Tech Magic - Johnny

[PotatoJedi]

Name: USBrain
Range: Touch
Casting Time: 3 Round
s
MP Cost: 2
Duration: 1 week or until overwritten/dumped/deleted

You touch a technological device, such as a computer. If the device can upload data to an external device such as a flash drive, you may instead store the data directly into your brain. The data must already be up on the screen or otherwise be extremely easily accessible – you cannot use this to quickly locate and download files if you do not know where they are on the machine. For example: there is a folder on the desktop called Cat Photos. Because this is easily accessed and not secured/encrypted, you may download it into your brain. However, if there is a file somewhere else on the machine, you will first need to navigate to it before you can download it. Each casting of the spell is the equivalent of one data transfer, so make sure you select all the files you wish to download before casting the spell for most efficiency.
    You may store up to 100 MB worth of data. Once the data has been stored in your brain, you may not access or read it in any way until you cast the spell again on a device capable of accepting and reading data from external devices. When doing so, you may choose to either copy the data over to the new device or dump it which deletes it from your own memory while also copying it to the other device. If your memory is full and you wish to add new data, you may permanently overwrite the old data, deleting all of it and replacing it with the new data. You may also just delete the data in your memory without needing access to a device.



Ideas for further tiers: more storage capacity, ability to read data without needing another device, ability to share data with other people (data stored in this manner is not permanent for whomever it was shared with)

[Scott]

There aren't really any permanent duration spells. This should probably be limited to a week or a month. Still plenty of time to copy it over, but if you don't get around to it then it goes bye bye.

[PotatoJedi]

1 week sounds reasonable to me. Perhaps the next tier can have it last up to a month.

[logan9a]

Not really digging this for the same reason I don't have 'chipped in' skills ala cyberpunk.

Or is it just to transport files ala Johnny Mnemonic?

[Scott]

Oct 28, 2018 16:57:06 GMT logan9a said:

Or is it just to transport files ala Johnny Mnemonic?

I thought he was just going for Johnny Mnemonic.

[logan9a]

Ah.

[PotatoJedi]

Yeah it's basically turning your brain into a flash drive which allows you to transfer data without needing a USB on you. Doesn't let you do anything with the data once you have it other than to store it someplace else. And you also can't store a ridiculous amount. It's estimated that the human brain can store up to 2.5 petabytes of data; with this spell you can only store 100 MB – enough for a few dozen documents, 20-ish MP3 songs, or a short video. Not enough to download an entire movie or a sophisticated program.

[logan9a]

You think it will be potentially useful?

Also, I'd like to see some spells that affect other tech than just computers and related as well.

[PotatoJedi]

I can think of a few uses for it. Don't have a USB drive on you but you really need some data? No problem. Sneak into someone's office and need some sensitive documentation? Download it into your brain. No evidence is left behind for them to take from you should do be discovered. Well, unless they know how to hack your brain, but that's entirely different. It's basically having an always available, invisible thumb drive. Assuming you can cast the spell successfully.

[logan9a]

We're going to need a counter for it as well - and some sort of disadvantage as well.

[PotatoJedi]

Counters could include "discreet" viruses in the form of security (either in the form of another spell or as an actual bit of software), so that if someone downloads a protected file in such a way, they gain a virus that fucks up their brains. Also the Degauss spell that Scott just made would wipe any such data you have in your brain, and maybe do some other minor nasty little thing for "forcefully" removing data like that. Perhaps another spell which "detects data" stored in people/devices as a form of screening could be made?

Another potential counter I just thought of could be that if you shine a bright light into someone's eyes (like they do at the doctor's) and take a close look, you can see some 1s and 0s floating around, indicating that they have some kind of data stored but not what it is.

As for disadvantages, I'm not sure. I figured not being able to read/access the data until transferred to another device with another successful spell cast and having a 1 week time-limit was sufficient, but if you need more, I can come up with something. Just need to think a bit.

[Scott]

Perhaps as long as you have data stored in your brain, your normal Memory skill is at half/-30.

[logan9a]

That's a pretty minor drawback - but it also violates Logan rule 1.

Going to have to think of something a bit more - what if keeping the data in used up all your spell casting brain so as long as it was in there, you couldn't cast any spells?

[PotatoJedi]

Oct 28, 2018 19:57:34 GMT logan9a said:

That's a pretty minor drawback - but it also violates Logan rule 1.

Going to have to think of something a bit more - what if keeping the data in used up all your spell casting brain so as long as it was in there, you couldn't cast any spells?

I think not being able to cast any spells is a bit much. Maybe a 10%-30% penalty? Don't know how much.

Or, you can only cast Tech Magic spells while you have data stored in your brain. You cannot cast any other spells.

[Scott]

Minor spell, minor drawback.