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#1
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Running Target ![]() ![]() ![]() Group: Members Posts: 1,246 Joined: 8-June 07 Member No.: 11,869 ![]() |
1) How do I experience VR? (What's a sim module for?) A: A commlink, a sim module (commlink accessory), and a DNI (Direct Neural Interface) is needed to experience full VR such as full-VR matrix running and VR games (SR4 p228). The user connects to the DNI, the DNI connects to the sim module in the commlink, and the commlink+sim module connects to the external environment such as the matrix or a BTL chip. With the illegal hot-sim modification, the commlink+sim module can be used for hot-sim-VR matrix running and BTL chips. A datajack alone can also be used to access BTL chips (SR4 p331). A sim module is NOT necessary for experiencing AR, but it can be used for that (SR4 p209 Augmented Reality). Sim modules are only necessary to experience simsense and sim emotions. While running in VR mode, your physical body goes completely limp so you better be sitting/laying in a comfortable position before you hit the switch. While in AR mode, the sim module does not paralyze your body. 2) What is a DNI (Direct Neural Interface) device? A: Trodes, nanopaste trodes, datajack, or cyberware/internal commlink. 3) How do I experience AR? A: In order to experience AR, you need a commlink (either electronic or cybernetic) and some sort of sensory receiving device. The sensory receiving device can be electronic, cybernetic, or a sim module running in AR mode. Electronic sensory receiving devices include contacts/glasses/goggles for vision, earphones/earbuds for sound, AR gloves and/or feedback clothing for (crude) tactile sensations (SR4 p209 Augmented Reality 1st, 2nd, 3rd, and 4th paragraphs). Cyberware sensory receiving devices include cybereyes and cyberears (SR4 p228-9). By using your commlink and a sim module in AR-mode you can view AR the natural way (by pumping it straight into your brain :D ). While in AR mode, the sim module does not paralyze your body. Your commlink can communicate with your sensory receiving devices via wireless, skinlinks, or (if cyberware) direct hardwire. Direct hardwire can be included between any cyberware devices for no extra cost or essence loss. A sim module is a commlink accessory that can be built into the commlink. 4) How do I control AR? A: You can control AR through AR gloves, feedback clothes, or a DNI control device such as trodes, nanotrodes, datajack, or internal commlinks (SR4 p209 Augmented Reality). 5) How do I connect my devices to the matrix in order to experience AR? A: All devices (including cyber) are wireless-enabled by default, so they are always connected to the matrix, all the time. You can also add skinlinks to devices and connect those skinlinked devices to a wireless enabled device. If you then turn off wireless on those other devices, this creates chokepoints in your PAN (Personal Area Network) and protects your devices from hacking. For example, you can leave your commlink (with tons of security software) wireless, but disconnect wireless from all your other devices and connect all your other PAN devices to your commlink via skinlink. A hacker would then have to get through your wireless comlink before reaching your other devices. Of course you could just add uber-security to each of your wireless devices, but the chokepoint method saves money. 6) Can non-metahumans experience VR or AR? A: Since VR needs a DNI, only metahumans can experience full VR. Even possessing cannot experience VR or any other DNI through their host. However, flesh form inhabiting spirits CAN use DNI and therefore VR (Street Magic p100). Any non-metahuman can experience AR through the appropriate interfaces (as long as they can physically see/manipulate the device).
7) Can a manifested or materialized spirit experience AR? A: Yes, as per FAQ quoted above. 8 ) What accessories come with a commlink? A: Commlinks include a wireless matrix transceiver (like a cellular phone and broadband cellular modem), wireless microtransceiver (like a CB or walkie-talkie), wireless navigation (somehow this is not GPS navigation (SR4 p327-328 contradicts p318), Augmentation lists an Orientation System needed for GPS navigation), and non-rated office productivity software such as message management, appointment manager, contact manager, document/image editors, etc. and more (SR4 p318). 9) What interface accessories come with a commlink? A: If you want the commlink to fit inside a tooth compartment, it only comes with wireless access and/or voice command (you might want to buy a skinlink for it too). A commlink can also include any tactile controls (buttons, wheels, gyrosensors, etc.) you want for no extra cost. A skinlink, electronic paper keyboard/monitor, sim module, AR gloves, contacts/glasses/goggles/earphones, and feedback clothes can always be added for a small fee (see gear list in SR4 for costs). It would probably be rare to see someone carrying a commlink as they can be built into clothes or embedded in your body as cyberware. Your commlink can communicate with your sensory receiving devices via wireless, skinlinks, or (if cyberware) direct hardwire. Direct hardwire can be included between any cyberware devices for no extra cost or essence loss. *** I will post updates and corrections to this top post *** This post has been edited by Buster: Aug 4 2007, 12:14 AM |
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#2
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Great Dragon ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() Group: Members Posts: 7,089 Joined: 4-October 05 Member No.: 7,813 ![]() |
6) inhabiting spirits *can* use VR, provided it's a flesh form merge and the host had the needed implants etc stuck in him before being inhabited.
just out of curiosity... is there a reason you haven't indicated whether these are 'official' or not? |
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#3
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Running Target ![]() ![]() ![]() Group: Members Posts: 1,246 Joined: 8-June 07 Member No.: 11,869 ![]() |
Haven't had time to look up the page numbers. Feel free to contribute though, I'll update the top post with any contributions. By the way, do you have a page number/link for number 6?
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#4
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Moving Target ![]() ![]() Group: Members Posts: 946 Joined: 16-September 05 From: London Member No.: 7,753 ![]() |
Not sure why you consider every other lifeform apart from humanity unable to experience VR. What they experience may not be your VR, but it'd still be valid, and very unlikely [due to cost] If I remem correctly, one of the scenarios involved a datajacked Dragon. Just my thruppence.. |
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#5
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Runner ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() Group: Members Posts: 2,883 Joined: 16-December 06 Member No.: 10,386 ![]() |
In Dragons of the Sixth world, Captain Chaos said he's got sources that say the great dragon Celedyr is quite the 'trix junkie...
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#6
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Deus Absconditus ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() Group: Dumpshocked Posts: 2,742 Joined: 1-September 03 From: Downtown Seattle, UCAS Member No.: 5,566 ![]() |
Note: Just because a piece of cyberware is wired into the brain does not mean it can work as a DNI. Cybereyes are directly neurally wired, but there's no reason to wire an eye into the olfactory centers of your brain.
Eyes and ears cannot be used as wireless hubs for VR control your comlink through, because they are not a 'direct neural interface' object. They interface with your neural network directly, but they're not the same. So your list of DNIs is slightly wrong. It should read: Trodes, nanopaste trodes, datajack, internal commlink or any cyberware with DNI modification, such as a cyberarm datajack. |
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#7
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Moving Target ![]() ![]() Group: Members Posts: 946 Joined: 16-September 05 From: London Member No.: 7,753 ![]() |
Also, I'm not sure that 'trodes should be considered DNI..
..Since they are placed onto the skin, that's not a Direct Neural Interface. |
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#8
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Great Dragon ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() Group: Members Posts: 7,089 Joined: 4-October 05 Member No.: 7,813 ![]() |
DNI has nothing to do with implanted or not. |
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#9
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Running Target ![]() ![]() ![]() Group: Members Posts: 1,246 Joined: 8-June 07 Member No.: 11,869 ![]() |
Updated top post with clarifications and page numbers.
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#10
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Great Dragon ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() Group: Members Posts: 7,089 Joined: 4-October 05 Member No.: 7,813 ![]() |
that's in the sidebar there, on the different possible results of inhabitation. that's actually in hybrid form, and i thought there was a similar quote for good merges/flesh forms. that being said, the fact that the hybrid form has those benefits leads me to think the flesh form probably should too.
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#11
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Running Target ![]() ![]() ![]() Group: Members Posts: 1,246 Joined: 8-June 07 Member No.: 11,869 ![]() |
Cool, thx for the reference.
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#12
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Technomancer ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() Group: Retired Admins Posts: 4,638 Joined: 2-October 02 From: Champaign, IL Member No.: 3,374 ![]() |
I wonder if it's worth mentioning Technomancers and how they interact with AR/VR differently than others (that is, lacking the _need_ for a "normal" commlink, etc.).
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#13
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Moving Target ![]() ![]() Group: Members Posts: 909 Joined: 26-August 05 From: Louisville, KY (Well, Memphis, IN technically but you won't know where that is.) Member No.: 7,626 ![]() |
Might want to point out that DNI is possible for non meta human races but it requires a significant amount of brain scans so it is non-trivial, requiring a significant cash pile.
And for the person quibbling about trodes, "direct neural interface" means data gets from outside the body into the brain without going through other sense organs. Reading text on paper is indirect. Reading text beamed into your brain is direct. |
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#14
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Moving Target ![]() ![]() Group: Members Posts: 398 Joined: 16-August 06 Member No.: 9,130 ![]() |
We really need to get a sticky with links to threads like these. Thank you for this Buster. I don't have anything to expand on at the moment.
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#15
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Moving Target ![]() ![]() Group: Members Posts: 946 Joined: 16-September 05 From: London Member No.: 7,753 ![]() |
Thanks, but I do have a name - please use it. Hmmm.. ..Since 'trodes work via induction [or electrodes] through the skin, that's not really a Direct Neural Interface - else a palm induction link wouldn't be necessary for a smartlink, 'trodes would replace datajacks, etc. Maybe your universe has 'trode sets that can receive and transmit information as well as a datajack, but I'm not sure that's the definition that others use. Just my thruppence.. |
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#16
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Great Dragon ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() Group: Members Posts: 7,089 Joined: 4-October 05 Member No.: 7,813 ![]() |
well it's the definition that 4th edition uses, so get used to people thinking that's how it works, because that's how it works in the rulebooks. |
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#17
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Immoral Elf ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() Group: Members Posts: 15,247 Joined: 29-March 02 From: Grimy Pete's Bar & Laundromat Member No.: 2,486 ![]() |
Smartlinks no longer need a palm induction pad, and as Jaid said, in SR4 'trodes are treated as being basically identical to datajacks. |
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#18
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Target ![]() Group: Members Posts: 19 Joined: 22-May 07 Member No.: 11,720 ![]() |
It is unclear to me exactly what one needs to give commands mentally to their commlink while using AR. If I have, say, goggles... I need something else. Is that thing a Datajack (if so, do I need to bother with the goggles?)? Same with trodes. It seems like having the actual physical jack is pretty needless. Who'd plug their comm into their head if the same hardware could do it across the airwaves? I mean--I guess you circumvent jamming and snooping, but I'm thinking for something non-sensitive like reading cat-owner blogs or something.
I guess my question is this: Is there some implant that works like a datajack, but isn't externally visible or is that piece of hardware, in fact, the datajack? 117 |
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#19
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Great Dragon ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() Group: Members Posts: 7,089 Joined: 4-October 05 Member No.: 7,813 ![]() |
the trode net is functionally identical to the datajack, minus being implanted. strictly speaking, there actually aren't even any rules that say you need a trode net even if you don't want a datajack, since (oddly enough) physically manipulating your commlink via the built in interface is just as fast (for now, at least). the trode net just lets you free up both hands... |
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#20
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Running Target ![]() ![]() ![]() Group: Members Posts: 1,219 Joined: 26-February 02 From: Lofwyr's stomach. Member No.: 1,320 ![]() |
You need an DNI (trodes, datajack, etc) in order to send signal to your commlink. Now you still need something in order to see the data, in addition to the DNI. It could be those goggles you sport, or it could be a simsense module. Either way, trodes alone won't cut it.
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#21
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Target ![]() Group: Members Posts: 19 Joined: 22-May 07 Member No.: 11,720 ![]() |
When you go full VR, the trodes send a signal to your brain, do they not? Or the datajack does, anyway. So does it need to override your motor functions, etc. to do that, or can it simply give you a visual over-lay? I'd buy having to have a Sim module or goggles or something for a trode net, but I was under the impression that a datajack included the ASIST machinery, so to speak. Not so?
117 |
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#22
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Moving Target ![]() ![]() Group: Members Posts: 138 Joined: 1-September 02 From: France Member No.: 3,208 ![]() |
A Datajack is not a Sim Module.
But there's nowhere written that Datajack are one-way only. If (with the help of a Sim Module) they can be used to brain-talk to a commlink, go into VR, they could be used to send data (for say... images) into your brain. Ergo, I'm not so sure about needing a visual interface (google, cybereyes, whatever) for AR when one has a DNI in place. |
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#23
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Running Target ![]() ![]() ![]() Group: Members Posts: 1,219 Joined: 26-February 02 From: Lofwyr's stomach. Member No.: 1,320 ![]() |
You're confusing a few thing her.
The sim module is required for full VR, yes. That doesn't mean it doesn't handle AR as well. You seem to be assuming that unless you are in full VR, you are not engaging the sim module. This isn't true. All the virtual components in AR are handled Via sim module if you set them to do so. Any, ANY virtual sensory information is fed through DNI via sim-module. It doesn't matter if it's VR or AR, it's still virtual sensory information. Think of the DNI as your keyboard and mouse, and the sim module is your screen and speakers. Without that sim module, you need some other way of displaying the virtual information, like glasses and earplugs. DNI won't cut it. The data could get sent, but without a Sim module nothing you have can make sense of it. |
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#24
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Neophyte Runner ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() Group: Members Posts: 2,078 Joined: 26-February 02 Member No.: 67 ![]() |
Yeah, a datajack will not send visual imagery to your brain. Or rather, even if it did, it'd be garbage signal that your brain wouldn't know what to do with. It can send visual imagery to your cybereyes, which can display the visual imagery over your natural vision. Or you could have a sim module which will take that visual imagery and put it into a language that your brain can understand. The sim module fools the brain into thinking this visual imagery *is* what your visual organs are seeing.
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#25
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Target ![]() Group: Members Posts: 19 Joined: 22-May 07 Member No.: 11,720 ![]() |
Ahha. So... You need one from each list, here to get anything at all done with your commlink:
Datajack, trodes, manual input device Sim module, cyber-outputs (eyes, ears, whatever), manual outputs (goggles, earbuds, whatever) Does it sound like I've got an understanding now? 117 |
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