Darn, thought we had a submitted hacker. Well, like I said, no hacker could be interesting. Guess I know where I need to plan on throwing karma and cash. That or we need to hire a hacker to run overwatch for us.

Yeah, SincereAgape had a decker planned, but he's running 2 games already, and just didn't realistically have enough time to run a third. And that's totally cool. We are going to need a hacker, though. But I'll level with you; this job doesn't really require one, so I wouldn't worry about it too much right now. After this run's over, I'll see if there's anyone else who wants to sign on for the next one (I've got a few names already). Hopefully, someone'll be interested in throwing together a hacker then.

-milk.

Oh we can hope that our wonerful and gracious GM recognizes that our lowly PCs are just amatuers that can't stand up to serious matrix threats and plans the adventures accordingly.

Or rolls up some sorta Hacker NPC that'll provide Matrix Overwatch for us. If it does become a necessity I don't mind "rerolling", keeping Sam in the stables if you will.

I will write up a Hacker overwatch NPC if you guys need me to, but I'd prefer not to have to make a GMNPC unless I have to. I mean, it's sort of anti-climactic if I put in a matrix node that only my character can neutralize, or a locked door that only I can hack. You know what I mean? You really shouldn't need a hacker for this particular run - I know you don't have the mission specifics yet, but I can tell you that much right now. I suppose having one might make certain things I've got planned easier, but it's not mandatory. I say play through this run and see how you go, and after that, if we still don't have a hacker sign up, somebody can think about switching characters or something. Until then, though, don't sweat it.

-milk.

Sweet.

But since I'm in a Hacker/Technomancer/Rigger mood, I'm gonna whip one up for kicks.

The biggest problem with that is, if I got that right, that drones have their own (average; 3 for standard drones) Response Rating, which limits the Systen Rating and therefore the Ratings of all programs you can run, and it gets expensive to improve Response for every individual drone.

Bye
Thanee

Sounds good, even if overly paranoid.

Bye
Thanee

Agreed

And just be cause we are paranoid doesn't mean some one isn't out to get us.

If it's just one... things are running smooth.

Bye
Thanee

In the interest of keeping the IC thread bumped and visible, I'll post an Hideki-perspective post sometime today. If not from the perspective of the Johnson himself, then maybe a bodyguard or something. I'll figure something out.

-milk.

I've never seen anything about Response Rating limiting system rating, and I didn't think system rating limited program rating (Though I could be remembering that part wrong, but I'm fairly sure that response doesn't limit system).

Give me a minute to look that all up.

Edit: Darn, looks like your right on both points. So yeah, 2k to get the new response rating (Though maybe I can talk duck into only having to pay the difference to do an upgrade, then it is only 750) and then I need to spend the money on a good system (likely buy a system 4 firewall 6 to throw on all my drones), then I need individual pilots for each drone (which cost 10k each) and then I finally get the autosoft at rating 4 which is another 2k.

So basically it'll cost over 15k per drone to get two extra dice on anything. Still, I figure if I have eight drones burst firing (or full auto firing) at targets, six dice is still more than enough to really mess up someone's day.

Like I said, this is still a new concept, and I'm curious how it works out.

Okay, I decided against posting something from Matsu Hideki's perspective because I really want to save his "entrance" for the meeting. I also didn't want to post from the perspective of someone at the lounge, because I'll have a chance to describe that area when Sam and Hollywood scope it out later. So I decided to toss a skill check at somebody; the dice determined that somebody to be Karoline.

Fixing the Roto-Drone is an average task. I've determined that it's an extended test, with an Interval of 30 minutes and a Threshold of 8. It's only like 10am though, so you've got plenty of time to fix it up before the meeting - if that's even something you feel like doing at the moment.

-milk.

I really don't see myself doing much meaningful during the day, other than getting the team together via comm and getting our "plan" worked out.

Since that is already pretty much there, we could probably be fairly quick with the time jumps.

Bye
Thanee

Don't you need at least a data jack to use Full VR (which might not be as good as being jumped in and rigging the drone, but at -1 threshold is nothing to sneeze at)?

I've got to step away but I'm planning to post later tonight (around 10 PM CT)

Rev will be dressed nice a junior corp drone out for some fun with a date. Blond and pretty enough, but nothing extraordinarily.

I seem to be randomly picked for bad stuff to happen to alot lately

Alright, I'll post IC in a bit to work on fixing up my poor roto drone.

Also, no, you don't need any cyber to do full VR. You need a DNI and a simsense, which is available through a trode net and the simsense accessory (Which can even be modded for hot VR). So yes, I can still manage VR and can even manage to fry my brain, even though I lack cyber.

