(This is something I've been thinking of for a bit, designing some Agents and attached programs for all those players who want to safeguard their gear from hackers and do basic matrix stuff but don't want to drop a lot of money or time into it.)

Hacker House is pleased to announce the release of the Matrix Aides line, a suite of modified agents and programs designed to simplify matrix interactions for the private individuals of questionable legal standing. These automated systems will provide matrix support for a broad variety of basic matrix tasks, allowing customers to focus on their mundane concerns, confident that all their matrix concerns are being cared for.

(Quite frankly, we’ve noticed that most of you think Blackout is what happens when you drink too much. As an act of global mercy to hackers and technomancers, we’re releasing basic mook packages so they don’t have to babysit your commlinks anymore.)

We’re releasing three basic suites: a basic package called Sally Secretary, a defensive model called Megan Meanie, and a basic hacking system called Hacker Holly. All of our programs come with the Egonomic and Optimization program options, allowing the packages to run on R3 commlinks and higher, although we recommend a Hermes Icon running Novatech Navi for 4500. All agents and programs are rating 6.

Sally Secretary: Sally Secretary is our top selling model which handles basic matrix security, data collection, and living accomidations.
Attatched Programs: Analyze, Encrypt, Exploit, Broswe
Protect your Commlink: Sally Secretary automatically scans all incoming icons and installs Analyze on your commlink to help your commlink detect intruders. Once an intruder is identified, Sally Secretary will alert the system and inform you.
Encrypt your Communications: Never worry about evesdroppers again. Sally Secretary automatically encrypts all of your communications and will also encrypt your files to defend against data theft.
Never pay Rent again: Your work hard for your money; stop spending it on basic living expenses. Sally Secretary will find “anonymous donors” to pay for all your living expenses, including rent, food, and beer.
Stay Informed: Knowledge is power. Simply pose a question to Sally Secretary and she will scour the matrix databanks for an answer, returning an answer within minutes.

Special Hacker House Cost: 6000
Monthly updates: 1000

Megan Meanie: Megan Meanie is a dedicated defensive model designed to keep unwanted intruders from entering your commlink and accessing your critical data.
Attatched Programs: Analyze, Blackout, Armor, Data Bomb
Spot Intruders: Megan Meanie searches every new icon that appears on your commlink and upgrades your commlink to run a dedicated Analyze program to help detect hacking attempts.
Kill Hackers: Megan Meanie can take a beating thanks to its Armor program, letting it slam intruding targets with its powerful Blackout attack. BlackHammer programs available on request.
Boobytrap your Files: Megan Meanie protects all your crtical information with hidden databombs, which can disrupt and destroy intruding Matrix programs and icons.
Protect your Cyberware: Protect all your critical electronic equipment. Simple tell Megan Meanie which devices you want protected and Megan Meanie will slave the devices, putting them under her personal protection.

Special Hacker House Cost: 7000
Monthly updates: 1200

Holly Hacker: Holly Hacker is our newest release, focusing on automated hacking for individuals who require matrix expertise but are not familiar with any matrix-saavy professionals
Attached Programs: Exploit, Stealth, Edit, Decrypt
Hack into any System: Holly Hacker is capable of stealthily hacking into any standard node. Simply give Hacker Holly the order and she will immediately begin hacking the indicated device. (Warning! Hacker Holly is not recommended against R5 or higher systems)
Decrypt secret documents: Nothing can be hidden from Holly Hacker. Spy on encrypted enemy conversations and decrypt secret documents with Holly Hacker.
Edit video, audio, and writing: Edit security camera feeds, play with audio recordings, and rewrite documents with Holly Hacker’s editing software.

Special Hacker House Cost: 7000
Monthly updates: 1200

(GM note on cost: All costs are twice the pirated cost. Quite frankly, anybody with a Browse program should be able to pirate software easily. However, that would require the players to have some basic matrix savvy, which we’re presuming they don’t. Thus, Hacker House offers these suites through various back-door shops, making them easily available to any criminal. Of course, Hacker House gleefully overcharges the ignorant. It’s paying nuyen for convenience. Altogether, you runners should be matrix capable for about 12,000 or 5 BP)
(Customer note: Female names and icons are used as market research has shown that the majority of our clients are sexual deviants who enjoy imaginary subservient women. If this does not include you, male and androdgynous versions are available. Please take one. They’re lonely and I don’t have the heart to delete them.)

I love this post. Seriously, good stuff.

However. Couple nitpicks.

Agent programs themselves can't actaully take program options like optimization, so they'll always come up against the System limit(i think it works like this), and thusly get nerfed down a rating point or two. The programs in their payload work fine with optimized, so this will leave the package deals with mismatched dice pools. Still, much better than being limited to 6 dice or so.(device rating 3 is super common)

Megan needs an Attack program. Possibly Loaded but not Running, so as not to run up against Ergonomic limits - swaps as need be due to processor limit.. Blackout doesn't work against other agents or IC.

Holly needs Analyze. NEEDS it. Being able to find hidden data is pretty essential, as is being able to peek at a nodes firewall before you start hacking it(taking threat assessments) and you can't even try to beat stealth without it. Oh yeah, and she can't spot data bombs without it, which will pretty much instakill her. She also needs Browse, as being able to hack stuff doesn't mean squat if you can't find shit once you're inside.


I might suggest putting together a Budget Bettie package, based around a Pro User Suite(4a 232). Not a super-fancy rating 6 agent or anything, just enough to run on a System 4 suite for joe average. Plus, oh, say, Encrypt(because its not in the suite) and Corrupt(because sometimes you just want to delete your data, unrecoverably, even if its just brower history)

Also, have a Sarah Scannie. Rocking out with Scan, Electronic Warfare autosoft, Track, Sniffer, Spoof, ECCM, and a Telematics Infrastructure.(just to actaully give an accurate real-world location for signals it triangulates. Its actaully better than Trace in this regard).

Love the concept.

Here's an idea I had;

Polly Pirate. When the coffers are drained but you just need to see the newest Neil the Ork Barbarian, Polly gets it done.
Attached Programs: Browse, Analyze, Decrypt, Spoof, Purge
Find the latest hits: Polly scours the Matrix high and low to find the newest media fresh off the presses.
Break troublesome software protection: Polly makes those annoying software encryption a thing of the past.
Protect Your Privacy: Polly ensures there is never a data trail leading back to you!
Virus Safety: Polly scans all files for malware and purges the system of software glitches.

Interesting Indeed... Keep 'em Coming...

Hmmm question, why would Hacker House encourage software piracy?

Because they are a Cracker VPN? They are not a Legitimate Company.
If you went the other route, then they are legitimate, and your Software has no monthly upkeep (Updates are free and automatic), but is registered and Copy protected as well, which makes tracing the user quite easy.

Except presumably they stay in business by selling software, they are not a legitimate business but they are a business none the less. It's kind of a moot point but it seemed like something counter productive to their business plan.

They stay in business by charging a monthly upgrade cost to the software they provided you (ie. Selling Software). Makes sense. If you are paying to obtain these systems, you obviously do not have the techniocal know-how to upgrade them yourself.

I think that Iris Antivirus is the way to go for Analyze and Purge. I mean it only counts as one program, but does double duty.