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View Full Version : Thoughts on Switching


FxChiP
01-04-2006, 06:48 PM
Now, bear in mind that though I've practiced for a while, I'm still rather new to doing psionics. Also, this is based on what I've heard from the website and what the Id has explained to me.

A Switcher could be like another kind of partial. Partials are known to have a base, a bootstrap of their mental faculties. As in, as the Id explained to me, "the operating system is there, but the programs haven't been made yet."

Digressing a little bit (you'll see where I'm going in a second), a computer's network card (NIC) has a hardcoded unique ID called a MAC address (which in theory is completely different than every other NIC in the world). "Ordinary" psions are the same way; each has a distinct signature, ingrained, and it is pretty difficult to change it, much like it is to actually change the MAC address of the NIC card. (Though there are ways to do it, and I'm assuming that works both ways).

So even an ordinary partial would have this signature hardwired into their minds, since they have the base they need, they just need to expand upon it.

But an unordinary partial (i.e. Switcher) would still have the base they need, except for the hardwired signature. This actually works out well, because anything that isn't hardwired into the mind can be created and changed easily. The signature would be regenerated and regenerated and regenerated unconsciously each time the Switcher wanted to get on the astral plane or somesuch, because the signature is required for that "communication". When the Switcher gets a conscious hold of it, they can then use it to spoof other signatures they see on the astral plane, making it appear as if there are two of the same person. Or they can screw up their signature to be so out there, it can't even be detected. Or they can remove their signature entirely, and have nothing going out or coming in. "Switching off."

It's kind of hard to explain... if you want clarification or examples, reply, and I'll try to help.

Winged_Wolf
01-04-2006, 07:05 PM
Still, asleep, Switchers read as born-on. What's more they have instinctive use of a few other innate abilities aside from switching (precognition, for example).
I still conclude that even though Switchers lack a third tone, they fit the same basic pattern as the other specialties, and thus are born-on.

Elliptic
01-04-2006, 08:52 PM
I consider the reliance on tones unnecessary in the assessment of 'specialties.' It is apparent that at least one known 'specialty' then has no third tone. Further, tones are relatively subjective. I didn't have one until it was being looked for. There remain taxonomic methods for identifying 'specialties' which are more than ample.

My 2 cents.

Winged_Wolf
01-04-2006, 10:10 PM
Of course you had one, but no one'd really scanned you for your birthswitch, lol.

I find tones useful because they're a helpful 'diagnostic' when you come accross something unusual (like Maverick) lol.

FxChiP
01-06-2006, 12:08 AM
Still, asleep, Switchers read as born-on. What's more they have instinctive use of a few other innate abilities aside from switching (precognition, for example).
I still conclude that even though Switchers lack a third tone, they fit the same basic pattern as the other specialties, and thus are born-on.

Don't partials have instinctive use of a few other innate abilities, too?

And how do they fit the pattern? Or do I have to see it for myself? (I'm not trying to argue, I'm just wondering)

Winged_Wolf
01-06-2006, 12:45 AM
Most partials don't have instinctive use of abilities at all...they sort of just function and activate fairly randomly.

The pattern I meant is all sharing some general physical trait tendencies, and all tending to some specific abilities (such as Precognition in Switchers, or Construct abilities in phase-switchers).

RainTurtle
04-14-2006, 12:41 AM
Just tossing a couple observations into the pot....

In some cases, it might be difficult to determine whether a (controlled) ability is innate. In others, it is so close to "obviously innate" as makes no difference.

As for the tones, the perception of those appears to be subjective. I don't read birth-tones, myself, so my observation here is of what other people have done and their resultant reports. That is to say, based on observing how other people report the results of their birth-switch scans. Also, apparently, some are harder to read than others.