Recruitment/soundingboard: Cowboys and Indians, A matrix-only PCC Submersion task. Options

[Karoline]

Right, but it is still possible to be in multiple nodes, just like you can have multiple windows open on the internet at once. The problem with doing so is that it is hard to keep an eye on multiple 'windows' at once, and for a technomancer in particular, getting caught unaware in a node can be dangerous.

[Branmac]

Since I am still trying to get the hang of TM's and this is the first time on KarmaGen, I am going a bit slow but I am working on it. I am thinking elven techno-shaman, expert on conspiracy theories and info junky. Skills pointed towards getting in and out unseen and getting the info. A TM B&E guy so to speak. Any suggestions?

A couple of questions:
When paying for submersion can we assume we are (1) part of a group, and (20 using the various submersion tasks? If so do we round up or down?

While it hurts my spirit to make a character with physical stats of 1, is there any real reason to raise them for this particular game?

[Karoline]

Since I am still trying to get the hang of TM's and this is the first time on KarmaGen, I am going a bit slow but I am working on it. I am thinking elven techno-shaman, expert on conspiracy theories and info junky. Skills pointed towards getting in and out unseen and getting the info. A TM B&E guy so to speak. Any suggestions?

Good stealth program, good exploit program, and consider getting the mute option on your exploit (Takes an extra turn or something for an alarm to sound if you trip one while using the program). Other CFs to consider would be browse, edit, and analyze.

A couple of questions:
When paying for submersion can we assume we are (1) part of a group, and (20 using the various submersion tasks? If so do we round up or down?

My character was made using the assumption that we could, but no official word on that.

While it hurts my spirit to make a character with physical stats of 1, is there any real reason to raise them for this particular game?

Yeah, makes me sad too. At least you'll have a 2 in agility. He did mention something about there being a possibility of having to do stuff in the meat world. If someone got a few drones and has access to machine sprites, that could make working there easier.

[Branmac]

He did mention something about there being a possibility of having to do stuff in the meat world. If someone got a few drones and has access to machine sprites, that could make working there easier.

That was actually what I had in mind. A moderate Command CF, a few drones, and Machine sprites. I guess it depends on what he has in mind for us.

[Saint Sithney]

Good stealth program, good exploit program, and consider getting the mute option on your exploit (Takes an extra turn or something for an alarm to sound if you trip one while using the program). Other CFs to consider would be browse, edit, and analyze.

Don't forget Decrypt and Defuse. Grabbing data isn't of much use if you can't read it, or if, when you try, it blows up and kills you dead.

As to network submersion discounts, I leave that up to you. Just write it into your backstory. Doesn't even need to be this current Network. They could have been part of a different one and moved on or over to this one for whatever reason you choose.

And, on the side of physical stats, it makes plenty of sense for many of you to neglect your physical bodies. The Pueblo Corporate Council has always been friendly and helpful towards Technomancers. So your group would basically be funded by a research grant, taking care of all your physical needs. Though, UV hosts bend the laws of reality...

That was actually what I had in mind. A moderate Command CF, a few drones, and Machine sprites. I guess it depends on what he has in mind for us.

Don't bother with buying Drones. You won't be able to get them on-site. A Private Local Telecommunications Grid like the one you're in has Nodes and Nets which span the globe. You may start in a network with its Nodes in Tir Tairngire, hit a Server then hop it to another Network, and suddenly, you're in the Boston branch. That's not to say that the place you're hacking won't have Drones on site which you can requisition for needed tasks.

[Minchandre]

There's still room, right? I think I'll be rolling up a mundane hacker for this one (I still don't quite have the hang of technomancers). Probably I'll be combat focused, as it was pointed out that this is better.

For fluff purposes, are we allowed to be current corp employees? It seems as though that's feasible in this game.

EDIT: If I want to, say, play a pixie and need to buy off Uneducated, does that count against my Quality limit? Is there a Quality limit
EDIT2: Also, would you all Three-Dimensional Memory to apply to the Matrix?
EDIT3: Last question for now, because I'm going to sleep: would you be willing to permit starting with deltaware if the Restricted Gear Quality is taken?

[Karoline]

Thought there was some indication that we were somehow going to be funded by The Pueblo Corporate Council, so don't know how that'll interact with being a corp employee.

Buying off uneducated doesn't count towards the 35 BP limit on qualities. As for the other two, I'd think three-dimensional Memory would work on the matrix, but that's a GM call. The deltaware is fully a GM call.

