In the common sens that his item is completely left for interpretation to the GM and players to decide what it is suppose to do and most of the time becomes borderline over powered item, could we get to a proper definition on what it is suppose to do....because right now this is a nightmare

Definition in Edge of the empire

"Most scanners are small, hand-held gear, designed to be simple and durable for field use by scouts and explorers. Depending on the model, they indicate the nearby presence of life forms, heat fonts, radiation sources, acoustic emissions, or any combination thereof. Some operate in all directions, displaying their results on screens or halodisplays, while others are directional and only give indications towards where they are pointing. The Cryoncorp EnhanceScan is a typical example of this. Small enough to be carried by a single scout, the scanner has life-form tracking, motion sensing, metal detection, and the ability to intercept standard frequency comlink transmissions. The motion sensing operates up to half a kilometer, while the remaining systems can detect targets up to a kilometer and a half, and the comlink interceptor can catch signals from much further.
Models Include: Cryoncorp EnhanceScan General Purpose Scanner, Crozo Industrial Mineral Scanner, CUE GenScan."

Definition in Age of Rebellion

"Common scanners are usually small, handheld devices designed to sense and record a variety of data. Simple and rugged, scanners are used by military scouts and Rebel cells for tracking and observing enemy movements. Depending on the make and model, a scanner can detect nearby life signs, heat signatures, different sources of
radiation, the source and direction of various sounds, or any combination thereof. Some models scan in all directions, while others are unidirectional and must be pointed in the desired direction for scanning. Some even have integrated metal detectors and the ability to intercept and record comlink traffic. Scanners have an operational
range usually up to one and a half kilometers.

Models Include: CryonCorp EnhanceScan General Purpose Scanner, Crozo Industrial Mineral Scanner, CUE GenScan"

Definition in Force and Destiny

"Common scanners are usually small, handheld devices designed to sense and record a variety of data. Depending on the make and model, scanners can detect nearby life signs and heat signatures, different sources of radiation, the source and direction of different sounds, or any combination thereof. Some models scan in all directions, while others must be pointed in the desired direction for scanning. Some even have integrated metal detectors and the ability to intercept and record comlink traffic. Most scanners have an operational range of up to one and a half kilometers.

Models Include: Cryoncorp EnhanceScan General Purpose Scanner, Crozo Industrial Mineral Scanner, CUE GenScan."

Definition on Starwars.wikia CryonCorp

"A CryonCorp product, the EnhanceScan general-purpose scanner was used by Rebel Alliance forces on Hoth during their initial sweep to look for life forms. Its sensors were a motion sensor, comm scanner, metal scanner, and life-form scanners. It was small enough to be carried around the neck. The EnhanceScan could detect life forms 1,500 meters away, the comm scanner had an effective range of three kilometers, the motion sensor had a 500 meter range, but the metal scanner only had a maximum range of one hundred meters. The computer built into the scanner controlled all four sensors and displayed the data on a readout screen.
Components of the EnhanceScan general-purpose scanner included an antenna, motion sensor, metal scanner, comm scanner, power cells, data port, power indicator, and life-form scanner. "

Definition on Starwars.wikia Crozo

"The Industrial mineral scanner was a model of scanner made by Crozo Industrial Products and available in the period following the Battle of Yavin during the Galactic Civil War between the Galactic Empire and the Alliance to Restore the Republic.[1] The device was cost 500.[2] The mineral scanner was able to send out a 100 meter pulse in all directions that would survey the area for nearby Minerals. Lower concentrations of minerals would show up faded on the data screen where as higher concentrations would show up more solid. "

Evident stuff:

1) Item cost 500 credits Encumbrance 2 Rarity 3

2) Question 1. How does the information show itself on the scanner, to my understanding, it shows a combine result just like a text file with each entry. It's not like a google map or zoom in zoom out....it just sends text, is it the correct assumption. Does it sends the direction as a precise 360 degree direction and specific distance or the information stays general enough to get an idea but not too specific

After all "Lower concentrations of minerals would show up faded on the data screen where as higher concentrations would show up more solid" seem pretty basic

3) Pulse in all direction OR in a specific direction -> Simpler to adopt the all direction rule

4) Question 2. How much time does it take to analyse, are we talking an ongoing pulse that updates itself every seconds....so someone moving in the jungle would stay up to date at all time on a 1500 meters radius or does one have to stop and analyse the data

5) Question 3. Does the Scanner allows specification by the user, looking for this type of lifeform or this type of sound and skip the rest

6) Question 4. 1,500 meters: Life signs OR Life-form Tracking OR Life-form Scanner -> So how do we define this one in gameplay

First of all, we need to pick one because each or those terms doesn't mean the same form

Life signs: Means there is 5 beings 500 meters north

Life form scanner: Mean there is 5 ?Humans? 500 meters north

Life form Tracking: Means there is 5 ?humans? 500 north moving to the east

Let's say you're in the jungle and there is 1000 life forms in a 1500 meter radius.

