panels. Likewise if a gun has the sensors and servos for an HUD or pupil scanner, a neural interface can use them remotely, but it doesn't replace them. I recommend dropping all the special features of the neural interface except *maybe* a +1 to rolls that would benefit from quick reaction times. It might even be realistic to give no bonus at all but replace your DX with [Will/2]+5 if that is better. *Induction Pad* (TL10): A variation on the induction field, the user touches the interface (inserts a finger, grabs a handle, rests a hand on the pad) and is instantly interfaced. *Induction Fields* (TL10): can cover much larger volumes than simply a crew station. These statistics are per cubic foot of field, minimum 100 cf. *Option -- Interface Lock*: Any interface environment can be configured to check the brain pattern of the users. It can refuse to connect those not properly authorized, or it may allow limited or downgraded access - for example anyone may be allowed to jack in and turn on the emergency autopilot, but only those in the security database can fire the main gun. Physical interface locks, which check DNA segments, require special models of interface jacks or simply old fashioned keys are also possible. Interface Pad neg. neg. $6000 neg. Induction Field 1 0.02 $2000 0.001 Interface Lock - - +$4000 - Downgraded interfaces officially are available at lower prices: +3 skill, 2/3 cost; +2, half cost; +1, 1/3 cost; +0, 1/4 cost or full cost 1TL early for TL10+ systems. Other options (hostile interface, feedback loop and telepathic interfaces) are described on MEp98.