How exactly does Reality Filter work? From what's written, it appears analogous to changing the font colors on your side of a communication, which any schmuck can do without alerting anything, so why is it an opposed test against System + Response of whatever it is you're hacking (which means an active administrator may notice you)?
Anyone have any insights as to why it's an opposed test against the node?
Full Version: Reality Filter
I believe it's because Reality Filter doesn't just change your perspective - it changes your opponent's, as well. At least, that's how it is in the fiction.
Its because it allows ypou to see the node in your terms. This means you know what everything is because you set it up.
The sec system doesn't want this because it allows you to recognise and identify IC easier, spot hidden door ways and create other such security holes that they sculptured there system to hide.
Its like changing all text to black on white and finding all the keywords the web designer has hidden as text the same colour as the background, innoccuous on a web site mainly, but this a corp security we're talking about not something trivial. This means the system tries to stop you altering its appearence by having in built code that forces you to see it a certain way rather than how you would like.
I think that covers it.
The sec system doesn't want this because it allows you to recognise and identify IC easier, spot hidden door ways and create other such security holes that they sculptured there system to hide.
Its like changing all text to black on white and finding all the keywords the web designer has hidden as text the same colour as the background, innoccuous on a web site mainly, but this a corp security we're talking about not something trivial. This means the system tries to stop you altering its appearence by having in built code that forces you to see it a certain way rather than how you would like.
I think that covers it.
But if it's YOUR node, and not some corp's... like, your commlink is a node when its online - it can be hacked just like any other node. So, obviosuly, when someone tries to ahck your commlink, and they do so with a reaility filter, it's an opposed check, and if they succeed, they get a bonus - but you don't get a penalty, do you? If they were reordering your system, I would imagine it would be harder for you to find the information you need to stop them.
Also, if YOU run a reality filter on your OWN commlink (or node, or whatever), that would be opposed to? Why would your own system try to stop you from ordering everything so that you get an advantage?
Also, if YOU run a reality filter on your OWN commlink (or node, or whatever), that would be opposed to? Why would your own system try to stop you from ordering everything so that you get an advantage?
because the manufacturers of the commlink dont want you to find any possible holes that are built into the commlink, either on purpose or on accident?
| QUOTE (Aku) |
| because the manufacturers of the commlink dont want you to find any possible holes that are built into the commlink, either on purpose or on accident? |
Damn good answer.
Or you could just house rule and say that when you install an OS on something, you can load a reality filter at the same time and have it run unopposed.
| QUOTE (RunnerPaul) |
| Or you could just house rule and say that when you install an OS on something, you can load a reality filter at the same time and have it run unopposed. |
I sort of like Aku's answer. Seems more like "the Man" out to get people.
I might rule that with a custom OS, you can work in your own Reality Filter so that it can run unopposed, but very few Shadowrunners see enough "down time" to create their own OS - so I doubt it would ever happen. When it does, though, the runner's devices would almost all see a 1 point increase in response, leading to (probably) an increase in system and in every program on that system.
My problem is that if you CAN run a reality filter on your own gear, and get the response increase for any off-line activities you are doing (on that node), it makes sense for everyone to do so all of the time - except, of course, when they plan to be connecting to other nodes (in VR or something) where the Reaility Filter could be a burden.
But, like, consider a store-bought drone. Response 3/System 3/ Firewall 3 Signal 2ish.
I could buy up to a rating 4 pilot program at chargen. Installing this new PilotOS on the drone wouldn't do anything, though, because its responce would limit the system rating. So, I throw on a reaility filter. Now my drone pilot can operate itself (since the pilot is the OS) with better efficiency, raising the responce (hardware?) of the system, allowing the pilot OS to work at a higher level (4) and allowing the other three programs it coudl have running to operate at rating 4 instead of 3.
Since a hacker only has to buy a reality filter once (but owuld have to upgrade responce hardware for each device he has) it just seems like he would always want to have areality filter running - except maybe on his commlink if he thinks he might instantly start using VR hacky stuff and not want to waste a simple action to switch out the program.
| QUOTE (BlackHat) |
| When it does, though, the runner's devices would almost all see a 1 point increase in response, leading to (probably) an increase in system and in every program on that system. My problem is that if you CAN run a reality filter on your own gear, and get the response increase for any off-line activities you are doing (on that node), it makes sense for everyone to do so all of the time - except, of course, when they plan to be connecting to other nodes (in VR or something) where the Reaility Filter could be a burden. . |
Doesn't the Reality Filter's bonus only apply in VR Mode?
Don't get me wrong, I like Aku's answer too, but I also liked how these things worked in previous editions, which is something my proposed houserule tries to approximate.
It's true the hacker would be getting extra response nearly for free, but since the description of the Reality Filter program specifically mentions VR, isn't that a built-in limiting factor?
