I read the sr4-sourcebook but still I have problems grasping the new Matrix.
Quite often I read in the Net that characters are hacking commlinks, cyberware and stuff. But I do not get it, how they do it actually.
I do not want to talk about the ridiculous encryption/decryption-rules here....
But imho in a time where we have nearly unlimited bandwidth, storage and processor power everything should communication is encrypted with the highest possible encryption (mmm...level 6 encryption - other stuff is military if i'm right)
Therefore I have to break the decryption all the time. Then I have to break through the Firewall of the device and spoof the identity to get access, right?
Then I do not understand why all my cyberware is connected to the PAN as well. Why should I connect my cyberarm to it (and if I can get a status about damage from it, why should I have it connected all the time and not only at the moment when I need a status)? My eyes with the image link yes - in the moment someone is spamming it (no spam-filters or ad-filtering there? we can do this nowadays quite easily) I disconnect them from the PAN - so no problem here or do I see something wrong here?
What is the signal strength of RFID-tags that I can locate them so easily? Is it like the "internet of things" described by Bruce Sterling (http://www.itconversations.com/shows/detail717.html -- it seems that this is a transcript of the presentation: http://www.viridiandesign.org/2006/03/viri...9-emerging.html)?
Looking at the RFID-debate today (espescially the RFIDs in passports-debate), I do not see why I should be able to locate a person so easily with it.
So, what can I really do with the AR? How do I abuse it? How do they spam (it cannot really function - when there's spam in my optic then the AR wouldn't really have had a chance to get a breakthrough, it's far too annoying...remember those everywhere's-an-animated-gif-webpages from the web 0.9? those where damn annoying and now think of it in your direct sight while you're walking a street)? Why does everyone wants to hack everything?
Help really wanted, sorry for the disorder of the write-up.
Full Version: Problems grasping the new Matrix
One doesn't have to connect anything they don't want to their PAN. You could simply not connect your cybergear to it.
The spam is what gets through the spam filters. If you didn't have spam filters on your commlink would probably crash from the amount of spam present in the wireless world.
Some RFID tags are hidden so only people who know about them can find them. Otherwise RFID tags are made to be seen. For example, an RFID tag in a statue that gives information about it, like a virtual plaque.
AR allows you do pretty much everything wirelessly. For example, one could enter a mall, view the map(with a constantly updated 'you are here' dot) and find the stores you want. Enter the store, view a list of products, and order whatever you want. You can use it to make calls, emails, battle plans, symphonies, spreadsheets, anything you have a program for.
Everyone wants to hack everything because it gives them a feeling of control over the system.
The spam is what gets through the spam filters. If you didn't have spam filters on your commlink would probably crash from the amount of spam present in the wireless world.
Some RFID tags are hidden so only people who know about them can find them. Otherwise RFID tags are made to be seen. For example, an RFID tag in a statue that gives information about it, like a virtual plaque.
AR allows you do pretty much everything wirelessly. For example, one could enter a mall, view the map(with a constantly updated 'you are here' dot) and find the stores you want. Enter the store, view a list of products, and order whatever you want. You can use it to make calls, emails, battle plans, symphonies, spreadsheets, anything you have a program for.
Everyone wants to hack everything because it gives them a feeling of control over the system.
allso remember that shadowrun have elements of cyberpunk in it, and one element of that again is the slide towards dystopia. therefor, the debate about rfid have never happend, the corps have just steamrolled it into place.
still, while its easy to locate joe wageslave with rfids. who is to say that its easy to locate the CEO of some corp. or your slighty smarter then avarage shadowrunner? there is a device in the equipment list that allow you to kill rfids. basicly is a kind of directional emp generator i think.
as for encryption, and why everything isnt encrypted to the nth degree? take a look at my dystopia comment
still, while its easy to locate joe wageslave with rfids. who is to say that its easy to locate the CEO of some corp. or your slighty smarter then avarage shadowrunner? there is a device in the equipment list that allow you to kill rfids. basicly is a kind of directional emp generator i think.
as for encryption, and why everything isnt encrypted to the nth degree? take a look at my dystopia comment
Shadowrun's paradigm of computer tech has always (realistically or not) assumed that decryption technologies have kept pace or outpaced encryption technologies. If you need an explanation for it, assume that in the very near future someone cracked an exceptionally effective quantum decryption algorithm and hackers (corporate or indy) have kept at it ever since... Or that corps build keys into the encryption systems they use and sell, and hackers/sec hackers either get their hands on them through black channels or extrapolate enough to crack from what they do get. Is it realistic? Probably not. But hacking/decking is a staple of cyberpunk and the genre calls for some suspense of disbelief to make it cool and playable.
maybe I can at least give you my answer for most of your questions. Look for the SGM link in my sig.
| QUOTE (Tremaali) |
| Then I do not understand why all my cyberware is connected to the PAN as well. Why should I connect my cyberarm to it (and if I can get a status about damage from it, why should I have it connected all the time and not only at the moment when I need a status)? |
Unless I'm mistaken, I think you need to have your cyberware hooked up to your PAN in order to use said 'ware. That's why hackers can manipulate another person's cyberware ("Stop hitting yourself! Stop hitting yourself!") by hacking that person's PAN, as I understand it.
....
Am I mistaken?
| QUOTE (FanGirl @ Jul 2 2006, 11:48 PM) | ||
Unless I'm mistaken, I think you need to have your cyberware hooked up to your PAN in order to use said 'ware. That's why hackers can manipulate another person's cyberware ("Stop hitting yourself! Stop hitting yourself!") by hacking that person's PAN, as I understand it. .... Am I mistaken? |
That is a misunderstanding. There is no need to link your cyber to your PAN for it to function (well, except for cybereye's image link). Cyberware interfaces with your body through DNI. Wireless functionality does not replace DNI, it complements it by allowing remote control and interfacing with implanted subsystems, equipment and storage devices, it also facilitates diagnostics and a number of other tricks. Technically you could run your cyber through your PAN or skinlink if it were set up that way and if for some reason your DNI-interface ceases to function. But only a newb would use wireless to operate his cyber if he has any other option - he'd be leaving himself open to attack.
Okay, thanks for clearing that up. 
RFID's arent that powerful in signal i think 1 or 2. However i take it that they communicate with anything in site so even if your commlink isnt in range it is communicating with the matrix and screaming its position.
I dont think spoofing is your only option for hacking stuff. However i dont understand it much better than you hehe. I think the node giving instructions to a gun emplacment or security camera would be passive or active instead of hidden like the gun emplacement.
The only reason to connect your cyberwear to your comm is to share control or information. Otherwise they use Direct Nueral Interface to move and function. I assume a hacker or rigger could shoot a fellow runners guns if the owner was knocked out or something and he had let the hacker/rigger subscribe to them. Unless they were attached to cyberarms though he couldnt move them.
I think i got a farely firm grasp of the archetecture of the matrix now. Everything in a building would make up a small network of nodes. Everything could be in a single node(stuffer shack) or you would have a heavily fortified door that leads to a center that branches out to various things like employee computers or maglocks(lone star). Now if your hacking from offsite you would have to go through the door and through various nodes before you got to where you wanted to be like a maglock. If your onsite the maglocked door would be within range of your comms and unless its passive or hidden it would be easy to find and you could just hack that node directly without having to go through the door and various other nodes to reach it.
AR is a newbie version of the matrix. Instead of typing away at a computer and looking at a screen you can just navigate the matrix and have things displayed however you want into your vision. You can do anything in AR you can do in the matrix except hack. You could make a little radar in your lower field of vision and if your linked to everyone elses cybereyes or gear you would have enemy blips on your radar. Or if your on the first floor of a building and about to goto the next floor a hacker could take control of the sec camera's and display the feeds directly into your eyes/glasses. Everything you do with your comm as far as making calls or transferring money or buying items is probably done with AR.
Im trying to figure out how exactly people interact with thier Commlink. I have to reread everything on them but they said it has a rolled up keyboard, glasses, a microphone and all this other physical crap if your not cybered but how does it interact with cybered people. Like the matrix. How do you give the commands to move from node to node or make decisions like to transfer money. How do you give the commands to subscribe or unsubscribe things to your comm. They make it seem like you do it with your brain but that cant be right. Its probably in the book but i have to reread it heh.
I dont think spoofing is your only option for hacking stuff. However i dont understand it much better than you hehe. I think the node giving instructions to a gun emplacment or security camera would be passive or active instead of hidden like the gun emplacement.
The only reason to connect your cyberwear to your comm is to share control or information. Otherwise they use Direct Nueral Interface to move and function. I assume a hacker or rigger could shoot a fellow runners guns if the owner was knocked out or something and he had let the hacker/rigger subscribe to them. Unless they were attached to cyberarms though he couldnt move them.
I think i got a farely firm grasp of the archetecture of the matrix now. Everything in a building would make up a small network of nodes. Everything could be in a single node(stuffer shack) or you would have a heavily fortified door that leads to a center that branches out to various things like employee computers or maglocks(lone star). Now if your hacking from offsite you would have to go through the door and through various nodes before you got to where you wanted to be like a maglock. If your onsite the maglocked door would be within range of your comms and unless its passive or hidden it would be easy to find and you could just hack that node directly without having to go through the door and various other nodes to reach it.
AR is a newbie version of the matrix. Instead of typing away at a computer and looking at a screen you can just navigate the matrix and have things displayed however you want into your vision. You can do anything in AR you can do in the matrix except hack. You could make a little radar in your lower field of vision and if your linked to everyone elses cybereyes or gear you would have enemy blips on your radar. Or if your on the first floor of a building and about to goto the next floor a hacker could take control of the sec camera's and display the feeds directly into your eyes/glasses. Everything you do with your comm as far as making calls or transferring money or buying items is probably done with AR.
Im trying to figure out how exactly people interact with thier Commlink. I have to reread everything on them but they said it has a rolled up keyboard, glasses, a microphone and all this other physical crap if your not cybered but how does it interact with cybered people. Like the matrix. How do you give the commands to move from node to node or make decisions like to transfer money. How do you give the commands to subscribe or unsubscribe things to your comm. They make it seem like you do it with your brain but that cant be right. Its probably in the book but i have to reread it heh.
| QUOTE (Abbandon) |
| You can do anything in AR you can do in the matrix except hack. |
you can hack with AR as well, it's just at meat bod speeds (which, if you have wired 3 is faster than VR, but that's a topic that's been beat to death already)
| QUOTE |
| Im trying to figure out how exactly people interact with thier Commlink. I have to reread everything on them but they said it has a rolled up keyboard, glasses, a microphone and all this other physical crap if your not cybered but how does it interact with cybered people. Like the matrix. How do you give the commands to move from node to node or make decisions like to transfer money. How do you give the commands to subscribe or unsubscribe things to your comm. They make it seem like you do it with your brain but that cant be right. Its probably in the book but i have to reread it heh. |
If you have trodes, a datajack, or an implanted commlink you can give commands with thoughts. Otherwise you have to use AR gloves, the keyboard, and the little nubs on the commlink itself to input commands.
Here's my 2-cents on your questions but keep in mind, SR4 has left the Matrix specifics rather open-ended, so there is room for interpretation for many of the fuzzier parts.
@Tremaali:
@Tremaali:
| QUOTE |
| Therefore I have to break the decryption all the time. Then I have to break through the Firewall of the device and spoof the identity to get access, right? |
Yeah mostly, although if you hack the device that controls your Target-Device, you can issue commands to it without having to Spoof.
| QUOTE |
| Then I do not understand why all my cyberware is connected to the PAN as well. |
You don't need to connect all your other things to your PAN unless you want them to communicate to each other wirelessly for some reason. It's mentioned that you can remove any devices wireless capabilities. Fluff-wise, less savvy, non-runner types might do it "because it's cool!".
IF you decide to keep your parts in the PAN then you run the risk of someone hacking you. The PAN just lets those things share data, if that's not a need, then remove them from the PAN.
| QUOTE |
| What is the signal strength of RFID-tags that I can locate them so easily? |
0-3 from what I can see. Depending on the tag and it's purpose. Avoid disappointment and don't try and relate real-life to any RPG. This is a game, not real-life.
| QUOTE |
| So, what can I really do with the AR? How do I abuse it? How do they spam? Why does everyone wants to hack everything? |
AR lets you interface with the Matrix while on-the-go instead of having to sit in a chair while someone watches your back. It's a game mechanic to keep Hackers involved in the action in a real-time way.
The biggest abuse I can see with AR is that since it uses your non-Matrix initiative, you can crank up your IP in the real-world and get close to a hot-VR Matrix ride.
As far as spam goes, RFID tag in SR4 aren't totally passive, they can hold unmentioned amounts of data and display just about anything. Since you can establish general filters about what to show or not-show: just menus, bus schedules, non-Ads, etc. This helps, but there are no specific rules about how to make your Ad look like a stuffer-shack menu when it's really not although i'd call that a hack-job
.From a SR-world view, I don't believe everyone wants to hack everything. There are always those types that have their reasons (ahem Shadowrunners) but I would guess like present times most folks know about it, but know nothing about how to do it.
From a SR-player view, probably because the Matrix is far more available that it used to be in prior versions. If your SR group is just hacking things for kicks and taking away from goals and objectives, then it's a GM control issue unless that's how you play.
| QUOTE |
| The biggest abuse I can see with AR is that since it uses your non-Matrix initiative, you can crank up your IP in the real-world and get close to a hot-VR Matrix ride. |
true, but there is one place where VR shines, probing that firewall. no wonder those echo mirage scared the hell out of the corp it security departments.
still, i would love to see a similar effect in place on using VR when searching for data...
but if your facing a black ice and have to hang around (most any download is one round in SR4 so unless its some kind of overwatch i find it unlikely) your best bet is AR so far. reason is that i cant find a way for it to harm you (maybe stun damage if you go simsense based AR, but with googles and gloves, no way).
so, AR most of the time, unless you need to get into a node all quiet like...
This is a "lo-fi" version of our main content. To view the full version with more information, formatting and images, please click here.