Edit: Oh, what kind of roll is it to fix the bus' heater? Or do you just want me to make something up?

Never mind, I'm just going to make something up so I can get my post up

Oh, and the security system includes both the anti-theft system on the car (With sound warning activated) and a doberman at each door. They aren't fully on, and only have their sensors activated, so it'll take them a moment to turn fully on, but it saves a bunch of power.

Speaking of Doberman... IIRC from when I looked all that stuff up for my smuggler PC for another game, security drones (I think that are those with a weapon mount in standard configuration, like the Doberman) start with Response 4.

Bye
Thanee

Be nice if you could find that somewhere, as I don't see it anywhere. Would make upgrading my combat type drones much much easier.

As an long time SR GM, that does not seem right (but then I run my campaign in 2054).

The rules state you need simsense and a DNI to run in VR. Trodes provide a DNI and simsense obviously provides simsense (And specifically state that they can be hot sim modified, providing a price and everything). It doesn't matter if you get those things via equipment or cyber, you still have the required components.

Seems to state fairly plainly that trodes + sim module = simsense.

Simsense = VR.

Thus trodes + sim module = VR.

Oh, and cnd, who are you sending that comm message to?

Whole team.

And I wasn't questioning your interpretation of the rules, but rather making an observation (Young whippersnappers got it too easy, when I was your age, we had to use a Deck to do anything VR and we had to have our brains cut open and real hardware installed. None of this trode drek).

I figure there has to be a good local taco shack in P town (100% guaranteed no devil rat).

Man if we only go Karma for our OOC postings.

Yeah, you and I would have 6 in every stat and skill already

I'd bet Nest-O would know

I figured Nest-O and/or Sam likely turned us on to it and we've all eaten there one time or another.

Hmm... I can only see "security vehicles" and "security devices" under Rating 4 (the Sample Device Rating table in the SR4 book), so maybe it doesn't really apply to drones, but just cars and such.

As for the distinction... can't find that either, maybe we just made that up, because it makes sense.

Bye
Thanee

"The Dancing Sombrero" *Resturant specializing in Texmex, I mean Northern Atzlan cuisine. A nice sit down type place, for Pullayup at any rate.

<<Juan Munoz, the owner runs book for Bloodmatches.>>

<<Matches locally?>>

<<No. The sports bar section has a direct feed from Atzlan>>



"Paco's Tacos" Taco stand popular with low riders and other car enthusiats for its large parking lot. Open 24 hours aday, but a rough place past midnight.

<< unless you're sporting Brown clothes...or skin.>>

"The Corner Carnisatas" *Resturant, general store, and butcher. Yes, one of the rare butchershops still around in a time of soybeans and krill.

<<Ever wonder where the meat comes from? Food for thought>>

<<Dont be a wise ass. They have contacts with the farmers in the neighboring area, including the NANs.>>

<<Just saying, not alot of cats and dogs in the area>>

<<The owner Javier Ortega runs a loansharking business out the office.>>

"Sheldon's Shit-in-a-Shell and topless bar" *Pretty much already spelled out for ya, but mostly overweight women serving cheap soy-burritos and crappy soy-beer. The Tequila's good though, if a little high on the proof.

I suppose a security drone would be considered a security vehicle, because basically everything in all the books always lumps drones and vehicles together as being the same thing in basically all regards.

That should save me a ton when it comes time to upgrade my drones. Only need 12k to get all of one kind of drone to 8 dice, and then only 10k more for each additional type of security drone. Still a fair chunk for 2 dice, but that lets them buy 2 hits, which is fairly nice.

Edit: Hmm, I wonder if it would be possible to create a hub for my drones. Like all my dobermans are connected to a single high quality commlink, and that commlink contains high grade pilot programs that then control each doberman individually. It would cut the costs, but make me more vulnerable to wireless being cut out. I think that actually sounds like a very cool idea, and the more I think about it the more I like it. Lets me get my drones more powerful for a relatively low cost, but milk can cut me back by throwing up a jammer.

Nice.

I'll vote for one of these two

You don't want to go to the topless bar?

If they have to have topless women dancing on a stage to get men to eat their tacos, I don't want to eat there.

Who said anything about eating?

Edit: FYI, this is very much the exact sort of conversation Gwen would have.

I think the devs have stated that anything that comes with a weapon mount as standard is considered "security" and thus device rating 4. Of course the problem there is that we are limited to rating 3 gear unless milk gives special permission and I doubt he's going to let you have a small arsenal of such drones.

