[SR5] Matrix

[Chimera]

Wan, pan, noise, devices and connectivity issues abound. Putting down my thoughts as I go.

OK, for now I am ignoring public grids as per the rules, local is public. Corps have their own grids as per the rules for now. This is consistant with the Chicago setting that only has one public grid anyway (the first mission is about this). I will revise this thinking when the matrix book or errate removes the 'public grid is the safest' paradox of the current -2. And I'm ignoring lifestyle grid access.

OK, in all my reading the whole linking thing is a mess.

My goal here is to keep things simple.  This is achieved through not having to bookkeep a ton of linkages. Most players can just purchase a commlink 6 and say its all bundled up and I will not penalise.

First, devices. Devices are related to function. I am bundle up functions otherwise its a cluster**** of book keeping. Cyberware may be bundled up into the device catagory as desired by the player (Headware, eyeware, earware, bodyware, cyberlimbs are the catagories). Rules are not specific so this is interpretation.
Device: a gun with smartlink, grenade launcher, image scope is not four devices, it is one.
Two Devices: A drone and all its items are one, but not the gun mounted to it, so its really two.
Device: Cybereyes and all within are a device.
Device: A player may bundle up all bodyware into one device, or separate as desired. An internal airtank and wireless reflexes can be counted as one device called bodyware.

Next problem, decks have low DR scores and make terrible hubs, but the designers see them as hubs.

So, I am formally allowing tree networks, the rules don't expressly disallow it and the designers permit it.

So I am creating a hierarchy of mastery.
1) Host - unlimited connections
2) Deck - DR×3 RCC, Commlink or Drone; unlimited devices.
3) RCC - DR×3 any device below
4) Commlink - DR×3 any device below
5) Drone - DR×3 any device below
6) Device - None

Their is still only one master, the ultimate one. So linking comes with the normal flaws of bundling everything up.
So, this should make things easier I hope.

For most its just a simple commlink 6 to link everything now. And you can link the commlink to the deckers deck so he can monitor it as his own.
A drone can link a gun to it, then link up to the RCC for control.

LINKS:
http://www.enworld.org/forum/showthread.php?338517-Ask-the-Shadowrun-line-developer-stuff/page5

Public grids are better defence...
http://forums.dumpshock.com/index.php?showtopic=39145&st=0

Grids
http://forums.dumpshock.com/index.php?showtopic=39150

[Kaneski]

Couple of things that come out of the device simplification rules posted.

1. Ownership & Decker Hubbin'
In the big FAQ/Errata thread on catalystlabs forums, I saw that a master/slave relationship is only possible when you are the 'owner' of both devices (or GOD or Spider). http://forums.shadowruntabletop.com/index.php?topic=11514.msg240713#msg240713

I think the goal was to have Deckers protect the team using 3-mark grade access on the team's equipment, rather than by slaving everyone to the Decker. Maybe I misread the intent of your post about decks being 'hubs'.

2. Merged devices
This... actually makes sense, given the way rigging is described in the Matrix - once something becomes a part of a device (eg a Rigger of a Drone), their Icons merge. I guess the device merging means the iconography rules of the matrix must follow suit. A gun with a smartlink should have... like a targeting reticle, or something, in it's icon, to distinguish it from a gun without?

While this does cut down significantly on the paperwork, it also a couple of negatives. First being - specific targeting of devices that are merged. Second - simultaneous bricking. If something gets smashed full of Matrix Damage, without merging - the other components would be salvageable. Merging implies that if the gun gets bricked, all its attachments do as well. That could get rather expensive - where without merging, your gun doesn't work, but at least you can salvage the silencer, smartgun and scope.

Maybe... suppress the rule to "only main device takes matrix damage"?

3. Wireless bonuses & merging devices
In a similar vein... If Noise > Device rating, bonus wireless function stops. For example - most weapons are DR2. Military stuff is DR4. Smartguns are probably military grade, but they're part of the gun. When does their wireless bonus cut out? At 3 net noise or at 5?

[Chimera]

1. Yeah im not even sure you would want to bundle all the eggs into one basket anyway, but under this it would be an option. Oh, also, I am sort of assuming if you merge an item your are handing its digital signature away, so better trust that decker...
Still thinking on it anyway.

2. Bricking is interesting - look at this from missions FAQ:

If my equipment is damaged or bricked, how long does it take to repair?
Equipment that is bricked during gameplay is assumed to be fully repaired and operational as long as you take at least one week of downtime between Missions. This downtime can be used for any other activity you wish.
To repair items during a Mission, use the normal rules for repairing Matrix damage (see pp. 228-229, SR5).

It implies bricking is not item lost - just out of commission until repaired.

And re:tracking non-bundled (the gun above as 4) - I don't want to go there for record keeping reasons - and I think I am being fair to the rules by grouping it up. I would say if it hurts someone in game I am happy to re-visit this, but I doubt it would.

3. Chicago has noise 2 base line in the CZ - so most items are DR2 - meaning wireless cuts out when noise spikes to 3. Chris plans to use wireless functions - so I told her to take a datajack to give her 1 point of noise reduction. But yes - be ready for the noise level.

Smartguns are rating 2 - same as weapons. So noise 3 kills them.

That "and mil-spec security devices" is about security systems, locks, and stuff. Not weapons, all weapons are 2. (Break into an Ares compound and the doors are rating 4, poor Ares....)

Most drones are 3... Interesting - as the gun is 2. Master-slave is only about firewall rating - not noise protection. so you could get a functional drone in noise 3 that could not use its gun.
Again, all this is just to get it out there, need to digest some of it.

[Chimera]

Re: that last point and noise - In principle I would say the RCC noise reduction would apply to any item in its tree.

The Deck program Signal Scrub would likewise do the same.

and RCC running Signal Scrub would too...

Datajack does to your PAN, if you are running a deck anything in its chain would get the datajack bonus (its effectively a signal scrub).

[Kaneski]

Yeah... this area isn't really clear. No big surprise, ofcourse, but...

I guess... I think the idea is that only net noise (source - noise reduction) affects your interaction with wireless items. Items in your PAN just ignore the range modifiers for their wireless bonuses. Otherwise - not even proper corp response teams could use their advanced gear functions in any semi-dense populated area.


So - suggestion: threshold for gear losing wireless bonus: Noise > DR if standalone; Noise > DR + Noise Reduction of Master, if slaved.

That's for wireless bonuses. Wireless use of devices/matrix actions is not affected, beyond negatives to dice pools.

[Loswaith]

So your basically saying smartlink systems are pointless to have in Chicargo?  Or anything else wireless that has a rating below 3 then?

[Chimera]

So your basically saying smartlink systems are pointless to have in Chicargo?  Or anything else wireless that has a rating below 3 then?

No, not at all. Kaneski and I are effectively saying the same thing.

Base noise level is not high enough to cut out the wireless bonus.

And even if the wireless bonus is shut down by noise the normal bonus still applies.

If you really want to be sure you can add some noise reduction to the equation just to be sure. But not really essential. Especially giving members of group have that function that can be shared.

[Kaneski]

Get a datajack, a rating 5 commlink, slave devices to it - bang. Defeats Chicago background noise with 4 Noise to spare before your wireless bonuses cut out.