But see, I can change the icons on my desktop no problem, and I can change font colors when I'm coding in a C++ editor, and that's a standard feature. In 70 years it takes an opposed test against the system?
heck, there's been times when i've had to fight the OS on my computer to get it to do basic things, never mind change the way the VR of it looks 
reality filter should not increase response for stuff like the limit on how powerful a system you can be running. only a unmodified response rating should do that. thats atleast my take.
the classical explanation of a reality filter is that it works as a translation layer. its kinda like emulating one machine on top of a diffrent one. every command have to be run thru the filter. no problem as long as one was talking ums (universal matrix standard or something like that) style enviroments.
but as soon as you hit a sculpted system this is a totaly diffrent story. then the reality filter have to try and guess what actions the sculpting have and then translate that into what its trying to present. it may do fine, or it may well turn it all into chaos. with actions you think is doing one thing, doing something compleatly diffrent.
all this hinges on the tought that what a node sends out is just the VR data. your local machine have to send back your actions blindly, saying that you twisted some sculpt so and so, pushed it in a direction and so on. then the node prosesses the actions and comes back with a reply.
its kinda like having a web site made with php or similar that can react to every keypress, every mouse click and so on as long as the browser have focus.
lets say that no browser was able to show the source of a page as the source was a stream of binary data. no way for you to flip into source mode to look for hidden links, words or commands. thats what the matrix basicly is.
the classical explanation of a reality filter is that it works as a translation layer. its kinda like emulating one machine on top of a diffrent one. every command have to be run thru the filter. no problem as long as one was talking ums (universal matrix standard or something like that) style enviroments.
but as soon as you hit a sculpted system this is a totaly diffrent story. then the reality filter have to try and guess what actions the sculpting have and then translate that into what its trying to present. it may do fine, or it may well turn it all into chaos. with actions you think is doing one thing, doing something compleatly diffrent.
all this hinges on the tought that what a node sends out is just the VR data. your local machine have to send back your actions blindly, saying that you twisted some sculpt so and so, pushed it in a direction and so on. then the node prosesses the actions and comes back with a reply.
its kinda like having a web site made with php or similar that can react to every keypress, every mouse click and so on as long as the browser have focus.
lets say that no browser was able to show the source of a page as the source was a stream of binary data. no way for you to flip into source mode to look for hidden links, words or commands. thats what the matrix basicly is.
ok, i dont have SR4 (yet) so i can't say if anything changed, so feel free to correct me if i'm wrong, but i dont feel that running a reality filter would do you any good on your own commlink, as all it does is take the information coming from a node, and makes you see it how you want.
for example, if you are hacking an uber pizza join that has its sculptured system to show pay data as pizza pies, and attack ultilities as a pizze cutter. Your reality filter, on the other hand, is set to show paydata as stacks of C notes, and attack util's as uzi's.
Given these facts, i can only think of a few situations in which something like this would wind up on your commlink. First, the OS or hardware has some sort of flaw or built in "problem", and i couldnt see an OS allowing you the power to instantly see what sort of backdoors might be in the software. Two, someone has hacked into your system, and installed something without your knowledge, without knowing what sort of limitations are on when the realitry filter can be used, i'm not sure if it would make a difference if it could be used for that use or not.
for example, if you are hacking an uber pizza join that has its sculptured system to show pay data as pizza pies, and attack ultilities as a pizze cutter. Your reality filter, on the other hand, is set to show paydata as stacks of C notes, and attack util's as uzi's.
Given these facts, i can only think of a few situations in which something like this would wind up on your commlink. First, the OS or hardware has some sort of flaw or built in "problem", and i couldnt see an OS allowing you the power to instantly see what sort of backdoors might be in the software. Two, someone has hacked into your system, and installed something without your knowledge, without knowing what sort of limitations are on when the realitry filter can be used, i'm not sure if it would make a difference if it could be used for that use or not.
| QUOTE (Aku) |
| ok, i dont have SR4 (yet) so i can't say if anything changed, so feel free to correct me if i'm wrong, but i dont feel that running a reality filter would do you any good on your own commlink, as all it does is take the information coming from a node, and makes you see it how you want. |
One difference from SR3 to SR4 is taht every device is basically now a "node" ... the commlink in your pocket that you use as a cell phone is a perfectly valid matrix "node" for hackers to break into and hang out in and manipulate. Thsoe doing so with a reality filter would certainly reap the benifits... though I suppose that the people above who mentioend it says VR-mode have made a good point.
Especially if you rule that THIS increase in responce doesn't lift the cap on System (and thus, all of your programs).
| QUOTE (BlackHat) | ||
One difference from SR3 to SR4 is taht every device is basically now a "node" ... the commlink in your pocket that you use as a cell phone is a perfectly valid matrix "node" for hackers to break into and hang out in and manipulate. Thsoe doing so with a reality filter would certainly reap the benifits... though I suppose that the people above who mentioend it says VR-mode have made a good point. Especially if you rule that THIS increase in responce doesn't lift the cap on System (and thus, all of your programs). |
i do understand that part of SR4, but the question, in my mind, is, is this node (say,t he cellphone), something you log onto (like an indivudual computer on a network today), or is it more akin to a file (something that does something specific, like "run" the cell phone). if it's the former, then i could see a reality filter being useful on that node, because there are, theoritically, other things that you could do on that node, if it is the latter, whats the point? if the only thing that cell phone node can do, is be a cell phone, well, i dont see much of a reason to "filter" within that node.
And yes, i'm aware of the question around here as far as being able to run agents/ic etcetra on non-commlink devices, perhaps that answer would assist in this discussion as well.
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