Hi. I have kind of a really in depth series of questions for some of you who are more experienced. I've read most everything in the main book and unwired, but I'm trying to get a firm grasp on the hacker's role in a group. Some of the more specific jobs, and what they take, as well as what gear and programs are absolutely crucial to do the job-- as well as some that are certainly nice to have, but not needed as much.

I guess we should start by looking at the commlink? I currently have a commlink upgraded to 6 system, 6 signal, 6 response, and 6 firewall. What programs are needed and used the most? What about customization? What should I do to protect it as well?

I've read about agents, and everyone has told me I need at least one Agent. This may seem dense, but what would I use the agent for? What kinds or grades of agents are there? And what programs should I load on one?

What about malware, such as viruses, worms, and trojans? Are they commonly needed, and should I invest in some? Or are they very specific tools?

What else should a hacker be doing in a group, if he is the only matrix savy member of the group? I've heard he should establish a tacnet. But what are his other jobs and duties? Any other big advice for a new hacker?

I know I asked a lot of big questions.. but thanks for helping, even if its just answering one or two of them!

I'll get the ball rolling with my two cents on the Hacker's role in the group.

In 2072, there's very little that isn't on the Matrix somewhere, and you have the best shot of finding it. Your first job is usually doing digital legwork, checking up on Johnson, the Objective, the facility you'll be entering and anything tangental to the story that the GM might want to give you. Some creative thinking here can get you far - maybe you manage to get a roster of security staff, and you use your Bookie connection to see if any of them have outstanding gambling debts you could use as leverage. Maybe there's a chemical factory next door, and the lower security means you could smoke out the corpers with a well-timed 'accident'. What's out there is up to the GM, but if he thinks you're on to a good angle, he might let you have it.

Once the job is on, you'll be expected to shut down the site's security systems. Camera nets, sensor grids, even heavy drones are all child's play to a good hacker, and the security team is probably expecting their communications and tactical networks are going to be online as well. Lots of the force multipliers that corporations use to make their sites safer are vulnerable to hacking.

After the action, you're still on the clock. If the target is out for blood, they'll be checking the security tapes and datatrail to find out who your team is and where they can be found. You're the only one on the team that can keep the Heavy Responders from kicking in the door when the Samurai is busy passing out the victory beers. You need to figure out what systems are in place for the GM to use against you, and make a point of taking them out of the equation.

1. Programs Analyze, Armor, Attack, Biofeedback Filter, Black Hammer , Browse, Command, Data Bomb, Decrypt, Edit, Exploit, Scan, Spoof, Stealth and Track. These are a good starting package.
1a. As for program customization in our home games this has depended on the hacker, look over the mods and pick any you think fit your style. (EXAMPLE: Our top hacker always has an area effect option attack program loaded.)
1b. Home node protection, use script setup form Unwired and an agent with analyze and maybe an attack program for when your busy elsewhere.

2. Agents depending on who you ask are like having a sidekick or an army at your disposal. They can load any programs you own and have stats modified based on the node there running in. They can be used as a secondary hacker,guard, assistant, etc.. There very intelligent and have a limited form of free thought but are still constructs that take things in a literal sense.

3. Virus fun. I have one serious hacker amongst my players and he uses virus's, malware, etc for one of two purposes. As a distraction once he's in a node or to wipe info clean from a node. Occasionally used them as retaliation against those who've "wronged" him.

4. Besides a tac-net our teams hacker runs at least one surveilence drone at all times. He also monitors wireless traffic and takes control of the commlink of whoever amongst the opposition who looks to be in charge. Gathering intel and forwarding false intel to opposition forces. If in a building he usually takes control of the buildings node and acts as spyder while team makes it's intrusion. These are just a few things he's usually up too, with wireless being so prevelent he's constantly surprising me with new tactics.

