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Angenoir
Hi all

I want to know if someone have some example of matrix node stat or matrix host stat and structure.

The book is great, but I think the matrix chapter miss some point.

Give me some help... lol

Angenoir
Nobody's ever done harm or good to a true Viking without beeing repaid in full !!!
(Norse Saying)
Brahm
Try using the Search link at the top right of the page you are reading this on.

Enter "Matrix AND example" for the text to search for, then change the "Search posts from..." dropdown to 180 days. That will pull of about 20 threads, some of which should provide pretty close to what you are looking for. Or at least a start.
mintcar
It helps if you try to forget about previous versions of the matrix rules. In SR4, hacking is handled in much the same way as breaking in to a building physicly. That's why the rules seem a bit sketchy. Run a few tests with your hacker player to see what challange different node attributes pose. View the actual hack-in as scouting the target building and finally breaking the lock and sneaking in.

Use the same tricks for hightening the tention and the challange as you would with a physical infiltration. Have IC and security hackers make rounds of the system, and set up traps as you see fit. All depending on how much time and value you want to give the matrix run in game. There's no checklist anymore. It's much less of a board game approach than it was in previous editions.
Dashifen
Also, don't forget about the +3 for security account access and +6 for admin level access modifiers to the hacking tests. And that most common devices only allow admin access, thus the admin access +6 always applies. I always forget that one and let my hackers get in way too easy.
Aku
Shouldnt those be -'s Dash, since their die pool modifiers?
Dashifen
No, they're threshold modifiers on the extended test to hack. See page 221 under Hacking on the Fly and Probing the Target.
Brahm
QUOTE (Aku @ Feb 3 2006, 10:25 AM)
Shouldnt those be -'s Dash, since their die pool modifiers?

They are Extended Test Threshold modifiers.

EDIT Beaten to the punch.
Dashifen
Only by moments, though biggrin.gif
Aku
Ah, still learning this one. silly me.
sorry, carry on.
Chaos Kingpin
QUOTE (Angenoir)
Hi all

I want to know if someone have some example of matrix node stat or matrix host stat and structure.

The book is great, but I think the matrix chapter miss some point.

Give me some help... lol

Angenoir
Nobody's ever done harm or good to a true Viking without beeing repaid in full !!!
(Norse Saying)

QUOTE
Try using the Search link at the top right of the page you are reading this on.

Enter "Matrix AND example" for the text to search for, then change the "Search posts from..." dropdown to 180 days. That will pull of about 20 threads, some of which should provide pretty close to what you are looking for. Or at least a start.

... I did this search and looked at many informative posts. However, for us new GM's, it would be nice to see simple mock run through of a matrix romp.

Can any one help here?

The book examples are contextual and it would really help to see a step by step example, not an explanation or discussion of rules and terminology. As helpful as these people are being, it still doesn't make sense unless you know what all the phrases and terminology mean in context.

Also, I have seen in a lot of the old SR material a lot of visual representation. This seemed really helpful for learning that set of rules, especially for those of us who are computer illiterate. Has anyone seen or made any SR4 matrix "maps"? Or, if anyone knows a specific post addressing these issues could they help me out ?

Thank you thank you thank you
Aku
I'll throw in my hat for being a newbie hacker i have a character mostly made for an openRPG game, i just need to do my shopping, and maybe change to being a human, i'm not sure yet
Chaos Kingpin
QUOTE (Chaos Kingpin)
QUOTE (Angenoir @ Feb 2 2006, 08:22 PM)
Hi all

I want to know if someone have some example of matrix node stat or matrix host stat and structure.

The book is great, but I think the matrix chapter miss some point.

Give me some help... lol

Angenoir
Nobody's ever done harm or good to a true Viking without beeing repaid in full !!! 
(Norse Saying)

QUOTE
Try using the Search link at the top right of the page you are reading this on.

Enter "Matrix AND example" for the text to search for, then change the "Search posts from..." dropdown to 180 days. That will pull of about 20 threads, some of which should provide pretty close to what you are looking for. Or at least a start.

... I did this search and looked at many informative posts. However, for us new GM's, it would be nice to see simple mock run through of a matrix romp.

Can any one help here?

The book examples are contextual and it would really help to see a step by step example, not an explanation or discussion of rules and terminology. As helpful as these people are being, it still doesn't make sense unless you know what all the phrases and terminology mean in context.

Also, I have seen in a lot of the old SR material a lot of visual representation. This seemed really helpful for learning that set of rules, especially for those of us who are computer illiterate. Has anyone seen or made any SR4 matrix "maps"? Or, if anyone knows a specific post addressing these issues could they help me out ?

