Full Version: PANs, implanted commlinks and other cyberware
There are a couple of points on which the SR4 core book is irritatingly unhelpful. I get that commlinks incorporate router functionality and serve as the core of the character's PAN. I also get that essentially every piece of gear and cyberware belonging to a character is computerized, wireless-enabled and tied into that character's PAN. What I can't seem to discover is whether implanted commlinks incorporate transducer functionality as a standard feature (effectively granting the character a kind of cybernetic telepathy) and/or serve as a DNI for the other components of the PAN. In other words, let's say a character has an implanted commlink and a cybernetic smartlink. Could that character send a command through the commlink to activate or deactivate the smartlink?
The short answer is yes.
The long answer is that the information you're looking for is mentioned on page 228 of your hymnal.
The long answer is that the information you're looking for is mentioned on page 228 of your hymnal.
I had trouble figuring out the commlink stuff too. I took notes while I was learning and posted it in an FAQ:
http://forums.dumpshock.com/index.php?showtopic=18512
Hope it helps save you some time/confusion.
http://forums.dumpshock.com/index.php?showtopic=18512
Hope it helps save you some time/confusion.
I hear the micro transmitter tread coming back...
| QUOTE (Tanegar) |
| There are a couple of points on which the SR4 core book is irritatingly unhelpful. I get that commlinks incorporate router functionality and serve as the core of the character's PAN. I also get that essentially every piece of gear and cyberware belonging to a character is computerized, wireless-enabled and tied into that character's PAN. What I can't seem to discover is whether implanted commlinks incorporate transducer functionality as a standard feature (effectively granting the character a kind of cybernetic telepathy) and/or serve as a DNI for the other components of the PAN. In other words, let's say a character has an implanted commlink and a cybernetic smartlink. Could that character send a command through the commlink to activate or deactivate the smartlink? |
p. 330 CYBERWARE
Paragraph 2
"In addition to wireless functionality, most cyberware devices
are equipped with a direct neural interface (DNI) that
allows the user to mentally activate and control their functions.
Th ey can also be linked to other cyberware implants."
The character can in fact send the command directly to a cyberSmartlink and skip the implanted commlink, though you can do both.
...so if you had a micro transceiver plugged into your datajack...
[...looks both ways, then runs....]
[...looks both ways, then runs....]
DireRadiant: Thanks muchly. I was looking specifically at the parts of the book dealing with commlinks and skipped over the introductory bits. 
Aaron: Thanks for the attempt, but what am I supposed to be looking at on page 228? My copy of SR4 has info on software agents, IC, software piracy, and VR on that page.
Also, what's this about microtransceivers plugged into a datajack? A holdover from an earlier edition, I take it, since universal wireless connectivity must make such a thing redundant.
Aaron: Thanks for the attempt, but what am I supposed to be looking at on page 228? My copy of SR4 has info on software agents, IC, software piracy, and VR on that page.
Also, what's this about microtransceivers plugged into a datajack? A holdover from an earlier edition, I take it, since universal wireless connectivity must make such a thing redundant.
| QUOTE (Tanegar) |
| Also, what's this about microtransceivers plugged into a datajack? A holdover from an earlier edition, I take it, since universal wireless connectivity must make such a thing redundant. |
...yes it is but it makes it unhackable since it is hardwired and not subscribed to your PAN.
[...smiles, waves, then runs...]
Not unhackable, they just have to hack the datajack first. Via activators, your datajacks wireless connection, or plugging into it themselves.
To what extent are wireless PANs themselves made redundant by DNI-equipped gear and cyberware? Sure, a runner might want to run a PAN when he out on the town going about his daily business (as opposed to his, shall we say, nightly business?), but does he actually need it? There's a blurb somewhere in SR4 (I forget exactly where) about the stupidity of leaving one's PAN on while engaged in illicit activities, since all that broadcasting is basically a giant neon bull's-eye affixed to your character's tuchus. Since now even magicians can have DNIs, in the form of trodes, without sacrificing any of their magical potential, hardwired PANs must surely be standard equipment for any runner who's even half-serious about the job.
