I've heard of the ends of the matrix, but haven't read it yet. Does it make hacking faster and simpler? If not are there any house rulesets for shadowrun 4e that make it so?

Use an online dice roller, and know what you're rolling commonly AHEAD of time. (system, firewall, analyze, response)

and know the rules inside and out.

Then realize its far easier to use a fast and loose objective/goal based matrix than ZA RULES. Ie "i want to do X, okay roll this or that or what not" instead of "Durr, uh, lemme find the unwired page for that."

I was blessed with a gm familiar enough with the rules to run hacking concurrent with realspace action at no delay to the game.

Eliminating the Pizza Minigame is doable.

Ends of the matrix isn't end all be all, and its up to the neck full of trollman's full of himself attitude. There's a few good things in there, though.


The matrix i ran in was still pretty by-the-book, and worked pretty well.
Technomancers were changed to be more in line with hackers, both in terms of cost and effectiveness. (no more stealth 12 shenanigans)
the Piracy Loophole was closed with Missions Standards patches due to a general agreement of Fuck SOTA Rolls - i was generally available as an easy option for non-hackers.
Coding your own software was managable. Software shops counted as programming environments, but with only half the dice pool bonus
Infinite Loop gimmick networking was flat-out forbidden.

Non-houserules that were the glue that held it together:
Alerts stripped user rights(unwired)
The OS resists Hacking changes with software+Firewall, making it harder to do things if you don't have the right access. (this may or may not be a holdover from 4th edition, where the game started in, i'm away from books and can't doublecheck a pageref.)

Well your house rules made the system better but didn't exactly make it any faster or simpler. Still should I use ends of the matrix? You said that it has some good things in it, so does it also have some bad changes? Would like an experts opinion because this is the first time ill gm shadowrun and the first time ill gm at all, so I'm not every experienced at it and what looks good on paper could be horrible in actual gameplay. Also why use an online dice roller?

One option is to use something like SR5's system - opposed rolls on Complex actions rather than Extended tests, dramatically reducing the amount of time things take.

This.

This is the easiest way to make things fastest and eliminates the need for making things simpler. In my opinion, simplifying the Matrix rules is just detracting from the game the way a decker or technomancer probably wouldn't want you to. One must remember that those players probably read every bit of the Matrix/TM sections of the rulebooks and are counting on a GM to run the game according to those rules.

When I first started GMing Shadowrun, I remembered not allowing deckers in the runner party out of sheer fear of having to know a bunch of additional rules. That was silliness. I can appreciate that now. I'd encourage any GM a little nervous about running hacking runs/scenarios, to take a bit of time. Read through the rules completely. Then either copy and paste the notes into a cheat sheet or take a few notes in a notebook. It wont take long until they are proficient about running things quickly; Matrix and Meat - side by side.

So, I guess what all of you guys are saying is that the original is the best but I should know it inside and out. Ok I guess ill stick to the original and id better start reading now. Thanks for all the help btw

Read the first 90 pages of unwired. It solves a lot of basic shit with the the system, what if this happens, and conceptual aids to understand how its put together.

Things like how to go above the subscription limit, and making alerts matter.

Also, in general, its best to know the basic system BEFORE houseruling it.


I mostly like the things his unrelated house rules address, if not their specific implimentation.
his new paragons are amusing, and easily retro-adapted.
Combining Maneuver and Defense autosofts is interesting. After all, if you know how to move, you know how to dodge.


Oh!
Right!
THAT'S what I was going to suggest.
There actually is an alternate matrix system in the Shadowrun 2050 SR4 sourcebook. It may be easier/better to use that, and just slap wireless onto it.

Better plan might be to take it slow - Unwired adds a LOT, but you can get started into running Matrix stuff without it. Read through SR4A's Matrix section, make a little cheat sheet to work with, and start with just that. Add elements from Unwired slowly as you're comfortable with the existing rules.