Does this includes bees? should it be detecting the too small life forms....? guess not

Now that there is 1000 life, let's say there is 100 Octopus, 100 Tigers, 100 mices, 100 humans, 100 rodians, 100 fishes in the lake, 100 serpants, 100 jawas, 100 birds, 100 baboons

Now does the scanner gives that information.... does this gives you any filter. Obviously there are all scattered around, how do you get that information.....does it simply states the number of creatures as said before or it gives direction....360 degrees?!...

7) Question 5. 1,500 meters: Heat signatures.

This feels like related to life form....although it could help find the direction of a volcano or any other things that may product heat I guess?

8) 1,500 meters: Radiation Source (finally, an obvious one)

9) Question 6. 1,500 meters: Acoustic Emissions OR the source and direction of various sounds OR ability to intercept standard frequency comlink transmissions OR comm scanner

Intercept comlink seem OP and there are hacking gear for that so I guess we can remove that statement from there

So does this mean it can scan for other scanner around and tell that there is a scanner pulsing at a specific distance...

It is also able to tell that there is sound produced in specific direction...does it says anything more to that?

10) Question 7. 500 meters: Motion sensor

This feels like related to Life form Tracking ....but maybe it mean it is able to tell that there is a rock moving down the mountain up ahead....so if there is an avalanche, you'll be warn by your sensor...?!

Or this mean we all the life form tracking but just within the 500 meters, otherwise you don't know in witch direction they are moving to

11) 100 meters: Analysing Minerals -> Only for the Crozo model but in the sens of gameplay can be applied to all

Although analysing minerals doesn't tell you that there is something behind that wall....

12) Does something impairs the pulse to not work.....you're in a cavern, can you scan underneath your feet's... will it be able to tell you that there is an underground passage underneath... Same goes in a ship...to me this gear doesn't give topology of the environment

Obviously, there are ships that may modify their cargo holding to prevent any scanning....first star wars movie... and they were using a huge scanner...

So there is a lot of things that needs clarification and in the end, the item needs to be useful, without being OP and without interfering with the other items that are available out there...

After all, what Han Solo was using on Hoth was pretty primitive...he had to turn and point the thing so that it beeps and shows him the direction of a life form....on a planet that didn't had any

Also the droid that self destruct only said there was life form, not specifics

What are everybody's opinion?

Now that I've stated all my questions, this is how I would defined the purpose scanner myself.

Item cost 500 credits Encumbrance 2 Rarity 3.

The scanner cannot scan through thickness such a wall and will not define altitude of what was found. The more dense the environment, the shorter the range up to the discretion of the GM (1500m and 500m affected).

The scanner will pulse in all direction and the direction will be giving using 360 degree angle and distance using meters. Multiple scan and time may end up giving more details on the movement and direction of what was found.

Someone using the scanner on the move will have it's movement impaired, speed reduced by half.

1500m The scanner will indicated warmth blood lifeform not smaller than the size of a jawa and will be stated as a lifeform, nothing more.

1500m The scanner will perceive sounds of frequencies not smaller than a casual voice (whispering will not be perceive by the scanner) and will state that there is a sound coming from a specific direction.

1500m The scanner will be able to detect radiation source and will automatically emit a beep if walking into a zone of toxic level

1500m The scanner will be able to detect temperature variation if any

500m The scanner will be able to detect movement within this range that wouldn't have been found otherwise. This will be state as there is movement in this direction at x meters

100m Analyse and defined the concentration of every minerals within range (non organic solid)

Any comments on that?

