OOC: SRM04-02 Extraction, Artifact Rush, Part 1 Options

[Severus Snape]

As you dive in, you find yourself within a spherical room, there are a number of icons within representing Smartlink, Low-Light and Thermographic vision modes (currently thermographic is active), flare compensators, and visual enhancers (Rating 3). There appear to be no IC or other programs running on the cybereyes.

Quick Question: So, I'm assuming that while the guy has cybereyes, his sight is natural? That is, his overall sight isn't controlled by the cybereyes?

Second Question: Considering I have admin access, do I have to make the opposed roll to start crashing programs (page 230, SR4A)? If not, would this then be a Simple Action, or still a Complex Action?

[Slacker]

Quick Question: So, I'm assuming that while the guy has cybereyes, his sight is natural? That is, his overall sight isn't controlled by the cybereyes?

Second Question: Considering I have admin access, do I have to make the opposed roll to start crashing programs (page 230, SR4A)? If not, would this then be a Simple Action, or still a Complex Action?

He has full cyber eye replacement. So his vision is completely cyber. Its not an opposed test to turn off a device or program. It will still take the same amount of time As usual though So a complex Action.

[Severus Snape]

Ok, so here's what I'm going to do. I get 3 passes per turn, so I'm going to be using 3 Complex Actions in the first turn. In the following order:

1. Crash his sight completely. That is, crash the program that controls his actual vision.
2. Crash the program controlling the smartlink.
3. Crash the program controlling his image link.

I know that crashing his sight program he'll effectively be blind. But I want to crash both the smartlink and the image link to make sure that he has no connection to his commlink to be able to "see". No image overlays, no smartlink to his weapon. I want him blinded completely.

On the next turn, with my 3 IPs, I'm going to use a pair of simple actions and then wait to see what I can see inside the next node before deciding on my next course of action. I'm going to retreat back to the commlink, and then I'm going to access the Rifle node. Both of these should be simple actions, performed in the same IP. I'll then burn the rest of the turn to see what programs are running in the rifle node. I'm going he will be too disoriented to contact the building. In fact, when I get to my books tomorrow I will look up jamming his ability to call for help.

And once I've gotten into the Rifle node I'm also going to, subvocally, contact the rest of the team to let them know they are good to go.

And so we're clear, I'm also making the blanket statement that I'm loading Analyze into resident running memory at my earliest convenience, and that Analyze will ALWAYS be running on my commlink. Which means I will currently have Analyze 6, Stealth 6, and Sniffer 6 running. No response degradation until I hit 5 running programs.

Holy crap you can do this to people that easily ??? ... My level of paranoia just went exponential !!

Yeah, this is why I love playing hackers. All those people out there who think they have nothing to worry about with their cyberware and such. Pffft.

[Slacker]

Smartlink, imagelink, and the rest are all components of the cybereyes node. You could simply crash the node to get them all at once.

To block signals you would either need special jammer device, either an area or spot jammer. Area blankets the whole area with jamming (meaning your teams Comm and everybody in the banquet hall if it were a wide enough area to get the sniper). Spot hammers concentrate at a specific angle and are more precise. Either way a jammer would jam the commlink completely to the sniper and you couldn't do more hacking on him.

Alternatively you can use the edit program to try to block transmissions. To do that you will either need to be sitting on the commlink's node to see when a transmission tries to start (ie not in one of the slave nodes) or you will need to be actively scanning for signal traffic with an Electronic Warfare + Scan extended test that as an interval of one combat turn. Considering you have full access to this commlink you'd pretty much automatically succeed but it would still be using up your actions for that combat turn to do the scan.

[Mach_Ten]

need special hammer debice

Oi ! .. I do the funny accents round here ! .. or have you got a cold ? (IMG:style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif)

[Slacker]

Oi ! .. I do the funny accents round here ! .. or have you got a cold ? (IMG:style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif)

That's what I get for posting from my phone.

[Severus Snape]

Smartlink, imagelink, and the rest are all components of the cybereyes node. You could simply crash the node to get them all at once.

To block signals you would either need special jammer device, either an area or spot jammer. Area blankets the whole area with jamming (meaning your teams Comm and everybody in the banquet hall if it were a wide enough area to get the sniper). Spot hammers concentrate at a specific angle and are more precise. Either way a jammer would jam the commlink completely to the sniper and you couldn't do more hacking on him.

Alternatively you can use the edit program to try to block transmissions. To do that you will either need to be sitting on the commlink's node to see when a transmission tries to start (ie not in one of the slave nodes) or you will need to be actively scanning for signal traffic with an Electronic Warfare + Scan extended test that as an interval of one combat turn. Considering you have full access to this commlink you'd pretty much automatically succeed but it would still be using up your actions for that combat turn to do the scan.

