I'm pretty unfamiliar with the matrix rules (gonna read them this week) and we've got a new guy in the group who's making a a hacker. Are thre some good threads or advice on integrating the matrix with the real world portion of the game? In the past we've had what we called "the decker effect," where the decker goes into a system to do his thing and the rest of the players sit around bored until he's done.

I know 4th has changed some things around to make it easier to sync the two, but I'm drawing a blank trying to think of ways in game.

Thanks!

The advent of AR did ONE important thing in this problematic scenario:
They did away with the Meat Speed and Speed of Thought difference. .
Meaning a Hacker in AR hacks exactly as fast as the rest of the group acts.
In combat this makes it a bit less problematic, but at any other time?
When the Hacker(god i hate this word) does his matrix based legwork?
Or goes completely AR? Yep, still same Problem basically . .

Well, think of it like that - with the mesh networks omnipresent in the 70ies, pretty much everything from the lamps and vending machines to the guns and cars have wireless hosts, which means that they can be remotely controlled (and thus, hacked). The usual problem is not "how to integrate the hacker into the game", but "how do anything at all without asking for the hacker's help".

Frankly, that's a rather controversial point here.
First, working in VR still gives a hacker a bunch of advantages.
Second, whether the hacker works in AR or VR only really matters when he's doing it at the same time as the team doing something else, and how often does that happen? How easy is it for a GM to switch his attention back and forth?

That was already an optional rule in Matrix. The same book that introduced the WiFi Matrix - you could just go online via cell at no penalty at all save for an optional and unnecessary bandwidth for data download rule.

Has anyone ever actually read that book?

I haven't. Does it have advice on integrating the matrix and RL activities?

I can just bounce from player to player like I do when they're in different locations, but i'd much rather be able to have some scenes where those transitions aren't so jerky.

How is that different from when the face does leg work without the uncouth orc street sam along?

While some GM's hate it, and refuse to think about its contents, the fact is it really does wonders to expand the rather limited 'how it works' stuff in the core book. Yes, I'm taking about Unwired.

Read roughly the first half of the book, screw the rest until you're more comfortable integrating them. Specifically, pay attention to Matrix Topology, The Idiot's Guide To The Matrix, System Security and the Security Example in particular. You can find that in the TOC, but also read the first 50 pages or so - there's little gems of rules like Data Requests(you don't need a subscription for Everything), and how Subscriptions over your limit lag your commlink's Processor Limit like running programs - basically little things that either help make it more sense, or help prevent 'the subscription system sucks, how do i get another one' junk.

I would also heavily recommend the same to your player, and, in particular, start describing the AR(its -everywhere- in 2072) of your surroundings, and occasionally hand out Situational AR Bonuses(its a core book modifier of, like, +1-2) just to encourage them to start using the matrix rules, and not being afraid to Analyze things.

I would also consider handing out Electronics Group 1 to your runners for free, just to encourage basic use of Computers. Any successful runner ought to be a bit tech-savvy, anyway.

Yes, but it's third edition. Unwired, for the most part, is just a rules-updated Matrix, though, so you really should read Unwired. Udoshi's right, it really does wonders explaining how to integrate the Matrix with everything else. Yes, if the player's clever he'll figure out how to utterly defeat on-the-fly hacking with this book. But that's a rather corny idea anyway.

I disagree on the AR though, if only because making street signs AR exclusive is just plain stupid in a world where there are thunderstorms and critters who actively attack all sources of radio signals. AR is nice to have, sure, and it's certainly useful, but don't overdo it. The Anime series Ghost in the Shell SAC provides decent cues how to sensibly use AR - personal communications, tactical maps, the occasional spam.

Not to mention that a malfunctioning Microwave Oven can wipe out a RFID tag with it's electromagnetic field. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/nyahnyah.gif)

I swear, when I supported wireless home networks, the problems that BABY MONITORS alone caused...

Being tech-savvy does not require Electronics, because the common usages of computers do not require a test.

The problem with Unwired is that it adds a bunch of rules and possibilities to a system already flawed. I don't feel the crunch found inside is making the Matrix better (although, of course, there are some gems there).


While the street signs should not be AR-exclusive, AR is omnipresent (and, say, while you might have the physical signs in local language, navigational ARrows might show up in any one you like, etc). For example, Seattle 2072 includes a description of AR Emerald City sculpting for the whole Seattle downtown area.

Yes, but at least it fixes the derpy-derp fixiation on cyberware hacks (it is an expansion on a flawed system, though, and hence still flawed, I'm not going to disagree there).

AR as an expansion is okay. Like that demo vid on youtube about this japanese GPS navigation system that projects the route from said navigator onto your spyPhone's screen. But that's an add-on, not a replacement for all signs and traffic lights.

AR as an expansion is nice, though I cannot imagine any Runner be stupid enough to have the commlink they actually use run in open mode. You run a disposable in open with your SIN, it eats all the Spam and whatnot, and you ignore that because you are not unsing any input from that link anyway, and instead rely on your custom-made all-6 link you bought from the money made on your first run.

Honestly, I'm not sure what the problem is. It *is* the same as the safecracker beating maglocks, the infiltration expert sneaking in alone, the face negotiating alone, the driver making the getaway, etc.: it requires a single-player focus for a few rolls, with the option of other things happening in the meantime. It's not crazier than the mage dealing with threats only he can see.

Hacking might require a few more rolls for really serious work (just like the locks guy or the infiltrator), but it's either simultaneous with other action, or it's 'downtime'. *shrug*

Actually, the ruling in Unwired is a bit sad - I always wanted to hack the opposition's cyberlegs to turn the fight into a breakdance macabre. But it makes sense, sadly.