Here's my take:

Q 1) General Scanners and sensors work roughly the same way, and are essentially 2-step systems. Step 1: The actual instruments detect raw data. Step 2: Internal algorithms attempt to interpret the data, and present the operator with a "best guess." This allows scanners to easily feed simple information to the players when it's a gimmie, require rolling for more complex situations, and to allow different skills to be used as players can evaluate data directly, or tune the software. It also explains totally incorrect sensor feedback as the softwares"best guess" was totally wrong, and allows for the information to be presented in any way appropriate, be it text feed, or a color coded map.

ThinkHunt for Red Oktober, and how the sonar defaulted to "magna displacement" because it didn't know what to do, but the operator figured out something was amiss when he really started listening to the actual sound.

Q2) Easiest solution is to ask the players what they are looking for, and go from there.

"I want to scan for this specific species of space hampster in this jungle" - it's a precise request, and is going to take a few minutes to collect and compile the information into something useable.

"I want to detect human sized movement" - pretty simple request that can be updated regularly without much filtering, but you could just as easily end up chasing a deer as a person.

Q3) My answer to Q2 means yes, the operator can define what he is looking for and the sensor will attempt to filter input to that. How good or bad the results are will vary.

Q4) Here's where "best guess" is the deal. The scanner detects something of a certain mass, moving at a certain speed, with a certain core temperature, and other details, and the algorithm says to the operator "I think that is 5 humans 500m north." The operator can accept it at face value, or dig into it (depending on what skill they rolled and how well) and get more accurate readings.

This also allows situations where scanners aren't going that great. Dagobah will yeild all kinds of life readings, but finding a specific muppet living like it was the middle ages is going to be borderline impossible. He's just not doing anything to differentiate himself from a large guinea pig.

Q5) Correct.

Q6) Right, essentially it can detect noise and electro magnetics. So it could detect activity of a certain power, frequency, and consistency, and best guess it as "seems like a comlink to me." Likewise a big pulse of all kinds of stuff at regular intervals and frequencies would best guess "sensor package."

You could probably set it for certain things like specific tones and volumes, but again, player check and best guess.

Q7) Yeah, in a natural environment life forms might be moving, but it's Star Wars, so droids, machinery, floating rocks... whatever.

Point 12) you're darn tootin! Sensors are good and useful, but not perfect. Looking for an unconscious man in a snow drift in sub zero conditions during a storm isn't going to be easy. He's not moving, his body temp is low, he's surrounded by frozen water, and the wind is blowing nice solid ice crystals everywhere screwing with everything.

But that's the end result. Sensors and scanners are handy. They can help make things easier. But they aren't a be all end all.

"Q2) Easiest solution is to ask the players what they are looking for, and go from there.

"I want to scan for this specific species of space hampster in this jungle" - it's a precise request, and is going to take a few minutes to collect and compile the information into something useable.

"I want to detect human sized movement" - pretty simple request that can be updated regularly without much filtering, but you could just as easily end up chasing a deer as a person.

Q3) My answer to Q2 means yes, the operator can define what he is looking for and the sensor will attempt to filter input to that. How good or bad the results are will vary."

Thank you for your input, but I'm, sorry but I disagree with you on that, I get your point though.... te problem with this 500 credits general all purpose scanner, is that it becomes OP when you can define exactly what you're looking for and I didn't feel that in the Star Wars movie, you could do that as it was more of a there is something there, a life form, but we don't know what it is so we're going to check it out. (for instance on Hoth)

We are playing the "Beyond the Rim" quest. I am a player and I have a colleague playing with that sensor which is nice. The problem I feel is we were walking in the jungle and he had his eye on the All purpose Scanner at all time and at this point we could no longer be ambushed because he was scanning for Nexu Stalking and Octopus and other treacherous life form at all time. And then came a huge argument when our GM had us stop at a water fall to replenish ourselves and get us attacked by Octopus ....saying well I should have known they were coming etc... and I've seen so far other people in this forum complain exactly about this type of behavior...an OP item...

Then he wanted to scan the inside of the ship that crashed ....now I wanna know if there is lifeform, sounds etc... and it removes any form of discovery and fun in the game....becomes more like a hack....

You'll perhaps say that we shouldn't play with it then, but i don't decide who buys what but the thing is I want more of a balance item where sometimes it will be nice and sometimes It wont be useful... I don't want possibility of OP items...

So as a GM I wouldn't allow the general purpose scanner to act this way .....

