Question on sensors Options

[Leehouse]

I attempted to use the search function, but wasn't able to find an answer.

When it comes to drone sensors, is there a way to increase the sensor rating. If it isn't in the BBB, would it be in arsenal, or unwired? Would adding vision enhancement to cameras(cameras being part of the sensor package) give a bonus on sensor checks, perception checks, or neither?

Thanks

[Heath Robinson]

It's in Arsenal. To upgrade the Sensor rating you have to upgrade all of the sensors except unrated sensors.

Vision and Audio enhancements don't give you any bonus to general Sensor rating checks, but do when you're using sensor independantly.

[RedeemerofOgar]

It's in Arsenal. To upgrade the Sensor rating you have to upgrade all of the sensors except unrated sensors.

Vision and Audio enhancements don't give you any bonus to general Sensor rating checks, but do when you're using sensor independantly.

While technically Arsenal did say that, it doesn't give any rules on HOW to upgrade the sensors, or what they cost. Rules we have:
Sensors, p.325 BBB: Vehicle Sensor Package has 12 Capacity & 5 Signal, drones have less based on table. We also have the phrase "if more than one sensor in a package applies to a Sensor Test, use only the highest rating." We are told in Arsenal that the Vehicle Sensor Package normally fills itself with 2 cameras, 2 Laser Range Finders, 2 Motion Sensors (these do not come with ratings), an Atmosphere Sensor (this has rating 1-3, and costs 25Y per rating), and a Radar (rating 1-6, 200Y per rating). Arsenal also tells us "If a character improves the ratings of all the individual components in a sensor package, the overall Sensor rating of the vehicle should also be improved accordingly."

If we take all statements as true, it seems to me that you can upgrade a vehicle from Sensors 1 to Sensors 3 for 450Y, by raising the rating of the Radar and Atmosphere Sensor, since nothing else in the package has a rating. If that is true, I can't figure out why I had to jump to so many pages across two books to discover that Sensors cost 225Y per rating from 1-3 and 75+200Y/rating for 4-6 (since atmos is only upgradeable to 3). Seems too simple somehow compared to the complexity offered.

[Heath Robinson]

Ayup, you got all that correct. The fact that it takes 2 books and something like 6 pages to tell you that is indicative of how badly organised the Matrix and Vehicle rules are.

My current GM houseruled that Sensor can be bought up at the same cost as Pilot. That's a lot more painful unless you're planning on spamming the same drone model.

[Rotbart van Dain...]

It's in Arsenal. To upgrade the Sensor rating you have to upgrade all of the sensors except unrated sensors.

Of course, upcoming Errata will allocate a Rating and Capacity for Enhancements to both Cameras and Microphones.

Vision and Audio enhancements don't give you any bonus to general Sensor rating checks, but do when you're using sensor independantly.

They do, however, provide extra dice to Perception Tests, which vehicles/drones are allowed to make as well. In fact, most of the time, they are better off doing Perception Tests - Sensor Tests are mostly for (indirect) Targeting.

[raggedhalo]

We use a houserule (based on the upcoming errata mentioned by Robert) where we change the cost of all sensors to (Rating x Original Cost), where Rating is the number of enhancements the individual sensor can hold. It's on a scale of 1-6.

You then average all the ratings of the sensors in the vehicle and that's the Sensor rating.