It quite simple. The message get send to a Hyperspace Buyo or communiation satalite, usally placed on some arms (deltas) of the Hyperspace route and get shot into hyperspace, and if neccessary , from buyo to buyo. See the Problem is not the System to System Communication, but the distance from sender to buyo/ buyo to reciever (which needs a adress). Fringe World, with a not so tight satalite net, can be in communication shadow for some time.

You can intercept message in Hyperspace, but due the massive amount of data, you would need alot of computer power, to discern the different signals, that is the reason, why communication is intercepted in real space, less data, because only specific messages leave the route.

So in Hyperspace communication is possible but troublesome if not specific set up, realtime is possible too, but not always, depends on the distance and specialised equiptment.

So Problem Solved.

What I used to do in SWRPG was that it was "distance" based sort of.

Basically, each sector had a "Primary Comm Relay" and several others connected across the sector. If you wanted to use the galactic communication system (which was free) you were almost always covered by a relay (unless it was sabotaged or you were in the fringes). Relays allowed real-time holographic communication and below within the same sector, and real-time voice communication within 5 sectors all for free. Outside that, real time holographic communciation was restricted to empire only, and real-time voice communication required a small payment.

I also allowed "off-relay" communications. Anywhere in the sector was real-time voice, but outside the sector the delay was 10 minutes per sector for voice/data and within the same sector real-time holographic communication.

The main inspiration/reasoning for this was because they were an imperial special forces team, and several of their missions required them to intercept information and communications so the best way I found for this, was for them to locate and bug Relay stations. They even found a few secret Rebel relay stations and destroyed them to sabotage the network. (The concept was that, you needed a relay station every 5 sectors to maintain communications long-range without huge delays or for huge data transfers).

My attempt at organizing comms to make sense for me:

Information Technology

Game mechanics:

Vehicles Ops - Signals Intel

Thanks for sharing I will check that :-)

17 hours ago, Sturn said:

My attempt at organizing comms to make sense for me:

Information Technology

Game mechanics:

Vehicles Ops - Signals Intel

I looked through both of these and I'm not seeing any obvious problems, really nice work thank you!

I have to admit it is a must have add-on for a little more realism if I can say. It is not too complicated and very well explained! My favorite home rule so far

thanks a lot

Something I ran with in the games was to treat interstellar (i.e. hyper/subspace) communication like dial-up. Sure, you can transfer stuff, but it'll be slow and if your files are big it just makes more sense to stick your files on a floppy disc and mail it out to people (hence why Jyn can transmit the Death Star plans to the Rebel fleet -it's an EM-bandwidth, travels at lightspeed and is local only; but Leia can't then simply transmit the plans to Yavin and the Rebellion -they're simply too big to be sent over over what's basically a dial-up connection).

The Imperials have huge communication centres to get the best ftl high bandwidth possible.

It did then allow my post-Endor group to have a plot point of an NPC was developing high-bandwidth hyperspace communications and they had to try and get her onside. I'd ruled if the game lasted 10 in-game years, they'd gain the fruits of that and wouldn't be sent to deliver big messages in person.

Low band width also explains blue holograms.

On 8/14/2017 at 4:14 PM, Sturn said:

My attempt at organizing comms to make sense for me:

Information Technology

Game mechanics:

Vehicles Ops - Signals Intel

Beautiful. I am going to use this almost completely in my games. I tried an explanation of why it's not the Internet, but this is better. Thank you

So, today I read the latest Doctor Aphra comic, which I believe are canon, and they mentioned the "Undervine" which is a pirate holonet that's not controlled by the Rebellion or the Empire. It's new enough that it's not even in wookieepedia yet!