SynthLink, ninja-Rocker cyberware Options

[GrinderTheTroll]

SR1 (the birth of the Rocker) has a piece of Cyberware called the "SynthLink" that allowed the musician to cybernetically control their instuments. No rules, just about 2 sentences worth of text.

SR2 had the same Cyberware, but no Rocker Archtype.

SR3 removed this all together.

Oh also, some piece of Cyberware in SR1 called "Program Carrier" that allowed Deckers to "Run the Matrix naked" (simulated Persona softs of some such). Another item (I forget the name atm) allowed programs to be run from Headware memory.

If you haven't done it in a while, have a read through SR1 -> SR2 -> SR3, some interesting ideas that have come and gone.

This post has been edited by GrinderTheTroll: Dec 21 2004, 06:40 PM

[Moon-Hawk]

Why would they take away our rockers and synthlinks? How could they do this to us? WHY!?!?!?!?!?!?!?

[mfb]

i'd make the synthlink an attachment to the instrument--a datajack port, basically. though how the hell you're supposed to control most instruments cybernetically is way, way beyond me.

[Moon-Hawk]

Maybe it's like a smartlink, and decreases the target number to play the instrument.

[GrinderTheTroll]

[Moon-Hawk]

Make it equivalent to attuning and have it give -1TN? If it were -2 I think it would make attuning to an instrument totally stupid, since there's no way they'd stack, and I'd hate to take the magically-attuned-to-guitar concept away from someone, so that's why I'd limit it to -1 TN.

[mfb]

that'd work.

[Moon-Hawk]

Wonderful. That's the fastest we've ever agreed on anything.
Now to make it more complicated.
Essence cost & nuyen cost. *groan*
Is it like a datajack? Is it a piece of cyber that communicates through a datajack? (that's my guess) What is the cost to modify the instrument?

[GrinderTheTroll]

LOL, was making this a silly topic and you've gone and taken it serious. I'm sure someone can look it up in SR1 or SR2 or I can post something later today.

[lodestar]

[Moon-Hawk]

Hey, the synthlink is an excellent piece of 'ware that, I suspect, keeps getting cut because it has no criminal practicality. But it's an awesome bit of 'ware, especially if it's cheap, to add onto anyone's fill-in-the-blank/rocker archetype.

I remember the program carriers, but not how they worked exactly. There was one for body, one for sensor, etc. if I remember correctly (which I probably don't) Matrix rules have changed so much I don't have much hope for translating those into 3rd ed stats. Just play an Otaku. :D

[lodestar]

Mind you if you had a Mage with the Centering skill in Laser beam guitar, with a synthlink that reduces his target numbers, he/she might be able to crank out some rockin' spells...

[Moon-Hawk]

Are you suggesting that as a pro, a con, or just an interesting point of fact with a YMMV?

[Johnny Reb]

Somewhere around here I have a third edition Burned Out Mage named, originally enough, Old Man.

He was a runner in the 40's and got busted around '51. He's back out on teh streets, now, and falling back into old habits, but he's a whole lot slower than before. Magic's about gone, the years have taken their toll, and he's so far behind the SOTA curve that it's sad. "Initiation? What in tarnation's that?"

But he's got a Program Carrier.

It was such a lovely touch.

"Drek, we're never getting out of here!"

"Pfft. All you hafta do is deck the door."

"They *shot* my deck!"

"Oh right. Shoulda had one of these." *pop*

... "What the frag are those?!"

"Old trick for an old dog, kid. Old trick for an old dog."

-- Johnny Reb

[Fix-it]

If he has plenty of skills and contacts, that doesn't sound too bad.

[hobgoblin]

hmm, handle it like when useing a datajack to control vehicles, given that you can transfer mind directly to instrument without bothering with finger posisions and so on...

[Kanada Ten]

IIRC from SotA, it's like a transducer only for all sounds and voices. "The music musicians heard in their heads finally put to data" or something like that.

[hobgoblin]

and therefor it will make more people try their head at music, just like software like fruityloops made every teenages a dj...

im not saying that all results will be good, but i have found myself in a posision where i have music in my head that i probably will never get out as i cant seem to learn how to play a instrument...

[Kanada Ten]

[BitBasher]

The reason pogram carries were eliminated is they caused cancer and made you die. Quickly. There was actually a statement to that affect in one of the books. :D

[Fortune]

And Program Carriers walked all over the newly introduced Otaku's main abilities. ;)

For the SynthLink, I'd just DNI-adapt the instrument and run it through a Datajack for a -1 TN, the same as is done for driving (as is listed above).

[Moon-Hawk]

[CircuitBoyBlue]

I don't think a synthlink should be like a "smartlink for your instrument," as cool as that might sound. Because generally when the rocker archetype was using his or her instrument, there wasn't a normal success test involved; it was an open test. I can't remember the details, but once I tried just tacking on bonuses to the Impact rating of the performance, and it didn't work out the same as chopping down the target number on a normal success test.

As far as program carriers go, I too miss them. As one who's never been in a game where otaku have made an appearance, I don't think there'd be anything particularly game-busting about allowing someone to pay essence to be able to run the matrix without a cyberdeck, particularly when they don't get all the extra goodies like hardening and response. And Ghost knows the corps make their employees do all sorts of other things that cut down their life-expectancy, like combat drugs and what-not.

Read the old module Mercurial. I've never read it, just run it as a PC (and poorly enough to have not encountered a lot of stuff). But I know for a fact that Mercurial uses a synthlink, and I bet there's a pretty good description in there that covers more than just what Shadowbeat has to offer. Also, on the note of equipment that kills you, I think there's something about an old Soviet combat drug in there, but I'm basing this entirely on hearsay. From what I hear, this drug makes you really badass, and then kills you. If NPCs are doing that to their goons, I don't see why they wouldn't put program carriers in their goons whenever a matrix run came up. You'd only need to buy one set, and just keep reusing it, and you'd get double the creepy points.

[Kanada Ten]

[bitrunner]

actually, the drug was Pugnacine-Beta...i've got a proposal in for Pug-Gamma that mitigates some of the effects...especially that 'death' thing...