Would this Modification to an R2 work?

[tetsuoh]

Okay so I got a player who wants to put a Translang II Communications
module into an R2 Unit.

Would the droid then have Dice in languages?

The Roche Siak-series Protocol Droid Has a Translang IV but also a Language Database that gives dice to the Languages skill.

However for the 3PO Series they have a TransLang III Communications module with over seven million languages built in but no listed module or database granting skill dice.

This Holds true for basically every droid listed with a Translang Module and most use the same number of languages in their databases with 50k to millions of languages.

But the languages skill of those with any of the different modules can be vastly different, Including those with the same module in their listings.

The TTS-15 Tutor Droid with Translang II has Languages 4D+2
The 3D-4X Administrative Droid with Translang II has Languages 8D+2

Those with a Translang III have anywhere from 5D to 10D (most are 10 however.)

And in most listings the Translang modules do not grant bonuses by their listings - except for:

BT-16 Perimeter Security Droid - TransLang I communication module (+1D to languages) - Cynabar’s Fantastic Technology – Droids, Galaxy
Guide 7 – Mos Eisley (page 61)

J9 Worker Drone - TransLang II Communications module (+2D to languages) - Cynabar’s Fantastic Technology – Droids, The
DarkStryder Campaign - Boxed Set (page 86), d20 Core
Rulebook (page 375)

I honestly don't see why not and intend to give the droid his 3D in Languages. (Know 1D + 2D as listed in the J9 series listings.)

But then I find that ALL the J9 listings, including the individuals from GG7: Mos Eisley give them Knowledge 4D but only Languages 4D+1 which makes no sense with its listed bonus from it module.

So - you all can understand my frustration.

EDIT: Also one would think the Siak series droid would have a better bonus since it was a Translang IV and yet its Languages is far lower than the 3PO's - 5D vs 10D.

[CRMcNeill]

To be able to truly converse, the R2 would also need the protocol droid's vocabulator unit. Without that, all it can make are beeping noises, regardless of how well it can understand what is being said. For that matter, you could simply use the rules in Fantastic Technology: Droid's to add Language dice to the R2's existing CPU.
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"No set of rules can cover every situation. It's expected that you will make up new rules to suit the needs of your game." - The Star Wars Roleplaying Game, 2R&E, pg. 69, WEG, 1996.

The CRMcNeill Stat/Rule Index

[tetsuoh]

That option wasn't available to my player.

And it wasn't for it to speak - simply for it to understand when it was spoken to in a language other than basic and droid speak.

The question is can you see the module - which is little more than a database of three million languages giving it the languages skill. Or is having the database not enough if the language isn't present in it?

C-3PO formulated the ewok's language from a root dialect and recompiled their language by what he understood - could an R2 Unity do this with just a database or would he need to proper programming as well?

In other words - in your guys opinions would a Translang module give a bonus to the languages skill or not? - doesn't matter what droid - just the modules.

I can see both answers - as the 3PO series also has a verbo-brain for formulation - yet R2 droids are seemingly programmed for problem solving.

[CRMcNeill]

I suppose that would depend on the condition of the module itself..
_________________
"No set of rules can cover every situation. It's expected that you will make up new rules to suit the needs of your game." - The Star Wars Roleplaying Game, 2R&E, pg. 69, WEG, 1996.

The CRMcNeill Stat/Rule Index

[tetsuoh]

full working order - stripped from the remains of an old protocol droid.

[CRMcNeill]

[Whill]

[Jonos]

Do you have a single source for your droid construction? I have a player that is always trying to build droids of one form or another and I'm getting frustrated at the scattered and inconsistent rules.
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Star Wars D6 Creations - https://drive.google.com/folderview?id=0B2eHApljB2fKfmNxZVNsNnU0UzJ2bEVDbHZDZWNFdnB0SEwzYzlYTm9LdGs2dk5RSG95LWM&usp=sharing

[tetsuoh]

cynabar's fantastic technology - droids

is what most people use.

It just wasn't an option this time around.

Also - try Gry Sarths

Equipment Collection and Droids Collection

Those ebooks are always useful as well.

[tetsuoh]

[Pel]

I'd say the module should allow the droid to understand any language in the database. As far as Threepio's decyphering of Ewok, that would probably require more heuristic programming, commonly available in third degree droids.
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Aha!

[Whill]

[garhkal]

IMO the bigger question is how big IS that translater unit and database etc.. Would it fit into the already packed out R2 frame?
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Confucious sayeth, don't wash cat while drunk!

[Whill]

[tetsuoh]