I have been reading a lot of the enhanced fiction for Shadowrun the past few days as I'm gearing up to run an SR4A game. One thing I'm having a little difficulty with is the characters are taking notes in AROs or otherwise affecting them when they aren't specifically jacked into their commlink, using an implanted 'link, or AR gloves/or trodes. And they aren't technomancers. What are your interpretations on this? Seems like they would have to manipulate their commlink manually in those circumstances, but they're just making random adjustments with gestures and such.

The fluff of the game posits that the majority of people live in 24/7 AR. So it might be an unstated assumption of the writers that the characters are connected to their commlinks somehow.

Considering the cheapness and availability of image linked contacts and trodes, the only thing missing is some kind of sim module for a commlink (IIRC, 75¥ for the contacts, 50¥ for the trodes, minimum 100¥ for a sim module; total 225¥). If characters have at least that setup with their commlink, then I certainly wouldn't care if said characters are taking copious notes in AROs. Heck, technically even the contacts aren't necessary as the AROs would be more intuitively known rather than actually seen (and usually this is more unsettling to the metahuman mind, as opposed to actually seeing something). Otherwise, yes, they'd have to have their 'links in hand and be fiddling with them directly (like most people with smart phones do today), which in the early 2070's is likely to look rather odd.

Not quite: The contacts wouldn't be necessary since a sim module and some connection to the brain (in this case, the trodes), is all that is required to feed any sensory information to the user. A sim module not just lets you see AROs, but also hear and smell them (and also lets you manipulate them by mental command)

And I did mention the sim module in my previous post. Just initially included contact lenses 'cause I recall reading somewhere in the books (Unwired, I think) that the general public is a little unnerved at a direct AR experience, finding actually seeing an icon is more comfortable than just knowing it's there. Yes, trodes or a data jack for the DNI & a sim module are minimally what you need in this case. But would you rather just know what the image you downloaded looks like, or would you rather actually see it?

Again, a sim module lets you see and hear and smell. That's why it's called simsense, it simulates (or plays back) sensory information

In VR, sure. AR, not so sure.

i read somewhere that a bar that's AR themed would have AR everything, but the booze would always be real. then i read somewhere else in an AR themed bar they can make drinks that will simulate the effects of the booze if someone's actually jacked into the perception. along the same lines of magical food that's just focused spells with all the taste and effect and none of the actual guilt, super rich snobby food.

idk

SR4A, p 328:
The sim module is an interface device that controls the simsense experience. It translates computer signals (simsense data) into neural signals, allowing the user to directly experience simsense programs, augmented and virtual reality

Then I guess it's time to add more onto the shit pile of writers not cross checking what they're writing about. I mean, if a sim module and trodes are all you need to experience AR normally, then why the hell bother with the shitload of AR related gear (beyond using a smartgun)?

I don't know who came up with that answer when I asked the same question, but it was quite clever: People are scared simsense will somehow sap and impurify your precious brains -- just think of the huge market for "chemical-free" food

Yeah and don't forget technomancers are out there. They'll turn you into a cyberzombie with their magical matrix powers if you use simsense. It happened to a friend's cousin's sister's uncle once, I swear.

Thought technomancers could hack your brain directly. I know someone who knows someone who heard about this gal that got her brain hacked into by one.