I thought about crashing the node until I read up on it. I have to have a subscription AND be logged into the node. Which I am at this point, so there's no big deal there. Until you continue reading on page 230 where it says you get severed from the matrix and have to resist dumpshock. If I could set a delayed crash where I have time to back out of the node before it crashes, then I'd go that route. But based on the RAW this isn't possible.

Unless you want to make a ruling that this is possible?

[Slacker]

I thought about crashing the node until I read up on it. I have to have a subscription AND be logged into the node. Which I am at this point, so there's no big deal there. Until you continue reading on page 230 where it says you get severed from the matrix and have to resist dumpshock. If I could set a delayed crash where I have time to back out of the node before it crashes, then I'd go that route. But based on the RAW this isn't possible.

Unless you want to make a ruling that this is possible?

True. You would have to resist Dumpshock then.

I'm debating whether or not you can turn off eyesight without crashing the node though...eh. I'll allow it it because surely a cyber-doc has to shut the eyes off to mod them, right?

So, you were going to shut off his vision, then smartlink, then image link?

[Severus Snape]

True. You would have to resist Dumpshock then.

I'm debating whether or not you can turn off eyesight without crashing the node though...eh. I'll allow it it because surely a cyber-doc has to shut the eyes off to mod them, right?

So, you were going to shut off his vision, then smartlink, then image link?

Yeah, in that order. As I mentioned before, I'm hoping he's disoriented enough where I can retreat back to the commlink and mess with his ability to communicate before he has a chance to even try.

[Slacker]

Yeah, in that order. As I mentioned before, I'm hoping he's disoriented enough where I can retreat back to the commlink and mess with his ability to communicate before he has a chance to even try.

Sure, sure. Ok, you've shut all that down. And I take it are moving back to the commlink. Are you going to do anything there, or just move on to the gun?

[Slacker]

Current time, 2minutes 45 seconds until the 15 minutes are up.

I believe Gardner still needs to roll his Climbing + Strength check to stop at the end of the Zip line. Is Eclipse sliding down too?

And what is Mr. White doing inside? Is he switch his commlink to Hidden Mode or otherwise turning off it broadcasting his bio as Malcom Reynolds the Horizon Manager of Whatever the Hell it is he was supposed to manage? Or did he go sit down at his table for the time being? Or did just just jump the security guard at the door in the home the other security personnel won't notice?

[Severus Snape]

Sure, sure. Ok, you've shut all that down. And I take it are moving back to the commlink. Are you going to do anything there, or just move on to the gun?

I can't waste time sitting in his commlink, waiting to see if he's going to try communicating back. I'm headed to the rifle.

[Slacker]

I can't waste time sitting in his commlink, waiting to see if he's going to try communicating back. I'm headed to the rifle.

Ok then....

Roll me your Edge for a Luck roll. If you're lucky, he thinks it's an attack and his first reaction is to send in a call to central command. If you're unlucky, he thinks it's buggy cyberware and he's rebooting his commlink to reboot the linked devices like his cybereyes and rifle, in which case you are going to get dumpshock.

Surprise, only lasts one combat turn and you used that up shutting down all of his cybereye accessories and then moving back to his commlink. He's a professional and was able to make his Composer roll to not panic. So it's a matter of determining what his first response would be.

[Kiirnodel]

Current time, 2minutes 45 seconds until the 15 minutes are up.

I believe Gardner still needs to roll his Climbing + Strength check to stop at the end of the Zip line. Is Eclipse sliding down too?

And what is Mr. White doing inside? Is he switch his commlink to Hidden Mode or otherwise turning off it broadcasting his bio as Malcom Reynolds the Horizon Manager of Whatever the Hell it is he was supposed to manage? Or did he go sit down at his table for the time being? Or did just just jump the security guard at the door in the home the other security personnel won't notice?

Sorry, forgot. I got 2 hits on the climbing test. I'm also wearing my rappelling gloves in preparation for the trip down.

Mr. White - go to your seat for a second, then sort through the people's displayed bios and find our target. Then walk up and talk to him like you know what you're doing. Convince him there is some reason he needs to come with you right now to the balcony. I'd say don't worry about your commlink, that's why your contact gave the bogus credentials of a guy he isn't fond of (IMG:style_emoticons/default/nyahnyah.gif)

[Kiirnodel]

Hell, don't even sit down. Make it look like you're a man with a plan. Walk in, immediately look for somebody and then beeline to him like it's important. The biggest part of selling a con is looking like you know what you're doing.

Sorry about the double-post. Wanted to be sure my addendum was seen.

[Severus Snape]

Ok then....

Roll me your Edge for a Luck roll. If you're lucky, he thinks it's an attack and his first reaction is to send in a call to central command. If you're unlucky, he thinks it's buggy cyberware and he's rebooting his commlink to reboot the linked devices like his cybereyes and rifle, in which case you are going to get dumpshock.

Surprise, only lasts one combat turn and you used that up shutting down all of his cybereye accessories and then moving back to his commlink. He's a professional and was able to make his Composer roll to not panic. So it's a matter of determining what his first response would be.

Ok, so here's my roll for Edge: 2d6.hits(5) = 1

Ok, so I'm lucky. Now, I kn ow he's not rebooting, but I think I might be smart enough to think he may be calling this in. So I will wait 2 full combat turns (which is the equivalent of 6 seconds), scanning to see if he's trying to send communications back to his command. Based on your previous post, it's Electronic Warfare + Scan, which means I have to spend 1 IP in the current turn to load Scan 6, and then another IP to load Edit 6 (that's now 5 running programs, meaning Response has degraded from 5 to 4 - Analyze 6, Edit 6, Scan 6, Sniffer 6, Stealth 6).

Scan is needed for the check to validate that he's trying to communicate. Edit is because I want to block the communication going out (SR4A page 231 under Intercept Wireless Traffic states that if I want to block or alter any portion of wireless traffic, I have to use the Edit action). So that's 2 IPs in the first turn to load new programs to start checking for (and then potentially blocking) any communication he may be attempting to send back to the building.

These are all Complex Actions. Considering I get 1 Free Action on each IP, and page 146 states I can speak as a free action, I want to verify (before I put up an IC post) that I can call the team subvocally and let them know the sniper is blinded. And that they need to move now. And that he is trying to call for backup. That would be 3 Free Actions, and I get 3 IPs in the Matrix (and in the Meat World). Can I do that, or is using the subvocal microphone more than a Free Action in your world?

[Dak]

it may be a little late now to mention it, but the sniper's communications should have been shut down first. If he's a pro, once someone blinds him, the first thing he'll do is sound a general alarm.

I'll try to get something up for White shortly.

[Severus Snape]

it may be a little late now to mention it, but the sniper's communications should have been shut down first. If he's a pro, once someone blinds him, the first thing he'll do is sound a general alarm.

I'll try to get something up for White shortly.

In real life, that is exactly what I'd do. In SR, the RAW are a bit wonky. In order to block communications, you have to do one of two things:

1. Get a jamming device, which effectively renders all wireless traffic - including that of the hacker - pointless. Meaning, no wireless traffic in a particular range.
2. Use Edit, which I'm doing. However, you have to know that the communication is going out (Intercept) and then use Edit to block it.

Now, until I give him a reason to call for help, he won't. That's the wonky part in the rules. I can't jam what isn't there. Stupid, but them's is the rules.

Remember that my shutting off his eyes/smartlink/image link, getting back to the commlink, setting up Sniffer and Edit is all taking 5 seconds. He will probably be calling for help in 6-9 seconds from the time his sight goes out. Even professionals take a moment or two to get their bearings when blinded before calling for help.

Although, if I have admin access, wouldn't I be able to crash the program that controls outgoing communications?

[Slacker]

Ok, so here's my roll for Edge: 2d6.hits(5) = 1

Ok, so I'm lucky. Now, I kn ow he's not rebooting, but I think I might be smart enough to think he may be calling this in. So I will wait 2 full combat turns (which is the equivalent of 6 seconds), scanning to see if he's trying to send communications back to his command. Based on your previous post, it's Electronic Warfare + Scan, which means I have to spend 1 IP in the current turn to load Scan 6, and then another IP to load Edit 6 (that's now 5 running programs, meaning Response has degraded from 5 to 4 - Analyze 6, Edit 6, Scan 6, Sniffer 6, Stealth 6).

Scan is needed for the check to validate that he's trying to communicate. Edit is because I want to block the communication going out (SR4A page 231 under Intercept Wireless Traffic states that if I want to block or alter any portion of wireless traffic, I have to use the Edit action). So that's 2 IPs in the first turn to load new programs to start checking for (and then potentially blocking) any communication he may be attempting to send back to the building.

These are all Complex Actions. Considering I get 1 Free Action on each IP, and page 146 states I can speak as a free action, I want to verify (before I put up an IC post) that I can call the team subvocally and let them know the sniper is blinded. And that they need to move now. And that he is trying to call for backup. That would be 3 Free Actions, and I get 3 IPs in the Matrix (and in the Meat World). Can I do that, or is using the subvocal microphone more than a Free Action in your world?

You know what? I haven't got a clue where I came up with that rule about Electronic Warfare + Scan. I think maybe i just had a brain fart because all i'm seeing now is Electronic Warfare + Sniffer(3) Test for intercepting wirelesss signals. Regardless you definitely do need the Edit command to block the signal.

If you're sitting in his commlink node you can see a hidden port in the desk open as a microphone slides out of it (just flavor for him turning on the mic to make the call). Give me a Computer + Edit Test to block the call. I imagine you won't have a probably succeeding on that. And then you can send a message to the team as a Free Action.

