Still confused about the matrix, processor limits, IC, and programs oh my! Options

[Ghost_in_the_Sys...]

Gridguide doesn't drive. Gridguide gives bonuses to the driver. That driver can be the pilot program but it can also be a character. Pg102 Arsenal.

While I'm not aware of anywhere where being on gridguide is mandatory, it wouldn't surprise me one bit if such an area existed. I can easily see (as an example) Manhattan require Gridguide for all traffic. (I can think of any number of reasons why it would and none why it wouldn't.)

Which is bound to have no end of exceptions to it (government vehicles for example), and could easily be tricked by the use of that second commlink I suggested. You have it hooked up to gridguide, so you meet the requirement, but you don't actually need to use it.

[Yerameyahu]

That appears to be a 'GM discretion' optional effect, but okay. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif) I always had the impression it was autodrive: "Tuesday hopped into the driver’s seat again, cutting the GridGuide controls and driving manually." SR4A p39

If GridGuide is just OnStar, then we don't really care at all. Hacking it wouldn't matter. I can see how isolating GridGuide data from the VR driving node could be tricky, but I don't think it's impossible. The easiest thing would be to lie and screw GridGuide.

As for the rest… so? There are literally infinite options for the aggressor. *shrug*

[Ghost_in_the_Sys...]

GridGuide is like a GPS mixed with live (mm accurate) traffic and other things such as the condition of lights and so on, what makes it special in SR is that it can interact directly with the pilot. Thus if you are running the vehicle on pilot and using GridGuide so it knows where it is going, the GridGuide could be hacked to tell the car it needs to go another direction, or that a stop sign isn't there, or that a stop light is green instead of red, or that there is a turn where that building is, or that there aren't any cars on the road and the speed limit is 200 and various other things that could cause the limited AI of a pilot to crash the vehicle. Even people could react instinctively to the ultra-precise directions of GridGuide and turn when they shouldn't before they notice that anything is amiss.

So no, hacking GridGuide doesn't give direct control over the car, but can potentially give you significant control over it.

[Yerameyahu]

Not with a driver. And I don't think that's what suoq meant. I think he meant you had to have wireless active to use it, that's all. I still say a creative security professional could either get no-GridGuide clearance, or fool it.

[Ghost_in_the_Sys...]

It could likely fool to some extent an unskilled/distracted driver, but it works best on the pilot for that. And like I said, that is why you have a second commlink that has wireless access, but doesn't have any access to the vehicle itself. Thus you run gridguide on the dummy commlink to fool any kind of law, but don't actually pay any attention to it. Also, I agree that it is quite likely an armored limo would likely be able to get no gridguide clearance for zones that require it.

[Yerameyahu]

You'd also need sensor feeds, etc. But that's just details.

[Ghost_in_the_Sys...]

Does GridGuide require sensor feeds? I mean, I know it does to give you AR overlays and such, but I wouldn't figure it would need them just to access the service (What if you like retro/antique cars?).

[Yerameyahu]

It does. If your car is old, it must be upgraded. No doubt anyone could use the GPS and traffic data, but we're discussing areas that require GridGuide for tracking/safety reasons. You'd need to send the data, or in some way pretend.

[sabs]

Neo-Tokyo requires all cars to be on gridguide, because they do super-controlled traffic patterns.
My understanding is that gridguide controls the flow of cars (so they don't need traffic lights)

[Ascalaphus]

GridGuide uses algorithms based on fish schools and bird flocks to try to coordinate overall traffic so everyone gets to their destination as fast as possible. So it requires people to inform GridGuide of their destination, in order to optimize traffic routing.

Since there actually exist spoof chips for GridGuide, I think it's pretty close to being mandatory. Not using GridGuide will draw police attention, I think - it's considered unsafe and antisocial, because you're inhibiting the optimization of everyone else's driving patterns.

As for driving in VR: in VR the thresholds for driving tests are reduced by 1 - a pretty sweet bonus.

---

Of course, this is MCT. I'm sure their armored limos will have spoof chips; they'll deny it publicly, but they'll use them if necessary. They can afford to pay the fine for a traffic violation.

