[bannockburn]

There are a few qualities that theoretically make a character with LOG 13 possible, but of course such a character would have to be seriously minmaxed.
I won't bother doing the math right now, but there are, for example, exceptional attribute and metagenetic improvement (LOG) as qualities. Both raise the racial maximum by 1, and as such, the absolute maximum would be 12. There's probably something I'm forgetting, so 13 might not be too far fetched. Useful? Probably not so much.

Matrix in SR4 is not per sé broken. It's just a bit complicated and it takes some reading to get into.

[nikolamat]

Matrix in SR4 is not per sé broken. It's just a bit complicated and it takes some reading to get into.

You still didn't answer my question: as a first time player for SR and a first time GM in any game is it better to use the regular rules or use houserules that you can find on the internet? Also if should use houserules which one do you recommend? I've seen this one recommended http://tgdmb.com/viewtopic.php?t=48836.
P.S. By Houserules I mean complete reworks aka  i don't need to read the actual original rules to fully understand and use the matrix.

[Marlowe]

I'd use the normal rules so you don't have to rework everything in a short time but "bare bones" the architecture to start - maybe the building being hacked into only has one or two nodes, not one for every possible subsystem and an admin node behind that.  It's not like your party is hitting a Zero Zone first run.

[bannockburn]

Well, you'll need to decide that for yourself. i.e. read it and decide if it is too difficult.

I neither know your capacity for working with it nor your group's preferences.

[nikolamat]

Well, you'll need to decide that for yourself. i.e. read it and decide if it is too difficult.

I neither know your capacity for working with it nor your group's preferences.

Well I haven't started working on the hacking aspects of the campaign and haven't even read the "Wireless world" chapter in the rulebook. So, I'm asking if the houseruled systems are simpler are they mechanically worse? Or are they just a simpler explanation and a few minor changes?

[bannockburn]

Those are highly subjective questions. There is no one true answer.

[Belker]

For a better understanding of hacking, I suggest taking a look at the cheat sheet / tutorial you can download from this thread in the Toolbox sub-forum:
http://forums.shadowrun4.com/index.php?topic=8388.0

Hopefully after looking through that you'll be better able to judge for yourself. At the very least it may give you a foundation on which to work out any houseruling you do.

And on the gripping hand - with any luck the PDF of the Quckstart rules for SR5 from FreeRPG will be available soon. The Matrix rules there are considerably simplified and you might want to consider adapting those for your SR4 game.

[emsquared]

It sounds like you really just need to read the entire book, nikolamat. Read it again, if you say you've already read it once - because you've not picked up on some of the most basic concepts of the game. People are trying to help you and you're just being demanding, while also being clueless about pretty much everything. I can't believe people are still entertaining your questions with the way you behave.