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Skeleton Keycard

K

Kimura

Inactive Member
Variable data magnetic strip keycard "Skeleton Key"

Designer: ((Dunno, who makes funky illegal electronics? To be edited))
Available to: Anyone with access to the black market and a decent amount of spending money.

Information: This device stores and recalls magnetic strip data so that it can act as pretty much any keycard or whatever that it comes in contact with. It can also 'guess' keycard data based on residual magnetism in a key slot, though it may take several swipes in order to get it right. A popular item among petty thieves and thugs, it doesn't give the lock hacking abilities of a radio-multitool, but it's relatively inexpensive and less obvious than a stick of dynamite or a crowbar.

Technical information: Chances of successfully analyzing and reproducing a code based on residual magnetism are directly proportional to the amount of use the keycard slot has; ie, a motel room will be fairly easy whereas a safety deposit box at a bank would require extreme luck. Otherwise, magnetic patterns can be committed to memory easily by simply touching the two magnetic strips together. Consists of a 'card' which has electromagnets throughout in order to rearrange its field, and a handheld processor/memory which controls them via a small coaxial cable connected to the corner. The card itself has a minor amount of memory and three reprogrammable 'quick recall' buttons in case the handheld is lost or destroyed. When not in use, the card is stored in a slot on the underbelly of the main unit. Has a hole in the corner for hanging from a lanyard/keychain/belt loop/etc. Batteries not included.
 
My character Makter already uses something like this since he is a hacker. It's best just to get a blank Swipe card and a swipe card reader then add a dash of Hacker skill a pinch of unknown costumers and a half cup of luck and the blank card becomes a card of many wondrous things. Things like this are better off left to be RPed out in detail in the RP itself. Rather not have it pre designed since the success rate of the card is dependent on 3 things. Characters skills, the thing you are attempting to open, and then the GM.

So like i said I don't think this should be predesigned for approval. I'm not saying it can't be used but it's best if it's RPed out in detail each time it's used. Besides any decent computer tech / mathematician could make this type of card you don't have to go out of the way to a black market when it could be made at home.
 
I suppose you're right. I just figured something like this would be the kind of thing that would need to be approved before using it in RP...so I tried to make up realistic specs for it.
Then again, you know what they say - "Every time you try to bring realistic physics into a discussion about anime or video games, god kills a catgirl"...and I'm sure none of us would want that to happen... ;P
 
Actually, you should try to be as realistic as possible. There's been quite a few debates over outlandish new tech material. As long as it's not too crazy, and you have a mostly scientifically sound design, it's cool.
 
I need to make stats for the KS card apparently. I'm not sure if it's magnetic or not, but I'm leaning towards no. What I do know is that:

1) Each KS card has a unique identifier
2) The PANTHEON system tracks KS cards (and makes sure they're unique)
3) No actual monetary data is stored on the card

I'm also thinking the cards will know (by fingerprint) who's holding them and if that's its owner.

It can also 'guess' keycard data based on residual magnetism in a key slot
Click to expand...
And, btw, is this even possible?
 
not it's not possible.

Finger print is going to far since a husband gives a wife his card some times or maybe another family member. Or you can hand the card to a shop keeper for them to swipe it just like a credit card in real life standards.
 
Actually, yeah, it is possible; magnets do affect their surroundings, even the non-metallic ones...
The theory goes, if you leave a piece of iron in a really strong magnetic field for a while, it will become pretty well magnetized. It has to do with the magnetic 'domains' (I think they're called); basically, a piece of metal is divided into regions where the magnetic field points in one direction. Most of the time, this is random, but if it is subjected to another magnetic field (or certain forces - such as hammering a nail in the northerly direction) then they will align with each other and the metal will become magnetic. If it is heated, the atoms of the metal become loose and spinny and the domains are re-randomized.
Now, if you had a particular magnetic pattern passing through a slot several times per day, over the course of a year it would become pretty well-magnetized, and unless the pattern is changed fairly often, it would stay that way. This device simply picks up the residual magnetism and attempts to reconstruct the original pattern.

As far as fingerprints go, it all depends on how fancy you want to make them. We've had the technology to recognize fingerprints in a handheld device for about ten years now, as far as I know, and one could assume that in a sufficiently advanced technological setting, miniaturization to the point of fitting on a swipe card could be achieved. Powering it could potentially be a problem, but you could just say that the body heat from having the hand on it is enough to power a hardwired circuit that would confirm recognition.

Another option would be to devote a certain section of the magnetic pattern to a digitalization of the finger print reading, such that only the correct fingerprint would generate the appropriate magnetic field.
 
Right, so we have a card that can read a electronic lock as long as the same key-card has been used on it for an extended period of time.

Personally I don't think this is too unrealistic, since the science seems to be relatively firm. My only worry is that in an advanced setting, most secure locks will have something which prevents this from happening, for example by negating that lingering magnetic field.

But is there any reason why this can't be approved for use on Nepleslia? I don't think it would work on the more advanced Yamataian locks, but for some of the half-decent locks on Nepleslia it should work. You just won't be robbing any banks or getting into anywhere particularly secure.

I know it's been a while, but my theory is that as long as it is on this board, which is for the commenting on by members, and a waiting list for approval, there is no such thing as necroing. (Unless it's a really daft point.)
 
I do not think a card could appreciablty magnetize a reader, it just doesn't have a strong enough field. And hotels and such change the code on the card each time someone new checks into a room, it doesn't stay fixed like a physical key does.
 
RPG-D RPGfix
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