[X] My Assistant

[hobgoblin]

Frankly, I'd extend the same argument to cyber eyes and ears when there's perfectly good earbuds and contact lenses out there that do the same thing.

Because SR do not have rules for the latter two being lost?

[CanRay]

It does in Runner's Companion, under the Lifestyle rules.

[hobgoblin]

It does in Runner's Companion, under the Lifestyle rules.

What a odd place to have them.

After a quick glance over the chapter i can not find whatever it is your referring to...

also, lets be clear. I was talking about dropping or such the devices from taking a hard blow to the head or similar.

[CanRay]

Let's be clear, I wasn't. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/nyahnyah.gif)

Runner's Companion, Page 163, "Black Hole".

Also, reusing contact lenses are a great way to get an eye infection. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/devil.gif)

[Bull]

Besides, who needs rules for it?

Hell, I can't count the number of times Bull the Ork Decker had his big, expensive toys blown up, stolen, vandalized, or sabotaged... I had a tricked out custom GMC Bulldog that, after building the damn thing in Rigger Black Book (Which was a nightmare), I simply bought the exact same one over and over again after a dragon melted it, or Cockroach spirits trashed it, or I rolled it in a collision, or it got stripped and left on blocks, or...

And lets not talk about how often Bull lost his right arm. *grumble*

Also, at character generation, there's a limit to how much you can put into Goggles/Contacts/Etc, because everything you put in adds to the total availability. You can't completely trick out a pair of goggles, because tehy end up with an availability of around 20 or more, depending on the enhancements.

Cyber, on the other hand, is handled on a piece y piece basis... And with the exception of Retinal Duplication (for eyes) and Select Sound Filter 5 or 6 (For ears), all the mods fall within starting availability.

Plus, if you are operating something through a datajack and have teh wireless turned off, you can't be remotely hacked.

Bull

[hobgoblin]

Besides, who needs rules for it?

Because if there is not, people on this forum and elsewhere will argue that in SR said devices are stuck to the body using the strong nuclear force? (IMG:style_emoticons/default/silly.gif)

Basically it is the age old hazard of "railroading", the GM stripping someone of their gear by fiat.

[Bull]

I guess I've been lucky enough that I've always trusted my GMs enough to never worry about that, and the majority of my players have likewise trusted me when I GMed.

[redwulf25]

Plus, if you are operating something through a datajack and have teh wireless turned off, you can't be remotely hacked.

Just like if you have it skin linked?

[CanRay]

Damnit, I want to be in Bull's group. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/frown.gif)

[Bull]

Just like if you have it skin linked?

Yeah. But with a cord. And cords are cool (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif)

(Keep in mind, most of my comments are semi-in character, fro the perspective of an old, cranky Ork Decker)

But, lets put it this way. With very, VERY few exceptions, paper Checks are completely outdated. And yet, people still write checks at the store. I know, I always get stuck behind their slow asses. Why do people still use those? or have Land Line telephones? Or use Dial Up when there is broadband? Or heck, why drive a car 10 years old, when they have newer, nicer cars?

The fact is, WIreless is still a new(ish) technology. Not everyone has it, not everyone is comfortable with it. And some people have just still have datajacks and wires, and if they work, why replace them?

*shrug*

Bull

[CanRay]

Um, older cars are better. Not ten year old ones, but older than that. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/nyahnyah.gif)

Also, being a computer tech with networking knowledge, skinlink just makes my skin crawl (Pun intended.). Skinlink would work, at best, like a hub. If you have more than one or two items connected through it, you're looking at some rather bad "Datastorms".

There's a lot of good reasons to use shielded wired connections. And Datajacks just make sense as they're faster and more reliable than 'Trode Nets. What takes longer? Carefully putting on the 'Trodes, or just plugging in?

Also, the major advantage of cables (Especially shielded ones), is that they can be used as a lanyard. Very advantageous when you're dealing with a multi-(IMG:style_emoticons/default/nuyen.gif) piece of equipment.

[Megu]

Are trodes really that hard to put on? I'm currently playing a wolf (well, domestic dog, but wolf stats) shifter and kind of figured she could just nestle and fasten them with the thick fur in dog form/big 80s hair in human form and get em to stay put. Will that work?

