I know some players don't like to hear this, but just because you are a good mechanic does not mean that you create a particle transmitter to break apart matter, send it across space, then have it re-assembled again. Some things are just outside the scope of the game. I have a techie that now his goal is to invent a new type of shield or sublight engine or something. I said ok, do want to build another character why that one is stuck in a lab working forever? It will be kind of hard to invent this stuff in the small area of YT-2200, still adventuring around the galaxy.

Repairing something is not the same as designing a new system and building it from scratch.

Once again you are trying to use the rules to modify behavior, which rarely, if ever works.

Yeah I'm a big fan of "not" letting Intellect 6 and Mechanic 5 players know how to make the Death Star superlaser, there is something to be said about only the NPC's being specialized in their respective fields after a lifetime at their craft or using the pooled brainpower of hundreds or thousands.

Yeah I'm a big fan of "not" letting Intellect 6 and Mechanic 5 players know how to make the Death Star superlaser, there is something to be said about only the NPC's being specialized in their respective fields after a lifetime at their craft or using the pooled brainpower of hundreds or thousands.

Yeah, it can be a drawback to a narrative game if the players don't take a hard look at what they are purchasing with XP and why they are purchasing it. With a good background, a skill rank 5 character makes sense for an older professor or someone with a lot of practice and training.

If it is all about the points then it could be a 12 year old kid who built a droid from scraps in their slave hovel without tools.

I know some players don't like to hear this, but just because you are a good mechanic does not mean that you create a particle transmitter to break apart matter, send it across space, then have it re-assembled again. Some things are just outside the scope of the game. I have a techie that now his goal is to invent a new type of shield or sublight engine or something. I said ok, do want to build another character why that one is stuck in a lab working forever? It will be kind of hard to invent this stuff in the small area of YT-2200, still adventuring around the galaxy.

Repairing something is not the same as designing a new system and building it from scratch.

Once again you are trying to use the rules to modify behavior, which rarely, if ever works.

I don't know... Inventing something new would totally be within the scope of a pulp adventure. Find one part from one ancient civilization, then find a different part from a different ancient civilization. Because you're the first one to see both of those things together in the same room, you're able to invent something new by putting those parts together. The trick is for the character to be part of a pulp adventure style game and to do enough adventuring to see enough stuff while also knowing enough about the field of study to be able to put two different things together for something new. (Game rule wise, I'd allow it but either give just a minor bonus over something already existing but expensive to produce or make it the same just a touch cheaper. Just because it's new doesn't mean it's amazing.)

As for the rest of R2's post, I agree. Sometimes the GM has to be the "bad guy" and tell the player that they don't really know how to do something. Just because you can fix something doesn't mean you can build something new. I'd let the character work towards mastering it and after a few attempts, or a quest to find a better way, start removing setback dice or something.

As for the example in the OP, I would not put a setback for modifying a weapon attachment. My understanding of the rules is that the weapon attachments are supposed to be basic but support upgrades. IRLa computer can be modified by buying some more memory and slapping it in. Nothing too hard. That's just like a Marksman barrel being modified for accuracy, which would just be swapping out a couple easy parts for better ones which provide a boost die.

However, if the player wanted to design a new gun or actually modify the actual gun (not applying weapon attachments or modifications) then I would totally think about putting some setback on the roll unless the character has background as a weapon smith. If they wanted to be able to build/modify a weapon then they'll need to role play to remove the setback as I described above.

As for the example in the OP, I would not put a setback for modifying a weapon attachment. My understanding of the rules is that the weapon attachments are supposed to be basic but support upgrades. IRLa computer can be modified by buying some more memory and slapping it in. Nothing too hard. That's just like a Marksman barrel being modified for accuracy, which would just be swapping out a couple easy parts for better ones which provide a boost die.

However, if the player wanted to design a new gun or actually modify the actual gun (not applying weapon attachments or modifications) then I would totally think about putting some setback on the roll unless the character has background as a weapon smith. If they wanted to be able to build/modify a weapon then they'll need to role play to remove the setback as I described above.

Just a point about your example.

Installing more memory into a PC would be the attachment. Fairly simple and common. Physically changing the motherboard to allow another slot for memory would be a modification. Not common at all.

As for the example in the OP, I would not put a setback for modifying a weapon attachment. My understanding of the rules is that the weapon attachments are supposed to be basic but support upgrades. IRLa computer can be modified by buying some more memory and slapping it in. Nothing too hard. That's just like a Marksman barrel being modified for accuracy, which would just be swapping out a couple easy parts for better ones which provide a boost die.

However, if the player wanted to design a new gun or actually modify the actual gun (not applying weapon attachments or modifications) then I would totally think about putting some setback on the roll unless the character has background as a weapon smith. If they wanted to be able to build/modify a weapon then they'll need to role play to remove the setback as I described above.

Just a point about your example.

Installing more memory into a PC would be the attachment. Fairly simple and common. Physically changing the motherboard to allow another slot for memory would be a modification. Not common at all.

Fair enough, adding memory is an attachment. A modification to memory would be overclocking it.

As for the example in the OP, I would not put a setback for modifying a weapon attachment. My understanding of the rules is that the weapon attachments are supposed to be basic but support upgrades. IRLa computer can be modified by buying some more memory and slapping it in. Nothing too hard. That's just like a Marksman barrel being modified for accuracy, which would just be swapping out a couple easy parts for better ones which provide a boost die.

However, if the player wanted to design a new gun or actually modify the actual gun (not applying weapon attachments or modifications) then I would totally think about putting some setback on the roll unless the character has background as a weapon smith. If they wanted to be able to build/modify a weapon then they'll need to role play to remove the setback as I described above.

Just a point about your example.

Installing more memory into a PC would be the attachment. Fairly simple and common. Physically changing the motherboard to allow another slot for memory would be a modification. Not common at all.

Fair enough, adding memory is an attachment. A modification to memory would be overclocking it.

That works.

I wouldn't want to be handed a penalty for firing my blaster because I learned the skill as a Doctor instead of a Bounty Hunter...