security override

[Liam Devlin]

Originally posted by Archhealer:
Liam Devlin, thank you for that!! Those look like a GREAT way to streamline the hacking system rather than always winging it, and I have some players that just recently started trying to hack into every computer system they get their grubby little paws on.

Why thank you Archhealer . Mr. Adkins & I were studying the same problem from differing angles, and his experience in setting up security networks and building computers helped immensely with this article.

I had completely overlooked the hard-wire tapping aspect (Gearhead feat), which for the TNE-era of play is far more likely with dead data systems found in the Wilds in my original thesis towards discovery of AI-Virus in a data system.

I will pass along your praise to him, as he is co-author of this. Thank you sir!

Game On!

 

[aramis]

For me, the idea of remote hacking is absurd; most computer systems on ships would be specifically designed to not use non-wired connections. This is part of hijacking resistance. It is a safety measure for planets as well.

 

[Liam Devlin]

Originally posted by Aramis:
For me, the idea of remote hacking is absurd; most computer systems on ships would be specifically designed to not use non-wired connections. This is part of hijacking resistance. It is a safety measure for planets as well.

Agreed, Aramis. And in T20, the computer's architecture must have be either a slave or master computer with the means of control between one another, as well as have the Miscellaneous program Master / PP 5/ cost 5Kcr in it, plus 1 PP per slaved unit.

The remote hacking is for those with Server programs, which most starships do not possess, unless say they are a luxury liner with an onboard internet service in staterooms, and this is usually firewalled off or separate like a medbay computer is from the bridge main computer.

Game On!

 

[archhealer]

I have a player who has been wanting to have a master compuer with multipled server robots to crew his ship; he doesn't want to have to hire an engineer, or a medic, or a steward, etc. and wants to have robots handle it, but especially at lower TLs, this is impractical in T20... thus, servers. Maybe I'll allow it, just so somebody can hack his robots...

 

[Liam Devlin]

Originally posted by Archhealer:
I have a player who has been wanting to have a master computer with multipled server robots to crew his ship; he doesn't want to have to hire an engineer, or a medic, or a steward, etc. and wants to have robots handle it, but especially at lower TLs, this is impractical in T20... thus, servers. Maybe I'll allow it, just so somebody can hack his robots...

Archhealer:

Sounds like the chap (PC) is also paranoid!

He doesn't trust fellow living sophonts as crewmen too. Add in his frugality and he may get exactly what he asked for--and then your NPC villain (s) using popularly purchased Robot & Computer Software IDP (Imperial Design/Data Plans) mark him and his ship for hijacking.

Robots memories can be wiped, and programming replaced. Poor devil will discover that his robots, [if they are found ever again], cannot bear witness against your villains--unlike living crewmembers.

That is, IF they leave witnesses...

 

[Liam Devlin]

Archhealer:

As a sidebar digression of sorts, here is the link to two very fine pdf's by CoTI's very own T20 Stellar Reaches Fanzine author/editor in chief Flynn aka Jason Kemp:

http://www.comstar-games.com/traveller/ss1-robot-charted-sapce.php

and this one:

http://www.comstar-games.com/traveller/ss2-robot-adventures.php

Worth the price, and both useful for what your PC believes he can accomplish & your plotline!

Game On!

[Edited for name correction-Sorry Jason! ]

 

[Andrew Boulton]

Originally posted by Andrew Moreton:
Blowing everthing up was our plan A most of the time

I keep forgetting you're lurking here!

Quite often you'd all come up with a more subtle Plan A, but that usually went out the window pretty quickly.