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Message no. 1
From: "Robert A. Hayden" <hayden@******.MANKATO.MSUS.EDU>
Subject: Re: PSI: Everyone Please Read
Date: Tue, 19 Jul 1994 12:45:20 +0100
On Tue, 19 Jul 1994, Darth Vader wrote:

> Well we all agree on the nature and origin of psi powers. We all operate
> on the asumption that psi powers come from withing the 'caster' and not from
> his surroundings.

I dunno. There's been some talk of this worldmind thing....

> Errr, sorry, but what is Psionic Projection? Have I missed out on
> something? Is it a form of astral projection? If thats the case I'd like to
> say that some of us are still against astral projection for psis.

Read bryan's posting on psionic theory for a good justification of psis
in astral.

> How about making astral projection a genetic thing, like you can
> project if you have it in your blood, if not its a tough world chummer...
> We could make it another 'Psionic Categories' that can be bought during
> character generation and we could even have special powers for this
> Discipline.

Seems kludgy

> Anyway giving astral projection to some psis is alright with me,
> as they would have to loose a great deal of their power to 'buy' this neat
> ability, but giving it to all of them would make them just another sort
> of mages.

99% of psis are never going to initiate because they tend to become
chunky salsa when the corps blow them away.

> I kinda like doom's better. The idea of having psionic/mages (ughhhh)
> scares the sh** out of me :)

Yes, it's supposed to. It is not unrealistic though.

> Well the way I see it, there are 2 camps here. Our fearless leader
> supports cyberpsionics as he sees them something like ritual magic.

Not quite. It's an ability a few psis possess

> Now
> I know that this doesnt make sence, but please bear with me for a sec and I'll
> explain. Robert sees a deckers icon as some kind of link to his actuall self,
> he seems to think that the icon carries the mental signature of the decker
> around the matrix. If this is true then psis should be able to use this link
> to mindfuck the decker, NOT THROUGH THE MATRIX, but rather using their psi
> powers long distance seeking out the person with the mental signature of
> the icon. (Did I get it right fearless leader?)

No. Sell, sorta. There is nothign in the matrix ebcause the matrix
doesn't exists. But, just as an ICe can attack an icon and follow the
icon back to its source, a PSI can attack what seems to be the icon, but
the effect is felt at the source.

> The other camp sees cyberpsionics as a way to influence tech with
> paranormal forces and as such view this power as highly munchkinous.

No shit. PSI might be able to in some cases meld with machines, but that
takes extreme ability and is beyond what we are discussing now.

> My PROPOSAL is that we rule, that a deckers aura (his mental signature)
> can me divined from his matrix icon (as he practically plugs his brain in, when
> he jacks into the matrix). This way a psi-decker that meets another decker in
> the net, will have the chance to try to remotely-influence/control him if he
> wants to. This has nothing to do with tech or the matrix, and is just another
> use of standard psi abilities.

Basically, yes. Your mind is so unprotected when it's plugged into the
net, something might come in and mess with it.

> I am for essence loss, as the contrary would make munchkins out of
> all players that play psis, BUT we canot forget all the wonderfull examples
> of psis that are half-man/half-machine (see the Brother of Marc Remilard
> in the Sage of the pliocene exiles - they transplanted his brain in a machine
> or Lord Vader himself :) SO I think that it would be best to follow Roberts
> idea and have a Mastery(Initiation) power that helps psis overcome those
> problem. (Really cool dudes dont need no essence :)

Right.

> Errrr, magic pool IS derived from the mages sorcery skill.
> I'd say that his pool should be his rating in the discipline 'psi chategory'
> the power he is curently using falls under.

Somehow willpower needs to fit in there too, because the pool is supposed
to represent pumping extra oomph into something in some cases.

> > * How many Tech points a category will cost.
>
> How about using a 'magic' attribute to pay for the powers.

Explain.

> I'll certainly use them (if the are not tooooo munchkinous and too
> upsetting).

I don't think they will be. In terms of power, especially at lower
levels, they will be far less powerful than mages (no astral, no spirits,
no support). Later on they can get up there, but so camn mages too.

> > * Who shot J.R.
>
> I havent got the foggiest idea old boy.

It was a chicken I tell ya, a giant chicken!

____ Robert A. Hayden <=> hayden@******.mankato.msus.edu
\ /__ -=-=-=-=- <=> -=-=-=-=-
\/ / Finger for Geek Code Info <=> I do not necessarily speak for the
\/ Finger for PGP Public Key <=> City of Mankato or anyone else, dammit
-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-
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Message no. 2
From: Darth Vader <j07c@***.UNI-BREMEN.DE>
Subject: Re: PSI: Everyone Please Read
Date: Tue, 19 Jul 1994 21:32:20 +0100
I feel that something positive came out from this exchange, please read the
quoted text and post any objections you might have. If we all agree about
this solution to the cyberpsionics question maybe we could at last talk about
something else.
( >s are me and :s are robert)

> I know that this doesnt make sence, but please bear with me for a sec and I'll
> explain. Robert sees a deckers icon as some kind of link to his actuall self,
> he seems to think that the icon carries the mental signature of the decker
> around the matrix. If this is true then psis should be able to use this link
> to mindfuck the decker, NOT THROUGH THE MATRIX, but rather using their psi
> powers long distance seeking out the person with the mental signature of
> the icon. (Did I get it right fearless leader?)

