I'm trying to build a nexus from stuff I've bought/stolen in a campaign, but I'm having trouble understanding exactly what's what in terms of form. I have a rating four "response" that I bought, and an operating system - at rating eight - that I stole. My main problem is what "response" entails. For upgrading commlinks, response seems to denote the CPU at the heart of the device that surrounds it. But in the build table in Unwired, it looks as though "response" seems to take the place of any other hardware that would be there. Is the "response" that you're buying a catch-all for the motherboard, case, storage disk/drive/crystal, and all that jazz? And is the firewall that you're buying hardware- or software-based? I also wonder about what I can legally do with signal. I don't want to pay for the node's signal since the bus already has it's own at rating six, and I figured I could just run a fiber-optic cable or something into the transceiver that's responsible for that 10km spread to save time/money that way. Is this possible?

I'm also trying to work out a few other upgrades. My main problem in this department is that I have no idea how to deal with mod slots, since vehicle's are based on body, and others are listed. How do you calculate how many you have open?

Response is technically a stand alone module in most cases, but yes, it's essentially an abstraction for the overall harware proccessing ability and speed of the hardware. Storage memory in SR4/SR4A boils down to "you have as much as you need", unless the GM says otherwise for some dramatic purpose. Note that a Commlink/Normal Node Response hardware unit is not the same as a Nexus Response hardware unit. You can't build the latter with the former (nor vice wersa really).

Nodes have two Hardware attributes (Response and Signal) and two Software attributes (System and Firewall). A hardware firewall in SR4 is essentially a node with a high Firewall rating (and likely some decent IC/Agents) that acts as a gateway to the matrix for other nodes. The nexus you are trying to build could act as a "hardware firewall" for your team if set up properly.





I'm not sure if by "bus" here you mean a vehicle, or a computer hardware related term, so I'll be general here. It's perfectly legal to not buy a Signal rating for a node/device, it simply means that the device in question has no ability to connect to the wireless matrix on its own. It can connect to other nodes through fiber optic cables, laser links or the like, or could be connected to a Satellite Link accessory to provide an external hardware wireless connection.

Note that if you connect it to the node of your vehicle and use the vehicles Signal rating to transmit and connect to the matrix, people will find the vehicle node first if they come looking for you. If the security on your vehicle node is not up to snuff, that could mean bad things for you and your team.





I'm assuming you are referring to the Standard Upgrades listed in the vehicle descriptions. These are designed into the vehicle at the factory, and as such take up no Modification Slots. Just as the rules state, you have a number of slots available to you equal to the body of the vehicle (or 4 in the case of vehicles/drones with a Body <4).

I'm refering to the automotive vehicle "bus", yes. As for the mod slots, I was talking about the node's number of slots, sorry. It seems as though electronics upgrades require slots just like vehicle upgrades, but unlike a vehicle, a nexus node's number of slots aren't listed.

Read P. 212 Matrix Attributes
Response (Hardware)
Signal (Hardware
Firewall (Software)
System (Software)

That's all a node has.

Also note that System is limited by Response. If you have a System of 6 and a Reponse of 4, the System operates at a Rating 4.

Has of what? Slots? Does this mean the hardware has four modification slots?
I've never seen this in any of the books. The closest thing I can find concerns the number of programs limited by the system rating in conjunction with response. Where does it say that system itself is limited by response?

Under Response, on Page 222 of SR4A or 213 of the SR4.


Comlink also have 4 modification slots. Page 196 of Unwired, under commlink modifications.

Are you saying all the rules for commlinks are the same for nexi, except the processor limit?

I certainly hope it's a term for a vehicle. Show me a GM who demands that your on-board data transfer system have a rating and I'll show you a twit who needs to be shaken vigorously.

That and persona limit, yeah.

Just like a PC has
Body
Agility
Reaction
Strength
Charisma
Intuition
Logic
Willpower
+ some special attributes

How do you upgrade a PC (Player Character, not a computer)?

Nodes
have the attributes mentioned, and that is how they are upgraded.

edit: nevermind, found what I was looking for below.


This is what I was thinking:

Question for everyone... can you get a custom built commlink at chargen? Honestly, I hate the stock commlinks. I also hate the rules for upgrading the hardware.

Per SR4A you must purchase a stock comlink and then upgrade; remembering that you can only upgrade the Hardware +2 points from the Original Link.

Do you still have the option of building one from scratch in-game? Away from nexi for a moment; just curious.

Yes.

Does anyone else think this is frakin' stupid? I totally disagree with this. Why in God's name would a hacker even buy a stock commlink except as a decoy. Also I think that cyber commlinks should be able to be custom built... especially if it's better than standard grade.

I was somewhat saddened to see that an option to build your own commlink from hand selected parts was not available. The old 1/1 commlink upgraded to 6/6 was the closest approximation to building your own custom hardware, and that was deliberately removed.

Where is the limit on upgrading commlinks?

On page 240 of the core rules, it not only tells how much it costs to upgrade hardware and software, but also reference where to look for building from scratch. It even mentions "Parts costs are always half the cost of buying a hardware upgrade."

Check the latest Errata

I'll take a look. (Makes sense, though.)

In other words if we want a Response 5/Signal 5 commlink at chargen we just have to pay an extra 1000 for it.

I think that cyberware commlinks should have this as standard.

The Modular Electronics is for vehicles and Drones not Comlinks.




emphasis mine

I'm guessing the description mentions vehicles because it's intended as an erratum for Arsenal. I'd be willing to bet that there will also be an erratum for Unwired that adds Modular Electronics to the list of mods available for commlinks.

Nexi =/= commlinks.

And since SR4A is indeed just a bit "frakin' stupid", can we keep the advise focused on SR4 with errata info as secondary?

But with the publishing of the Errata as "Official" SR4A is now the official version replacing all previous RAW versions. If you want to houserule and not use the "Official" Erratta then you are free to do so.

I don't care if it's "official". This thread never asked for anything from SR4A.