Increased IP, Just curious Options

[VykosDarkSoul]

I am just curious as to why (other then fluff) they bothered to put an on/off switch on wired reflexes, movebywire or synaptic boosters. I havent been able to find anything in the books (let me know if I am missing it) to say anything about detrimental effects for prolonged use, so why wouldnt someone just have them always turned on?

Just curious.

[Yerameyahu]

Fluff, and tradition. I'm not aware that Synaptics has one, though; I'm not even sure MBW does?

[Dr.Rockso]

Its original use in SR was so people with wired reflexes didn't look like twitchy meth addicts all the time. Don't have that option with MBW and boosters, unfortunately.

[CanRay]

Its original use in SR was so people with wired reflexes didn't look like twitchy meth addicts all the time. Don't have that option with MBW and boosters, unfortunately.

And all Reflex Boosters did just that, boosted your REFLEX ACTIONS.

If someone slapped you on the shoulder, you'd have broken their arm twice and put a bullet in their head before realizing, oh, it's Joe from the bar that you frequent asking if you wanted to join him for a brew.

[VykosDarkSoul]

Aha, excelent, that makes me feel a little bit better. I just always pictured people like Fast Eddie from "Changeling" if they didnt turn things off. But MBW and Synaptics dont have an off switch hmm? That could make things interesting!

MUAHAHA....heh...thank you!

[Yerameyahu]

Note that you're still right: in SR*4*, none of this stuff is in the rules any more. :/ (I think.)

[VykosDarkSoul]

Note that you're still right: in SR*4*, none of this stuff is in the rules any more. :/ (I think.)

That... mon ami ... is why the gods cursed me with an overactive imagination!
Now I get to figure out my own fun ways to play with people who want to have maxed out IP constantly!
(as a side note: I’m not going to truly punish them, just maybe, make things awkward every now and again, all for the sake of entertainment, of course…..MY entertainment…muahaha)

[UmaroVI]

There's the Motion Detector security system thingy that is harder to sneak past if you have extra IPs.

[Yerameyahu]

No, I certainly agree, Vykos. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif) I'm just saying, it's no longer (AFAIK) *in* the rules, so you just have to make sure the players understand ahead of time. They should be happy to have more gritty roleplaying and power/sacrifice dynamics, after all.

[CanRay]

Note that you're still right: in SR*4*, none of this stuff is in the rules any more. :/ (I think.)

I remember reading that they include a option to turn it off standard now. Great for cybernetic reflex boosters, not so hot with bioware.

And, no, I never saw any rules for it in the books. Honestly, the only place I remember see it was Hatchetman complaining about it. (*Pours a 40 on the curb*)

[Dakka Dakka]

I remember reading that they include a option to turn it off standard now. Great for cybernetic reflex boosters, not so hot with bioware.

wired reflexes even have a switch in their description. It's great though for MBW which doesn't. It is still granted one due to the general cyberware rules.

[CanRay]

*Takes Notes*

[Inu]

Possible rule: allow a 20% price reduction on cyberware, similar to vehicles, for glitchy 'ware. In the case of wired reflexes/move by wire, they can include the side-effects mentioned in the fluff: accidentally blowing your buddies' heads off (WR), or occasional epileptic fits (MbW). Make up other effects for other pieces of 'ware, or just go for the 'easy glitching' option.

Or should it match the -50% that used cyberware gets? My instinct is no; -50% is justified by hard-limiting the amount people can get, while this reduction should match the negative qualities for vehicles instead. What do you guys think?

[VykosDarkSoul]

Yeah...I do remember that in a previous edition add on book they included an on/off switch for wired reflexes that was an additional cost, because they didn’t come with them standard, and it mentioned that the reasoning was more to avoid long term wear and tear on the nervous system.

Maybe its just me but I see issues coming up for older shadowrunners (if they make it to older) stemming from years of there body working at much higher speeds then they are used to. I mean hell, just because your body can move that fast, doesnt mean you arent going to risk hurting yourself, if you have 4IP your moving 4 times in 3 freakin seconds.

