[Aria]

I'm trying to put together some standard 'PACKs' style options for SR5 and have to admit I'm a bit confused by the sensor rules...if anyone can clarify where / if I'm doing this wrong then please yell! I may have missed something basic as I'm gleaning this principally from the equipment section...

1. Buy something with capacity (like a helmet), stick a single sensor or sensor array in it...simple enough!
2. Buy a handheld device (max rt 3) and stick 1-3 single sensors in it, whatever these might be. If you put a camera in it's capped at rt 3 with 3 capacity for addons (and availibility caps come into play here)...so using it gives a Limit of 3

So with point 2, does this imply that if you just buy a camera from the Optical and Imaging Devices section then one you can carry easily is also capped at Rt3? Or can you bypass the sensor rules and get a rt6 camera and fill it full of goodies???

Thanks!

[Novocrane]

I'd go with the second option. Unless I'm mistaken, you can't install a normal, non-sensor camera (any optical / imaging devices) in anything, either.

Helmets have Capacity 6 for being tricked out with accessories like trode nets and vision enhancements.

Helmets, for example, take enhancements directly - or you could put a single sensor / sensor array in.

[martinchaen]

Novocrane; according to page 445, "Sensors can be put into devices that have capacity."

And then, on page 446, " If a function has the same name as an imaging or audio device, it’s the same as its description in those sections, with a Capacity equal to its Rating, and thus is not described here."

So yes, you can install a camera (as a sensor function) in anything with capacity (that your GM allows, since nothing is really specified beyond "anything with capacity".

[Novocrane]

I get the feeling you've taken what I said backwards and are trying to explain it to me. Either that, or what I said was quite confusing.

[Aria]

Ok, buying a rt 6 camera (ignoring availability for the time being) gets you lowlight, thermo, flare comp, magnification and enhanced vision [2] for 3100 1850¥ (Struck through text is optional/possible but removed to sort of compare to below).  So this is handheld?  The size of an 80s shoulder mounted video camera?!?

Or, handheld sensor [1] + single sensor function [3] (I'm assuming this covers the cost of the camera) + lowlight, thermo and magnification for 1650¥ ...so it's clearly cheaper (marginally) to get the bottom version, but the possibilities of the extra functions plus the fact that the limit is 6 rather than 3 makes the top much more preferable?

This might be shortsighted because the handheld device could also have a mic and another sensor function in it whereas the camera is just that but...

[Kincaid]

Goggles go up to capacity 6 and you aren't wearing those on your shoulder, so I figure a capacity 6 camera is a small, hand-held device, maybe around the size of a Canon Rebel.

[martinchaen]

Aria, I think your last comment warrants a FAQ/Rules elaboration. Can a camera take audio enhancements?

From page 443:
"A common visual device, cameras can capture still photos, video, and trideo, including sound."

[Aria]

Well it can as a handheld sensor housing which can have 3 single sensors in it (or is that 2...) anyway...

[martinchaen]

No, I meant the Camera listed under Optical and Imaging devices on page 443, not the sensor housing (which, rightly, can hold up to a rating 3 sensor, with a number of sensors equal to it's rating).

[Kincaid]

On a related note, commlinks have an omni-directional mic and a camera.  Can those be modified?