Gait Recognition/Facial Recognition software is in Arsenal. Yes, it is a real thing in Shadowrun.

Okay thanks, but can anyone give me a shadowrun 4e with all books matrix system vs ends of the matrix. Im looking for this one is better because blah blah blah, but the other one makes this other aspect better etc. becasue what you personally despise i might like. We're planning on playing on the 21st and i don't wanna screw the group by delaying it, that's why i dont really have the time to read both and knowing me ill probably get the two confused and we will play some strange hybrid that makes no sense.

Not sure what you are asking here. Ends of the Matrix is crap, written by a disgruntled freelancer who has a chip on his shoulder.
SR4A Matrix is worlds better, in my opinion. You WILL need to know the system, though, or you will bog down. Of all the rules in the books, the Matrix NEEDS in-depth understanding above all others. It will also help if you just ignore what you know about real world computer systems; the SR Matrix is NOT the RW Internet.

Read SR4A book and Unwired... Add in WAR! if you want equipment rated above 6 (I highly recommend this, personally).

As I said what other people don't like I might like and vice versa. It might be actual crap but someone on a forums (I think it was giant in the playground but im not sure) said that it is much better than the original. Of course he might be genuinely wrong and that ends of the matrix just plain doesn't work but i do not know. If no one says its good by tomorrow ill probably just start reading the original rules. So could you please say why ends of the matrix is crap?

Really depends upon what you want in a game, I guess. It allows the Decker to Brain Hack, which I think is crap. It is so far removed from what I consider to be Cyberpunk that it is useless for me (but fits a more evolved, Star Wars'ish theme, as someone mentioned above - Though I see that the purview of Psionic ability, personally rather than an extension of Hacking through technology). My opnion, of course. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif) But you did ask for an opinion, and you are looking to limit your reading to a single thing. I say concentrate on SR4A and the production books. Frank's opinions and rants do not belong in a Shadowrun game, in my opinion. *shrug*

Thanks for all the help ill just stick to sr4a. I like brain hacking but my hacker doesn't so yeah. No on to some completely off topic questions:
1. My hacker has 7 logic 1 charisma and has the neg quality uncouth. he didn't get any social skills. Is the character broken? If not how the hell do you roleplay a guy who is incredibly smart but acts like a retard in social situations? How can he protect himself against manipulation con and similar? Also he has 10 strength so how can a big bulking troll not know how to intimidate?
2. He wants to be a scientist. My question is how can you be a scientist without a corporate SIN? He wants to be like a freelancer but from what i know of AAA megacorps they don't easily just let a scientist go, especially one who might know corporate secrets. Could have he worked for the smaller ones? Do you have a corp SIN when you work for the much smaller ones? Also are A corps as evil as AAA megacorps or are they better? And where can I find the names A or AA corps? (he does have a regular sin btw)
3. If lonestar sees a video of him doing a crime and see his gait, could they identify him using his SIN?

1. Yes... He is broken. He cannot even defend against Social Skills because he is UNAWARE that they even exist. . (IMG:style_emoticons/default/frown.gif) Have a higher Charisma Stat (2 will be fine) and no skill (which will allow you to default at 1 Dice), or get a few skills at 1. 1-3 Dice is not going to show you as a paragon of social situations. You can function, but not well at all. Using Uncouth will only ensure that you get intimidated by the 3 year old that cries in your presence (Again, you cannot even roll to defend with the setup you give).
2. You can be a scientist without being in a Megacorp. Or even a Corp. There are Private Foundations and such for these things. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif)
3. Using his SIN? Not unless they have a lot of such data on file, which they might. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif) Does he have the Records on File Negative Quality?

this is his counter argument for 1 which i guess might be possible: he could make a program that makes speech sound to him like Stephen Hawking voice seeing that mostly charisma is in how it is said as in the voice. But on the other hand a big part in using charisma is being a "wordsmith" knowing exactly which words to use to have your desired result.
He doesn't have records on file negative quality, but imo people would have such data on their SIN.

I would not allow that. You are trying to get around a Negative Quality. Just bite the bullet, and either buy a 2nd point of Charisma, or a point in a few Social Skills (Etiquette and Intimidation should suffice).

Just Curious... Why do you think that sort of data would be there?

I don't think it would be there. I think it would be VERY useful if it was there. although i can see how a clusterf*ck of data can bog down the system. Well thanks for all the help. I just want to ask one more question. Is it a good thing if the hacker is also the "tank"? I mean how much hacking would he do in combat? I can think of a few instances where he would be hacking in combat but not too many. We are playing with 3 PCs if that info is for some reason useful.
Edit: Also would casing a place require an etiquette check for an uncouth character? And other characters wont have to do a check right?

this came up in a similiar thread, and the answer is worth crossposting.



To answer your questions specifically:
1: He is broken as hell. Uncouth is the WORST negative quality everyone takes because they don't read what it does in detail. Unaware means they cannot use that skill at ALL, INCLUDING when its rolled to resist things.
This means anyone using, say, Negotiation on the hacker? He agrees to a lower pay for runs. He agrees for favors. He's a complete pushover. team wants to talk him down, or into doing something? No chance to resist. Someone wants to lie to him? Too bad.
Look at the charisma-linked opposed tests on 4A 130. Use them against him.

Tymaeus, raising your charisma isn't enough. If you're incompetent or uncouth, you can't default. You literally have no option but to fail the test and go along with what the person talking to you wants. Its BRUTAL. Or hilarious if someone else in the party has Leadership.
Skills table, 4A 119, upper left corner of the black box: "A complete absence of knowledge or practice. Generally, this degree of ignorance can only be achieved with the Incompetent negative quality (p. 95). A character rated “unaware” in a skill may not default for that skill."

Two solutions: Yeah, he's trying to dodge the downside of his bonus BP. The quality he really wants to emulate the effect he's after is Incompetent: Etiquette, which simulates what people usually think uncouth does. He may want to explore buying it off. Dumpstatting charisma in a game where your contacts and your reputation are you lifeline is not necessarily a great idea.
Also, I'm guessing he took it because he needed points and didn't like the other options. Use the runner's companion quality section to expand everyone's choices. Seriously, it inspires more possibilities than any other section. Some post-creation charactersheet touchups may be in order.



2: I'm okay with the concept of non-incorporated geeks, researchers, handymen, mechanics, under-the-table hackers, and other intellectual pursuits that aren't owned by a megacorp, or remain mostly independent. Doctor who works in the shadows illegally, without a licence? come on, that's every day life. If you can't think of an excuse to do shadow science, you're not using enough mad science.

3: In my opinion, unlikely. having a corporate sin generally means your biometrics are on file - fingerprints and the like. That probably doesn't include gait analysis, more likely the typical stuff included in getting a license in a future.(personally, that's eyes, name, fingerprints, possibly voice, possibly other relevant medical data attached, like blood type or a dna sample - especially if past convictions are on his record). Gait analysis is more for tracking down someone specific when you've seen them already, or running on sensors for added information. While gait analysis may seem cool, it does suffer from the 'glut of information' problem.

Indeed... As I knew that, it looks like I was less than clear. I plead lack of sleep. Thanks Udoshi.

I use House Rules for the Matrix if you are interested. I could email it to you or post it here, although I don't know what the rules are for posting rules.

If it's a large amount of text, it would be polite to spoiler block it - but otherwise, there's no rules against posting house rules that I know of.

we have enough topics discussing houserules in general that if there was some sort of problem with it, I'm sure some of them would have been closed by now lol

Its not that, its that there is some copy paste of the SR4 rules.