[Robert]

The description of Machinists in Hack & Slash page 131 states "Sharing  rating  is equal to the machinist’s Charisma", which implies that a machinist can share autosofts with his drones.

Is this restricted same as "Living Command Console" to "You can only run and share autosofts that are running on your living persona" (Hack & Slash page 68)?

Does that would mean you need "Software Emulator" echo (Hack & Slash page 68) in addition to beeing a machinist?

Or does "machinist" come with "build in software emulator" for CHARISMA/2 autosofts? How would a technomancer learn those programs? Same as for "software emulator", meaning they need to purchase/program a software and absorb that for 1 Karma?

[Hobbes]

Aspect Peripheral under the Machinist description "... and the Sharing rating is equal to the machinist's Charisma."  They can share up to Charisma in Autosofts with Drones.

Spend Nuyen for the Autosoft, load it in your RCC, Share with Drones.  It does not matter that the RCC is part of the Living Persona because "...their living persona can function as an RCC, emulating all the abilities available to anyone using an RCC"  Still need Living Network Echo to join/form a Network, but otherwise.

Technomancers have multiple ways of skinning this particular cat now. 

Resonant Stream Machinist Plus Living Network Echo is the direct way.  Boom, your Living Persona is an RCC, go!

Or build up to it via Echos.  Machine Mind, Living Network, Living Command Console, and Software Emulator (or the Emulate (Program) Complex Form CRB 190). 

[Robert]

So far Technomancers could never directly use software. They either need to use the complex form "emulate program" or they need the echo "software emulator" and then need to "learn" each software by absorbing it and spending karma.

Just assuming that a standard autosoft would run on a Technomancer feels... strange.

[Hobbes]

"..emulating all the abilities available to anyone using an RCC..."

One of the functions of the RCC is running and sharing Autosofts and Programs. 

Think of the Living Persona as a PC running a game boy emulator and the Autosofts are the game boy files.  You're able to run an RCC emulator on you Living Persona.  Autosofts and Programs aren't physical objects.  There aren't disks to insert in the Sixth World, it's just a file you have access to.

[Xenon]

One of the functions of the RCC is running and sharing Autosofts and Programs. 

Living Command Console also make it so that the "Living Network can also function as an RCC"

But the intent seem to be that you still need Software Emulator to absorb and run autosofts on your Living Network... or when are you ever going to use Software Emulator?

[Hobbes]

Software Emulator and the Complex form Emulate (program) would be used by TMs not wanting to be a Rigger.  LCC Echo requires two other Echos.  A TM could take Software Emulator out of the gate if they're not concerned about PANs or Rigging. 

If neither Living Command Console nor the Machinist Stream can form a PAN or Run Programs the only thing they do mechanically is Noise Reduction.  If the intent was to leave off 2 out of 3 of an RCCs ability I would hope that would be mentioned in description and they wouldn't try describing it as an RCC.  Since it really isn't at that point.  The RAW indicates LCC and Machinist can run and share Autosofts and Programs since that is a function of RCCs and it isn't specifically excluded as forming a network is.  It could totally be the RAI though. 

As it is, a TM is looking at Living Network, Machine Mind, then either Living Command Console or Machinist Stream to put together all the pieces to be a functional Rigger.  Adding yet another required Echo seems unnecessary to me.  And in the end a 1400 Nuyen Scratch Build Junk RCC can be added to your Living Network PAN to run and share Autosofts with the Drones in your Network.  Adding more Echo taxes doesn't really matter if the intent is to slow down a TMs progress to being a Rigger.

[Xenon]

So, a technomancer then have four different methods for running software I guess?

Emulate Program Complex Form
Cost 5 karma per Program (or autosoft). Does not seem to be any upper limit on number of Programs you can run at any given time, but each program you run might cause Fading and will typically have to be sustained. You don't pay nuyen and autosofts rating will be equal to the Technomancer's Data Processing rating. Doesn't require that you submerge and does not require any other echos (but if you wish to share your autosofts with your drones it seem as if you would need the Living Network echo and if you wish to have the option to Jump In you need the Machine Mind echo).

Software Emulator Echo (require Living Network echo)
Since it is an echo it require that you submerge. Does not seem to be any upper limit on number of programs you can absorb, but each program cost 1 Karma plus whatever the Program cost in nuyen (and require a one-time repeatable test to absorb). May run up to half Resonance programs at the same time. Does not cause Fading and does not have to be sustained. If you wish to have the ability to Jump In you also need the Machine Mind echo.