Remember a PAN is just a Personal Area Network, so your cyberware is part of your PAN if you want it to be.
A PAN is definitely nice to have if you want to transfer data around your devices. For instance, you need to connect your smartlink to your image link on your contact lenses. You would want to connect your commlink to your contact lenses so you can see AR and so you can transmit images you see with your contacts to friends elsewhere on the matrix.
However, you do not need to use wireless to connect your PAN devices...in fact you shouldn't for security reasons. You're better off using skinlinks even though they cost a little more. Better yet, if your PAN devices are all cyberware, they can all be hardwired together at no charge and that makes them even more secure than skinlinks.
A PAN is definitely nice to have if you want to transfer data around your devices. For instance, you need to connect your smartlink to your image link on your contact lenses. You would want to connect your commlink to your contact lenses so you can see AR and so you can transmit images you see with your contacts to friends elsewhere on the matrix.
However, you do not need to use wireless to connect your PAN devices...in fact you shouldn't for security reasons. You're better off using skinlinks even though they cost a little more. Better yet, if your PAN devices are all cyberware, they can all be hardwired together at no charge and that makes them even more secure than skinlinks.
Now here's the real question that I wondered the other day:
1) My nethack/thug PC Blue Line has a cranial commlink, because he is 100% Ghost in the Shell about his business.
2) He has several pieces of ware and items that under no circumstances should be wireless, just to cut down on the chance of failure in the field. Getting your rifle hacked when you need to bust somebody down is a sure way to end up dead.
3) Can he skinlink bodyware to his implanted commlink? Can he even skinlink his guns, since his cranial comm has no way to interface with a skinlink save wirelessly, which renders the point moot?
He can datajack his skinlink, which I think handles the guns. But can you skinlink your implanted comm to your internal air tank, say? Since the air tank never touches skin? What if the item was a nanohive, say?
(Note: for this character, it doesn't actually matter that much, since he's an electronics warfare thug, but still.. I wanna know what people think.)
1) My nethack/thug PC Blue Line has a cranial commlink, because he is 100% Ghost in the Shell about his business.
2) He has several pieces of ware and items that under no circumstances should be wireless, just to cut down on the chance of failure in the field. Getting your rifle hacked when you need to bust somebody down is a sure way to end up dead.
3) Can he skinlink bodyware to his implanted commlink? Can he even skinlink his guns, since his cranial comm has no way to interface with a skinlink save wirelessly, which renders the point moot?
He can datajack his skinlink, which I think handles the guns. But can you skinlink your implanted comm to your internal air tank, say? Since the air tank never touches skin? What if the item was a nanohive, say?
(Note: for this character, it doesn't actually matter that much, since he's an electronics warfare thug, but still.. I wanna know what people think.)
| QUOTE (Adarael @ Sep 20 2007, 08:48 PM) |
| 3) Can he skinlink bodyware to his implanted commlink? Can he even skinlink his guns, since his cranial comm has no way to interface with a skinlink save wirelessly, which renders the point moot? |
Cranial implanted coms are a stupid idea for the reasons you've provided, as well as upgrades and repairs. Consider the idea that they are not implanted in the head. Say on the side of the chest, with wires running to the brain implant that does DNI. (the commlink is really small, as it doesn't need a UI) Then you can run an inductive link to the commlink under your clothes.
It would be pretty trivial to run cables to all the other implanted cyber systems you have.
| QUOTE (kzt) | ||
Cranial implanted coms are a stupid idea for the reasons you've provided, as well as upgrades and repairs. Consider the idea that they are not implanted in the head. Say on the side of the chest, with wires running to the brain implant that does DNI. (the commlink is really small, as it doesn't need a UI) Then you can run an inductive link to the commlink under your clothes. It would be pretty trivial to run cables to all the other implanted cyber systems you have. |
I thought I'd chime in with my opinion of Skinlink.
To Adarael: I don't have the books with me or anything, but I was always under the impression that Skinlink basically uses the bioelectric field that a metahuman creates to transmit data between Skinlink devices. Since this bioelectric field exists throughout and a little outside your whole body that would mean that any implanted devices would usable with Skinlink, not just devices touching your skin. If Skinlink only worked on devices actually touching your skin it would mean you could never wear gloves if you wanted to Skinlink with your weapons.
To kzt: Let me see if I understand your comments correctly. You run a wire from your DNI implant to an induction point, then plug your commlink in to the induction point, then run wires to all your devices? While this makes sense and would probably be cheaper in terms of
and Essense, what happens if the runner happens to be captured or otherwise encounter a situation where they are not allowed to have their external commlink and wired toys? Having a commlink that cannot be removed so easily might be a useful ace-up-the-sleeve, especially if combined with a Skinlinked commlink so the implanted one can remain unnoticed.
| QUOTE (Tarantula) |
| Not unhackable, they just have to hack the datajack first. Via activators, your datajacks wireless connection, or plugging into it themselves. |
...not if you have the wireless connection disabled. Then they have to plug into your head, arm or wherever the you have your datajack implanted & that would be just a tad bit noticeable.
| QUOTE (blood_kite) |
To kzt: Let me see if I understand your comments correctly. You run a wire from your DNI implant to an induction point, then plug your commlink in to the induction point, then run wires to all your devices? While this makes sense and would probably be cheaper in terms of and Essense, what happens if the runner happens to be captured or otherwise encounter a situation where they are not allowed to have their external commlink and wired toys? Having a commlink that cannot be removed so easily might be a useful ace-up-the-sleeve, especially if combined with a Skinlinked commlink so the implanted one can remain unnoticed. |
No, you have the entire commlink implanted under the skin where it's convenient and safe to work on. Requiring a bone saw and general anesthesia isn't convenient or safe. A local, a scalpel and some superglue is about as safe and convenient as you are going to get with surgery.
The commlink has the induction connection for all the stuff that isn't implanted.
Implanted stuff is driectly wired to the commlink.
(actually it would be wired to a router that is connect to the commlink, but that's details.)
If you need to upgrade or replace the commlink you locate with ultrasound, apply Novocaine, alcohol wipe, small cut, unplug the router, pop out the commlink, install new commlink, superglue the skin, apply "no scar"tm, done.
| QUOTE (kzt) | ||
No, you have the entire commlink implanted under the skin where it's convenient and safe to work on. Requiring a bone saw and general anesthesia isn't convenient or safe. A local, a scalpel and some superglue is about as safe and convenient as you are going to get with surgery. The commlink has the induction connection for all the stuff that isn't implanted. Implanted stuff is driectly wired to the commlink. (actually it would be wired to a router that is connect to the commlink, but that's details.) If you need to upgrade or replace the commlink you locate with ultrasound, apply Novocaine, alcohol wipe, small cut, unplug the router, pop out the commlink, install new commlink, superglue the skin, apply "no scar"tm, done. |
You cannot do this, as unless you install your commlink into a cyberlimb costing capacity, it is implanted in your head.
Don't be a prisoner of the RAW. It's not the unquestionable, unerring, unchangeable word of God. And you won't be hunted down and flogged by the Committee for the Propagation of Virtue and the Prevention of Vice if you choose to not follow it precisely to the letter.
| QUOTE (Kyoto Kid) | ||
...not if you have the wireless connection disabled. Then they have to plug into your head, arm or wherever the you have your datajack implanted & that would be just a tad bit noticeable. |
Or just hack something that does have wireless, and is plugged into your datajack.
| QUOTE (kzt) |
| Don't be a prisoner of the RAW. It's not the unquestionable, unerring, unchangeable word of God. And you won't be hunted down and flogged by the Committee for the Propagation of Virtue and the Prevention of Vice if you choose to not follow it precisely to the letter. |
Buy a cybertorso, and stick your commlink in it then.
