[X] My Assistant

[Ravor]

Personally I rule that without some source of DNI (Which in my games means a Datajack since Trodes aren't an option.) all a smartlink can do is be a really fancy HUD system, still quite useful, but when the fluff says that a user can eject a clip by issuing a mental command, it means just that.

But then again, I don't allow Deckers to hack just as effectively by typing as they can using DNI commands either...

[Abbandon]

Goin with the look at the eject button on the menu theory...
-first the smartlink system is probably what tracks your eye movements. And yes smartlink IS required if you intend to use a smartgun and get +2, it specifically says so.

-second I imagine that you would focus on the eject button and then to prevent accidental mishaps there would be a confirmation button appear in the totally opposite direction on the screen. top/bottom. left/right. Unless you focus on both buttons in a relatively short time frame the clip does not eject and the confirm button disappears.

the signal would then travel out of the glasses, over your skin, and into the gun
or
our of your cyber eyes, through your brain to your datajack, across your skin, and into the gun.

Its still debatable whether cyber inside your body can transmit signals through your body to the outside of your skin and to the gun. Also what about skinlinked your eyeballs so it doesnt have to goto a datajack first?? Eyelids are just skin.

[Ravor]

Well personally I wouldn't allow it and make up something about a Datajack having all of the specialized equipment and programing needed, however, via RAW coupled with some clarification by the designers after AUG was released I don't see any reason you couldn't use another piece of cyber, except for security reasons, after all, do you really want the first node that a Decker comes across being something that you really can't afford to turn off? (And before you talk about skinlink being unhackable, awhile back someone on these boards asked why couldn't you skinlink an upgraded RFID Tag and then stick one of those to a person to use as a gateway. Skinlinks are more secure then wireless, but hardly something I'd want to trust my life to.)

As for whether or not skinlinked cyber works, well I think it depends on the DM running the game, personally I allow skinlink to work through unarmored cloths and figure that it isn't hard to run several nanowires to the surface of the skin from the cyber in question that you want to use it you require actual skin to skin contact.

[Abbandon]

Hmmm skinned RFID's..... forget screwing over a guys smartlink if you allowed something like that or if it was possable then why couldnt you just shoot some street samurai with one of those and shut down all of his cyber he has.

Ugh....

[Jhaiisiin]

In my own games, I'd likely rule that certain actions, such as changing firing modes, ejecting smartgun clips, and the like, simply can't be done with some sort of neural link, be it through trodes, implanted smartlink or whatever. If it's just goggles and gun, you still have to do the physical actions manually, as you *can't* issue a mental command to the gun, due to the lack of an interface to transmit that command. Any implanted smartlink, however, is interacting directly with the conscious portions of your brain, and you're sending a literal command over the wire to the gun to do X action. The cybernetic versions should always be superior because they're integrated into the body, and thus getting more information, and have more access than a simple set of goggles.

[Fortune]

[mfb]

i would allow it because the rules don't disallow it--and, more importantly, because it allows me greater freedom to describe shiny tech stuff. maybe it's low-power lasers that reflect off the inner face of your goggle lenses to track your eye movements; maybe it's a special-purpose low-fi trode rig built into your contacts; maybe it's some other freaky thing. it provides me with more room to make stuff up while maintaining the integrity of the rules, therefore i like it.

[Ravor]

Abbandon well it wouldn't be quite as simple as simply shooting someone, since the RFID Tag would actually have to survive impact, but yeah, anyone dumb enough not to use life & death security setups for their cyber deserves to get royally fragged over.

The basic setup that I suggest is a skinlink capable Betagrade+ datajack running enough IC to make Deus flinch as the only gateway into your body, with all of your cyber hardwired into the jack.

The IC on the jack is more concerned about detecting intruders then actually fragging nosy Deckers, and the jack is programed to go offline if an intruder is actually detected.

Oh, and even with this setup, remember, only connect your ware to the jack when you actually have to, yes it is a pain to subscribe and unscribe your cybereyes/ears when you want to watch the Trid, but believe me, getting into the habit of taking those extra few seconds just might save your life someday chummer.

[Jhaiisiin]

That could suck... "I know RunnerGuy pipes a ton of useful crap through his datajack. I'll just fail a hack attempt at it and wait for it to shut down and then we can gank him because he'll be fraggin' scragged on his gear and toys!"

[Ravor]

Very true, and if RunnerGuy allows himself to be put in a situation where his datajack can be accessed in the middle of a firefight then he is opening himself up to that risk, one of the reasons that even with cybereyes/ears, every smart runner should still buy a pair of dataglasses and earphones and pipe as much incoming data as possible through them using a second comlink.

However, I still say that using a Betagrade + datajack as a chokepoint to your cyberware is alot more secure then the other options.