Doesn't it seem a little odd that the Photographic memory edge provides none of the benifits that come from the Mnemonic Enhancers? They improve memory, Photographic Memory means you instantly recall anything and everything you ever experienced.

Things it might also include:
With use of transducer and chip/datajack: Int*100 in available "MP" for downloading paydata or storing video feeds. Skillwire design would preclude the use of MP for this, since you remove the chip and the skill goes away with no memory possible.

50% reduction in karma cost for knowledge/language skills, 25% for active since those tend to be less about book smarts and more about repitition and cognition, level 1 is now free to learn for knowledge/language skills

2 free successes on any knowledge skill test

Comments?

Memory does not equal comprehension; some areas of the brain are better at some things than others.

Right, if memory doesn't equal comprehension, why does the Mnemotic Enhancer give skill bonuses?

Also, the current game effect is you don't have to keep notes, for 3 points I'd rather keep notes.

Photographic Memory doesn't cost 45,000 nuyen or take up 0.60 Bioware, nor does it hit your health or otherwise impact your character in any negative way whatsoever, either.

Mnemonic Enhancers are not an implant-version of Photographic Memory. They have a similar benefit (albeit requiring an Intelligence Test to recall things like everyone else, just with a +6 die bonus), but since the implant was designed specifically to enhance the portions of the brain that deal with learning and comprehension, it naturally gives a much more tangible bonus than just having a perfect memory does.

But the description of the implant states that because memory is so important in the learning of skills and improving them, reduce the karma cost by a certain amount.

Yea, and the description on every headache med in the pharmacey isle says its the best.

Since when did everyone start believing all the descriptions.

Photographic memory = you can recall anything you've memorized.

Mnemonic enhancer = You memorize things faster/more efficiently, decreasing learning time (karma) and increasing recollection.

Photographic memory = you can recall EVERYTHING whether you memorised it or not. (By defination, you recall everything you memorised anyway, if not, you only tried to memorise it)

And the subtle difference between recalling and memorizing?

-Siege

You needn't memorised to recall, but if you say you memorised something, you must recall it.

Total recall has the same effect as memorizing -- you can't help but recall it.

And something memorized will fade if you don't revisit it periodically.

-Siege

Maybe it shouldn't be as good as what I detailed, but it should be at least as good as Mnemoic enhancer 3 if not slightly better.

Photographic (or better eidetic) memory is just that: Plain data without comprehension. To a certain extend everyone possses an eidetic memory at birth and through early childhood. The majority however loses that trait over the years (it can still be trained however to a limited extend ... for example children's games like "Memory" do just that).

A person with such a trait can consciously and subconsciously memorize large amounts of data without comprehension of the contained knowledge. So such a person can take a look at a large mathematical formula and later on reproduce it in every detail, without the sligthest understanding of what this formula means.
Unlike the description of the SR Edge "Photographic Memory", in reality this trait is even for those who are gifted with it not totally unlimited. Just as anyone else they will forget at least some of the memorized "pictures" over time.

The Mnemonic enhancer however doesn't allow instant memorization of such a formula, but shortens the time to actually understand its meaning (leading to the karmic cost reduction for increasing the corrosponding skill), thus finally leading to a point where the user can reproduce the formula not from a "picture" in his head, but by sheer knowledge of its backgorund.

Actually, total recal memory never fades (certain biological functions aside, like intense physical sensation that might prohibit or inhibit normal life ie. pain) it is always on tap, ready for you to pull it up.

Even after reading that I still think the edge should have effects similair if not identical to mnemonic enhancers.

I'm surprised no one has suggested making it an adept power...

Ahh, you've never played in my games then. A fav RP combo of mine is phtographic memory and flashbacks, wow that's a fun one.

I guess I don't think it's too unreasonable to ask for extra benefits from Photographic Memory, although maybe not the same ones as the Mnemotwink Enhancer. If you compare it to other 3-point Edges, it's decidedly inferior: the others include Connected, Daredevil, Perceptive, Friends Abroad, all Edges which can exponentially improve a character concept if used well. Photographic Memory is about the mechanical equivalent of having a few Mps of headware memory to take notes on.

Photographic memory doesn't do the same thing as Nmemonic enhancers. People with a photographic memory will be able to look at a list of phrases in another language, and will be able to recall that page and even remember that -blah- meant -blah- in english. This is not the same thing as learning the language.

I've known people with a photographic memory and although they did extremely well in high-school and even early university classes, they were not able to perform as well in classes that required digestion, mutation, and adaptation of information given to them. It can be useful, don't get me wrong, but it's actually a burden when trying to learn abstracted knowledge that you can then apply in another context.

indeed. mnemonic enhancers are geared towards helping you learn, which is different from simply being able to recall.

that said, i do agree that photographic memory should have a stronger effect than what's in the book.

Funny. I notice no one has looked at the comparison from the other direction.

Thread Question:
If Edge = Bioware, how come edge doesn't act like bioware?

Alternate Question:
If Edge = Bioware, how come bioware doesn't act like edge?

You could argue just as easily that the Mnemomic Enhancer is mistaken, and should give the same bonuses as the Edetic Memory. And the reasons would be exactly as valid, because the reasoning would be symmetrical.

The difference is that the character would have fewer bonuses, of course. And we can't have _that_.

Not at the cost for mnemonic enhancers, we can't.