[X] My Assistant

[CanRay]

Visible is such an optional phrase with cybernetics... (IMG:style_emoticons/default/nyahnyah.gif)

[hobgoblin]

I seem to recall a sniper scope that used laser to calculate compensation for wind.

[KarmaInferno]

In a world with Smartlinks, there is little actual use for either red dot sights or laser sights.

All three put a dot, from the user's point of view, onto the target.

Only the Smartlink can inherently use this information in a networked data-rich manner, whereas the other two are... dots. That's it.




-k

[CanRay]

On the flipside, Smartguns can now be hacked. Before, they were major cybernetic implants (Or goofy-looking goggles connected by a cable.).

My Accountant From Hell refuses to use them due to this liability.

[Yerameyahu]

It's pretty trivial to hackproof them, your characters' little eccentricities aside. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif) If you don't want the tacnet/etc. features, it's even more secure.

[CanRay]

True, but it's a nice touch to the character. And he's more than a little eccentric. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/nyahnyah.gif)

Trivial? Maybe. Good if you're a Hacker, have a Hacker in your crew, or one as a Contact. Otherwise, not so much. Hard to keep up to date if you don't have the skills and interests to keep them up-to-date, unless, of course you're trusting legit programs. (Poor fools!). Skinlink (Ick!) and Datacable (Also in this book, thank you!!!) are good alternatives.

[Yerameyahu]

Skinlink is a given, but of course fiber cables have been always been available in the core book (though not priced: it's 5¥/m in Unwired). But how could you ever have a team without a hacker?

Anyway… the point is that no character should have to avoid smartlink for practical reasons. Worst case, you run it as a direct, closed loop from gun to eyes/trodes. I guess you could avoid it because you're a luddite, though, or suffer simsense vertigo or something.

[CanRay]

The information on Smartgun Links and Datacables are in Gun Heaven.

He had a Smartgun hacked when the first wireless ones came out, and it was the first time he tried using one. He's had an aversion to them ever since, and is a very stubborn man in a lot of ways. (To be fair, that's how a wageslave of an accountant like him lived through an assassination attempt.).

[Yerameyahu]

I understand that this book has something about smartguns and datacables. I'm saying that SR4 has *always* had the option of fiber links for *all* electronics, so unless these datacables are something different, they're not new.

[CanRay]

So we're arguing about agreeing. Gotcha. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/nyahnyah.gif)

[hermit]

On the flipside, Smartguns can now be hacked.

Just as any cyberware if you're extremly stupid and actually allow wireless on it (even if you feel that having your gun jerk through the room by propelling it with recoil due to you firing it remotely, route that through your - decently secured commlink). I never understood where the advantages of wireless items in a PAN are. All the PAN needs is one bottleneck that does the communicating for them. Which, btw, rules out the renraku type 78b, nominee for 'crappiest gun accessoire ever'.

What? Yes it does.

They come with a laser range finder for reason. Thats because it works exactly like a laser sight, but also has a camera.

A laser rangefinder in *some* spectrum, yes, but not in one where you have totake into account that it's supposed to actually be visible. Far IR would suffice there.

I understand that this book has something about smartguns and datacables. I'm saying that SR4 has *always* had the option of fiber links for *all* electronics, so unless these datacables are something different, they're not new.

Well, the text says:

SMARTLINK FIBER OPTIC CABLE
50 nuyen
This dedicated fiber-optic cable was regularly used by smartlink systems during the 2050s and ‘60s. While not frequently seen with the current level of wireless connectivity, they can be readily found by those who have a need for such equipment.

So it basically is a dedicated smartlink cable that, for being dedicated, costs ten times what an ordinary smartlink cable should cost (it's possibly the brand name Smartlink, which should be copyrighted to Ares, going by SR1 fluff).

[Bull]

I can buy "loose" Cat5 Cable by the foot for a lot cheaper than I can buy a LAN Cable, which is the same damn thing but has the connectors on each end.

That, and being marketed as a "dedicated Smartlink Fiber Optic Cable" are the only explanations I have though. *shrug* Then again, I personally think much of Unwired is kinda, well, crap, and not well thought out in places. *shrug* Of course, I have severe issues with hackers, the way wireless is set up, and that whole thing anyway.

Bull

[hermit]

I can buy "loose" Cat5 Cable by the foot for a lot cheaper than I can buy a LAN Cable, which is the same damn thing but has the connectors on each end.

That, and being marketed as a "dedicated Smartlink Fiber Optic Cable" are the only explanations I have though. *shrug* Then again, I personally think much of Unwired is kinda, well, crap, and not well thought out in places. *shrug* Of course, I have severe issues with hackers, the way wireless is set up, and that whole thing anyway.

I agree with everything here. Especially the part with how wireless is set up.

[Sengir]

So it basically is a dedicated smartlink cable that, for being dedicated, costs ten times what an ordinary smartlink cable should cost (it's possibly the brand name Smartlink, which should be copyrighted to Ares, going by SR1 fluff).

As written it does not make much sense, but it could easily be explained as the "dedicated" cable being tougher than a standard FO cable, with dust-proof plugs and capable of being used as a lanyard.

RE Tungsten rounds for small arms, the US Army actually did develop both 7.62 and 5.56 mm rounds with a Tungsten Carbide core...although apparently these rounds don't see much use, or have been decommissioned altogether.

