Bio-Comms Issues

[RiftJunkie]

Please bear with me. I'm just pondering stuff and it's not meant as an attack on the write-up or even super serious questions as there are multiple ways to play it. I'm just curious if there is an overwhelming consensus, or if no one has even given this much thought. If it's in the "not much thought" category, this might add an element to your game as a new twist or frustrate PC's because nobody like communication issues at a critical moment.

In the write-up, it sounds like Bio-Comms are all the same critter. Here's some questions:
Do they all work on the same frequency?
Are they House specific (only understood by the same House)?
How would different Houses coordinate if they are specific?
They have a 6 mile range, does that mean everybody in the radius hear everybody's conversation?
Does one conversation "step on" another or is it like a shouting match to be heard?
Can they have different frequencies in the same Bio-Comm unit?
How would you adjust frequencies in the Bio-Comm unit (squeeze glands or something)?
Since it's critter to critter transmissions, can Bio-Comms act as a translator between languages?
The Machine can't interpret the signals, but what about "jamming" by sending out it's own pulses?
How long can the Bio-Comms continually communicate before they get tired and need a rest?
Are there any other potential "quirks" that I missed?

[boxee]

Good questions, I can tell you how I run them.
They are thought controlled, you think it they transmit it.
Imagine there is someone you want to talk to that is far away, comms open you can transmit. This works for individuals, your squad, your house, and the resistance in general.
Your house would have protocols as to who talks when. Most likely it is dependent on how many people are trying to talk, maybe houses have dreadguard or roughnecks that are assigned to a squad/platoon/whatever and they report to the warlord in large scale battles to keep things from being total chaos.
I would say they can not be jammed. If they could the machine would always do this and they would be useless.
Translators interesting thought, maybe some can?

[kaid]

Actually different houses use different "frequencies" from some snippets we have seen such as the descriptions of the communications roots from gardeners having to mature to a certain point to be able to relay signals from other houses bio comms and relay/translate them.

I don't believe bio comms can be jammed but they don't appear to be encrypted if you can tap into their channels such as via the gardener communication nodes. I would guess if you are in hostile actions vs another great house or suspect they have hostile intentions to you people use codes to disguise their meanings.

As for to much "chatter" on the line I suspect you get the same kinds of communications protocols we see in modern day military. Chit chat is okay until combat starts and then you practice strict discipline to keep it from devolving to chaos. Also note without a gardener node max range of biocomms is somewhat short so you even in a big fight people at one end may not be able to directly contact those on the other side.

[BookWyrm]

Here's a few thoughts;

Assuming they are grown from the same basic creature but with slight stylistic differences, they would have a 'baseline' vibration that is common enough to all of the species, but each House has a unique 'signature' that enables it to communicate to other Bio-Comms from it's 'series' and keeps it safe from the Machine.

As for linking up two or more, the leader of the team/squad removes their Bio-Comms (if possible) & gets within proximity (say, 1/2 meter) of his/her team & gives the command to synch up. This takes only a few seconds, as the Bio-Comms tap into that base-line & synchronize together. Implanted Bio-Comms, being incapable of being removed, would simply be brought into the aforementioned range, command given, then they synch up.

Only those in the same frequency receive the transmissions keyed, unless a member of another House is linked (as per above).
No conversation interferes or 'steps on' another's. This was worked out in the earliest days of the first usage of Bio-Comms, when miscommunications led to the annihilation of several smaller Houses due to cross-talking and mistaken intelligence.

Different 'frequencies' are used only for each specific mission, but I would allow up to 4 (the House base-line plus 3 others) which can be wiped by command. Only the House base-line is permanent, unless the Bio-Comms is destroyed.

Changing 'channels' is as easy as a whispered command, such as lightly touching two tiny plates on the Bio-Comms (one at the base of the 'mike' the other at the 'antenna') and whispering "Get me {name associated to that line}." Ex.: "Get me Commander T'kresh." (Bio-Comm gives a short soft trill) "Commander, status?"
Implanted one require no physical contact, only the command. Some do make the gesture out of habit.

As for a functional translator, a Bio-Comms can be specifically grown for said purpose, but it would have to 'hear' the language spoken for about 10 seconds to get a base-line understanding. For each language translated, it sacrifices a channel (meaning it can translate up to 3 known languages at the cost of the frequencies). The House base-line is hard-wired (hard-bred?) inot the Bio-Comm & cannot be wiped, except upon death/destruction. Treat as a one-time Language: Other skill at 88%, locked at that level until wiped or the creature is destroyed.

The Machine cannot duplicate the subtle bio-signature(s) that the Bio-Comms produce in order to effectively jam/decode the transmissions. It never figured it out & abandoned the idea long ago.

The Bio-Comms creature goes into a kind of 'rest'-mode in-between transmissions (sent & received) to maximize it's lifespan in the field. If removed it goes into a 'sleep'-mode until activated. I would say that a non-implanted Bio-Comms can survive up to 6 months of normal use, or less than 3 weeks if left alone & starves to death. A non-implanted Bio-Comms feeds on the dead skin cells & normal persperation of the user, while an implanted one becomes part of the system it's implanted in. A Bio-Comms dies when it's host dies.

[RiftJunkie]

Interesting. I'm a little surprised that nobody has comms problems. They can be frustrating, but can make for serious suspense/drama.

[BookWyrm]

A flawed external Bio-Comms can indeed be problematic, garbling transmissions and messages, switching channels at inappropriate times, even just blasting a single high-pitched squelch until it is removed and destroyed.
Sometimes a flawed Bio-Comms shows up in a 'batch' (while extremely rare, the percentage is noticeable enough to have a general plan in place just for such an occurrence; removal, isolation of the faulty device, examination & then disposal (usually by immolation to prevent the flaw from being transferred to another batch). With most Bio-Comms being implanted, this has an even less chance of occurring.

Some of the less-reputable smaller Houses have attempted to sabotage other House with smuggled-in & replaced faulty Bio-Comms, but these are usually discovered quickly, disposed of & the House 'chastized' (punishments usually range from restricted trade to low-level censure).

[BookWyrm]

I forget, which Rifter was it that had a Bio-Comms like device that recorded a short audio message & couple play it back?

[The Galactus Kid]

Rifter 59

[BookWyrm]

Rifter 59

Thanks!