Skillwires and Program Options, ..Am I doing this right? Options

[Nyost Akasuke]

Lookin' over Unwired outta boredom, and came across the program options section. It seems a little confusing to me, and I was thinking about (possibly) adding an option or two into one of my character's skillwire (during character creation, and technically it's his MBW system). So, I'm not entirely sure I did this right, and I wanna run it by you guys.

First, a couple questions. 1. Am I right in assuming that the Simsense options have their availability and cost modifiers added to the 'Soft, and not the 'Wire? and 2. Out of curiosity, is it possible to have a Move-By-Wire as well as a separate Skillwire implanted at the same time?

Anyways, here's what I came up with, =P Please correct me.

A Rating 1 Move-By-Wire functions as a Rating 2 Skillwire. It can be equipped with a Rating 3 Activesoft (Pistols, Personalized, and with a Rating 2 Pluscode), A Rating 2 A'Soft (Blades/R1 Pluscode as well as Personalized), and a R2 Activesoft (Dodge, Personalized), and still have room for one more 'soft at Rating 1 (or 2, with another Pluscode addition). This all nets the implantee +2 Reaction, +4 Pistols, +3 Blades, +4 Dodge, and + 1 Initiative Pass, all for 134,000 Nuyen. Right? And it should be capable of purchase at character creation? Not that'd I'd dream of putting all that in there, that's way too expensive for my Hacker, I just wanna make sure I've got it right.

[Kerenshara]

Lookin' over Unwired outta boredom, and came across the program options section. It seems a little confusing to me, and I was thinking about (possibly) adding an option or two into one of my character's skillwire (during character creation, and technically it's his MBW system). So, I'm not entirely sure I did this right, and I wanna run it by you guys.

First, a couple questions. 1. Am I right in assuming that the Simsense options have their availability and cost modifiers added to the 'Soft, and not the 'Wire? and 2. Out of curiosity, is it possible to have a Move-By-Wire as well as a separate Skillwire implanted at the same time?

Yes, they add to the 'soft. I would have to say "no" to #2. The things take inate control of the neuro-muscular system away from the user, and part of the reason for the "limit" on "total rating points" is potential "coonflicts" between various 'softs and the system's ability to keep them straight.

Anyways, here's what I came up with, =P Please correct me.

A Rating 1 Move-By-Wire functions as a Rating 2 Skillwire. It can be equipped with a Rating 3 Activesoft (Pistols, Personalized, and with a Rating 2 Pluscode)

IIRC, maximum program options was one per two FULL points of rating, so RTG 1 gets 0, RTG 2 & 3 gets 1, RTG 4 (the best ActiveSoft) gets 2. You have 2 listed on a RTG 3 'soft.

, A Rating 2 A'Soft (Blades/R1 Pluscode as well as Personalized), and a R2 Activesoft (Dodge, Personalized), and still have room for one more 'soft at Rating 1 (or 2, with another Pluscode addition). This all nets the implantee +2 Reaction, +4 Pistols, +3 Blades, +4 Dodge, and + 1 Initiative Pass, all for 134,000 Nuyen. Right? And it should be capable of purchase at character creation? Not that'd I'd dream of putting all that in there, that's way too expensive for my Hacker, I just wanna make sure I've got it right.

Your maximum "points" are equal to effective 'ware Rating x2. Therefore, your Move-By-Wire RTG 1 can handle RTG 2 'softs, with 4 total effective "points" of Rating. Please note: one "option" reduces the effective "load space" of the 'soft re: how many 'softs can run at once. Another is needed to exceed the maximum Rating imposed by the 'ware. Your first 'soft would need a THIRD option to exceed RTG 2 in the first place. [Edit: I'm away from my Unwired, so I can't quote wich options you actually need. Pluscode is one.]

Make sense? Does that help? (I had to go back and re-read it a couple times, myself.)

[Nyost Akasuke]

Yes, they add to the 'soft. I would have to say "no" to #2. The things take inate control of the neuro-muscular system away from the user, and part of the reason for the "limit" on "total rating points" is potential "coonflicts" between various 'softs and the system's ability to keep them straight.

That's the logic I was running by, just wanted to get some extra opinions and/or written references.

