Idiot's Guide to the Matrix 2.0 Options

[James McMurray]

[hobgoblin]

[Magus]

[Aku]

[Dashifen]

Well since it seems like there's been little action for the last few hours and most seem to think, either by their above stated support or silence, that my interpretation is at least valid (though not necessarily correct :biggrin:) I'm going to stick to my guns.....


As stated in the last few paragraphs, Aku wants to offload an agent from his persona onto the chokepoint's node. In order to do this, it has been ruled that Aku needs to make a Hacking + Edit test vs. the System's Firewall + System. Aku, if you would please provide me with that roll?

[Aku]

very sleepy stil (dang pshycotic bird chirping to itself) so heres the roll

hacking(5)+edit(6)=11 dice, -1 for load, -1 for botched reality filter, again tossing 9 dice

1, 2, 2, 4, 5,5, 6, 6, 6, for 5 hits



Dang, thats going to be hard to beat :)
since i'm fairly confidant the serverwon't beat that i'll toss in a bit of ic for the ensueing interaction.

As Battlecat finishes uploading ,and despite looking like a mech announces, "I AM Joe Wageslave."

[Magus]

bump

[Aku]

ok, my turn to retro quote...

"Dash?"

[damaleon]

these are my general thoughts on the SR4 rules, and so not to break up the flow with a long post, I am enclosing it all in a spoiler tag.

[ Spoiler ]

1, reduction in Response and System:

I think one way of clarifying the way things run would be this, "System is limited by the maximum Response..."
"So if you’re running 10 programs with a System 5, your effective Response will be 2 less than normal."

An effective System level would also be limited by the effective Response, but only used for Program level and any Tests involving the System attribute, so an effective Response of 2 would limit your effective System to 2. The actual System rating would still be used to calculate subscription limits, Response loss due to programs, and your Matrix Condition max.

So lets give an example:
A hacker With a base System 4 and Response 4 while running 6 programs (including Stealth and Reality Filter) would operate with a effective System 3 and effective Response of 3 in AR(-1 for running between 4 and 7 programs) or 4 in VR (-1 for programs, +1 for Reality Filter) for any tests requiring those attributes on his commlink.
After successfully penetrating a nodes defenses of an unsculpted system or winning the reality opposed test against a sculpted one, it would still be Response 4 for VR, but drop to an effective Response of 2 if you lose or tie the test.
In AR, I don't believe you could run a Reality Filter, so it would always be a 3 for Response. If you don't have a good reality filter and don't need the extra IP, staying in AR would be safer most of the time.

2, patrolling IC and the Analyze Program:

Personally, if I was subscribed to a node, but not doing anything, only 1 attempt per combat turn should be allowed to IC to detect me, but the way I read the description of patrolling IC they are performing "observe in detail" simple actions twice every IP (6 times a Combat Turn) if they do not report back about findings.
I see this as if I notice the IC and disable it in one IP, the system would not notice for some time. I would have IC constantly scanning one node required to report status (a "transfer data" simple action) either every IP or every Combat Turn.

I don't really see how you can set the Analyze program to scan constantly without using your own Simple actions which would be the same as an "observe in detail" action on the node, looking for users or IC actively running, or loading an Agent to do the same thing and report back to you. Is the mention about it on p217 just to remind you to do that every turn, or at least now and then?

3, Running Agents and IC:

Your Response is determined by your Commlink, not the Response of the node you log on to, so I would imagine that Agents you have running are also considered to be running on your commlink node and count against your total number of active programs, but they are loaded with copies of your programs that do not count against your limit, but against their's instead. If your character hacks a node with the proper access, he can load the an Agent on the hacked node at it's Response, or if he has multiple Commlinks and loads it there, and it will not count against his program limit and will not affect his Response, but would require a "Transfer Data" simple action before you could perform the "Run Agent or Program" complex action.
Running of a different node, especially in another person's/company's system could get very interesting too. If you first succeed in a Data Search+Browse simple action (and possibly other tests, depending on how devious the GM) to see what programs are accessible from this node, I would allow you to Command your Agent to load programs you found on the hacked node, only if the Agent is running from the said node. If the programs are encrypted, you would first have to defeat the encryption.

If you are running Agents, I a few common scenarios:
Run Agent (you: complex action, agent starts with no programs if creating an agent on the fly, or if GM permits prepping Agents ahead of time it has a predetermined program loadout)
Command an Agent to Unload a program (you: simple action, Agent: next simple action)
Command Agent to Load a program (you: simple action, Agent: next complex action)
Any Agent running against your program limit would be able to move to any node you hack without a test, but any independent Agent would have to make it's own Hacking Test to follow you, or you would have to "Edit" to add a passcode and then "Transfer Data" to it for to have legit access, requiring security or admin access on your part (most cases)

An Agent I might run could act as a Tactical Map Agent: I feed it maps/layouts I get from hacking and updates with them with locations of my teammates/tagged gear/drones and any enemy data I can collect)
With a Pilot 4 Agent running:
Edit (for updating the map)
Encrypt (realtime encryption to avoid enemies gaining quick access to it)
Analyze (to find/parse the information I dump into folders on my commlink about enemy RFIDs/controlled access areas/etc.)
Any ally that I allow to subscribe to the agent's output (or enemy that can hack/intercept my comm and decrypt it) would have access to it

4, Hacking In:

It states on page 216
"Note that standard electronic devices only have
admin accounts, as there is no need for other accounts
for their software."
I read this as needing a +6 to a hacking test Threshold for most common devices like Commlinks and Cyberlimbs, as they only typically have 1 user. This makes the hacking of a random person's (or enemy combatant's) take longer, and allow more time for them to detect it.
An example:
Say a hacker with Hacking skill 3, Stealth 4, and Exploit 4 programs is attacking John Doe's Commlink (Sony Emperor, Renraku Ichi OS, System/Response/Firewall of 2, Signal 3, All common use programs at 1, no hacking programs, but only Browse and Analyze loaded) as a "Hacking on the Fly" action
the hacker rolls a Hacking+Exploit (8, Firewall 2 + 6 for Admin) Extended test
and the commlink has a Analyze+Firewall (4, Stealth 4) Extended test
This gives the hacker 7 dice each IP to accumulate 8 hits before the commlink's 3 dice accumulate 4. If the commlink get 4 first, it goes on alert and notifies John Doe, but the hacker can keep trying to get in at a new Threshold of 12 (Firewall increases by +4 to 6 in alert state). The hacker may still be able to hack in and get what he wants before John Doe (who make need to make a perception test if he not using AR for some reason when the alert goes off) can turn off his commlink.

By making sure you boost the threshold by 6 for commlinks and common devices that have low firewalls, I think it is much more realistic for trying to hack in. This does cut both ways, as it is as much harder for your rigger to hack another person's drones and comm as it is for the enemy to hack yours.

Anyway, I have spent way to long to type this up, so I will leave anything else I think of for later.

edit: okay, either I wrote way to much, or people think I am nuts, but a comment or 2 about it would be nice, just so I know which (or if it's both)

[Dashifen]

<<< Sickness. I'll be back as soon as I can. Sorry for the delay. Oh, and weekends suck for me anyway but I should have posted this yesterday. Just couldn't work up the motivation to do much beyond watch movies and blow my nose. Damned, spring colds.

[Dashifen]

Okay, again sorry about the delay. After three days of cold medicine and movies on DVD, I'm feeling better so on with the tutorial:

By my reasoning above, if Aku -- who only hacked a user level account -- wants to offload an Agent from his commlink onto the node's hardware, he has to make a Hacking + Edit vs. System + Firewall test. He rolled above and got 5 hits, so I'll roll the Node's dice pool of 12 to combat:

1, 2, 2, 2, 3, 3, 4, 4, 5, 5, 6, 6

And with only 4 hits to his 5, the Agent has been successfully offloaded on the Node. This reduces Aku's program count by 1, but if I remember correctly, this doesn't increase his matrix attributes because he's still running 9 or 10 other programs.

However, this new program running on the node does cause problems for it. The Node's system and response are both 6, and it was running six programs but with this offloading, the node is now running 7 programs which will reduce the node's Response attribute by 1 from 6 to 5. This reduction in system resources could trigger an alert. Above, I argue that it would definatly cause an alert, but in this case we'll give Aku a chance to get away with things for the purposes of the tutorial.

With a quick GM decision, I'll roll a System + Analyze (Response) test for the node. Thus, if the node's System can recognize that the Response has been reduced, it'll trigger an alert. Also, since the Response is what gets lowered in this process, if Aku wanted to continue to offload Agents to reduce the node's ratings further, then eventually the node will probably succeed. They system has been reduced to 5, which also caps the program rating at 5 so I'll roll 10 dice with a threshold of 5:

1, 2, 2, 3, 4, 4, 5, 5, 6, 6

With only 4 hits, the system doesn't quite detect the drop in resources and Aku is good to go with BattleCat running within the choke point. Since BattleCat's stealth roll was good enough to not be seen last time and hit hasn't actually made an action, yet, I won't have the agents roll to see the new icon since it's really just the same icon.

Traffic seems light through the node as Aku takes a moment to observe his surroundings. As you watch, rats and insects seem to scuttle their way out of the darkness moving in one direction or the other along the tunnel. They pay no attention to you. You also notice that the root system that stretches down from above seems to be swaying slightly in an unknown and sourceless virtual breeze.

[Voran]

That strikes me as a little odd though. If I understand correctly, by following that line of reasoning, the best way to defend a node is to load it up to the point it nearly degrades system performance, so if any new load comes in it pretty much triggers an alert?

In this case, Aku not only successfully snuck into the node, but successfully dropped an agent that wasn't noticed by the node, yet still could trigger an alert?

Granted in this case, he succeeds because the system didn't make enough successes on noticing that its system resources dropped.

[Dashifen]

Not the best way to defend a node, but certainly one way. The best way, is still probably a combination of IC and resource triggers. Or, just buy a hojillion registered fault sprites from your local, poor Technomancer and drop them into the node as they don't bother system resources.

This is a stopgap, temporary solution to oppose a hacker tactic of unloading X copies of an Agent on to a node's hardware with impunity, reducing the node's system and response to effectively one, thus limiting all programs run on the node (including IC) to a rating of one and, therefore, owning the system. Something like a sixth world DOS attack. However, if there's a chance that either (a) the system may not allow a low-account hacker to offload programs (as was the case in this scenario) or if (b) the resources are effected the system can detect that change, it may reduce (though, as evidenced, not eliminate) the chance that a hacker will perform this attack.

[Aku]

ok, im honestly, sort of lost? would i make another peeption check to examine this nebuleous root system, or am mi besting doen the wrong path?

[Dashifen]

Right now you're in the chokepoint node, which is represented in the metaphor of a endless, underground, spooky tunnel. To let you in on the iconography, the water plinking is a representation of the system's analyze program running, the root system is the icon of the attacking IC software, and the smaller, scuttling creatures moving along the floor are information passing through the chokepoint either into it from the rest of the matrix or from the node you have yet to discover on the other side of the chokepoint.

Due to a number of well rolled stealth actions and some lucky dice on your part, the chokepoint has not yet been alerted to your presence. As a result, you're now free to try and find the node that's on the other side of the chokepoint.

On p. 217 under Matrix Perception Tests, it indicates that you can discover nodes using such a test. However, if the target is running the stealth program, this becomes an opposed test. I have yet to disclose information about the node-within-a-node so you have no idea whether or not it's running stealth. One thing you do know, out of character, is that the chokepoint is protecting the other node with a Data Bomb.

So, back to your question, roll me a Matrix Perception Test to try and find the other node. If this fails, you'll have to perform more actions within this node, the chokepoint, to determine the location of that other node, but we'll cross that river when we come to it. Remember, for every net hit on the perception test, you get one piece of information. Thus, if you get more than one hit, you could end up detecting the node and its associated data bomb all in one action. In a "real" game, I wouldn't indicate anything about the Data Bomb unless the player specifically asked about it, but in this tutorial, it's better to explain my reasoning that leave things in the background, I feel.

[Aku]

sorry, been busy trying to keep my new job heh.

Dash, what would i need to do if i wanted to try and figure out where things were going to/coming from before actually trying to determine where the wired host is connected at?

[Dashifen]

Intercept Traffic is probably your best bet. At that point, while the data is not that important to you, you will be able to determine where it's coming from and where it's going.

Hacking + Sniffer. The hits are my threshold to detect your interception if anyone rolls a matrix perception test.

[Dashifen]

Bump? Aku, you want to tag someone else in if you're busy for the moment? I'm going to be going to be on vacation shortly and would like to see if we could finish this scenario before then.

[Aku]

I was actually just digging for this :D not getting enough sleep sucks :( but lets get on it!

Hoping to find where packets go before i try to pinpoint find the actual node, i make my hacking(5) +sniffer(6) test for 11 dice, minus 1 for the botched filter and 1 for load still, so 9 dice, again.

1, 2, 2, 2, 3,
3, 4, 4, 6

ouch,. only 1 success

[Dashifen]

Other than being a nasty GM, I can't at this time determine a reason that the host would re-attempt to perceive Aku's actions. He hasn't edited or deleted any of the information, only tapped it to see what it's all about, thus no actions have been made on the host which would make it suspicious ... yet. Aku's intercept action goes unchallenged at the moment.

On other hosts, especially hosts that provide almost no account privileges to Users, which is the level at which Aku hacked, an Intercept Traffic action could definitely result in a perception test to notice the intruder. Or, I could decide that since Intercept Traffic is a complex action, the host may run an Analyze test on itself every turn, which could follow this action. In either of these cases the Intercept Traffic test would be opposed by the system's Firewall + System test. But, in the interests of moving along, I'll forgo that at this time.

Running your sniffer program seems to attract the rats, mice, spiders, and other vermin traveling through the tunnel to your shoes. As then run over them you can immediately tell that the information which the critters represent is encrypted. Thus, you can't tell that much about it specifically. However, what you can read from the traffic is a public key code representing it's point of origin and destination. Taking a moment to analyze the information, you notice that the point of origin is the same for all of the rodents while the destination for the insects match the origin for the rats.

So what the hell does all of that mean? Basically it's fluff to fill in some details about the host and it's inner workings. All of the rodent icons are information leaving the secured node and heading into the matrix representing messages sent by the advertising company that Aku is assaulting. The insect icons are replies or other information coming in from the matrix at large, through the chokepoint, and then on into the secured, hidden node. That's why the insects' destination matches the rodents' origin.

Remember that Aku's instructions were to get into the system and find as much paydata as he could. The information about who this advertising company is working with, i.e. who's sending data to them and who are they sending data to, could be worth some extra cash from Aku's employers. If, of course, Aku can decode the matrix addresses into real business names, of course.

What's your next move, Aku? A Matrix Perception test will tell you more about the host and how to get into the node-within-a-node at this point.

[Aku]

Realizing, that, in all likelyhood, the insect packets will be on the other side of the node as well (as i would suspect that beyond this node is more of a router node)

Since a perception test is a computer test, my pool is actually slightly different, using computer (from the electronics group) 4+ analyze(6) for 10 dice, minus 1 for load, and 1 for the botched filter, leaving me 8 dice to roll.

2,3,3,5,5,5,6,6
for 5 total hits


Fortunately, with that roll, i should learn all i need too, and then some, about this node.

[Aaron]

[Dashifen]

I tend to agree. Plus, every turn would probably end up being too draconian and no one would be able to get through. While that would be the intended purpose of such a system, it's also less fun for the game. I tend to choose fun over realism.

The five hits generated on Aku's perception test are more than enough to get him information about this node. More of what he learns can be found in the yellow text below. However, one of the things he was focused on was the location of the other node at the other end of this chokepoint. One thing he didn't know is that the other node is actually running a stealth program. Thus, his perception test is opposed for the purposes of discovering that node.

That node has a Firewall of 6 and a Stealth Program rating of 5, so after that roll:

2, 2, 3, 3, 4, 4, 4, 4, 5, 5, 5

With only three hits on the stealth test, Aku not only gets good details about the chokepoint, he also gets to find that other node.

The results of Aku's analysis of the node comes back a few moments after he runs the program. The node he's in is running 7 programs at the moment, one of which is a data bomb. Concentrating his efforts there to determine what the bomb is protecting, Aku successfully discovers the hidden node! As he find it, a door appears in the tunnel wall, wooden with a brass handle. There's a window in the door with vertical iron bars like a medieval prison.

Now I'll let you in on the last dirty security trick that the host has. If that data bomb goes off it not only deals damage to the intruder, it'll also trigger an alert. Hope you have a good diffuse program, Aku :vegm:

[Aku]

and indeed i do.

Recognizing the door, and the databomb attached to it i focus in on them, carefully inspecting the node to see how it is trapped, and atempting to seperate the trap from the entryway.

rolling hacking(5)+defuse(6) gives me 11 dice, minus my 2 dice, again gives me 9 dice to roll:

1, 1, 2, 2, 3,
4, 4, 6, 6

for two successes

edited for color

[Dashifen]

To oppose Aku's attempt at diffusing I'd roll the Data Bomb's rating x2. It's rating is 4. If I wanted to be really nasty this would be a moment to cash in 4 dice for 1 hit meaning that Aku would have zero net successes, the test would fail, the bomb would go off, and an alert would be triggered. However, let's not do that and I'll roll things fair and square to see what happens:

1, 1, 1, 1, 1, 1, 5, 5

Now that's really strange. Well, the Data Bomb got two hits, canceling Aku's, so the diffusing test fails. This means that, as per the the rules for Data Bombs on p. 226-7 of SR4, Aku takes 4 boxes of damage on his matrix condition monitor.

However, because the data bomb glitched, no alert was triggered. 'Course, Aku technically doesn't know that unless he rolls another Perception test or if the IC start going nuts.

Running his diffuse program on the trapped door, Aku reaches out to grip the brass handle of the door. Upon doing so the brass handle extends hidden spikes driving like thorns into the "flesh" of Aku's icon. Release a viral code into Aku's system, there is some static for a moment before the virtual world re-coalesces before our protagonist. The handle has returned to normal. Looks like the diffusing went a little south.