Wireless mode, How realism killed realism and why we shouildn't care Options

[Smash]

The matrix is clearly now the biggest issue with 5th Ed. Not from my point of view but rather the point of view of players who just can't seem to let go of realism for the sake of the game. One could argue that the argument of realism is fairly redundant in a game with magic and dragons, but I digress.

People seem forever stuck on this idea that a) it's dumb that shower curtains work better when their wireless is turned on but b) they then become susceptable to hackers. The problem with this view is that it relies too much on real world knowledge that's not necessary or required to be transferable to a PnP roleplaying game. Yes, the writers are somewhat at fault for this. They have relied on using real world knowledge to sell their concepts and not anticipated how literally a lot of people would take it.

Here's an example: Real world employers employ magicians to read their employees thoughts to ensure that they are not plotting against said employer. Because you know that this is a fact of life you wear tin-foil hats to work which are proven (through lots of studies to numerous to list here) that tin foil blocks mind reading. However, let's imagine a world where the average joe doesn't believe in magic, nor realise that his thoughts are being read by afore mentioned magicians. does this incredibly naieve individual wear a tin-foil hat to work? No, they don't. Ok now for arguments sake, let's translate this outlandish individual to the Shadowrun universe. If they don't know that hackers exist, or at least don't really understand the true extent of what they are capable of doing, do they turn their wireless showercurtain off? The answer remains no.

Here's the assumptions that a lot of people are making in regard to wireless that don't really need to translate to the game:

• The matrix is a 3D representation of todays internet
• Everyone knows about hackers and what they can do and this is much worse than the benefits of wireless
• Hacking relies on wireless as we understand it and is limited in the same way as it is limited today (TCP/IP)

Are people unfounded in thinking like this. Of-course not, the rulebook is written in such a way that it explains itself in comparison to the real world. This was done I think to lend weight to the concepts presented but it seems to have had the opposite effect.

There are so many ways that this could have been approached to not caused so much heartache and that players would have accepted it. If it was me I'd have simply removed the benfits of wireless mode unless they were really obvious and just given hackers some new technology that allows them to hack devices through some kind of meta-wireless that I can't even comprehend that doesn't require TCP/IP. If they had just gotten rid of hackers and just made Deckers all Technomancers this would have been very achievable. Of-course this would have annoyed a different cohort of players and so Deckers still need to exist, but who can argue with Technomancers hacking devices with Magic? Anyone ever see 'The Lawnmower Man'? There's your hacking mechanics right there.

I think one of the reasons that the writers have gone the way they did with wireless is that it gives non-hackers some way to counter attack. Get a good comlink, use the wireless defence action, turn your wireless off, etc. All these things are merely options and options give you more strategic and tactical depth. We should just embrace them. Yes you can be cynical and just say "pftt! Everyone will just turn wireless off" but as soon as you face that elite operative who has all his linked cyber turned on and is shielded by a competent decker then you'll probably wish that you had done the same. There's also probably going to be 5 runs where Deckers are not a threat to every one where there is. Are you going to just forego your bonuses against the 80/20 rule? Personally, I'd put more faith in my Decker.

Yes there are some scenarios where your trauma patch probably shouldn't work better with wireless in the middle of a jungle with no available wireless. My advice is just be happy and confident that you're getting the bonus without any chance that a decker will brick your patch..........