Standard Noise for the Warrens is 2.

You are going to be on the Public Grid - so that is another 2 points of noise

If you are more than 100 meters from your drones, that is another point of noise.

Since you have 3 points for noise reduction/sharing, if you are trying to get rid of Noise, the best thing to do would be to run:

Noise Reduction: 2
Sharing 1

And use the Sharing rating to run the Signal Scrub program.

This would mean you would have 4 points of Noise Reduction - so if your drones stay within 100 meters, you have no noise penalty.

@Chrome,

Another option is to convince Greeley and Chomsky to let you be on the stage with them - that would put you above the crowd.

That is what I'll do- thanks!
-DrZ

Is there a problem with the whole "you can't share programs with your drones if they're running their own autosoft" deal? I think I've seen some people interpret it to strictly mean autosoft rather than other cyberprograms you may be sharing (at the same time, by that strict reading, you can't share cyberprograms through an RCC at all). With that said, I think you could run signal scrub on the RCC (without sharing) and still have it benefit any command you send to a slaved drone.

ETA: The rigger section is depressingly vague and conflicted.

I AGREE 100%

I have been trying to understand rigging from the get-go when I first picked up the 5th Ed book in December, Drone Riggers being such an amazing archetype. And I am still lost how it really works, the explanations given are brief and non committal. (As though they hadn't even figured it out themselves when it went into publishing...)

Here is my understanding

Autosofts and Programs are two totally different things.

By Grease running Signal Scrub, he gains -2 Noise reduction on all his Matrix interactions with his drones. It isn't "shared" per se, since the programs are't for the drones, they are for the Rigger. They benefit him in that when he makes his Control Device test to remote control the drones, he has less of a noise penalty.

If Grease runs Clearsight, then all of his drones could share it, unless one of them was running a different Autosoft, in which case they could not gain the benefit of Clearsight.

Well being on top of the girders is out of the question. Amy could be on stage, but she doesn't want to attract attention to her so I think that's out as well.

I can think of going to the side as an option. Crowds don't gather to the side of the stage because you can't see it well, while in that position you can still see what goes on with the crowd, and also on the stage. She wouldn't be far from Chomsky and Greeley, and Jack will be even closer to them. And she will have a decent view of at least the front of the crowd, better than if she was right in front of the stage at least, where there would be too many people. She can quickly climb on the stage to intervene and get a better view if needed.

Does anyone have a better idea?

Gotcha, I was confused by "And use the Sharing rating to run the Signal Scrub program."

I totally agree with your clarified interpretation. (really could use some clarity in the rules though since a drone could certainly benefit from some cyberprograms).

ETA: I don't really think there would be a problem for Amy to be "backstage" off to the side. There will probably be other people in the vicinity. I think her main thing is going to be being able to see Greeley and Chomsky in the event of magical attack for spell defense.

No, your plan sounds solid. Putting you right on the stage would draw far to many eyes, (Amy and Drave both had to wear disguises,) so beside the stage is a very good position. You will at least be concealed in a sea of other volunteers watching on from there.

The whole programs being different than autosofts makes sense, as I had no idea how the Riggers could run all the programs and autosofts needed to keep their Drone network up.

Question on the Autosofts: do you have to buy the autosofts on your drones and your deck(I am sorry, RCC,) separately, or can they copied? Doing the math for a Rigger in chargen, the software ends up costing far more than the drones themselves; which seems slightly ludicrous to me. I mean, I know software can add up fast, but I think the scale they made is just too high.

I purchased the software separately, specifically because I knew I couldn't afford an RCC good enough to benefit from sharing the programs, and that I wouldn't be running that many drones (of the same type) at once.

-DrZ

By RAW, there are no rules for copying programs, so you probably have to buy as many copies as you would need (like DrZ did). Most drone riggers would probably just buy one copy and then share it across the RCC, depending on money and availability. If you have a single stand-alone drone (for instance, a Rhex), you might just buy autosoft for that one drone and load them independently. If you had multiple Rhexs, it makes more sense to share the programs (note that this makes the RCC a particular vulnerability for a combat rigger).

Just in case you were waiting on me, I am totally ready to move on with the next scene; Drave is done stating his case.

So if we are ready, we can have Chrome post something about summoning the spirit at 7:35.

Grease will be in the BMW - Jack, Overkill, and Amy all backstage?

