Enforcers want a way to track alarms and chase them down.
Thieves dislike the lack of granularity with the system, and the fact that every level of alarm but the basic broadcasts to SIC making pitching upgrades and upselling a nightmare for security systems.
So here's a few propositions for revamping the system.
FIRST CHALLENGE! We need a sequence of alarms that upgrade in a sensible fashion.
To address this I'd say take the current model of alarms, and start at 1. Increment the features upwards for seven ranks. Which brings us to our second challenge.
SECOND CHALLENGE! We need the features on the alarms to make logical sense and provide an interplay between the systems. Both allowing for reactions and allowing for a priority to be placed on stealth.
So I'm gonna propose a bit of a revamp to the current system.
First off, the current system basically makes 2 of the 6 main line security systems not really worth using. That's fine for one of those two, but the other one should have some form of intermediary function that differs from the cheaper model below it beyond just the check. Second off, the current system doesn't allow for much response post the activation of the alarm. This is something that if you were to remedy, shouldn't be remedied by extending the time to crack, but rather extending the period in which that vehicle is obviously stolen.
With that in mind, I'm going to propose a new set of 7 security systems for the vehicles that revamp in specific ways, and each has a feature that rolls into the next.
1. Basic Bitch System: No changes, it's fine as it is. Maybe lower the value by about half. Or keep it the same. Doesn't really matter. If you cared about your ride, you shouldn't be using the basic bitch system.
2. Small Noisey system: This is the first upgrade, and would be where a pattern on pricing should start, each of these security systems should be roughly 15k more than the last. This system should emit a BWOOP BWOOP when tampered with that persists for around a minute and silences after. This BWOOP BWOOP sound should be hearable for about the same range a shout or possibly just in the same room.
3. BIG NOISEY system. Same features as before, 15k more price range. And has a customizable sound(Akin to a proggy's ring tone or if it's doable, to a preset recorded line that could be changed by a mechanic) that persists for about 3 minutes repeats about every 15 seconds and can be heard for blocks around akin to a gunshot or siren with the same directionality code. For reference price point at this level should be around 55-60k
4. Small Shocky This one has all the same features as above, but provides a very small non-lethal shock the forces an action cooldown on the user and triggers the alarm which lasts for five minutes when tampered with.
5. First Amp System: Broadcasts the message on the amp, has the same features as before, 15k+ price. Crucially this message is repeated at the end of the alarm process, with the new location of the bike. The alarm process lasts 7.5 minutes for the audio, and a variable amount of time after that for the second SIC boardcast. Should be at around 85 price tag for this system.
6. BIG SHOCKY system, Also called Momma Gon Knock you out. 20k+ chy, knocks you out without a way to circumvent large amounts of pain and exhaustion. Broadcasts a message with location on SIC via an inbuilt amp as above however it does so every time the vehicle is turned off and on instead. Continues the same features as above.
7. Lethal SHOCKY SYSTEM this bitch kills in addition to the above if you aren't hardy enough. Generally restricted to the WJF, Syndicates and corpsec. Broadcasts a location, and with the WJF versions, the SIC id of the person stealing the thing goes straight to WJF Ops. Continuing the same features as above. Heavily restricted and in the 125k price range minimum.
I think that this structure allows for A: More granularity and thus difficulty in the skill check, while allowing there to be more of a response. And B: placing a priority on avoiding triggering these alarms, both in the moment and out of the moment.
I also think that this type of structure might work when considering home security locks in the future. Where the features build on each other, but each level is unique.
