From:	Mongoose m0ng005e@*********.com
Subject:	SOTA
Date:	Tue, 9 Feb 1999 15:55:36 -0600

:I disagree...first on vehicles: While it occurs much more slowly and
:not as noticably, vehicles are affected by SOTA, as are computers. A
:car that WE use gets a higher handling after six years...the steering
:isn't as tight, the acceleration isn't as smooth, the engine is less
:efficent, etc.

That is not SOTA. That would happen even if all the car companies
stopped making cars, and only produce bicycles. That is wear an tear,
probably simulated in R2 with stress points, quality factors, or just
plain un repaired damage.
Well maintained vehicles do NOT suffer those problems- people race
well restored vintage motorcycles, and they perform as well today as they
did when built. They don't compare to modern bikes, but they never did.
They will still lap a person on foot as many times and as easily as they
did before.


:Think of the
:archtypical 17 year old in the 1970's and 80's (Talking VERY
:archtypical here) with a car: They would constantly be improving and
:fine-tuning the car to get everything they could out of it.

That is customization; the vehicle stats are being improved. At the
very least, they are maintaining the vehicle (op-tempo expenses). It is
not related to SOTA (except, as SOTA improves, better cutomization will be
possible, and old parts harder to get).

:Likewise..cyberware degrades unless it is TOP-notch. Anyone remember
:Fast Eddie from Changling? It's an extreme, but still. There is an
:actual degredation of performance...slow but steady.


Yes, there's a degradation if maintenance is not performed. That
doesn't have much to do with SOTA. SOTA means the new stuff is BETTER,
not that the old stuff got worse. As far as I recall, Fast Eddy had
health problems and damaged cyber, but he was still fast, particularly
when his wares were new. He did not start out fast and healthy, then get
twitchy and slow because better cyber came out. He got twitchy and slow
because his cyber was not maintained.

And yes, I am saying FASA has often screwed up in their view of SOTA
advances.

FASA's SRC SOTA rules seems to indicate SOTA is like inflation- old
stuff does less.
In fact, SOTA is more like a disappointing investment- you spend a lot
of money, and realize down the line that you could have spent it better,
but you don't loose anything except the chance to have purchased something
better.

Mongoose