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SR6 Matrix Guide and FAQ

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Banshee

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« on: <09-23-20/1158:24> »
As was mentioned here quite some time ago, I decided to put together a Matrix Guide. I had submitted it for approval but never got any feedback, but I wanted to make it available to the public. So just note that is NOT official but it does fall in line with what I wrote in the 6WE CRB Matrix chapter when combined with my intentions and how I run things for my personal home campaign.

There are some rule changes proposed within, I feel they fix some of the issues that have came up since release but do not have official stamp of approval yet from CGL (yet?).

Also a very special thank you goes out to SSDR and Xenon for helping me out with this (especially in writing the examples) by interpreting what was in head and getting it down in written word.

Since the forum formatting will not let me post the document content directly, here is a link to he viewable Google doc.

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1DYgYXlKQ5XUG_3R4aDbaTTcm5XeYfdjf6Kqlop1J72k/edit?usp=sharing

Robert "Banshee" Volbrecht
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Xenon

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« Reply #1 on: <09-23-20/1311:49> »
I had submitted it for approval but never got any feedback
:'(

MercilessMing

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« Reply #2 on: <09-23-20/1312:47> »
Thank you!  Checking it out now.

Quote
Running Silent is network based and not device based, so you set your PAN to silent mode and then it and all of its connected devices are concealed behind the Sleaze attribute of the master device. Please note that running silent does require you actually have a Sleaze attribute but it sure does help to have one if you want to remain hidden.

Should be "running silent does NOT require you actually have a Sleaze attribute"

Also, any disclaimers you want to attach to this FAQ should probably appear in the doc not just the forum post, cause that link is gonna get shared and you don't want it to be misconstrued as official.
« Last Edit: <09-23-20/1315:44> by MercilessMing »

j2klbs

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« Reply #3 on: <09-23-20/1332:46> »
Amazing resource, thank you!!!!

Question related to the following:

"Interaction - what does this include? In this case that means the only matrix action that you can directly take against any “inside” devices/icons is limited to Matrix Perception while being on the outside. All inside devices are considered to be running silent using the Host Rating+Sleaze of the Host as the opposed dice roll. To target any icon (persona, device, IC, nested sub-host, etc) on the inside you must first gain access via Brute Force, Backdoor Entry, or Direct Connection."

This seems in contradiction to itself.  The first part suggests I can brick a device from the outside so long as I succeed at a Matrix Perception test, but the last sentence says I need to be inside the Host to target said device.  Can you please clarify?

j2klbs

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« Reply #4 on: <09-23-20/1338:01> »
Running Silently:  Why would anyone *not* run silently.  Even if you were a legal citizen, just for fear of being hacked (picking up viruses, etc.), wouldn't people regularly *always* be in silent mode?  Is there any downside to running silently?

Banshee

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« Reply #5 on: <09-23-20/1338:29> »
Amazing resource, thank you!!!!

Question related to the following:

"Interaction - what does this include? In this case that means the only matrix action that you can directly take against any “inside” devices/icons is limited to Matrix Perception while being on the outside. All inside devices are considered to be running silent using the Host Rating+Sleaze of the Host as the opposed dice roll. To target any icon (persona, device, IC, nested sub-host, etc) on the inside you must first gain access via Brute Force, Backdoor Entry, or Direct Connection."

This seems in contradiction to itself.  The first part suggests I can brick a device from the outside so long as I succeed at a Matrix Perception test, but the last sentence says I need to be inside the Host to target said device.  Can you please clarify?

please reference the bolded portion, the ONLY action you can take is perception ... other words you can detect what is there but not manipulate them without being on the "inside"
Robert "Banshee" Volbrecht
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Former RPG Lead Agent
Catalyst Demo Team

j2klbs

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« Reply #6 on: <09-23-20/1341:31> »
Amazing resource, thank you!!!!

Question related to the following:

"Interaction - what does this include? In this case that means the only matrix action that you can directly take against any “inside” devices/icons is limited to Matrix Perception while being on the outside. All inside devices are considered to be running silent using the Host Rating+Sleaze of the Host as the opposed dice roll. To target any icon (persona, device, IC, nested sub-host, etc) on the inside you must first gain access via Brute Force, Backdoor Entry, or Direct Connection."

This seems in contradiction to itself.  The first part suggests I can brick a device from the outside so long as I succeed at a Matrix Perception test, but the last sentence says I need to be inside the Host to target said device.  Can you please clarify?

please reference the bolded portion, the ONLY action you can take is perception ... other words you can detect what is there but not manipulate them without being on the "inside"

Thank you!!  My bad.  I didn't notice the language restricting it to Matrix Perception only.  That makes perfect sense! :D

Banshee

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« Reply #7 on: <09-23-20/1341:42> »
Running Silently:  Why would anyone *not* run silently.  Even if you were a legal citizen, just for fear of being hacked (picking up viruses, etc.), wouldn't people regularly *always* be in silent mode?  Is there any downside to running silently?

not mechanical downside, but there should definitely be RP or environment drawbacks. running silent in public would be viewed the same as openly wearing armor and carrying weapons ... sometimes it will attract attention just by being out of the norm.
Robert "Banshee" Volbrecht
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Former RPG Lead Agent
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j2klbs

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« Reply #8 on: <09-23-20/1351:23> »
Amazing resource, thank you!!!!