Thank you thank you thank you

...i.e
Hacker: I want to hack into the stuffer shack stockbot and make him steal a couple of grocery items and bring them out into the parking lot.
GM:that would never work, the door sensor would detect the the items leaving the store.
Hacker: O.K. first I want to take the sensors offline...

what happens next? anyone?
Aku
Either A) GM throws nice, new shiny (and HARCOVER!) book at player, or
B) player should have to go into the store, hack the RFID tags (since they likely have a signal of 0 and no other matrix connection, i think you'd have to get close to them) to hack the tags, or
C) same as above, but uses an RFID eraser on the tags.
Chaos Kingpin
this is purely a hypothetical situation, I am only fishing for a simple step-by-step run-through of a matrix hacking encounter...

any hypothetical Idiot's guide to SR Hacking will do..

controlling a cyberarm, camera, locks, etc.

I know how the individual tasks are supposed to be played, but what steps are there in getting from the hacker to that lock...what does the matrix look like.

I hate to sound dumb here, but neither the rules nor the posts that I have read are really making this clear.

EDIT- For instance, I know about the rules for say, hacking into a buisnesses node...but how did I get to that node from my apartment? How many steps were there? How many tests to make? Once inside the what does it look like?
Angelstandings
I started breaking down the rules for doing stuff in AR and VR, but the more I nitpicked the details, the more it fell apart. Best advice I can offer is, when GMing, just do what makes sense to you and be consistant. Most discussions here that I've seen relate to how the rules apply to real life network security -- and the rules were obviously not written with that in mind, and fall apart quickly if you try. I know that's not exactly what you're asking for, but that's my 2 cents for the moment biggrin.gif
Aku
oh, sorry, well, im still reading through the book, but the impression i get is that AR is the typical spam worse nightmare if you're in active mode. Ads everywhere, dating profiles etc Since it's just AR, everythings an overlay, so it looks like a semi transparent window.

VR is a different story. what VR looks like, seems to be, whatever the designers of the node want. So lets say you're a big shot, and you hack into mitsuhama. The moment you hit the first mitsuhama node, everything takes on feudal japanesse feel to it. Other large nodes might be japanesse houses, with IC being samurai, and fire walls being... walls of fire maybe.

Meanwhile, over at the descendats at Skywalker Farms, everything is stil molded around Star Wars. Nodes are Planets, a Tracker Agent is a group of wookies, while security deckers all look like TIE fighters.
Angelstandings
Sounds right to me biggrin.gif It's only as complicated as you make it, but if you try to make too much sense of it all (as in trying to relate it to current hacking/network security methodologies) you will go bonkers -- so don't try.

Remember that Echo Mirage was able to totally walk over whatever network security was in place 2029. Sure, it's fluff text, but it really helped me put things into perspective because then I stopped trying justify the rules into what made perfect technical sense in my own mind (I'm an IT Consultant), and just accepted what was laid out in front of me no matter how nuts it sounded.

As a GM, if your players try to do something in AR or VR that sounds too good to be true -- then it is. Make it difficult or impossible. You don't have to explain why it's difficult or impossible. As long as you're consistant in your approach of what's difficult or easy to do in your gameworld, the rules work.
hobgoblin
QUOTE (Chaos Kingpin)
EDIT- For instance, I know about the rules for say, hacking into a buisnesses node...but how did I get to that node from my apartment? How many steps were there? How many tests to make? Once inside the what does it look like?

hell if i know, but i would handle it like a call to the main matrix link (im guessing those are still present. sure a mesh network sounds nice and all that but everything needs a stable backbone), and then a search for the node in question. rember that the RTG/LTG setup is now toast, so you can in theory get to any node, anywhere with just one command. but each node your in contact with counts towards your subscription limit (and that one allso tracks your drones and any agents active outside of your comlinks node).
Chaos Kingpin
so, It could feasibly go like this...

Hacker- I want to hack into a London restaurant (from Seattle) to see if Mr. Johnson has eaten there recently.

GM- OK you are there there...

Hacker- I'm hacking into the administration area to check past transactions.

GM- (rolls appropriate test) OK you are in, (rolls again) OK you can now access the records (rolls) annnd you found what you were looking for.

THE END

???
hobgoblin
something like that yes...

atleast, thats the interpetation i have of things so far, from what i have read on this forum. i dont know if there is some specific info in the book about accessing a node on the other side of the globe...
September
Yeah, but remember, ANYTHING in the game can be described that way.

Scary Sammy: I want to drive over to the store and intimidate the manager into giving me food.

GM: Okay, you are there.

Scary Sammy: I'm intimidating him with my spurs.

GM: Okay, I'm rolling for intimidation...okay, he's scared...okay, he's handing you food.

THE END
hobgoblin
and he calls lone star via panic button the moment your out the door. and your face is all over the stores security cameras smokin.gif

there is 1001 ways to skin a cat, 99% of them messy...

im guessing that stuffer shack and similar will have random checks of customers leaving so that they can be reasonably sure that people pay for their goods. the check would be simple. just stop the person. wave a rfid reader over some displayed goods. and if it either comes back with funny data or do not register at all, you bring him to the back room for further questioning.
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