Living Command Console Echo (require both Living Network echo and Machine Mind echo)
Since it is an echo it require that you submerge. Does not seem to be any upper limit on number of program you can buy and download on your Living Command Console. Each program seem to cost whatever the program cost in nuyen? May run up to your Living Persona's Data Processing number of programs at the same time. Also seem to provide noise Reduction to your Living Network equal to your Resonance rating. Does not cause Fading and does not have to be sustained.

Aspect Peripheral of the Machinists Resonant Streams
Cost 20 Karma. Does not seem to be any upper limit on number of program you can buy and download on your aspect peripheral. Each program seem to cost whatever the program cost in nuyen? May run up to your Charisma rating number of programs at the same time. To share autosofts with drones it seem as if you need the Living Network echo. The aspect peripheral also seem to provide noise Reduction to your Living Network equal to your Willpower rating. Does not cause Fading and does not have to be sustained. If you wish to have the ability to Jump In you also need the Machine Mind echo.


Seem like even if you have a Living Command Console or follow a Machinists Resonant Stream you can also, in addition, run even more autosofts by having the Software Emulator echo or by threading Emulate specific Program complex forms.

Would you say that a Living Command Console is compatible or incompatible with the Aspect Peripheral of the Machinists Resonant Stream?

[Xenon]

And in the end a 1400 Nuyen Scratch Build Junk RCC can be added to your Living Network PAN to run and share Autosofts with the Drones in your Network. 

So I know that, unlike previous edition, in this edition other people can access the matrix via their RCC and then slave their entire network it to your network - creating one big network that you get to defend.

But can you now access the matrix with your living persona (or a cyberdeck) and then, at the same time, slave one of your own RCCs to your own network and run your drones from that...?

I need to read up on the new supplements :-)

[Robert]

As it is, a TM is looking at Living Network, Machine Mind, then either Living Command Console or Machinist Stream to put together all the pieces to be a functional Rigger.  Adding yet another required Echo seems unnecessary to me.

Hack & Slash page 68 states for the "Living Command Console" that "You can only run and share autosofts that are running on your living persona." To me this implies, that the LCC itself does not provide slots to run software, but you need some other solution to have software "run on your living persona", which means Software Emulator echo or Emulate Program complex form.

[KarmaInferno]

So I know that, unlike previous edition, in this edition other people can access the matrix via their RCC and then slave their entire network it to your network - creating one big network that you get to defend.

But can you now access the matrix with your living persona (or a cyberdeck) and then, at the same time, slave one of your own RCCs to your own network and run your drones from that...?

I need to read up on the new supplements :-)

This is indeed the case. Devices can now be simutaneously master of their own sub-network and a subordinate device of a larger network in 6E, which is a deliberate change from 5E.

Note that such a subordinate device cannot extend their benefits upstream - all attacks and defenses from the network is based only on the top level master device's attributes, and an RCC subordinate device can only share autosofts and noise reduction to other devices specifically on the sub-network it controls.

[Hobbes]

Seem like even if you have a Living Command Console or follow a Machinists Resonant Stream you can also, in addition, run even more autosofts by having the Software Emulator echo or by threading Emulate specific Program complex forms.

Would you say that a Living Command Console is compatible or incompatible with the Aspect Peripheral of the Machinists Resonant Stream?

My reading is that they are compatible.  And yes, TMs would be able to run more programs and autosofts.  There isn't really a balance issue (IMO) with that as the hardware side has a ton of options to add more programs.  Deckers and Riggers are balanced around running programs and autosofts, TMs shouldn't be an issue either.  My AI Rigger runs about a dozen and I had trouble finding useful things to do with all of the slots.  Baby Monitor on a Rigger?  Why not.   

[KarmaInferno]

Going back to the original post...

As said, the "Machinist" Resonance Stream includes a virtual RCC, that has a Sharing Rating is equal to the Technomancer's Charisma attribute.

But Sharing Rating isn't a thing in 6th Edition. That was 5th Edition terminology. RCCs can no longer shift points between extra Program Slots and Noise Reduction, each is a separate stat.

Standard RCCs in 6E do have Program Slots, but that is normally equal to their Data Processing attribute. (Commlinks and Cyberdecks also have program slots, but for those devices it's a dedicated attribute not derived from other stats). RCCs have a Noise Reduction rating equal to their Device Rating - the Machinist virtual RCC has it's Noise Reduction rating equal to Willpower attribute instead.

Is the "Sharing" rating a typo, meant to be Program Slots? And do they replace the RCC Program Slots normally based on Data Processing?