 Upgrading Commlink costs, Buy once or buy your way up the ratings? |
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 Jul 7 2006, 09:46 PM
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#1
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Ain Soph Aur  Group: Dumpshocked Posts: 3,477 Joined: 26-February 02 From: Montreal, Canada Member No.: 600  |
Question: When buying commlink upgrades, do you have to purchase all the levels up to the one you want?
For example, I buy an OS that comes with Firewall 3, but I want to upgrade it to Firewall 6. Do I just buy the upgrade for Firewall 6 (3000$), or do I buy Firewaall 4+5+6 (2000+2500+3000=7500$)? Seems to me you'd have to buy your way up, as per the second example, otherwise it'd be way too cheap to upgrade. |
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Jul 7 2006, 10:26 PM
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#2
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Runner Group: Members Posts: 2,556 Joined: 26-February 02 From: Seattle Member No.: 98 |
Is there anything in the way that it's written that indicates you should buy up, rather than buy once? Many other pieces of gear in the book use the same Rating x X :nuyen: demarcation and are obviously not intended to be bought up (cyberwear comes to mind).
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Jul 7 2006, 10:38 PM
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#3
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Shooting Target Group: Members Posts: 1,754 Joined: 9-July 04 From: Modesto, CA Member No.: 6,465 |
To further emphasize Strike30's point:
If you wanted to upgrade from Windows 95 to Windows XP would you need to buy all the versions in between? Or to upgrade from a 8086 to a Pentium IV would you need to buy all the chips that happen to come between those? |
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Jul 7 2006, 10:39 PM
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#4
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Moving Target Group: Members Posts: 254 Joined: 26-February 02 Member No.: 1,768 |
I think it's "buy once". Commlinks don't strike me as something terribly expensive in SR4.
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Jul 7 2006, 10:39 PM
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#5
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Moving Target Group: Members Posts: 142 Joined: 29-October 05 From: Arlington, TX Member No.: 7,909 |
I interpret the book as showing that you only have to buy the level you want. Response is a Chip, so like other chips, you can buy the level you want. As for the firewall example, I look at it as buying a system with a mediocre firewall(Windows) and adding in a third party program(or one you built yourself) that is much better. It would be sort of stupid to buy one program, then a patch(higher rating), another patch, another patch, and then just buy or build a new firewall. But again, my interpretation. |
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Jul 7 2006, 10:40 PM
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#6
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Moving Target Group: Members Posts: 984 Joined: 15-June 06 Member No.: 8,717 |
I'm sure that can't be it. My players asked the same question and I told them the same thing. A firewall program Rating 6 costs 3000 on the market. period.
Sure it's cheap to upgrade one matrix attribute but it makes it so non-hacker characters don;t have to blow their budget buying secure comms. Try playing a Hacker and have to buy all those programs (90,000 for rating 6 hacking utilities, 4200 for rating 6 common programs, 8000 for a rating 6 response chip, plus accessories :S ) |
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Jul 7 2006, 11:30 PM
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#7
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Chicago Survivor Group: Dumpshocked Posts: 5,079 Joined: 28-January 04 From: Canton, GA Member No.: 6,033 |
I'm of the opinion that the chip upgrade is added to the base rating, thus limiting how far you can go if you go the ultra cheap way (lowest rating commlink and OS and then upgrade to RTG 5's at char-gen) you are ultimately limited to a 7 on the el-cheapo but could conceivably get a 10 response in game play if you play your cards right.
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Jul 7 2006, 11:40 PM
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#8
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Shooting Target Group: Members Posts: 1,754 Joined: 9-July 04 From: Modesto, CA Member No.: 6,465 |
Um no. You don't add the new rating to the "base" rating. I don't see that any place in SR4 RAW. In general, Ratings are capped at 6 unless you've got some nova-hot stuff. Furthermore, at chargen most things are capped at Rating 5. |
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Jul 8 2006, 12:11 AM
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#9
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Chicago Survivor Group: Dumpshocked Posts: 5,079 Joined: 28-January 04 From: Canton, GA Member No.: 6,033 |
But, any device that can be upgraded has at least a rating 1, so why would there be a rating 1 upgrade?
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Jul 8 2006, 12:12 AM
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#10
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Moving Target Group: Members Posts: 142 Joined: 29-October 05 From: Arlington, TX Member No.: 7,909 |
For people who want to build a comlink into an outfit, boots, a book(What is that paper thing you have?!?),or another type of casing.
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Jul 8 2006, 12:43 AM
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#11
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Moving Target Group: Members Posts: 511 Joined: 24-March 05 From: On a ledge between Heaven and Hell Member No.: 7,226 |
One should be able to buy an upgrade patch for programs that she legally aquired.
Don't have book with me now, so not really sure what it says on subject. Can upgrade a Hacking program by spending a month and making a (Logic + Software) level raised /2 test? |
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