[brantlymedders]

This is not a rules question per se, more like a "is this what was intended question."

Per the RAW, if the Noise rating exceeds a device's rating, it temporarily loses wireless bonuses.

Now, given that a lot of runs will most likely take place in a commercial area, and that said commercial area has a noise rating of 3 (and most devices have a rating of 2), does that not make wireless bonuses mostly useless?

Along the same lines, would that not make deckers/technomancers mostly useless in combat?  I know if I could not get a wireless bonus due to Noise, I'd simply take a Free Action to turn the wireless function of all my devices off to eliminate one more liability in combat.

Since I'm GMing the campaign my group is about to start, I am simply thinking of houseruling it to be "If the noise exceeds Device Rating x 2" to encourage my PC's (and NPC's) to leave their wireless gear on.  However, I don't really like deviating from the RAW unless absolutely necessary.

What do you all think?

[DeathStrobe]

Yeah that sounds pretty good.

Its something that bothers me too. I just hand wave away noise penalties in spam zones. I mean, its a mesh network, the more devices in an area the more bandwidth there is. That wouldn't make noise go up.

[Michael Chandra]

I'd definitely apply it as penalty but making you lose wireless access would make it a bit weird since it's a full-scale routing network. It's not like today where you can't make a call if the network gets overloaded, because the network is massive so once you make a connection it shouldn't constantly break.

However, you shouldn't houserule it to DRx2, since that devaluates jammers, which defend against grenades, live spying devices (rather than recording ones), tracing rfid tags and enemy wireless communication.

[Elektrycerze3]

I tried to find something on Noise Rediction, but the only option for non-hackers/riggers is to install a datajack for NR 1. Enough for Noise 3 zones, but still not good enough...

Maybe instead of houseruling DRx2, allow for a slaved devices in a PAN to use master's DR for calculating this Noise thing... So that a good 'link helps.

[Michael Chandra]

And that would kill jammers as defense method against wireless grenades, so it's a bad idea.

[Elektrycerze3]

And that would kill jammers as defense method against wireless grenades, so it's a bad idea.

Well, I'm out of ideas and the problem persists :-(

I'd love to stick to the RAW, I always do my best to do so, but brantlymedders has a case: wireless bonuses are useless, starting with Noise 3 (4 with a 'Jack). And Noise 3 is "Major event or advertising blitz" or "Rural area, abandoned underground area, heavy rain or snow". So, for example, 3 out of 4 Sprawl Wilds adventures leave you with no bonuses whatsoever. Kinda harsh...

Maybe one could make an exception for grenades?

[Michael Chandra]

Well my suggestion would be that negative (aka Spam zones) Noise only gives a dice penalty but don't cut you off, but it might not be necessary since your comms would still work, the toys simply wouldn't. As for the rural areas, I haven't checked yet, is there no gear to avoid that one?

By the way, the Ork Underground has a clear wireless network, albeit poor. Oh and I HATE most of the wireless bonuses, so don't mind losing those in bad circumstances. It's not as if your entire gear grows worthless, and any opponent faces the same limitation.

But yeah, your trauma patch or whatever its name was not being able to check the database in the middle of nowhere? Does sound kinda fair.

[Elektrycerze3]

Well my suggestion would be that negative (aka Spam zones) Noise only gives a dice penalty but don't cut you off, but it might not be necessary since your comms would still work, the toys simply wouldn't. As for the rural areas, I haven't checked yet, is there no gear to avoid that one?

But being Device Rating 2 they wouldn't work too often... And that brings up the original problem: it's easier for everyone to switch the wireless of, which makes hackers sad :-)

The only ways to reduce the Noise are: a Datajack (NR 1), an RCC, a cyberprogramm, and a sat. dish (although it doesn't eliminate the Spam and Static penalties, only the Range penalties).

By the way, the Ork Underground has a clear wireless network, albeit poor. Oh and I HATE most of the wireless bonuses, so don't mind losing those in bad circumstances. It's not as if your entire gear grows worthless, and any opponent faces the same limitation.

Wouldn't the Goblin Market be considered a "Commercial area in a city"? That's Noise 3.

But yeah, your trauma patch or whatever its name was not being able to check the database in the middle of nowhere? Does sound kinda fair.

With that I agree.

[Michael Chandra]

True, I'd tune down the occuring of negative noise zones a bit as GM, making something like the Goblin Market noise 3 only at top hours. At night? 1 at best.

[Elektrycerze3]

True, I'd tune down the occuring of negative noise zones a bit as GM, making something like the Goblin Market noise 3 only at top hours. At night? 1 at best.

This solution is great, thanks)

Come to think of it: trade centers or huge marketing events are somewhat troublesome for street-sams I like it fluff-wise.

[brantlymedders]

@Michael:  That's a pretty good idea, I'll have to mull it over and experiment some.

Regarding Jammers, I don't precisely see the argument that a houserule to "Devices lose wireless functionality when the level of Noise exceeds their Device Rating x 2 in Spam Zones, or Device Rating x 1 in Static Zones" devalues them.

Using our previous example of Noise 3 and that grenades have a DV of 2, we would need a noise rating of 5 before they lose their ability to wirelessly detonate.  A simple 400 nuyen jammer shuts down any grenades within 5 meters.  If you spring for the rating 4 one (all of 800 nuyen), grenades can't detonate within 15 meters of you, making them all but useless.

I think this is a case where the dev's simply missed the math or did not include sufficient gear to defeat Noise.  Since these penalties affect NPC's as well as PC's, that would essentially mean that all Corpsec teams have to operate without wireless functionality, and I don't see a AAA corporation sending its best and brightest into the field without every edge they can possibly get.

I am going to play around with both options and see what my players think. 

[Aaron]

I don't think "commercial zone" means any place with shops. I think it means an area where a lot of stores are advertising at you at once, like in an upscale mall or an active fairground.

[Unahim]

It's kinda odd in-universe. Regular people are using wireless stuff too, strange that they're so unreliable.

And brantly: It'd still leave the grenades mostly untouchable in 0 noise zones, and it only takes one grenade to TPK :p

[Michael Chandra]

Look at it this way: your phone won't work well during a festival. A cheapskate commlink, and other wireless devices, won't work well in a spammed area either. However, the non-wireless parts would still work.

[Unahim]

I was at a Pride Parade recently. The streets were chockful of people, there was music and stuff everywhere, yet my phone worked perfectly fine in the middle of the bustle, even if my friend had to shout his directions into it in order for me to find where he was.