[Saint Sithney]

Well, a Pixie would be a bit strange in the setting already. The Desert isn't exactly Pixie turf, so the PCC wouldn't have facilities for doing implants on wee folk. So, being a Pixie Hacker with the resources to get Delta implanted is a bit much. If the sleep issue is all that's of concern, just do what Little Billy Hacker does and dose up on Long Haul. You should be able to stay awake for 8 days on two doses, which ought to be plenty of time inside.

If you're dead set on the concept, I'd say just focus on the Adept side of things with a healthy dose of Viral Agent goodness. Nothing covers your ass in multiple nodes at once like playing Johnny Appleseed with Agents.

As to Three-Dimensional memory, well that's not really going to be very helpful in the Matrix. Everything is an artificial Metaphor, an illusion. There is no actual space so memorizing it won't really be useful. You perceive objects, and you experience interactions, but all that is actually happening is a transfer of 1s and 0s. The Matrix tells you you've walked up some stairs, cracked a safe and grabbed the info inside, but all that's happened is that you've searched for data, decrypted it and then copied it.

[Saint Sithney]

Oh, and good news everyone!

The esteemed Tymeaus Jalynsfein has signed on to play the role of your Real world contact, Tether.
So, as you dig into this system, you'll be able to contact him for advice or assistance while you work your way through the digital mazework. So, if you hit a dead end in your investigations or need a new Skillsoft chip to pilot an Antrhoform, he'll be there to help you out. He'll have a set of dice for various tasks and an operations budget to help with this and that.

[Minchandre]

I'm not dead-set on the pixie hacker, and most of the things you just said "No," to were more idle fancies. My current spec is Michel "Bloody Nose" Laennec, a Breton pixie who earned his sobriquet because of his predilection for using Black Hammer to kill and/or hurt people. He has, unsurprisingly, an enormous chip on his shoulder and people tend to be a little weirded out by his obvious glee at hurting people, but he's one of the best.

The focus will be, as recommended, combat and agent stuff, though it looks like I'll be able to max out all programs to 6. Are you still allowing Agent 5?

If you don't like the pixie, I'll just make him some meta. Hell, I could even try for my first ever technomancer - probably one focused on searching.

[Saint Sithney]

Yikes! I guess I could see that kind of character being a last resort cleaner type to try and turn aside an international incident by disguising it as a terrorist attack, but I really don't think that this is the type of operation looking to leave a trail of corpses... It's a mission of exploration first and foremost, and killing spiders is a quick way to get a system shut down. Seems like an odd fit to hire on a guy with a reputation as a psychopathic international terrorist to watch your back is all I'm saying..

[Minchandre]

Yikes! I guess I could see that kind of character being a last resort cleaner type to try and turn aside an international incident by disguising it as a terrorist attack, but I really don't think that this is the type of operation looking to leave a trail of corpses... It's a mission of exploration first and foremost. Seems like an odd fit to hire on a guy with a reputation as a psychopathic international terrorist to watch your back is all I'm saying..

Fine, I'll tone it down. I always thought Shadowrun was about playing sociopaths, but the last two such characters I tried were both vetoed! (IMG:style_emoticons/default/grinbig.gif)

Bloody Nose is still a combat expert, but he does it more for the thrill of the game, and takes perverse joy out of taking out IC and agents. His alias comes from a time that he buzzed an Aztechnology archive and got a bloody nose from the IC for his trouble.

[Saint Sithney]

I wouldn't normally object, but, you know, time and place.

How about as a compromise, I'll let you tack on a Psycotropic effect to one of your Biofeedback attacks. Seems pretty appropriate for a Pixie to hit a guy with something and send him into Simsense Vertigo or give him Incompetency: Cybercombat for [rating] hours. That way, you can still bloody a guy up, but he'll be out of the fight before loss of life becomes such a concern that the sysadmin has no choice but to cut feed to mitigate it.

Sound closer to your liking?

[Minchandre]

You know, I think I actually like the newer, fluffier Nosebleed better (Bloody Nose was getting annoying to type out every time). It also explains why he's along, if he specializes in icing IC, as that's a large part of the Task, isn't it?

[Saint Sithney]

IC can be relatively easy. Only one piece of IC can run on a single node at any time. But Spiders can come in packs if the call goes out. One of the many reasons to stay undetected for as long as possible and to pull your punches until you need some real force. If you can't be undetected, you want to at least be underestimated.

[The Limper]

Hi,

Iam working on my character, I got a copy of unwired (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif)

I have decided to make an AI, since it seems to be vacant.

I have a few questions about the Karma system:

Metasapients have a 110BP, which means 220 Karma correct?, Does this 220 count towards the 375 limit for attribute purchase? so effectively I have 155 Karma to purchase attributes?

