I've seen quite a few character sheets and quite a few sample commlink builds on this board and elsewhere. One thing I've noticed about all of them is that there doesn't seem to be any real consistency regarding just how much crap you can cram into one of those little guys.

Are there any official guidelines at all? Or are you free to put just about any electronic gizmo and sensor inside one that you can afford and/or care to shove in?

I think the only guidelines are whatever passes the DM's "sniff test".

Personally I figure that most commlinks have a slot for a sim-module, and not much else besides the toys that are mentioned in the discription.

All those toys are wireless, aren't they? Just duct-tape it all together and you are good to go.

I go by SR4 p. 325. Commlinks are handheld with a capacity of 3. Thus, you can fit up to 3 points of capacity into it. For additional sensor equipment it would require additional items, such as RFIDs or the like.

The subscription list for your commlink is the limitation of how many devices that can interface with you at a given moment.

Yeah, but how much of that capacity is ate up by the commlink itself?

The commlink is the base device, which has capacity for additional sensors from the list. Accessories on the other hand, such as a Satellite Link, are wireless and external--which means that they are bound by the subscription list.

To call the kettle black, it's in the book. But then that would be pointing out you've asked a damn stupid question on just straight number crunching.

Hmmm. I thought it was against policy to flame across multiple threads for no apparent reason.

You smell funny. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/silly.gif)

I had no idea that asking if such a rule actually existed (and as an aside it doesn't, at least not clearly) was akin to asking "derr, how do duh commlinks wrk at all rawr I h8 SR4!11!1!1"

But maybe that's just me.

P.S. Midol is your friend.

I have it so that anything that is supposed to end up IN the comlink has to fit into one of the modification slots. Accessoires are periphery. Now the very interesting question is: What size category do certain accessoires have?

A sim-module can fit into a datajack, for example (see direct input -BTL chips in the main book, pg. 250), and sattelite uplinks will need a dish. But how large is a jammer? Backpack-sized, comlink-sized? Some of my characters would at least need a geek-gadget-belt to carry their stuff, due to the number of devices alone.

Not nescessarily, justa larger antenna (see this sattelite cell).


According to Unwired, there're handheld jammers.

Also, Unwired states a commlink can take up to 4 commlink-specific mods; with the BBB stating it has a capacity of 3, does that mean 4 Unwired commlink mods and 3 general mods, or does Unwired simply overrule this?

Also, it seems that things such as response enhancement, cryptosense, and fetch are periphery that can just be plugged in by wireles or DNI linkage. However, would implantable versions of these modules have an associated essence cost, like the Sim Module?

Yes, that example does depend on how high you want to reach.



The table that grants handheld devices a capacity of 3 is not for commlinks, but for hand-held sensor suites. I´d go by the specific rules.

It should be possible to implant a cybercommlink that is fully modded, or even mod one that is already installed (Cybernetics skill,yes?). The SIM-module for cybercommlinks remains questionable for the time being, we need to play odd/even at least one more time. (I dislike the solution of the odd printings, myself.)

Thought you'd just route yourself up the well from the comsat.


Odd being which, again? It's included/no essence needed, or it's not included/essence needed? Sorry, I'm still a bit lost there.

- Very good point about routing. Nobody needs a sattelite dish in SR4 times, that discussion was moot. Thanks!

- IIRC, odd printings have no automatic SIM-modules on cybercommlinks, and that is the way it is supposed to be.

- Suggestion: Datajacks can be used as module ports (see DI-BTL SIM-modules), so 500Â¥/0.1E per desired module slot are an almost RAW baseline.

She is pointing out he asked a 'dumb' question about a very similar topic to hers recently and hoped for an answer. But he saw it as ok to be unpleasant to her when she asked a question.

I looked at many of his posts. She is right. He does seem to enjoy being unpleasant and 'acting superior' to others to puff up his self image.

That sounds pretty good, thanks. Do datajacks have a limit on how many modules they can hold?

I so totally have to rebuild my converted character's cyber anyway.

Each datajack provides one slot. If we assume that a module can be miniaturised until it fits into the slot, it will still fill it up. Combo-devices would be theoretically possible, but I think that stretches believe.

Okay, so I could have four modules with four datajacks?

Edit: Ah, you're referring to externally applied modules, aren't you?

Absolutely, even if I would be fine with "hardwired internal" datajacks for this. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif)

Multiple alphaware datajacks are a good base for an implant cluster.

I see. I'd include the hardwired internal datajack with a response increase module into my VCR Suites. It *is* closer to the original, after all, in feel, then.

Appears to be a typical Snow Fox exchange to me. Doc at least gave a helpful response. Seems that Fox can only flame.

Guys, please ...

AFAIK the RAW says sensors can be put in a sensor RFID tag, a drone, a vehicle, or a handheld sized device (I envision a tricorder). By RAW I dont think sensors can be put elsewhere and endorse that for game balance purposes. Tacsofts seriously skew combats (and require a runner team to adapt their 'ware, drone sizes (larger), and tactics to accommodate the minimum sensor feeds of the Tacsoft so that's a check and balance but to answer your question I don't think sensors can be put in commlinks by RAW.

So for commlinks the Sensor Software can be placed to monitor feeds from sensors but dont seem to be sensors themselves.