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Do you have Ideas for Psi-Mechanic,s New Psi-device?

A 'Mind Block' circuit breaker that prevents machine mechanics from working on a device.

Using "See Aura", and or "See the Invisible", in a Cell phone with a camera or a digital camera or camcorder works well for those who like to use these toys.

Smartphones, tablets, E- readers and other handheld items are the **** in the hands of psi-mechanics incidentally. Using the vibration features can enable talents like Presence Sense, Sense Evil, Sense Magic, Telepathy, Detect Psionics, Burst of Light, and more. All of them can be set up as "apps" on their tablets, ("Sensing Evil? I have an app for that.")

personally, i'd not extend psi-mechanic powers into programming. IMO, they have to build a physical device.

basically, i see Psi-devices as being more analog, not digital.

Well, one may not be able to make psi powers directly into programs, but I don't see why a power's activation and use could not be controlled by software. From a game mechanics perspective, flipping a switch isn't any different from tapping an icon.

mrloucifer wrote:Using "See Aura", and or "See the Invisible", in a Cell phone with a camera or a digital camera or camcorder works well for those who like to use these toys.

Smartphones, tablets, E- readers and other handheld items are the **** in the hands of psi-mechanics incidentally. Using the vibration features can enable talents like Presence Sense, Sense Evil, Sense Magic, Telepathy, Detect Psionics, Burst of Light, and more. All of them can be set up as "apps" on their tablets, ("Sensing Evil? I have an app for that.")

I love that idea, Steven!

Tinker Dragoon wrote:Well, one may not be able to make psi powers directly into programs, but I don't see why a power's activation and use could not be controlled by software. From a game mechanics perspective, flipping a switch isn't any different from tapping an icon.

I agree.

That said, maybe you flicked an interesting mental switch there [pun intended]. Perhaps it could be said, the nature of psi-mechanics is after all open for debate and interpretation, that psi-mechanics require the mechanical [sic!], i.e. real tangible levers and switches to work. That would give old computers, like the house sized one that gave rise to the "bug" term or like the half-"computer" code machines (enigma) etc., a new reason for existence when a psi-mechanic thinks about creating a computer. Admittedly, that would be a bit steam-punkish but it would also make the psi-mechanic's version of a smart phone - something with levers and old type-writer buttons instead of the smarty new fanggled stuff - into something special. The questions I would give to myself when writing that up would be how would Lovecraft see a smartphone, how to empathize / reimagine the essence of a smart phone / computer ... with levers and real buttons?

I am not saying that this idea should exclude a Digital Mage version, but it would help delineate BtS Digital Mage from a Psi-MECHANIC.

Cheers
Hendrik

Hendrik wrote: Perhaps it could be said, the nature of psi-mechanics is after all open for debate and interpretation...

I see what Hendrik said as being just as applicable as what I was doing. It should come down to the flair of the character and what suits their interests and abilities.

In one example, I've got a 40-something year old Psi-Mechanic NPC who is a "Car & Boat Mechanic"; an old school mechanic in all senses of the word. The kind of gadgets he owns includes things like the following:
-His favorite zippo, which can cast "Burst of Light", "Fire Bolt" and "Steam Blast".
-His "Investigative Coveralls", in which he has installed copper wiring, batteries and conduits of various sizes in various places and a "press button" sewn inside the left breast pocket. In doing so, his coveralls can provide him with "Impervious to Cold", "Resist Fatigue" and/or "Levitation" when pressed.
-Owns a "Mechanic's Scan Tool" (a hand held code reader), that can "Detect Psionics", "Sense Evil", "Sense Magic", or "Presence Sense" when powered up.
-A Walkie-Talkie unit that offers "Telepathy", when turned on. he still has to hold his head like he's listening/intending to speak into it, but he's not required to speak into it.
-A Welder's Mask that can cast "Empathy", "Mind Block", "See the Invisible" and/or "See Aura" when the lid is flipped down and powered up.

In this case, this stuff fits into his day to day life as a mechanic and old school tool mentality, and his gear could very well go into a "steam-punk" like feel as Hendrik mentioned, and that's perfectly fine in my book.

Then there's my 20-something, modern day, computer hardware tech head Psi-Mechanic NPC, and she has gadgets like what I mentioned up above earlier:
-a Trifield Meter (a Gaussmeter, electric & radio strength reader) that can also "Detect Psionics", "Sense Evil", "Sense Magic", and "Presence Sense".
-A TASER X26C that can cast "Telekinetic Bullets, "Steam Blast" or "Fire Bolt" when powered up.
-An iPhone that can cast "See Aura" and "See the Invisible" via the camera function, and an app for casting "Burst of Light" when needed.
-A Bluetooth Headset that can cast "Empathy", "Mind Block", "Telepathy, and/or "Telekinesis" when powered up.

My point here is that both do similar abilities, but use very different devices to accomplish them. To me, its one of the more dynamic, creative, and funnest aspects of playing Psi-Mechanics. And of course they share the same limitations, like limited parties who can use their devices (in a bit of humor, most people can never get Carl's Zippo to even light up, thinking its busted or out of fluid).