Question related to the following:

"Interaction - what does this include? In this case that means the only matrix action that you can directly take against any “inside” devices/icons is limited to Matrix Perception while being on the outside. All inside devices are considered to be running silent using the Host Rating+Sleaze of the Host as the opposed dice roll. To target any icon (persona, device, IC, nested sub-host, etc) on the inside you must first gain access via Brute Force, Backdoor Entry, or Direct Connection."

This seems in contradiction to itself.  The first part suggests I can brick a device from the outside so long as I succeed at a Matrix Perception test, but the last sentence says I need to be inside the Host to target said device.  Can you please clarify?

please reference the bolded portion, the ONLY action you can take is perception ... other words you can detect what is there but not manipulate them without being on the "inside"

Thank you!!  My bad.  I didn't notice the language restricting it to Matrix Perception only.  That makes perfect sense! :D

Wait, in the bricking example of Mungo vs. the security guard's gun, he is able to perform a Data Spike attack against the gun with the reason being it's an "outsider" action.  So, just to clarify, one only needs to be inside the host/PAN if the matrix action involved cannot be performed as an outsider.  Is that correct?

If so, you may want to consider altering the wording to say one can only perform a Matrix Perception or Outsider actions  against devices inside a host.
« Last Edit: <09-23-20/1359:09> by j2klbs »

MercilessMing

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« Reply #9 on: <09-23-20/1359:33> »
Quote
Interaction - what does this include? In this case that means the only matrix action that you can directly take against any “inside” devices/icons is limited to Matrix Perception while being on the outside. All inside devices are considered to be running silent using the Host Rating+Sleaze of the Host as the opposed dice roll. To target any icon (persona, device, IC, nested sub-host, etc) on the inside you must first gain access via Brute Force, Backdoor Entry, or Direct Connection.
Maybe this could be reworded to reference outsiders doing matrix perception on icons inside a host?  Because as it was said elsewhere in the FAQ, if you've got user or admin access, you don't have to test to see icons.  I know you kind of said it when you said "while being on the outside".  Maybe something clearer like "All inside icons are considered to be running silent to an Outsider, using the Host Rating + Sleaze of the Host as the opposed dice roll."
« Last Edit: <09-23-20/1403:23> by MercilessMing »

Banshee

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« Reply #10 on: <09-23-20/1405:47> »
the Interaction statement is in the Host section and is referring to how things operate across the Host Event Horizon and should not be applied to other scenarios.

EDIT: specifically it is a response to the Pg 185 statement about interaction with a Host.
« Last Edit: <09-23-20/1433:05> by Banshee »
Robert "Banshee" Volbrecht
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Sir Ludwig

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« Reply #11 on: <09-23-20/1558:41> »
Banshee,

Thank you for the resource. I have a new player wanting to run a Hacker/Techno and this document will make both our lives much easier.

Edit: 1.)  Now that I have had a chance to red it.  I completely agree with the changes on Commlinks.
        2.) It did save me time explaining things to the new hacker, thanks!

Best,
SL
« Last Edit: <09-24-20/1548:27> by Sir Ludwig »
Si vis pacem, para bellum

slingshot

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« Reply #12 on: <09-25-20/0300:10> »
Banshee,

Thanks for the Information.
I have a question regarding  Brute  forcing Access to a PAN.
You wrote that the guard is full aware of A Hacker being present in bis PAN.
Why would he Not Reboot his Commlink in his Next Action,  to deny the Access for the Hacker?

Best regards,
Slingshot

Xenon

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« Reply #13 on: <09-25-20/0642:28> »
In previous edition access were on individual devices and you could reboot an individual device to clear marks from that specific device. In this edition access is on entire network, rebooting a single device in a network will not change the fact the hacker is still in your network.

But yes, one solution could have been to reboot the entire PAN (and perhaps this is what actually what happens if you reboot the device you used to access the matrix with, that I think Banshee have to answer).

But in my example Bob actually had three specific reasons why he didn't reboot his entire PAN (I considered it):
  • Action economy. In the first action phase, when Bob noticed that his gun was under attack, he used his actions to both turn off the gun and to also do a full matrix defense. On his next action phase he opened up a communication channel with Tattoo via the Send Message minor action while refreshing his full matrix defense.
  • Bob was currently communicating with Tattoo over the matrix when Mungo invaded his network, this call would have been terminated if Bob had decided to reboot his PAN
  • It would only been a single Major action for Mungo to brute force his way into Bob's network after the reboot anyway

And also, we wanted to showcase how to resolve an eavesdropping on an outgoing call  by using the Snoop action ;-)

Banshee

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« Reply #14 on: <09-25-20/0750:25> »
Banshee,

Thank you for the resource. I have a new player wanting to run a Hacker/Techno and this document will make both our lives much easier.

Edit: 1.)  Now that I have had a chance to red it.  I completely agree with the changes on Commlinks.
        2.) It did save me time explaining things to the new hacker, thanks!

Best,
SL

thanks, that was the goal after all.
Robert "Banshee" Volbrecht
Freelancer & FAQ Committee member
Former RPG Lead Agent
Catalyst Demo Team