Sentries w/ Biomonitors Options

[Red]

As a player, I find biomonitors to be interesting devices. I like the idea of joining them to auto-injectors to administer stimulants, or trauma drugs (like the patches, but in liquid form) when a runner gets flat lined someplace where it is difficult or impossible for teammates to reach them. I've even considered using a biomonitor + autoinjector as a way to automatically administer an antidote when exposed to a severe allergy. I could see this as an auto epi-pen for somebody who is deathly allergic to peanuts for example.

But I've never played in a game where a GM rigorously used biomonitors with sentries, nor been forced to comprehensively analyze how runners would go about detecting and bypassing them. (I don't know why. It just always happens that way.) So in light of my limited experience, I wondered how others have seen biomonitors deployed among guards, or VIPs? How do security forces try to conceal, and protect those monitors since they can be potentially hacked? How do runners go about detecting who has them, and then bypass that layer of the alarm-onion?

I curious to see how other people have run them in actual gameplay. Is it an obstacle best used in moderation? Does it cause the game to slow down too much?

[CanRay]

I've used the Biomoniors in a 2070-era game with Lone Star officers having them that hook up directly to their LS-Modified Ford AmeriCar's computer. This became a challenge because the Hacker in the group was in the back seat, using a laser eye to cut a hole between the compartments and having a knock-off walker drone plug him into the system, as a "Back Door" of sorts to Lone Star's Network.

He barely got what he wanted to transfer into the system before the group's "distraction" killed one of the officers. Literally, "Transfer Comp..." *DUMPSHOCK*

The group didn't figure out how to "get around it" so much as "distract the officers" while other things were going on. The bad news was, they hired Halloweeners to do the distracting, which they did by lighting the officers (and their car, I might add) on fire. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/nyahnyah.gif)

[Yerameyahu]

Theoretically, linked biomonitors would be ubiquitous. Many things should be, in 2070 (RFIDs, surveillance, etc.). However, keeping track of these things and playing criminals in such a setting is honestly a huge pain. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif) So most people don't bother.

[Tiralee]

For high-end installations, wearable biomonitors are expected - they're cheap as hell in comparison to loss of product/prototype/paydata and it's a great way to alert the entire complex that something's wrong.
"Whup! Steve and Roger have flatlined! Lockdown the vault, prep an extraction patrol and get the armoured backup here!" - that's about 4 combat rounds, max, before the place goes on lockdown if your ganger-archtypes get triggerhappy in a zero/zero area. Most player teams haven't started apportioning blame in 4 combat rounds, let alone gotten clear and into the getaway vehicle.

All this for ~ (IMG:style_emoticons/default/nuyen.gif) 5k biomonitor when you've spent millions landscupting ("defensive landscaping, with the fortification hidden by attractive features"), setting up wards with elementals, etc? No brainer.

Andif the guards are cybered the players can expect at least one to be biomonitored, possibly with a GPS/screamer setup so that programming a few roomba to carry an unconcious guard captain's body about on his "rounds" is an amusing, but sensible precaution. Or some bonus karma if you secure the tranked guards in the toilet so that their supervisor, pissed at having to chew out Todd for sleeping in the john again, walks right past their break-in attempt because he's in a mood to fire an ass....

Paranormal animals and cyberhounds are excellent candidates for Biomonitors as well - Fluffy and Chuckles might possibly go to sleep at the same time, but if you've just given them a "tickle" with the shock collar and their readings remain the same, it's time to trip the silent alarm and buckle on the armour.

GM's don't use them enough and players don't think hard enough to overcome them as hazards, though.(IMG:style_emoticons/default/frown.gif)

-Tir

[Yerameyahu]

The usual way to deal with them is 'all runs now require an even better hacker'.

[3278]

Theoretically, linked biomonitors would be ubiquitous. Many things should be, in 2070 (RFIDs, surveillance, etc.). However, keeping track of these things and playing criminals in such a setting is honestly a huge pain. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif) So most people don't bother.

+1000. There are so many parts of this game - RFIDs, sensors, biomonitors, most everything security-oriented - that, if taken to their logical conclusions, make crime almost completely impossible in the types and scales that shadowrun intends to portray. This was bad before SR4, but in SR4 it's been taken to a magical new level of hilarity. We just handwave 99 percent of it and get to the meat of the game, but I'd love to see someone sometime actually run SR4 with the taps opened all the way.

[CanRay]

The usual way to deal with them is 'all runs now require an even better hacker'.

"Damnit, Hardison! Hack faster!!!"

[Tiralee]

Holy godknobbling coincidences CanRay - have you been hacking into our Skype games?!

"Dammit, HACK FASTER" was basically the theme of one of our recent ones (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif)

-Tir

[CanRay]

Holy godknobbling coincidences CanRay - have you been hacking into our Skype games?!

"Dammit, HACK FASTER" was basically the theme of one of our recent ones (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif)

-Tir

If I was, I'd be joining in and finally GAMING.

[Tiralee]

The usual way to deal with them is 'all runs now require an even better hacker'.

Yup - that's our approach as well:)

-Tir

CanRay - we're Australian, but happy to try and get a game going with our northern commonwealth cousins:) (Play by mail, if skype's not going to work, if you wish?)