Yeah I know there isnt anything in the rules, but its something I have been looking into, possible glitch food.

Street Sam: Well I hit with my Axe, but I glitched
Me: Oh? okay, you hyperextended your elbow as you buried your axe into the ganger

That kinda thing (IMG:style_emoticons/default/nyahnyah.gif)

[Jeremiah Kraye]

Actually the "on and off switch" is in the base SR:4 rulebook built into the wired reflexes themselves. (p342 under wired reflexes description)

From what I understand technology based stuff (wired reflexes) can be turned off, while something bio, like reflex boosters you couldn't turn off. Which explains why they are always jumpy as hell.

[Yerameyahu]

Hehe, Jeremiah, I dunno if saying something that 4 people already did really needs an 'Actually'. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/wink.gif)

[Dakka Dakka]

What reflex boosters are you talking about? I'm only aware of Reaction Enhancers, Wired Reflexes, MBW and Synaptic Boosters. The three cyberware implants can be turned off and the Bioware implant cannot, but Bioware never had the twitchiness of Cyberware.

[VykosDarkSoul]

I think i found my favorite example...

Here

[Yerameyahu]

Wait, why isn't bioware twitchy, and you *can* turn off MBW? The listing in Augmentation doesn't seem to say you can.

[Dakka Dakka]

I never read anything about synaptic boosters being twitchy, not even in SR3, I may have missed something though. As for the MBW while the implant does not have a switch in its description (as WR do) there is this rule:

In addition to wireless functionality, most cyberware devices are equipped with a direct neural interface (DNI) that allows the user to mentally activate and control their functions.

MBW obviously needs a DNI so you can turn the implant off.

[Yerameyahu]

*shrug* They're IP boosters, how could they not make you jumpy?

That's a hell of a stretch for MBW, given that the Wires has precedent and a specific rule.

[Tymeaus Jalynsfe...]

Wait, why isn't bioware twitchy, and you *can* turn off MBW? The listing in Augmentation doesn't seem to say you can.

Why should Bioware be Twitchy? And because Move by Wires now has an On-Off Switch. Notice they no longer cause T-LeX either. Tech has gotten better. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif)

Here:

In addition to wireless functionality, most cyberware devices are equipped with a direct neural interface (DNI) that allows the user to mentally activate and control their functions.

So, unless otherwise stated, DNI allows activation/deactivation of Cyberware.

EDIT: DAMN... Dakka Dakka beat me to it. Guess that is what happens when I move away from my desk in middle of Typing entry... (IMG:style_emoticons/default/frown.gif)

[Yerameyahu]

Why shouldn't bioware be twitchy? And again, some general rule for all devices doesn't necessarily mean MBW (which previously could not) gets a secret off switch… why does Wires specifically have one? That rule means only that you can control the controls that are available; an off switch might not be a function that MBW has.

[Dakka Dakka]

*shrug* They're IP boosters, how could they not make you jumpy?

The jumpiness is caused by largely involuntary reactions to unprocessed stimuli. That such reactions occur and that the brain cannot cope with the faster reaction times is rules fiat. They no longer exist in SR4. IRL there are people with slower and faster reaction time. Are the quicker ones necessarily twitchy?

As to why WR have an explicit off switch, I can only assume that this is due to the history of the game. Since there is the general rule that cyberware can be turned off, well explicitly it can only be turned on but without the opposite this sentence would not make much sense, MBW would need an explicit rule that it cannot be turned off, if that were the intention of the developers.

[Yerameyahu]

I know it's no longer in SR4; I'm the one who repeatedly mentioned it in this thread. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif) I'm saying, ignoring that, why would bioware in particular not be? Assuming anything can make you twitchy, why not bioware?

Given that the Wires off switch does 'nothing' in SR4, I'm not saying this matters. I'm just asking why *assume* that MBW (which specifically didn't get turned off previously) suddenly gets a secret one, when Wires apparently needs an explicit one. And again, I'm not seeing a general rule that you can turn anything off at will, only a rule that you can access what controls are *available* at will. It's fully sensical and traditional that MBW doesn't have such a control available, that's all.