Certain items such as broadcast encryption and vehicle Contingency Maneuver Controls have stepped costs. For instance, CMCs cost ¥2,500/rating up to Rating 3 and ¥5,000/rating from Rating 4 to Rating 6.

The question is, if you purchase a Rating 4 CMC, does it cost ¥12,500 (¥2,500*3+¥5,000*1) or ¥20,000 (¥5,000*4)?

~J

I've always used the first method. In other words: I haven't got a clue.

Doesn't this also go for the Damage Compensator Bioware?

I've always used the second method. *shrugs* Don't know why. It just seemed logical.

If it's 3k per rating for 4-6 adn you want 6 then it's 18k. It's straight multiplication.

Actually... I think I've done straight multiplication everywhere else, but the first method with the CMC. And now that I think about it, straight multiplication makes a whole lot more sense in all cases. Is that made clear in an example somewhere? Even if it isn't, the wording makes it quite obvious that it's supposed to be like that.

You're supposed to go with the listed price; you don't buy things "in levels," you buy the whole package at once. A rating 4 Contingency Maneuver Controls cost 20,000 nuyen since they handle Moderate Wounds to the vehicle, whereas Rating 3 CMCs are 7,500 nuyen since they're only designed to handle Light Wounds... and hence the next price jump when it hits Serious. If you're upgrading from one to the other, you pay 12,500 nuyen for the extra components needed for this whole new level of sophistication.

The same is true of cyberdeck utilities, fade SINs and credsticks, and everything else that follows that pricing style.

However you can sort of buy things in levels - I seem to recall that you can buy a gadget - say a sequencer - and "upgrade" it later for the difference in price. Why could this not also apply to this - you buy your CMC's or whatever at level three and then later upgrade them to level four, the difference would be based on the higher multiplyer, but the levels you already own don't suddenly become more expensive...

But then I'm not thinking straight right now, so none of what I've just typed might make any sense at all.

Or that.

Eurgh...