Re: [BNW] Dampening field question and another spoiler question

[Sean Michael Whipkey <highway@cstone.net>]

MKirk2112@aol.com wrote:
> 
> In a message dated 7/28/2000 10:13:56 AM Eastern Daylight Time,
> crow_steve@hotmail.com writes:
> 
> << Anyway, back to the question. How can the dampening fields used in delta
>  >prisons be maintained? some part of the equipment that needs maintaining
>  >(if
>  >not the main generator itself) would have to be within the dampening field.
>  >When the gadgetter enters this field he looses his ability to maintain the
>  >device. the only way for him to maintain it would be for the generator to
>  >be
>  >turned off, which isn't viable in prison situations (what sort of maximum
>  >security prison only works 23 hours a day).
>  >
> 
>  Perhaps maintenance isn't part of their power?  From the Delta Prime book,
>  page 97:
> 
>  "Items CREATED by a gadgeteer are _products_ of her powers, not the powers
>  themselves."
> 
>  *shrug* It's a valid question, but IMO the mechanics between what a
>  Gadgeteer produces and maintains, and at what point(s) their "power" kicks
>  in, is still mysterious at this point.
> 
>  ---
> 
>  Steve Crow
> 
>  "Worm Can Opener Extraordinare"
> 
>  Check out my website at:  http://www.geocities.com/Area51/Stargate/4991/ >>
> 
> I was thinking along similar lines as Steve, but I'm still not sure where I
> stand on this issue.  This is difficult primarily, as he said, because the
> way the gadgeteer power functions is not clearly delineated ... yet (go, go,
> Gadgeteer sourcebook!).
> 
> IF the gadgeteer's "powers" are only involved in the design and creation
> stages of the gadget, and not in the tinkering stage, then there is no
> problem because the tinkering and maintenance part do not require the delta
> power.  However, this opens up a HUGE can of worms if this is the case,
> because this would suggest that a gadgeteer could have a very large number of
> gadgets ... all she would have to do is to hire "tinkerers" (who could be
> regs) to do the tinkering and maintenance on her gadgets.  That, because of
> obvious game balance reasons and because of the rules for maintaining gadgets
> already presented in the rulebook, is not a likely option for how the
> gadgeteer power works.  It appears that the design, creation, AND tinkering
> are all part of a gadgeteer's delta powers.
> 
> In fact, you could interprete the statement in the book about a gadget not
> being the power but the product of the power as indicating that the tinkering
> aspect is indeed an expression of their delta power.  Since the power
> dampening devices are not the power, then the tinkering stage is an
> expression of the delta power (since the gadget has no power).  Therefore, I
> have no idea how they maintain the power dampening devices.
> 
> The way we do it in my game is to say that the actual parts of the gadget
> that need to be tinkered with are far away from the effects of the field.  To
> use a poor metaphor here, we think of the power dampening device working like
> central air conditioning.  There are "ducts" that carry the power dampening
> effects into the prison which then flow through "vents," but the mechanical
> device that does the actual power dampening is very far away from the "vents"
> located throughout the prison.  So, the gadgeteer still has her powers when
> she is working on the "works" of the power dampening field because where the
> power dampening field device is located, there are no power dampening effects.
> 
> Yeah, it's a stretch, but that's the way we think of it <laugh>.
> 
> SPOILER ALERT!
> 
> SPOILER ALERT!
> 
> SPOILER ALERT!
> 
> SPOILER ALERT!
> 
> SPOILER ALERT!
> 
> SPOILER ALERT!
> 
> Another interesting question, that I'm sure has already been discussed in
> this group before I joined it, is why in the world Facade was not whisked
> away with all the other alphas during the Bicentennial Battle?  He would have
> to have been protected in some way similar to the alphas in prison, e.g. with
> a power dampening field.  However, his powers would cease to function then
> (uh-oh!!!).  I suppose he had his own private power dampening device so that
> no one could see him when his powers ceased to work?  And if that were the
> case, he would have had to have been in on the use of the bomb to know it was
> coming.  I haven't a clue!  Any thoughts?

It actually has been discussed before.  As an Alpha, Matt Forbeck left
hints that he doesn't necessarily "revert" when his powers are taken
away, and that he simply arranged to be in a power dampening field
during the event - i.e., touring a prison, or in the one that surrounds
the White House.

SeanMike


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SeanMike Whipkey - Geek-a-mondo
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