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[Sengir]

>>New question, see post #11
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Hello everyone
I was planning to put a laser connection on my commlink, so I looked into UW it tells me is that a laser link is avaiable at R1-6 and that the stats in Arsenal represent rating 2. Great...and what do I get at rating 4, except paying more for it?


Question two probably has a less clear answer, but anyway: How VR is Mesh Reality (via the Technomancer echo)? As far as the description goes, it allows to perceive VR and use Matrix init in the real world. But does that mean you actually are in VR and get the two extra dice, vulnerability to Black Hammer and so on, or is it really just some sort of overlay?

[Rotbart van Dain...]

Great...and what do I get at rating 4, except paying more for it?

Greater range.

But does that mean you actually are in VR [...]

Indeed.

[Tech_Rat]

As rot said, longer range for the first.

As for the second, the techie becomes dual natured in the sense of real-world+Matrix, as opposed to astral.

[Sengir]

Greater range.

That's what I assumed, too, but is this actually specified somewhere? Because I absolutely cannot find the simple line which says "range is rating*50m"


And hooray for hacking while going to the Stuffer Shack (IMG:style_emoticons/default/cool.gif)

[JoelHalpern]

BBB page 212 has the table for range base on signal rating. rating 2 gives 100m, while rating 4 gives 1km.

Presumably, for direct communication, both devices need to have at least the requisite signal to reach between them.

Also, I presume, dead zones are due as much to interference as they are to range to a useful transmitter? (Otherwise, with a signal 6 devices in the dead zone, and another signal 6 devices elsewhere (10km range will get you out of the dead zone), you would not have real dead zones.

Yours,
Joel

[Rotbart van Dain...]

Presumably, for direct communication, both devices need to have at least the requisite signal to reach between them.

That is pointed out in the main book, indeed. Otherwise, it one-way.

Also, I presume, dead zones are due as much to interference as they are to range to a useful transmitter?

Actually, they are just dead.

(Otherwise, with a signal 6 devices in the dead zone, and another signal 6 devices elsewhere (10km range will get you out of the dead zone), you would not have real dead zones.

Keep in mind that you need to upgrade your commlink to get to 6, and most people don' do that - in fact, they'll be at Signal 3-4.
So a dead zone doesn't need to be that big for Joe Average to call it one - to the prepared, there is no such thing as a "dead zone"... you just bring a satlink.

[Shrike30]

Satlink is always a good idea. Of course, if the dead zone is deep in a building/in a mineshaft/in the sewers, or you've got some kind of heavy weather/solar flares/other GM BS, you can always argue the satlink won't work, but it certainly takes care of most dead zones, from the backwoods to the backstreets.

[Sengir]

BBB page 212 has the table for range base on signal rating. rating 2 gives 100m, while rating 4 gives 1km.

Thanks, I somehow assumed that this was only for standard Wifi signals.

Also, I presume, dead zones are due as much to interference as they are to range to a useful transmitter? (Otherwise, with a signal 6 devices in the dead zone, and another signal 6 devices elsewhere (10km range will get you out of the dead zone), you would not have real dead zones.

Most dead zones are those areas the corps and governments simply don't care about, either because it's a completely out-of-the-way backwater region, or a place like the Barrens that has been mostly abandoned. Shadowrun is not the world where Good Samaritans provide infrastructure or even more basic needs unless it's good for their baseline

[Rotbart van Dain...]

Thanks, I somehow assumed that this was only for standard Wifi signals.

It's also used to determine effective range for Sensors, even passive ones like micrphones and cameras.

[Sengir]

Yeah, I figured that out when looking at the table again. Somehow ranges for anything but commlinks never were a question so far (IMG:style_emoticons/default/wink.gif)

[Sengir]

Rise again to serve your master, thread *waves hand*

Might sound sound a bit weird, but how does a Machine Sprite actually control a drone? My assumption was always that it replaced the drone's pilot prog and we ran with that, but now I tried to do a quick summary of all Rigger-related stuff and couldn't find a single line on that topic (same with agents) written out anywhere...am I getting blind?

[otakusensei]

I kinda figured they "jumped in" the same as a rigger would. Otherwise they are just sitting there throwing commands at it. Seemed to make sense, use an existing and understood method of interface instead of making up some new and special one for a particular purpose that has no unique mathematical requirement.

