OK everyone, I've got a question. I have a character who has the following cyber: cybereyes, cyber commlink, & a cyber SIM module. Now since Technomancers can make a Complex form version of a smartlink, can I have someone program a commlink program to mimic a smartlink? Heck I can even see needing a Command program to be able to control the functions of the smartgun (sorta like a drone).

Honestly... if you can squeeze a Smartlink into CONTACT LENSES, I think the idea of having it a software program that's controlled by your commlink is just as viable.

You would still need an image link, to display the requisite data in your field of view.

Hence the cybereyes

Happily enough, the cybereyes come with image link as a standard option.




-k

On a somewhat related note, how hard would it be to fake a smartgun system with a gun-camera? There's a possibility our group is going to be putting together some fake Ares Alphas in the near future, and I'm wondering if we can have it look like there's a smartgun in there without the actual expense of, you know, putting on a smartgun.

In all fairness, I'd rule it this way: supposed tha the gun has a smartgun system, your character already has an image link to receive its output, and DNI interface to produce input for it; so why ask for anything else? If the gun has no smartgun system, then there's just no executive mechanism for it to be used with a smartlink, so it's out of the question then.

Smartgun system provides ammo count as an ARO, as well as weapon diagnostic data. Then, it accepts commands to switch firing modes or eject clip or what have you. Neither of those you can do with just a guncam, I reckon.

Honestly, I've toyed with the idea of removing the smartgun cyberware (and cybereye option) from my game entirely.

It's rather pointless. All it does is display data in your field of vision, which is... Exactly the function of an image link!


I'm starting to suspect it's only kept in for game balance reasons, and poor ones at that, in my estimation.

Yeah, I don't really understand why it's a vision mod and not just software. I also don't know how an external smartgun accessory is supposed to actually work. I mean, if all it really is is a camera and range finder, how can it eject clips and change firing modes?

No, the smart gun collects and transmits data (position, orientation of the gun, type of ammunition, ammo count etc.) the smartlink calculates from that data a trajectory of the bullet and displays that in the user's eye.

I suspect some kind of device needs to be in or near the eye for the computations. The device needs to know where the user's POV is in relation to the gun to plot the trajectory.

We neither know how a smartlink nor a 2070s gun works. We don't know how an external smartgun system is fixed to the dumb gun. It could well be that the accessory has several motors that move the various mechanical switches of the gun. On the other hand it could interface with the already electrical gun to trigger the mechanisms. For ammo count the smart gun system could have an RFID reader to identify the bullets near it. Compared to the weapon's specs it could calculate the remaining bullets.

Here's the best text description I've seen for the 4E smartgun system:

AR p.148
Many 2070-era firearms, however, are equipped with a smartgun system, either off -the-rack, as an internal or external firearm accessory, or as a weapon modification. These weapons are considered smart weapons with a Device rating of 3 and a wireless connection, as well as the basic equipment that comes with a smart system (laser range finder, small camera, sensors to keep track of heat buildup and ammunition, an automatic gun mode switch, and clip ejection).

It's more than just a visual telemetry package and there's a good bit more utility to it than just the +2 DP IMO (cybersafety, reduced action costs for mode selection, clip eject, ammo selection, etc.). My interpretation is that any smartgun package (accessory or mod) comes w/ the additional internal components/sensors (or leverages any pre-existent ones in the weapon) as well as the camera/laser range finder/wireless PAN link. For the external accessory version, I assume it's just the camera/LRF/link pod that's mounted externally and the additional mechanicals and sensors are still included and installed internally. The external accessory seems a bit munchkin to me but I can't say I haven't exploited it when cash is short...

If you're asking about just the necessity of the smartlink mod for vision enhancers/cyberware to use a smartgun, the best fluff justification I can come up w/ for it is Dakka's (ie: the smartgun bits need some hardware to track eye movements/the weapon's spatial relation to the eye) but I'm not sure how well this holds up for scenarios where you're shooting around corners, etc. It's probably more of a balance/money sink/availability barrier thing as ShadowDragon says.

.... don't Technomancers have a "Smartgun" complex form? That would definitely speak in favor of it being software-able ...

Technomancers can do a couple of things that can't be done with mundane skills/tech. So it is not really an indication for a software only smartlink. BTW it is the smartlink CF, not smart gun. You would still need a smart gun to get the benefits.

I'd have it be a Forgery Test. Maybe add Automatics and any applicable Knowledge skills to the Teamwork Tests. Then an opposed Perception Test + Knowledge Firearms to spot the forgery. Give bonuses and penalties to how well the PCs BS the mark. I don't know if that's RAW or anything, but that's how I'd handle it.

