Triggerless Firearms, smartlink vs. DNI Options

[Entropy Kid]

According to page 40 and 41 of Man and Machine, mounted or implanted firearms must be linked via DNI (pg 38 M&M) to be fired without manual triggering of some kind. It also says mounted or implanted weapons can be smartlinked.

On page 82 of Cannon Companion it lists "Remove Trigger" as a customization option. Essentially the weapon can be fired only through a smartlink (assuming the gun is equipped with one).

Although probably not the most practical/realistic thing (like that's ever considered), I like the idea of cybernetically controlled firearms. Here's the problem: which rule do I ignore? My look-no-hands bias is leaning me toward allowing smartlinks to fire modified firearms and nixing the DNI requirement in cyberguns.

I'm curious what others have done (if anything) and what the general opinions are on the matter.

A side note, I'm somewhat surprised DNI is required at all for implanted firearms, since it's not required for cyberspurs or hand razors.

[Kanada Ten]

I would think the smartlink is simply including a DNI interface... so don't ignore either. Combine. :D

[The White Dwarf]

I would say you can ignore the DNI aspect. Assuming the remove-trigger and fire-via-smartlink rules from CC can be applied to the cyber guns in M&M, an implanted cyber gun with a dedicated smartlink and the correct gunsmith work would be sufficient. Note that youd need a dedicated smartlink for just the implanted weapon, as theres no way to 'hold' or 'drop' an implated gun, it would have to be hardwired. This is fair because the smartlink costs more essence than the DNI, so youre not really skimping on anything, just being consistent with the firearms rules.

[Crusher Bob]

The DNI is for things that 'do not already have a DNI', so you would need a DNI if you wanted to pt your pocket secretary in your arm, but not your deck. A normal gun is not already DNI enabled, so it's nned a DNI. A smartgun is DNI enabled, so you don't need to pay the DNI cost.

[Nikoli]

Weren't the rules in M&M for cyberguns that were not installed into a cyber limb? If so, it would make sense to need a DNI or a smart gunsystem, either will do teh job. As for it being dedicated, you could easily just rule as a GM that when the character holds a Smartlink weapon, the cyberweapon is considered disconnected and visa-versa.

[KarmaInferno]

I've always wondered why you couldn't just have one single DNI link into a cyberlimb that could handle multiple devices, just not all at once (jukebox style)

So you could have it running the MP3 player, and then you could switch over to the built-in cellphone, and later switch it over to running your cybergun.

Certainly there'd be some switching hardware/software required, but c'mon, it can't be THAT hard to do.


-karma

[hobgoblin]

sure you can, check the table on page 39 of m&m, there you will find the cost of adding a dni jack to the inside of your cyberlimb and the cost of enableing dni in a device that not allready have it. other then that its mutch like plugging in a usb device into a pc today. atleast thats how i read the dni stuff. i would allso allow a person that have 1 datajack to chainlink devices to it so...

as for cyberguns needing dni to fire. im support the idea that if the gun is smartlink enabled then ou can forget about the dni need. a smartlink is a highcapasity dni in many ways. it will tell you where the gun is pointed, what your ammostatus is and so on and allso enable you to fire the gun with a thought.

[Entropy Kid]

Draft (or What did I miss this time) These are a draft of my house rules--

Firearms on weapon mounts must link via DNI implant or routed to a smartlink to be fired cybernetically. Firearms meant to be placed on a weapon mount cost 50% more. They are available ready mount and accept DNI or smartlink (not both), this is part of the increased cost--no additional modification to the weapon is required.

Cyberguns cannot be implanted in natural arms. At least a partial cyberarm is required to implant a firearm. They are cybernetically controlled and do not require DNI or smartlinks, although they can be smartlinked. Cyberguns still take up ECU from cyberlimbs (table pg 36 M&M), but do not cost Essence.

The thinking: "remove trigger" came out of the firearm design/customization rules in CC (credibility killer) but I like the idea. Firearms on weapon mounts are outside the body and don't cost Essence. The original rule made (more) sense for them. However, it didn't make sense that a mounted firearm would require manual triggering (what's the point then). The DNI requirement for cyberguns didn't make sense: hand razors, hand blades, shock hands, spurs, climbing claws (you get the idea) didn't require it.

[Zazen]

IMO the only reason they didn't give free DNI with cyberguns is so that non-DNI cyberguns would be possible, because non-DNI cyberguns look cool.

I remember a bad guy on the A-Team had one, and I saw a guy on Samurai Jack with one too. They look cool, and IMO linked guns look less cool when they show up in movies and whatnot.

[Nikoli]

Snip