: No. Sell, sorta. There is nothign in the matrix ebcause the matrix
: doesn't exists. But, just as an ICe can attack an icon and follow the
: icon back to its source, a PSI can attack what seems to be the icon, but
: the effect is felt at the source.

> The other camp sees cyberpsionics as a way to influence tech with
> paranormal forces and as such view this power as highly munchkinous.

: No shit. PSI might be able to in some cases meld with machines, but that
: takes extreme ability and is beyond what we are discussing now.

> My PROPOSAL is that we rule, that a deckers aura (his mental signature)
>can be divined from his matrix icon (as he practically plugs his brain in, when
>he jacks into the matrix). This way a psi-decker that meets another decker in
>the net, will have the chance to try to remotely-influence/control him if he
>wants to. This has nothing to do with tech or the matrix, and is just another
>use of standard psi abilities.

: Basically, yes. Your mind is so unprotected when it's plugged into the
: net, something might come in and mess with it.

There where some objections about the feasibility of reading ones
aura over the telephone :) but I think that its not too big an advantage for
psi-deckers to have. Please give us your 2 cents worth and lets wrap this up.

> I am for essence loss, as the contrary would make munchkins out of
> all players that play psis, BUT we canot forget all the wonderfull examples
> of psis that are half-man/half-machine (see the Brother of Marc Remilard
> in the Sage of the pliocene exiles - they transplanted his brain in a machine
> or Lord Vader himself :) SO I think that it would be best to follow Roberts
> idea and have a Mastery(Initiation) power that helps psis overcome those
> problem. (Really cool dudes dont need no essence :)

: Right.

I repeat this should be quit an expensive thing to do, it should be
accesible to the highest grade Masters. Does anyone have to say anything
against this idea proposal ?

>> * How many Tech points a category will cost.
> How about using a 'magic' attribute to pay for the powers.
: Explain.

I mean giving psis an attribute equall to their essence (just like
the magic rating of mages), that can be used to pay for their disciplines.
Anakin, the cool psionic dude has an essense rating of 6 that gives him
a psi-attribute of 6. He decides to 'spend' those points to 'buy'
3 points worth of Telekinesis, 2 points Telepathy, and 1 point for
<enter descipline of your choise>. Psis that manage to get Masters get more
psi-attribute points (just like the mages), points that can be invested
in old or new-disciplines.(We could say that a psi can only advance in the
disciplines he has already 'bought' in char gan, that ought to stop them from
become psionic gods.


--
Strong am I with the Force... but not that strong!
Twilight is upon me and soon night must fall.
That is the way of things ... the way of the Force.

GCS d>d- h s+: !g p? !au a- w+ v-(?) C+++ UAVSL++>UAVSL+++ p--(aren't we all?)
L+>L+++ 3 N++ K W(+)(---) M-- !V(--) -po+(---) Y+ t++ !5 !j- r+++(--) !G
v(++) b+++ D++ b- e+ u++(-) h*(+) f+ r- n!(----) y?
Message no. 3
From: kyle kohler <kkohler@**.UCR.EDU>
Subject: Re: PSI: Everyone Please Read
Date: Tue, 19 Jul 1994 15:31:10 -0700
On Tue, 19 Jul 1994, Robert A. Hayden wrote:

>
> > Errrr, magic pool IS derived from the mages sorcery skill.
> > I'd say that his pool should be his rating in the discipline 'psi chategory'
> > the power he is curently using falls under.
>
> Somehow willpower needs to fit in there too, because the pool is supposed
> to represent pumping extra oomph into something in some cases.

Willpower is used to resist drain. Therefore, the better your
Willpower, the stronger you are at controlling your Psionic powers/forces
(i.e. less likely to tkae drain, enabling you to use your powers more).
I still think Psi Pool should be your Psionic Projection skill (just
trying to make it resemble the magic system as much as possible).

> > I'll certainly use them (if the are not tooooo munchkinous and too
> > upsetting).

Hey, that's one!
> > > * Who shot J.R.
> >
> > I havent got the foggiest idea old boy.
>
> It was a chicken I tell ya, a giant chicken!
>

The San Francisco one?


Kyle Kohler

.sig: Working on a new one

Further Reading

If you enjoyed reading about PSI: Everyone Please Read, you may also be interested in:

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