Although I know you're a big fan of letting people wing it, I'm wondering about your thoughts about GPS in octaNe, Jared [and anyone else who cares, really.]
I tend to think that GPS would not be present in the game - /maybe/ in some advanced smart cars, but the average person would have no access to a GPS system at all.
Thoughts?
No idea what the official word would be, but to me locations in Octane always seemed kind of mutable. Sure, maybe Vegas was at that location last month but it's drifted a bit since then...
I think of it as almost a kind of dreamscape more than a concrete reality.
Octane, it's a state of mind...
Given the nature of Octane...midgets in monster trucks and Luchador monkeys...I'm having a bit of trouble conceiving of a situation where anything as technically mundane as a GPS system would be needed. But if for some reason it would promote bizarre psychotronic mayhem...throw it in.
If a player in my game started wanting things like a GPS (like he was equipping his ride out of some Uncle Albert's catalog) I'd give him one. And make sure it the directions it gave always took the "scenic" route with many trips down the Highway to Hell.
A GPS which gave text or auditory descriptions of location might be fun.
"You are nowhere. To go somewhere please take the next turning on the left, proceed for three kilometres and then take the second turning on the right."
A drink holder is probably more useful than GPS. Here's the deal:
In normal cars? Nope. GPS doesn't really exist -- satellites? Haw. Haw.
Smartcars could probably figure out their location relative to...whatever. Have 'em make a Stunt Roll, probably Craft - but only if it's going to be exciting. Navigation usually ISN'T too exciting (a Techno-Shaman could use Magic to figure out his location, but again...if it's not exciting, either Yea or Nay it without making a roll).
My feelings:
If the goal of the game is to find your way to a location, you don't get lost.
If the goal is to be lost, then you can't find your location.
I'd let you have GPS, no problem...
Course, your GPS system would be a smart-ass A.I. that hated your guts.
Or
In love with you and thus continually unwilling to help you find danger.
Or
Bored.
Or
Neurotic.
Or
Drugged Out - e.g. the Easy Rider GPS - "So where am I?" "Duuuude, didn't you ask me that, like, yesterday?" "Look man, I just need to know where the fuck I am." "Where are any of us, kemosabe? It sounds like your in a world of shit." "ARRRRRRRRRRRRRGGGGHHHH."
Never underestimate the power of GPS as comic relief.