Move By Wire question, Maybe now i understand the power of Move By Wire... Options

[Crazy Ivan]

Ok, I was never really initially impressed by the Move By Wire reflex system, since while I thought the skillwire system idea integration was cool, I didn't think the +1 Dodge and +2 Reaction were worth it. Then as I was making a prime runner for one of my campaigns using Nebulars awesome Chummer program, I relented and installed a set (Rating 2), then got really confused. I asked my wife, who has a good head on her shoulders regarding rules and interpretations of such things, and we can't figure out what exactly is meant by the writing...

Is the system (+1 Dodge and +2 Reaction, +1 Initiative Pass)/Rating or is it +1 IP per rating plus a set value of +1 Dodge and +2 Reaction?

If it is the former, I owe the Move-By-Wire system a huge apology...

[Sengir]

Get a sixpack and apologize

[Crazy Ivan]

And here I was thinking MBW was over-priced...Hello new best friend...

[Machiavelli]

Welcome in the world of powergaming...^^

[Crazy Ivan]

yeah, thats crazy

[Sengir]

And here I was thinking MBW was over-priced...Hello new best friend...

Well, the wording is a bit ambiguous, but looking at the old edition books clarifies the intent. Speaking of the older books, just because epilepsy and other brainfucks are no longer mandatory, you should keep such consequences in mind...maybe a slight tremor every now and then.

[Yerameyahu]

It's identical to Wired Reflexes, plus Dodge and Skillwires. If anything, it's weaker than SR3's, but indeed has no drawbacks. :/

[Makki]

It's identical to Wired Reflexes, plus Dodge and Skillwires. If anything, it's weaker than SR3's, but indeed has no drawbacks. :/

it also adds double the Reaction than WRs

[Yerameyahu]

Ah, sorry. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif) I forgot. I just remember how incredible SR3's was.

[Summerstorm]

Aye... extra-actions.

Level 3 had a simple action and 4 a complex, when all is done it virtually no-time. But hey... didn't the level 4 in delta cost 16 million? *g* And mandatory once-a-month surgery to keep you going?

[UmaroVI]

What's funny is that MBW is the essence-friendly option. You pay more for MBW than Wired Reflexes+Reaction Enhancers but get just as much for less essence. Also free dodge and skillwires, whee. I do find it funny that if you want to, you know, avoid damaging your body/soul/whatever too much with invasive surgery, you go for the seizures.

[Crazy Ivan]

What's funny is that MBW is the essence-friendly option. You pay more for MBW than Wired Reflexes+Reaction Enhancers but get just as much for less essence. Also free dodge and skillwires, whee. I do find it funny that if you want to, you know, avoid damaging your body/soul/whatever too much with invasive surgery, you go for the seizures.

That observation didn't escape me either...

[KCKitsune]

What's funny is that MBW is the essence-friendly option. You pay more for MBW than Wired Reflexes+Reaction Enhancers but get just as much for less essence. Also free dodge and skillwires, whee. I do find it funny that if you want to, you know, avoid damaging your body/soul/whatever too much with invasive surgery, you go for the seizures.

If you want a fluff reason to not suffer from the seizures, then have a cyberlimb* with a nanohive installed. You then buy nanosymbiotes and there is your fluff reason that your character doesn't expire in great pain.


* == a lower cyber arm comes with 10 slots so you can install the nanohive, gyromount, radar, & cybersafety. You still have 1 capacity left over to install another item. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif)

[Mongoose]

it funny that if you want to, you know, avoid damaging your body/soul/whatever too much with invasive surgery, you go for the seizures.

Meh. Given just turn of the century tech, people with cerebral palsy can be plenty healthy, as far as basic (non motor) body functions go. Unlike many disabled people, they even typically have very good muscle / body fat ratios. I'll let you draw your own conclusions about their spiritual health, but from what I've seen they do as well as anybody else who faces the discrimination common to those with speech impediments and limited mobility / dexterity.
The MBW system is basically just a hack that uses cerebral palsy to control reactions. Not a big surprise that its more efficient (health wise) than using wires to control the muscles and (and juicing the body up with synthetic hormones, per the Wired Reflex descriptions), but was harder to develop / caused brain damage in beta version users.

[CanRay]

OK, now that you know why the Crunch of MBW is so kick ass cool, read the fluff and find out why it's such a nasty, miserable thing to have in your body.

[KarmaInferno]

Having what amounts to a mod chip in the brain is a miserable thing, compared to having your entire body flayed open to install wires or synthetic nerve bundles?





-k

[CanRay]

Move-By-Wire keeps your body in a constant state of movement almost identical to having a seizure.

All.

The.

Time.

[KarmaInferno]

Wired Reflexes used to do that to you too, back in the 2050s. Twitch Twitch Twitch. Maybe spaz out and kill someone before you can stop yourself. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif)





-k

[longbowrocks]

Is the system (+1 Dodge and +2 Reaction, +1 Initiative Pass)/Rating or is it +1 IP per rating plus a set value of +1 Dodge and +2 Reaction?

Believe it or not, I decided on the latter interpretation. It seems everyone here disagrees with me though, so I can change my mind. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/wink.gif)

[CanRay]

Wired Reflexes still should do the "Kill someone before you can stop" if you have them on all the time, and were the Munchkin Gadget of the time. The "New" off switch for them, however, is nice. It's like Mad Max's V-8 Interceptor, where you can flip on the Blower and get some extra performance.

MBW doesn't have an off switch, so they've taken that new role (That's what I love about Shadowrun, Technology Marches On!). Keep your back to the wall, remind your Chummers to never touch you if they don't know you're around, and never make a threatening gesture even in jest, and so on... They could kill you three ways before you hit the ground and not even realize it.

Gets kind of hard on friendships that way.

[Mongoose]

Move-By-Wire keeps your body in a constant state of movement almost identical to having a seizure.

So does a certain natural condition called Cerebral Palsy. Its a VERY survivable condition, of which nearly 100% of the health issues relate to difficulty with daily tasks. MBW users obviously would not have those problems.

[Patrick Goodman]

And here I was thinking MBW was over-priced...Hello new best friend...

Just beware...it's a fickle, fickle bitch sometimes....

[CanRay]

Nada: "Brother, life's a bitch... And she's back in heat." - They Live

[PeteThe1]

Story-wise, there's also the stuff that isn't officially statted out but implied in the commentary about MBW. They may have treatments to manage the neurological problems, but how many samurai are gonna intentionally brain-damage themselves in the long term, when the decades-reliable Wired Reflexes technology works almost as well without the side effects? Sure there's always the crazies that don't think about tomorrow, just more edge now. But the real stone-cold big-picture pros? I dunno, i just don't see Argent endorsing it. Depends on character personality, I'd think.

[CanRay]

Um, actually, Argent does endorse it. Or, if he doesn't, he still uses it. "Run Hard, Die Fast".

But, yes, it's the hard part of a choice of edge now or life later. As most (Like 90%!) Shadowrunners don't live a year, the edge seems so much more.