I do not have issues between using older hardware or newer tech, as long as the tool makes sense to who and what the mechanic is. Its really all about making the toys an extension of the Psi-Mechanic. For example:

-A hardcore gamer may build devices out of old Nintendo and/or SEGA console parts, games and controllers (The old Nintendo "Power Glove" would be a great toy to resurrect here).
-A Trucker may build devices into his rig (making installing things like a deprivation tank for "Bio-Stasis Trance" more mobile), but this limits his use of some of his talents when his rig cant go with him. A helicopter pilot or a Biker would have a similar issue.
-A stage magician would be able to "hide out in the open" with his gimmick tools as his gear defies logic and generally only works in his hands to begin with.

In conclusion, be creative and make the toys part of the character.

Side Note: I'm working on an Alternative Psi-Mechanic P.C.C. for the upcoming "Ghost Hunter/Ghost Story" sourcebook for BTS, aimed at specializing his tools for ghost hunting. I hope that interests you all.

mrloucifer wrote:My point here is that both do similar abilities, but use very different devices to accomplish them. To me, its one of the more dynamic, creative, and funnest aspects of playing Psi-Mechanics. And of course they share the same limitations, like limited parties who can use their devices (in a bit of humor, most people can never get Carl's Zippo to even light up, thinking its busted or out of fluid).

You nailed it! I agree 100%. I guess there should even be a firmer pointer in the rules (... or a sourcebook ... or Beyond Arcanum) that the items of the Psi-Mechanic MUST be an expression of the character's core history/profession/passionate hobbies. You examples are exactly how I would see it and such examples would benefit the class in an official book to illustrate the spirit. I love Psi-Mechanics. The only danger about them is that the become a "super psi guy by items".

mrloucifer wrote:I'm working on an Alternative Psi-Mechanic P.C.C. for the upcoming "Ghost Hunter/Ghost Story" sourcebook for BTS, aimed at specializing his tools for ghost hunting. I hope that interests you all.

You know it

Natasha wrote:http://palladium-megaverse.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=10&t=106015&p=2048990

Thank you, Natasha.

My pleasure.

Today's idea: A super soaker, powered with Hydrokinesis.
The features:
-An added on LCD screen allows "Sense Chemical Impurities" when pouring water/liquids into the tank.
-The water tank can be used to "Boil Water". The tank may need to be replaces with a metal on if you want to get technical about boiling in plastic.
-The gun end is the obvious use for "Water Spout"
-The LCD screen can be used for the "Sense Water" ability, guiding him in the directions needed to find the open sources and identifying water damage.
-Simply holding the gun while submerged in water will work for "Underwater Invisibility"
-Holding/using the water gun while in the rain would work for "Water Stealth".

Today's random idea: Installing "Bio-Stasis Trance" and "meditation: Advanced" inside of a coffin. The Psi-Mechanic may be a bit emo to do this, or might own a hearse or something to drive it around in.

something to keep in mind is that most of our high tech devices nowadays, like smart phones, iPods, etc, are all made from printed circuits. everything they need to function are mounted to a single piece of plastic, and connected by thin lines of metal printed onto the plastic. effectively, they have only one or two actual 'parts' once you remove the casing.

this will effect how well you can modify them, since most hardware changes will pretty much require you to scrap the original printed circuit and scratch build your own circuit boards.. something that rarely allows you to fit as much into the same space.

but i see no reason you couldn't take a page from modern manufacturers, and build extra hardware that you could hook up to a non-modified version. modern smartphones now have lense assemblys on the market that convert the built in camera into near professional grade optics. you have external sensors that can hook up via USB or bluetooth to do things like enviromental sensing, medical checks.. heck, there are Xray accessories being worked on right now, which use smartphones as the brains of a portable Xray machine.

so i see no reason you couldn't build a "see invisible" lense array that can be strapped to a smartphone. or a sense magic sensor-doohicky that can hook up to a smartphone and display it's readings there. (even analog systems can be set up to convert their results into digital forms for display on digital devices.)

Glitterboy and Memphisto... I meant to add my two cents concerning this, and forgot to.

In playtesting, Ive had players perform both methodologies of psi-devices: ones where the devices function normally even with psychic abilities installing into them, as well as ones that once modified can no longer do their original function. And this is my take on it: either way can work, and should be left up to the player that created the character.

I have a player who loves the idea of putting random junk together to make his character's devices (he did something where he created a rifle out of a toaster, PVC piping, a ceiling fan motor, a drill and other things I cant think, just to be able to use Telekinetic Bullets in it. He kept his regular stuff and his Psi-stuff completely separate.

Then there are the players of the devices I've mentioned earlier, where they are tech heads who install their abilities into their smart phones, tablets, laptops, printers, etc that they use daily.

Now, this is a case of where the personal preference can be a pro or a con:
Both characters have run into situations where their devices have been destroyed. What Ive found that happens here is that the tech head becomes naked quickly when his psi-device cell phone he could have used to call in his buddies in for back up was destroyed while being in harms way, leaving him on his own, and with little help to fight off all of the Gremlins that he was trapped inside of a home improvement store with. A bad situation to be in...

The "Junk-Man" on the other hand, had lost his psi-devices, but still had his regular satellite phone accessible to him when he fell down into a hole into a mine shaft, trapping him down there. As the satellite phone wasn't put into present danger when he had to deal with a Kroguar, it was still accessible to him.

So really, in my opinion, its almost more interesting to the GM to let the player built their psionics into their day to day items, because when they lose them or they're destroyed (and it does and should happen), the severity, the danger and subsequent terror of it all is suddenly that much more intense.