New system for the Matrix, Just a silly idea Options Track this topic Email this topic Print this topic Download this topic Subscribe to this forum Display Modes Switch to: Outline Standard Switch to: Linear+

[IKerensky]

Was reading Unwired 2.0 about the UV nodes and the way characters interract in it with their standard skills, programs being translated into skills and tools/weapons.

I am not really fond of the Wireless Matrix and I despice TM (they wont show up in my world, no siree). I found the rules about Matrix, cumbersome, very hard to understand and time consuming...

Then I got this silly idea: why not drop all and every Matrix skills, programms, commlink level and all that...

Let say there is a Hacker Quality that cost 100BP and is not compatible with Magic quality.

For this 100 BP the hacker is entitled to build a 400 BP personna. All Matrix behave as the reality, everything being translated as a different setting, following scuplture, except the Hacker use his personna Character Sheet and not his own. Technomancer translate into a Magic Using Personna. Personna appareance is free and not necessiraly related to his stats.

Of course that is just a raw idea and it need a lot of tweaking but I think it could be very interesting to try as he unify the game rules. It also make the matrix far more easy to grip and use for new players and game master.

To be short, to infiltrate a node the Personna should roll on Lockpick, to avoid ICE it use Infiltration, to Analyse it use Perception... Not the Hacker skills, but the Personna Attribute and Skills that translate the quality of his programs/gear. Weapons and Armors will be more standardised with level (2x rating in B/I for armor, Weapons inflict Rating P...).

I suppose this is something other people already try, right ?

[Synner667]

For imersive net activity, it's the most sensible option - since you're supposed to be interacting with the digital world as if it was real.

Have a look at TORGs Tharkold or Cyberpapacy, where characters use Virtual Experience to translate them
into the net and use their skills in conjunction with net attributes.

[Blade]

I've designed a house rule that allows characters to use their physical skills in the Matrix, on the basis that the reason the Matrix is based on virtual environments and metaphors is that it's easier to use. My aim wasn't to replace the Matrix rules, but to allow non hackers to help the hacker or to do little hacks on their own without having to know all the rules.

So all characters, even non hackers, can roll matrix attribute + skill where matrix attributes are :
- Strength: none (Strength has no use in the Matrix, your persona can't destroy things by hitting them)
- Agility: System
- Reaction: Response
- Body: Firewall
Mental attributes stays the same.
Gear, power and spells bonuses don't apply.
When acting this way, the skill is capped by the System rating of the node the persona is on (the better the node, the better the metaphor can translate real actions into matrix actions).
If a program applies to the action, the number of hits is capped by the program rating. If the character doesn't have the program, it's capped by the node's system rating-1.

Hackers can act this way, but they can (and often will) use the Matrix rules as well.

[hobgoblin]

d20 cyberscape did something similar. Tho i have yet to get a chance to try it in actual play.