Activesofts and Technical Skills Question Options

[Yerameyahu]

They should just say 'all skills except Magic/Res'. It's the 'explanations' that make it confusing; stupid fluff. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif)

[Jaid]

I've actually been thinking of rules that world work for a modified skillwire.

Basically, it would only work in VR, so amazingly "The Matrix Like" where all of a sudden, you're like.. I know kung fu. And you jump into an anthromorph military drone (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif)

Especially for riggers, you need infiltration skills, and melee combat skills, dodge etc.
I know tons of people who have amazing reflexes in computer games, where those same reflexes just wouldn't work in a real setting.

Sure, you know how to make your character in Halo 3 sneak around, you know how to interpret the video feeds, etc, but your body has no such skills, it doesn't mean you have the muscle memory for it.

I could see hackers/Riggers having skills that they buy for slightly cheaper that only work in VR.
OR, having a 'activsoft neural interface' that gives you the skills you need to interact with VR and use those skills.

Make it an implant only, that costs essense (but not as much as a skilwire)
That lets you slot activsofts for use in VR only.
With the same max rating of 4.
It would have things like:
Cybercombat, Gunnery, Dodge, Melee skills, martial arts, piloting, etc.
It would be kinda freaky, because basically you're running an agent/pilot/ai in your brain.. muahahaha.

sounds like you want a "VR" specialisation of the skill to me. (which, subject to GM approval, should be allowed)

[Ascalaphus]

I've been thinking about "Virtual Skillwires" too. The kind that goes no deeper than the base of your head basically, and is only of use on anything you can do while RAS is active. More limited than skillwires, but perhaps cheaper on the Essence. Not by too much, since the brain part of skillwires is nasty on Essence, but you still save out on wires through the rest of your body, which should matter a little.

[Udoshi]

If it sounds wrong or too good to be true, it *is* wrong or too good to be true. They certainly don't work in VR; *maybe* you could argue AR uses.

If an Agent can do it (i believe activesofts are lmited to rating 4), then I see no reason why you couldn't have the same equivalent in an Activesoft. Electronic Warfare autosoft, I'm looking at you.

The downsides, of course, would be the usual: No specialties, limited to rating 4, have to manage skillwire capacity. Useful? maybe. Effective? Probably not - regular hackers can probably do it better than you. Nifty in a pinch, or a way to make a cybersam useful to the decker? Definitely

[Tymeaus Jalynsfe...]

It specifically says 'physical'. The wires move your muscles for you, they don't teach you the skill. There's zero way they could function in VR.

They're not 'augmented' either; activesofts wholly replace the skill.

And yes, skillwires are effing weird. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif) Creepy. I mean, they take over your body. :/

What I wanna know is how Arcana can be an Activesoft (Unwired, p.128). (IMG:style_emoticons/default/frown.gif)

Well, Arcana is an Active Skill because you actively create things with it... But I would argue that there is no "Muscle Memory" involved, much like your Hacking Skills... Nope, No Muscle Memory for Data Search or Computer as tehse are Mental Skills, not Physical Skills...

Nowhere does it say that Activesofts cannot be used in VR (For those that would of course make sense, like DataSearch, Hacking, Electronic Warefare, etc. You would not be able to use Firearms in the Matrix, Which is indeed very obvious)... Obviously, the "Augmented" is for the fact that the Character is "Augmented" with skills he does not normally possess...

Of Course, I may be talking out of my rear on that one, but it seems logical...

Keep the Faith

[Yerameyahu]

Heh, gotta read the *whole* thread, guys. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif) To recap: apparently, skillwires doesn't do what it says (override/replace your muscle control). Instead, it's basically a headware processor that runs any skill that's not magic/resonance, at a 'brain' level. So, it works meat/VR, and the some of the fluff is wrong/misleading.

[AStarshipforAnts]

I'm actually somewhat disappointed by that. The idea that a wire-monkey could simply load up about a billion skills and beat out a highly trained expert in their field doesn't seem right.

[Lanlaorn]

Well, you can never beat the expert, just come close. You'd have a skill of 4-5 (depending on what simsense program options you like) and he'd have 6-7 (depending on quality use), and a specialization and edge use.

The more I think about this the more I like it for Mages, you have to spend a lot of Karma on everything to advance but have little to no nuyen expenditures (making your own foci is easy and so very cost effective). Developing ancillary skills would be a pain when you want to save Karma for initiation or the magic attribute, skillwires to the rescue.

[Yerameyahu]

That's what they're for, after all. If you like, limit their rating to 3 instead of 4 in your game, or bump the prices, or both.

You can also take a page from the Autosoft (Profession) rules, and impose limits on things that require extra creativity or experience… like Hacking, etc. Or, just a -1 or -2 DP mod in such a case. It all depends on what works at your table. An Activesoft 4 in, oh, Swimming ( (IMG:style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif) ) might be a lot easier than one in Software.

[AStarshipforAnts]

That's what they're for, after all. If you like, limit their rating to 3 instead of 4 in your game, or bump the prices, or both.

That's right. In my game, I'm God. I had forgotten. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/spin.gif)

[Yerameyahu]

Just in your game? Sad. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/frown.gif)

[AStarshipforAnts]

It is a sad and empty life I live.