When you say: "bonus Knowledge skill Karma = 12(Log + Int)" means if I have a Logic and Intuition of 5 each, 12 * (10) = 120 Karma to spend in bonus knowledge skils?

thanks

This post has been edited by The Limper: Jul 25 2010, 05:01 AM

[The Limper]

Also It will be an AI specialized in encryption/decryption, as the origin will be an application related to super secure communications. (though I might change my mind before we start, right now I am overloaded with info lol)

[Karoline]

Metasapients have a 110BP, which means 220 Karma correct?, Does this 220 count towards the 375 limit for attribute purchase? so effectively I have 155 Karma to purchase attributes?

No, goes the other way actually. You get to spend 375 + 2xrace BP cost. So you could (if you had the karma) spend 595 karma on stats.

[Saint Sithney]

No, goes the other way actually. You get to spend 375 + 2xrace BP cost. So you could (if you had the karma) spend 595 karma on stats.

Entirely this.

You won't even have enough Karma to reach your attribute limit.

However, you should really focus on using karma to increase your integral programs. That's where the juice is.

Damian Knight's more recent .xml character build spreadsheet has a fully realized A.I. build option, including increasing your integral program options. Do you have Runner's companion? If not, I can reproduce the full page and a half it has on A.I.s for you.

[The Limper]

Yes I have the runner companion, thanks for the clarification

[Minchandre]

I'll put my character up soon. He's been done for a day, I've just been too lazy to put him up.

[Branmac]

OK, here is what I came up with numbers wise. Background will be up momentarily.

[ Spoiler ]

Race: Elf 30
Technomancer 10

STATS 345
Body 1
Agility 2
Reaction 1
Strength 1
Charisma 6
Intuition 4
Logic 4/6
Willpower 4
Edge 1
Resonance 7/6

Initiative 5
IP 1
Essence 5.150

POSITIVE QUALITIES
Analytical Mind
Paragon (Alias)

NEGATIVE QUALITIES
Allergy, Common, Mild (pollution) -20
Sensitive System -30
Media Junky, Mild -10
Sinner PCC -10

ACTIVE SKILLS 150
Cracking Group 4
Electronics Group 4
Compiling 5
Registering 1
Etiquette 1

KNOWLEDGE/LANGUAGE 0 [95/96]

English N
Russian 3
Japanese 3
Sperethiel 3
Spanish 3
Hopi 3
Salish 3

Conspiracy Theories 4
Matrix Rumors 4
Data Havens 3
Radical Groups 2
Politics-Corp 2
Politics-UCAS 2
Computer Background 2
Matrix Theory 2
People Watching 1
Technomancer Theory 1

CONTACTS
Bozni Barbi Coslow, Blogger 2/2

RESONANCE 164

Complex Forms
Stealth 6
Spoof [mute] 5
Exploit [mute] 5
Decrypt 4
Defuse 4
Shielding 4
Analyze 4
Browse 4

Immersion
(1) group/reassembling - Overclocking
(2) group/source code - Swap
(3) group/reassembling - Swap
(4) group/resonance realm search - Info Sortilege
(5) group/reassembling - Sift

Technoshaman, P argon: Alias

Living Persona
Firewall 4
Responce 4(5)
Signal 3
System 6
Biofeedback Filter 6
VR Initiative 9
VR IP 4

GEAR 120000$ 48
PuSHeD 15000
Cerebral Booster 2 20000
Math SPU 4500
Trauma Damper 40000
Sony Emperor Comlink 600
Renraku Ichi OS 600
Satellite Link 500
AR Gloves 250
Glasses w/Image Link 50
Earbuds 10
Fake SIN rating 3 3000
Limbic Amplifiers 3 1500
Neocortical Amplifiers 3 1500
Fingernail Data Storage 200
Longhaul 5 doses 250
Low Lifestyle 1 month 2000
440$ remaining

[Saint Sithney]

You don't need to worry about the mute option on Spoof since it can't set off any alarms. A failed spoof is ignored.

Maybe if you crit glitch it (very unlikely,) it'll set off an alarm, but a failed Spoof attempt is just digital noise.

[The Limper]

Just a quick update, I think I have my attributes, qualities and skills set.

I still need to work on everything else (home node, programs, etc)

I am starting to agree with the complexity of the task, given the time I have to work on this character. lots and lots to (IMG:style_emoticons/default/read.gif)

[Saint Sithney]

I'm happy to help you along if you'd like to post a "work-in-progress" build. It's a whole lot to take in and then even more to figure out. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/twirl.gif)