Quickdeck rules.
These rules are meant to be a quick and effective way for a GM to add matrix theatrics to a session. It recognizes that the decker is not just a normal computer user, and is an expert in penetrating systems. Shadowrunners were never designed to be the average joe, and for a time that concept was lost. The goal is to make decking appear to be more like the books where deckers stuck their hands into things and twisted code in order to accomplish their goal. Quickdecking may be a small departure from realism in terms of the mechanics used in order to gain efficiency and cinematics.

Everything in a system should be skulpted or themed for extra impact. From pagodas and samurai, steam punk airships with dials and tubes to a barn and farm animals. There will be a themes section to help out with ideas if you need some.

The quickdecking rules have stripped things down for efficiency. Filesize, transfer rates, and network speeds have been removed. Programs are more like agents forcing deckers to rely more heavily on their decking abilities and deck. The objective is to reduce inflated system threshholds and unnecessary downtime in programming, and replace it with a decker ripping through the system to retrieve data. A decker will want to spend money on new and improved decks. Most likely the decker will have different decks for different vectors.

Another change that the quickdecking rules offers is more variety of decks for different purposes. Decks will have different concealabilities, CPU ratings and Response increases. Miniturization has benefits and costs. The benefit is that it becomes easier to sneak decks into places, the cost is that they aren't as powerful as larger decks, and cost more.

For instance a rating 5 CPU deck with a concealability of 3 will be much cheaper than a rating 5 CPU with a concealability of 12. It is highly unlikely tha the concealability 12 deck will have a high response increase.


In quick decking rules there are some important things to remember:

1. CPU rating - This is the deck's ability to do work.
* It limits the maximum rating of a program that it can run
* It limits the maximum number of programs that can run
* deck's ability to withstand attacks from IC
* CPU rating will automatically incorporate a programming suite, and utilities for the decker to perform their electronic wizardry.
2. Computer Skill - This is the decker's skill in hacking systems, and ability to tweak program performance
* is used to send fake/spoofed commands to the System in order to gain access
* is used as the decker's attack skill
3. System rating - This is the system's ability to detect fraudulant commands or users.
* is used in an opposed test with the decker. (Much like spirit banishing)
* the rating is dependant upon the access point (internal/external/device/terminal can have different ratings)
4. Account rating - this is the security rights that an account has
* if the decker doesn't have an account then they have to hack in to access the system
* every command/file that is greater than the account requires a hack attempt
5. File/Command Ratings - This is the security level on a file/commawnd
* if the file / command rating is greater than the account rating then it requires a hack attempt
* files -> have an access rating, could have paydata value, can be encrypted, or hiding a piece of IC that launches when accessed
6. Programs are bots/agents - programs run and perform actions with limited instructions.
* are similar to spirits when you give them simple instructions
* have a single function
* must have an encephalon process or deck SPU to maintain it
* the advantage is that more actions can be done at the same time, disadvantage is that they don't have hacking pool when they challenge the system unless maintained by the encephalon. (hacking pool can be allocated to a process like a mage allocates shielding dice to a team member)
7. IC - defensive programs launched by the system
* IC are launched when a system wins an opposed test
* IC have 6 forms - Trace - Crash - Dump - Scramble - Burn - Kill
* If trace wins - deckers location is revealed to system and deck needs to be cleaned or it constantly reports location. Computer skill TN IC rating. Takes IC rating in hours.
* If crash wins - any program that are running on the deck greater than the reduced CPU rating will corrupt. The decker will be required to launch a new program, and maintain it.
* If dump wins - deckers is ejected from the system (roll for dumpshock)
* If scramble wins - all data on the deck if fried
* If burn wins - decker's CPU is fried
* If kill wins - decker's brain fried

Short version
Hack Login
-> computer skill + hacking pool TN system rating vs system rating TN CPU
Locate file
-> computer skill + hacking pool TN system rating vs system rating TN CPU
Download file
-> computer skill + hacking pool TN system rating vs vs system rating TN CPU **1 for each rating of the file or paydata, device
Combat
-> computer skill + hacking pool TN IC rating vs IC rating TN CPU **pay 1 encephalon process or hacking pool for each IC crashed
Repair
-> repair utility must be greater or equal - can heal 1 rating per complex action