[NiL_FisK_Urd]

My group is mostly going against organized crime, gangs and guerila fighters, so there is not that much need for a hacker - but all CorpSec, SWAT, MilSpec and similar forces are equipped with biomonitors, but i try to keep the matrix security according to fluff -> DR4 for security, DR5 for MilSpec, DR6+ for really high end stuff (cyborgs, fighter jets, national banks, etc.).

[Irion]

Theoretically, linked biomonitors would be ubiquitous. Many things should be, in 2070 (RFIDs, surveillance, etc.). However, keeping track of these things and playing criminals in such a setting is honestly a huge pain. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif) So most people don't bother.

This has to be quoted for truth.

[bobbaganoosh]

Most recently, the group I'm with was tasked with sneaking our illegal gear into Denver. We first left it in the plane in the hangar, where the GM assured us it wouldn't be found and confiscated. We scoped out the security at the airport, and decided sneak the gear out in a garbage truck. We had to hack into the security systems to make the MAD scanners not detect the guns and armor, though. Also, said systems had to be hacked via fiberoptic cable, and the guards in the room had biomonitors, which meant that the hacker had to hack their commlinks and make the biomonitors send out false data. So, yeah, "we need an even better hacker now."

[kzt]

Bribes are cheaper and quicker.

[bobbaganoosh]

Bribes are cheaper and quicker.

Paid guards can squeal. Unconscious guards can't.

[Irion]

Unconxious guards are missing or lay on the ground. Bribed guards do not count their money in public.


Actually this is one of the few things, making Shadorun playable. Guards looking the other way for a little fee, if it is not about the stuff they are actually guarding.

[The Jake]

This all reminds me of Arkham Asylum and Arkham City where certain goons have biomonitors hooked up and come running to each other's aid when one them gets taken out by Batman...

- J.

[Brainpiercing7.6...]

I have to agree that basically every security guard in anything except the worst environments or working for the crappies companies should be wearing a biomonitor. Cops definitely.

So yeah, you really do need a better hacker.

Bribing is seriously under-used in our games, unfortunately. Part of that may be due to being - as players - not corrupt enough to know how to even approach a guy to bribe him. I mean, if it goes wrong, it can blow up in your face. Sort of worse hacking the guy's commlink and then knocking him out, because that only happens when the stops have been pulled, anyway. Yeah, we also generally don't go in undercover, cold or light.

[Irion]

@Brainpiercing7.62mm
I guess this has also a lot to do on what kind of players you have.
Some players only feel secure in what the rules give them, others have this more dominant approach of "my solution works". And if your GM is not a dick, it will mostly work. (Simple: If you sell something good most GMs won't find a reason why it should not work in under half a minute. Unless you are proposing bullshit)

And sometimes the GM expects you to be a bit more balled in this situation than you act. (So the solution seeming hazardous to you is the one the GM anticipated)

[Brainpiercing7.6...]

@Brainpiercing7.62mm
I guess this has also a lot to do on what kind of players you have.
Some players only feel secure in what the rules give them, others have this more dominant approach of "my solution works". And if your GM is not a dick, it will mostly work. (Simple: If you sell something good most GMs won't find a reason why it should not work in under half a minute. Unless you are proposing bullshit)

And sometimes the GM expects you to be a bit more balled in this situation than you act. (So the solution seeming hazardous to you is the one the GM anticipated)

Tell me about it. I AM the GM. I've had runs go from really easy to REALLY hard because the PCs gave the bad guys tons of time to prepare, lay low and get ready, which would all have not been there had they just waltzed in there without prep. The trouble was, the PCs didn't use the time for prepping themselves, but they just hesitated, wasted time doing other stuff (sometimes healing), or got useless intel that they really wouldn't have needed, because it became useless by the time they got it.

That being said, this is a fine line to walk. You don't KNOW as a player what your GM will do. Sometimes you may want to charge through a run, sometimes you may want to take it slow. Both can be right or wrong.

[Irion]

It is quite hard to see the players perspective all the time. You see one clear road but the players see quicksand ah, well and monsters..

[CanRay]

This all reminds me of Arkham Asylum and Arkham City where certain goons have biomonitors hooked up and come running to each other's aid when one them gets taken out by Batman...

- J.

I hate those guys. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/nyahnyah.gif)

[Yerameyahu]

Too right, Irion. Damned players, ruining everything. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif)

[thorya]

It is quite hard to see the players perspective all the time. You see one clear road but the players see quicksand ah, well and monsters..

Yeah. I've had players tell me, "Well I thought of doing X instead, but I figured it was too easy and you had something evil planned." and "You smiled when I suggested we do it that way, you don't smile unless it's a bad idea." Which isn't true, frequently they think of way worse things for me to do to them than I ever do. It is fun to just smile randomly and have them start looking for traps or flipping their shit.

[Darquewing]

"Damnit, Hardison! Hack faster!!!"

Eerily enough, Hardison was a computer/electronics engineer that I worked with at my last job. Due to the general lack of respect shown to him, the phrase "Damn it, Hardison!" was pretty common.

Two birds CanRay.... Good shot.

@thorya

You must be consistent (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif) Your players should always be thinking you are about to throw them to the wolves, and they better come up with something good if they want to live.Of course my games are tending to make you feel like you are running down the side of a cliff toward an angry dragon, just to avoid the avalanche behind you.