I did a quick search and couldn't find this exact topic. Sorry if this has been covered before.

My question has to do with the remote operation of drones. Specifically, once you are subscribed and remote operating the drone, do you use the dice pools as illustrated in SR4A (basically command + skill most of the time) for all actions, even ones that you have not commanded? Or do you only use the remote operation dicepools for what you command and autonomous for the rest?

The situation is like this: (rigger has 6 for all programs and skills, drone has 3 for all programs) rigger is subscribed and operating a drone in remote operation. On riggers action, rigger commands drone to fire upon an enemy, which would be the riggers command program (6) + riggers gunnery skill (6) so he would have 12 dice to roll.

After rigger goes, an enemy decides to shoot the remote controlled drone. So here is where I am not sure. Since the drone has not been necessarily commanded to dodge, would the drone roll its own dodge, using the dice pool for autonomous action: response (3) or would the drone, since it is being remotely operated, roll a dodge based on the riggers command program (6)?

I am specifically trying to find some sort of example or reference for answers to this question. I could see how this can be interpreted different ways, so I am definitely hoping for something perhaps more official, though I am interested in hearing how others have handled this. Thanks for any help.

Using the table on SR4A p247, it's assumed that you more or less continuously control the drone. In the case of Remote Control, you're playing it like a video game. In effect, you *do* command it to dodge. Otherwise, why would there be an entry for it on the table? I can't think of an example as you want for this, I'm afraid.

SR$A P 245, under Remote Operation:
"You may control only one drone at a time, and must have an active subscription to that drone."

So only one drone directly controlled, the rest are Autonomous.

Really, Remote Control and Jumped In aren't THAT much different. In both cases the drone is essentially you. It's just in the case of Jumped In, you are also the drone.



-k

Oh. Did the OP ask that? That's the same whether you're RC or Jumped In.

Thanks for the help on the first issue.

Does anyone know if you had code slinger (command), would that add +2 to those dice pools?

Sneaky. Is that 'a particular Matrix action'? It'd be 'Control Device', but… I guess so. Seems like a tricky way to make Codeslinger apply to almost anything. GM approval required, hehe!

Well, AR actions definitely, yeah. VR/Jumped in uses Response instead of Command so it might not apply there.



-k

Definitely not Jumped In. I just meant that you can have devices do all kinds of things, and still be using the 'Control Device' action. Since you mention it: can't you Remote Control in VR?

That's iffy.

The rules state that "A rigger who has jumped into a drone can issue commands to other drones, but cannot control them remotely.

Technically this doesn't prevent you from remote controlling the drone you're in, but if anything you'd lose the +2 Hot Sim bonus.



-k

No, that's not what I meant. VR doesn't necessarily equal Jumped In; I'm asking if you can Remote Control in VR (not Jumped In), just as you can hack in AR or VR, or pilot a vehicle (plain old 'driving' mode) in AR or VR. I assume you can, because the AR/VR choice is pretty much always available. In fact, it seems like doing so gives you the -1 Threshold modifier for Vehicle Tests.

I am pretty sure you can remote control in VR.

Going back to the question of using codeslinger either with control device, and upon re-reading the text, it would seem that at best you could get the +2 bonus on your action but probably not for reactions. So in the original example, when you shoot you could probably cheese it out and get the +2 to shoot, but probably not the +2 when you are dodging. Any thoughts?

It really depends, I think. Technically, those are all functions of the Control Device (Matrix action), but I think a reasonable GM would rule that so many distinct 'sub-actions' shouldn't all benefit from Codeslinger. You could certainly ask for Codeslinger (RC Gunnery), in my opinion.

I would use the same discretion as with Specializations: nothing too broad. Pure RAW *probably* allows your Codeslinger (Control Device) idea though.