"The Ends of the Matrix" make the Matrix completely different. It also has huge impact on the rest of the world. Basically it turns the hacker into a mage with spells that can affect people and technological equipment.

As for other houserules to make hacking simpler and easier, one good thing to keep in mind is that you don't necessarily have to turn every hack into a dice rolling fest. Just like you can sometimes solve a whole discussion with only one social skill check (because it's not something very important and not something you want to spend too long on), you can just solve a hack with a simple logic+hacking (or hacking+exploit) test, using the target's firewall as the threshold.

How exactly do you effect people and technological equipment? Can you brick cyberlimbs that have their wireless turned on? Can you f*ck up a smartgun system that links to its user wirelessly? If that is the case I like it even more.

Basically you have spell-like abilities. You use them the way you cast a spell, and apply their effects. It also considers that a hacker's wireless signals can mess with brain waves, which can lead to brain hacking.

I don't recall the details, so I don't know if the cases you've mentioned are covered, but I'd say they probably are.

You hack their brain, from what I understand.

This is equally possible with the 4th edition rules. Unwired even specifically addresses it (page 102-103). It's only made difficult by the mutual signal range, which for cyberware means 3 meters.

Unwired also introduced "slaving," so that you get protect all your gear with the higher Firewall rating of a comlink. It also made them more vulnerable, as it greatly extended the mutual signal range or even connected to the Matrix, and allowed to hack all of the slaved gear at once.

A lot of people didn't like the idea, so they specifically houseruled that cyberware never has the wireless turned on outside maintenance operations. Otherwise, the only thing that really gets in the way is the time required to detect hidden node, succeed at a hack on the fly extended test and finally do something, which are issues for hacking at large, and not just cyberware.

So any houserule that solves these issues ought to make it possible (unless it specifically rules out cyberware hacking as well). If it still uses standard Signal and mutual signal range rules, you may just need to introduce a way to bypass the mutual signal range requirement when ware is not slaved. If I was to, I think I'd introduce a hard or software "signal booster" that adds +1 to your target's Signal rating if it's below the booster rating, for the sole purpose of determining mutual signal range, thus allowing to hack cyberware 40 meters away.

How exactly? I mean do you make them blind do you manipulate them, what exactly can you do with it? To what extent can you "hack" a brain? Can you turn off all motor functions in the muscles? Or could you do much smaller damage like make them hallucinate or something like that?

Was not a Houserule, Nath... It is an option, listed right there in the books. Just like Throwbacks exist in SR5.

As far as I understand, the option given in Augmentation was to either have either wireless enabled, or have it entirely disabled/removed, and then requiring surgery for internal implant maintenance (or re-enabling wireless if you change your mind). That's not exactly the same as "wireless is on only during maintenance", which I had the impression it was the way a lot of people actually played it.

You do not need wireless for diagnostics/Maintenance, though... Use a Data port and plug it in.

But that would be houseruling !!! It totally makes sense, but it's not mentioned anywhere in the rules.

Not really, since even your quote shows that gamemaster determine what has a wireless link and what does not. Wired diagnostics have been a thing since 1st Edition... all you needed was a Datajack to gain access to the DNI. Which has NEVER gone away. Wireless just made it easier, because then you would not NEED a Datajack. Just because you no longer NEED it does not mean that the functionality has gone away.

The Rules never mentioned that Trolls cannot fly, but that does not stop it from being true.

Sorry, but I beg to differ

Not the rules part, but the being true.

All functions of 'how exactly' are run on Trollman Logic and starwars references.
I mean, a program called 'jedi trick?' Come on, Really?

Frank was/is....... somewhat unique.

In my opinion that is not a bad thing . I don't mean how is it done or whats it called i want to know exactly what I can do with it? By your comment I guess I can jedi mind trick people but what else? That's what Im asking.

Also how can I catch my players? Also one of my players has a normal SIN. Can I catch him with facial recognition, fingerprints or gait recognition? Are they in the system? What other ways are there lonestar/ KE can use to catch my guys? And what can gangs use to catch my group?
P.S. One of my players doesn't think gait recognition is possible. Is it? I heard about it in the always recording thread and googled it and it said that it is possible but not everything you can find on the internet is true ofcourse. So is it true? If so does it say so in any shadowrun sourcebook? and if so i would like to know which book and page. Is it possible in real life?

Gait Recognition/Facial Recognition software is in Arsenal. Yes, it is a real thing in Shadowrun.

Okay thanks, but can anyone give me a shadowrun 4e with all books matrix system vs ends of the matrix. Im looking for this one is better because blah blah blah, but the other one makes this other aspect better etc. becasue what you personally despise i might like. We're planning on playing on the 21st and i don't wanna screw the group by delaying it, that's why i dont really have the time to read both and knowing me ill probably get the two confused and we will play some strange hybrid that makes no sense.

Not sure what you are asking here. Ends of the Matrix is crap, written by a disgruntled freelancer who has a chip on his shoulder.
SR4A Matrix is worlds better, in my opinion. You WILL need to know the system, though, or you will bog down. Of all the rules in the books, the Matrix NEEDS in-depth understanding above all others. It will also help if you just ignore what you know about real world computer systems; the SR Matrix is NOT the RW Internet.

Read SR4A book and Unwired... Add in WAR! if you want equipment rated above 6 (I highly recommend this, personally).

As I said what other people don't like I might like and vice versa. It might be actual crap but someone on a forums (I think it was giant in the playground but im not sure) said that it is much better than the original. Of course he might be genuinely wrong and that ends of the matrix just plain doesn't work but i do not know. If no one says its good by tomorrow ill probably just start reading the original rules. So could you please say why ends of the matrix is crap?

Really depends upon what you want in a game, I guess. It allows the Decker to Brain Hack, which I think is crap. It is so far removed from what I consider to be Cyberpunk that it is useless for me (but fits a more evolved, Star Wars'ish theme, as someone mentioned above - Though I see that the purview of Psionic ability, personally rather than an extension of Hacking through technology). My opnion, of course. But you did ask for an opinion, and you are looking to limit your reading to a single thing. I say concentrate on SR4A and the production books. Frank's opinions and rants do not belong in a Shadowrun game, in my opinion. *shrug*

Thanks for all the help ill just stick to sr4a. I like brain hacking but my hacker doesn't so yeah. No on to some completely off topic questions:
1. My hacker has 7 logic 1 charisma and has the neg quality uncouth. he didn't get any social skills. Is the character broken? If not how the hell do you roleplay a guy who is incredibly smart but acts like a retard in social situations? How can he protect himself against manipulation con and similar? Also he has 10 strength so how can a big bulking troll not know how to intimidate?
2. He wants to be a scientist. My question is how can you be a scientist without a corporate SIN? He wants to be like a freelancer but from what i know of AAA megacorps they don't easily just let a scientist go, especially one who might know corporate secrets. Could have he worked for the smaller ones? Do you have a corp SIN when you work for the much smaller ones? Also are A corps as evil as AAA megacorps or are they better? And where can I find the names A or AA corps? (he does have a regular sin btw)
3. If lonestar sees a video of him doing a crime and see his gait, could they identify him using his SIN?

1. Yes... He is broken. He cannot even defend against Social Skills because he is UNAWARE that they even exist. . Have a higher Charisma Stat (2 will be fine) and no skill (which will allow you to default at 1 Dice), or get a few skills at 1. 1-3 Dice is not going to show you as a paragon of social situations. You can function, but not well at all. Using Uncouth will only ensure that you get intimidated by the 3 year old that cries in your presence (Again, you cannot even roll to defend with the setup you give).
2. You can be a scientist without being in a Megacorp. Or even a Corp. There are Private Foundations and such for these things.
3. Using his SIN? Not unless they have a lot of such data on file, which they might. Does he have the Records on File Negative Quality?

this is his counter argument for 1 which i guess might be possible: he could make a program that makes speech sound to him like Stephen Hawking voice seeing that mostly charisma is in how it is said as in the voice. But on the other hand a big part in using charisma is being a "wordsmith" knowing exactly which words to use to have your desired result.
He doesn't have records on file negative quality, but imo people would have such data on their SIN.

I would not allow that. You are trying to get around a Negative Quality. Just bite the bullet, and either buy a 2nd point of Charisma, or a point in a few Social Skills (Etiquette and Intimidation should suffice).

Just Curious... Why do you think that sort of data would be there?

I don't think it would be there. I think it would be VERY useful if it was there. although i can see how a clusterf*ck of data can bog down the system. Well thanks for all the help. I just want to ask one more question. Is it a good thing if the hacker is also the "tank"? I mean how much hacking would he do in combat? I can think of a few instances where he would be hacking in combat but not too many. We are playing with 3 PCs if that info is for some reason useful.
Edit: Also would casing a place require an etiquette check for an uncouth character? And other characters wont have to do a check right?

this came up in a similiar thread, and the answer is worth crossposting.



To answer your questions specifically:
1: He is broken as hell. Uncouth is the WORST negative quality everyone takes because they don't read what it does in detail. Unaware means they cannot use that skill at ALL, INCLUDING when its rolled to resist things.
This means anyone using, say, Negotiation on the hacker? He agrees to a lower pay for runs. He agrees for favors. He's a complete pushover. team wants to talk him down, or into doing something? No chance to resist. Someone wants to lie to him? Too bad.
Look at the charisma-linked opposed tests on 4A 130. Use them against him.

Tymaeus, raising your charisma isn't enough. If you're incompetent or uncouth, you can't default. You literally have no option but to fail the test and go along with what the person talking to you wants. Its BRUTAL. Or hilarious if someone else in the party has Leadership.
Skills table, 4A 119, upper left corner of the black box: "A complete absence of knowledge or practice. Generally, this degree of ignorance can only be achieved with the Incompetent negative quality (p. 95). A character rated “unaware” in a skill may not default for that skill."

Two solutions: Yeah, he's trying to dodge the downside of his bonus BP. The quality he really wants to emulate the effect he's after is Incompetent: Etiquette, which simulates what people usually think uncouth does. He may want to explore buying it off. Dumpstatting charisma in a game where your contacts and your reputation are you lifeline is not necessarily a great idea.
Also, I'm guessing he took it because he needed points and didn't like the other options. Use the runner's companion quality section to expand everyone's choices. Seriously, it inspires more possibilities than any other section. Some post-creation charactersheet touchups may be in order.



2: I'm okay with the concept of non-incorporated geeks, researchers, handymen, mechanics, under-the-table hackers, and other intellectual pursuits that aren't owned by a megacorp, or remain mostly independent. Doctor who works in the shadows illegally, without a licence? come on, that's every day life. If you can't think of an excuse to do shadow science, you're not using enough mad science.

3: In my opinion, unlikely. having a corporate sin generally means your biometrics are on file - fingerprints and the like. That probably doesn't include gait analysis, more likely the typical stuff included in getting a license in a future.(personally, that's eyes, name, fingerprints, possibly voice, possibly other relevant medical data attached, like blood type or a dna sample - especially if past convictions are on his record). Gait analysis is more for tracking down someone specific when you've seen them already, or running on sensors for added information. While gait analysis may seem cool, it does suffer from the 'glut of information' problem.

Indeed... As I knew that, it looks like I was less than clear. I plead lack of sleep. Thanks Udoshi.

I use House Rules for the Matrix if you are interested. I could email it to you or post it here, although I don't know what the rules are for posting rules.

If it's a large amount of text, it would be polite to spoiler block it - but otherwise, there's no rules against posting house rules that I know of.

we have enough topics discussing houserules in general that if there was some sort of problem with it, I'm sure some of them would have been closed by now lol

Its not that, its that there is some copy paste of the SR4 rules.