[suoq]

I still say a creative security professional could either get no-GridGuide clearance, or fool it.

And I'll agree with that.

If you're getting the no-grid clearance. no issues.

If you're fooling the GridGuide every time you take out the limo you've added a hassle factor (If you're not successful, the limo passengers are not going to be happy) and either an additional employee per run (the security professional) or a very talented multi-skilled driver played by Jason Statham.

When the state monitors people, an expensive vehicle that is taking steps to avoid being monitored is going to attract attention. Yes, you can run the vehicle on a second wireless system, send false data feeds, but at some point, one of these things is not like the others. Ignoring rules and going for logic for the sake of an example, you could even set up an entire second sensor array for the gridguide node to help avoid detection but at some point it becomes clear that this is getting expensive and complicated for very little benefit.

[Yerameyahu]

Actually, that's exactly one of your options. You're already building an armored limo, so money isn't the issue. An extra node with the basic GG sensors is very cheap. Not dirt cheap, but hardly mucho.

[James McMurray]

VR is being used for the -1 threshold.

Wireless is enabled for a couple of reasons. One, it's the law in many neighborhoods they'll drive through, and turning it on or off all the time is a pain (plus you're screwed if you forget to turn it back on). Two, the hacker/rigger just joined the game and I want to give him options. He'll probably spend the whole chase driving, but getting into the car will most easily be done by hacking (no external handles/locks, though there are hidden maglocked safety catches if they want to go the manual route).

[Ghost_in_the_Sys...]

Well, problem one is solved by the second commlink, but I understand if you want it to be at least somewhat vulnerable for the sake of the player being able to get into it more easily.

[James McMurray]

I assume it's a lot easier to just have your car connected to GridGuide then try to convince GridGuide that your commlink is a car. But honestly, this is a Mitsuhama vehicle. They're the GridGuide company. If I wanted one of their cars to be off it undetectably I'd just use some handwavium and make it happen.

[sabs]

They have ways of being 'on grid guide' without being 'on grid guide' they use backdoor codes that let them have all the benefits of gridguide, without any of the messy logging of where I am going™.

[suoq]

Actually, that's exactly one of your options.

A second sensor array? Sensor arrays and drones make this confusing with things like the improved sensor array that's required to increase the number of sensors you can mount on a drone to another arbitrary limit with no explanation behind the limit. I can't figure out how, within the rules, a second sensor array attached to a second node is an option. Within logic, yes, but the drone sensor rules found logic in a back alley and beat him senseless.

You're already building an armored limo, so money isn't the issue.

The total investment should always be an issue. The more that car costs, the more one has to charge for an equal return on the investment.

For my clarity, who owns the car and is this a custom car they they've modified or is this the standard version of that car from the manufacturer?

[sabs]

Well, in real life, Limousines are all custom. So I think an Armored Limo would be custom as well.

[Yerameyahu]

Duct tape.

[capt.pantsless]

Man, with all the discussion going about this thing, I hope this limo is going to be an AWESOME part of the plot.

Designing security systems in the fictional future is always hard because we're left to make significant guesses as to just how secure something should be, and just what that entails.

If I were you, I'd just design a single-node limo, connect it to grid-guide, but have the driver override and disconnect and drive manually if there's any hacking attempts. That allows the PC's to have plenty of options, and you don't have to get into a bunch of arguments over what would or wouldn't be an option.

[CanRay]

Well, in real life, Limousines are all custom. So I think an Armored Limo would be custom as well.

Hillbilly Armour Ala Early Afghanistan? (IMG:style_emoticons/default/nyahnyah.gif)

[James McMurray]

Man, with all the discussion going about this thing, I hope this limo is going to be an AWESOME part of the plot.

Nope. It's just another piece of equipment in a scene that might not even happen? At least in game. Out of game it's a way for me to exercise my minor skills at matrix security. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif)

If I were you, I'd just design a single-node limo, connect it to grid-guide, but have the driver override and disconnect and drive manually if there's any hacking attempts. That allows the PC's to have plenty of options, and you don't have to get into a bunch of arguments over what would or wouldn't be an option.

That's basically what I did except that the driver is driving via VR because that's the kinda guy he is. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif)