Double Features (OOC)

[Aoiroo]

Double Features OOC

[Fox]

OOC questions! Two of them.

1) How much is Dragonfly, as a meta-concern, allowed to know about the VCR? Obviously I know what it is and where it's from, I've read CF's sheet; is there anything Dragonfly could or (more importantly) could not possibly realize, for either plot concerns or just properties of the device I'm not aware of from looking at your sheet?

2) Presumably the device contains some manner of computery bits and/or nanites; would they respond to datalink if the thing was/was not plugged in?

[Aoiroo]

1. Roll for the first one.

2. I think it probably has to be plugged in.

[Carces]

Anything on my sheet is open game. Heck, I'm pretty easy if you want to make up stuff too. That's what role-playing's all about.

The device had an injection method - a one use stick-your-finger-in deal that Vance stumbled on. There's likely traces of the stuff still there too.

The VCR bit, as far as I was concerned, was an actual VCR. The device was intended as a self-contained experiment where subjects would inject themselves with the nanite solution, wait in solitary confinement, and then watch video recordings of super heroes that the nanomachines could respond to.

It should also be obvious to Dragonfly that the methodology behind both the nanomachine and the trigger were rather sloppy and dangerous - the byproduct of a shortening deadline and expendable subjects.

[Fox]

Auto-20 on Dragonfly's Notice check (Mental Quickness, taking her .6 seconds) for a total roll of 25. Probably not necessary, but fun for the narrative. I'm assuming that something designed to be used as part of the unit isn't incredibly well-hidden; correct me if I'm wrong and I'll edit the post.

The power device (a prototype for what powers Dragonfly's own gear) and the gutted wireless device I'm furiously handwaving as being things a workshop might have around...much less Dragonfly's workshop, where she has her oddball mix of hashed-together junk and fancier, heavy-steel-and-glass sort of creations.

[Aoiroo]

The logo she's showing is a SHADOW logo though Sil has never actually heard of them before.

[Fox]

Dragonfly probably has (daughter of a villain who did business with other villains and all), but rolls will happen anyway. Dragonfly's home-field advantage is almost cheating, really.

Datalink + Online Research + Computers skill = Gather Info roll of 26 if she takes 10. It's a publicly-known symbol she may or may not have already known, so that's probably far more than she needs.

EDIT: Can't use Mental Quickness for Online Research! My bad. I have gained wisdom from learning this. Her search probably takes a minute or two, then.

[Fox]

For flavor (more! More possibly unnecessary OOC posts!) Dragonfly's either using Datalink to sweep the VCR for responding technology, or stunting some sort of Detect Technology off her Datalink power. It amounts to the same thing.

[Fox]

Skill rolls!

Knowledge (Life Sciences) (1d20 + 6=11)

Nnnnno. She has, at minimum, one (possibly her full two) HP left. Let's use one.

Knowledge (Life Sciences) REROLL (1d20.minroll(11) + 6=22)

Better! That's just within the given range Dr. A gave me when I asked in chat what the DC would be like to identify Grue cells.

I don't trust you, dice. Taking 10 on her Knowledge (Technology) roll, for a 26, which ought to be plenty. Comics bleed nanotech. Sometimes literally!

[Aoiroo]

I have nothing to add for Sil at this point, so go ahead and continue the story.

[Fox]

Go-go Gadget Datalink. OOC post of the roll for the records!

This, fortunately, IS her area (darn biology ) and she'll just go ahead and take 20. That's a Computers 'roll' of 36, at 100x speed.

[Fox]

Dragonfly should have...what, one HP left? Let's spend that sucker.

She gains the temporary use of the Contacts feat, allowing her to take 20 on Gather Information checks. (Also, technically, she could make the checks in one minute; for dramatic purposes I'm ignoring that part.)

With her Online Research, she can now take 20 on her Computers check instead of Gather Information. Datalink to the warehouse's Computer feature and the search is on.

Since this is part of a plot you're starting up, it seems, you get to be GM here. (Gather Info) Computer check of 36, looking for information on the woman and her possible current whereabouts.

[Aoiroo]

Darn, I'm gonna have to make this stuff up as I go now. Carces, input about Vance's missing boss? I mean she's been gone for two months, have you thought at all about what has happened to her?

[Carces]

Sure have.

SHADOW wasn't after the VCR-device, as the entire project was considered a failure and the facility was raided before the good doctor was able to produce actual results. Lady Tesla is an expert with particularly old, electronic devices and offered her services after her "retirement" to hold a treasure trove of villainous equipment - and no one had more of that interesting stuff than SHADOW back in the day.

Her expertise and the devices hidden in the vault include Null Zone technology - and a sect of SHADOW, wishing for the glory days of der Ubermensch, has been trying different methods of persuasion to get her to work towards portal technology.

Tortures are out, as she is still an old woman who wouldn't survive particularly painful stuff. Thus, they're trying spirit-breaking techniques and hypnosis, and brain-washing which takes a great deal more time.

If the investigation went sour, or there wasn't an investigation at all, I figure SHADOW will eventually turn to coercion by looking up friends and family - the only person who would show up on a search like that would be Vance, her employee.

Of course, as I mentioned, I'm pretty easy as far as how plots turn out. If we want to go somewhere else with this, that's good too!

[Aoiroo]

So, an old lady still needs saving, and Vance might of been dragged in eventually if Sil hadn't brought it up. Sounds reasonable.

[Fox]

Should probably go ahead and just reply to Sil. Having Dragonfly spend another few minutes on the search sounds like a good excuse to decompress after many many posts of and technobabble.

[Fox]

Assumptions check before I post, since you'll be the one using it (and possibly GMing its use?):

A little video screen like that would either be a single pp (a video camera's just 2/5ths of a pp; cell phones or PDAs (which are capable of the job) are 1/5th a pp; I figure the remaining ep would be eaten by making it so small, leaving a 1pp invention that's basically Feature (plays video off memory cards). That's a design check she could make in 4.5 seconds, and a construction check she could make in about an hour, no chance of failure on either check.

or

It could be considered buying the Limit off his Shapeshift, however temporarily. That's something like 13pp, probably inside a Device for the discount - say 9 to 12pp. That's 2.7 to 7.2 minutes to design, 18 to 48 hours to build.

Assuming, naturally, that they actually want her to build the thing.

[Aoiroo]

They'd most likely want her to make it, though Sil won't let it pass without giving her something in return, so Dragonfly will probably get a nice little scarf or something the next time she sees her.

[Carces]

Yeah - absolutely build it. I'm rebuilding Creature Feature anyway to fix some forms and correct some math. Working out something shouldn't be too big of a deal.

[Fox]

Side note - maybe should've been more clear. Or I'm being paranoid, heh. Anyway: I'm not snubbing your post, Dragonfly just really doesn't want to talk about money. She's decently well-off (for now) and wouldn't charge for a project this 'simple.' So, with her mighty powers of nonexistent social skills, she's figured that if she doesn't talk about it, maybe it'll get forgotten.

[Aoiroo]

Sil's probably going to bring her a scarf next time they meet regardless.

[Aoiroo]

Hehe, Sil sleeps around usually four am until at least noon the next day because she doesn't have steady employment that requires her to get up in the morning.

[Fox]

Dragonfly's an awful liar with no family, and when she attends theater she actually attends theater - anything I added at the moment would be bland filler. Carry on!

[Aoiroo]

God, Vance has a one smile minimum moment for any thread he's in honestly.

Let's see, rolling computer knowledge, 18, huh, not much action this thread, so use Sil's luck HP for another roll,

30, okay, I think Sil can honestly crack whatevers there.

[Fox]

I hadn't even considered how she'd have that computer set up. But assuming they'd just know how to use a proper command line seems very Dragonfly-ish, and that post was hilarious. It's official, then: most (if not all) of Dragonfly's computers either lack keyboards/mice, or are stuck with a command line unless you can get them to switch to something more user-friendly.

Yeah, with a 30 on an already-logged-in computer you could certainly find your way around whatever ungodly customized system Dragonfly runs. Certainly enough to either bring up the browser, or switch over to a 'normal-looking' operating system. That computer has a lot of games (mostly old first person shooters) and a solid internet connection, and hooks into the warehouse's larger computer network, where Dragonfly keeps things like logs and designs.

Fair warning: if she catches you playing her logs she'll give you such a pinch, you'll wish she hadn't pinched you so bad.