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The Psionics Superpower of Telemechanics

Posted: Sat May 18, 2024 11:57 pm
by darthauthor
Does the Telemechanics power let its user apply it to a musical instrument?

For example, they use it on a piano and from it temporarily know how to "operate" the piano (play it).

Re: The Psionics Superpower of Telemechanics

Posted: Sun May 19, 2024 8:48 am
by Grazzik
Which Telemechanic power? RUE pgs 183 &184 have 4 telemechanic powers, 3 of which may potentially fit your question.

Is the instrument an electric instrument or a manual instrument?

Telemechanics
- Manual instrument: yes, applies. Uses manual input, like pedaling a bicycle. Knows how to operate (press keys, step on piano pedals), knows which keys/strings create which note. Cannot make music, just sound. Music is art, not operation. To make music, must have a play instrument skill of some kind to understand the concept of music, or the sing skill to play by ear. Otherwise, only as good as a non-musical person trying to hum a tune they once heard.
- Electric instrument: yes, applies. Same as manual instrument, except that would know the programming of preset music tracks and how to record/upload them and which keys would replicate the music track.

Telemechanic Mental Operation
- Manual instrument: No, requires an electrical or other power source.
- Electric instrument: yes, applies. Same knowledge as Telemechanics power above.

Telemechanic Possession
- Manual instrument: no, requires an electrical or other power source.
- Electric instrument: yes, applies. Same knowledge as Telemechanics power above. However, is able to make the machine generate any desired sound regardless of what key is "pressed" mentally or the instrument was programmed to make. So, operator simply uses the instrument as a means to make the desired sounds. Still needs musical knowledge or talent to make more than just sound.

Re: The Psionics Superpower of Telemechanics

Posted: Sun May 19, 2024 9:50 am
by ShadowLogan
See above. I also agree about the "art" aspect of music.

Re: The Psionics Superpower of Telemechanics

Posted: Mon May 20, 2024 8:45 am
by Nekira Sudacne
It will tell you the exact functionality and mechanical operation of the instrument.

For electronic instruments, you could even play them mentally with Telemechanic Operation.

Making music that sounds nice is different.

You could use Telemechanics to tune a piano. Putting on a concert still requires more than just basic operation of the instrument.

Re: The Psionics Superpower of Telemechanics

Posted: Mon May 20, 2024 2:39 pm
by darthauthor
Question #2:

"Can a psychic with Telemechanics use it on a normal computer and use it, for the duration of the power, with the skill proficency of computer operation at 88%?"

Note: I mean the Telemechanics from Rifts Ultimate Edition page 183.
"The psychic's skill knowledge is equal to an 88% skill proficiency and applies to all aspects of the machine, its operation, repair, special codes, programing, etc."

Question #3
"Does the power grant the psychic the passwords to unlock or open the computer to use it as the owner/user does? (check email and that sort of thing)

Re: The Psionics Superpower of Telemechanics

Posted: Mon May 20, 2024 4:11 pm
by Nekira Sudacne
darthauthor wrote: Mon May 20, 2024 2:39 pm Question #2:

"Can a psychic with Telemechanics use it on a normal computer and use it, for the duration of the power, with the skill proficency of computer operation at 88%?"

Note: I mean the Telemechanics from Rifts Ultimate Edition page 183.
"The psychic's skill knowledge is equal to an 88% skill proficiency and applies to all aspects of the machine, its operation, repair, special codes, programing, etc."

Question #3
"Does the power grant the psychic the passwords to unlock or open the computer to use it as the owner/user does? (check email and that sort of thing)
2) yes, though only the computer operations skill not programming.

3) yes it includes passwords stored on the computer itself. It does not include passwords stored remotely. E.g. the email server is remote.

Re: The Psionics Superpower of Telemechanics

Posted: Mon May 20, 2024 5:40 pm
by darthauthor
WOW Nekira Sudacne

Good answers.


Question #4:
"Does the Telemechanics power grant computer repair skill at 88% when used on a computer?"

Question #5:
"Does the Telemechanics power grant the temporary skill of Aircraft Mechanics at 88% when used on a hover-craft/sky-bike?"

