1. Sparky: Has been removed as a program that can destroy hardware, but has been added as an Technomancer echo. This echo can destroy hardware of an opponent. Guess this is more of a thought then a question. Is there any precedent/problem for recreating this ability as a program? Curious as to why this was removed as a program.

2. Unplug: A virus that reformats an entire node. Just need a little clarification from the final sentence under this one. It says once reformatting begins the OS alerts sec and admin access users. How does this work? Does this alert happen during the first rolls of the extended tests or only if successful. And if only after successful exactly how long does the user have to respond before reformatting takes place? Is there a delay or is user just allowed one action to respond?

EDIT: Bad post header, these questions regard info in Unwired.

1) i dont see why not, altho i makes TM's less special. what it does tho is give a way to get at those pesky AR adepts.

2) i would say that one have until the extended test is completed. and first test or first successful (hit producing) test would depend on how "on alert" the node is at the moment of infection.

I want to know how to recreate the smartlink program that TM can make. THAT is worth it's weight in gold.

1. Sort of my thoughts on the subject and with prices on basic commlinks and programs being alot more reasonable it doesn't mess with balance unless your packing high rated tools. My catching point was the fact if it was a program then a technomancer could reproduce it, so considered going the virus route with it.

2. Tests are 1 minute intervals so I'm assuming it means the alert goes off if the virus succeeds in which case I was wondering if there was time to do anything except to freak out or if reformatting had a time frame?

the way i read it is that the extended test is the formating.

as in, ones the virus starts the formating process it formats more and more of the node as the hits come ticking in.

as long as one kill the virus before it had collected enough hits on the extended test, one stops the formating.

and any alarm should go of the moment the first hit(s) are gained, or when the extended test begins.

basically think of the extended test as the progress bar

Correct me if I'm wrong if thats the case and each interval for the virus's threshold test is a full minute that would allow the defender to possibly roll dozens of attempts at stopping it. Thats what confused me, with that many attempts at stopping the virus it sort of destroys the virus's usefulness.

Seems pretty straightforward to me. The virus rolls twice its rating vs. a threshold of System + Firewall once per minute. The first test that generates hits triggers an active alert, but that doesn't mean the virus is exposed. It's just the node saying "hey, something's really wrong in here!" A spider has to actually visit the node and make matrix perception tests to find the virus, then load up Purge before the whole node is lost. Assuming a rating 6 virus infecting a rating 6 node, that leaves the spider 5 minutes to find the virus and beat it in a fair opposed test (Computer + Purge vs. Virus Rating x2, one try per complex action).

All that's assuming the virus is the only thing going wrong with the system. If the hacker who planted the virus is in the node, engaging the spider in cybercombat, that node's going down. If he's in another node opening a maglock, he's getting away with it.

@Zaranthan
In your example that gives the spyder under optimal conditions 5+ minutes to make opposed tests. Honestly there really is no chance under "normal" conditions that this virus would ever succeed. It seems to render this virus useless.

Thats how I read it too and why I'm confused.

You're going to have to define "normal conditions." We're talking about a virus that annihilates all data in the infected node. How is something like that supposed to spread? Only by being directly installed on the target node. The virus doesn't exist outside the context of a live hack. It's either a distraction (in which case it doesn't have to succeed, only draw attention) or the objective (in which case it will be defended by its author).

i dont think its aimed at taking down big corporate nexi. its aimed at joe wageslaves private comlink, and used by matrix gangs on rampages.

At 5+ minutes Joe Wageslave has time to either dowload software and disinfect many times over or call for help and still have time to wait for them to arrive.

Used by a hacker at 5+ minutes this isn't a very effect distraction, any matrix confrontation will be long over before the virus has done its deed. There is already a virus designed to draw attention away from a hacker by setting off an alarm on purpose, why use such a specific virus as unplug to fill that role?

Edit: Tryed to clean up second paragraph.

Joe Wageslave has 5 minutes to run his Data Search 1 + Browse 2 once per minute to find a Purge program, assuming he even has an Analyze program that can figure out what's wrong (that matrix perception test to find the virus is opposed, not extended). It's safe to say that unless he has some sort of expensive security service on call, the virus is gonna get him.

I'm having trouble rearranging your second paragraph into something that makes sense. You say that it's not a good distraction, but then say that setting off alarms is distracting. What's your point?

what he is saying is that the virus, by setting of alarms, makes it harder for a hacker, depending on stealth, to do his job. this, as the spider will be looking for just about anything that set of the alarm, and may well spot the hacker rather then the virus.

Guess as far as the reformatting virus goes my argument was simply "if" it notified the defender when it started its rolls, it then became a self defeating program by giveing its target such a heads up and plenty of time to defend against it. Boils down to when does the reformating begin at start of rolling or only if it was successful ?