[hobgoblin]

I find myself wondering if someone misunderstood the rules regarding the "additional clip" modification...

[Hagga]

I would kill for some additional laser weapons.

[CanRay]

RE Tungsten rounds for small arms, the US Army actually did develop both 7.62 and 5.56 mm rounds with a Tungsten Carbide core...although apparently these rounds don't see much use, or have been decommissioned altogether.

Probably because there isn't much in the way of OpForces that the US Army faces that use body armor. Or even really decent armoured vehicles.

From my understanding at least. Again, never been to the sandbox, someone confirm or deny, or cannot confirm or deny and state so?

I would kill for some additional laser weapons.

Ares is killing many test subjects in Africa to bring you just such items! But before they're ready to be put to market, we must ensure that they are of the highest quality and safety for the user, as to be expected from something marked with the Ares Arms logo!

Ares Arms: Because your life is worth the protection we can provide through our products!

[Cheops]

Trivial? Maybe. Good if you're a Hacker, have a Hacker in your crew, or one as a Contact.

Trivial. According to Unhinged you just need an agent and encrypt. Then have it run for several days ahead of time and hard encrypt your PAN. Now each extended test has a time of 1 day. Good luck hacking that in combat.

[sabs]

You cannot hard encrypt communication channels.

It's not possible.

[Cheops]

Noted. Thank you.

[sabs]

You can hard encrypt files, and file systems. Which is a bitch, and I don't understand why everyone wouldn't be doing it (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif)

Really, all secured commlinks and nexii should have hard-encrypted file systems. But that stuff.. shouldn't work that way.

Hard Encryption should only slow you down if you're trying to access the files 'offline'

If you're IN the Commlink, and have a seemingly legit account, then the system should auto-decrypt it for you. Because noone is going to require you to enter a passphrase everytime your OS tries to edit a system log. That's just not viable.

I would argue that Strong Encryption is really for specific files, that have been individually encrypted to be even more obnoxious. (like Password protected files)

[CanRay]

OK, back to the Gun Nuttery, as we're in a topic that I'm fully entrenched in (Even if everyone wants me to shut up. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/nyahnyah.gif) ).

What new or vintage firearm has you drooling over?

For some reason, the Ares Canadian Sportster Rifle seems to speak to me. I'm thinking I'll get it for Pup the Dog Shaman for his Devil Rat/Demon Rat and Cat Hunting expeditions to get meat for his cooking experiments.

And, of course, I now have stats for a Colt M1911A1. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif) (OK, it's the M1991, but it's not like there's much difference in stats!). I think China will finally have stopped knocking off the Browning M1900 and started knocking off these by the 2050s at least. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/nyahnyah.gif)

[hermit]

What new or vintage firearm has you drooling over?

Not drooling, but the G36 is a nice touch for an aging merc of mine, and my vigilante/militiaman will love all the old-fashioned all-american guns.

(OK, it's the M1991, but it's not like there's much difference in stats!). I think China will finally have stopped knocking off the Browning M1900 and started knocking off these by the 2050s at least.

Seriously? Those guns from China (excuse me, the 'former Chinese communist regime') look more like they'Re ripping off Manga these days. No offense to the artist, it's technically sound and all, but ... maybe guns ought to look a tad more ergonomic?

Also, there actually are more sensible Chinese weapons from older fluff. Like the Tan Tien Louh Fu (stats like Samopal vz/88V) and Tan Tien Paau (stats like Ares Predator I) from Predator&Prey.

[EKBT81]

And, of course, I now have stats for a Colt M1911A1. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif) (OK, it's the M1991, but it's not like there's much difference in stats!). I think China will finally have stopped knocking off the Browning M1900 and started knocking off these by the 2050s at least. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/nyahnyah.gif)

IIRC Norinco has been producing 1911s since the 80s. Pretty much exact copies of the Colt M1911A1, from what I've read.

[Faelan]

OK, back to the Gun Nuttery, as we're in a topic that I'm fully entrenched in (Even if everyone wants me to shut up. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/nyahnyah.gif) ).

What new or vintage firearm has you drooling over?

For some reason, the Ares Canadian Sportster Rifle seems to speak to me. I'm thinking I'll get it for Pup the Dog Shaman for his Devil Rat/Demon Rat and Cat Hunting expeditions to get meat for his cooking experiments.

And, of course, I now have stats for a Colt M1911A1. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif) (OK, it's the M1991, but it's not like there's much difference in stats!). I think China will finally have stopped knocking off the Browning M1900 and started knocking off these by the 2050s at least. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/nyahnyah.gif)

Well the M1991 using a .45 ACP in a 5" barrel is highly important to me for a couple of reasons. It is a solid round size through which other pistols built on the M1911 frame can be extrapolated and the damage of 5P and AP -1 provides me with a basis for further vintage handguns or rather updates for 2070's use. For instance now I know that a hi cap version of a 1911 frame firing a .460 Rowland (Case length is longer so you don't accidentally load it in a regular .45 ACP handgun since it might send the slide flying directly at your face at high velocity. The width or standard measure for caliber actually remains the same), would reasonably and accurately do damage of 6P and AP -1 or somewhere in that range. Essentially the power of a .44 magnum revolver round fired from a M1911 gun frame, simply awesome. Combined with a 14 round magazine and we are one happy gunslinger.