Rigging other characters? Options

[HentaiZonga]

A thought occured to me while I was pondering the implications of Personafix BTL's.

If someone was running in 'hot sim', and had a skillwire system, how would the rules handle a wiz-hot rigger/technomancer hacking into their skillwire, and taking it over in order to "jump in" to the other character - basically using their own mind as a live-feed personafix?

[stevebugge]

I think a few more pieces of hardware and some specialized programs might be needed, but it does sound theoretically possible. Maybe we'll see something further in Unwired

[Tarantula]

I think in 3rd ed there was some ware called a snake-eyes kit, which let a rigger jump into and view out of someone as if they were a drone. I don't think theres ever been rules regarding actually commanding someones body like a drone.

[stevebugge]

Augmentation had Biodrones in it, there may be something in there too

[HentaiZonga]

I think a few more pieces of hardware and some specialized programs might be needed, but it does sound theoretically possible. Maybe we'll see something further in Unwired

You're right; so far, it looks like the 'drone' character would need:

1. An implanted simrig modded for hot-sim
2. A skillwire system
3. A comlink

Other than that, the software required is probably going to be a complete custom job, but will likely incorporate code from Personafix BTLs, Skillwires, and drone Pilot programs.

[Sponge]

A Skillwire system is specifically designed to interface with Skill chips. I doubt this is compatible with the "normal" Rigging interface. I suspect you'd have to install the same kind of hardware used for Biodrones to be able to "jump into" someone else. (And on the scale of "evil things to do to someone", that's gotta be up there (IMG:style_emoticons/default/vegm.gif) )

Viewing through someone else's cybereyes, though, shouldn't require any special hardware at all - they let you subscribe to their eyes, and you replace your own visual feed with theirs. Similarly if they have a sim rig you could get the full simsense from them, no other hardware required.

DS

[Jaid]

no listed gear allows you to rig someone else. even the biodrone stuff doesn't so much allow you to rig a living being so much as it allows you to give it more precise commands.

skillwires do not control your body. they give you skills. they don't disarm a bomb, they give you the skill to disarm a bomb. they don't shoot a gun, they give you the skill to shoot a gun. in order to actually 'rig' someone, you are looking at a lot more than just simple skillwires.

[sunnyside]

I fear for technomancers rigging themselves as they would their superdrones if this works. That would be annoying.

[wanderer_king]

Maybe move by wire would work? I don't have the book in front of me. but if you check the fluff on that, it might head you the right direction.

[CanRay]

I fear for technomancers rigging themselves as they would their superdrones if this works. That would be annoying.

I fear this becoming the next level of Kink for the Bunraku Parlours!

"Don't just have sex with the person you want, do it *AS* the person you want to be, complete with body!"

[Rad]

They've been doing that with live simrig feeds for years, I'm sure...

...I mean, it's not like I'd know personally. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smokin.gif)

Also, the Stirrup Interface (Augmentation P. 153) is a modified Move-by-Wire system + rigger adaptation that *does* allow a rigger to jump into a biodrone, although you take a -1 penalty when using your own skills though the drone.

I was toying with the notion of stating up the cyborg bodies from GITS as heavily chromed wimps with a stirrup interface--since some of the scenes clearly show organic components in the "off the rack" cyborgs. (Synthetic muscles in particular.) Though I guess chromed wimp-drones modded to accept a CCU would be more cannon--the CCU is a pretty good analog for a GITS cyberbrain.

[BlackHat]

Don't the biodrone rules specifically state that the technology is new, and only works on simple creatures (animals) and not paranormal creatures, or metahumans?

I don't think any slapped together list of common cybernetics would be better at rigging living creatures that SOTA biodrone technology - so, Unwired might have more answers, but I am guessing this kind of thing is on the horizon, but, ultimately, not possible in 2070.

[DocTaotsu]

I think the big problem is that most of those drones need to be grown in vats with all the cyber integrated from birth.

But I seem to recall that the stirrup system lets riggers jump into biodrones.

[suppenhuhn]

I think if you hack a move by wire system you should be able to control that person as with a spell. All others don't have that much control over the body so it would be more like control emotions if you hack a sim module for instance.

[DocTaotsu]

Ah, I think someone has mentioned that Unwired will have "ghost hacking" which, if it's anything like GitS, will probably allow you to hack someones brain at some level. Not sure where they got that info from.

[ornot]

I had a player who was suggesting that if he implanted a stirrup interface he could bugger off and go full VR, leaving his body in the hands of a high level pilot program, rather than leaving his hacker a limp body waiting to be shot.

The funny thing about the stirrup interface is that it is effectively the same as MbW, but 5k cheaper, and with a higher availability.

[Rad]

Hence the "people can't use it" bit.

One thing to keep in mind: As it stands now, hacking your standard MBW is probably only going to give you status reports, not turn some poor slot into a marionette.

Also, the only place I recall seeing the "biodrone tech is not for metahumans" bit was a line in the fluff-chat--not sure how RAW that makes it, since it's just one runner's perception that they can't do metahumans yet. As for needing to be integrated during formation in a cloning vat, that's why I was going to use wimps for the base stock. You take a few basic genetic profiles, add in some cyberware suites and a stirrup interface, and you have a number of mass-produced cyborg body models. Cheaper to produce than a custom-grown wimp, faster, since you can just grab one "off the shelf" and don't have to wait for a new clone to mature, and without any of those pesky legal/ethics issues since you'd only be using wimps cloned from a select number of contracted individuals. Good for use as pilot-driven androids or mod them to accept a CCU (cyberbrain) and you've got your generic prosthetic body.

You'll notice that prosthetic bodies in GITS come in "models" like cars, with each one looking identical unless you spring for custom modifications. If we're assuming an organic human base with 'ware added, then this explanation fits perfectly.

[paws2sky]

I just had a thought: Techno-Voodoo. Get a character with a stirrup system to be the "horse" for a techomancer summoned sprite. (Or maybe a free sprite.)

Hmm.

[Rad]

It'd be a great plot hook to have a bunch of first-gen Move-by-Wire systems get recalled because of a glitch that allows them to be rigged. With the proliferation of used ware and the general shadyness of the corps, you'd never know which ones were safe. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif)