Security Ratings AAA-Z, what do they really mean Options

[noonesshowmonkey]

I am working on a persistent world SR4 campaign and am trying to put together some resources to help me have a comprehensive understanding of the sprawl. Moreover, I want to be able to use these resources to provide soft guidelines to players. One of the current issues that I am having is the security ratings. Sure, they leave them ambiguous as to let a GM determine what the story really is... But getting your mind around the security gear, proceedures and implications of 2072 omnipresent security is rather daunting. The following are my ideas as to what these security levels mean. Please advise me on what sourcebooks can help me flesh this out and provide critiques!

AAA - A triple A zone has truly omnipresent security.

Getting in: Perimeter security often includes walls with periodic observation / weapons towers and all major entries are covered with arch scanners. Large scale transportation is through-way only with all exits passing through automated security checkpoints. Entering a AAA zone requires logging onto a security network, inciting immediate scans of your SIN by a high rating (5 or 6) system. Operating in hidden mode, if discovered, is an immediate alert and results in foot units and drones being sent to intercept, escorting the offender out of the zone or to jail as needed.

Big Brother: Nearly every inch of the street is covered by cameras that monitor the public under the premise of enforcing traffic laws. Security Spiders manage a pool of drones that provide roving eyes and ears as well as on-call scanning and queries for any illegal gear, checking SINs etc. Data gathered is held in an off-site security network, Rating 5 or 6 and is protected by Black IC.

Meat & Chrome: Major sites, such as public buildings or large corporate facilities, recieve special treatment and have armed guards at all times. Manned vehicle and foot patrols are common, with response times typically being under two minutes, sometimes far faster. Security operators are well armed and armored, even lightly to moderately cybered. High Threat Response teams prioritize these zones and can arrive within four to six minutes - or less - via Thunderbird. A significant portion of patrol drones are armed with lethal and less-than-lethal weapons.

The 'Trix: Users must be in Active mode, 24/7. Required logons to the security network will result in periodic scans of a commlink. Any programs running must have a liscense and may need to conform to limitations (nothing over rating 3, for example). Loading a hacking-soft is not advised. Network device ratings are high (5 or 6).

Awakened Only: The zone is under contract for magical support and may even have a mage operating in the astral or meat-world nearby. Perimeter security includes watcher spirits looking for active foci or sustained spells, sending a note for a security mage or spirit to begin tailing the subject until they can provide a SIN and liscenses. Astral barriers are not uncommon. Responding security mages will show up astrally with several bound spirits.

Examples: Sea-Tac. Downtown's cushy Fauntleroy or Magnolia Bluff districts. Hunt's Point in Bellevue. Renton's choice Lake Youngs housing district.


AA - This level of lockdown, while not as draconian as AAA, is still a mailed fist.

Getting In: Often still walled in (even with towers), the security checkpoints engage lower rating scanners (rating 4-5) to check SINs for legality and scan for weapons, cyberware and other contraband. Entering a AA zone requires logging onto a security network, inciting an immediate scan of your SIN by a moderate to high rating (4 or 5) system. Operating in hidden mode, if discovered, is an immediate alert and results in foot units and drones being sent to intercept, requesting the user go active or escorting the offender out of the zone / jail as needed.

Big Brother: All major intersections, and many minor ones, are under observation by cameras. Security Spiders manage a drone pool dedicated mostly to observation and coordination of manned units. Off site data havens are rating 4-6 and are protected by Black IC.

Meat & Chrome: Major public works will have manned security at all times, though they are not always openly armored or armed for heavy fighting. The majority of patrols are managed by drones and common response times for manned units is on the lower end of two to four minutes. Some manned operators are lightly cybered, experienced operators moderately augmented. High Threat Response teams will take four to eight minutes to respond to calls for assistance and only calls from a AAA will re-task HTR assetts. Drones are armed with less-than-lethal weapons with few exceptions.

The 'Trix: Active mode is compulsory. Periodic scans of users commlinks occur, causing alerts if the programs loaded do not match with liscenses to the currently active SIN. Devices on the network are high rated (5).