Also as you suggested, it becomes doing checks all the time to see if the player read correctly the information giving and deciding on the fly specific checks....On top of that, the player needs to invest in computer's while I am the Slicer....and he's the scout....where it feels like something that should be a given...

2 hours ago, Mefyrx said:

We are playing the "Beyond the Rim" quest. I am a player and I have a colleague playing with that sensor which is nice. The problem I feel is we were walking in the jungle and he had his eye on the All purpose Scanner at all time and at this point we could no longer be ambushed because he was scanning for Nexu Stalking and Octopus and other treacherous life form at all time. And then came a huge argument when our GM had us stop at a water fall to replenish ourselves and get us attacked by Octopus ....saying well I should have known they were coming etc... and I've seen so far other people in this forum complain exactly about this type of behavior...an OP item...

Ah, see, you should have opened with this. You're not asking what the scanner can do within a narrative (what the item description is for) you want to know how all that works in the game mechanics.

So, first off RAW mechanics:

A general purpose scanner is "the right tools for the job" and either provides a boost die on a check, or provides no bonus at all, but allows a check to take place that wouldn't be possible without the tool.

See the breakout box on page 171 of the EotE core rulebook.

That's it.

Scanner use:

Getting ambushed by critters in the jungle:

"I want to keep an eye on my scanner as we go, looking for threats."

Ok, that's a perfectly reasonable request. Avoiding an ambush typically requires a Perception check. Looking out for threats can be done without a scanner, so the scanner provides a boost.

Lets make it an opposed check.

Tree octopi have a Cun of 2, a Stealth of 2, and they are rather Intelligent critters, so we'll assume they are hunting as a pack and giving an unskilled assist.

You (assuming everything so far has gone well) are rested, fed, and are otherwise in good condition. You're trying to trailblaze through dense jungle while checking your iPad every now and then. So not horribly hard, but not easy. So you take a setback.

Final check: Your Perception, +1Blue for your Scanner vs. 2Red, 2Black.

Exploring a wrecked ship in the jungle:

"I want to scan the wreck for movement, sound,and lifeforms."

Ok, not unreasonable.

Unless you are a very special species indeed, you can't make that check naturally, so in this case the scanner makes the check possible.

The ship is big, and made of heavy and varied materials, some of which are actually built to be scanner resistant. So that's a base difficulty of either Hard or Formidable, as it's not impossible, but you are pushing both you and the scanner to the limits.

This wreck has been open to the elements in the jungle for decades so it's literally filled with critters to the point it's probably developed it's own unique sub-ecosystem. Two setback seems fair.

In this case the scanner is doing most of the work, so while Perception is acceptable, I'd also be able to be convinced Computers could be used since you're likely relying on the computer to interpret a ton of complex data.

Results:

So you make a check, and get results.

Yeah, you don't automatically know everything related to what the scanner can detect, but you and the GM can use the scanners place in the narrative to color the scene. Maybe the octopi don't have a big thermal signature and that threw off the sensor readings. Maybe the cybernetics of the nexu confused the filters and made them register as droids.

All that stuff about em emissions and tacyon particles are just flavor and explanation that can be used to flavor those success and Advantage.

3 hours ago, Mefyrx said:

. lso as you suggested, it becomes doing checks all the time to see if the player read correctly the information giving and deciding on the fly specific checks....

No...just no. They make the one check and that covers everything until the next event.

Other systems, doing different things, have set up the silly idea that the Players need to roll a check every time they take a five foot step. This is hooey. You can make one check and have that cover them using the scanner regularly over time.

Yes, I'm interested in game mechanic

Nice description, you seem to have dealt with this before

" the Final check: Your Perception, +1Blue for your Scanner vs. 2Red, 2Black. "

Wondering how you got to 2 red and 2 black dice on perception

I get that 1 black dice is because you're in the middle of a jungle, but where does the other one comes from?

Usually, it is purple dices to check for anything ....easy, medium, hard, formidable etc

If I give the argument that the scanner scans 1500m, it doesn't gets into an ambush until the creature gets close to you...therefor one may figure out that it is coming way before it gets to a perception check, aint he?

Let's say I put you in a fictive situation .... you're in a town ...there is let's say 200 peoples within range....and you have to trail that specific rodian to see where he goes while there is no other rodian around...

Can you just sit there on the couch and look at your sensor and wait until you get in witch building he steps into....and prevent any gameplay of having to trail the being ...sneaking check and whatever that would come with it?

