I'm new to SR and I was reading the fiction near the start of SR3, and saw something about decking VR goggles ("for wussies" or something similar, according to the book) and datajacks ("the only way to fly").

Does this mean that VR goggles for non-cybered characters exist, or must there still be some kind of neural interface and thus essence tradeoff? If possible, I'd like to get rules for these VR goggles.

Thanks.

They're listed in Matrix along with 'trode networks. You can deck without a datajack, you just suck at it, comparatively. I can't remember specific rules, I'm afraid.

Trodes. p. 17 Matrix

Does anybody remember whether or not there were rules for this in 2nd ed.? I know for certain that in a few places it definitely says you can do it, and that it's different from both using a datajack and going tortoise, but I've never seen 2nd ed. rules for a) buying the equipment necessary (which I imagine would be sort of like the "electronic crown of thorns" that I think is the way it was described in 2XS) or b) what rules govern the use of said equipment.

has anyone ever actually found a price listing for a trode net?

Mostly. It's in Matrix, but slightly mis-named as "Trode Jack".

ah. cool.