So I have an AI that made an upgraded VAN his home node.

When AI's hack, what traits and skills do they use? (RC says they don't use their mental for Matrix tests.) So they use System + Exploit? Do they use their System rating or the upgraded System rating of their home node? Sorry I'm being stupid, but I'm seeing AI characters that have Hacking as a skill and so I didn't know if that was the correct way or not.

Thanks

To answer this question, you must first ask yourself

What do regular hackers roll to do anything on the matrix?

Find the answers, Then replace 'hacker' with 'ai'.

this kind of. My understanding is that the section on AIs seeks to replace all of the hackers stats and such with whatever the AI uses, rather than trying to come up with brand new tests for the AI to roll.

Computers still work the same; it's just a difference in composition of the user (wetware vs. software, in this case)

On another note...

AI's should have a definite advantage due to the fact that they SEE code or what it is.

What would the natural language for AI's be? Binary?

If it is binary code they should not need a "skill" to hack and truly be able to default to logic for their hacking tests as they see raw data, they dont have to interpret code, they would see the immadiate meaning of the code.

I mainly think of this as it seems usually odd to allow meat hackers to use their logic attribute instead of skill unless they are some mathematical savant with severe social issues a'la Rainman.

Is the idea to far fetched?

Oh wow I hope the matrix doesn't run in binary, or even hex

But this makes me think of a new sprite type - Assembly sprite with a power called Interrupt 21H


Don't AIs have advantages already built-in? They do have to remain relatively balanced with all the other 'race' options.

AI's don't even have eyes!

In fact, AI's should be far worse than hackers, because they are on the same level as other programs, while the hacker is on an elevated position, overseeing everything, so to say.

Of course, AI's might have advantages on the social hacking side, just related to programs instead of other people. Kinda like "Hey, buddy, I'm just another program caught in here for eternity, can't you just do a brother [or sister] a little favor and let me slip in here, quickly? Let your guards down, if you get the drift. I promise I won't break anything (important)." (to the Firewall).

Bye
Thanee

On the issue of advantages, a AI can have a stealth of 12 thanks to taking it as a inherent program and said programs being caped to 2 times the AIs System rating. So bump both Logic and Intuition to 6 and have some fun

System and Firewall is independent of the node the AI is in, much like a agent. but given that Response is based on the node it is located (note that a AI can log into multiple nodes just like a hacker or agent), a AI in a top of the line node that it has made its home node will be frighteningly quick for anyone but the fastest of hackers...

Uh.

Hackers use skills and programs.

So do ai's.

what i am trying to say is that they are functionally identical in stats, except the ai lacks a meatbody and physical attributes to go with it.

Yeah, I don't get what the OP is asking. AI characters roll Skill + Program, like any other hacker. If you're using the optional rule regarding Attributes and the Matrix (which makes a lot of sense, IMO), they roll Attribute + Skill, with hits capped by Program. Pretty simple.

Where is this rule?

Unwired. Page 39. Section: Tweaking the Rules.

Core p226.

Well I haven't sat down and read all the way through 4A yet and I tend to only glance at the O-RAW sections like where it's located in Unwired. The rule is intriguing though.

There are a few threads where we discuss the pros and cons.