Either way I think you're stuck paying a lot of money to get better than you have so I would just leave it be.

Saw this and thought it fit Trunk pretty good.


Trunk (Ancients Arms dealer)
Blond and tall even for an elf, she knows you want what she's got. Loves big toys with all the accessories so expect her to be packing some thing heavily modified. Same goes for her bike.


As Ancients Smuggler with Charisma 5, Logic 3, Etiquette (Street): 3 (+2), Negotiation (Dealing): 4 (+2), SMG specialization on the Automatics, and KS Weapons: 4

Does the deal on her bike under an overpass or at a fast food restaurant with a couple of Ancients keeping watch. Provides a PW, you sign in and can check out the goods in AR.

The goods will be in the trunk of some old clunker nearby driven by an underage Ancients wannabe (or a van for larger deals) down by the barrens (also with a couple of Ancients keeping watch).
You make the deal, Trunk will tell you where to meet him (usually some place not out in the open but with plenty of exits). He pops the trunk. You inspect the goods, If they match the AR specs you agreed on then you provide the agreed cred and they are yours.

Regulars can get a purchase delivered but it costs.

Trunk is very good at not getting caught. Last time someone tried to lift a shipment, the whole car blew up (the loss of the weapons was worth it to make a statement).



Ancients Smuggler (By Degausser)
Uses: Smuggling Info, Illegal goods, Smuggling Jobs
Places to meet: Local Ancients hangout, Online
Similar Contacts: Go-Ganger, Professional Smuggling crew
The Ancients are a group of elves dedicated to making themselves the next big syndicate, and some say they are already there. However, it is tough for them to shed their go-ganging roots, and they still attract a lot of elves with more bike parts than brains. Some though, are wholey dedicated to making more money and proving their worth to the underground community. These smugglers are branching out as much as they can, selling what they steal, and hoping to get to play with the big boys. Now if only they could keep their foot-soldiers in line.

B A R S C I L W EDG ESS Init IP
3 4 4 2 3 3 2 3 2 5.2 7 1

Active Skills: Pilot-Wheeled Vehicle (Motorcycle) 4(+2), Automotive Mechanic: 2, Automatics 3, Perception 2
Knowledge Skills: Smuggling routs: 4, Gang Turf: 3, Underground Politics: 3, Import/Export Laws: 2, Police tactics: 3
Cyberware: Smuggling Compartment, Datajack, Control Rig
Stuff: Styer TMP (and ammo), Comlink (rating 3), Suped up racing bike (Contrail) Riding armor (4/7)

Well if they come that way out of the box....

Ditto for Rev and the Tacos comment.

All in favor of moving this forward to the meet?

Works for me if it's fine with you guys. I wanted to give everyone half a day to prepare, because just starting everyone off at the meet felt wrong. Just say the word, and I'll fast forward you guys to the meeting; I'll just pass on the details that Method and Marwynn got from casing the place earlier before my post. Also, I'll need to know where everyone's at during the meet - you know, that kinda stuff.

-milk.

Any idea, where that is written? Some FAQ or somesuch? Because I know I have seen it somewhere, but cannot find it.

Bye
Thanee

What he meant is, that they are Rating 4 drones then. It's their Device Rating, which in turn sets the base Response.

Bye
Thanee

What I meant is if milk ducks decides they are DR of 3 (which means Response 3 and Pilot 3) you should accept that and work to improve them with money you earn in game. The alternative is that they are DR 4 which means A.) you have to have special permision or B.) you can't have them at all and you're stuck paying to put weapon mounts on civilian drones.

I vote for the tacos guys, let's "meat up".

Just post IC to move things.

Bye
Thanee

Yeah, it's in the Fourth Edition FAQ:

Do all drones come equipped with an average Device rating of 3 (as per the Sample Devices table on p. 214, SR4) or does the Steel Lynx (for example) classify as a "security vehicle" and have a Device rating of 4?

Any drone that comes equipped with weapon mounts should be considered a security vehicle, and given a Device rating of 4. These built-in Device ratings are meant to serve as a guideline, however, so the gamemaster should feel free to modify them as appropriate. Likewise, a drone's Firewall, Response, Signal, and System ratings may be individually be modified, improved (or reduced) at the discretion of the gamemaster or the character that owns the device.

So it's Rating 4 by default, but as Method pointed out, my rules for this game limit characters to Rating 3 devices unless approved by me, so we'll just drop 'em down a notch.

-milk.

Editted the time NestO would get his message an hour earlier (still 2 hours difference for Mr. J's)