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Fu-Man Chu
I was thinking about a Rigger character and I wanted to see what ideas had been done around this before: Have there been ideas about a Rigger that jacks into the JIM Driving Exoskeleton. I figure with a VCR 3 (Essence 5, 300K) and the JIM Suit - that's the equivalent of +6 +3d6 to init with a Combat Pool of Reaction +6! That's pretty difficult to get with just Wired (which cost 500K). In addition, there's a Str boost to 7 (to 10), and Armor Rating (Ballistic I assume) of 6! What do you guys think?
Fygg Nuuton
well, the problem is unless your underwater, you arent going anywhere. and its not a vehicle,. so you cant rig it.
Sphynx
Yeah, statistics given for the suit are for in-water. I'd not allow for the 'driving' of it via a VCR (It's not driving, it's just body movement), and would increase all TN's for interactions above water by at LEAST 4. It's just not made for surface work, and is very bulky.

Sphynx
Siege
If you absolutely gotta have mecha, I think "Rigger 3" has numbers for anthropod vehicles.

-Siege
Fu-Man Chu
QUOTE (Sphynx)
Yeah, statistics given for the suit are for in-water. I'd not allow for the 'driving' of it via a VCR (It's not driving, it's just body movement), and would increase all TN's for interactions above water by at LEAST 4. It's just not made for surface work, and is very bulky.

Sphynx

QUOTE
Yeah, statistics given for the suit are for in-water.  I'd not allow for the 'driving' of it via a VCR (It's not driving, it's just body movement), and would increase all TN's for interactions above water by at LEAST 4.  It's just not made for surface work, and is very bulky.


Ahhh, I see -- I didn't realize that the statistics are just for in water usage. I guess the bulk would make it difficult to use when out of water. Thanks!
Fygg Nuuton
but try for an anthroform, they kick nine different types of ass
Velocity
QUOTE
Fygg Nuuton wrote:
but try for an anthroform, they kick nine different types of ass

True dat.

While we're on the topic, what do you think of stealthing anthroforms? Do you think a good enough rigger could get a remote-rigged anthroform drone to be, well... sneaky? I kinda envision anthros to look like Terminators with all the flesh peeled off (or like Deus' skelbots) and the concept of them tip-toeing around makes me giggle.

I ask only because the rigger I GM has suggested (several times) that he'd like nothing better than to sit in his war wagon and "do the run" through a disposable android. I balked at the thought (check out the stats on their Armor and Strength and you'll see what I mean; if I don't allow the samurai in my group milspec armour, I sure as hell won't let the rigger drive one of these indestructible monstrosities) and justified my decision by highlighting all the "stealth" runs the PCs have to do.

Thoughts?
Stonecougar
Actually...

Hate to burst collective bubbles, but it does say in the description of the JIM suit that "A suit may be modified for rigger interface, which eliminates these penalties and confers the benefits of a vehicle control rig. Riggers jacked into a JIM suit substitute their Control Pool for the Combat Pool."

So, what you get is a suit that on a normal user is bulky, slow, and hideously unusable. But with a rigger in it, it turns into Power armor, a la Starship Troopers.

And yes, those stats are for underwater. But what's to say it *can't* be used on land? Or in outer space? The difference would be so minimal as to be inconsequential. My rigger has one in his closet for those really nasty missions when heavy security armor just won't do it...
Person 404
Just because a machine (or anything else) works underwater doesn't mean it will above water. The thing is most likely calibrated/constructed so as to take the environment into effect; lifting a given weight underwater is much easier than doing it above water, and out of the water, a JIM would have to have much more powerful motors, bearings, joints, etc. to stand up and move around than under it. The difference is far from inconsequential.
Stonecougar
Actually, at the depths the JIM suit is designed for working at, the motors *are* more powerful. We're talking Marianas-trench depths here, where anything less would be crushed, and water doesn't help with weight that much, since you're fighting so many atmospheres of pressure. Therefore, if anything, the JIM suit would be overpowered for work on land.

