This section covers the terminology and statistics of equipment in this book, and expands on the rules discussed on pp. B483-485.

Simple objects don’t require much maintenance. If an object costs less than 0.1% of average starting wealth ($30 at TL9, $50 at TL10, $75 at TL11 or $100 at TL12) the GM may assume it’s so simple that it will work indefinitely. At the GM’s option, some items – especially those that are complex or regularly placed under stress – may require periodic “maintenance checks.” See Maintenance(p. B485) for details. GMs are also welcome to ignore maintenance, or only impose it in dramatic situations where the characters are cut off from spare parts. GMs who do not want to bother with maintenance details at all can assume ultra-tech items incorporate embedded diagnostics, self-repairing components, etc. that make maintenance unnecessary, at least for a period covered by a warranty! “Self-repairing” devices such as living metal gadgets already have such systems.

If a gadget breaks down, it requires either a minor or a major repair. Performing repairs requires the appropriate repair skill. Use:

• Armoury (p. B178) for weapons and defenses. • Computer Operation (p. B184) for software problems. • Electronics Repair (p. B190) for electronic devices. • Electrician (p.B189) for power transmission systems, power cells, and their interfaces. • Machinist (p.B206) for manufacturing plants and tools. • Mechanic (p. B207) for robots, power plants, and vehicles. • Sewing (p.B219) for fabric (other than body armor).

Some complex systems may require more than one skill, depending on what broke down. Except for software repairs, appropriate tools are needed – see Tool Kits(p. 82). Major repairs also require a substantial investment in parts; if these are lacking, Machinist skill (p. B206) may be used to fabricate them. For detailed rules for repairs, see pp. B484-485.

Many gadgets require power. For simplicity, they are assumed to use standardized detachable Power Cells. The size of a cell is a rough measure of how much energy the gadget requires. The larger the cell, the more power the gadget consumes. The cost and weight of power cells and alternatives such as solar power are covered in the Power section.

These modifications can be added to just about any gadget that has both a specified cost and weight (i.e., not software, drugs, etc.).

A gadget or weapon may be disguised as something else of similar shape, such as a laser rifle built into an umbrella. Double the cost for a mass-produced disguised item; multiply cost by 5 for a custom-built one.

Styling alters the device’s appearance in as “fashionable” a manner as possible. All sorts of options are possible, including airbrushing, sculpted curves and designs, embedded gemstones, or even built-in lighting. It will cost 2 to 10 times as much depending on the complexity of the styling and possible reaction bonus for possessing it.

Rugged gadgets are built to withstand abuse, harsh weather, and physical damage. Rugged systems incorporate modifications such as shock-mounted brackets, heavy-duty heat sinks, and redundant power supplies. A rugged gadget gets a +2 HT bonus and has twice its normal DR. Add 20% to weight and double the cost.

Cheap gadgets use inexpensive materials, older electronics, etc. They are generally 1.5 times normal weight (excluding the weight of any power cells) but half normal cost. Expensive gadgets use lightweight materials or have been deliberately designed to save weight. They are generally 2/3 normal weight (excluding the weight of any power cells) but cost twice as much.

Electronic gadgets can plug into other gadgets, either directly or using data cables. This allows them to link their functions, or to turn multiple functions on or off with a single Ready maneuver. Most often, this permits a computer to talk to (and control) multiple devices as peripherals, but other combinations can exist. Linking devices usually takes between 10 seconds and a minute, assuming the gadgets are compatible. If they aren’t, or if a particular combination is very complex, the GM may require a toolkit and Electronics Operation roll. Useful devices for linking gadgets include optical cable (p. 43), cable jacks (p. 42), and microcommunicators (p. 43). A neural interface (pp. 48-49) is a device for mentally linking a person to one or more gadgets.

Most electronics can be preprogrammed for a few simple remote functions. Almost all electronics have a simple “clock” function, so they can be set to turn features on or off or activate various functions at a specific time, or upon receiving particular input. For example, a recorder could be plugged into a communicator to play a message at a certain time, or upon receiving a specific signal, or to act as an answering machine. A detonator plugged into an inertial compass could go off when the subject reached a specific destination. Wireless connectivity is also possible: plug in a communicator set to a specific frequency, and you can talk to the device using a computer and communicator. Devices that must be aimed are difficult to operate remotely. A gun with a communicator plugged into it could fire, but unless it also had a plugged-in sensor, the firer wouldn’t know whether there was a target. And unless a gun with a sensor was attached to something like a powered tripod (p. 151), it could only be fired at someone who crossed its sights. As always, the GM should rule on whether a particular piece of gadget programming is possible.

Want to invent a device featuring an inertial locator, multi-mode ladar, and neutrino communicator in one handy unit? Here’s how.

If the gadgets can be used all at once, the weight is that of the heaviest gadget plus 80% of the weight of the others, the weight savings being due to shared housing and components.

If only one of the combined gadgets can work at once, the weight is based on the highest weight among all gadgets plus 50% of the other gadget weights, due to shared electronics and mechanical parts. (Make this calculation using the empty weight of the gadget, after subtracting the weight of any power cells and ammunition.)

The same applies to cost, based on the costliest of the gadgets. LC is always based on the lowest LC among all component gadgets.

Combined gadgets may end up using several different power cells. To make them all run off the same size of power cell, adjust endurance based on relative cell size. Since a D cell is 10 times the power of a C cell, a gadget that switched to using C cells will operate for one-tenth as long. Don’t forget that changing the types of power cells will modify the gadget’s actual weight – subtract the weight of the old power cell(s), and add the weight of the new one(s).

