A question about VR and AR Options

[DracoBlue]

I'll start out by admitting I'm new to the game. I've picked up the 4th Edition revised book and am gradually making my way through it, so it's possible I've overlooked the answer to my question in the book, or that I haven't got there yet. If so, feel free to point me to a page where I can read it for myself. I've found that the book has a lot of little rules tucked away in less-than-obvious places sometimes.

I am having trouble wrapping my head around how people access AR and VR and how commlinks work.

This is my understanding from what I've read so far:
1. a comm is essentially a tricked out smartphone. While it can be hard-wired to you, that isn't necessarily the case.
2. AR and VR are really only accessible only if you have the right (audio & visual) accessories (eg. cybereyes, glasses, etc.)

So my questions are thus: If your comm isn't hardwired to you and you don't feel like walking around with glasses on (IMG:style_emoticons/default/cool.gif) to check out all the AROs and whatnot, are you basically stuck to surfing the Matrix on your comm like on a modern smartphone? What if you want to access VR? Is that even possible with only a commlink? How common are these things to everyday people or corp employees vs. runners?

How does it all work?? (IMG:style_emoticons/default/indifferent.gif)

[Stahlseele]

AR works only with gloves/earplugs/glasses or the right implants.
VR works ONLY with the right kind of implant. not even with eyes/ears and touchlink.
VR means your body is in the corner droooling all by itself while you are doing the same as a mage, having an out of body experience that is shared with the rest of the capable world.
you can surf without either AR or VR, but that is very limited.
and seeing how VR is easy and cheap with stylish sunglasses, why would you ever do something else?

[Ol' Scratch]

What?

A simple set of 50¥ 'trodes will allow you full access to both AR and VR. As will a datajack. Gloves/glasses/feedback clothing/etc. is a pure style choice, and a very outdated one at that.

[Stahlseele]

*nods* i forgot about the trodenet . .

[Mirilion]

Also remember that you can view AR (in a limited fashion) through your commlink screen. I don't think it's considered primitive as such, but it's definately not sexy. I think a form of AR similar to this exists today.

[Ol' Scratch]

Commlinks come standard with holo projectors, too.

[LurkerOutThere]

Really? I don't recall seeing that.

[Stahlseele]

the built in ones too? ^^

[Tymeaus Jalynsfe...]

the built in ones too? ^^

That would be awesome... "A light bulb comes on over the character's Head" has a whole new meaning at that point...

Keep the Faith

[Stahlseele]

yah, i had tinkered with something like that once . . yes, i tried building deadpool, yes he had a holographic emitter built into some cyber part of his that showed pictures correlating to his thoughts abover his heads in small yellow bubbles/boxes.

[DracoBlue]

So, trodes allow for full AR and VR access without gloves or any other accessory? Why would people want to walk around with a headband on all the time?

What exactly is a sim module? What does it look like and where would someone keep it on their person?

[LurkerOutThere]

yah, i had tinkered with something like that once . . yes, i tried building deadpool, yes he had a holographic emitter built into some cyber part of his that showed pictures correlating to his thoughts abover his heads in small yellow bubbles/boxes.

You win!

[DracoBlue]

Really? I don't recall seeing that.

Page 328 of SR4 revised, listing standard commlink features notes "micro-trid/holo-projector/'touchscreen' display" as one of those features.

So, someone with just a comm could maybe at least view AR via AROs projected as holographic images? And everyone else would be able to see what they're seeing, yes?

[Stahlseele]

*bows* =^.^=

[Bira]

I suspect that the fact that nearly everyone has video glasses or some sort of trode hat/headband on will be considered quite normal in 2070. Just another fashion, really.

If you really don't want to be seen wearing either, get yourself some contacts, or a datajack.

[Banaticus]

Anyone else could see what they're seeing if they choose to use the holo-projector. It's just like the latest round of uber smart phones that most people haven't ever heard of yet. You have your touch-screen "phone", then you can turn on the projector and project it on a wall for everyone else to see as your manipulate it. It's just that the Shadowrun version doesn't need a wall for other people to see.