Oh, nowhere does it say that it's a replacement for vital signs. But without AR you're missing that ultra-exquisite offer on soy paste!

Frankly, for me as a sysadmin requiring the commlink to run in active mode to work with AR seems weird. ARrows are basically signals that devices project omnidirectionally: "To every system who's reading this, place a window this large with this graphics here for your user to see". I can't see why a commlink running in hidden node can't accept those signals and act on them, unless specifically told by the user not to do so.
Interacting with ARrows, sure, is a whole other piece of cake and may require establishing a connection - but again, nothing's preventing a system running in hidden mode from doing just that, if the user so wishes.
That's basically how I handle AR in the games I GM, too - and it's pretty fun to describe the environments for the runners with AR on and AR off, too.

Yeah, it's pretty much the same, but for most other kinds of jobs the rest of the party might get involved - like the sammy shooting at the chasers, or the mage and hacker helping the infiltrator or the face, etc. For hackers, the rest of the team is pretty much locked out of the action; and hacking is only fast if all goes well. If you have a couple ICs and upcoming escalating security response locked in cybercombat with your hacker, it's just hard to switch contexts to GM other action for the rest of the team.

However, Hacking is so easy to accomplish in SR4 that the others could have minimal skills and help out immensely in the grand scheme of the Hacker taking a system. Especially if the Hacker assists the team in upgrading their ware and programs. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif)

Damned skript kiddies. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/nyahnyah.gif)

Actually the SR4 core rules did exactly that.


Hidden mode means the 'link obnly accepts messages from sources on a trust list. And it only receives, it doesn't broadcast (no idea how you maintain a teamnet in hidden, though, which is viable by the rules, IIRC, but meh).


That is pretty much what I do, too. Just, AR does not replace hardcopy streetsigns or basic signage, nor will cities cease to be illuminated or have bright neon flashy holoadverts. It gets crazier with AR, sure (a nice vid on that topic, and another) but that does not mean AR is all there is. Nor can Wireless in a world with so much chatter on all frequencies ever replace wires in, say, an automobile, nor are there wireless cel-to-cell connections across the globe without backbone cables for bandwidth and transoceanic communication.

AR is part of the world, but it should not be overstated, like early SR4 writing did. Is all.


Treat it as a teamsplit, like it has always been. All there really is possible to do, same as with astral mages.

The thread in my sig is still not updated to SR4A, but you might still find it useful.

I consider this tip a solid baseline for the actual integration part:

Just for the sake of accuracy, Hidden Mode is not 'wireless off' or 'receive-only'. It is 'invisible to anything not whitelisted'. This is why Detect Hidden Mode is possible (and, AFAIK, hacking). Also AFAIK, the rules really don't ever make a receive-only/send-only distinction (though some cases might be common sense).

Indeed... (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif)

Oh right. Minding that the chance for the node to detect the intruders depends entirely on Hacking, Exploit and Stealth ratings of the intruder, please tell me how you're getting those to decent hacker-level values for non-hacker characters.

I did not get that impression from the books. Could you please point out a specific quote?

As a matter of fact, this is one of the problems I face each time I design a security system. Using wired connections to prevent easy wireless hijacking just seems too obvious for the corp techies not to go that way.
But yeah, the books explicitly say there are still backbone lines, maintained by MCPs. And of course, evil, evil people are eavesdropping there!

Astral mages are just more rarely needed, while hacking is "let's play this tiny subquest for each action your party members are hoping to take".


Actually, we don't know much about the network protocols used. So no real solid reason for AR not to work on non-active nodes, unless you really don't want it to do so.

Sounds pretty 'force it down their throat' to me.

Besides, what if someone hacks your precious AR and highlights informants for local security as your hot talk-to contact? Which is totally possible because SR4's hacking rules are basically instant attacker win, if you don't periodically reset your com and have a 24h hard encryption. I'd totally do that, just to remind them to not trust AR too much, and because the system makes it so easy it should be standard procedure.

Lol what. If you're hacked on the fly, it's Hacking+Exploit vs Analyze+Firewall extended tests, with thresholds comparable. Your software has every chance to succeed against most common hackers.
Sure, probing is a tad bit more troublesome, but still it's not like there is no way to secure your PAN against it, between IC, trapdoors, honeypots, slaving, hard encryption and etcetera. Basically, it's easy to make it a ridiculously slow affair, enough to make it a tool too cumbersome to be actually used against you.

Simple... Your Hacker helps in upgrading everyone to rating 4-5 'Links and Programs... I did it in game for the non-hackers in my game. Why is that so difficult a proposition? If your hacker is so good that he never sets off alarms, then this wll, of course, never be needed. If the Hacker sets off alarms, then having the backup of non-hackers to aid in distraction is very useful indeed.

Besides, You can have the hacker, once in with the right permissions, create legitimate accounts for the non-hackers to use, so that there is no need for high level equipment/programs. Pretty simple really. Again, why is that so difficult?

Show the value, let them decide. I agree that the benefits outweight the risks to the point of a "forced" decision.

Matrix supervision is a task for the groups hacker. The GM will see fit to provide challenges.

Because it costs a bunch, and there always seem to be better things to spend cash on?

How is it useful if the non-hackers can do absolutely nothing in cybercombat, and it's taking the opposition around 1 IP to take each one out (or, with Area-Attack, one for all of them)?
Or, actually, they can not even bother, since the non-hackers will have hilariously little IP counts and attack pools.

Creating legitimate accounts is taking time, which for hackers is extremely precious.
Now, how is a legitimate account raising your chances in cybercombat, again, if you have shitty hard, soft and skills?