Does this throw anyone else for a loop? So I'm working on a Houseboat for a character's primary residence, and figured since it was going to be a home, I should have interior cameras installed, but then I started wondering, what's the ratings of those cameras? Do they affect my sensor package? Could I just use Improved Sensor Array and use some of that space for interior cameras? Which would be the better deal?

Additional thoughts:

Are there any rules for underwater drone racks? I haven't seen anything, but was planning on installing a small flying drone rack and calling it an undersea rack. I'm planning on getting a Lone Star Sea Eye or two for additional security or emergency escape contingencies.

I'm thinking of keeping a jet ski handy, do you guys think I need to include Special Machinery/Storage to accommodate the extra vehicle?

On the jet ski note, if I were to stick Ballast Tanks on it (the character has an internal air tank, heh), do you think I'd also need to do some Environment mods, or do you think I could justify it as is? We'd be talking going no deeper than 10m.

I swear I had a few other questions in mind, but I can't for the life of me remember them now...

EDIT: Ah, here is one other question I forgot about: What do you guys think the difference would be between Luxury and High level amenities on a Houseboat? I know its really only for flavor, but I don't know if a hot tub alone would be worth two more slots

If you were my player, I would not require Special Machinery for the jet ski. That seems like something the houseboat would have built in, or at the very least you can tow the jet skis behind.

I imagine the interior cameras are separate from the vehicle's other senors, and they default to Rating (Sensor of vehicle), or maybe Rating 1 if you're feeling stingy.

I'd just get the Interior Cameras, myself. Occam's Razor and all.


No rules specifically, but as a GM I'd certainly let you specify they were "marine drone racks" - and not let you land fliers or ground drones with 'em.


If you want to park it INSIDE, then yes, a "marine garage" would probably be neat to specify. A rack on the deck or roof, with a winch for raising/lowering the jetski (or very small motorboat) would also work.

Or, as observed, you could just tow the sucker behind you. I rather assume that a houseboat comes with an embarkation area suitable for swimmers and smaller boats, towards the back and/or on one or both sides.


Definitely environment mods. Typical jet ski uses an air-breathing engine, and submerging that long-term can't be good for it.

That is all along the lines I've been thinking, _Pax._, though I hadn't considered that the jet ski would likely use an IC engine, that's an excellent point, but does suck since it'll cost me my final open slot to do the environment mod

I've been looking at specs and floorplans of houseboats and haven't really seen where most have a dedicated winch/harness system for other craft, but I don't know how secure I feel leaving it tied up!

As far as I know, the Interior Camera No Rating issue was one created by anniversary edition.
Prior to 4A, cameras were Unrated. Arsenal was made for 4th, so its cost reflects that.
Just an issue of never being updated.

I would say just add the cost of the actual camera you want to the modification cost, and treat it like it's actually designed to work together.

Yeah: as long as you're *paying* for what you get, it seems silly to sweat it too much. When you start talking about vehicles the size of houseboats, things like interior cameras stop being very important to track in terms of mod slots. IMO.

Get an advanced anthitheft system. Leave the pilot of the jetski with instructions to alert the houseboat of any theft attempts.

Equip the houseboat with a freeze-foam cannon, and direct it to fire on the jetski "and all occupants" in the event someone tries to steal it - while calling the harbor patrol to report the theft.

Problem solved.

The reason you'r enot seeing a winch-and-lift for jetskis on a houseboat, is because people ARE just tying them up to the back nowadays. Or, you're nto looing at nice enough houseboats / yachts. And even those tend to have a winch, to haul the smaller craft up out of the water andinto the "garage" / storage bay.

One example: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gp5LP-oP7EA

A second example: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GEwtn5r5mHM...feature=related

A third: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3gO5DNzT-_Q

...

And you know, having seen those videos, now? As a GM, I think I'd make a dock/garage meant for just a single jet-ski, cost the same in cash and mod slots as a Large Drone Rack. Maybe even one step smaller.

If you just want to have an underwater get-away vehicle, there are stats for an underwater sled in the german Arsenal. It's the Proteus Monosled. Here's a translation from Sengir in case you don't have access to the book.

-CJ

The Proteus Lamprey is in Arsenal, and is also an Underwater Sled.

There's also the SK Subskimmer, on page 28 of Deadly Waves.

It was less about having an escape vehicle and more about just having a sort of Batman or Bond-like jetski

This thing will be a residence, so it really isn't going to go far. Since it is a house boat, it wasn't going to be going into open waters or rough seas, so it will always be relatively close to a shore. I figure with the internal air tank, the character can pretty much just jump in and slowly make her way to land. So an escape vehicle really isn't necessary.

You can say its a big enough vehicle that I don't have to be nit-picky about the slots, but that's what I've always done with Shadowrun...ah, good old CFs, how I miss you.

I frequent Lake Powell, and there are like a half dozen main ways people do this. The most common for not taking up space on the back(so people can still swim and such) is a winch that looks like a small crane, usually on the aft- port side of the upper deck. Another option is small ramps right off the back. The material would be just wood or metal with a sort of carpet for the wave runners to slide up onto, no winch needed just a place to secure(it should probably have a winch). Deploying a jetski like this would only be like a complex action It also depends on if you're talking about a see-doo jetski that can hold a few people or like one that you stand up on. The solo crafts are extremely light, and I'm sure securing and deploying that would be no problem.

Essentially, something the rough equivalent of a Large Drone Rack, but specifically for jetskis and "similarly sized surface watercraft" (like a dinghy).