Awakened Only: Astral security is likely, though not necessarily on site and must be called in whenever a problem comes up. Perimeter security includes watcher spirits. Astral barriers may be present. Mages respond promptly to security alerts.

Examples: Downtown's Iverness or Arbor Heights. Melborn Park in Tacoma or Jaunita in Bellevue. Snohomish's Bothel or Mountainlake Terrace neighborhoods.


A - Single A rating represents the intersection of security penetration and cost. Security is active and tight enough to ward off most undesirables.

Getting In: Walled, porous, singe A zones have checkpoints on all major access routes. Less common access routes have lower security, but holes in the system are still rare. Entry requires a logon to a security network and a scan of a users PAN and SIN by moderate rated scanners (rating 3-4), checking legalities. Operating in hidden mode, if discovered, causes an alert and matrix requests to enter Active mode - failure to comply will cause manned security assetts to intercept.

Big Brother: Major intersections are under constant surveillance. Understaffed Security Spiders manage a drone pool of largely autonomous drones dedicated to observation. Off site data havens are moderate ratings (3-5), protected by Grey IC.

Meat & Chrome: Only vital public assetts or high paying corporate clients recieve constant manned security. Most patrols are semi-autonomous drones, querying SINs or scanning for weapons and other contraband. Common response times for manned units are three to six minutes, sometimes less, sometimes more. Manned operators are occasionally lightly cybered. High Threat Response teams will take a call to an A rated security zone unless AAA or AA zones are currently hot, taking five to ten minutes to respond by VTOLs. Drones are armed almost to the one with less-than-lethal weapons.

The 'Trix: Active mode is required of all users. Periodic scans of a users commlink and PAN will check for illegal program usage, querying the linked SIN. Security devices on the network are moderately rated (3-5).

Awakened Only: High priority assets may have watcher spirits or the occasional astral barrier. Mage support will respond astrally if needed, but may take as long as a minute to arrive.

Examples: Rainier Valley or Beacon Hill in Downtown. Parkland commercial district near Fort Lewis. The public sprawl of Federated Boeing in Everett.


B - Value contracts designed to provide security to the majority of the district without breaking the bank.

Getting In: Rarely, if ever, walled, B zones and below rely on automated security checkpoints at major access intersections and transportion hubs. Less common routes have lower security and several holes in the system exist at any given time. Entry does not require logon to a security network, but Active mode is required of all citizens with moderate rating scanners (3, sometimes 4) checking legality. Operating in hidden mode, if discovered, results in a series of warnings to enter Active mode and advising the user to vacate the zone before security elements are sent.

Big Brother: Major intersections and public spaces are under surveillance, though outages and gaps are not unheard of. Understaffed Security Spiders manage a drone pool of observation drones, managing SIN queries and scans for cyberwear or weapons. Data havens may be located within the district and have moderate rated devices (3-4).

Meat & Chrome: High paying, high value assetts have manned security at all times, though understaffed. Patrols are almost entirely drone based, checking SINs and surveilling the public. Manned response times are three to six minutes, though most operators are entirely mundane, though adequately trained. High Threat Response teams will respond to calls via ground transportation and will take up to twenty-thirty minutes to respond. Bribery and extortion are relatively common. Drones are almost entirely used for observation.

The 'Trix: Active mode is still required for all citizens, resulting in PAN and SIN scans at checkpoints and when a security operator / drone is nearby. Security devices have moderate ratings (3-4).

Awakened Only: Only high priority assetts have any serious astral presences. Mage support is handled with a extra-protection-contracted on-call system, with response times measuring one to two minutes.

Examples: Lowest ratings of coverage in central downtown. Bellevue's budget housing district, Newport. Nelson's Corners near Federated Boeing in Everett. Auburn's Timberlane and Covington mixed commercial-residential districts.


C - Sub-value contracts in the lower end parts of the city. Lawlessness threatens.

Getting In: Only specific assetts have any mentionable fixed security. Major intersections and transport hubs have automated security checkpoints of questionable quality (rating 2-3). Active PAN mode is required, but less heavily enforced. Operating in hidden mode, if even discovered, will at worst cause requests to go active. These requests can be blocked by most Spam filters. Users in the know run Hidden as a matter of course.

Big Brother: Cameras cover major public and private spaces, though dead spaces and downtime are relatively common. Off site Spiders control a drone pool with little oversight, relying on average Pilot autosofts to manage security. Data havens are often local and have average to moderate ratings (3 and sometimes 4).

Meat & Chrome: Premium customers have manned security, the rest of the zone is left thinly patrolled. Manned response times can be up to seven minutes, rarely any faster than two or three, and responding officers are entirely mundane and have entirely average training. High Threat Response teams rarely respond to calls, as most customers in a C zone do not have High Threat coverage. If HTR teams are requested, they most often deploy with wheeled vehicles and take up to thirty minutes to arrive. Bribery and extortion are the order of business, with gangs sharing the role of 'security'.

The 'Trix: Active mode is less required than 'encouraged', and a well placed bribe can avoid any confrontations. Security devices have average ratings (3).

Awakened Only: Little to no astral support is available to manned security units, taking several minutes to arrive astrally. Premium contract customers may have faster response times.

Examples: The majority of Tacoma: the south, central and docks regions. Redmond's Touristville. South Bellevue's dirtier side.


D - The scraps in terms of security contracts. Where there is little in the way of budget, there is correspondingly little security. The jungle encroaches.

Getting In: Some high value assetts may have fixed security. Major intersections and transport hubs still have scanners, though they are often 'on the fritz' - maybe due to graft, bribery or lack of maintenance. PAN security is functionally no-man's land. Operating in Hidden mode is considered compulsory.

Big Brother: Cameras cover some public and private spaces, but holes in the system due to breakdowns and poor design are common and easily exploited. Drones patrol infrequently, and rarely on the street level. Data havens are largely unncessary, but have low ratings (2-3).

Meat & Chrome: Manned patrols take three to seven minutes to respond to most calls, sometimes less, sometimes more. Officers are mundane with barely adequate training, or are simply so understaffed that it doesn't matter. Bribery, extortion, graft and corruption are rampant. Organized crime, gangs and the cops all squabble over how much of a cut goes to whom. High Threat Response teams do not generally take calls in D class zones or lower as entry in force is ill-advised. If arriving, they will come in armored wheeled or tracked vehicles, taking as much as an hour to arrive.

The 'Trix: Nearly all users operate in Hidden mode, since Active mode draws malware, spam and virii faster than flies to fresh dung. Those locations not outsourcing their matrix security will have low rated network devices (2-3). The most dangerous things on the 'trix are not law-men.

Awakened Only: Unliscensed magic rarely draws much attention. Companies providing contract magical security to D zones will respond to watcher spirit alerts within several minutes.

Examples: Outer Everett's Pinehurts and Lowell. Boise in south east Auburn.


E - It's a jungle out there, omae.

Getting In: Gridguide or take the bus / train, if it is still running.

Big Brother: The only people watching you are trying to see if you are an easy mark.

Meat & Chrome: The cops don't come to E zones. You deal with gangs and syndicates for 'protection'.

The 'Trix: Hidden only, unless you want to get hacked by whatever 'trix gang prowls these streets.

Awakened Only: Keep it on the DL or you may make yourself a juicy target for unbound free-spirits hungry for unwary mortals...

Examples: Loveland in Puyallup. The Plastic Jungles of Redmond. Hollywood in Redmond.


Z - Warzone.

Getting In: Why would you want to go in?! Getting out in one piece is hard enough!

Big Brother: Anybody bigger than you that ain't your brother is worth avoiding.

Meat & Chrome: Everybody is chromed out, tweaked out, strapped to the max and are probably having a bad day. Cops come here to die. Even the syndicates find it hard to operate here, choosing to use the gangs as pawns. They run whatever gang currently runs whatever corner the mob is interested in.

The 'Trix: Flashing any wiz electronics is a great way to get murder-mugged.

Awakened Only: Certain Z zones are crawling with all kinds of nasty awakened critters. Security of a kind, right?

Examples: Hell's Kitchen or Thrift in Puyallup. Redmond's Rat's Nest or the dangerous, deadly Glow City.

[The Grue Master]

I am working on a persistent world SR4 campaign and am trying to put together some resources to help me have a comprehensive understanding of the sprawl. Moreover, I want to be able to use these resources to provide soft guidelines to players. One of the current issues that I am having is the security ratings. Sure, they leave them ambiguous as to let a GM determine what the story really is... But getting your mind around the security gear, proceedures and implications of 2072 omnipresent security is rather daunting. The following are my ideas as to what these security levels mean. Please advise me on what sourcebooks can help me flesh this out and provide critiques! AAA - A triple A zone has truly omnipresent security. Getting in: Perimeter security often includes walls with periodic observation / weapons towers and all major entries are covered with arch scanners. Large scale transportation is through-way only with all exits passing through automated security checkpoints. Entering a AAA zone requires logging onto a security network, inciting immediate scans of your SIN by a high rating (5 or 6) system. Operating in hidden mode, if discovered, is an immediate alert and results in foot units and drones being sent to intercept, escorting the offender out of the zone or to jail as needed.Big Brother: Nearly every inch of the street is covered by cameras that monitor the public under the premise of enforcing traffic laws. Security Spiders manages a pool of drones that provide roving eyes and ears as well as on-call scanning and queries for any illegal gear, checking SINs etc. Data gathered is held in an off-site security network, Rating 5 or 6 and is protected by Black IC.Meat & Chrome: Major sites, such as public buildings or large corporate facilities, recieve special treatment and have armed guards at all times. Manned vehicle and foot patrols are common, with response times typically being under two minutes, sometimes far faster. Security operators are well armed and armored, even lightly to moderately cybered. High Threat Response teams prioritize these zones and can arrive within four to six minutes - or less - via Thunderbird. A significant portion of patrol drones are armed with lethal and less-than-lethal weapons.The 'Trix: Users must be in Active mode, 24/7. Required logons to the security network will result in periodic scans of a commlink. Any programs running must have a liscense and may need to conform to limitations (nothing over rating 3, for example). Loading a hacking-soft is not advised. Network device ratings are high (5 or 6).Awakened Only: The zone is under contract for magical support and may even have a mage operating in the astral or meat-world nearby. Perimeter securit includes watcher spirits looking for active foci or sustained spells, sending a note for a security mage or spirit to begin tailing the subject until they can provide a SIN and liscenses. Astral barriers are not uncommon. Responding security mages will show up astrally with several bound spirits.Examples: Sea-Tac. Downtown's cushy Fauntleroy or Magnolia Bluff districts. Hunt's Point in Bellevue. Renton's choice Lake Youngs housing district.AA - This level of lockdown, while not as draconian as AAA, is still a mailed fist. Getting In: Often still walled in (even with towers), the security checkpoints engage lower rating scanners (rating 4-5) to check SINs for legality. Entering a AA zone requires logging onto a security network, inciting an immediate scan of your SIN by a moderate to high rating (4 or 5) system. Operating in hidden mode, if discovered, is an immediate alert and results in foot units and drones being sent to intercept, requesting the user go active or escorting the offender out of the zone / jail as needed.Big Brother: All major intersections, and may minor ones, are under observation by cameras. Security Spiders manage a drone pool dedicated mostly to observation and coordination of manned units. Off site data havens are rating 4-6 and are protected by Black IC.Meat & Chrome: Major public works will have manned security at all times, though they are not always openly armored or armed for heavy fighting. The majority of patrols are managed by drones and common response times for manned units is on the lower end of two to four minutes. Some manned operators are lightly cybered, experienced operators moderately. High Threat Response teams will take four to eight minutes to respond to calls for assistance and only calls from a AAA will re-task HTR assetts. Drones are armed with less-than-lethal weapons with few exceptions. The 'Trix: Active mode is compulsory. Periodic scans of users commlinks occur, causing alerts if the programs loaded do not match with liscenses to the currently active SIN. Devices on the network are high rated (5).Awakened Only: Astral security is likely, though not necessarily on site and must be called in whenever a problem comes up. Perimeter security includes watcher spirits. Astral barriers may be present. Mages respond promptly to security alerts.Examples: Downtown's Iverness or Arbor Heights. Melborn Park in Tacoma or Jaunita in Bellevue. Snohomish Bothel or Mountainlake Terrace neighborhoods.A - Single A rating represents the intersection of security penetration and cost. Security is active and tight enough to ward off most undesirables.Getting In: Walled, porous, singe A zones have checkpoints on all major access routes. Less common access routes have lower security, but holes in the system are still rare. Entry requires a logon to a security network and a scan of a users PAN and SIN by moderate rated scanners (rating 3-4), checking legalities. Operating in hidden mode, if discovered, causes an alert and matrix requests to enter Active mode - failure to comply will cause manned security assetts to intercept.Big Brother: Major intersections are under constant surveillance. Understaffed Security Spiders manage a drone pool of largely autonomous drones dedicated to observation. Off site data havens are moderate ratings (3-5), protected by Grey IC.Meat & Chrome: Only vital public assetts or high paying corporate clients recieve constant manned security. Most patrols are semi-autonomous drones, querying SINs or scanning for weapons and other contraband. Common response times for manned units are three to six minutes, sometimes less, sometimes more. Manned operators are occasionally lightly cybered. High Threat Response teams will take a call to an A rated security zone unless AAA or AA zones are currently hot, taking five to ten minutes to respond by VTOLs. Drones are armed almost to the one with less-than-lethal weapons.The 'Trix: Active mode is required of all users. Periodic scans of a users commlink and PAN will check for illegal program usage, querying the linked SIN. Security devices on the network are moderately rated (3-5).Awakened Only: High priority assets may have watcher spirits or the occasional astral barrier. Mage support will respond astrally if needed, but may take as long as a minute to arrive.Examples: Rainier Valley or Beacon Hill in Downtown. Parkland commercial district near Fort Lewis. The public sprawl of Federated Boeing in Everett.B - Value contracts designed to provide security to the majority of the district without breaking the bank.Getting In: Rarely, if ever, walled, B zones and below rely on automated security checkpoints at major access intersections and transportion hubs. Less common routes have lower security and several holes in the system exist at any given time. Entry does not require logon to a security network, but Active mode is required of all citizens with moderate rating scanners (3, sometimes 4) checking legality. Operating in hidden mode, if discovered, results in a series of warnings to enter Active mode and advising the user to vacate the zone before security elements are sent.Big Brother: Major intersections and public spaces are under surveillance, though outages and gaps are not unheard of. Understaffed Security Spiders manage a drone pool of observation drones, managing SIN queries and scans for cyberwear or weapons. Data havens may be located within the district and have moderate rated devices (3-4).Meat & Chrome: High paying, high value assetts have manned security at all times, though understaffed. Patrols are almost entirely drone based, checking SINs and surveilling the public. Manned response times are three to six minutes, though most operators are entirely mundane, though adequately trained. High Threat Response teams will respond to calls via ground transportation and will take up to twenty-thirty minutes to respond. Bribery and extortion are relatively uncommon. Drones are almost entirely used for observation.The 'Trix: Active mode is still required for all citizens, resulting in PAN and SIN scans at checkpoints and when a security operator / drone is nearby. Security devices have moderate ratings (3-4).Awakened Only: Only high priority assetts have any serious astral presences. Mage support is handled with a extra-protection-contracted on-call system, with response times measuring one to two minutes.Examples: Lowest ratings of coverage in central downtown. Bellevue's budget housing district, Newport. Nelson's Corners near Federated Boeing in Everett. Auburn's Timberlane and Covington mixed commercial-residential districts.C - Sub-value contracts in the lower end parts of the city. Lawlessness threatens.Getting In: Only specific assetts have any mentionable fixed security. Major intersections and transport hubs have automated security checkpoints of questionable quality (rating 2-3). Active PAN mode is required, but less heavily enforced. Operating in hidden mode, if even discovered, will at worst cause requests to go active. These requests can be blocked by most Spam filters. Users in the know run Hidden as a matter of course.Big Brother: Cameras cover major public and private spaces, though dead spaces and downtime are relatively common. Off site Spiders control a drone pool with little oversight, relying on average Pilot autosofts to manage security. Data havens are often local and have average to moderate ratings (3 and sometimes 4).Meat & Chrome: Premium customers have manned security, the rest of the zone is left thinly patrolled. Manned response times can be up to seven minutes, rarely any faster than two or three, and responding officers are entirely mundane and have entirely average training. High Threat Response teams rarely respond to calls, as most customers in a C zone do not have High Threat coverage. If HTR teams are requested, they most often deploy with wheeled vehicles and take up to thirty minutes to arrive. Bribery and extortion are common, with gangs sharing the role of 'security'.The 'Trix: Active mode is less required than 'encouraged', and a well placed bribe can avoid any confrontations. Security devices have average ratings (3).Awakened Only: Little to no astral support is available to manned security units, taking several minutes to arrive astrally. Premium contract customers may have faster response times.Examples: The majority of Tacoma: the south, central and docks regions. Redmond's Touristville. South Bellevue's dirtier side.D - The scraps in terms of security contracts. Where there is little in the way of budget, there is correspondingly little security. The jungle encroaches.Getting In: Some high value assetts may have fixed security. Major intersections and transport hubs still have scanners, though they are often 'on the fritz' - maybe due to graft, bribery or lack of maintenance. PAN security is functionally no-man's land. Operating in Hidden mode is considered compulsory.Big Brother: Cameras cover some public and private spaces, but holes in the system due to breakdowns and poor design are common and easily exploited. Drones patrol infrequently, and rarely on the street level. Data havens are largely unncessary, but have low ratings (2-3).Meat & Chrome: Manned patrols take three to seven minutes to respond to most calls, sometimes less, sometimes more. Officers are mundane with barely adequate training, or are simply so understaffed that it doesn't matter. Bribery, extortion, graft and corruption are rampant. Organized crime, gangs and the cops all squabble over how much of a cut goes to whom. High Threat Response teams do not generally take calls in D class zones or lower as entry in force is ill-advised. If arriving, they will come in armored wheeled or tracked vehicles, taking as much as an hour to arrive.The 'Trix: Nearly all users operate in Hidden mode, since Active mode draws malware, spam and virii faster than flies to fresh dung. Those locations not outsourcing their matrix security will have low rated network devices (2-3). The most dangerous things on the 'trix are not law-men.Awakened Only: Unliscensed magic rarely draws much attention. Companies providing contract magical security to D zones will respond to watcher spirit alerts within several minutes.Examples: Outer Everett's Pinehurts and Lowell. Boise in south east Auburn.E - It's a jungle out there, omae.Getting In: Gridguide or take the bus / train, if it is still running.Big Brother: The only people watching you are trying to see if you are an easy mark.Meat & Chrome: The cops don't come to E zones. You deal with gangs and syndicates for 'protection'.The 'Trix: Hidden only, unless you want to get hacked by whatever 'trix gang prowls these streets.Awakened Only: Keep it on the DL or you may make yourself a juicy target for unbound free-spirits hungry for unwary mortals...Examples: Loveland in Puyallup. The Plastic Jungles of Redmond. Hollywood in Redmond. Z - Warzone.Getting In: Why would you want to go in?! Getting out in one piece is hard enough!Big Brother: Anybody bigger than you that ain't your brother is worth avoiding.Meat & Chrome: Everybody is chromed out, tweaked out, strapped to the max and are probably having a bad day. Cops come here to die. Even the syndicates find it hard to operate here, choosing to use the gangs as pawns. They run whatever gang currently runs whatever corner the mob is interested in. The 'Trix: Flashing any wiz electronics is a great way to get murder-mugged.Awakened Only: Certain Z zones are crawling with all kinds of nasty awakened critters. Security of a kind, right? Examples: Hell's Kitchen or Thrift in Puyallup. Redmond's Rat's Nest or the dangerous, deadly Glow City.

You can not even imagine my face when this thread loaded. (Quoting for fun.)

[AStarshipforAnts]

Could you separate that into paragraphs? My first thought upon seeing this page was 'Holy Wall of Text, Batman!'

[D2F]

Holy ****ing wall of text, Batman!

EDIT:

Could you separate that into paragraphs? My first thought upon seeing this page was 'Holy Wall of Text, Batman!'

Nice one, chummer! Great minds think alike =)

[Nifft]

I'll bet this wall had paragraphs when it was writ, but then he cut & pasted it here, and look what we ended up with.

[noonesshowmonkey]

I was playing around with the post control panel and must have clicked an option that disabled my formatting. After posting, I immediately edited it to put the breaks back where I had them.

Much more readable now.

[The Grue Master]

I'll bet this wall had paragraphs when it was writ, but then he cut & pasted it here, and look what we ended up with.

I hate that so much. It happens all the time, you take the time to format something/spellcheck it in a word processor instead of the built in WYSIWYG editor. You post and are immediately knocked out of your desk chair by a tsunami of words.

Edit: It looks good, but I'll have to refrain from replying in detail until later as RL is a-calling.

[Acidsaliva]

Awesome break down of the zones noonesshowmonkey. I've been looking for a break down like this for a while.

Does anyone have a download-able map / link of the cities and their various neighborhoods / zones break down ?

I only know of this Awesome Seattle Map but I cant save it to my computer.

Does the book "Seattle 2072" have any full maps of Seattle with these security zones included ?

[AStarshipforAnts]

I like the breakdown. My only qualm would be that in Z-Zones, not everyone is as armed to the teeth as your average runner. The people that can't afford it will just be more than willing to kill you for anything remotely valuable, and may come at you with shiv.

I suggest also adding a small blurb for each section on the types of people (non security) that runners might encounter there.

[nemafow]

Great read, no criticsm atm, will keep this for future games I run.

[CanRay]

The people that can't afford it will just be more than willing to kill you for anything remotely valuable, and may come at you with shiv.

A SHIV! Oh, those are the RICH people in a Z-Zone!

A Z-Zone is where people fight over a cardboard box, as that would make a good home! It's where "Neighbourhood Watch" means they take score on the gang fights! It's where the SWAT team requires a Military Escort when they're called in!

[noonesshowmonkey]

What are the security particulars that I am missing? I don't really know a whole crap load about how the individual pieces of scanning gear work, where they are used, how they are used etc. The main post is more of a 'how I see things' rather than a 'how they are (and here is why)'.

I really want to know the 'how they are (and here is why)' part.

If I am a GM and my players cross into a AAA zone, what kinds of things should they find? Doberman drones with guns running around scanning people? Armored security units on the corners of major intersections armed to the teeth with HVARs?

When does L* or KE drop a T-Bird gunship on someone? How soon does a L* or KE GRIDSEC unit come into hack a player's car and turn it off to end a chase? Crap like that. I haven't the foggiest.

[noonesshowmonkey]

Oh, and a side note.

Double the ratings listed under 'Trix and Getting In to determine dice pools for checking a SIN, sniffing for Wi-Fi traffic (finding a Hidden mode user), scanning for weapons etc. For example, AAA zones get at least 10 dice to make any basic checks with re-rolls whenever appropriate - which is to say often. On the contrary, a C zone gets as few as 4 dice for whenever a player frags up and gets scanned.

[Tycho]

the official ratings are:

AAA Luxus
AA High Lifestyle
A Middle commercial and housing area
B Middle industy
C low commercial and housing area
D low industry
E squatter
Z street

cya
Tycho

[IronDrakon]

I have been looking for security zones in seattle in SR4A without success. Does anyone have a page reference or is this material only in the earlier editions.


Thanks

IronDrakon

On the Streets since 2050

[CanRay]

Earlier editions.

