Sorry if this is already buried somewhere, but I didn't find it with a few searches.
While toying with ideas for a character for a game, I decided upon a synth of some variety, but can't say I'm fond of going blind due to Dazzlers or Crazers. Now, Panopticon has a wide variety of new camera types, some of which are immune to the effects of such devices (such as fiber cameras), or not detected by them(?*), and presumably they could be adapted as ocular sensors for synths fairly easily. However, I'm approaching this game as someone whose background is humanities, rather than anything STEM, so I have no idea how feasible this is a) "realistically" or b) mechanically in terms of cost for the upgraded eyes, etc.
*This is a related rules adjudication question. Both the Quantum Dot and Flat cameras mention that they are hard to detect using a Lens Spotter, but not immune to Dazzlers or Crazers. I'm assuming the both the Dazzler and Crazer have to be able to spot the eyes/cameras before nuking them, and thus function as Spotters as well. Would it then stand to reason that if a synth could have either type of camera as an ocular sensor, there is the possibility of a Dazzler or Crazer just not recognizing the synth's eyes?
Could anyone fill me in on this, and if there are any homebrew rules for the nonstandard eye upgrades already? My GM was looking for some general guidelines, as he's also solidly in the humanities area of things.
As a side note, about forever ago I had asked about the Hydrostatic Pressure Augmentation vs. the Extreme Pressure Augmentation. I'll be honest, with the answers I got, I still don't get it. I get the game mechanic difference, but I still don't know why I wouldn't take the former rather than the latter for tramping around on Venus (barring the temperature, of course) if I didn't want the COO and movement hit. Can anyone ELI5 the difference between pressure from gas vs pressure from liquid, and if/why those two augmentations don't overlap?
Thanks all.
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Panopticon, Synths, Eyes and Lenses.
Thu, 2013-08-22 20:57
#1
WussyDan
Panopticon, Synths, Eyes and Lenses.
Fri, 2013-08-23 14:49
#2
nerdnumber1
Eye-augments
Eye-augments
I'm not sure about RAW Dazzler/Crazer-immune optical sensors, but another option is to just take an exotic sense augmentation that lets you perceive the world without eyes, such as radar or sonar. Besides allowing you to function after being blinded, these exotic senses give you versatility since they can detect things your eyes can't. Sure you might not be able to read or determine colors while blind, but you can still shoot whoever blinded you.
Another option is tac-net, so you can see out of your friends' eyes. Again, it has pros and cons compared to normal eyes, but it helps even when you aren't blind.
If I were a GM, I would probably allow some augment that makes you immune or resilient to Dazzler/Crazers, but it would have to be expensive/irritating enough not to make Dazzler/Crazers obsolete, yet cheap/easy enough to be worth it for such a situational upgrade.
Pressure-augments:
I'm not particularly familiar with the pressure augments that you refer to (nor do I have a perfect understanding of that particular intersection of biology and physics) and the books aren't in front of me, but do note that Eclipse phase is not always very good at making all its options balanced, especially between books. I know that conditions on Venus are high-pressure, hot, gaseous, and acidic where as Europan conditions are high-pressure, liquid, and cold. I think that it is easier to adjust the interior pressure of a creature in water to match exterior pressure than it is to do the same in a gaseous environment.
I don't think that helps, but there is also the possibility of price difference. The surface of Venus is only visited by desperate, expendable indentures (or forks of indentures) to less-than-friendly corps that are less concerned about comfort than their bottom line. Therefore, the cheapest option that won't completely prevent the ego from doing the job will be used. There is more reason to go the extra mile for water morphs, apparently.
Fri, 2013-08-23 18:20
#3
WussyDan
Both pressure augs are
Both pressure augs are actually Expensive, so price really isn't a factor. To clarify, with regards to the pressure augs most I'm trying to see if there's any reason the hydrostatic one wouldn't work for atmospheric pressure (to its rating of 500 or 2500atm for bios or synths) or the atmospheric one for water pressure (to its rating of 100atm).
Fri, 2013-08-23 18:31
#4
nerdnumber1
I was afraid it was something
I was afraid it was something like that. I think it might be the case that you can equalize water pressure easier than highly corrosive gas pressure. There are few problems letting European water to diffuse into your body to equalize fluid pressure (assuming your morph is designed for that), but you probably don't want sulfuric acid to be on your insides. (Note: I am trying to think up a good explanation that fits the rules, but it is quite likely that this design choice wasn't fully thought out.)