Recruitment/soundingboard: Cowboys and Indians, A matrix-only PCC Submersion task. Options

[Saint Sithney]

Ready
10 PRINT "Hello and welcome! I am happy that you have expressed interest in this Play by Post game!"

20 INPUT "Would you like to hear about and discuss the current structural incarnation of the concept? (y/n)", A$

30 IF A$ = "y" THEN GOTO 80

40 INPUT "Would you like to see the suggested Character Creation rules? (y/n)", B$

50 IF B$ = "y" THEN GOTO 70

60 PRINT "The purpose of this thread is BASICally to be a place for interested players to ask questions and make suggestions. As of now, this Fully Matrix Based Game concept is still swimming in my head and it will require specialized house rules and further clarification. Because of this, it behooves potential players to clarify as much as possible before breaking out their spreadsheets. So, if you are interested in playing, please do ask as many questions as you can. They help me as well as you.

70 PRINT "Character Creation, as it stands, will be accomplished with the Karmagen system using modified German rules. This means that you will be paying 5x rating for Attributes and 1x BP cost for standard Races (2x for non-standard races.) Also, your Edge and Resonance stats will fall under the same cap as the rest of your Attributes. Characters should be made using 700 karma + bonus Knowledge skill Karma = 12(Log + Int) but your Attribute cap will still be 375 karma in total (plus a matching amount equal to race cost.) Starting Submersion Grades are allowed for TMs and Software up to availability 15 will be allowed to Mundanes, allowing for program options and custom Software above 6. All other gear should be availability 12 unless acquired with the Restricted Gear quality. Contacts and Lifestyle should not be an issue, but do not assume that there will be no interaction with the meat world. It also bears mention that I will not be using Reality Filter, since I don't want to describe every setting to fit each individual's Metaphor Set. Speaking of which, personas will be more important than bios, so don't worry too much about history."

80 PRINT "The game concept is that a Network of Technomancers from the Pueblo Corporate Council are on a "Great Hack" Submersion Task. All of the players should be either Technomancers or their Mundane friends who are tagging along to study the nature of Resonance in more depth. The game will begin "in medias Res" with the group already past a choke point gateway into a very thick piece of Trix which they have yet to identify. At this point, their only contact with the outside world will be Tether, who is watching their meat-world bodies. As this will be a Matrix dungeon of sorts, there will likely be multiple choke points and downtime in the form of Probing. I'm playing with the idea that, as time inside accumulates, characters will likely need to sleep while still jacked into this hostile network. For Technomancers, this will get a bit strange. Having just watched Inception (twice (IMG:style_emoticons/default/wobble.gif) ) I want to play with the idea of 'what happens in the unconscious mind of a person whose brain is constantly jacked into the world's collective digital knowledge.' Any Mundanes will just have to sleeze their way back in as needed and hold down the path with Agents. Mundanes will largely fill the role of Anchors, who keep the pathways open and guard the flanks with swarms of Mooks. Mancers will play Point Men and Faces, mainly concerning themselves with getting deeper and handling the local fauna. I'm still plotting everything out, but this should be a progressive-difficulty closed-ended game consisting of three Acts and involving meatspace only through remote. If you want to become intimate with the Matrix rules, this should be a good exercise."

90 PRINT "Thanks for listening! Goodbye!"

100 END
Run

Plot related spoilers (if you want to maintain the element of surprise, skip this):

[ Spoiler ]

There are going to be three acts whose titles should sort of explain the idea behind the story/game.
Act 1: Shoveling ICE
Act 2: The Wall in the Matrix
Act 3: Reaching Consensus

This is.. this is going to get surreal..

[Saint Sithney]

Almost forgot to mention, as I plan on doing this game/story on a scene by scene basis with whomever joins me, I'll also be DJing a soundtrack to go along with each portion.

What good is a story without a musical score?

Here is a recruitment song.


OH SNAP: Forgot to mention, AIs are welcome as well.

[Karoline]

Rating 15 software? That's leaps and bounds above anything a TM is going to even hope to achieve, just so you know. Or did you mean availability 15, which gives up to rating 5 software, which would be about in line with a TM.

Can those free knowledge points be used on complex forms at all?

Edit: And I'd heard the German version had race cost in karma equal to BP cost, not double it. Did I get that wrong?

