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> Decking/Matrix Questions, New to the matrix please help!
Konphujun
post Jan 31 2005, 04:26 AM
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Hey,

I was one of those people that hated the matrix but then I started reading the chapter on it and fell in love. In any case, I had some questions. First, How do you determine the program rating of something like an attack...or ANYTHING for that matter. Do you just choose it based on what your deck can handle with its active memory or am I missing something? Also, do you choose your icon each time you enter the matrix or is it something that comes with the deck... i.e. each deck has a different icon? Thank you for taking the time to answer my novice questions!

Peace,

Konphujun :cyber:
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FrostyNSO
post Jan 31 2005, 04:44 AM
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I'm no expert but:

I believe the decks have a chip that holds the icon. So you look the same whenever you jack in. You can get new ones installed, but can't switch them out very easily. I could be wrong on this.

As for programs, you buy the program at whatever rating you think appropriate. That could be "what your deck can handle with its active memory" if you wanted, but you probably want to have something small enough that you could run other programs simultaneously.
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Eyeless Blond
post Jan 31 2005, 08:37 AM
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If you just have the BBB, Icons are just assumed to be whatever you want. In Matrix, however, Icon chips are (oddly enough) the same price as any other Persona chip, although apparently you get one free with your deck equal to half the MPCP's Rating. Also they don't count towards your MPCP limit. Honestly if it were me I'd just let your deckers look however they want to and not worry about Icon chips at all; I kinda thought Matrix's making it a seperate chip was kinda dumb.

As to the program rating thing, also keep in mind you can't run a program at a higher rating than your MPCP rating. Other than that, yeah, run whatever you can both load and afford to buy in the first place (or program yourself).
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Pistons
post Jan 31 2005, 02:54 PM
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QUOTE
First, How do you determine the program rating of something like an attack...or ANYTHING for that matter. Do you just choose it based on what your deck can handle with its active memory or am I missing something?


Your deck's Active Memory determines how much, total, your cyberdeck can handle going on actively all at once. In turn, it can determine how many programs your deck can have, and means you have to determine what sort of strategy is more important to your decker.

To break it down simply: Let's, for the sake of argument, say that your deck has a total Active Memory of 500 megapulses (Mp). Let's say that all you know right now is that you want your decker to be able to hit hard, hit fast, and then run away.

Your first step, then, would be to take a look at the programs needed to accomplish those goals.

Right off the bat is Attack -- that's easy. You can buy it at Moderate or Serious, depending on your idea of "hitting hard"; personally, I'd go with Serious. This means that this is the base level of damage your Attack program can do, much like your Ares Predator does a base level of damage of 9M, which you can stage up or down depending on the result of your dice roll when you hit, what the other guy rolls to avoid damage, etc.

Now that you've determined you want Attack at Serious, you look at what it's going to cost you, Mp & nuyen-wise. For now, we'll assume that money's no object and look strictly at megapulses. The Attack multiplier for Serious is 4 -- turn to page 223 and look on the Program Size Table. Figure out, now, what rating you want your Attack program -- anything between a 5 and 9 is pretty damned respectable for the "hit hard" mentality. So let's say you choose 6: look down the 4 column (that being your multiplier) and across the 6 row (that being your program rating), and you will find that an Attack (Serious) 6 program will cost you 144 Mp. That's a fairly sizable chunk, but it's not bad; leaves you room for the other programs you may want.

500 (total Active Memory) - 144 = 356 (your new total for Active Memory)

Keep choosing your programs in this manner (Attack and its ilk can be the toughest to choose because of the different ranked mulitpliers) until you have all the programs you know your decker will be using most often.

You can choose more programs than your deck has Active Memory, but realize that they'd have to be put in Storage Memory, and the times you might want them, you may have to spend time switching a program out of Active Memory for the one in Storage Memory (unless you preload it ahead of time). In either case, make sure that it still only takes up exactly, or a little less, of the space left behind from the program you took out, or your decking may incur penalties to dice rolls (much like when your computer at home slows way down when you've got too much stuff crammed on it or going at the same time).

Also, be aware that you may want to use some of your Storage Memory to hold whatever data your decker pilfers, or uploads. You could put that in some offline storage unit that you can hook up to your deck, sort of like a zip drive for your computer, but that may also get a bit complicated unless your deck is souped-up enough to handle it.

QUOTE
Also, do you choose your icon each time you enter the matrix or is it something that comes with the deck... i.e. each deck has a different icon?


You could, theoretically. These days, apparently your icon is separate from your Persona program ratings. They still take up space, however, so I'd go easy on how many icons your decker has. I'd stick to one or two, personally, per deck. Each deck could have as many icons as you would like to cram onto it, but remember that you'd be sacrificing that space to looks rather than using it for the programs your decker may need.

For now, my suggestion is to handwave the whole icon bit, and just stick to one or two for now until you've mastered the rules for the Matrix in the core book. When you're ready, pick up the Matrix rulebook and then read more on icons and the like. :)
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Bigity
post Jan 31 2005, 02:59 PM
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Agreed. With enough memory and I/O speed, I typically go for the highest rating I can afford. However, if certain programs are larger then others, it's more likely tar IC with take them down.

Of course, with Matrix, you can add options to them to make that less likely.
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Konphujun
post Jan 31 2005, 06:18 PM
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Hey,

Thanks alot pistons that cleared things up quite a bit. So as I see it, you 'buy' programs at the beginning of the game based on the MP and Nuyen cost of the program. The ones that you buy with active memory are available immediately. You can purchase more programs than you have active memory but it goes into storage memory which may require an action to switch programs. This is what I have gotten out of it so far. Please let me know if I've made any mistakes!

Peace,

Konphujun :cyber:
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Bigity
post Jan 31 2005, 06:48 PM
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Yup, that's about right.

Active memory is like RAM, programs you are currently running are in active memory.

Programs in storage memory are "installed", but not running at the moment.

In SR3 (without the Matrix book), there are no penalties for using all of your active memory at once, so you might as well load up everything you have (if you can fit it), or at least everything you are likely to use at short notice.

Obviously, some programs always need to be loaded, such as Sleaze and Deception.

Once a program is bought, it is normally available to the decker as either source code on a chip, object code on a chip (think compiled, i.e. ready to install to the deck), or loaded onto the deck.
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Bigity
post Jan 31 2005, 06:49 PM
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EDIT: Double post
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tisoz
post Jan 31 2005, 07:25 PM
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Say you are discovered and try to evade. Does switching icons help?
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Fix-it
post Jan 31 2005, 07:34 PM
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No, because you still have the same IP Numbers logged with the server.
Icons are just visual repressentations meant to look pretty, and help humans. The host couldn't give a frag what you look like.
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Bigity
post Jan 31 2005, 07:52 PM
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Actually, I don't even think you can just "switch" icons while jacked in. It involves physically pulling and replacing a chip.
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mfb
post Jan 31 2005, 08:10 PM
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for deckers, that's true; the icon comes on a chip. otaku treat icons like complex forms, so they could actually switch icons on the fly. it won't help you evade detection, though.
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hobgoblin
post Jan 31 2005, 08:20 PM
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doesnt the mpcp say what the max rating a utility can have?
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mfb
post Jan 31 2005, 08:43 PM
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yep.
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Pistons
post Feb 1 2005, 01:03 AM
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QUOTE (tisoz)
Say you are discovered and try to evade. Does switching icons help?

Like others have said: no. To give you an analogy, it would be like putting on a (different) mask to try to fool a dog that's already gotten your scent. :) You'd have to initiate a program (like Relocate or Spoof), go into Evasion mode and run, or jack out to either essentially change your "scent" or give the dog (IC) the slip.
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tisoz
post Feb 1 2005, 01:10 AM
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Makes sense against the host, but what about decker vs. decker? Maybe a security decker.
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hahnsoo
post Feb 1 2005, 01:22 AM
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QUOTE (tisoz)
Makes sense against the host, but what about decker vs. decker? Maybe a security decker.

*security decker makes a Sensor test or Analyze Icon test* Yep, that's our man. Bag 'em. *Black Hammer beats runner's brain into a pulp*

Since everything is a metaphor in the Matrix, most deckers would be used to such deceptions from icons... deckers masquerading as fan junk e-mail, as harmless bits of data, as sorting utilities. Thus, they wouldn't rely on visual cues to identify perps, they'd scan with their Analyze program or a simple Sensor test.
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mfb
post Feb 1 2005, 01:23 AM
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same thing. it's best if you don't try to work out exactly why; this is one of those areas where SR's attempt to conglomerate VR-based computing and real-world computing doesn't work out.
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Konphujun
post Feb 1 2005, 02:10 AM
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Hey,

Cool, thanks for all the help guys. All of this info really cleared up the matrix for me and im ready to play a decker.. my GM isn't fond of matrix runs though. :(
One more question, how does the black hammer utility work? In the BBB it is very vague. Does it use the same rules as the attack but just with a multiplier of 20? Thanks in advance for the help!

Peace,

Konphujun :cyber:
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Necro Tech
post Feb 1 2005, 03:09 AM
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Black Hammer is the decker usuable version of Black IC and works mostly the same way. The decker has to resist with his meat and his deck at the same time. Just use black IC rules except it cant nuke the MPCP.

The reason Matrix has a seperate listing for your Icon is for style. The higher the rating, the higher the resolution. Kick ass and look good doing it. Also, it doesn't take up any memory, has to be changed out offline and all decks come with a universal pre-loaded one.
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noniemouse
post Feb 1 2005, 04:46 AM
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1)In threats 2 and in renraku arc shutdown otakus have complex forms for things like read/ write , cammo and other system utilities. it was my understanding that all system operations are covered by the otakus's channels can any one explain the discrepancy?.

2) there are two criteria for evashion of IC that i know of first you have to notice it and second you have to have evashion. so if you notice a probe IC icon can you then go into combat with it and perform an evashion manuver on it?
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Necro Tech
post Feb 1 2005, 05:16 AM
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1) Yes.

2)Otaku use channels in place of operational utilities, complex forms for Special, attack, etc.
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mfb
post Feb 1 2005, 04:05 PM
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1) that may have been a function of SR2 otaku, or it may have been a function of the curse that haunts SR: the Oogey Hex of Poorly-Statted NPCs. it's just how it is; it doesn't matter who does the writing or editing, NPC stat blocks are very often mucked up. regardless, under Matrix 3 rules, otaku use channels for stuff like that.

2) yep.
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