AR is the default method of Matrix interaction. It *is* a touch screen (with a keypad on the screen for typing things in). It's basically a really nice GUI on terminal commands.

[Stahlseele]

Or skinlink and put it in your tightywighties

[Mirilion]

Page 328 of SR4 revised, listing standard commlink features notes "micro-trid/holo-projector/'touchscreen' display" as one of those features.

So, someone with just a comm could maybe at least view AR via AROs projected as holographic images? And everyone else would be able to see what they're seeing, yes?

Yep. Since without some sort of AR gloves you would still need to manipulate your commlink's interface somehow (touchscreen, on-screen keyboard, stuff like that), and people can either look and see what your holo-projector is projecting, or (if they look over your shoulder) actually look at your commlink display.

Check out this tech if you haven't already seen it.

www.youtube.com/watch?v=mUdDhWfpqxg

[Sengir]

So, trodes allow for full AR and VR access without gloves or any other accessory? Why would people want to walk around with a headband on all the time?

What exactly is a sim module? What does it look like and where would someone keep it on their person?

Trodes (and other forms of DNI, like datajacks) still require a sim module, basically a modem for brain waves which comes as an add-on module for commlinks.

As to why people would want to walk around with a headband, I guess it is one of those things which turned from a neccessity into a fashionable accessory. And if you don't want to follow that trend, you can still get headwear with integrated trodes.

[DracoBlue]

Or skinlink and put it in your tightywighties

Does a skinlink work exactly like a trodenet, then, or nanopaste trodes? The books says a skinlink is "limited to touch" but I'm not sure what that means.

Yep. Since without some sort of AR gloves you would still need to manipulate your commlink's interface somehow...

Okay. So gloves are still necessary to interact (not just view) AR or VR, even if you have an implant/trodes/etc.

Still don't really grok what a sim/sim module is, exactly.

Thanks to everyone for your answers so far! You're all awesome and helpful.

[Stahlseele]

skinlink is only a means of data transmission.
technically, you still need a dni or contact lenses or something like that for it to work i think
but i am not sure about that actually.

[DracoBlue]

Stahlseele and Sengir mentioned DNIs. What does DNI stand for?

[Darkeus]

Stahlseele and Sengir mentioned DNIs. What does DNI stand for?

Direct Neural Interface.

basically, wiring stuff to be run by your mind.

[Bira]

Does a skinlink work exactly like a trodenet, then, or nanopaste trodes? The books says a skinlink is "limited to touch" but I'm not sure what that means.

A skinlink is something to replace a wireless connection, not a way to interface with your commlink. It's something you add both to your commlink and to your peripherals, and it makes them talk by conducting a signal through your skin rather than through wireless radio. This makes it harder to eavesdrop on your PAN, but it's not a complete interface by itself.

Okay. So gloves are still necessary to interact (not just view) AR or VR, even if you have an implant/trodes/etc.

Hm... I think it's the other way around. Trodes pick up your neural signals and allow for hands-free input on AR and VR. If you also have a sim module (which is a bit like a video card today, except it's for simsemse) they also allow you to perceive AR and VR without the need for any eyewear or earbuds. You might still want some sort of eyewear if you also want low-light or thermo sight, but if all you want is AR/VR, trodes and a simlink would be enough to establish a direct neural interface.

[LurkerOutThere]

Does a skinlink work exactly like a trodenet, then, or nanopaste trodes? The books says a skinlink is "limited to touch" but I'm not sure what that means.



Okay. So gloves are still necessary to interact (not just view) AR or VR, even if you have an implant/trodes/etc.

Still don't really grok what a sim/sim module is, exactly.

Thanks to everyone for your answers so far! You're all awesome and helpful.

No, if you have a DNI source, that is trodes or an implanted datajack you can manipulate AR with a thought. Skinlink is just a connection medium. Personally what I do on all my cyber characters is get a implanted datajack and pay the cash to have skinlink on it and then either plug my personal devices in or skinlink them for anything worth having.