I'd be backstage. I think Overkill was going to be in the crowd?

As a side note on this whole Rigging talk, I have been trying to figure out the benefit of the Microskimmer vs. the Fliegegeheimagent (that's right chummers, the FlySpy) It doesn't seem like the skimmer would be able to do anything the Flyspy couldn't do. I ask because the Rigger I was designing, (A Dragon Pilot with a small group of Flyspies for Recon and Rotodrones for Fire Support,) had to slim down on the total number of types of drones in his PAN to cut costs, and I specifically cut the Microskimmers as they didn't seem to give me any abilities the Flyspy's couldn't. I mean, a Flyspy can hover, right?

Yeah, towards the back of the crowd, to keep the majority of them in front of me and under the watch of my well-enhanced cybereyes.

Edit: Also, I am not wearing an event T-shirt, and once people start arriving, I am going to just try and blend in as another spectator... (though I am sure that the fine Captain was sure to point me out to ALL his security people, I would have in his place.)

IMO, they generally screwed up the micro/mini drones. In past editions, the Microskimmer was described as the size of a soup can lid. Now, it is apparently the size of a frisbee. Given that the FlySpy is supposed to be bigger than the Microskimmer, it would be a fly of such epic proportions that people would probably scream in terror if they saw it.

Personally, I think the drones should scale something like this:
Kanmushi: House Key
Microskimmer: Soup Can Lid
FlySpy: Stapler-Sized Insect
Flying Eye: Baseball
Crawler: Toaster (Maybe a bit larger, by the rules it can mount an AR, maybe a Keurig)

A Microskimmer should be more difficult to spot and hit. The main benefit with using them is that they use the Groundcraft vehicle skill, in case you have no reason to invest in Aircraft (since you're a Dragon pilot, the negative is moot).

In the interest in brevity, I'm going to put a post bringing us right up to Chrome summoning the spirit.

To save on a little time, I'm going to jump it to 7:45 instead of 7:35 - for reasons which will become clear shortly

According to the member list, Chrome is posting something in the IC right now if you want to wait.

I didn't see that - I didn't actually post anything about Chrome summoning - and I'll edit my post to fit with his. I just wanted to clear up what everyone else was doing.

Hey Chrome, were you going to post something? I have to follow-up Lobo's post, but I don't want to jump too far ahead.

@Chrome,

First - great post, love the detail

Second - are you sure you are summoning a spirit of air in a Port-A-Potty?

Sounds like if there was ever a place to summon a toxic spirit, that would be it

Hey, the sixth world is a strange place.

She needs the intimacy, and she won't make the thing manifest in there. I was aware of the irony and decided to roll with it

Wheeeee!

I'll give time for everyone to respond IC before the taxi from Amendola's shows up. Poor Turbine - he'll get left out of the action this time

What a beautiful mess!

Btw - Overkill - can you please post your deck configuration?

A-3, S-6, D-5, F-5
Programs: Signal Scrub, Encryption, Virtual Machine: Toolbox, Stealth

I gotta run in a bit here, but will be back this evening.

Let me know if there's anything you need from me and I can post OOC from my phone.

-DrZ

I am not made out of money, LOL

Ok - so it is about 5km out of the Warrens and another 19 to the hotel. So the charge would be 44 - doubled to 88 for them getting there in 5 minutes.

Do you want me to go ahead and post your arrival at the hotel - or do you have something else to do?

I'm assuming you will change in the taxi on the way over?

ETA - updated the Locations file to add the Claridge

I have most of the gear that I would probably need on me (or at least, be able to get away with in this part of town). Yeah, I'll swap the Rebuilding Together t-shirt out for the hipster Concrete Dreams one I was wearing earlier, not sure if either are going to be appropriate for the destination, but what can you do?

Only thing I might do is check out the Claridge on the Matrix and see what I should expect.

ETA: Also, the 5 minutes was to get to me rather than to get to the Claridge. Doesn't seem possible given the distances. Just wanted to make sure that was clear. Map is updated with the Claridge. Nice place...

Here's what I put in the dropbox - if there was something else you were looking for, let me know:

The Claridge is a hotel that has seen better days. Originally a fashionable destination in the late 20th and early 21st centuries, once the Treaty of Denver partitioned the city, business fell off because hotels in the Hub were so much more convenient for business travelers and tourists. Now the hotel is primarily used for another type of business, as mid-to-high-end escorts have set up shop.