But then, I don't know much about physics, so I could be wrong.
mfb
um, i'm not a physics major, but wouldn't lifting something underwater actually be harder? given that you've got to move the object through a much thicker medium, and whatnot.
Person 404
Friction is greater, but buoyancy starts to play a role. If you've got a bathtub, a barbell, and some time, you can prove to yourself that it can be easier to lift a given weight in water than air. I don't have Rigger 3, so I wasn't aware that this thing was for extreme depths (though I suppose I could have guessed). In that case, The JIM might require some adjustments to work on land, but I can't see that it would require anything extreme (unless the JIM heavily depends on a water environment for cooling, or somesuch).
Stonecougar
That's what I figured... it's for extreme depths, and I don't think water cooling is an issue. Honestly, I'd think it should be an option to have it electronic-ed up so that it could be easily switched back and forth... think about how suddenly, you don't need a forklift... how about a troll in a JIM suit? Suddenly that pallet of rebar is a lot easier to lift... and, once rigged, it becomes a very effective piece of equipment... you won't be dancing anytime soon while wearing one, but it does become effectively rigger power armor.
Fu-Man Chu
QUOTE (Stonecougar)
That's what I figured... it's for extreme depths, and I don't think water cooling is an issue. Honestly, I'd think it should be an option to have it electronic-ed up so that it could be easily switched back and forth... think about how suddenly, you don't need a forklift... how about a troll in a JIM suit? Suddenly that pallet of rebar is a lot easier to lift... and, once rigged, it becomes a very effective piece of equipment... you won't be dancing anytime soon while wearing one, but it does become effectively rigger power armor.

QUOTE
That's what I figured... it's for extreme depths, and I don't think water cooling is an issue. Honestly, I'd think it should be an option to have it electronic-ed up so that it could be easily switched back and forth... think about how suddenly, you don't need a forklift... how about a troll in a JIM suit? Suddenly that pallet of rebar is a lot easier to lift... and, once rigged, it becomes a very effective piece of equipment... you won't be dancing anytime soon while wearing one, but it does become effectively rigger power armor.


That's what I was thinking about, a rigged power armor -- but I was unaware that such a think existed already in the Rigger 3 (at least, that's what the anthromorph dones sound like). The JIM suit is actually in Cannon Companion under the Diving Equipment.

So. . . any concensus as to whether my rigger idea is plausible? Or is that Control/Combat Pool only available underwater?
Buzzed
The suit becomes less boyant in air, A LOT LESS BOYANT. Same rule applies for depth in water, the deeper you go, the more boyant you get as the water pressure wants to shove that air upward more and more, even if it means crushing you to get the air out.

So working above water would simply not work for the JIM. It would be like having a ton of iron chained to each of your limbs. Good luck being able to stand up.
Stonecougar
Well, we can debate this 'till we're blue in the face, but the one that really counts is your GM.

I have flexible, easy going GM's who are willing to let things go for cinematic effect, 'cuz they know I won't cheese it. Other GM's aren't so lenient.

All in all, ask your GM. That'll be your final answer.
TinkerGnome
Looking at rigger 3, building your own exo-suit based off one of those shouldn't be hard at all. Use the large anthroform, boost the CF to six or better and put in a standard seat. You're starting out with strength 9, and you can add armor till you're sick of it (with the right engine, 11 points isn't a problem).

Of course, actually doing all this would be subject to GM permission and all that.

[edit]Where are the JIM diving suits mentioned, exactly?[/edit]
John Campbell
QUOTE (Siege)
If you absolutely gotta have mecha, I think "Rigger 3" has numbers for anthropod vehicles.

Yeah, but they suck. You can't put fusion plants in them, and even the biggest ones don't have sufficient load to carry PPCs ... er, I mean, ANDREWS systems, anyway. biggrin.gif
Stonecougar
JIMs are on page 57 of the Cannon Companion.
FlakJacket
QUOTE (Velocity @ Oct 6 2003, 08:32 PM)
While we're on the topic, what do you think of stealthing anthroforms?  Do you think a good enough rigger could get a remote-rigged anthroform drone to be, well... sneaky?

For what you're thinking of, you'd be better simply using cyber-arms and legs, a torso and skull and just whacking a battery into the whole rig-up somewhere. Since all the cyber bits are already designed to be human and with stuff like snake-eyes systems it's even easier. smile.gif
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