[Sengir]

The problem with that idea is that the sprite has no skills for handling drones, so all he could do is default (if the test even allows defaulting, pilot aircraft does not for example).
Same problem with the command CF, btw...

[Rotbart van Dain...]

Might sound sound a bit weird, but how does a Machine Sprite actually control a drone?

It can have Autosofts as optional power. Go for Maneuver and Clearsight.

[Tyro]

It can have Autosofts as optional power. Go for Maneuver and Clearsight.

They can also debatedly use standard drone autosofts. Ask your local GM.

[Sengir]

It can have Autosofts as optional power. Go for Maneuver and Clearsight.

Sure it could load its autosofts into a drone, but that drone would then still be just a drone controlled by its stupid pilot...

[Rotbart van Dain...]

There is nothing that prevents a Sprite from "jumping in", and as it has a Pilot rating itself, it can use Autosofts.

[Jaid]

There is nothing that prevents a Sprite from "jumping in", and as it has a Pilot rating itself, it can use Autosofts.

failing that, all sprites do have a command CF, and can still use autosofts. at least, it's own autosofts anyways.

[Sengir]

There is nothing that prevents a Sprite from "jumping in"

So it jumps into a rotodrone, tries to lift off and rolls...well, nothing. It does not have a the pilot(aircraft) skill and can't default on that.

and as it has a Pilot rating itself, it can use Autosofts.

Is that codified anywhere? Because if I understand you correctly that would be what I assumed (the sprite becomes the pilot and uses autosofts)

[Jaid]

Is that codified anywhere? Because if I understand you correctly that would be what I assumed (the sprite becomes the pilot and uses autosofts)

can't find anything explicit (though i remember reading something that explicitly said it somewhere in the old rule book; maybe i'm crazy, because i can't find it now), but the sprite does have a pilot rating, and is essentially the resonance version of a pilot program.

[Golgoth]

If you're having a problem with a Sprite piloting a vehicle, then just have it use Diagnostics on the vehicle to boost the vehicle/drone's own abilities. Or, give it (Like someone else said) the Maneuver Autosoft. Since... That's what the Autosoft is for.

[Sengir]

can't find anything explicit

See, that's also my problem...there are rules for the interaction of menstruating characters and pheromone scanners, but none for how a sprite controls a drone?

but the sprite does have a pilot rating

Could it be you are thinking of the old otaku sprites, which essentialy were smart frames?

[Jaid]

no, i'm thinking of sprites. look at them. right in their stat line, which consists of: pilot, response, firewall, matrix init, IP, and edge.

[Sengir]

Uargh, I'm really getting old. Thanks for the correction, now at least we (well, you) have found something that's called pilot.


@Golgoth: I don't have problems with sprites piloting vehicles, I'm just wondering why semingly there is no single line about how this actually works rules-wise.

[Golgoth]

When it comes down to it, so am I Sengir. They way I -THINK- it works is like this (pulling mainly from what is already been stated):

Compile a rating 6+ Sprite with Manuevering and Clearsight (since we've already mentioned this) and have it sit in our rating 3/3/3/3/3/3/etc drone (we'll say a Lynx -- The TM is bad at updating the software!) with autosofts for Targeting (Whatever weapon) and Defense.

The Machine Sprite has basically taken over as the Pilot/dog brain of the drone and now begins using the skill set listed under Autonomous Drone Dice Pool.

Init: 6 + Response.
Attack 6 + Targeting
etc, etc.

Now, lets say we decide we want a -second- machine sprite in that node. Something big enough to give a +3 bonus to dicepools when it runs diagnostics. We'll go with 4 (using edge since you're probably going to ensure that the machine sprite will want to help his brother/sister/whatever as best it can).

Now you have a Machine Sprite driving your drone and a second Machine Sprite running Diagnostics for your first Machine Sprite to give it even more bonuses. These bonuses will go up as you improve the autosoft ratings in each (At least I would think, right?).

I hope that this extremely late night post helps... Or at least will cause more discussion about how Machine Sprites operate so that we can, as a community, figure out more concerning Technomancers and their Sprites.