| QUOTE (kzt) |
| Don't be a prisoner of the RAW. It's not the unquestionable, unerring, unchangeable word of God. And you won't be hunted down and flogged by the Committee for the Propagation of Virtue and the Prevention of Vice if you choose to not follow it precisely to the letter. |
HEATHEN!! Question not The Word! Truck ye not with the White Wolves and the Wizards of the Coast, for they shall lead ye unto DAMNATION! The Word is true, and in it ye shall find the answers to all things, and peace and salvation shall be had!
Now go make 10 hot elf lesbian ninja catgirls in penance, lest Bloodzilla feast upon your soul.
| QUOTE (Kyoto Kid @ Sep 21 2007, 10:04 AM) | ||
...not if you have the wireless connection disabled. Then they have to plug into your head, arm or wherever the you have your datajack implanted & that would be just a tad bit noticeable. |
The only way you can make your whole PAN "unhackable" would be to turn of Wireless connectivity on everything, otherwise all cyberware and other PAN devices can be manipulated once the Commlink is cracked. If that's what you're doing, then (as a GM) that would be fine by me. Just remember the limitations you impose on yourself in regards to team communication.
Generally during a play session, I let my players "table talk" freely. Essentially, they can discuss things as a group regarding the run and such and I don't worry about which character is where, physically, as I assume that they can use any of the communication channels available to them via their Commlinks (text message, phone, etc). If one of my players were to get a little "cheeky" and say they are turning off all wireless in order to be "unhackable" then that would force me to now have to enforce some rules of "reality." Essentially, if their character wasn't within physical communication distance of the other players, then I wouldn't allow them to participate in any way to the group discussion. How could they? No one can call them. No one can message them. They are "off the grid." Sure you could communicate via Watcher spirit messengers or some such, but then I have to start looking at Astral Tracking and the time involved there, not to mention the chance that those dumb Watchers will get the message wrong.
Bottom line: respect the place Hackers have as an offensive and defensive character type in the world. I'm not a malicious GM. I don't have random Hackers destroying my PC's gear for no reason, as long as the PC takes some "reasonable" precautions, such as running in Hidden mode. A character cannot be "unhackable" in SR4 any more than a character can be "immune" to Magic, or "impervious" to bullets.
With regards to the headcomm and skinlink, I think Blood Kite's method is about the same as how I personally would rule it in one of my games, and thankfully is also how my GM rules it.
Because really. Head computers. Head computers are totally amazingly awesome.
Because really. Head computers. Head computers are totally amazingly awesome.
| QUOTE (Tarantula) | ||||
Or just hack something that does have wireless, and is plugged into your datajack. |
...that is if the character has anything wireless connected to it via DNI.
I usually make the Transceiver link a standalone just so it cannot be hacked. Datajacks are cheap (both in
and Essence).
| QUOTE (Moon-Hawk @ Sep 21 2007, 01:52 PM) | ||
HEATHEN!! Question not The Word! Truck ye not with the White Wolves and the Wizards of the Coast, for they shall lead ye unto DAMNATION! The Word is true, and in it ye shall find the answers to all things, and peace and salvation shall be had! Now go make 10 hot elf lesbian ninja catgirls in penance, lest Bloodzilla feast upon your soul. |
...
[edit]
...had me snickering so hard that my boss gave me an odd look from his office (fortunately I was on lunch break at the time).
I'd say that's worth at least a couple Karma just for style alone.
| QUOTE |
The only way you can make your whole PAN "unhackable" would be to turn of Wireless connectivity on everything, otherwise all cyberware and other PAN devices can be manipulated once the Commlink is cracked. |
Of course, there's still the multiple-commlink trick that pops up here on occasion. USe one as a router for all your shadow equipment, wireless-off; and then carry around a "public" commlink for communication and other stuff.
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