[X] My Assistant

[Bigity]

That's great, but I don't really see a point if you're making one.

As for Team Pool, whose nutty idea was that? I don't recall it from any books, and I don't see the appeal, except maybe to siphon off human karma pool to aid nonhumans who received karma pool at a much slower rate.

I want to say it was in one of the players expansion kind of books. I also want to say it was in 2nd edition initially.

[Tymeaus Jalynsfe...]

As always, Tymeaus, how much Edge you personally use doesn't really bear on this. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif) The fact is that Edge is an anti-luck resource under conscious control—that's what 'crutch' means here. It requires major investment, but it also pays off a lot as you go up. So… what exactly are you arguing? You're the one who suggested Edge as the appropriate fix for Hit Cap problems.

Never said it was an appropriate fix. I said it was an option to bypass the Hit Caps... IF, when using this system, you have issues with the Hit Caps, then you can use Edge to bypass them. Sheesh... (IMG:style_emoticons/default/nyahnyah.gif) The point about my characters' Edge is still a valid one. They do not need it the majority of the times because they are competant without it. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif)

I do agree that it can pay of in spades, but the cost is exorbitant, and not generally worth it if you design your character so that it is unnecessary. Yes, the higher it gets, the better it gets. I also did not argue that either. I said it is not worth the expense.

[Irion]

Well, I guess it is common knowledge that edge is the one attribute, which pays up double for increasing it.
The numbre of instances you may use it and the effect if you use it.
Edge 1: Is usable to reroll if you would bite the bullet.
Edge 3: Might be used for edge dices.
Edge 8: Well, if the run is short you won't roll without it.

Well, spirits get payed back in three ways.

[PoliteMan]

Finally got my hands on a copy of WAR! and it has some (gasp!) cool implications for R7+ programming.

P. 144 mentions that R7+ programs automatically degrade at a rate of 1 point every 2 months and you can't patch these programs. For hackers, this produces a constant SOTA race which is, honestly, pretty cool. If you want that R10 program to stay R10 you need to reprogram the whole thing from scratch every two months.

So the first two months you're coding Stealth, then you need two weeks to code the Optimization. After that you start coding Exploit for 2 months and then two more weeks to code the optimization. So now, after 5 months (sessions) you've got an R9 Stealth Program that's will degrade to R8 next session and an R10 Exploit that's trending downwards. You could repair the R10 Stealth but by that point you're Exploit will have degraded to R9 and you'll be in the same place you were two months ago, just switch Stealth and Exploit. However, it could be valuable to code up an R10 Analyze program with Optimization. At the end of that you have a R8 Stealth, an R9 Exploit, and a R10 Analyze. of course, the Stealth has degraded pretty far at this point, so more tough choices.

Not the way I'd want it but interesting and really it captures the ever expanding SOTA curve of software.

Unfortunately (haha), I was only able to read so much of WAR! and I didn't see any RAW (besides your GM's fist) to prevent your from pirating R10 programs. And the costs would be dirt cheap for what they do.

[Irion]

P. 144 mentions that R7+ programs automatically degrade at a rate of 1 point every 2 months and you can't patch these programs. For hackers, this produces a constant SOTA race which is, honestly, pretty cool. If you want that R10 program to stay R10 you need to reprogram the whole thing from scratch every two months.

Finally a very good rule.

[Fortinbras]

P. 144 mentions that R7+ programs automatically degrade at a rate of 1 point every 2 months and you can't patch these programs. For hackers, this produces a constant SOTA race which is, honestly, pretty cool. If you want that R10 program to stay R10 you need to reprogram the whole thing from scratch every two months.

Best rule ever! I've had WAR! for months and can't believe I glossed over this. It also includes the caveat that Agents can't get above 6 and Autosofts can't get above 4. For all the heat WAR! got, I commend this.

Unfortunately (haha), I was only able to read so much of WAR! and I didn't see any RAW (besides your GM's fist) to prevent your from pirating R10 programs. And the costs would be dirt cheap for what they do.

I've been waiting for an opportunity to bring the Grid Overwatch Division down on my players. Any of them trying to pirate MilSpec software would be a GMs delight.

[PoliteMan]

Let's crunch some numbers on this, using two examples: a fairly normal hacker and a optimized hacker. Our normal hack has a Logic of 6, Skill of 4, Programming Suite, PuSHeD and either has a nexus or is buying time for a total dice pool of 16. Our optimized Hacker has Logic 8, +6 form logic-linked boosts, Skill 6 with Specialization, a Programming Suite, a is using a nexus for a dice pool 27.

Our normal hacker can pretty consistently get 5 successes, meaning he can usually code a R10 program (let's say Stealth) in two months (4 tests, 5 successes each, 2 week intervals). Remember, he has to code the Optimization option himself as well. Let's presume he has an R6 commlink, meaning he only need Optimization 4. That means another 2 weeks of coding. The effect is that our normal hacker, working regularly, can keep 1 program running at R10 with occasional problems. The time to code optimization means the program will occasionally dip down to R9 and his dice pool is small enough that bad luck might cost him a couple weeks. That sounds just right, he's got one special bit of code that he works very hard to keep up and it's not always 100% but it's a major bonus to his work.

Our optimized hacker is getting (safely) 8 successes a roll. The end result is that he shaves 2 weeks off the coding time, meaning the program and the optimization take exactly two months. Our optimized hack can either keep one program at R10 permanently (even given bad rolls) or he can keep one R10 program and one R9 program, switching between them. That also seems right, another R10 program is a significant boost but this character has sunk a lot of resources into his hacking abilities. Of course, if the hacker starts dropping edge to speed it up he can reduce the time in half, which would probably allow him to have 3-4 R10 programs but then he needs to drop edge before every game. Still a major advantage for the hacker but now he's dropping even more resources into his skill area.

Even an incredibly optimized hacker (Feng-Shui apartment, Adept, etc) dropping edge regularly is going to have problems keeping more than 5-6 R10 programs up.

Gotta say, that all seems pretty good. Huh, go WAR!

[Tymeaus Jalynsfe...]

Indeed... Which is why you really only need 2-3 of thoseprograms at Rating 10.

Exploit...
Stealth...
Encrypt...

Anything else is just a luxury... (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif)