NEWS

(6e) Emulate Autosoft questions

  • 9 Replies
  • 2554 Views

Beta

  • *
  • Ace Runner
  • ****
  • Posts: 1946
  • SR1 player, SR5 GM@FtF & player@PbP
« on: <11-30-20/1649:31> »
The Emulate (program) Complex Form reads:
Quote
This form can be purchased multiple times;
each time you can choose 1 program to run. Includes
autosofts, whose rating equals the technomancer’s
current Data Processing rating.

OK, cool, and potentially that means running autosofts with a rating 9, which gets interesting (forget perception, I'll have my drone look with clearsight!).  But now come the questions:

1) Drones can run programs = Pilot/2 rounded up (page 201), or else can benefit from the programs running on an RCC.  Do these emulated programs count as running on the drone, or does the technomancer act as a sort of RCC for the purpose of supporting their drones?  (neither makes entire sense to me).  1a -- And what if the 'mancer bought an RCC and used skinlink to have a direct connect to it, could they merge the programs offered, for sheer program mania?
2) Clearsight and Evasion are general across drones, but most other autosofts are for a specific drone.  Would this mean that Emulate Program: Pilot would have to be purchased seperately for a Flying Eye and for a Hornet (for example)?  (I would think the answer is yes, but just confirming)
3) As far as I found, there is no limit on autosoft rating in 6e. So the drone really would benefit from the theoretical rating 9 Clearsight autosoft?  (but I may have missed something)
4) For that matter, is there any limit on how many emulated programs a technomancer can have running?  5 karma a piece is not trivial, but that could really get interesting after a while.

« Last Edit: <11-30-20/1741:21> by Beta »

Stainless Steel Devil Rat

  • *
  • Errata Coordinator
  • Prime Runner
  • *****
  • Posts: 4572
« Reply #1 on: <11-30-20/2110:14> »
1) in this edition, it never says it's an "or" scenario.  No prohibition against running autosofts natively and being shared from RCC simultaneously.

2) My understanding is yes, you have to buy the autosoft once per drone.  And not even once per kind of drone... if you have X Fly Spys, then you must buy X copies of Clearsight.  Barring of course sharing 1 copy from a RCC.

3) The limit on autosoft rating is 9. (pg. 272)

4) I don't believe so, but there seems to be a practical limit in the case of autosofts. Or at least a threshold for diminishing returns. Note that Emulated autosofts have limited applicability... there's no allowance given to "loan" out your Complex form to drones. Only time they could ever be of any use is while your Living Persona is jumped into the drone, which would still presumably have that drone-based cap on how many autosofts you could run simultaneously.  Arguably you wouldn't even use the drone's autosofts while you're jumped in, but if that were the case then there'd be very little reason indeed to be able to emulate them.
« Last Edit: <11-30-20/2121:10> by Stainless Steel Devil Rat »
RPG mechanics exist to give structure and consistency to the game world, true, but at the end of the day, you’re fighting dragons with algebra and random number generators.

Beta

  • *
  • Ace Runner
  • ****
  • Posts: 1946
  • SR1 player, SR5 GM@FtF & player@PbP
« Reply #2 on: <11-30-20/2114:18> »
On four, you are correct in that when jumped in you don't use the autosofts.  And since emulate program specifies that autosofts are an option then it follows that they must do something when not jumped in.

Stainless Steel Devil Rat

  • *
  • Errata Coordinator
  • Prime Runner
  • *****
  • Posts: 4572
« Reply #3 on: <11-30-20/2122:34> »
On four, you are correct in that when jumped in you don't use the autosofts.  And since emulate program specifies that autosofts are an option then it follows that they must do something when not jumped in.

It's a gnarly nut.  Talking with the author about rai.

As for raw... I have to say it looks like you're allowed to emulate the autosoft, but I Can't see any raw benefit in doing so.

Suggestion: either house rule to allow the TM to use the emulated autosoft while jumped in, or the less messy option of just removing the ability to emulate autosofts.
RPG mechanics exist to give structure and consistency to the game world, true, but at the end of the day, you’re fighting dragons with algebra and random number generators.

Banshee

  • *
  • Catalyst Demo Team
  • Ace Runner
  • ***
  • Posts: 1095
« Reply #4 on: <12-01-20/0707:24> »
Honestly I was just laying the groundwork for an echo that let's a Technomancer interface as a RCC.
Robert "Banshee" Volbrecht
Freelancer & FAQ Committee member
Former RPG Lead Agent
Catalyst Demo Team

Xenon

  • *
  • Prime Runner
  • *****
  • Posts: 6467
« Reply #5 on: <12-01-20/0714:59> »
As I read it, the Technomancer first need the Living Network Echo.

Once she have this echo running (and while she is accessing the matrix via her Living Persona rather than via a device, such as a RCC) she may emulate autosofts to her drones (as long as they are part of the same network)
« Last Edit: <12-01-20/0717:14> by Xenon »

Banshee

  • *
  • Catalyst Demo Team
  • Ace Runner
  • ***
  • Posts: 1095
« Reply #6 on: <12-01-20/0901:41> »
ok, so now that I am at a computer and not my phone, a more detailed response ... SSDR is mostly right (or at least read the book right  ;) )

The Emulate (program) Complex Form reads:
Quote
This form can be purchased multiple times;
each time you can choose 1 program to run. Includes
autosofts, whose rating equals the technomancer’s
current Data Processing rating.

OK, cool, and potentially that means running autosofts with a rating 9, which gets interesting (forget perception, I'll have my drone look with clearsight!).  But now come the questions:

1) Drones can run programs = Pilot/2 rounded up (page 201), or else can benefit from the programs running on an RCC.  Do these emulated programs count as running on the drone, or does the technomancer act as a sort of RCC for the purpose of supporting their drones?  (neither makes entire sense to me).  1a -- And what if the 'mancer bought an RCC and used skinlink to have a direct connect to it, could they merge the programs offered, for sheer program mania?

while a technomancer can run an RCC either via skinlink or the living network echo, neither actually allows then to emulate an autosoft and then run it ON the drone itself as the autosoft needs to be installed on the drone or RCC.


Quote
2) Clearsight and Evasion are general across drones, but most other autosofts are for a specific drone.  Would this mean that Emulate Program: Pilot would have to be purchased seperately for a Flying Eye and for a Hornet (for example)?  (I would think the answer is yes, but just confirming)

yes and no ... when buying autosofts to run on a drone yes you need to purchase for each individual drone, but if buying to run on a RCC just one instance of Pilot Fly Spy will cover all of the Fly Spies if shared. (doesn't help with TM's ... yet)

 
Quote
3) As far as I found, there is no limit on autosoft rating in 6e. So the drone really would benefit from the theoretical rating 9 Clearsight autosoft?  (but I may have missed something)

rating 9

Quote
4) For that matter, is there any limit on how many emulated programs a technomancer can have running?  5 karma a piece is not trivial, but that could really get interesting after a while.

no actual limit beyond the penalties for sustaining multiple compex forms

so all in all ... there is no real benefit to using Emulate for autosofts yet. The plan was to include an echo that allows a TM that has Living Network to then also be able to function as an RCC but got cut and is slated to appear in either the rigger or matrix book when it comes around

EDIT: I also see no real game balance reason beyond potentially thinning the line between the technomancer and rigger role to house rule it to function as Xenon says ... if you have Living Network, you can then slave drones to your Living Persona (that's clear RAW) but then to allow a TM to emulate autosofts for those drones ... but I would not allow program sharing in the same way as an RCC
« Last Edit: <12-01-20/0904:54> by Banshee »
Robert "Banshee" Volbrecht
Freelancer & FAQ Committee member
Former RPG Lead Agent
Catalyst Demo Team

Xenon

  • *
  • Prime Runner
  • *****
  • Posts: 6467
« Reply #7 on: <12-01-20/1517:57> »
...I would not allow program sharing in the same way as an RCC
Ah. OK, so perhaps a topic for future matrix supplement. Fair enough! :)

Beta

  • *
  • Ace Runner
  • ****
  • Posts: 1946
  • SR1 player, SR5 GM@FtF & player@PbP
« Reply #8 on: <12-01-20/1824:23> »
In summary:
RAW: emulate program doesn't work for autosofts
RAI: there should be an Echo that makes it work  (potentially low-hanging house rule territory)

Stainless Steel Devil Rat

  • *
  • Errata Coordinator
  • Prime Runner
  • *****
  • Posts: 4572
« Reply #9 on: <12-01-20/1900:57> »
In summary:
RAW: emulate program doesn't work for autosofts
RAI: there should be an Echo that makes it work  (potentially low-hanging house rule territory)

The missing link to make them work is something that allows the living persona to gain the sharing functionality of a RCC.
RPG mechanics exist to give structure and consistency to the game world, true, but at the end of the day, you’re fighting dragons with algebra and random number generators.