[Aryeonos]

So in my campaigns I`ve found it a tremendous pain in the ass to keep track of my players and what the hacker is doing, and lay out exactly what it is the hacker is trying to get into without either a) being confusing or b) sound like I`m giving them a bum hand.

I personally can keep track of a building`s network in my head fine, I cant always transcribe that to a player very well, so I often feel like the hacker thinks I`m gimping them.

My current playeris a TM of which I`ve never really like so its one of the few holes in the rules to me, but I dont want to screw him over.

Okay question time. Does anyone know of (4th ed btw) a graphical utility that lets you map out nodes in the matrix, how they are connected wired or wirelessly, and their stats/loaded programs. Or even a utility not designed ofr SR that could allow me to easily quickly lay that out? This would be a godsend, as an Agnostic aethiest that means allot.

[pariah3j]

Aryeonos - Its been a while since I looked at 4th Ed hacking so I'm a little sketchy on the rules, ect. But I remember leaving my 4th ed matrix pretty free form. I would write down in my campaign notes a brief description of the Matrix sculpting, matrix stats, maybe types of IC they used, and would leave it fairly free form from there. I would have doors/elevators be (when applicable) the representation of a need/access of elevated permissions because as I remember it you hacked in with basic user privileges and then had to hack or sleaze your power user, admin type lvls of access. 5th ed I'm finding this pretty much a requirement with the very abstract way its handled so I may be miss-remembering or just been plain doing it wrong .

[Aryeonos]

I think you can shoot for power user / admin after you`ve breached the firewall, but I`ve always shot for admin as I breached the firewall. I just need some kinda interface to type in the nodes stats then drag lines from one node to the other to keep track of the wired networks. In a building it might have three different wired only networks, each with several junction nexi, and maybe only one will connect to the rest of the matrix.

I do like your idea of using elevators in the node sculpture though.

[pariah3j]

Ok I think I see what your saying now, you are looking for a way to map the logical matrix map and what connection it has to what. Best program I've used fot this is Microsoft Visio - there may be some sort of free-ware/open souce equivalent but I'm not sure what it would b3 called

[AndyNakamura]

Here's a free diagram utility I can recommend: Dia - http://dia-installer.de/

I use it to document real-life computer networks, so should work for imaginary future ones.

[Aryeonos]

Oh wow, thanks, to both of you! Sorry I dropped off the map there for a spell, doesn't look like JP went very far without me though.