22 minutes ago, Mefyrx said:

" the Final check: Your Perception, +1Blue for your Scanner vs. 2Red, 2Black. "

Wondering how you got to 2 red and 2 black dice on perception

Opposed check vs. the octopi.

A single octopus has 2 Cunning, 2 Stealth so when being stealthy they roll 2 Yellow. Inverted to a difficulty for the players that's 2 Red, appropriate since a despair can be used for dozens of things in a situation like this.

The octopi are working as a pack, helping each other and working as a team. They "assist" each other on the Stealthing so 1 boost=1 setback. (I know, this is probably a stretch, but this is just an example, "you're in a dense life filled jungle" would be equally valid).

Last setback is for dividing your attention between trailblazing and the scanner. This is that whole thing about not rolling when you don't have to. By adding a setback I can just make that one roll count as dozens of quick scans over the course of several kilometers instead of requiring a million rolls when only the last one counts.

36 minutes ago, Mefyrx said:

Let's say I put you in a fictive situation .... you're in a town ...there is let's say 200 peoples within range....and you have to trail that specific rodian to see where he goes while there is no other rodian around...

Can you just sit there on the couch and look at your sensor and wait until you get in witch building he gets into....and prevent any gameplay of having to trail the being ...sneaking check and whatever that would come with it?

.... possibly?

This is pushing the scanner waaaaaaaay beyond it's intended purpose both within the system and the setting. Seriously, there is literally better methods of doing this right there in the core rulebook.

So if I did allow it, here's how:

First off, that's stupid hard with millions of variables. Critters, people, speeders, other scanners, so difficulty is Formidable, possibly with the "Impossible" requirement that a D-point be spent to even make the check.

I would totally upgrade the difficulty at least once, because he could totally just hop in an airspeeder and fly off to the next continent or something.

Setbacks would be liberally applied, probably at least 4.

Narratively the deal goes back to what I was saying about"best guess." Unless Rodians naturally emit a unique and powerful em signal or something, the scanner is just compiling tons of collected data and scrubbing it as much as the software allows. When you know where he is, you can manually dial it in. From there the scanner is just trying to keep up. If the target boads a crowded turbolift there's a good chance the scanner might not be able to hold a lock and would either lose signal, or would end up following a different person...

That's the deal. Scanners are useful, but not all seeing, all knowing oracles.

On 22/01/2018 at 12:51 AM, Ghostofman said:

.... possibly?

This is pushing the scanner waaaaaaaay beyond it's intended purpose both within the system and the setting. Seriously, there is literally better methods of doing this right there in the core rulebook.

So if I did allow it, here's how:

First off, that's stupid hard with millions of variables. Critters, people, speeders, other scanners, so difficulty is Formidable, possibly with the "Impossible" requirement that a D-point be spent to even make the check.

I would totally upgrade the difficulty at least once, because he could totally just hop in an airspeeder and fly off to the next continent or something.

Setbacks would be liberally applied, probably at least 4.

Narratively the deal goes back to what I was saying about"best guess." Unless Rodians naturally emit a unique and powerful em signal or something, the scanner is just compiling tons of collected data and scrubbing it as much as the software allows. When you know where he is, you can manually dial it in. From there the scanner is just trying to keep up. If the target boads a crowded turbolift there's a good chance the scanner might not be able to hold a lock and would either lose signal, or would end up following a different person...

That's the deal. Scanners are useful, but not all seeing, all knowing oracles.

That and to add onto this; this is a general scanner. It scans for general biological signitures, heat and energy sources within an area. It might be able to detect a general species or an particular organic life form well enough, but a general scanner isn't going to do the job for the character. It will give you a general location of all lifeforms meeting a general description, but isolating a singular Rodian out of countless similar lifeforms (given that in all honesty, it probably isn't too disimilar from other species of it's type.) impossible. It is not a genetic scanner, it provides data based on the general output of that species.

Now, a real wise bounty hunter might be able to optimally use a scanner to rapidly isolate a target under certain condictions (e.g. A target that has recently been running will likely move much more rapidly and be giving off more heat, allowing you to isolate it out of a crowd quite easily.) but it's worth noting that it is a general tool that is tasked with keeping track of general life; the same kind of tool that search and rescue might use to find life or a customs team might use to detect hidden compartments due to abnormalities. It doesn't completely replace the scanner operator that needs to apply their own experiences to interpret the simple tool effectively.