IIRC, maximum program options was one per two FULL points of rating, so RTG 1 gets 0, RTG 2 & 3 gets 1, RTG 4 (the best ActiveSoft) gets 2. You have 2 listed on a RTG 3 'soft.

Ah, yeah. You're right. Thanks for catching that.

Your maximum "points" are equal to effective 'ware Rating x2. Therefore, your Move-By-Wire RTG 1 can handle RTG 2 'softs, with 4 total effective "points" of Rating. Please note: one "option" reduces the effective "load space" of the 'soft re: how many 'softs can run at once. Another is needed to exceed the maximum Rating imposed by the 'ware. Your first 'soft would need a THIRD option to exceed RTG 2 in the first place. [Edit: I'm away from my Unwired, so I can't quote wich options you actually need. Pluscode is one.]

Make sense? Does that help? (I had to go back and re-read it a couple times, myself.)

I understand everything past ''how many 'softs you can run at one.'' I don't recall seeing that anywhere as a rule for program options. So that means that adding an option somehow adds to the rating (be it directly or indirectly) of the 'soft? I think I'm confused. The other two options in Unwired that I think would relate to this are Adaptive Scale and Overdrive. Adaptive Scale allows the user to mentally ''shift'' the rating of their 'softs to a higher or lower rating (at the mercy of the 'wires rating and limitations, but it might only let one lower the rating of the 'soft), while Overdrive adds it's rating to the 'soft, adding it's rating as a DP modifier to the skillsoft in question, and it can exceed the skillwire's limit though it comes with some pretty annoying disadvantages.

[Kerenshara]

I understand everything past ''how many 'softs you can run at one.'' I don't recall seeing that anywhere as a rule for program options. So that means that adding an option somehow adds to the rating (be it directly or indirectly) of the 'soft? I think I'm confused. The other two options in Unwired that I think would relate to this are Adaptive Scale and Overdrive. Adaptive Scale allows the user to mentally ''shift'' the rating of their 'softs to a higher or lower rating (at the mercy of the 'wires rating and limitations, but it might only let one lower the rating of the 'soft), while Overdrive adds it's rating to the 'soft, adding it's rating as a DP modifier to the skillsoft in question, and it can exceed the skillwire's limit though it comes with some pretty annoying disadvantages.

OK... here's the idea:

"Available Memory" = ['Wires RTG x 2]
"Max 'Soft RTG" = ['Wires RTG]

No "option" directly affect's the 'Soft's true RTG. However, several options can alter, either permanetly or temporarily, the EFFECTIVE RTG from the perspective of the 'Wires installed wither for "Max 'Soft RTG" (allowing it to go higher than the installed 'Wires RTG) or total "Memory Space" used, either by dialing the "power" of the soft (adaptive, I think it's called) or improving the efficiency with which it stores itself in the 'Wires.

Note: there is a SkillWires, RTG 5, but no ActiveSoft greater than RTG 4. This is intentional! The 'Wires 5 can hold 10 total RTG points of 'Softs, though none will have a true RTG higher than 4, the best available, and if you really dialed them all in with the option that permanently reduces side requirements, you could actually squeeze 10x RTG 4 'Softs into that 'Wires 5. Mind you, that's expensive as drek and a little hard to COME by, but it is a theoretical possibility. It only takes 6 skills to Deck, so a Sammy can become a veteran Decker in a pinch (though they won't be able to spend EDGe on skill checks without other 'ware and/or options).

Better?

[Mongoose]

A Rating 1 Move-By-Wire functions as a Rating 2 Skillwire. It can be equipped with a Rating 3 Activesoft (Pistols, Personalized, and with a Rating 2 Pluscode), A Rating 2 A'Soft (Blades/R1 Pluscode as well as Personalized), and a R2 Activesoft (Dodge, Personalized), and still have room for one more 'soft at Rating 1 (or 2, with another Pluscode addition). This all nets the implantee +2 Reaction, +4 Pistols, +3 Blades, +4 Dodge, and + 1 Initiative Pass, all for 134,000 Nuyen. Right? And it should be capable of purchase at character creation? Not that'd I'd dream of putting all that in there, that's way too expensive for my Hacker, I just wanna make sure I've got it right.

I think you can fit all those activesofts in, yes. Have to double check- there may be a clause about pluscode not reducing effective rating below 1 for purposes of how much "space" it takes up on skillwires.

