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Posted by: Johnny Hammersticks Jul 14 2010, 12:58 PM

I haven't seen this come up in our discussions here recently and I haven't seen it reviewed in the rules.

Example: Hacker hacks a node and enters. While in the node IC/a spider beats him in an opposed stealth+hacking vs. computer+analyze.

the hacker knows he's been found out and leaves the node.

Later that day he sneaks back into the node. the same spider/IC is still there. does the spider/IC automatically succeed on his matrix perception test to see our hacker? Or maybe he has a bonus to his pool?


Also, when you're running stealth and you attack another icon that has not succeeded in perceiving you, does your icon appear to them or has your icon "melded
into the background of data traffic, escaping notice."

looking for all answers, RAW and not. Thanks!

Posted by: Draco18s Jul 14 2010, 01:22 PM

RAW says nothing on both of these.

In fact, the hacker could get spotted, move away to another node, and come back and theoretically have the same odds of being "invisible" that same IC again.

Posted by: TheOOB Jul 14 2010, 02:03 PM

I'd imagine you'd have to change your access id before stealth would work again.

Posted by: BobChuck Jul 14 2010, 02:11 PM

That is a very good house rule, and a handy "spontaneous on-the-fly" ruling for a con game.

Back out, dump/reroute your current access code to prevent traces, do a quick hack+software to change your ID, and head back in. The system will probably be in "active mode" or "alert mode", but he's not automatically spotted. Makes it work like "in the meat" versus some guards, which is (I think) the objective of the current edition's hacking rules.

Posted by: Draco18s Jul 14 2010, 02:25 PM

And there's a handy dandy piece of vehicle equipment (Arsenal) that you can get that "changes the access ID of the node on a regular basis." Best 200 ever spent.

Posted by: BobChuck Jul 14 2010, 03:06 PM

I dunno... that's good for preventing long-term history examinations and for short-term dodges, but if someone does tag you, all they have to do is put a program in a node that you frequent and watch for patterns.

Seeing "123456a" log off from all nodes simultaneously and "123456b" log on to the exact same nodes half a second later is rather obvious.

If it just changes your code every time you log off completely, that's one thing. But even that's not foolproof.

If you really want to make it hard for people to track you, buy "erased". There aren't any essential qualities for hacker-types, at least not in the core.