sure. here's how you do it.

step 1: purchase thing with a higher device rating. ideally the thing will be small. even more ideally, your GM actually considers stealth tags to be a legitimate choice for slaving something to it, and you will also gain a stealth attribute (only works for very low device ratings though).

step 2: use an almost zero-length cable to connect your upgrade directly via the only jack to the device you want upgraded.

step 3: slave the device you wanted to upgrade to the device you're upgrading with.

it now no longer has a cable port available to get direct access without removing the upgrade piece. the only way the slave's attributes can be targeted is to make that direct connection. therefore, for all intents and purposes, you have upgraded your device's stats for the low, low cost of not being able to directly wire anything else to it.

Which was something possible in SR4, but apparently not done very frequently. Of course, there was never a need for a gun to have a Firewall attribute anyway, unless it was a smartgun and wasn't skinlinked or wired (like was done 20 years ago), or you were a ganger and said gun also doubled for your iPod.

Now, with every gun manufactured on and after 2075/01/01 being wirelessly enabled it's pretty much mandatory that it have a Firewall attribute so deckers can actually have something to do in combat. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/wobble.gif)

I'm more talking about if the manufacturer had hardened it more against matrix attacks.

Which was something possible in SR4, but apparently not done very frequently. Of course, there was never a need for a gun to have a Firewall attribute anyway, unless it was a smartgun and wasn't skinlinked or wired (like was done 20 years ago), or you were a ganger and said gun also doubled for your iPod.

Now, with every gun manufactured on and after 2075/01/01 being wirelessly enabled it's pretty much mandatory that it have a Firewall attribute so deckers can actually have something to do in combat. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/wobble.gif)

It would be difficult to get more Hardened than by having no Wireless mode. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif)

But that stops the decker from being worthwhile in combat. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/wobble.gif) (IMG:style_emoticons/default/spin.gif)

Actually, that creates a vulnerability - people who want wireless will add it on the cheap, and then hacking the gun is very, very easy. Security is always counterbalanced by usability, and it's a simple fact that if you compromise usability too much your security WILL be compromised by users seeking greater usability.

It is a good point that if you want a entire system of products to be running wirelessly you should & would be building more defences right into the devices at the manufacturer level.

However as it stands right now, such uneven distribution of wireless utility versus maintaining operational status while wireless simply means most runners will just shut it down, removing a vulnerability and sadly a facet of the gameplay.

Stronger wireless bonuses would be a good thing - but I was making a more general point, given that runners aren't typically the market these things are designed for in-setting.

Actually, that creates a vulnerability - people who want wireless will add it on the cheap, and then hacking the gun is very, very easy. Security is always counterbalanced by usability, and it's a simple fact that if you compromise usability too much your security WILL be compromised by users seeking greater usability.

It is a good point that if you want a entire system of products to be running wirelessly you should & would be building more defences right into the devices at the manufacturer level.

However as it stands right now, such uneven distribution of wireless utility versus maintaining operational status while wireless simply means most runners will just shut it down, removing a vulnerability and sadly a facet of the gameplay.

That is true, but then that just forces runners to look for gear that is designed for folk in that sort of work and that would be military grade stuff and then you get into the whole power creep.

But some of the items are sort of built for us. How many average joes seriously need to use a mono whip? (IMG:style_emoticons/default/nyahnyah.gif)


I actually am not asking so much for bigger bonuses but better defense on the items themselves.

And as for technomancer heads exploding, they can always try something like this: http://www.addamsfamily.com/addams/f_headache.jpg (tried looking for one where he's got a c-clamp on his head, but failed)

Street Magic, page 168. Quick conversion to SR5 would be Drain at F+3

Magical and Mundane to share information...

Like a "Mindnet" spell? (IMG:style_emoticons/default/spin.gif)

Street Magic, page 168. Quick conversion to SR5 would be Drain at F+3

Impossible! The only thing in SR5 that is allowed a value such as that higher than +1 is a Complex Form! (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif)