[X] My Assistant

[MikeKozar]

So my pet programming project has gotten to the point where I'm trying to simulate the Matrix. I've got this idea, that if I have to keep a list of the commlink's stats and programs anyway, it's not that much of a stretch to have my MapTools automatically generate a Matrix node, in case the hacker wants to go VR. We have avoided the Matrix so far, doing occasional Hack-on-the-fly actions, but being able to hand the GM a node design at the push of a button has me very interested in the possibilities. I've been reminiscing about Shadowrun of years past, with hotshot deckers sleazing past ICE and exploring big systems.

...then I checked the 4th ed rules. We, uh...we don't do that anymore.

From what I can tell, every system is a box. This box has a basic Authentication, and probably an Analyse program. If you fail to bypass the Authentication, the system goes on alert. If the Analyse beats your stealth, the system goes on alert. If the system goes on alert, it will either dump you or (if the user had thousands on nuyen to invest) launch an ICE agent.

Bigger systems will be several boxes. You may also encounter other hackers.

I guess I have two questions for the community: Is there any way to realistically secure a basic commlink in this system, and is there anyone who isn't disappointed in the simplification of VR?

[hobgoblin]

welcome to SR4, have asbestos long-johns handy.

btw, the dump is not automatic. It requires a extended test, iirc.

[Malachi]

Disappointed? No, not at all. The old "node map" system from 1st and 2nd edition days was so slow and painful that I avoided it entirely. The advantage of 4th edition's system is that it can be a complex or as simple as you want it to be. If you really like the whole idea from 1st and 2nd of going from node to node, searching for that key piece of paydata then you can replicate that fairly easily by defining a whole bunch of different Nodes in 4th and have your Hacker have to hack from one to the other, fighting IC along the way. Or you can abstract that all into one node, but describe it RP terms as the PC moving around to all kinds of different places within the system.

[deek]

To realistically secure a commlink, I'd say turn off its wireless signal. There are multiple options for the ultra-paranoid. Since many of my players still just use a commlink as a phone, its not too difficult a concept.

I like streamlining and very simple rules. I play Wushu. Compared to that, SR4 matrix rules are still quite complex. And for me, its not so much the complexity as it is resolving actions at the table. It takes time to go through the many, yet simple steps of hacking.

[Venom]

The problem with the old system is that it takes a while when the rest of the players are sitting around twiddling their thumbs.

The problem with the new rules is that they are a gross over-simplification and basically lose a lot of the colour and depth of the old system.

I tend to use a combination of the two - I think to purely use the new system is to render the decker a pale shadow of his old self.

If as a GM you dont want the complexity either have no deckers or have multi-skilled characters who also do a bit of decking?

[noonesshowmonkey]

The Matrix 2.0 is highly modular. It is also absurdly easy to GM in many ways. Whenever a player has an idea that would involve hacking through some kind of secured device or network, you eyeball the Rating and then double that for dice pools and away you go. Have a sheet of stock IC programs, pick one, and you now have opposition. It can be rather formulaic, but then the onus is on the player and GM to make things interesting.

Check out Knasser's excellent Sample Matrix Sites. This short .pdf can do wonders to enlightening a GM on how to design, on the fly even, simple multi-node networks that make sense and have a purpose.

[Johnny B. Good]

Mmmm matrix security. I was the team's technohacker for a few month's (weekly sessions) and I've gotten used to the smushy mess of rules that is the matrix.

How to protect your 'link:

Restrict all privileges to Admin

[ Spoiler ]

This will make it so anybody who hacks in as less than an admin user is not allowed to do ANYTHING on your commlink that doesn't require a hacking program. They will have to hack themselves up to Admin to do jack.

Get Analyze 6 with optimization 3

[ Spoiler ]

This will allow you to run rating 6 analyze on a rating 3 commlink. Much more cost effective if you just want to keep people out. You can even use optimized black ice.

Have your agents run scripts

[ Spoiler ]

I cannot emphasize how useful this is. Have your agent run analyze immediately on new icons at least twice in a row, and then have it run analyze on all icons in a loop, repeatedly. For bonus points have your agent automagically nuke the bastard once it finds him (After it lets you know of course).

Hardwire your 'ware

[ Spoiler ]

Why would you ever have critical bodily functions hooked up to your PAN? Keep those wired reflexes, cyberlimbs and reaction enhancers safely hardwired to a data jack. The only cyber I'd ever have linked to my PAN would be eyes, ears, and other sensory inputs for the tacsoft

Turn it off!

[ Spoiler ]

So what if there's a wittle hacker in your commwink? Just reboot the damn thing! Sure it'll drop you from the tacnet, but you boot the hacker out of there and give him dumpshock! And trust me, nothing ruins a hacker's bacon like fragging dumpshock.

Anonymizers

[ Spoiler ]

If you're remote hacking, anonymizers are the way to go. Keeps you from being tracked and makes it damn hard for another hacker to follow your data trail back to your commlink.

Keep it hidden!

[ Spoiler ]

To find a hidden node you need a basic idea of where it is, and to pass a Scan + Electronic Warfare [4] test. That means the hacker should be rolling at least 12 dice, and would probably have to have at least scan 5, Ewarfare 5, and be in full VR. Don't forget the -2s for repeated failures.

Encrypt all day long

[ Spoiler ]

Dynamic Encryptions are your friend. It keeps everybody except for those with the decryption key from transmitting data in or out of the commlink. If you encrypt your commlink's node dynamically via agent, you'll have a good long while before the other hacker gets in. He'll have to beat the dynamic encryption and then smack your 'link open. Don't forget that NPCs can do this too.

There's your basic how to keep yourself from getting hacked all to hell.

[MikeKozar]

Check out Knasser's excellent Sample Matrix Sites. This short .pdf can do wonders to enlightening a GM on how to design, on the fly even, simple multi-node networks that make sense and have a purpose.

Will do, thank you.


I guess my main gripe is that there doesn't seem to be any reason to try and run VR under this system. Hacking in VR is exactly the same as hacking in AR, except you get a bonus and are vulnerable to dumpshock/blackice. It negates the need for my automatic node system; why bother describing VR, there's nothing different there.

[Johnny B. Good]

Will do, thank you.


I guess my main gripe is that there doesn't seem to be any reason to try and run VR under this system. Hacking in VR is exactly the same as hacking in AR, except you get a bonus and are vulnerable to dumpshock/blackice. It negates the need for my automatic node system; why bother describing VR, there's nothing different there.

I usually hack from VR because you get two free IP passes and a +2, versus one in the meat if you're unaugmented. Plus going into nodes via VR is just awesome. Topography is awesome. I'd feel free to either nerf AR hacking more or to give more bonuses to VR hacking.

[Dr.Rockso]

Will do, thank you.


I guess my main gripe is that there doesn't seem to be any reason to try and run VR under this system. Hacking in VR is exactly the same as hacking in AR, except you get a bonus and are vulnerable to dumpshock/blackice. It negates the need for my automatic node system; why bother describing VR, there's nothing different there.

VR is a heck of a bonus, chummer. It's all in the initiative passes: cybercombat with someone in VR while you're only in AR isn't likely to end well for you.

[MikeKozar]

VR is a heck of a bonus, chummer. It's all in the initiative passes: cybercombat with someone in VR while you're only in AR isn't likely to end well for you.

That's true. Let me explain: My MapTools is going to need some sort of interface for handling Martix attacks; when someone attacks a guard with a gun, targets are picked, bonuses are assigned, and damage is dealt. When someone hacks a device in AR, they will need to gain access privilages, race their matrix perception against the node's analyse to see if they can be in and out before an alert, and maybe beat the local ICE. Both of these are tied to a button, which will check the numbers and run the macro to tell you what happens.

I can take the list of programs and build a randomised map automatically; you could see the datablocks, programs, devices, and connections as active Tokens on the gameboard. In SR1/2, this would mean the GM doesn't have to design a Node for every commlink - hit a button and rock VR! However, in SR4, there isn't any reason to bother - a hacker in VR is going to follow the exact same process that a hacker in AR will. I just need to assign extra IPs, no need to have a VR map.

This makes me sad. I have a choice of keeping my framework RAW so that other Shadowrun 4th Ed players can use it when I'm finished, or houseruling in some of the cool Matrix stuff from earlier editions to make VR interesting.

Is there any action you can take in VR that you can't take in AR with a smaller dice pool?

[Yerameyahu]

I like having the AR, VR, hot/cold, etc. options. They're distinct and have their uses. Why worry?

AR *is* the same as VR, just slower and less 'colorful'. How's that a problem, mechanically or setting-wise? It's the same node, the same info.

[Johnny B. Good]

You could always make all of your nodes UV nodes. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif)

[MikeKozar]

I like having the AR, VR, hot/cold, etc. options. They're distinct and have their uses. Why worry?

AR *is* the same as VR, just slower and less 'colorful'. How's that a problem, mechanically or setting-wise? It's the same node, the same info.

In earlier editions, Deckers were an elite corps, and working the Matrix well was a point of pride. Hell, I have a replica road sign on my wall that says "WATCH FOR ICE", because the Matrix was a big part of my personal mythology. Nobody trying to access the Matrix through a trode net or God forbid, a terminal, was taken seriously. It wasn't just about speed, either - being there in person meant that you saw the system in ways that normal users wouldn't understand. It was mysterious, and dangerous, and crazy. It was the Matrix.

Now, you can do everything you want to do in the Matrix from a cellphone, or just send an Agent to do it, because why bother.

Man, I'm all depressed now. I'm gonna go work on something else. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/frown.gif)

[Adarael]

God, I'd forgotten about Khadim's sample matrix sheet. Consequently, I forgot I need to give it to *all* my players, because very few of them understand the new matrix.
Seriously, you are like a tiny god, sir.

[Yerameyahu]

The old-style Matrix was a separate game, unrelated to Shadowrun. That was a problem.

(The new-style Matrix is basically just a new way of picking locks, so that's a new problem. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif) Oh well.)

[Sengir]

In earlier editions, Deckers were an elite corps, and working the Matrix well was a point of pride. Hell, I have a replica road sign on my wall that says "WATCH FOR ICE", because the Matrix was a big part of my personal mythology. Nobody trying to access the Matrix through a trode net or God forbid, a terminal, was taken seriously. It wasn't just about speed, either - being there in person meant that you saw the system in ways that normal users wouldn't understand. It was mysterious, and dangerous, and crazy. It was the Matrix.

Using VR is hardly what made a decker, the whole point of VR was an intuitive, eye-candy interface everybody and his brother could use. The defining point of deckers was what they did, and that they did it with tricked-out decks sporting Stealth and Evasion chips.
If anything, the new matrix has made VR users a smaller and more elitist circle, because now the average data miner can easily do his job in AR


So really, I fail to see your problem. VR can still be as detailed as you want, and nodes can be as big or small as you like them (note that "one node = one device" is not required, that's just a simplification which holds true for most everyday uses).

[noonesshowmonkey]

An easy fix for the SR4 hacking rules that would make hacking a more decker-esque (read: exclusive) thing would be to have certain attributes of the 'trix available only in full VR, hot-sim VR or with high rating gear.

Combine all three, and a hacker is the guy that runs bleeding edge SOTA 'ware and proggies, hot-simming the while and sees things that literally no one else can see, do things no one else can do.

[Badmoodguy88]

MikeKozar your program sounds niffty. I hope you finish it.

[MikeKozar]

MikeKozar your program sounds niffty. I hope you finish it.

...as do I, Eighty-eight. As do I.

[Wasabi]

Every goal needs a goalie. The matrix is no different: Use IC like a pro.

To secure a node have an Unrestricted Agent 6 (or IC 6 which is another sort of Agent) loaded with Cascading-3 and Expert Offense -3 and one other optimization preferably that buffs Analyze. You cant fight what you can't see, after all.

Then even if the PC is dodgy Cascading will spell his doom and force him to work fast. The more you rush the runner the more mistakes he'll make allowing Data Bombs and such to really leave their mark.

(IMG:style_emoticons/default/wink.gif)

[DireRadiant]

I guess my main gripe is that there doesn't seem to be any reason to try and run VR under this system. Hacking in VR is exactly the same as hacking in AR, except you get a bonus and are vulnerable to dumpshock/blackice. It negates the need for my automatic node system; why bother describing VR, there's nothing different there.

There is one very significant difference you must take into account. Everyone has AR. Everyone. All that cool VR stuff is now something everyone can see and interact with. Because the VR and AR views are the same, everyone can see and interact with whatever the Matrixy people are doing. Everyone can see, and they can care, and they can contribute and experience it. Matrix runs are for everyone. The Hackers and TMs just lead the way.

So that cool shit you've been building for your VR specialist is now available and cool for everyone at the table.

If you give up on that, then everyone loses.

[SkepticInc]

The difference between AR and VR is analogous to the difference between Astral Perception and Astral Projection. Both allow you to interact with the Astral, but Projection allows you to do so where you are not. I imagine any node can and would have a different interface depending on how it was accessed: look at web pages that give you different layouts for a mobile device and a computer. They may be the same, but you have the opportunity for so much more access on a full computer.

[KarmaInferno]

Daisy chaining multiple commlinks so a hacker is forced to defeat several layers of defenses is another good idea.



-np

[hobgoblin]

i would say that the matrix rules would become more interesting to more people if one could do something quickly. Like say virtually slapping someone from across the room (without it taking several minutes of setup that is).

the minimum times on matrix extended tests are basically silly.