Um. My PDF reader skips back and forth. I think most do.

Right, but not as effectively—a common issue I'll have is that I'll be reading one page, I'll want to reference another page but not know the exact page and then go to the general vicinity and skim to find; depending on quality of implementation, at this point the "Back" button takes me back either to the previous page skimmed or the beginning of the skimming process, because it can't read my mind and find out what the important bits are.

~J

Ahh, I see what you're talking about. I just mark exact pages. I thought you meant like, holding fingers at multiple places.

That's why I have a workhorse of a laser printer and print out my PDFs, then put them in sheet condoms.

It also has the advantage of making the books cola resistant.

But my group generally has decided that I'm very much insane in a variety of ways, and that's another of them.

Alt-L is the shortcut for "Previous View" in Adobe Reader (View/Go to/Previous View menu), which works like Back in Internet Explorer (rather than "the page before this one"). Doesn't do you much good if you went skimming, admittedly. You probably know that one, but I just figured it out myself a couple of days ago, so hey

As long as we are looking at fixes...
Pg10: M1216 Mule is missing drone size after its name
Pg10: MQ-8 Fire Scout is missing drone size after its name
Pg10: MQ-8 Fire Scout should probably have "Improved Takeoff and Landing 2" as a Std Upgrade

This next one is not a typo/fix (nor even that important), just a request from me if changes are already being made:
The Drone "cards" at the end are great. Could the "Notes" section of each include the drone size and the Std Upgrades?

Obsolescent (pg10, TOD) reduces the device rating by 1. The device rating (p222, SR4a) is just a handy shortcut for GMs to track all of a devices attributes as one number for simplicity. If the device rating is reduced by 1, my understanding is the pilot and sensors are reduced by 1 (which would explain the cheap price on obsolescent devices).

It isn't clear to me in the PDF. Am I reading this correctly?

Just Pilot. Sensor is derived differently.

Pilot isn't really based on Device Rating, either. It's Response, System, Firewall, and Signal. Pilot is technically System, but a glance at the rules clearly shows no correlation to Device Rating (as suggested by Sample Devices).

Pilot is a program, its just a vehicle specific version of an agent or IC, a program thats runs more programs.

Ugh, of all the things the books are unclear about...

Pilot Programs, pg. 245 of The Precious. Pilot is used in place of System.

Due to that rule, nearly all published Pilot ratings do not conform with the Sample Device Rating Table.

Most games I've been in assume the Device Rating Table is correct for a vehicle's Device Rating if it's equal to or higher than the listed Pilot Rating, or the Pilot Rating if that is higher.

Because System (Pilot) can be equal to or lower than the Device Rating, but not higher.



-k

i never looked much on the sample device table, as it seems to have been a "cover anything we forgot to specify" kind of table.

A kind of "oh look, they forgot to stat xyz, so that cant exist in SR" cover.

My basic take on such tables are that specific device stats override the table data, but it do not invalidate the basic utility of the table as a guideline when in a hurry. This because stats in RPG books are rarely set via rigid rules. More often then not, design rules are written after, perhaps long after, the stats have been hammered onto paper after being created on a "looks good" basis.

And yes, i fully know that pilot replace system. I just wonder how it is possible for so many people to read it as either a separate program or a separate piece of hardware from system. Still, there is the old help desk horror stories to remind me that what i assume is easy to grasp about computers can be wildly misunderstood...

*shrug* Pilot is System, and Device Rating is (Response, Signal, Firewall, System). For vehicles, I just have the listed Pilot override the *implied* Device Rating, and logical inconsistencies be damned. Honestly, it's their fault for making Pilot *be* System in the first place. Bleh.

My point is that Pilot certainly does not derive *from* device rating (which you have to broadly assume from the Sample Devices table in the first place). If it did, it would contradict the hell out of the vehicle listings. For completeness, I'll re-agree Rotbart's second part: Sensor is *also* independent of Device Rating.

Indeed, hobgoblin: a general, 'sample' table clearly is overridden by specifics, and the entire concept of Device Rating is definitely a shorthand catch-all.

Well, it's certainly possible for a vehicle to have Device Rating 3 but Pilot 2.

I have the Pilot rating override the general System Rating, but not the rest of the Matrix Attributes.




-k

Right. There are cases when that is a problem, though; really, it'd all be simpler if Pilot were a (perhaps uncrashable) 'program' separate from System, though. Anyway, it's just *not* derived from Device Rating (itself just a general guess).

Anybody happen to know if they've corrected the acceleration typos yet?

Yes, I think it was in November of last year. If you buy the PDF, they send you an email to download the new copy for free as soon as its published.

Thanks!

I never got my e-mail for correction.

And Mine was correct when I bought it... *shrug*

I don't know if it makes a difference, but I purchased it from Battleshop and they have notified me of free updates on two different PDF books so far.

Ah, I got mine from RPGNow. They might not be doing the free updates.

Sorry, Drive-Thru RPG.

That's not cool.

Hit the site again, and they have the new DL file. No issue, just no alert they fixed it.

Smaller file size too, for some reason.

Just to confirm, I grabbed the pdf from Battlecorps just now and it is corrected.

However, it does have some formatting wonkiness (jumbled letters) when opened with Apple Preview, which is mildly annoying. Same with the Missions 4 faq, but I already mentioned that to Bull. Hopefully someone is working on this.

Yeah, we have been. It's driving our layout guy a bit insane, but hopefully progress is being made.

Jason H.

Thanks for the update, Jason!

Ah, the joys of editing. Any clue why the file size is, like, 1/4 what it was before?

Not precisely, but it could be the number of layers left on.

Jason H.

DriveThruRPG pretty much does this with all their PDFs. You have to check back periodically.



-k

Why are all these outdated drones better than their current gen counterparts? More and better weapon mounts, higher speeds, better prices, better availability, pretty much all they lack is armor, and that basically always needs upgrading anyway to hit that 3xbod hardcap.

BEcause in SR4, new and improved technology makes everything weaker and more useless, like Matrix security or fake SINs?

Half of them can't be rigged; and of the others, most can be hacked by a highschooler.

Which can be corrected by Modification, of course. Though that is just MORE money required to make them function like the Drones of 2070.

You've never upgraded an old computer case?

Also, after Crash 2.0 and everything affiliated to it (Including the Winternight attacks!), I've outright stated that "Quality Control" has gone right out the window as the Countries/Corporations are trying to recover from the massive destruction done to the economy.

"They really knew how to build things in the '50s, I mean, this is actual ALUMINUM! Not some cheap Chinese plassteel."

Indeed I have, and occassionally, I have fried older components (ie. Hard Drives) by installing them onto a new board/system upgrade... gets costly when that happens.

As for the rest... I can agree with that.

Hey, Jason, just thinking...

The line about "This Old Safehouse" was meant as a joke, but it might make a good PDF book... Further rules for Safehouses and Squats, temporary digs rather than full Lifestyles.

Or is the planning stages for PDFs full up already?

There's a good queue of PDFs moving right now, but we can always slate a new one. I'm happy to take pitches and pass them to the PDF line developer. You can send things to the info@shadowrun4.com address.

Jason H.

Any hints on what's coming down the pipe for PDFs? Those I've been happy with for the most part, the Accel issue with This Old Drone non-withstanding, and now fixed.

Yeah, that pretty much removes "better, cheaper, and more available".

Depends on the modifications and the skillsets available.

If the Rigger can do the work himself out of parts he has from wrecked and looted drones from previous 'Runs... It's not that much. 'Runners have a lot of spare time, don't forget.

Hm. Abstracted salvage rules would be kinda interesting. I'm envisioning not a huge boost, but something where if you manage to snag broken gear from a run, maybe reducing cost and availability for later upgrades.

I mean, you probably don't want it to be TOO good, as it's kinda lame to have your players going loot-crazy on every run, but at the same time if you manage to snag a busted Steel Lynx on the way out the door it should have some value.



-k

Lessee, we got a critter book, a book about smuggling locations, an aircraft book, a piece of enhanced fiction, a gun book, a book about Awakened plants, and some optional rules for adepts. And hopefully a SotA installment.

Jason H.

Mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm, Gun Porn.

What about the cars book you have lying around since 2008?

It's complicated.

Jason H.

Sorry, had to laugh because it sounds like a relationship... which probably isn't too far off... >_<

Then make with the uncomplicated nutshell explanation.