Making VR faster than Meat hackers, HOW fast are you tapping keys? Options

[The Jopp]

Making full VR & Hotsim worth it. With the current FAQ Technomancers and VR hackers are obsolete by the Wired/Synaptic/Adept improved reflexes AR hackers.

Since you work at the speed of thought actions that would normally take longer in AR are merely a flicker of the mind and then it is done while the meat hacker is still tapping keys.

Actions that takes a specific amount of time have the following conversion
Free Action =1 Extra free action in VR/Hotsim
Simple Action = Free Action
1 IP = Simple Action
1 Combat Turn =1 IP
1 Minute =1 Combat Turn
1 Hour = 1 Minute
1 Day = 1 Hour
1 Week =1 Day

This way ALL hacking done in VR is faster and not only probing the target but everything you do. In order for VR hackers not to become the speedsters of combat we limit attack programs to 1 attack per IP (having 4 IP’s and 8 attack actions in VR is just silly).

[psykotisk_overle...]

On the other hand you've broken some of the streamlining of the system, assigning two "speeds" if you will to every hacker action. Not to mention the hassle it would be to keep track of AR and VR hackers in the same combat.
Also, since IC alway operates at machine speeds they'll be miles ahead of any decker not doing hot sim. Where in this system does cold sim fit in btw.

[Blade]

AR users can use DNI too... no need for a keyboard.

[Serbitar]

Good work. But I would make AR slower instead of VR faster.

Maybe ill integrate that in my SGM.

@Blade: Then the AR user is using a mental keyboard. But he is still not "thinking" his commands per se, but using a virtual GUI.

[The Jopp]

Yes, program working in VR would be faster – as they should be.

Cold SIM and Hot SIM are the same speed, the difference between them is the +2D6 and +1IP. Both are a type of VR so whan I say VR I mean both Hotsim and VR.

In matrix combat the only difference would be loading programs and non-combat actions since any kind of attack program still takes a complex action. Let’s just say that making a matrix attack is more difficult than calling it “game balance”.

The reason for “destroying” the streamlining is because it is TOO streamlined. The point with AR and Hotsim being at the speed of thought is that it should be faster than what a human body can perform.

There are hardly any matrix actions by the RAW that is “faster” in VR than AR. Regular matrix actions simply has one speed – and that speed should always be faster in VR.

[Lantzer]

Do you really think hackers can modify programs, adjust code, and fiddle around with system settings faster than an augmented human body can perform?

"The Speed of Thought" ain't that impressive, at least from my experience.

It's the same brain as he uses in the meat world - and I doubt if his meat bod is holding him back that much. Maybe to the tune to 2d6 init and 1 IP. Yeah, I'll give him _that_ much bonus. It might be a little generous, but I also give Mr Twitchy the Street Sam extra speed - you know, the guy with the hardwired reflexes.

[The Jopp]

[The Jopp]

[blakkie]

:talker: :please: Here's an idea.

Hell, I'll even toss out a totally-from-the-hip piece of wireware.

[toturi]

[The Jopp]

[The Jopp]

The point is not the amount of IP's one gets and how much more one can FIGHT someone but rather how long things take in AR compared to VR that takes your conciousnesss into the matrix.

[Eryk the Red]

The real problem here is that VR is cool and a big part of the setting, and when it gets devalued this way, it sort of breaks the setting.

I play a heavily modified version of the rules (because I like to tweak, and sometimes tweaking means rewriting). I was able to solve the AR/VR speed problem very simply in my rules. See, I run combat not as a series of turns but as ticks (like in Exalted 2E). So basically, when you take your turn, you have a speed rating, and your next action is that many ticks later. 5 is normal, IP boosts subtract one per IP from that. So, a Wired 2 guy can take physical actions every three ticks. Physical boosts don't aid with matrix speeds, so AR is always speed 5, cold VR is 4 and hot VR is 3. I like this setup. (Not that I actually recommend anyone else implement it. It took a lot of work to make it fit with the system.)

I don't really fault their ruling, because it fits with the streamlining and unified structure of the system. But I'm glad I found a way to sidestep this problem.

[blakkie]

[blakkie]

[The Jopp]

[BlueRondo]

Maybe the simplest thing to do without screwing around with IPs is to increase the +2 dice bonus. To reflect that you're moving at the speed of thought, you could add something like (logic + intuition) / 2. So an average person with 3 logic / 3 intuition gets +3 dice. A genius with maybe 4 int and 6 logic gets +5 dice.

[ixombie]

[Eryk the Red]

The simple reason, ixombie, is to maintain the integrity of the setting. VR is supposed to be faster and generally preferable when doing tasks that require high performance, like hacking. At this point, I'm not actually concerned with the intentions of the developers. My game and our understanding of the setting as pertains the matrix stops working if AR is allowed to outperform VR.

So screw all the rest. VR is where it's at, and that's how I want it to stay.

Besides, the matrix in AR is boring. You don't want your hackers spending all their time in AR, do you?

[blakkie]

[Serbitar]

[X-Kalibur]

[Charon]

I just stated for my game that you could only use one Matrix related action per round in AR (With -2 to dice to non-matrix task, like a mage in astral perception doing non-magic test).

So if you have more than one IP, use them for shooting, running or whatever.

That houserule kept VR as being much better than AR for hacking purposes and sometime encourage a hacker to go VR in the middle of a fight, which is pretty much the same tactical dilemna as a mage deciding to go on astral projection during a fight.

[Konsaki]

I would have to agree with Charon's assesment of the way it 'should' be. Even with an internal commlink, you dont really 'feel' the data as it comes back to you, you see it in your AR vision and that takes time to comprehend and you only have 3 seconds in a turn.
I would also say that even though Technomancers can 'feel' the matrix, even in AR, they are splitting their mind by performing tasks in the matrix and physical world at the same time, so cant fully concentrate on the digital realm. This is if a TM had some sort of IP enhancer: spell, ware or drugs.

[blakkie]