 Hacking without Programs, or Lacking a Key Program |
 Mar 20 2006, 08:28 PM
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Technomancer  Group: Retired Admins Posts: 4,638 Joined: 2-October 02 From: Champaign, IL Member No.: 3,374  |
So, a Data Search + Browse test resulted in this thread which touched a little on hacking without programs, or when lacking a key program, but didn't really seem to apply completely. Firstly, has anyone encountered anywhere in the book a rule saying that you cannot perform a matrix action without it's associated program. For example, if you don't have the Defuse program, can you disarm a data bomb? If there is such a rule, I've missed it, and this thread can be as short as a reference :D. Now, assuming for the moment that there isn't such a rule, here's the situation. I'd rather let the sleeping dog of Logic + Hacking vs. Hacking + Program asleep for the moment, though it's awakening might be immanent. With the RAW, there's no real difference between a Logic 1 and Logic 6 hacker since their abilities online are based almost solely on their skill and programs. I've already ruled that the intervals in a matrix extended test are limited by Logic plus the appropriate skill to indicate that more logical characters can continue to come up with other weaknesses to probe or techniques to apply in a given situation while illogical types are quickly frustrated. To continue this trend, I've been toying with another house rule:
The +4 modification means that such a test would never really be "easy" (as defined in that table) and the increase in time represents the fact that the hacker has to do it all without the aid of assistive programs, thus it takes longer. I'll be testing this house rule in my games next weekend, but I'm interested to see your reactions now. Examples: Hacky McHacksalot has been caught without a Defuse program after detecting a Data Bomb (Rating 4) on a file. Realizing that this file is essential to his plans, he needs to get by the data bomb, and due to the sensitive time frame involved, he can't track down a program and return later. He'll have to try and defuse it manually. The normal test would be Hacking + Defuse (Data Bomb Rating x2) but because he's working without the aid of the Defuse program he's looking at an extended Logic + Hacking (12, 1 Minute) test. Later on, our intrepid Hacky is again lacking a key program, this time it's the Scan program. He's trying to detect a specific hidden node from within a stew of other non-hidden nodes. Thus, his test, which would have been an Electronic Warfare + Scan (15+, 1 Combat Turn) now becomes a Logic + Electronic Warfare (19+, 10 Minutes) test. He might be able to pull it off, but that threshold is a killer. The gamemaster politely tells Hacky's player to buy more programs and suggests that Edge might be handy right about now. I'm torn on the idea. I like it because it allows characters who may not have the program load out of the hacker to perform some basic matrix actions that they may not have otherwise been able to do. However, the likelihood that such a character needs to do this is definately in the "last-ditch-effort" category. It also would seem to help Technomancers since they may not have quite the program load out of a "normal" hacker as they have to spend build points for complex forms in addition to everything else that BP are needed for at character generation. Jeez ... this turned out to be a longer post than I expected, but I have one more thing to add. I've also toyed with providing the host a test to "perceive" an action of this type similar to when probing the target. When the action finally succeeds, the system gets a chance to notice the hack as an Analyze + Firewall (Stealth) test. If the host detects you an alert is triggered. Example: In Hacky's Disarm Data Bomb test above, he succeeds in defusing the data bomb after 4 minutes of brain bending work. At this point, the host rolls Analyze + Firewall for a threshold equal to Hacky's stealth program. Luckily for Hacky, that's a program he already has.. The only test this one doesn't seem to work on would be a Decrypt test, but that's because it's a Decrypt + Response test and has nothing to do with the hacker's skill at all. I'd argue that one could allow the commlink a chance to crack the encryption, with a threshold and interval modification as described in the house rule above but manual cryptanalysis should take far longer than this house rule would represent, if it would be possible at all. Glitches on these sorts of tests should be an order of magnitude more dangerous than glitching with a program, but that's my opinion. Thoughts? |
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Posts in this topic
Dashifen Hacking without Programs Mar 20 2006, 08:28 PM
Kremlin KOA given that in the fluff, intuitive mavericks have ... Mar 21 2006, 01:20 AM Dashifen regardless of that, the game does link all of the ... Mar 21 2006, 03:00 AM emo samurai Maybe you could have a "hero protagonist... Mar 21 2006, 03:03 AM Dashifen I'm not interested in linking the hacking skil... Mar 21 2006, 03:06 AM TonkaTuff Well, for legal programs, there are probably onlin... Mar 21 2006, 04:32 AM Rooks So you pretty much need to buy almost all the prog... Mar 21 2006, 06:15 AM Dissonance There's not really a reason to not eventually ... Mar 21 2006, 07:33 AM Rooks but which ones are absolutely must have? Mar 21 2006, 08:02 AM Cain Okay, page 208 says that Matrix actions are meant ... Mar 21 2006, 08:57 AM
The Jopp I'm with Cain on this one. It should be possib... Mar 21 2006, 10:09 AM  |
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