[DrZaius]

As I mentioned before, I would be interested, if only to figure out how this all works (IMG:style_emoticons/default/wink.gif)

[Branmac]

Interesting. I have always liked the idea of TM, but never felt I had the MatrixFoo down enough to try one.

[The Limper]

Hi, I am interested, if only to learn about SR4 in general and specifically about technomancers and the matirx rules.

I am a SR newb, though I do have the corebook and soon unwired (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif)

This post has been edited by The Limper: Jul 20 2010, 09:36 PM

[Saint Sithney]

Rating 15 software? That's leaps and bounds above anything a TM is going to even hope to achieve, just so you know. Or did you mean availability 15, which gives up to rating 5 software, which would be about in line with a TM.

Can those free knowledge points be used on complex forms at all?

Edit: And I'd heard the German version had race cost in karma equal to BP cost, not double it. Did I get that wrong?

Availability 15, but I'm still considering moving it back down to 12. Mundane hackers should still have the points to get multiple Restricted Gear Qualities to cover an exceptional Agent or a 7+ stealth program. I do have to do something to make Mundanes seem a bit less appealing since they can have such breadth of function over the TM. So, let's try and figure out an equitable distribution of power before we get to building. I need to sort this out so I can get back to plotting out Nodes. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif)

As to knowledge skills used for CF, sorry, but no. I know Karma is really harsh on CFs and Technomancers in general, which is actually why I chose it. I'd like players to organize a bit and hyper-specialize. Typically, a matrix-focused character can rock absolutely everything in the Trix, but in order to avoid overlap, I want to encourage specialization. Maybe one TM is a Cybercombat specialist and another focuses on break-ins, cleanup and providing authentication to the rest of the crew. If everyone is good at everything, then there'll be (tentatively) 5 people all doing the same thing. Except there *will* be realms of Resonance which can't be accessed by Mundanes.

What I'd optimally like to see is a traditional specialist team with characters who have taken the time to excel as healers, riggers, B&E guys, Fighters and Faces - Just digital.

EDIT: Oh, and as to race cost, sure, 1x BP in Karma for all standard races. 2x for AIs and other non-standard races.

Interesting. I have always liked the idea of TM, but never felt I had the MatrixFoo down enough to try one.

Well, if you want to learn, I can help you dig into this thing. Like I said, this is going to be progressive in difficulty, so you are going to have a learning curve. Also, if I notice your build is deficient in any area, I'll make sure to point it out.

Hi, I am interested, if only to learn about SR4 in general and specifically about technomancers and the matirx rules.

I am a SR newb, though I do have the corebook and soon unwired (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif)

Well, the Matrix is definitely the hardest part of SR4. If you want to dive in, head first - first time, I'm not going to recommend it, but I won't shoo you away either.

But, Unwired is key for a deep understanding of the Matrix, and it's pretty dense..

EDIT, also, the Karma rules are in Runner's Companion, so, normally you'd need that as well. Luckily, the spreadsheet Damien Knight has been keeping up in the Community Projects section of DumpShock is a feature-rich automagical means of calculating Karma builds. Still.. you might learn just as much from watching as doing.

[Karoline]

Karmagen isn't that complex. You get 700 karma and you spend it like you would normal karma for the most part. 1 karma = 2500 nuyen, and otherwise just look in the advancement section of the book for other costs. Oh, and no more than 375 karma spent on stats (including special stats).

We'll see what I come up with, but I know from past experience that making a competent TM is exceedingly difficult. One suggestion I have for everyone is to make sure you have a decent stealth CF, as it improves defense and makes you harder to find in the first place.

I'm working on two different TM concepts, one is a threader and the other is a summoner, either way I should be fulfilling a 'backup' sort of roll, able to help out in nearly any area, but not going to be great in any area.

P.S. A healer type isn't particularly viable since living persona can't be healed. Sprites can be though, so I suppose there is some viability there.

[The Limper]

I think I should heed your advice, what do you think if I play of the mundanes? (assuming that means a non-technomancer members of the group).

Any suggestion on what would be most helpful here?

[Karoline]

Yeah, mundane would mean any non-technomancer.

Lets see, I'd suggest going heavy with 'ware to boost skills. Things like encephalon, PuSHeD, Neocortical Nanites, Simsense Boosters. Try and make sure that you have the full 5 IPs, because that is going to be hard for a TM to manage. Given that, cybercombat is likely a good spec for a mundane. Its easier for a mundane to get rating 6 programs with some options (Area, AP, Rust, and targeting for attack), and a mundane won't get totally trashed if they lose combat, they just need to load up a new persona. Remember, when a TMs persona takes damage, it is real damage for the TM and can't be healed without the TM having taken a special Echo.

Make sure to have a competent agent program as an assistant, similar to sprites. Utility programs (data bomb, decrypt, etc) would also be good, as TMs don't have the same access to programs that mundanes enjoy.

Your main advantages here are going to be having a large library of programs, being able to get higher DPs in general, and not having to worry as much about getting injured. Your disadvantages are that the agent is going to be somewhat less useful than a sprite, and you're going to be outclassed by specialists. A TM is more of a specialist within the matrix, and a Hacker is more of a (very good) generalist.

[Belvidere]

I'd be incredibly interested in this, if there are still any openings available. I've had the idea for an elven technomancer/face with a passion for old school tech. He finds everything before the wireless matrix. He just doesn't get how people used to survive without it so he tried to find everything he can on old computer systems, DVDs, hell sometimes he might even get a hand on a VHS and if he gets really lucky he may find a beta (IMG:style_emoticons/default/grinbig.gif) He's specialized towards spoofing and fraud, manipulation of data and whatnot.

[Saint Sithney]

It's worth noting that I don't expect TMs to need to learn different Cracking skills for Programs and Complex Forms. That is a stupid rule what oughtta get a guy slapped.

And, since the game is beginning without any prep time, I'm considering giving TMs free Registered Sprites equal to their max amount minus one. It makes no sense for a TM to start a Great Hack task with no prep. Does 2 services seem like a fair amount? You're really not going to have the time to register any while on the task, so what you start with is all you're likely to have.

Final build consideration. All players will begin the game with 16 karma and be able to build on that amount as they dig deeper. This hack is meant to be a challenging affair to help the characters grow in their understanding and skill, so there will be points along the way where you can spend your karma to improve skills without all that usual downtime. This is the crash-course.

Final bit: Karoline, I trust your judgment. If you can't build a TM who is exceptionally good at a handful of tasks and equivalent to an unaugmented Mundane in others, then it simply can't be done. See where you are at 700 Karma, and then add 25 Karma and see how much that affects things. Here is a tip though, Nanites don't reduce essence, and this game isn't going to last long enough for them to be flushed. 6 BP for +3 to all Logic linked skills besides cybercombat and high-threat cracking isn't a bad deal. It should still help with Analyze, Spoof and other assorted tasks. Since Threading is tied to Software and Software is linked to Logic, I'd give it the bonus as well..

P.S. A healer type isn't particularly viable since living persona can't be healed. Sprites can be though, so I suppose there is some viability there.

Well, if you're going to rely on a Hacker or an AI to tank for you then throwing a fistful of cubes can be pretty crucial in the Medic position. Luckily for the TMs though, they've got a body-sitter in the form of Tether, who should be able to give them First Aid as soon as bio-monitors start chirping.

[Saint Sithney]

I'd be incredibly interested in this, if there are still any openings available. I've had the idea for an elven technomancer/face with a passion for old school tech. He finds everything before the wireless matrix. He just doesn't get how people used to survive without it so he tried to find everything he can on old computer systems, DVDs, hell sometimes he might even get a hand on a VHS and if he gets really lucky he may find a beta (IMG:style_emoticons/default/grinbig.gif) He's specialized towards spoofing and fraud, manipulation of data and whatnot.

So far you're the third person to post a general character concept and the fifth to show interest, so you're in for sure. Like I said to Karoline, if you're hitting a wall in your build and just feel like a gimp when you're finished, let me know. A Face is a good thing to be since you're going to be in a pretty densely populated system.

[Karoline]

I've actually made a quite good TM for 700 karma, she just doesn't have much in the way of real world skills or physical stats. Oops, got to run, will post more in a few hours.

[Belvidere]

Question about karma gen? This is my first time doing it, so I'm not sure on a few things. After I buy my metatype, do I start with my natural minimums, so a 2 in agi and a 3 in cha? Or do I buy them up from 1 and have higher maximums?

And do negative qualities give double the BP value in karma?

[Saint Sithney]

Question about karma gen? This is my first time doing it, so I'm not sure on a few things. After I buy my metatype, do I start with my natural minimums, so a 2 in agi and a 3 in cha? Or do I buy them up from 1 and have higher maximums?

And do negative qualities give double the BP value in karma?

You start with your natural minimums yes. However it is worth mentioning that it still costs you 5x the rating to buy up from there, so moving from Cha 3 to Cha 4 would still cost 20 karma, not 10.

Yeah, qualities are 2x BP value whether negative or positive.

[Belvidere]

You start with your natural minimums yes. However it is worth mentioning that it still costs you 5x the rating to buy up from there, so moving from Cha 3 to Cha 4 would still cost 20 karma, not 10.

Yeah, qualities are 2x BP value whether negative or positive.

Okay, just wanted to make sure. I should actually be able to post a character sheet by tonight or tomorrow. He's already written out in BP form, so it's just transferring and making sure things add up.

[Belvidere]

GM Call here. What do you think Compulsive:Talker is worth in BP? 5, 10, or 15?

[Karoline]

And, since the game is beginning without any prep time, I'm considering giving TMs free Registered Sprites equal to their max amount minus one. It makes no sense for a TM to start a Great Hack task with no prep. Does 2 services seem like a fair amount? You're really not going to have the time to register any while on the task, so what you start with is all you're likely to have.

Ah, since you brought up things like needed to sleep during this hack, and some other things that seemed to indicate a longer time frame, I thought registering a sprite might be viable. I took widget crafting with the hope of increasing my ability to shift focus on my threader, but if we won't have a few hours of down time every now and then I should likely drop it for something else.

[Branmac]

Now here is a question for you, if we have to sleep, doesn't that drop the TM out of the Matrix? How will that affect the questy part of things?

[Saint Sithney]

GM Call here. What do you think Compulsive:Talker is worth in BP? 5, 10, or 15?

It really depends on how you play it.. Just gabbing, 5BP. Has a hard time censoring what he says and thoughts generally come out his mouth just as soon as he has them, 10BP. Check out the Moderate Media Junky entry. That sort of effect is what I would expect from a 10BP talker. Someone who has trouble organizing his thoughts unless he can articulate them, so he gets a -1 penalty to all mental stats when he too long refrains from thinking out loud. If you want to take 10, I say okay, but I want you to "play it" to whatever you choose.

Ah, since you brought up things like needed to sleep during this hack, and some other things that seemed to indicate a longer time frame, I thought registering a sprite might be viable. I took widget crafting with the hope of increasing my ability to shift focus on my threader, but if we won't have a few hours of down time every now and then I should likely drop it for something else.

Well, the problem with Registering, as of the book, is that it has to be done in a TM's Bionode, which would require a retreat from within the gated, wired network. I could even waive that to compensate for the plot restrictions, but a body can burn through Sprite services way faster than one can register them. Widget crafting, however, has no such restrictions on where you have to be to make them, and they last for hours rather than turns, so they should be fine to work with. Gotta have a different ruling on the RAM widget though. It's a good concept, but the idea of resisting 12S drain just to hold a CF which has been threaded to a whopping 6 rating? That's no bueno. I say double capacity sounds better than half the drain. That should save on time as well as make it not worthless. Or, would you rather it just be that it can sustain an increase of 1 level per rating? I'm fine with either.

Now here is a question for you, if we have to sleep, doesn't that drop the TM out of the Matrix? How will that affect the questy part of things?

Normally, yes. But you're all jammed open. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/eek.gif)
Like I said, this is going to be Powered by Plot, so don't worry too much about the details.

[Karoline]

TMs can be at multiple places at once. They can be in this great hack, and also ordering food at stuffer shack, and also in their own bionode to register a sprite, just like a hacker can be in multiple nodes at once.

I do still like the idea of some free sprites though, as there won't be much time to register sprites.

[Karoline]

Alright, here is Flow. Not 100% done, still need to pick out negative qualities, lifestyle, and some other little bits of equipment, but just figured I'd post something.

Her main idea is being able to thread up her CFs to fairly impressive numbers. She has at least 22 dice for threading, and 14 dice for fading resistance (And a trauma damper to lower the damage by 1) so she should be able to pull up a rating 6 CF of any program needed, and the swaps means she doesn't suffer a sustaining penalty. Her biggest weakness is the physical world. Also, while she is unlikely to get hit in combat, she'll have trouble actually injuring anyone.

[ Spoiler ]

Flow
Female Human: 0
Stats: 345
Bod:1 0 Str:1 0 Log:6((IMG:style_emoticons/default/cool.gif) 70 Edge:2 0
Agi:1 0 Cha:4 45 Wil:3 25 Ess:5.025
Rea:1 0 Int:5 70 Ini:6 (13) Resonance:7(6) 135

Qualities:
Technomancer (Singularitarian) 10
Paragon (Flow) 10
Analytical Mind 10
Codeslinger (Threading) 20
SURGE 20
Metagenic Improvement (Logic) (40)


Skills:133
Software (Threading) 6 46
Data Search 2 8
Computer (Analyze) 2 10
Cracking Group 3 35
Hacking 3
Cybercombat 3
Electronic Warfare 3
Compiling () 4 24
Registering () 2 10

Knowledge Skills: 132 free karma
English N
Sperethiel 2 4
Japanese 2 4
Dutch 1 2
Hebrew 1 2
Irish 1 2
Chiniese 2 4
Arabic 1 2
Bengali 1 2
Latain 1 2
German 1 2
Spanish 2 4
French 2 4
Russian 2 4
Hindi 2 4
Korean 1 2
Vietnamese 1 2
Portuguese 1 2
Italian 1 2
Polish 1 2
Etamology 3 7
Data Havens 2 4
Matrix Security Procedures 1 2
Matrix Theory 3 7
Evolution Theory 3 7
Artificial Evolution 2 4
Resonance Theory 2 4
Operating Systems 2 4
IC Identification 2 4
Artifical Intellegence 3 7
Programming 2 4
Matrix Chat rooms 1 2
Technomancer History 2 4
Technomancer Theory 2 4
Magic Background 1 2
Computer Background 1 2
Security Systems 2 4
Magic Theory 2 4
Sprites 2 4

Contacts:

Resonance:55
Part of a Group
Submersion (Source Code) 7
Submersion (Reassembling) 9
Submersion (Reassembling) 11
Submersion (Source Code) 13
Submersion (Reassembling) 15

Echos:
Overclock
Advanced Overclock
Swap
Swap
Widget Crafting

Complex Forms:93
Analyze 3 7
Browse 2 4
Edit 2 4
Encrypt 2 4
Shield 5 16
Attack (Area, Targeting, Rust) 5 22
Stealth 6 22
Exploit 3 7
Spoof 3 7
Biofeedback Filter 4

Living Persona:
Firewall 3
Response 8
Signal 4
System 6

Equipment: 66
Cerebral Boosters 2 0.4 20000
PuSHeD 0.1 15000
Trauma Damper 0.2 40000
Sleep Regulator 0.15 10000
Obvious Foot 0.25 5000
Reusable Auto Injector 6 doses[0] 1000
Nanohive 2 [2] 20000
Neocortical 3 15000
Nanosymbiotes 3 15000
Nanohive 1 [2] 10000
Learning Stimulous 3 12000

Lifestyle:

[Belvidere]

Sorry for taking so long with my character. This is my first time doing karma gen so I'm trying to make sure all my math is right.

[Saint Sithney]

TMs can be at multiple places at once. They can be in this great hack, and also ordering food at stuffer shack, and also in their own bionode to register a sprite, just like a hacker can be in multiple nodes at once.

I do still like the idea of some free sprites though, as there won't be much time to register sprites.

I suppose your home node should always be accessible, but do remember that this isn't the Matrix proper. It's a Fully-wired Private Local Telcom Grid with thousands of workstations, so you're looking at an oldschool Layered Host architecture With multiple internal Tiers. This system is worlds deep. Since SR4 has woefully inadequate rules concerning massive wired networks, I'm pulling up the great old tech of SR3 to make this interesting. UV nodes and Trapdoor codes. That's what I mean by this needing some special rules. SR4 made the Matrix dead boring, and I want to take it back.