[CanRay]

Having had electrodes put on IRL, they need to be placed VERY carefully and accurately. It's not a slap dash job at all. Once they're on, OK, no problem. But it's going to take a bit of time, and unless you have a good reason to be wearing them...

Nanopaste 'Trodes are a bit better, you can try and fob that off as club-going hair gel or colouring or some such, but that's wireless and we're back to problem A again. Also, they'd probably wash out, and still need to be very accurately placed.

[Xahn Borealis]

Also, datajacks can be anywhere on the body, and come with their own internal storage. IMO, worth the Essence hit for technomancers.

[Bira]

So, is the adventure any good?

[Megu]

Also, datajacks can be anywhere on the body, and come with their own internal storage. IMO, worth the Essence hit for technomancers.

Doesn't necessarily help shifters all that much, though.

And I'm with Bira. Is the run any good? What exactly is in it?

I'm curious because my GM is running a Minneapolis game, and Minneapolis, having a thriving entertainment industry, it might be something we could port to our sprawl.

[Ascalaphus]

A datachip costs 1 (IMG:style_emoticons/default/nuyen.gif) , and you could probably hide it under a fingernail or in your hair. Why take a jack?

[Xahn Borealis]

Because you have to have some other interface for that datachip, maybe not wireless, but still something that can be removed.

[CanRay]

So, is the adventure any good?

Well, no one has posted frothing at the mouth, screaming "CGL IS KILLING SHADOWRUN!!!", so signs point to yes.

*Looks at Magic 8-Ball and grins wickedly*

[Xahn Borealis]

Well, no one has posted frothing at the mouth, screaming "CGL IS KILLING SHADOWRUN!!!", so signs point to yes.

*Looks at Magic 8-Ball and grins wickedly*

One of these days, I'm gonna get a material link to that Magic 8-Ball... One of these days....

[Tycho]

Well, no one has posted frothing at the mouth, screaming "CGL IS KILLING SHADOWRUN!!!", so signs point to yes.

*Looks at Magic 8-Ball and grins wickedly*

Or nobody is bothering to buy any more crap from CGL? (IMG:style_emoticons/default/grinbig.gif)

cya
Tycho

[CanRay]

Or nobody is bothering to buy any more crap from CGL? (IMG:style_emoticons/default/grinbig.gif)

cya
Tycho

How will we know it's crap if we don't at least have someone check it out?

That way, we'll know when to start buying again. Because, you know, the alternative sucks badly.

Or an additional alternative is that the folks in charge of the DDH get chained to desks until the next one comes out.

[Headshot_Joe]

The fact is, WIreless is still a new(ish) technology. Not everyone has it, not everyone is comfortable with it. And some people have just still have datajacks and wires, and if they work, why replace them?

Right, and IIRC the 4th Ed Core book even gives examples of where this would be desirable. Dated technology is still prevalent in areas that aren't riding the waves of innovation. Some corps might used old-fashioned hard-wired closed networks for storage of sensitive, but not highly used, data, such as records of no-longer-relevant projects, failed research programs, ex-employee profiles, etc. I imagine that the barrens may actually have more wired connections than wireless, having most likely inherited all the obsolete technology thrown out with the development of wireless. Then throw in the likelihood of a security program or hacker even checking on a wired connection these days... I'm sure a great deal of them don't consider a hard-line hack as a possible security breach, and might over look such a connection as simply leading to another node. After all, people don't plug into the Matrix anymore, at least not in the literal sense.

[CanRay]

Another place that uses Wired Technology is MCT's Rose Garden. After all, if the inmates are able to hack wirelessly with just the power of their minds, how better to secure a network than with wired-only technology?

[hobgoblin]

I imagine that the barrens may actually have more wired connections than wireless, having most likely inherited all the obsolete technology thrown out with the development of wireless.

I suspect that the barrens are a mishmash of tech, some so old it may predate the first crash, some so new that is is not rated for human use yet (or ever will be, thanks to some flaw or other).

So your probably looking at everything from some old fiber (anything metal is likely sold for scrap already, unless defended by whoever has the most guns and thugs in the area) wrapped around a clothes wire (or masking as one), or a recently repossessed sat dish aimed either at the sky or down the road for a long distance linkup.