[Slacker]

In real life, that is exactly what I'd do. In SR, the RAW are a bit wonky. In order to block communications, you have to do one of two things:

1. Get a jamming device, which effectively renders all wireless traffic - including that of the hacker - pointless. Meaning, no wireless traffic in a particular range.
2. Use Edit, which I'm doing. However, you have to know that the communication is going out (Intercept) and then use Edit to block it.

Now, until I give him a reason to call for help, he won't. That's the wonky part in the rules. I can't jam what isn't there. Stupid, but them's is the rules.

Remember that my shutting off his eyes/smartlink/image link, getting back to the commlink, setting up Sniffer and Edit is all taking 5 seconds. He will probably be calling for help in 6-9 seconds from the time his sight goes out. Even professionals take a moment or two to get their bearings when blinded before calling for help.

Although, if I have admin access, wouldn't I be able to crash the program that controls outgoing communications?

It's not a matter of a program per se, phone call capability is embedded into the OS itself. So, you while you could switch the device into "airplane mode" (which would dump you out since it could no longer send/receive signals), you couldn't crash the phone without crashing the commlink itself which again would dump you.

When he turns on the mic though, you could crash that device i suppose. (sorry, i didn't think about him having a microphone in the office before even though all commlinks have a built-in mic. that's why i've handwaived it having been deactivated until he blindly pressed a button on it to turn it on to make the call).

[Slacker]

it may be a little late now to mention it, but the sniper's communications should have been shut down first. If he's a pro, once someone blinds him, the first thing he'll do is sound a general alarm.

I'll try to get something up for White shortly.

Kind of hard to disable the communications when you are connecting to the device through its communications capability. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/nyahnyah.gif)

[Severus Snape]

You know what? I haven't got a clue where I came up with that rule about Electronic Warfare + Scan. I think maybe i just had a brain fart because all i'm seeing now is Electronic Warfare + Sniffer(3) Test for intercepting wirelesss signals. Regardless you definitely do need the Edit command to block the signal.

If you're sitting in his commlink node you can see a hidden port in the desk open as a microphone slides out of it (just flavor for him turning on the mic to make the call). Give me a Computer + Edit Test to block the call. I imagine you won't have a probably succeeding on that. And then you can send a message to the team as a Free Action.

Computer + Edit: 15d6.hits(5)=10

That is the most number of successes I've ever generated in one roll. That was just simply amazing. So, I think I'm effectively blocking his attempt.

IC post coming to the rest of the team. I will then make my way to the rifle node.

[Kiirnodel]

To clarify: I posted IC that "the last is coming across now", I was referring to either Eclipse or Tundra Wolf. I know Eclipse O'Ryan couldn't post over the weekend, but I'm assuming that at the ver least he will make it across, if not necessarily very well...

Or if Eclipse isn't coming across, then Tundra Wolf has alread rolled the Climb and gotten across. In any case, it looks like we are all across who plan to zipline across. So there isn't any real reason to mess with the guy any further, it just gives him more reason for him to suspect an attack rather than an equipment glitch...

And I mentioned it earlier, but I will reiterate, does anyone seem unsure about climbing? If so, I can at least make sure you don't glitch. Won't prevent damage from a poor climb, but it'll prevent a 30 story drop.

[Dak]

Mr. White - go to your seat for a second, then sort through the people's displayed bios and find our target. Then walk up and talk to him like you know what you're doing. Convince him there is some reason he needs to come with you right now to the balcony. I'd say don't worry about your commlink, that's why your contact gave the bogus credentials of a guy he isn't fond of (IMG:style_emoticons/default/nyahnyah.gif)

This ^

[Severus Snape]

To clarify: I posted IC that "the last is coming across now", I was referring to either Eclipse or Tundra Wolf. I know Eclipse O'Ryan couldn't post over the weekend, but I'm assuming that at the ver least he will make it across, if not necessarily very well...

Or if Eclipse isn't coming across, then Tundra Wolf has alread rolled the Climb and gotten across. In any case, it looks like we are all across who plan to zipline across. So there isn't any real reason to mess with the guy any further, it just gives him more reason for him to suspect an attack rather than an equipment glitch...

And I mentioned it earlier, but I will reiterate, does anyone seem unsure about climbing? If so, I can at least make sure you don't glitch. Won't prevent damage from a poor climb, but it'll prevent a 30 story drop.

I disagree with you on that. Once the sniper finds out he can't even contact the building, he may - MAY - fire a round or two from his weapon as a warning to the building, which would alert them to some potential problem. I want the guy completely disabled before I release him. Not to mention that if I leave his commlink, he might regain communications and alert them to the problem, which would really hurt you guys. As soon as you guys drop onto the balcony, however....then I can let him go.