Yeah I need to find a way to specifically describe that scanner and what it does but I agree with that....

What would you recommend the skill to be used as to "the scanner operator that needs to apply their own experiences to interpret the simple tool effectively"

Knowledge or Computers? ....I would lean more toward Knowledge as Computers seem to be overly abused....as everything relates to a computer in this game....

I play a Slicer and thanks to those computer checks....but something like searching on the "internet"/datapad information for specific details, if I get to be the GM as it probably leans to....i'll be using knowledge....without giving options for either of those to promote the idea of increasing Knowledge bracket too and it feels more appropriate....

I've just copy pasted the interesting text into a 7 pages documents and gonna try to get to something...

Ok this is raw but what would you people think about that

Step 1: The user makes a request to use the G.P.S. and specifies what he is looking for.

Step 2: The GM allows or deny the possibility of such a check.

Step 3: The instrument detects the raw data requested of one or multiple of the following:

1500m The scanner indicates heath signature/ warmth lifeform, acoustic emission, radiation source.

500m The scanner detects movement within this range.

100m Analyse and defined the concentration of every minerals within range (non-organic solid)

Step 4: Internal algorithms attempt to interpret the data and display their results on screens.

Step 5: The user attempts to understand the generic data shown on screen.

1) The GM chooses the appropriate Knowledge check.

a. Finding a specific creature type may relate to its movement, emitted sound as well as the heath signature size and therefor lead to a Xenology check.

b. Analysing the ground can lead to an Education check.

2) The GM determines the difficulty check which can easily range from Easy (D) to Formidable (DDDDD) depending on the distance covered and the number of similar information retrieve.

a. Finding a sentient on a desert with no other life form around leads to an Easy check.

b. Finding a specific beast that distinguish itself in the middle of the jungle leads to a Hard check.

c. Finding a cold blood average creature in the middle of the jungle leads to a Formidable check.

Using the scanner takes some time to calibrate and keeping track of specific results will cause movement speed reduced by half.

Remember that does not replace any checks made during the game session but rather add a boost die if the information collected was useful to the check.

Now that you have conquered the General Scanner, have you had to deal with Slicers yet?

lol, what do you mean? is it suppose to be as complicated?

11 hours ago, Mefyrx said:

lol, what do you mean? is it suppose to be as complicated?

No I was just kidding around, but slicing does represent somewhat of a constant headache to me as players will attempt to use it to:

a) Avoid danger

b) Get rich quick

c) Crush their Enemies and hear the lamentations of their Droids

d) Find out any piece of information no matter how unlikely it is to be on any database

e) Create (via the Computer skill) better versions of existing equipment

f) Make instant new identity credentials

g) Locate any piece of Equipment regardless of Rarity

h) Ancestry.com for Star Wars

i) Make a profile of any bad guy

j) Create/Erase Bounties and Warrants

I understand that part of the fun of these games is being creative, and at some time each of those things could be great uses of Slicing, but Slicing was not clearly defined in the books as I see it. So I have to do a big explanation each time someone new plays and watch their eyes glaze over as any person would when they get a briefing. All of those attempted tasks will involve the Equipment, which is usually Slicer Gear, a Datapad, and a Scomp-Link (or as I call it The Choose Your Own Reality Kit). I think this mainly stems from the idea that since we have a decentralized internet and cell phones (microcomputers with a communication feature) that any more advanced technological society would have the same thing.

Hold on, I'm getting to where this is relevant to the thread

Just like the General Purpose Scanner, as a GM you have to figure out just what sort of successful use of the Gear is possible and/or likely. To me though, Slicing has been the biggest hobgoblin.

I get your point...

Seems to have a wide variety of range .... of what can be done...and creative player

So far, as a slicer I haven't made much used of my skills ....well at least not in this manners...I try to think myself as a hacker...and when i'll need to open a protected vault or whatever...i'll think of make use of my skill....i'll wait for the situation to present itself if need be....

But one of the other guy in the team, who's not a Slicer successfully attempted to use the camera in The Wheel and find information about that Rodian me and my other party member were chasing a few kilometers apart...... as we are learning the game, I told my friend (GM), you should have just made him stare in front of the computer scratching his robot head not knowing what to do... On the other end, i know he was eager to give us more information about the story line and he used this impossible request to do so... furthermore he didn't even have a slicer gear

So yeah, it all comes down to the GM's decision, (Step 2) to even allow or deny that particular request... if the request seem inappropriate or that they are trying to find something that isn't there in the beginning.....or that they do not have the knowledge to do so.... or that the request is harder than formidable and therefor shouldn't be attempted...