The equipment lists as written assume equipment is built for humans or humanoids. If equipment is designed for aliens, it may have different controls or displays to accommodate alien hands or senses. The latter could be quite odd, such as olfactory readouts, or colors or sounds in frequencies outside our range of perception.

Alien gadgets that are awkward to use will impose a penalty to skill equivalent to the Bad Grip disadvantage (-2 to -6). Gadgets that require missing senses or limbs may be unusable without technologies or advantages to emulate them. Adapting incompatible alien hardware is +10%-100% of the original cost (and possibly weight).

Hardware for nonhumans and robots is assumed to have identical statistics, although the GM may wish to adjust these to reflect differences in alien physiology (for instance, see Increased Life Support, p. B139). The exceptions to this are suits, force fields, and other surface-based accessories, where statistics will vary depending on size and surface area. See Adjusting for SM (below).

Some gadgets have a notation “adjust for SM” after their weight, cost, and power requirement. This means the weight, cost, and number of power cells are multiplied by a factor depending on the user’s Size Modifier. For ordinary-sized humans (SM 0) there is no change. However, if used by larger or smaller individuals, or if added to vehicles or robots with a higher or lower SM, multiply as follows: SM Modifier SM Modifier SM -3 ¥1/20 SM +4 ¥20 SM -2 ¥1/10 SM +5 ¥50 SM -2 ¥1/5 SM +6 ¥100 SM -1 ¥1/2 SM +7 ¥200 SM +1 ¥2 SM +8 ¥500 SM +2 ¥5 SM +9 ¥1,000 SM +3 ¥10 SM +10 ¥2,000

Most gadgets detailed in subsequent sections use a standard format for statistics.

The gadget’s Tech Level. This is given parenthetically after the gadget’s name, e.g., Neutrino Communicator (TL11^). This is the first TL at which the gadget can be reliably manufactured at the listed cost. This is not a hard-and-fast rule: see Variations Within a TL (p. B511) for guidelines on the usual exceptions. In addition, it is common for gadgets to continue to be used at higher TLs.

Superscience: An ^ after TL indicates the gadget requires superscience technology. The GM may wish to omit the gadget, or to reassign the TL.

Many gadgets list these four statistics at the end of their description. For example, “$20,000, 20 lbs., D/12 hr. LC4.”

This is the price in generic GURPS dollars. The price does not include power cells, fuel, or ammunition.

This is the gadget’s mass, as well as its weight, under a normal Earth gravity (1 G). It is given in pounds (lbs.), or in some cases in tons (of 2,000 lbs.). Weight does include any power cells, fuel, or ammunition.

If a non-weapon gadget requires power, the letter designation for the type of power cell it uses is listed, along with the number of cells, if it requires more than one. See Power Cells (pp. 18-20). This is followed by a parenthetical operating time, usually in hours (hr.), days, or weeks (wk.). Thus, “D/12 hr.” means the device requires one D cell that operates it for 12 hours of continuous use; “2A/3 days” means two A cells that collectively power it for 3 days. In some cases, a gadget’s endurance is listed in “uses” or “shots” rather than time.

Some items rarely use power cells – they’re usually plugged into a building’s electrical system or built into a vehicle. These have the notation “external power.” Some items such as computers have both notations: they’re used with an external power supply, but also have power cells as a backup.

LC measures how likely an item is to be legally or socially controlled. If a LC is omitted, it means the item is not likely to be controlled even by the most repressive regime. For details of LC, see p. B267 and p. B507.

Certain types of equipment are described in a different format.

Robots: Sentient machines big enough to see are described using racial templates or as animals. See Machines as Characters(pp. 29-35).

Weapons: These use the format on p. B268-271, with the exception that beam weapons list a power cell type instead of ammunition weight. “7/2C” means the weapon is powered by a pair of C cells, which are included in its 7 lb. weight.

Armor, Suits, and Protective Gear: These use the format described on p. B282.

Software: Computer programs have a Complexity rating, which is the minimum Complexity of computer that can run it (see Software,p. B472).

Vehicles: These are described using the format on p. B464.

The equipment listings includes examples of basic, good, fine, or even best-quality equipment in terms of Equipment Modifiers (p. B345). Better quality equipment is usually heavier and more expensive. A gadget’s quality grade is always followed by “(quality)” in item descriptions, e.g., “provides a +2 (quality) bonus to Electronics Repair (Armoury) skill.” Quality is basic if there is no bonus, good if the bonus is +1, fine if at least +2 but less than +TL/2, and best if +TL/2.

Gadgets may also add an intrinsic bonus to skill because the underlying technology is easy to use or doesn’t fail very often – an example is the bonus that higher-TL surgical instruments provide. This is comparable to a ranged weapon’s Accuracy. Any bonus that isn’t marked “(quality)” is an intrinsic bonus. It has nothing to do with quality, and applies whenever you use that variety of gadget. An intrinsic bonus “stacks” with the quality modifier, if any.

HP: A gadget’s hit points are calculated from its weight. Use the chart on p. B558. Almost all gadgets will use the Unliving/Machine column.

HT: A gadget is assumed to have HT 10 unless otherwise noted. Rugged gadgets (p. 15) are HT 12.

DR: Use the guidelines on p. B483. Most gadgets are made of plastic with DR 2. Weapons are normally DR 4, or DR 6 for solid metal melee weapons. Armor, suits, vehicles, etc. have their specified DR. Rugged gadgets have twice their normal DR.

Bulk:A general measure of size and handiness. The larger the penalty, the more bulky the item. Bulk modifies weapon skill when you take a Move and Attack maneuver with a ranged weapon, and serves as a penalty to Holdout skill when you attempt to conceal the gadget.