(no subject)

[thebitterguy]

I'm working on adding a slightly better rules system to Top Secret SI for computers. Previously, Computer Technician was a catchall skill with an Electronics pre-requisite. It allowed PCs to modify, build & repair computer equipment (including terminals, printers, modems, disc drives, etc) and program or use computers.

Now, Top Secret SI is an espionage game, and I'm planning on using it for Delta Green, so what I want to do is setup a three part skill tree for computer use.

There would be a basic skill skill, which has only one level and would let you use a computer. There would be a computer programming skill that would allow someone to develop computer programs and databases and require computer use as a pre-requisite. There would also be a computer security skill that would allow people to create or bypass computer security systems.

These seem to be the elements that will be necessary for an espionage game. The Computer Technician skill will still allow people to build, maintain & modify hardware.

I'm wondering if A) that seems like a logical assumption on my part, and B) if the Security skill should just requie the computer use skill as a pre-requisite or the computer programming skill.

(crossposted to roleplayers)

Comments

[viktor-haag.livejournal.com]

From my point of view, computer hardware and software are largely decoupled areas of interest at this point. There are a large body of folks who inhabit the grey area between software and hardware (especially where that grey area aligns with actual industry needs, like the "firmware" interfaces that exist to support hardware and their associated software control systems).

Accordingly, I would make the Computer Hardware skill sub-tree a specialized branch of Electronics (or a peer of Electronics).

In the Software end of things, there are again a bunch of different skill sets:
- Computer Use (using your computer and its applications to do stuff at a high level)
- Scripting/Hacking (the first level of 'going under the hood': using tools that most Computer Users would not be comfortable with to interact with computers at 'lower level'; also includes automating that behaviour through simple scripting languages)
- Development/Programming (the second level of going under the hood: using tools to write new applications for an existing computer system)

The second of these skills is akin to "modding your existing car" by overdriving it, putting on simple after market components, and so on. In this set of skills, you're still basically manipulating components that someone else has built, but using them in non-standard ways, manipulating them and joining them together to produce odd effects, or configuring them to operate in non-standard ways.

The third of these skills is akin to dropping the engine out of your existing car and using your own metal lathe to build new fundamental engine parts which you can then stick back in, or adding a custom-built nitrous system yourself, or something similar.
In this set of skills, you're building your own components from scratch.

I would say that high levels of skill with the first and second of these sets would be appropriate for DG agents in the field. The third skill (Development/Programming) might be useful to lean on as a resource (well, I know how this operating system is put together so that knowledge can support my hacking skillz), but I wouldn't say it has all that much use in the field, mostly because think about the time involved -- scripting/hacking's advantage is speed: you don't have to spend the time to build your own engine, you just go and buy a blower and bolt it on to your existing carb.

Does that help?

[thebitterguy]

Agreed about Hardware; that's why I want to keep the Computer Technician skill separate from the other skils.

The software skills are a good suggestion; what I'm looking for is probably something more simplififed. TS skills are 1-5 levels, so it would probably be that scripting things might be something that the first couple levels of each skill might encompass.

Development would probably be for level four and five of both skills, with the particular skill determining what they can be used for.

It's primarily because I'm afraid a generic computer skill would be a bit too powerful; I have bad memories of early Storyteller games and guys with a high opinion of what a few levels in computer should be able to accomplish.

[rbowspryte.livejournal.com]

Delta green..it's been a long time, and crickey Top Secret SI ...even longer!

[thebitterguy]

I'm all about the old school. Although that's more middle school, really.

They just re-released Delta Green in hardcover.

Random musings about that

[absinthe-dot-ca.livejournal.com]

Just a thought, but generally to know anything about "computer security" you'd better know something about networks besides how to find your own IP address (although that would also be essential).

Caveat - I know nothing about Top Secret SI...

If you wanted to *really* simplify things you could have:
Level 1 - basic computer (surf the web, use basic software)
Level 2 - Intermediate hardware (build and repair PCs from off-the-shelf components))
Level 2 - Intermediate software (write simple macros, scripts, or programs, configure server software such as webservers)
Level 2 - Intermediate network (wire a network up, configure wireless or firewall)
Level 3 - Advanced hardware (also requires electronics, allows you to design your own chips, etc)
Level 3 - Advanced software (write complex software programs from scratch)
Level 3 - Advanced network (troubleshoot networks, write your own network software, etc)

Then computer security could require at least one level 2 specialization, but more level 2 or level 3 specializations would give (more of) a bonus.

This is just off the top of my head, and in some ways it's a drastic oversimplification, but that's what you get in an RPG.

Also as a fairly general guideline, any "level 1" task could be completed in a few minutes, "level 2" tasks in a few hours, and "level 3" tasks in a few days.

(There's no place like 127.0.0.1)

Re: Random musings about that

[thebitterguy]

The way TS skills are setup is that there are five ranks in most skills. Basic/gateway skills, that are pre-requisites for other skills, are one level.

Computer Technician seems to sync up with the hardware stuff you've mentioned.

Security is only there so there can be a hacking/anti-hacking specialty, since that seems to be the most likely use of any computer related skills in an epsionage RPG.

I want to basically put together new skills in such a way that even if they're not 100% realistic, they'll be available for PCs (and NPCs, too) and fit genre.

[doc-mystery.livejournal.com]

Delta Green was set in the 1990s.

Top Secret SI was set in the 1980s.

It may depend on *when* you are setting your game (80s, 90s, 00s) what kind of answer you are looking for.

::B::

[thebitterguy]

I'm figuring that the greatest solution is to set it now (if I ever run Torg I'll do that too) and try to make the rules as up to date as possible.