For instance, if they are trying to " Locate any piece of Equipment regardless of Rarity ", instead of going computer check, I would go Knowledge Underworld check...

Because, everything is "Computer" related somehow because of the world we live in.... to me, when a request could be fulfilled by any other skill, the other skill should overrule Computer skill....giving much more space to the use of "Knowledge" skills.....and therefor forcing player to first, spread their points around but also limit the possibility of doing everything in this game with the use of one skill... and slow down their interest in making a one skill rule the game type of player...

Same goes to the use of that General Purpose Scanner where I was making use of that Xenology to track a creature instead of going Computer check....because after all, the person used to work with a Word document, navigate Google Map or use Photoshop doesn't make him a hacker and a hacker isn't necessarily good with Photoshop either...

a) Avoid danger

Also, don't fear to make the check range from Easy to Formidable depending on the situation... if they want to rob a bank and disable the camera....yeah this might be formidable....and if failed may trigger the alarm....

Also, the General Purpose Scanner can be good a that, but if entering fight, gives a boost die....doesn't make them have a free round or wathever...

b) Get rich quick

Well you still need the knowledge to find whatever you're trying to find.... the more valuable, maybe the harder the check....or the harder the security.... in GTA5 Online, if you're lvl1...you may know that they are Heist possible for lots of money....you're rate of success is about 1 in a million, failing almost always lead to your death.....so need to be realistic there

c) Crush their Enemies and hear the lamentations of their Droids

This is the part i'll have to read about.... I mean you can hack a droid if you have access to the droid for instance...in maintenance.... or maybe the control center if they are the droids in clone war.....but i'll have to read to what are the options giving

d) Find out any piece of information no matter how unlikely it is to be on any database

Knowledge check...if it even exists and they must somehow learn that the item exist....they can't go online and look for all the artifacts and suddenly, their in game characters knows it's out there... this would subsequently lead to lost of XP at the end of the session and not being able to find the item...

e) Create (via the Computer skill) better versions of existing equipment

Well....It all depends to what degree.... a utility belt, tool box, slicer gear etc is exactly that...each player personalize their own gear....although it doesn't lead to any "boost die" or advantages...

Now, for as they are weapon mods and star ship mods....and cybernetics implant, it doesn't mean there cannot be any gear modification.....it would have to be created following the same principle...of checks to be successful...logics of having an advantage that is following the same idea as other mods....maybe a boost die of something .....but also a cost related to it.....

Although, a gear doesn't have a Hard Point value.....which could be interpret as 0 .....

And there are already better gear out there...variation ...that people made or in books (such the hacker tools).... that will lead to better bonuses but also restrictions if caught having one of those....

f) Make instant new identity credentials i) Make a profile of any bad guy

can be interesting.... to do...it depends where and how the security is.....like said before...which can range from easy to formidable

g) Locate any piece of Equipment regardless of Rarity

Knowledge Underworld....and up to the GM's discression as of what to find....as said before a player cannot learn of an item because the real life person learned it..... so they can suggest ...doesn't mean it's there...

After all, this new edition gives more flexibility for the player to add to the game content and story line making even use of destiny point, instead of the GM controlling everything...

If you have player who are focuses into having OP item rather than building a story altogether, then comes boundaries.... GM's approval and such

h) Ancestry.com for Star Wars

dunno what this is

j) Create/Erase Bounties and Warrants

They can never fully erase the information everywhere....if Jabba the Hutt ask for a bounty, every bounty hunter who has heard of the bounty could be onto it..... if removed...bounty hunters talks between each other....it would just buy time until Jabba learns of this and therefor goes onto an investigation that will lead wherever the GM's want to go...

This is how I would see it

There are always weird request going on because some players attempts to just get freebies...

Such our Robot in our team wanted to know how he could clone himself...and there was all that discussion....which lead to the GM's saying well you cant....

To me I would say, if you ever found a way to do so...as a human or player....good....but the clone is the GM's NPC....you're not controlling a second character and you're not cheating death....so that would close the discussion for good and it feels logic