Hey all,

what are the limitations on what can be done with information in headmem?

For example if I have a headmem archive of images, and I take a picture of someone with an eyecam, can I run a facial recognition search program to see if they match any other pictures?

How long would it take?

Can I do other things while it is happening?

What about voiceprint searches?

What if I have a knowsoft of, say, a newspaper archive. Could I run a search against images to see if someone has ever been in the paper? What about text searches?

In game this would come up in situations where I meet a Johnson, and I want to see if he has ever appeared in the paper. Knowing that Johnson appeared in a groupshot at an Ares social function, while he is claiming to be from Renraku is potentially valuable information

If the above is not possible, is there any ware I can get to make it possible?

Nods to above, very on the ball. The only questions you need to know are "how does my GM/group view memory" and "whats the GM call on the software aquisition". The examples and guidelines suggested above are quite fair imo, ill second them.

As one of the "other" GM's that Kaneda Ten mentioned, I'm here to show you the other side of the coin, as spent in my games.

Hey all,

Hi...

what are the limitations on what can be done with information in headmem?

What are the limitations for a PC's external Hard Drive? You store stuff on it. Period.

For example if I have a headmem archive of images, and I take a picture of someone with an eyecam, can I run a facial recognition search program to see if they match any other pictures?

What you need: Some sort of processing device like an internal computer. Unless of course you want to pipe it out through a datajack.

How long would it take?

Whoa boy... that's up to the GM - variables include size of database, power of processor, rating of program and just plain luck.

Can I do other things while it is happening?

Probably. I would reccomend eating, drinking, sleeping and toilet trips.

What about voiceprint searches?

As above. Processor + Program = Eureka.

What if I have a knowsoft of, say, a newspaper archive. Could I run a search against images to see if someone has ever been in the paper? What about text searches?

And again... Ditto Kaneda Ten, save you need other bits to run the program.

In game this would come up in situations where I meet a Johnson, and I want to see if he has ever appeared in the paper. Knowing that Johnson appeared in a groupshot at an Ares social function, while he is claiming to be from Renraku is potentially valuable information

Quite...

If the above is not possible, is there any ware I can get to make it possible?

N/A

NOTE: Do not forget to purchase: Image link and, if applicable, subdermal speakers.

In short, I view HeadMem as Storage memory as per the description in the cyberdeck. What I might considder is an inflated price (in both essence and monetary terms) for HeadMem lumped with a dedicated processor as one might find in a PC... hmm...

*wanders off to drawing board...*

I see it being like Active Memory: basically a computer, not just storage space.

I can easily see where DB is coming from, but I have to go active memory for interpretation. I mean its the exact thing c2 decks use for active mem. The catch is ... does active mem allow the stuff to be run, or is in active mem in conjunction with the deck. Once you answer that for your game youve got your solution.

That's my point - you need the C2 deck to run the programs, no? So if you want to forego the C2, you'll need an independant processor.

I rule that image links contain a dedicated processor for imagery and SD speakers have what ammounts to a .wav player, but for anything more complex, it's a no-go...

There probably is at least some gold on the Z-O for electronics purposes.

~J

::Dedictedly takes notes:: As a side note. Man my players don't think of anything close to some of this cool stuff. ::Continues to take notes::

As near as I can tell, headware memory is just that, memory. It lacks any ability to run programs in and of itself, though there might be a rudimentary menu interface for selective data piping (you'd need a display or image link first). The benefit to it is that you don't have wires sticking out of your head while you're recording.

While you couldn't, from the original example, take a picture with an eye camera and then run a facial recognition software on it, you could probably send your image link to split screen mode and place the image beside that of a person you're tracking for direct comparison. A C2 would be able to do the processing, as would a limb computer.

A cyberlimb computer is often a much better option and that's not a bad thing. It makes sense that cramming computer memory directly into your brain would be a less efficient option than simply buidling a link between your brain and a computer with a load of memory. With the DNI and cyberlimb, it's also much more expensive in cash and essence than a equivalent headware solution.

For instance, the breakdown on 300 MP of memory assuming that you also have a datajack (three free links go to image/display link, eye camera, headware/computer):

Headware memory
Essence: 1
Nuyen: 45000
Drawbacks: No processing power
Benefits: Cheaper cashwise, almost completely concealable

Synthetic cyberlimb with computer
Essence: .1 (DNI) + 1 (limb) = 1.1
Nuyen: 4500 (DNI) + 100,000 (limb) + 45000 (computer) = 149500
Drawbacks: Concealability 8 for the fake limb. Not as stealthy an option.
Benefits: You have an additional 1.75 ECU in the limb and may be able to save essence that way from a overall package POV. Cost is reduced 25,000 for using an obvious cyberlimb, at the cost of concealability.

Just an Update: I'm FreakBoy's GM and recommended a cranial cyberdeck in order to run his search programs.

Alternately, a PocketSec with DNI and designed to strap to your forearm, linked to a induction datajack (conveniently located on that same forearm), should be able to do the job for you as well. Hell of a lot cheaper in both cash and essence than even the crappiest cranial deck, and is completely legal to boot.

No copies of Man and Machine handy, but our group has always ruled that having an Encephalon is sufficient to use headware memory as active processing space.

My current plan is to make this character a face/mage.

I'd go a little under 1 essence for cyber eyes, ears, headmem and datajack (haven't done the research yet, so still not quite sure if I can get all that under 1), and do any processing on an external computer which would be either at home or in the car.

Are cranial cyberdecks in M&M? Its the one relevant book I don't have immediately to hand.

What about pocketsecs, are they from M&M? I'm guessing they are essentially a PDA from the name.

What is an Encephalon?

The Encephalon is a piece of cyberware that allows for dedicated processing; it does a variety of things (like give you a task pool). It's changed fairly drastically from one edition to the next, so rather than mis-cite the stats I'll point you at Man & Machine (if you've got a copy).

Cranial decks are in MM, but they're certainly not essence friendly. Cheapest one essence-wise is 1.9.

Pocket Secretaries are in the main SR3 book on page 288. They're a 100MP computer, cell phone, digital camera, word processor, etc. Basically, think of it as a rough equivalent to one of today's top-of-the line PDA/PocketPC's.

Depending on what you want to do with the various components, you might have to throw a router in there. M&M has rules for interfacing different items of 'ware. I'd say forget about a C2, you're not really needing the other benefits of it, so it's an essence hog you don't need. You're going to run into trouble when your essence point runs out. The "basic" package would be eyes w/image link and opticam, ears w/recorder, datajack. All alphaware, that comes to .62 essence (and 77,200 ). To get headware, you have to invest in a router, as well. A two port router runs you .096 essence leaving you with the ability to purchase up to 84 MP of alphaware headware memory.

Whew, that was complicated. You do have some space left over for hearing mods, but not vision mods.

You wouldn't need the router for that setup, as the Datajack has enough free connections for all parts. That is unless you don't count all eye systems as being linked to each other automatically.

They aren't necessarily. Both the image link and eye camera need connections to various other 'ware to function and aren't necessarily linked together.

Which is why I put that qualifier in. Most people I've played with count the systems within eyes and ears to be linked together normally. Otherwise, it would be difficult to have multiple layered vision modes going at once, for example.

I may be wrong (don't have books with me at work - damn bosses won't let me read Shadowrun all day), but doesn't the description of Headware Memory in the main rulebook describe it as being both active and storage memory. This would mean it runs programs.

Also I would think that if you can run Knowsofts, Skillsofts etc. from Headware you should be able to run other progs.

Actually, M&M p20 says you can use headware memory as both active and storage memory for a C2. You can run programs in headware memory, you just can't run them WITH headware memory (ie, you need some external source of computing power).

this board is multiposting, and only getting half of the post =P

I'm fairly positive that M&M said that all devices in an eye or ear are autimatically linked, you only need one router jack going o the eye or ear to link all the devices within. I'd bet my left testacle on it.

That's quite a bit of certainty. Or are you not telling us something?
I'll look that up when I get the chance, if someone doesn't beat me to it.

~J

Sorry folks, he keeps the testicle. MM page 46, first full paragraph in the second column:

But what if the eye/ear stuff happens to be in a natural eye or ear?

~J

Yay! I get to keep my testacle!

You can't run a router to a meat part, theres absolutely no point in it. If you have a bunch of mods IN that eye, and want all of them routed then yeah, they all need to be linked individually. All the more reason to get a cybereye.