New item "Burner Conduit"

[Error]

I'm thinking of something like this:

Time to use...one round.

A burner conduit is basically a small-single use flash drive that may be plugged into a database or computer to download and transmit a piece of data. All you have to do is plug it in. It automatically downloads the data you want, and then transmits it to a nearby third party (usually someone who is at least within the starsystem). It is mainly used to steal things from starport/shipboard computers such as passenger lists, cargo manifests, the vessels at port, crew dispositions, destination lists, etc.

The beauty of it is that it can only be used once. Plug it in, get the data, and then a single transmission burns out the drive. Hence the name!

Very popular with lay folk and slicers alike. Get yours today!
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The only words of explanation you need for any concept in the entire Star Wars universe are the words Science Fiction and Space Opera.

[garhkal]

What's its computer prog value, to slice into said database that it is wanting to hack into to steal data?
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Confucious sayeth, don't wash cat while drunk!

[Error]

[CRMcNeill]

The problem is that, unless the device is programmed in advance with the exact location of the data in question, it's going to need some sort of outside guidance to tell it where to look. Anything with the autonomous ability to go looking on its own would likely be too valuable to simply abandon after a single use. Apart from that, the best bet would be to have it simply copy all the computer's data indiscriminately, then burn itself out.

Of course, you could go the other way and have this device contain a nano-droid personality that is essentially software only. The droid would be smart enough to operate autonomously, searching for specific data, then transmit itself out along with the data, leaving only the disposable shell behind.

But again, hardware valuable enough to contain programming that advanced would either be too valuable to be disposable after one use or only used against high value targets...
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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

[Error]

I am allowing some leeway for this being largely a Fantasy universe. Though if we're talking the thing having some kind of smart software and being "too valuable" to abandon, I'm not so sure. Software can be copied ad infinitum and it happens in the SWU too (confer droids). I don't think it would need to be insanely complicated to program it to seek a certain kind of file. Also, I also make the assumption that you can also tell it what to do ahead of time, and it will do it way faster than you will. Perhaps it will require a certain skill to use?

Also, a Burner Conduit must be thought of in terms of "hardpoint access". Instead of sitting at a terminal rolling dice round after round, you get some instant results in a waaay less obvious fashion and there is hardly any proof. Access might even be had at non-terminal points if you want it to be even more valuable and indiscriminate.

I want this thing to be disposable (and expensive), but also worth the investment so PC's will use it. If it fails to meet those criteria then it's not worth investigating. But I think I can make it fit those criteria pretty easily without being broken or complicated to use.

I like the idea of copying and transmitting a whole database. It would make sense to be in "burner" form since you'd need a lot of power for like half a second to scan and send. I'm going to think about that.
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The only words of explanation you need for any concept in the entire Star Wars universe are the words Science Fiction and Space Opera.

[CRMcNeill]

[garhkal]

[Zarn]

Aren't we perilously close to reinventing data spikes here? Possibly with a wireless interface? I would allow cobbling together a data spike and a comlink with something like a Hard roll.

[CRMcNeill]

Hard?
_________________
"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

[Kytross]

[Error]

[Kytross]

I kind of figured you'd never heard of spikes, that's why I added the links. Spikes do everything you describe except transmit the data. Instead the data is stored on the spike.

Read through Cracken's Rebel Field Guide for more info on Spikes. Also, check out microthrust computers.

[garhkal]

[Error]

[Zarn]

I disagree with it bypassing RP or die rolls. It has a skill rating, for instance.

Data spikes are tools that are best used when you can't get a slicer droid or Ghent with you. If you're a storm commando team or whatever, you won't necessarily be able to babysit something like Blue Max or someone like Ghent - particularly if you're going through a combat zone to get to your slicing target.

Personally, I would also say that data spikes tend to trip whatever security is on the system. Sure, it manages to slurp its data (by the way, the 'real world' attack is often called "pod slurping"), but it wouldn't be flexible enough to avoid tripping alarms - it is essentially doing a DOS attack ("assault systems with garbage data to overwhelm security measures"), which isn't exactly a quiet way of handling things.

I would also make 'em lighter. Having a slicer spike weigh 1 kg isn't exactly ... wieldy. Perhaps the size, shape, and weight of a 2-cell AA Maglite Mini or something - a somewhat fat pen, essentially.