Can you use a biofilter program while hot -simmed? Is there an equvalent?

If you're a hacker, you can (and should) ALWAYS run a biofeedback filter, just in case.

Honestly, hotsim is the default mode for pros working in VR.

Well, the real pro thing is to work in AR and be immune to biofeedback, but that takes an investment in gaining meat-speed IPs. But yeah, coldsim is for tourists and software works the same for all methods of interacting with the 'Trix.


This reminds me, after watching Inception, I want to do a Matrix only game based out of PCC.
Cowboys and Indians. Still need to screw the plot down.

Let me know if you end up doing that. I really need to learn the matrix rules to GM my local group, and no better way than jumping right in.. Plus I saw that movie over the weekend, and thought it was awesome.

Note to self: Watch inception
Note to self: Keep an eye out for this matrix only game
Note to DrZ: Biofeedback filter works just fine on hot sim, and is basically what it was designed for.

Yeah, I'd like to see this matrix-only game too.

If I ever run an SR4 game, that's probably the way it would be. Any insight into how you're setting this up would be great.

The problem with doing AR hacking, is your intervals on extended tests.
The interval for AR exploiting is 'day' instead of 'hour'
That's a huge difference.
Although, if you're a hacker who uses the botnet philosophy you can probably pull it off.

Does anyone play with the optional rule that the use of hotsim requires Addiction checks?

I forgot about that. I've never played with it, because in general it is fairly self fulfilling. Someone who uses hot sim will generally use it often enough that giving them an addiction quality wouldn't really change anything.

Maybe there should be some sort of downside for being a hotsim addict. For example, magicians with focus addiction suffer -2 to drain resistance tests, if I recall correctly.

There already is a downside. You pick up the Addiction negative quality.

CodeBreaker -- that's a good point. I had forgotten that eventually, if your addiction quality worsens, you start to lose essence.

Actually, the interval for AR Probing "Slow Hacks" is a Day (VR is an Hour)... On-the-fly hacks are the same interval whether you are using AR or VR... just wanted to point that out...

You do not generally lose any dice to your actions for focus addiction (or any addiciton really)... what you do get is a negative to your Willpower rolls to resist the addiction, and when it becomes worse (as in the addiction levels increase), you start to have issues like lost essence, resulting in Lost magic, which reinforces the addiction, which starts that long slide, which.... well, you know...

Yep. Although I only really do it every few sessions, and only if the character has spent a fair amount of time in hot sim. But yeah. I'm a big believer in the Orion Pirate option.

Street Magic p. 27: "The [focus] addict suffers a -2 dice pool modifier to Focus Addiction tests, Drain Tests, and to resist using foci."

yep, could never figure out why they didnt apply that more (perhaps to something like data searches).

Damn... Missed the Drain Test Part...

But the -2 to Resist Focus Addiction Tests is the same as a Mild Addiction, so that was already accounted for (And it increments just like a normal addiction does), and if you are addicted to using Foci, unless you are actively resisting the use of your foci (which I have never actually seen happen, even with those addicted), the -2 is still identical to resisting the Addiction, which honestly, if you are trying to do, then you are not trying to actively use your foci, and that makes sense... (Though, it is applied to your spellcasting roll rather than your Willpower roll, WHEN YOU TRY TO RESIST USING FOCI, so it makes sense)...

As for the Drain... Makes sense, as the Addiction impacts your Willpower, so, because your Drain stat always includes Willpower, you are impacted...

Now Crunch as I see it... Focus Addiction Tests are generally not required UNLESS you are trying to not use your Foci, so that is generally a null penalty most of the time. You only suffer the panalty to your Spell Casting test IF YOU RESIST USING FOCI, as indicated in the Text of the Quality... If you use the Focus, no reduction in Dice pool, so it is not generally a penalty... the only penalty from your Focus Addiction would possibly be in your Drain Test, but, it seems pretty apparent to me that you should not suffer this penalty unless your Foci are Dormant (Refusal to use them) or Missing (Someone has stolen them, or you have dropped them, or whatever). This is indicated in the Fluff Text above the Mechanics... that one could go either way, depending upon your GM's interpretation...

Anyways... Thanks, Czarcasm, for the info on Drain Test penalties, I completely missed that the first read through...

For us, Our data searches take hours anyway, so it really is not necessary to deal with it mechanically, as most of the searches we perform are just a series of rolls, and the GM determines how long that it really takes... we do not use Hacking, per se, to resolve it directly (most of the Time). Hell, oftentimes, we try to use contacts for most of that resolution, whether it be Virtual or Physical, unless it would compromise our position by doing so.

I'd totally forgotten about that as well. That makes focus addiction an overly harsh quality if it applies all the time. I mean to get a +2 to your drain pool is 20BP, and most mages are only going to have a light (5BP or 10BP) addiction. I'd have to agree with TJ that the drain penalty should only apply when not using a focus.

Yeah, AR-focused Hackers can always put an Agent or a Worm on the job. It does the Extended Exploit test for him at VR speeds, then, once inside, it sets up an account for the Hacker who breezes in at his leisure.

At which point they're more skript kiddies than hackers.

In the end, though, they are still in the system either way...