CommTech

Quicklinks

Unlicensed: Clairecatcher | Command Capture | Holosphere | Teleclaire
Reconnaissance License I: Claireconnect | Strandwriter
Reconnaissance License II: Receiver | Transmitter
Reconnaissance License III: Lingualizer

CommTech are devices that allow you to communicate, interact, and coordinate with different devices and other individuals across distances.

Under-Licensed Use. If you attempt to use any CommTech that you do not have the license for, your inexperience makes it difficult. You are unable to use any CommTech devices that you do not have the licence for.

Unlicensed CommTech

Clairecatcher. A clairecatcher costs 40 credits and is a program that allows you to receive public access transmissions. It is a small program chip that has the clairecatcher program installed onto it. The program is only able to access the protected public access range (MCN 31 – 105).

The content provided is usually tailored to a particular fragment, station, or astral vessel by a company at the location. However, these transmissions can extend into astral space and beyond and can be picked up elsewhere (sometimes with static or interference). These transmissions can be played back in audio, visual, and holographic if the transmission broadcaster and the installing device allows for it. The clairecatcher must be installed into a device with adequate program ports.

Command Capture. A command capture costs 210 credits and is a program that allows for alternative methods for controlling any system that the program is loaded into. Once installed, a quick setup must be performed by you that takes around 1 minute. Once completed the command capture will only identify commands issued by you. You are able to deliver verbal instructions and commands to the system. A command capture does not change the time it takes to operate programs or devices, it simply allows you to do so without the use of your hands.

Holosphere. A holosphere is a large translucent blue sphere with an opaque blue grid across it. The holosphere weighs 3 pounds and requires two hands to operate. As an action, this device can be made to project 2D or 3D map files out of the sphere. Through the holosphere, the map file can be interacted with such as zooming in or out, making notes, or looking up comments from the cartographer. A holosphere is able to hold up to [memory strands] memory strands.

Teleclaire. A teleclaire costs 50 credits and is a program that allows you to have bi-directional communication between other teleclaires that are within your current fragment, station, or astral vessel. It is a small program chip that has the teleclaire program installed onto it. Unlike a transmitter, a teleclaire can not be encoded and can only transmit data to other teleclaire program chips across the teleclaire broadcast channel (MCN 155). The teleclaire must be installed into a device with adequate program ports.

Each teleclaire sends identifying information (who sent it, and to whom it was sent) with its broadcast to prevent the accidental receiving of another person’s communications. In addition, teleclaire communications are by default encrypted to guard against malicious users reading the transmitted information. This encryption changes whenever the teleclaire enters the local network, such as arriving on the fragment or being activated from a deactivated state.

When engage with a teleclaire, you are able to do any of the following things:

• You are able to see a directory of all active teleclaires and their owners for your current fragment within your access block or lower. An access block is assigned to each teleclaire based on the user’s job, position, or status.
• You can make a call to another active teleclaire, this creates a voice, and optionally video, connection between the two devices allowing you to communicate.
• You can send a text message to another active teleclaire.

The teleclaire also has some functionality for convenience, such as saving contacts for quick communications, communication with groups of teleclaires simultaneously, identifying the owner of an incoming communication, and retaining a log of previous communications. Lastly, you can put different teleclaires into one or many groups (such as business, personal, etc.) and make communications from those teleclaires only appear when you boot the teleclaire into the matching mode.

All teleclaire numbers are registered to a specific person’s identification tag or a company’s corporate license/charter and re-distributed by the government exclusively. It is possible for individuals with forged identification signatures to illegally obtain teleclaire numbers that are attached to their fake identity. Deceased individual’s teleclaire numbers remain active on a given fragment until the government’s teleclaire database on that fragment is updated.

Users can attempt to maliciously interact with a teleclaire and it’s transmissions in a variety of ways. Some common situations would include:

• Allow a teleclaire to access directories that it does not have access to.
• Change the registered identity on their teleclaire to someone else or a fake identity.
• Intercept communication transmissions from another active device on the network.

Regardless of the chosen actions, the malicious user must make a DC 12 Hacking roll in order to bypass the securities put into place to prevent these actions. High security teleclaires are available at a premium. The cost of these teleclaires is exponential: the price is doubled for every 2 points of DC increased (i.e. a DC of 14 would cost 100 credits, whereas a DC of 16 would cost 200 credits)

Reconnaissance License I CommTech

Claireconnect. A clairconnect costs 300 credits and is a program that allows you to have bi-directional verbal communication between other claireconnects that are within your current fragment, station, or astral vessel. It is a small program chip that has the claireconnect program installed onto it. The claireconnect must be installed into a device with adequate program ports.

