Where was the computer skill split up into operation, programming and hacking

content-identificationmechwarrior-3eskills

I just joined a MechWarrior group that uses the old 3rd edition books. I was handed a PreGen from the core book (The Federated Suns Technician)1, which lists the "Computer" skill.

However, during play, I was told that in some later book (still in the 3rd edition) that skill had been split up into "Operation", "Programming", and "Hacking". Which book is that skill-split in, and does that book also contain a rule on how to adapt a character that was made without that book?


1 – MechWarrior 3rd Edition (FASA #1715) (1999) p. 70/71.

Best Answer

This was added in Classic BattleTech Companion (FanPro #10975), an expansion to 3rd edition first published in 2003. The relevant text is on page 107.

This skill has been revised as a cascading skill that lets a character choose to specialize in various areas of the computer field. For the purpose of roleplaying, the computer skill has been broken down into three areas of specialization: Computer/Operations, Computer/Programming, and Computer/Hacking. Each skill gives the character a working knowledge and a chance to become an expert in the specialization they choose. (INT/WIL)