4th Edition, Anniversary

I am interested in proposing a hypothetical vis a vis rule clarification.

I have three Fly Spy drones. Drones have a default set of matrix attributes rating three. I contemplated clustering their nodes, forming a single node cluster the three drones share. What would the benefits look like?

I want to reiterate that this is a hypothetical. The rules have the correct procedures under standard variation, but when variations are applied, it becomes unclear what the benefits are.

For example, could I run a single copy of the Covert Ops Autosoft on the cluster node, and have all three Fly Spy drones benefit from it?

Could the benefit only apply if the three drones remain in formation, if they all share the same commands?

Could a Rigger jump into all three drones at once, piloting them as a single unit, like a spider Riggs a building's security system?

I write this for opinions on how the rules work, what rules strictly forbid these and other possibilities. I haven't been on this site since 2013, but I figured it was the place to present the concept.

Thank you.

Well, I play magicians, not riggers, but looking over SR4 Unwired, p. 55:

Could I run a single copy of the Covert Ops Autosoft on the cluster node, and have all three Fly Spy drones benefit from it?
I'd say yes.

Could the benefit only apply if the three drones remain in formation, if they all share the same commands?
That seems reasonable.

Could a Rigger jump into all three drones at once, piloting them as a single unit, like a spider Riggs a building's security system?
I'd say yes.

Are you not describing a small Swarm?

I admit that is an interesting angle.

First, from a rules point of view, I was under the impression that swarm rules applied to biological or quasi-biological critters. But the application could be upheld in the case of drones. That point of view, though, from my point of view, is a benefit to a game master. A streamlining of the paperwork, if you will.

My initial curiosity was primarily from the point of view of a player. What benefits could a player expect, and thus plan with, and use to succeed at a run. And by that merit, I would be instrested in a further study of player control swarms. My own short sightednesd never assumed a player would use those rules.

I always counted myself as a detail oriented player, and was interested in a nitty-gritty exploration of the idea. That could become tedious, and a quick rules, like swarm rules, may do the deed.

By RAW, you get what Unwired lists, which isn't that much. But extrapolating from that rather "meh" list, I'd say sharing autosofts can be justified, depending on the circumstances -- three tiny drones flying in tight formation using the same Covert Ops autosoft sound reasonable since they would all be hiding behind the same girder, ten large drones which all need their own cover to hide behind should also need their own copy for doing that.

As far as jumping in goes, it works with biodrone swarms so "swarm rigging" is apparently supposed to be a thing, but I'd slap on some negative modifiers (just like for rigging biodrones) to represent the alienness of experiencing a swarm as your body.



Well, going by RAW again "the base population must be non-sapient and have the Gestalt Consciousness power" (RW, p. 25)...and also the swarm rules don't really say much about rigging swarms, other than it being a possibility.

Given how they operate, and how more advanced versions might operate, in the real world? I would just ignore that limitation.