A claireconnect must be synced to a specific frequency, and once set, it can receive and send communications on the synced frequency. A claireconnect is able to connect to the open public access range (MCN 106 – 230) however it can not access the teleclaire broadcast channel (MCN 155). All claireconnects send encrypted messages, requiring a DC 28 hacking skill roll to decode.

Each claireconnect comes with a secret key that can not be changed, and has a list of known secret keys. If you add a claireconnects secret key to yours, it allows you to bypass the innate encryption on the claireconnect, allowing you to listen to their broadcasts clearly.

Unlike a teleclaire, a claireconnect is always receiving communications if it is enabled, however you can enable or disable broadcasting with the claireconnect to prevent yourself from sending or receiving unwanted messages.

Strandwriter. A strandwriter is a device that allows you to record data into memory strands in a secure fashion. The strandwriter weighs [weight] and can hold [storage] amount of memory strands. By itself, a strandwriter has no purpose, however it is designed for other devices that are able to transmit data to be relayed into it, where it records all transmitted data into its memory strands.

Unlike nearly all other devices (including a Hold or SuperHold) a strandwriter can not transmit any data back through any relays connected to it. The only way to receive data from a strandwriter is to extract the memory strands and place it into a device capable of reading the recorded data. This prevents the strandwriter from being used as a hold, but also protects the data from any non-physical attacks and tampering.

Strandwriters are all thick steel blocks with adamantine braces, causing them to have great weight, but also durability. Breaking into a Strandwriter requires a DC [security DC] Destruction roll, or equivalent Assembly roll with the use of technicians tools.

A strandwriter can also be programmed to make duplicates of the same file on multiple strands simultaneously.

Reconnaissance License II CommTech

Receiver. A receiver is a device that allows you to receive communication transmissions across fragments and astral space from transmitters. The receiver requires a large battery, and weighs [weight]. When a receiver is enabled it must be synced to a specific frequency and sits idle waiting for a signal to arrive. A Receiver has access to the open public access range and the open blocked access range (106 – 310) however it can not access the teleclaire broadcast channel (MCN 155). Once a signal arrives on the synced frequency, the receiver drains [cells used] cell(s) of energy from its battery every minute.

Receivers must be relayed to another device in order for the data to be shown in a visual, audio or holographic form.

When using a receiver, you can attempt to listen into transmissions that are encoded. You must make a Hacking skill roll against the encoded transmission to understand it, unless you have been taught the encoding method. The DC of this skill roll is determined by the broadcaster’s technology skills.

Transmitter. A transmitter is a device that allows you to send communication transmissions across fragments and astral space to individuals using receivers. The transmitter requires a large battery, and weighs [weight]. A transmitter must be synced to a specific frequency, and it has access to the open public access range and the open blocked access range (106 – 310). However it can not access the teleclaire broadcast channel (MCN 155). When a transmitter is enabled it drains [cells used] cell(s) of energy from its battery every 1 minute and can only transmit information on the frequency for [distance]. When dealing with intra-fragment communications, any transmitter will work, as no fragment or man made vessels and stations are greater than a single astral mile in size.

While using a transmitter, you can choose to encode your transmission. Anyone listening into the transmission through a receiver must make a Hacking skill roll against your transmission to understand it, unless they have been taught your encoding method. The DC for this skill roll is equal to 8 + your Technology skill.

Reconnaissance License III CommTech

Lingualizer. A lingualizer costs 1,600 credits is a program that can translate speech and text from one language to another. It is a small program chip that has the lingualizer program installed onto it. The chip must be installed into a terminal, handheld, or an armor with adequate program ports. Each lingualizer has one specific language (as well as one dialect of that language) set within it that it is able to recognize and translate into Basic, though it can be purchased to translate to another language for a premium. However, some languages are exceptionally rare and may cost more than others.

Some languages may be restricted based on a user’s clearance for legal ownership, this can depend on a user’s profession or even their resident fragment.

When utilizing the lingualizer to translate speech, the program can translate the programmed language into Basic (or some other premium language) with a minor delay. The user can then speak Basic and have the lingualizer translate the speech into the programmed language. The lingualizer’s voice quality has an obvious mechanical quality to it that makes it clear you are using a machine. It translates the literal meaning of a word or phrase, and cannot translate meaning based on connotation, inflection, or slang.