Hi,

I've been looking at the Matrix rules recently, and there's something I just can't seem to figure out. Let me explain how I understand it, and then tell me where I went wrong, if I did. (Keep in mind I only have the core book.)

It is my understanding that with AR, I can access any node/device/whatever, as long as it's within the range defined by my commlink's Signal rating. However, if I'm in VR (cold- or hot-sim) I can access any node/device/whatever as long as it's not completely isolated from the Matrix.

Is this correct? If not, what did I get wrong?

Thanks in advance!

You can access everything you want as long as it is not isolated from the matrix and public/not hidden. Directly connecting to a device requires to be in range of the lowest signal rating.

Regardless of how you view the matrix.

GreyBrother,

Just to be sure I get it right, I can access the display for my fridge content from halfway across the globe but I can't control its temperature unless I'm close enough?

(Sorry, I'm not really tech-savvy in RL to begin with, so I know I look like a total "n00b" right now... )

Nono. You have to understand that AR and VR are just to methods to view the matrix. Whilst the first one lets you view your fridges display without your body going limp, the second lets you view it within the artificial enviroment of the matrix at speed of thought, regardless if you are in front of it, in tokyo or in the deep wilderness.

The only thing you need is a connection to it and there are three ways to do it (well, actually two ways).
You can directly connect to it if you are near it (Signal Range comes into play here).
Or you could sit in a cafe in Paris and just type the komcode of your Central Home Node into your 'link and get the display of your fridge over that node (More information about CHN is in the RC, if you need this Information). This works like todays internet works. You are routed through different servers around the globe until your datapackage arrives the CHN and says "Hello, it's me."
If you are in a Static or Nullzone, where no or unreliable matrix access is the norm, you could go via sattelite or other means into the regular matrix and achieve connection through this method (Remember the deep wilderness?)

It doesn't really matter if you do it via AR or VR, VR just let's you act faster with the information you get since you are using your brains only.

*rereads post* okay, should be a good explanation. any complaints, wishes, suggestions or further questions?

No complaints whatsoever! Thanks a lot for taking the time to bear with my Real Life "Incompetent: Computer Skill Group Negative Quality"! So if I get this straight, the Signal range just tells me if I'm close enough to access the Matrix as a whole, and from there, I can pretty much access anything, as long as the previously mentioned conditions are met. right?

*Closes his eyes, grits his teeth, and hopes he gets it right this time*

VR is a rellec from the pre wireless days. The different corps are not going to take down all their sites and that functionality just because AR came around. Besides VR has some extra advantages such as face to face meetings in the VR environment with people from all over the world. AR is limited to your signal range in that you can only access info that information. Once you access VR (from any point within your signal rating) you can transfer from node to node till you get to where you want to go (similar to the internet today). That being said you can pull info from the VR environment into your personal node and display it in AR (similar to having an RSS reader on your desktop).

Yup.

The extra details are only important from a security standpoint. If you're accessing through the Matrix as a whole, then someone can, hypothetically, locate your connection and intercept/edit it from anywhere that has Matrix access. If you're within Signal range of your target, and connecting directly, then your connection can't be played around with by anyone who doesn't have control of a node within signal range of you or the thing you're connecting to.

As long as both you and your refridgerator are connected to the Matrix, then you can access the 'fridge's temperature controls from anywhere in the world, using either AR or VR. The only way Signal rating would come into play is if you're trying to access the refridgerator directly (bypassing the Matrix entirely). The actual difference between AR and VR are speeds; AR requires you to type things onto keyboards virtually displayed on your imagelink, click virtual icons with your fingers, etc. VR allows you to do all of this at the speed of thought; the caveat being that you can't be in full VR and control your body at the same time, so you leave your unconscious husk laying there while your brain is zipping around the Matrix.

Hope that helps, too.

Think of it like this:

In AR, you walk into a mall, subscribe (we would say connect) to the Mall's node (We would say the Mall's wireless network) and then the Mall is going to bombard you with all their deals and free stuff. This is equivalent to, say, connecting to a specific wireless network, and that network automatically reroutes you to their Homepage (I had an apt. building that did this. Whenever I accessed the gateway, it would redirect me to the main apt. website.)

Now, as you walk around, you will see ads in "virtual space" (assuming you can view matrix stuff, through some glasses or cybereyes.) There will be popups and spam and stuff. It is important to note that this isn't strictly the matrix. It is an 'overlay' that is meant to fit OVER the real world. Like, you might see a storefront with no sign, but there is a neon virtual "Sign" that says "Delicious baked cookies" in the overlay. Someone who is not using the mall's AR would be clueless, but you know what that store advertises.

Now, you can call up the node and access the matrix from there. Kinda like now you can click away from the mall's webpage and visit www.dumpshock.com. Now, when you can navigate the matrix this way, you use your hands or your datajack or whatever, and see it through your goggles/cybereyes/contact lenses/monocle. You just pull up a window and away you go. HOWEVER, you are still just using your hands and your eyes to access the matrix, that's why it is so slow.


When you go VR, your commlink basically overides all your higher brain functions (you still breathe and your heart still beats), but all your actions and senses are taken over by the virtual world. You don't see the mall's 'AR OVERLAY' because you are not using your real eyes. Instead, you are in a 3d environment that is like a 2070 version of the mall's homepage. You can virtually walk around and explore the virtual 3d enviroment, but your body is sitting there on that bench. Because you are processing raw data, you are faster this way.

one may not even have to subscribe to the mall node to be carpet bombed with ads. just be in active mode and walk into direct signal range.

ARO's are grand, no

How could you filter all that crap out? Would having a high firewall be good enough or would you need a 2070 version of Ad Block Plus?

Something i've always wondered about Non-Spam Ads or just stuff like "that dude over there got a nice pixie AR overlay over his RL person"... how is something like that not regarded as spam by your commlink, since you have to download files from him to view it yourself and that download is a possible security leak.

Advanced heuristics, datamining on spammer and nonspammer behaviour, et cetera. You can look at metadata before you download to see whether it matches a general spammer/threat behaviour envelope and exclude it on that basis.

But can't that be spoofed either?

I think that would is were your firewall rating comes into play.

To all,

Thanks a lot for the answers, you've all been very helpful!

As for the "spam vs. non-spam" issue, I'm not sure what to answer, but knowing myself, I would just eyeball it depending on whether it matters to the plot.

That's where your Commlink's Mode comes into play. In Active mode its grabbing all of that stuff from all of the nodes around you and displaying it "for you." In Passive mode, you must approve a node to display its information and such. All other requests are denied and thus your Commlink is uncluttered.

and that may also be why they want you to use active mode in high security areas. not only to know who you are (tho its a nice side effect) but to be able to send you that nicely formated security notice, without it running into some spam filter and going to the black hole of spam.

or at least, thats what the person in uniform will tell you the first time round...

The book isn't terribly clear.


Active Mode: You actively broadcast all the information you want to broadcast. So, people can see your name, what licenses you carry, your hobbies, your purchasing trends, whatever. This also allows the AR overlay and allows for you to connect to the matrix. So, if you buy some music from a store, it may see that you like that music and give you a popup saying there is a live concert in town by a similar band.

Passive mode: You basically don't broadcast any personal information. You are connected to the 'node' so you can see the AR overlay, and can access the matrix, but the Mall can't give you popups targeted about what you may like. If you buy music, then nothing happens, you buy some music. The store doesn't know what you like so you don't get any popups (because you aren't sharing your purchasing history.)

Hidden mode: You only connect to devices you authorise. In hidden mode, your commlink will NOT connect to the Mall's node unless you specifically tell it to, and even then it will refuse all connection requests by all other devices (like other commlinks, or nodes within stores, or whatnot.) To anyone you do not authorize, your commlink is effectively off. The only way someone can hack your commlink then, is to intercept the signal and spoof (pretend to be) the device you ARE connected to. This makes hacking significantly harder.

one can hack in the non-spoof way on a hidden target. it just takes longer to find it first.

it may also be that one have to go for a higher access account, as it refuses user level logins fully...

the biggest trick about the matrix rules are that of being internally consistent at the local game, so that everyone around the table agrees on how to read the rules. beyond that, its quite open...

Some commlinks (one would think all) come with some form of Spam Filter. Read the BBB, in the Wireless world intro section, it describes an ex-con who gets his first taste of AR. At first, as a joke, his friend disables the spam filter, and the guy can't see anything, because of all the spam-adds. Then the friend takes it, "fiddles with it for a sec" and hands it back. It comes back fine, with a few popups (about things he might be interested in, like work or whatever) and he can see the AR overlay. One assumes that, since he got the comlink for free from his friend, that it wouldn't be a very expensive model.