CCOC - a new deck-builder, All-in-one solution for Matrix players Options

[WolfJack]

Looking great Venndigram!

Transform to HTML works like an absolute charm on my box. Very nice program and very handy.

-Wolf

[Venndigram]

Thanks :)
There are few more little things to fix/add to the XSLT page, but it's almost completed.

[Eyeless Blond]

Just a couple of details.

Okay, I looked over the Matrix handbook, and nowhere does it mention what the price for Icons is. The closest I've found is in Matrix pg. 66, upper-right corner: (emphasis mine)

[bit_buckethead]

[Shockwave_IIc]

Ok first thing, how the frag do i download this?? my ability to search is none existent. And i really hate multi link things.

Also, stock cyber terminals (not decks). I'm wanting one that can run/ program rating 6+ programs on. (i really doubt a rating 7 browse is illegal), but the rules dont seem to supoort it.

[Kagetenshi]

[Shockwave_IIc]

By that rational virtually all the matrix programs are illegal. Nor would you need a MPCP of higher then 1. If your legally on line, why would you need a Bod or Sensor chip?

But anyway, i was asking cos i was trying to design a terminal/deck that i could program rating 6+ Operational Utillitys on.

[Kagetenshi]

Yes, I would say that every single utility in the book is illegal, with the possible exception of extremely low-rated Armor or Medic.

I have no doubt, however, that there are legal programs restricted by MPCP that we don't see because they're of no use to a runner.

~J

[hobgoblin]

bod is a system integrity maintainer. it tryes to grab and stop simple error so that the persona dont break down.

and sensor is there to filter traffic so that the users sensory system dont get overloaded with noise, kinda like a spam blocker. problem is that lower rating ones dont use a very fine grained filtering algorithm or something so that at times stuff that is important slip by as junk.

and yes, all the programs are more or less illegal (atleast those that isnt for maintnence and defense). and any normal user dont have to worry about detection factor or anything like that. they log in with a normal account and are allowed to do some commands without needing to roll. all this is defined in the matrix sourcebook.

[mfb]

Analyze is probably perfectly legal at ratings 6 or lower. Commlink, as well; nothing illegal about making a comcall. Encrypt, Scanner,
same, as well as all of the various Link utilities.

[Kagetenshi]

Encrypt is probably illegal. Encryption is illegal many places today, and I doubt things would become less restrictive.

~J

[Eyeless Blond]

Actually no, encryption today is not illegal. However, *export* of certain types of government standardized encryption algorithms--such as anything over 40-bit DES, I believe--is forbidden by the government that created it. Regardless, the only reason a government has any right to do that these days is because it's their own standard and their own algorithms.

I imagine in the world of 2060 though it's a bit different. In that time information is alot more powerful than it is even now, and I suppose many things like Masking and Evasion chips would require a permit to possess, much like guns do today. The thing is, utilities like Analyze, Browse, Read/Write, I can see all those being necessary for normal everyday activities in the Matrix, so you really can't make them *illegal* or anything. Making higher-rating versions of those same programs illegal would likewise be impossible to implement; remember that outside of metagaming there is no real way to conclusively determine the rating of a program.

Other programs, however, like Spoof, Deception or Swerve, I'd imagine are illegal in any shape or form. This makes prosecuting the possession of an Analyze-like program even more pointless, since an illegal decker would already be getting hit for posessing obviously illegal programs anyway. Further, all deckers will have a Masking chip in theyr cyberdecks as well, and that one's easy to prosecute over.

[Kagetenshi]

I'm not just talking about the US, you know. Encryption is restricted (IE, illegal for private individuals) in several countries, IIRC.

~J

[Abstruse]

Just wanted to say this is a great tool. I've got a friend who wants to play a decker who wouldn't DREAM of buying an off-the-rack system, and I didn't want to do all the calculations because I'm lazy. One thing, is there any way you could throw in Availability ratings on the various core components? You've got them on the programs, but not on the MPCP, memory, etc.

BTW, under Misc. Components, you left out the actual cost of the Trode itself...or is there even one in the first place?