[Tycho]

These Ratings are in "New Seattle", ergo SR3

cya
Tycho

[DrZaius]

Oh, and a side note.

Double the ratings listed under 'Trix and Getting In to determine dice pools for checking a SIN, sniffing for Wi-Fi traffic (finding a Hidden mode user), scanning for weapons etc. For example, AAA zones get at least 10 dice to make any basic checks with re-rolls whenever appropriate - which is to say often. On the contrary, a C zone gets as few as 4 dice for whenever a player frags up and gets scanned.

Full disclosure: I'm in a game with Noonesshowmonkey (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif)

With this type of game-world, how can a starting player (read: 400 BP, availability 12) expect to get into an A-AAA zone? It seems like players would go through fake SINs like candy. Is the intention that a Shadowrunner lives in the E through C zones, and only goes into the B-AAA zones on runs for short bursts of time, then throws their fake SIN in the Ocean, along with any guns or cars used on the job? I guess it's a matter of how many fake SINs should someone reasonably be expected to start with if they want their character to be able to profit on runs at the early levels? Otherwise, there are always jobs at the stuffer shack in Renton where they could earn rent.

[AStarshipforAnts]

In all the games I've been in, the runners usually start by breaking into B level security zones. After all, no one is going to trust a rookie team to the big business. Then the players gradually work up a street rep (and build up karma), getting jobs that involve breaking into higher and higher security zones.

If it helps, I start out a 400 bp character with roughly 2-3 fake SINs, depending on the individual paranoia level of the character. And SINs weren't always thrown into the ocean after a job--only after they were 'compromised' so to speak.

[IronDrakon]

Thanks for the info CanRay and Tycho.



Irondrakon

On the Run since 2050

[noonesshowmonkey]

It is my understanding that a AAA zone should be a gated, walled complex. Megacorporation's main facilities are an example of a AAA zone. Sea-Tac International is a AAA zone. Players should not expect to be able to go much farther than the pick up / drop off area without causing all kinds of a ruckus.

And yes, I think that the cost and availability of Fake SINs is such that a player should start with several throw aways. Think on it, a Rating 3 Fake SIN is enough to log onto a security network in an A-AAA zone, but might not stand up to a serious background SIN check and probably won't help if you get scanned and your 12F cyberware and 10F full auto weapons show up. Trick then is to not get patted down / scanned.

Remember: if you can spoof the Rating 4 or 5 security device to allow you to pass into an A-AAA zone and have a Fake SIN to log onto the network with, you are golden until another scan occurs. Then you just spoof that scan again. Keep that going until you fail. Really, it is all about buying time.

[noonesshowmonkey]

What kinds of security exists in your games?

What kinds of stuff am I missing here?

How much do you mess with your players when they roll up into a AA or AAA zone?

[The Grue Master]

What kinds of security exists in your games?

What kinds of stuff am I missing here?

How much do you mess with your players when they roll up into a AA or AAA zone?

My list: random SIN searches, surveillance scans w/ gunshot and gunshot detection, cops generally hassling anyone weird, magic/matrix abuse has a random chance to attract surveillance attention, etc

I don't use this to prohibit their travel to these locations, I merely tend to enforce particular gear rules (i.e. nothing larger than a pistol, must be ceramic, must be concealed, nothing obviously Forbidden). I also tend to have magic and matrix actions be forced to fit into certain categories (nothing visible, nothing crashed, etc). I also have particularly fun time using a system that mimics 'passive alert' in a matrix host, where obviously noticeable actions (shouting, fighting, running) can cause random scans to temporarily spread images of the participants, making future infiltration tests, con tests vs the authorities, etc become harder. This stuff isn't persistent though, and basically goes away after the group leaves the AAA zone. The goal of all this stuff isn't to stifle the group, but to give them a feeling of omnipresent menace and distrust. I don't bludgeon my runners to death with AA and AAA security, instead I try to make them feel like they're visiting a hostile environment (like the desert, arctic, space, etc) where you just need special tools, special armor and special rules to survive.