Question #6:
"Does the Telemechanics power grant PILOT: hover-craft skill at 88% when used on a hover-craft?"

Re: The Psionics Superpower of Telemechanics

Posted: Mon May 20, 2024 8:14 pm
by Nekira Sudacne
4, 5, 6, the power does what it says it does. It says the 88% applies to all aspects of the machines operation and repair, so yes, yes, and yes.

Please note, that for some things, E.G. Power Armor Combat, the skill to pilot a war machine is not automatiaclly the skill to fight well in it.

Re: The Psionics Superpower of Telemechanics

Posted: Tue May 21, 2024 12:18 am
by darthauthor
So, you could use Telemechanics to "Pilot" a Glitter Boy from A to B

But it does NOT make you a "fighter" pilot of a Glitter Boy.

Anybody can fire a gun, just because you know how to load it, take off the safety, and pull the trigger does not mean you can hit the "bulls-eye" on the target down range.

Still, more and more, Telemechanics impresses me.

IF I could find an empty and unguarded SAMAS I could run off with it.
IF there is a wingman piloting another SAMAS he could gun me with what I guess is twice the number of attacks and bonus while I am running or flying away.

Might make a nice distraction for the rest of the team.

Now how would I get away... ?

Even if I jumped out of the armor I'd have to disappear.

And all of that is after pulling off the minor miracle of somehow hi-jacking an empty and unguarded SAMAS.

Re: The Psionics Superpower of Telemechanics

Posted: Wed May 22, 2024 8:37 am
by ShadowLogan
Yes you can use it to pilot the PA with some (decent level) proficiency due to the power, but you won't have any real proficiency when it comes to tactics/strategy or any thing that might qualify as "muscle memory" that come with utilizing it (ie Robot Combat, even basic) as that isn't necessarily derived from the schematic and performance blocks.

Though I will say the idea with the SAMAS and then jumping out of the armor has the big issue that you might not be able to just "jump out" like you envision (maybe for the boarder line PA/Bot style like the GB, but not the more "armor" style of a SAMAS or Flying Titian).

Re: The Psionics Superpower of Telemechanics

Posted: Sun May 26, 2024 10:58 am
by Nekira Sudacne
darthauthor wrote: Tue May 21, 2024 12:18 am So, you could use Telemechanics to "Pilot" a Glitter Boy from A to B

But it does NOT make you a "fighter" pilot of a Glitter Boy.

Anybody can fire a gun, just because you know how to load it, take off the safety, and pull the trigger does not mean you can hit the "bulls-eye" on the target down range.

Still, more and more, Telemechanics impresses me.

IF I could find an empty and unguarded SAMAS I could run off with it.
IF there is a wingman piloting another SAMAS he could gun me with what I guess is twice the number of attacks and bonus while I am running or flying away.

Might make a nice distraction for the rest of the team.

Now how would I get away... ?

Even if I jumped out of the armor I'd have to disappear.

And all of that is after pulling off the minor miracle of somehow hi-jacking an empty and unguarded SAMAS.
The problem with stealing military hardware isn't the difficulty in turning the war machine on or driving it off: it's the fact that they're generally stored in a location surrounded by lots of armed men who will be very angry at you and will generally be willing to destroy the machine to keep you from getting away with it :)

The fact that Telemechanics bypasses the need for passwords and keys doesn't really make stealing a SAMAS any easier. Turning the thing on, was never the hard part.

Re: The Psionics Superpower of Telemechanics

Posted: Sun May 26, 2024 3:09 pm
by darthauthor
Nekira Sudacne,

Very True.

Military bases have security.

The pilot would really have to have an moment of Grand Stupidity to leave their SAMAS unguard and unlocked

I guess it would be like a fighter pilot flying their fighter jet into a combat zone landing it getting out.
That never happens.

Sneaking on to the base it is kept is walls or at least fenses, security guards, electronic motion detector alarms and such. With Dog Boys sniffing around for magic and even detecting the use of Psychic power such as telemechanics.

Getting to it and getting away with it, after using the power of Telemechanics is harder than actually doing the thing.