The Abstruse One

[hobgoblin]

if your msp account allow you to make comcalls inside the matrix then you dont need the comcall utility, same deal with analyze as you can just be allowed to pull up diffrent numbers about the host. the utilitys just are the to fool the host into thinkign you are allowed to do it when your not. any command in the SR3 or matrix list can be done without a utility if the account your loged into allowe it (you can fool it to but the utils make that job easyer).

in many ways they work like a cross of a root kit and a worm, they contain lists of known security flaws (and maybe generic ways to force a flaw, rember that most flaws are buffer overflows today and triggering those are just a matter of stuffing the right buffer with to mutch data) and probe for them, then use those found to pull of the command the user wants to do while at the same time trying to tell the logs that this is just a generic accounting program running, nothing to worry about.

just like most os today come with some basic form for text editing and so on i think that the mpcp contain the basic tools for pulling of day to day work. its jsut when you want to bypass the virtual walls that the sysop have put around you account that you pull out the custom utils.

and for web surfing, most hosts that allow public access probably run it like a guest account with all commands off that you autolog into if you dont request access to a restricted area. think of it like walking in the front door of a shoping mall, its only when you want to access the back room that you may get into trouble.

about law enforcement, if your pulled over with a pocket full of chips and one of them light up with a analyze (or any other for that matter) util on it you will probably be looking at class D matrix unless you can produce the right paperwork.

hmm, trode prices. i dont think there is one, you can probably get them for 1-10 at most stuffer shacks. remeber that they are most likley just plastic strips with sensors on that hook into a available jack. mutch like headphones of today.

[Shockwave_IIc]

Ok fair points on the programs being illegal. But if that was the case thenwhy are you allowed to buy rating 3MPCP terminals? you say Bod is an intergaty program but the only time it would get challenged is in cyber combat which would never happen because you wouldn't be triggering any IC or Sec Deckers.

And why would you need a Sensor rating? you wouldn't need to interact with anyother icons. because everything you need to do is allowed by the host.

But anyway somantics aside. I want to try this program to build a MPCP6 deck for the purpose of programing Only, nothing needed for cybercombat. anybody help? Yes i do have Matrix but i can't get my head round the construction rules which is one of the many reasons i play Otaku.

Thank you.

[Eyeless Blond]

[Abstruse]

Without Bod, there is no Persona icon. Therefore you can't actually do anything in the Matrix. Without Sensor, you can't see anything. No perception, no nothing. Bod and Sensor are needed to do ANYTHING in the Matrix. Evasion is only needed for cybercombat, and Masking only for breaking into systems. Therefore, both those chips are controlled (but legal for licensed security personel...otherwise the combat decker from such-and-such A-rated corp wouldn't be able to do crap against an intruding decker). Check out the text in the Matrix sourcebook as well as the old Virtual Realities 2.0 book for a nice little Cyberdeck and Cyberterminal Components 101.

The Abstruse One

[hobgoblin]

there is some info in the back of the programming chapter of the matrix sourcebook about applications and how to calculate theyre ratings and sizes. most fall in the 1-4 rating area with a multiplyer of 1-2...

i have had my fair share of interaction with software like netbus and similar, but the reason for that is that im a computer entusiast (or geek if you will). but if you asked most of the users on the net they would not know what those programs was used for. the problem realy is that like any other shadowrun book you get a kinda tilted look on the world, basicly your looking at the world from the shadows, not from the corporate protectorates that most do. therefor its easy to forget that what seems to be normal is realy abnormal or illegal.

oh,m and about buying a minframe host, its like calling ibm and ordering your very own big iron from them :) sure it can be done but i guess they only get about 1 pr 5 years or so (wil guess). think about it, we are talking about something that have anything within it hotswapable, 2-3 separate power lines at times and on and on. its not mobile in any sense of the word without stripping it down to parts, putting them into a big truck and rebuilding it at the other site.

[Shockwave_IIc]

[Eyeless Blond]

[Venndigram]

My understanding is that if you want to use the generic Icon of the MPCP (either a standard UMS or the one you get with the MPCP when you buy it) you should specify a rating 0 Icon. If you want something of your own (order a custom icon), you should specify the Icon rating you want.

[Venndigram]

ccoc 1.31 Release

1) Finished the XSLT page.
2) Minor fixes to the XSLT-dialog
3) New "Open Old" option to load old xml files

Dowload here

[Venndigram]

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[Venndigram]

ccoc 1.4 Released

Now you can see Task Descriptions for Cyberterminal Construction and Programming; The program calculates Tgts and Dice numbers. Really, worth a glance ! :)

Download here