[PingGuy]

I did some searching and found some discussion of resonance actions leaving behind a signature which can be perceived by other TMs, but my question is a bit different.

Magicians have the Astral Plane, and when using Astral Perception they can see a person's distinct aura.  I know that Resonance isn't technically magic, and there doesn't seem to be anything like a co-existing Resonance Plane.  But are there any references to, or indications of, TMs being able to see that others are also TMs by perceiving the Resonance within them?

I have an idea for an NPC for a campaign that is basically an untrained TM, but who has been able to Submerge a time or two.  I'd like for her to be able to see Resonance in a similar way to how Thermographic overlays work.  This can all be hand-waived to support the plot, but I was hoping to at least have some reasoning behind it, and not completely conflict with the expected functionality of TMs in the game.

[Reaver]

Not as far as I know.

While everyone does have an Aura, only those with Astral Perception can see auras, and that is not everyone who is awakened. (only full mages and dual natured critters have Astral Perception for "free", Adepts and aspected  mages have to "purchase" the ability).

Since Technomancers are not gifted with any supernatural vision ability, I doubt it.

however, IN the matrix, this is an other story and there might be something a Techno can see/feel...

[HP15BS]

Since Technomancers are not gifted with any supernatural vision ability, I doubt it.

Sure they are.  They just call it "augmented reality" lol

[Reaver]

Since Technomancers are not gifted with any supernatural vision ability, I doubt it.

Sure they are.  They just call it "augmented reality" lol

That's supertechnological. not supernatural 

[HP15BS]

Supertechnological without using any actual technology.
Sure, sure 

[PingGuy]

My memory tests are failing me right now, but I know TM's gain some kind of abilities when they submerge.  I was thinking of making this an ability that the NPC received the first time she submerged.  Similar to how a normal TM can see ARO's without any technology involved, I'm going to treat it like an inherent Resonance Sensor that renders in her normal vision.

So she'll be able to see "energy" rippling off of other TM's, and herself.  She'll be able to tell who has strong levels of Resonance and who has weak levels.  She'll be able to tell when a TM in her presence is using Resonance to do something, though not actually what they are doing.  That should be sufficient for my purposes.

[Reaver]

Supertechnological without using any actual technology.
Sure, sure 

You mean aside from the matrix.... No matrix, no resonance, no abilites.

Much like a mage needs mana. No mana, no magic, no abilities.


Remember, Technomancers are basically "technology magic users"... they need the baseline presence of the matrix, and thus technology, to do anything.

Drop that Technomancer into the middle of a matrix dead zone (the heart of a jungle, the middle of the ocean, basically anywhere there isn't civilization) and they lose all their abilites.

Exactly like how a mage gets shut down if an area is too polluted (BGC too high) , or the mana of the area is missing. (a void)

[HP15BS]

... Exactly like how a mage gets...

Exactly.
 

[Reaver]

... Exactly like how a mage gets...

Exactly.
 

So we are in agreement. They don't get an extra perceptive ability...



As to the OP:

Most submergences add to a techno's abilities IN the matrix. They do not gain abilities outside of that area (their digital playground). A submegsnce that allows them to spot other Technos active in the matrix? - not an issue.

A submergance that allows them to spot technos in the meat, not on the matrix? Way off canon.

But its your game, you're free to do as you wish!

[Mirikon]

A Technomancer cannot just assense someone and tell that they're a TM. However, and matrix user who is within matrix perception range of a TM's icon and gets enough hits on the Matrix perception test could pick up that they are not a normal user. AFAIK, a TM could pick up on the resonance signature of sprites or active uses of resonance (like threading), and track it through the matrix, and track it to the meat, even if there isn't a normal trail that a trace program would catch.

[Hobbes]

5 Net hits on a Matrix Perception or Assensing will let you spot a Technomancer.  3 Hits on Matrix Perception will let you spot a Resonance Signature on something that's been targeted with a Complex Form or Sprite Power or other Resonance ability. 

You really can't do much with a Resonance Signature, but it'll let an NPC spot something that's been whamied.   

[PingGuy]

I didn't realize that Matrix Perception and Assensing had those potential results, so that helps.  In this situation, using MP would make the most sense, but I also want this NPC to have a very low Computer skill since they are self-taught and/or untrained.  I think to get what I want story-wise I'll need to do the hand-wave thing though.

It seems pretty clear that what I want isn't already covered in game, but it's also not expressly denied either, which matters to me.  As Reaver pointed out, TM related stuff is all relevant within The Matrix as opposed to outside of it.  Still, Resonance is a thing, it's represented by a stat on the character sheet.  It's not unreasonable to think that Resonance can do more than just act as a hacker-friendly cable modem for your brain.

[Hobbes]

Matrix Perception isn't opposed unless the target is running silent so 5 hits is a hard but not impossible threshold. 

Modifiers, +2 from VR, +2 from being a Technomancer, +2 from appropriate Specialization in Computer Skill, anything that buffs Intuition, Perceptive Quality (up to +3), Sprite power Navi from Kill code I think also buffs Matrix Perception but I can't recall, and the Primed Charge Complex Form will boost the next Matrix test which certainly includes a Matrix Perception test, and of course Edge. 

And it's an NPC.  You need 5 hits on 3 dice for Story reasons?  Done, and carry on. 

Also keep in mind, there are people who know if someone is a Technomancer, maybe your NPC knows those people.  Or knows the Technomancer.  Many, many ways to explain an NPC knowing something.  Most of the time a GM doesn't have to give a backstory to the backstory.

[PingGuy]

So it really comes down to which detail matters.  If I just want this TM to be very good at detecting other TMs, then you have given me plenty of existing ways to represent that, and that is helpful.  Flavor-wise, I really liked the idea of the NPC being able to see the Resonance as part of her normal vision.  I just need to decide how important that is to the story.

Often I'll come up with concepts and as I flesh them out they get changed enough that the original details don't matter as much.  This detail came about on the second pass through fleshing out an idea that was originally much simpler.  The next pass could change it entirely as other details become more important.  This is also why I hate making things up on the fly, my initial ideas are often flimsy and need some analysis to strengthen them.

I didn't quote your post, but I'm pretty sure you said that all backstories should have at least three supporting backstories... and I agree.    I just can't help myself.  I can't create an NPC without envisioning its story and personality.  The more fleshed out an NPC is, the easier it is for me to imagine how they would respond to unexpected things.  It's funny, I could write pages of backstory for an NPC while simultaneously procrastinating putting some stats on an index card for that NPC because "it's so much work."

At least one of my players seems to really appreciate the "you always have a story behind everything" factor of my games.  Not that I always tell them the story, but I like to have one ready when a situation arises where that story would be helpful to expose to them.  Aside from that it's just a neurotic tendency that makes campaign design easier for me.  And even if an NPC gets killed, the story can live on and touch other arcs later.

[Triskavanski]

Supertechnological without using any actual technology.
Sure, sure 

You mean aside from the matrix.... No matrix, no resonance, no abilites.

Much like a mage needs mana. No mana, no magic, no abilities.


Remember, Technomancers are basically "technology magic users"... they need the baseline presence of the matrix, and thus technology, to do anything.

Drop that Technomancer into the middle of a matrix dead zone (the heart of a jungle, the middle of the ocean, basically anywhere there isn't civilization) and they lose all their abilites.

Would that be places where no local wireless networks exist?