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> Control Rigs and being in multiple nodes, Can a character use multiple Control Rigs at once?
Wasabi
post Mar 3 2008, 03:45 AM
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A character can be in multiple nodes via VR per the SR4 book.
A character cannot perform actions in multiple nodes.
A character can use a Control Rig to jump into a [as in single] drone.
If a character has multiple Control Rig implants can they be in multiple drones/vehicles provided they only act in a single drone/vehicle in a given pass?
My question is because I swap which drone I'm VR'ed into frequently and making it a free action to choose which already-jumped-into drone to use in a given pass is a lot better than jumping out and then jumping in for every swap.

[Disclaimer: I've played since 1st ed and know how VCR's worked in previous editions. What I'm really looking for is how it works now, chummer...]


:-)
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Jaid
post Mar 3 2008, 03:51 AM
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i don't believe you would need multiple control rigs for this. the control rig simply gives you a bonus when you rig a vehicle in full VR, not to any one specific vehicle, but to any vehicle.

in any event, i would rule that you could do this. however, it is important to note that if you are not actively controlling a vehicle that you are jumped into, the pilot program would still be suppressed, and therefore a vehicle would either continue doing what it was already doing without any sort of alterations at all (it would turn endlessly, sit still, move in a straight line, etc) or else it would simply stop doing anything at all if you remained jumped in to that vehicle. not sure which, to be honest.

either way, the drawbacks would make it a very limited idea in it's usefulness. i might also consider applying a penalty of some kind to your dice pools while doing this to account for the fact that you're receiving multiple simultaneous full VR simsense feeds, but i'm not 100% sure on that.
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Aaron
post Mar 3 2008, 04:18 AM
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I think that the limit on the number of drone into which one may jump at a time is limited not by the number of control rigs so much as the number of motor cortices the rigger has.

I think you're stuck with the Simple Action to jump out and the other Simple Action to jump into a new one. Incidentally, are you trying to find a way to shorten the time to do this?
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mfb
post Mar 3 2008, 04:32 AM
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he's looking for a way to be jumped into multiple drones simultaneously, the same way a hacker can hack multiple nodes simultaneously.
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Redjack
post Mar 3 2008, 04:48 AM
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This question actually made me refer back to the BBB. I had to review Accessing Multiple Nodes [AMN](BBB, pg218), Virtual Reality (BBB, pg228), Linking and Subscribing [LAS](BBB, pg212), Controlling Devices [CD](BBB, pg220) and Jumping Into Drones (BBB, pg239). AMN states that you can connect up to System x2 nodes. It also states you can only act in one node at a time. However, that is further limited by the LAS rules that states that the maximum number of nodes, agents or drones that a persona may actively subscribe to (access) is equal to System x2. I also note that it differentiates a drones from a node as well as CD noting that jumping into a drone is different than remotely controlling a drone.

In the end, by comparing the various rules listed above, I agree with the statement that you can only jump into one drone at a time. Also, since no other cyberware stacks with multiple instances of the same cyberware, I would rule that multiple control riggers provide no additional benefit.

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Abbandon
post Mar 3 2008, 07:11 AM
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Whats wrong with just giving commands to the other drones?? Are all the drones in different locations or something? Why do you have to switch so often?? What does one have that the other does not ?

I agree with everyone else, you only need 1 control rig, having multiples doesnt do jack. And you cant be taking actions in more than one drone....

Lets say you had 3 jumped in drones, the two your your not giving directions to will just sit there. They can not use their pilot program and you cant give them commands remotely. And you would be vulnerable to damage and dumpshock from all 3. I would think three different sets of feelings would override your nervous system and create total chaos and make you unable to rig any of them... But maybe there is some cyber or quality they will introduce in Unwired to allow it??

That seems like a waste of resources to have extra drones just sitting around doing nothing so you can freely switch between them.

Another option that may or may not work for you is to have wingman/mirror programs. You have 3 drones, you are jumped into one, Any and all rolls you do in your jumped in drone the other drones with wingman/mirror programs copy verbatum(otherwise they make no independant tests). If you lose the jumped in drone the other two go braindead until you command them to switch back to normal pilot mode. Or at the very minimum if you are using active sensors to target stuff(and why wouldnt you be) that information can be passed along to other drones that are slaved to yours(creating a kind of super smart link) they get to use your active targeting dice roll to augment their targeting tests..
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Wasabi
post Mar 3 2008, 12:02 PM
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My goal is to shave time on swapping drone bodies, yes. I agree that for effectiveness' sake it should be a rigger in only the most important drone and Pilot programs in the remainder. The reason my rigger doesn't do things that way is not one of uberness, its the personality of the rigger: My character is a control freak, and wants to do all the piloting himself. He doesn't trust pilot programs to make the right decisions, dodge fast enough, shoot straight enough, etc.
As to the drones being vulnerable its not as bad as you'd think. Having 1 chameleon-coated spy drone and 1 combat drone, my rigger can park the spy drone, then take a shot... and if need be disengage the gun drone and go back to the spy drone.

Excellent point on the multiple VR feeds overloading someone, though. It doesn't say that happens when accessing multiple matrix nodes via VR but it makes sense since the rigger in VR has touch, smell, and other senses rarely included in VR. That alone is a good enough reason to restrict it to a single control rig. It doesn't necessarily preclude having multiple drones controlled via VR and with VR bonuses but it might as well preclude it since it does preclude BEING the drone via a Control Rig.

Thanks for all the feedback, folks!
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