ETA - yes - not possible to get there in 5 minutes, unless you were literally flying. It is probably at least a 15 minute drive.

Post will be up soon - and I'll have a post for the rest of the team as well.

No that's fine. I posted before updating the map, so I got it.

Are you going to have events unfold at the same time in both locations? If so, I can't wait to hear about what's going on on stage.

In case it wasn't obvious, Amy will attempt to keep Chomsky and Greeley within line of sight at all times from the side of the stage, and extend spell defense to both of them.

Looking for Threats: Perception (4) + INT (3) + VE (2) (9d6.hits(5)=3)

My general plan is to enter the building (assuming the guests appear to be just guests... probably even if they look like they may be more than that). My assumption is that the room may be on the 13th floor based on the room number. I'm going to hit the button for the 11th and 14th floors. Hop out at the 11th and push the Door Close button quickly, then use the stairs to get to the 13th Floor. I'm going to try to do it quickly enough that anyone watching the numbers might not notice much of a delay, if any.

ETA: And please, feel free to pause my part if it gets too far ahead of everyone else.

EATA: Skillsoft slotted are Pistols (4), Sneaking (4), and Unarmed (4)

EYATA: Awesome, now I look like a snitch. LOL

I'm going to do both simultaneously so as not to leave anyone out.

Fortunately Jack's car ride was about the amount of time it took for the action to heat up at the park

Yep - that's it. Jack called the cops, they arrest you and throw you in prison, and Jack takes the money, but feels so guilty, he drinks himself to death while having a relationship with Honeypot.

Its like having a Shadowrun game serve as the basis for a prequel of Leaving Las Vegas...

I KNEW IT!!!

SHHHHH!!!!!

...and don't worry everyone. I rather imagine this thing will end up more like the real ending of True Romance with me getting shot in the eye exiting a bathroom (and without the cool part with Christopher Walken and Dennis Hopper... although if it happened, Nic would be Dennis Hopper).

Hearing the sirens, and seeing the Rotodrones, I am gonna scan the drones and see what they packing.

Considering starting to MARK them, but that's to drastic move as of yet, and then there is the clock worry about. So wait for the scan.

Hands down Tarantino's best film. It is a complete crime how many people I meet who say - "True Romance? Never heard of it. Is that a chick flick?"

Well, just a brief look shows them to be armed with automatic weapons, more than likely Assault Rifles of some kind.

Matrix Perception:

Comp 5 + Int 3, 5 points of Noise (Warrens,Public Grid, Distance) - 3 points of Noise Reduction yields 6 dice:

6d6.hits(5)=3


You are able to spot the icons for 3 of the 4 drones.

Sneaking at the Hotel: Sneak (4) + Agility (5) [Limit: 9] (9d6.hits(5)=4)

Listening At Door: Perception (4) + Intuition (3) + AE (3) [Limit 7] (10d6.hits(5)=2)

One of my favorites. I was a big Christian Slater fan back in the day between Heathers, Pump Up the Volume, and finally this. Plus it has one of my absolute favorite actors of all time: Gary Oldman

@Lobo, that would have been me until 5 minutes ago. I'm gonna watch it though, thanks.

@Chrome - great! If you like Tarantino stuff, it is awesome. Violent, foul-language, but amazing. It has one of the great star-studded casts I've seen in that type of movie:

Brad Pitt
Gary Oldman
Val Kilmer
Samuel Jackson
Christopher Walken
Dennis Hopper
Christian Slater
Tom Sizemore
Chris Penn
Saul Rubinek
James Gandolfini


P.S. - Wasn't attempting to impugn the people who hadn't seen it, more that it is a crying shame that such a good film is so little known

@Jack - I am hard pressed to figure out whether I like Gary Oldman better in this or in the Professional (another great film of its time). Either way, he is awesome.

I actually think I like him best in The Fifth Element. He's just a chameleon. Some friends and I actually ran into him in New Orleans at John Besh's restuarant, August. I think he was down there filming the next Planet of the Apes movie. Cool dude.

ETA: How does your list not include Bronson Pinchot (LOL)

Ok - 'nuff movie stuff

Your listening at the door detects voices, but it sounds more like a trid than occupants of the room.