However, the bigger catch is that your notation implies (to me) that you think a rating 4 activesoft gives +4 dice to your pool when using that skill. It doesn't. It gives you that skill, at rating 4, with some restrictions (no edge use, no specializations, gotta keep the soft loaded, etc). So the above setup won;t add ANYTHING to your pistols, unless you have pistols at lower than 4 (in which case it replaces that with pistols 4, which might be +1 to +3 dice, but that isn't a bonus, per se).

[Udoshi]

Have you ever played diablo 2, ever? Program options are like Sockets. One slot per two program points. Thats it.
Options do not affect the hardware. They do not change the program rating. They simply apply their effects to the program they're on. However, they DO change the cost and availability of the program itself.

For example, a rating 6 hacking program has an availability of 12. It may take up to three options, but can't without restricted gear or Gm approval. Even a common use program adds +1 availability, and 13 is one more than you're able to take at chargen. A rating 5 could take two common use options, or one hacking. A hacking program on a common use program would change its availability, adding making it restricted/forbidden, and you may need a license for it.

It works no different for skillwires, activesofts, skillsofts, knowsofts or linguasofts.

Karenshara has the right of it - a skillwire may load a total number of skill software equal to twice its rating, but limits the rating of the program itself to one of his own. Pluscode, however, only reduces the program load, but not below 1. It does nothing about the rating limit.

In your example, it would look more like this:
Move by wire 1: +2 reaction. +1 dodge, subject to modified skill rules, +1 initiative pass, rating 2 skillwire.
Skillwires: rating 2. Program limit 4, running the following Activesofts
Pistols 3(personalized, pluscode 2), taking up 1 on the memory limits
Dodge 2 (personalized, pluscode 2), taking up 1 on the memory limits
Blades 2 (personalized, pluscode 2), taking up 1 on the memory limits

Unfortunately, your options break the rules. Rating 2 activesofts get one option. All your activesofts would need to be rating 4 to have both pluscode and personalized. Additionally, pistols 3 would be reduced to an effective rating of 2 as long as it was running on a rating 2 skillwire.

Minor nitpick/clarification: You do not get +4 pistols. Since activesofts replace skills, you get +3 pistols, and +1 on tests with that skill(personalized does not change the rating, it gives an extra dice). The distinction is important, because of other implications, such as Take Aim being able to be used a number of times equal to one half your skill. It also means a two-gunning skillwire samurai is a little better because they can claim the personalized bonus on each test, after splitting their dice pool.

Other than that, you've basically got the gist of it.

Non-rules fluff text aside, I do not see any reason you could not have two seperate skillwire systems installed and working at the sime time, as long as they were networked and talking to each other. Via a subscription, Slaving, or even Clustering. See unwired for those network options.

[Nyost Akasuke]

@ Kerenshara: Ah, yeah. Makes more sense now.

@ Mongoose: I didn't mean to imply that it was a dice pool modifier of some sort, sorry about that (Though as Udoshi stated, I did erroneously add the 'Personalized' option's benefits to the total of the skill the activesoft grants, which I'm glad was caught). And yeah, if I remember correctly, Pluscode cannot reduce the effective rating of the soft below 1.

@ Udoshi: Yeah, used to play D2 all the time =P. So what you're all telling me is that the program gets one ''slot'' for every 2 ratings? So then, any Activesoft can only have up to two ''slots'' (with the 'soft being Rating 4), period. Right? So in my example, all three activesofts would only be capable of ''equipping'', or coming loaded with, one program option (either Personalized OR Pluscode, in these examples) correct?
And in that case, to run that many Activesofts on an MBW-1, at those ratings, they would probably all need to be Pluscodes.

So.. would this be more accurate?

Move-By-Wire 1 - +2 Reaction, +1 Dodge, +1 Initiative Pass, Skillwire Rating 2.
Activesofts:
Pistols 2 (Pluscode 1)
Dodge 2 (Pluscode 1)
Blades 2 (Pluscode 1) (Since the Skillwire rating limits the 'soft, and I can't really afford Overdrive (nor really have a desire to get it), There's really no point in having a Pistols 3, at the moment).
All in all, taking up 3/4 ''slots'' on the Skillwire, since each effectively counts as Rating 1 towards the skillwire's total limit?

[Kerenshara]

Um, ok, I took the time to find the option(s):

P.115, Unwired: Optimization (Rating)
Program Types: Common, Hacking, Autosoft, Simsense
Under normal circumstances, a node’s System rating limits the rating on any software run on that node (see System, p. 213, SR4). A program with the Optimization option is more effective at running on a system with limited resources. Add the Optimization rating to the rating of the System (to a maximum of twice the System’s rating) to determine the maximum rating at which the program can operate.

Combine that with

P.118, Unwired: Pluscode (Rating)
Program Types: Simsense (Activesoft)
A Pluscode activesoft reduces the demands on skillwire systems through sophisticated cache and routing algorithms, enhanced mnemonic correlation, and redundancy-integration schemes. In effect, reduce the skillsoft’s rating by the Pluscode rating when applying the skillsoft towards the skillwire’s maximum rating limits (see p. 335, SR4). The skillsoft is still limited to a base rating equal to or less the than the skillwire’s rating. The skillsoft option cannot reduce the skillsoft’s impact on the rating limits to less than 1.

RTG 4 'Soft with both options [Pluscode RTG 3, Optimization RTG 2], +3 to Availability, +3,200¥
Now you can run it on 'Wires as low as RTG 2 and it takes up only a single "slot" of memory on the 'Wires.

Pretty wiz, neh?

[Nyost Akasuke]

Hm. I did notice that Simsense was listed under the available program types for the Optimization option, but does it really apply to Skillwires as well? When I read it, I specifically imagined that it was for use inside certain nodes. Though... I guess in the wireless age, Skillwires have nodes too huh?

Interesting. Thanks again =)

[Udoshi]

Um, ok, I took the time to find the option(s):

Pretty wiz, neh?

While that is pretty neat, and I'd probably allow it in my game becaus it make sense, I don't think it works. A Skillwire limit is not System. It is its own seperate discrete limit. Though I am surprised Optimization may be applied to Simsense software.

Granted, if you look at the device rating chart in the big book, and reference the Grade of the implant in question, you could use optimization to run high rating software on your implants directly. Alphaware in particular isn't too bad about that(device rating 4)

[Udoshi]

Right? So in my example, all three activesofts would only be capable of ''equipping'', or coming loaded with, one program option (either Personalized OR Pluscode, in these examples) correct?

Absolutely. You got it.

Its worth mentioning you can store more inactive programs on your skillwires, and use that last 'slot' on a case by case basis, keeping a few things around just in case you need it. I recommend either Demolitions(if you need it, you really want a high rating), Heavy Weapons, or Gunnery if you don't have it already.

[Nyost Akasuke]

Its worth mentioning you can store more inactive programs on your skillwires, and use that last 'slot' on a case by case basis, keeping a few things around just in case you need it. I recommend either Demolitions(if you need it, you really want a high rating), Heavy Weapons, or Gunnery if you don't have it already.

I was wondering about that. Wasn't quite sure if it could be ''loaded'' into the 'wire but still be inactive, or whether you needed to swap some sort o' datachip or something to do it. Neat.

How often does one need to use demolitions durin' a game? The character concept I plan on usin' all this on is a ''Combat Hacker'' I s'pose it could be called. Gunnery I could see being useful for the concept, but once I'm done with his weapons, 'ware, and 'softs, not sure if I'd be able to afford a decent drone or vehicle to jump into and kill stuff with. =P

[Udoshi]

I was wondering about that. Wasn't quite sure if it could be ''loaded'' into the 'wire but still be inactive, or whether you needed to swap some sort o' datachip or something to do it. Neat.

Matrix shenanigans. Loaded vs Running. Activesofts are programs.

Demolitions? Not very often. But if you have to deal with explosives.....better safe than sorry, and that means high dice pools and edge.

You want gunnery if you ever plan on shooting a vehicle weapon, whether its through VR or physically. Its even worth considering taking as a non-activesoft. Since you're a hacker - that includes other peoples vehicles.

If you're making a wared up combat hacker, get a copy of Runner's Companion - the born rich quality should help greatly with your cash-limit issues. It lets you spend more bp on money, that's all.

[Nyost Akasuke]

Hm. Seems like In Debt would help with that too.
Just can't take too much of it. =P

Thanks for the help all. ^_^