In some old books the Smartlink could be broken down into four subsystems

• Image Link or something else to display the data
• Induction pad
• The actual ballistics processor
• Stripped-down Simrig (to track body movement, posture, etc.)

The induction pad is obviously no longer needed and the ballistics calculations could conceivably by done in software, so if the character meets the other two requirements (which the OP's char does) it sounds OK to me.

Because of the Simrig bit I'm also a proponent of giving only a +1 bonus for Smartlinks in glasses or contacts.

You mean a stripped down sim module. A simrig is only needed to record neurological reactions as computer data.

Strangely enough a smartlink still requires an image link even though any DNI should be enough. It also still requires the processor hardware.

So there is no indication that the muggles should be able to get a smartlink without hardware.

Nothing prevents you from houseruling it though.

I don't know if you need the SIMRig. I'm thinking that the smartgun's gyroscope and camera will tell where it is pointed to in relation to the body.


That's why I would replace the Smartlink eye mod with the cyberware I indicated in the OP, I also even said that it might need a separate Command program to control the functions of the smartgun.

I know it's a smartlink CF. I'm not suggestign the gun itself wouldn't need a Smart system. But, having a program instead of a cybernetic implant, would seem to me to be at least reasonable.

...or to record movement and posture of the shooter, hence the old Smartlink used to include one. And of course this is strictly houserule territory, by RAW there is no program named "Smartlink" and accordingly it can't be programmed.

Interesting, the cannon companion does indeed say that.

@_Pax._: I am not averse to specialized hardware. IMHO commlinks are powerful enough. On the other hand, with the specialized hardware you can have a working system even without a commlink. Additionally you are not required to have any cyberware.

Maybe I'm missing the point of the question, but what is the difference between smartlink using the capacity in cybereyes and smartlink using the capacity in contact lenses? What am I missing?

Just undertones that aren't relevant. Many DSers don't see a point in not getting cybereyes since they are so cheap and so assume that everyone does.

But the original post states that the character already has cybereyes. (For the record, I don't normally take cybereyes.)

Right. It's an already existing character with cybereyes. There is no reason you can't do the same with glasses or contacts.

Yes. So what is gained by running it on the commlink? A nuyen discount? Security?Is the character just trying to squeeze in one more vision mod?

By running the software on the commlink it's supposed to use the imagelink (which is used for everything but smartguns). Thus you save on the nuyen and capacity costs of the smartlink.

If you're using contacts/glasses/goggles, removing the additional Availability would be another big plus to what you can squeeze into one device at creation.

So the question then becomes, if the other components are present, can we call the Smartlink a rating 1 sensor software?

After reading the description, there's nothing unbalanced about allowing it, IMO, particularly if the same price is paid, but I would still lean towards no. I just chalk it up to there being additional proprietary hardware involved. Maybe it's just that it sets a bad precedence. I can have Smartlink as a commlink program, why can't I have Vision Enhancement as a program?

Because vision enhancement isn't just processing power and computer adaptability, it's the actual optical reception power of the eyes. It doesn't matter how much processing power you throw at a 320x240 image, you're never going to get something acceptably useful in 2560x1440 without the computer basically making shit up, which is kind of the exact opposite of useful perception.

I could see the argument against image magnification, which is why I chose vision enhancement. Why couldn't vision enhancement consist of pattern recognition algorithms, selective sampling over multiple frames. Additionally, you're not talking about a 320x240 image by any stretch. You can add vision enhancement to an otherwise unaugmented eye. What is the resolution there? I don't think it matters. The modification, IMO, is about helping you notice what you can perceive, not about perceiving in more detail. As such, the modification is not much different from a clearsight autosoft.

Any drawback of running the software on the commlink can be sidestepped by running it or a few of them on a dedicated commlink. I don't want to go down the road of this modification can or cannot be emulated on a commlink and obsolete the cyberware or hardware vision, auditory, or other enhancement is rendered obsolete. As such, I would not allow it, but I still think it's not particularly unbalanced or game breaking.

You could change the Smartgun system into two parts.

1.Aim Correction Software
Requirement: Guncam & Rangefinder + Image Link and ballistic processor software
Bonus: +2 to hit

2.Smartgun System
The smartgun system gives the following abilities to your gun:
-DNI controlled Clip Ejection
-Clip inventory data
-DNI controlled trigger [Electronic Firing upgrade required]

So it's a little more than the +2 to hit as it also keeps track of your ammo, weapon heat levels, gun stress levels (barrel replacement etc).

They should really have them as two separate tools as the actual to hit bonus is essentially
-Guncam
-Rangefinder
-Ballistic Software
-Image Link

The Smartgun SYSTEM is basically a hardware modification to the gun itself with sensors to keep track of ammunition, heat etc and seems more like a convenient thing that is not always needed.