Response Increase 1 2 3 4 5
Response increases are within the deck, can go beyond physical (new lightgates, better frabrication, extra sub processors, etc)- they cannot be greater than 1/2 the CPU rating round up

Decking cyberware:
Encephalon - maintain rating in processes. Can allocate hacking pool dice limited to rating.
1 - 1 rating
2 - 2 rating +1 cyber reaction
3 - 3 rating +1 cyber reaction
4 - 4 rating +2 cyber reaction

spu math adds rating to hacking pool, and some to reaction
1 +1 cyber reaction
2 +1 cyber reaction
3 +2 cyber reaction
4 +2 cyber reaction

IC initiative - (rating / 2)d6 + rating

Each system has a directory of files and devices -> and possible list of sub systems

Decking naked CPU is 1/2 willpower

This is a long example: (put in spoiler tags so the wall of text is less intimidating.)



Francoise is a decker looking for a information about "Project Miles" it is rating 5, in the Quebecor datacore.

He's looking to dive into the "Fleur de Lis" system. It's a rating 6 system if he is on site, and 8 if he accesses from the matrix. He decides that it will be easier to get onsite, and log into a terminal during his nightshift as a cleaner.

Gaining Access


Looking around


Combat


When attacking:


Theatrics:

Crashed IC



Downloading


CPU Damage

Programs


Any failed command test / triggers IC, which requires another access test. If this fails, attack IC are spawned

Not bad, but it seems like there oughta be some place for programs in there, other than as frames. Also, maybe allow multiple successes to increase damage done and file pieces downloaded to speed things up a bit more.

Regarding programs, I do agree with you, but the problem that I have is that they tend to inflate target numbers.
I would love to hear other ideas, on how to employ them. I was thinking that as of today, the functions that we need are built into the server. Search, login, download, etc are all commands one the server. It's how we use/exploit them that yields results. If you have an idea I would like to incorporate something.

I was thinking about the total number of successes needed to download. So you would need the rating worth to download, I was trying to slow it down a little, so that it took longer than 15 seconds to deck.

I am working on playtesting the rules tonight and as it keeps going. This decking should be less than 5 minutes, and most importantly leaves room for a little theatrics.

True but the 5k version of the traffic logger displays the information in a much easier to read and comprehend format. One idea would be to give programs color codes rather than ratings. If you get one success on the test it would give you 3 for having a program orange for example. Just one idea...

That's an interesting twist. I will have to kick the tires on that for sure. A quick issue I see is that now you are maintaining another list, which isn't really a problem, but does it add extra weight on?

Also if you are running an orange program, then you get 3 successes per success, that means that decker will really really succeed. I will work it into the scalability testing. I am going to test decks with rates from 2-10 against systems from 2-10, also factoring in decking skills 5-10.

I would just have it as an initial +2 successes, sorta like how an Ares Predator does M on one success.`

For giving the programs a bit more importance, how about requiring the decker to have the appropriate program (attack, sleaze, deception, etc.), but limiting the skill roll to the lower of either the decker's skill or the program rating?

It's a good idea. How would you feel as a gm/player in managing something like that? What about a recommended optional rule? What about if you don't have a program, can you improvise +2 tn?

When a decker doesn't have the appropriate program, I was thinking of using half his computer skill as a default. TBH, I haven't looked at the decking rules for quite awhile, so I can't recall how it's supposed to work under the RAW.

Under Matrix 2.0 (VR2/SR3/Matrix) no utility programme means no reduction in TN.
If a decker lacks the relevant utility you could allow them to improvise it using hacking pool with 1 rating point per point or 2 of hacking pool sacrificed.

With this ruleset the idea is to get rid of inflated numbers and keeping track of so many utlities, so things are simple and fast. no looking up utilities and which functions they map against.

I like the idea of using hacking pool to devise a program on the fly. Just not sure how it can be applied without adding overhead.

I appreciate the ideas. Just trying to find a eureka solution.