I think the single most important program is probably stealth. Long story short: if you get caught, you're screwed. Hacking Mr. J's 'link for some info he's not telling you? If you get caught he'll probably just get his big bad buddies outside the door to put a bullet in your head. Same thing goes for hacking corp systems for data, if they see you hacking in they'll call up a few spiders and you'll just end up logging right back out. If you're hacking a corprate node for your team to do an extraction, you need to be able to get in and mess things up without drawing too much attention to yourself. If you get caught, either they reboot the node and eject you from the system, or they send some spiders after you and fry your brain.

This is all great information. Exactly the sort of things I'm looking for-- so thanks! Right now I'm working on upgrading and maintaining my hacking programs to rank 6. Can an agent write programs that don't degrade, just like a player can, if given time? Or is that too free-form for them to do on their own?

How would you recommend building a spy drone? What options, base model, and components and such would you recommend? Along with that, how should I set up a tacnet for a group who really has no concept of what that is? I have one player with cyber-eyes and cyber-ears, which I could probably link up-- but besides my own contacts (Image link, Smart link, Vision magnification), glasses (thermographic, flare compensation, vision magnification 3), earbuds (Audio enhancement 3, Spacial recognition), and a subvocal microphone.. Thats most of the stuff I have. What parts of this can be used as sensors for the tacnet? (I have a mage who is avoiding any sort of electronics like this. No cyberware or bioware on principle, but no glasses or contacts either-- not even a subvocal microphone or earbuds so we can talk.) I'm thinking I might need to build a couple spy drones simply for sensors and group awareness.

Also, being new.. I sort of overlooked the Perception skill. I'm looking for ways to compensate for that. It was suggested in another thread that I should purchase a pilot program for my commlink, and then feed my image-link from my contacts, and my audio enhancement from my earbuds to my commlink. Maybe load some emotion software so I can analyze people's emotional state in AR, and it might point out people who are excited, sad, or angry and such. Any drawbacks to doing this? Because so far it looks like an amazing idea.

For spy drones, anything reeeeally small with a stealth autosoft and possibly some upgraded sensors, if it can take it. I like microtapper bugs, since they can also remotely tap into non-wireless systems and give you a node to work from.

Your agents can't code programs. Pretty much end of story.

Also, read the "meeting with Mr. J" thread. It's got some interesting things on emotion software.

For Spydrones (and some interesting vehicle builds) check out the Toys for Riggers thread... I think we broke down a FlySpy build that works pretty solid.

For the Tac-Net, you could actually rig an Instant TacNet communication system if you've got the cash, and then just hand it out to the other players. ("What's this?" "It's +2 to your dodge rolls. You're welcome.") I nearly got one going, but then spent all my cash on drones instead.

Basically, you buy cheap commlinks and sensor packages (audio, RF, and a couple vision modes) - I think the whole package came out to under 2,000y. You can use goggles, for that pro military look, or build them into helmets with visors so your face doesn't wind up on the news. Once you have your package built, you slave the cheap commlink to your master commlink, which is running the tacnet, and there you go: You've got a 24000y tacnet for 12000 or less, and you know that everybody has enough gear to make it work. Plus, you guys have sinister matching helmets.

The downside to this plan is, you need four members to be a R2 tacnet, and three to run an R1 - it sounds like you and the Samurai shouldn't need any extra sensors, but the mage doesn't want to be involved. If you can't talk him into wearing the helmet, you should probably just write him off and get a couple drones on your network.

Oi Chum,

Agents can be very helpfull doing some basic things that you don't have the time to do or when you need to multi-task and some things have a greater importance. For example when you are probing a target for a hack but your team leader needs you to do a data-search on renting some real estate you are going to use as a physical base of operations for the run...send the agent.

One very good use I came up with is using a R:4 Agent with A Spoof: 4 program. If your GM allows you to purchase successes on very simple, no stress tasks, then the agent above can automatically spoof your Access ID every time you log on. Spoof Access ID:Hacking+Spoof: 2 with 8 dice you can purchase 2 successes...whamo automatic spoof.
If your teams links are slaved over to the hacker for better security, which I highly reccomend, the agent can make the rounds as each member comes on line and continuously Spoof the Access IDs for the team as they move about the plex.