Alternative Rewards

In D&amp;D 4.0  DMG 2 it discusses alternative rewards and suggested item components that let the players assemble and make their own magic item.<br /><br />its an interesting idea:<br /><br />So what if the players came across a copy of Galactic Technology magazine with an article about an scientist that developed a process to get better engine performance from atomic drives? They could opt to try to run down the NPC and see if their ship's drive could be modified to the process. naturally he'll want money and some items fetched to do this. <br /><br />could be a tech diagram to modify a PGC model laser rifle for burst fire but it also requires a particular crysal for the lasing chamber  and this crystal is rare and only found on Volturnus in the Burning Lands?<br /><br />it could be a strange artifact that is in pieces that could be reassembled. its old tech left over from the eorna civilization from before the Day of Doom when the sathar crashed that civilization. its no longer made anymore but if all the parts were assembled the item might be reactivated and used to replace something the PCs already use from Frontier tech but the new item is less wt or uses less energy or is more effective in some way.