[Lorebane24]

Coolio.  I've been trying to learn this new shit for an educational technology class all week, so I am to tired to start learning something new tonight, but I've got the next two and half days off so I'll try to set some stuff up.

Another thing I just wanted to offer a little reminder for is how I look at cyberware, and especially looting it.  I THINK I had this in my house rules document, but it also sounds like it may have been an incomplete file cause stuff keeps being missing.  Basically, cyberware bonds a bit when its installed.  It can be pulled out an reinstalled, but it doesn't connect as well as if it's out of the box.  Salvaged alphaware will only resell as standard ware, and standard stuff will resell as used/omegaware.  Used/omegaware can't be reinstalled into anyone, and it's value is basically as scrap metal.  Betaware and deltaware have to be tailored to the individual to a degree that makes it impossible to extract and reinstall in anyone but an identical twin or clone.

I don't swing this way so that I can deck everyone out in buffs that can't be salvaged, but so that I can go for a very cyberpunk aesthetic without escalating the game's economy like it's Dragonball BT.  I love the idea of it being pretty typical for a sprawl ganger sporting a stolen or salvaged cyberarm, for example, but he's going to be a 3 str dude with a 5 str cyberarm or something.  Statistically, not too atypical for a low-level melee mook (when it comes to melee), but without a rule like this in place the fact that he has a cyberpunk look also means you get about thirty fold what you would from a guy who I had just given 5 strength.

I've also seen a LOT of different viewpoints on how cyberware can be hacked, and here's my assumption.  If it has wireless functionallity, it is hackable, BUT in a world filled with hackers, DNI connections to implanted ware has become bog-standard for everything, so with a thought, a savvy samurai can disable their wireless connectivity to make their ware invulnerability to hacking, while still gaining the benefit of anything that is not explicitly stated to be a wireless bonus.  They can still see through their cybereyes via the DNI and get any boosts like vision enhancement or magnification, but they couldn't use anything that would require the image link to be active (like smartlink).  Then there are a few pieces, mostly bodyware, that I assume are entirely analogue technology, like dermal plating and muscle replacements, which are entirely unhackable.

Now here is something maybe you guys can help me with.  Conceptually, I like the idea of being able to hack someone's offline cyber if you can forge a DNI of your own to it using a datajack.  So if the other guy had a datajack and a load of cyber, and you managed to plug your own datacord into their jack, would that give you such a DNI?  I'm not sure if that's covered in the rules.

[Tecumseh]

Today is my son's 3rd birthday so I'm a bit out-of-pocket until later this evening.

@Jack
I'm playing it that Mato only grabbed your human armor because he didn't know what the critter armor was for. If another player wants to say that their smarter PC grabbed the critter armor then that's cool with me.

@gilga
The expression comes from the Wild West when a stagecoach when be driven by one person and defended by someone with a passenger seat next to them. One wonders if the Sixth World would update things now that drivers don't have to drive, as you point out.

@GM
Lots of thoughts but not at liberty to write them out at the moment. I will say that a map, however simple, would be very helpful. Mato is very fast due to his skimmers and can jump very well due to his hydraulic jacks, so he thinks about space a little differently.

[Beta]

Maps tend to bring out richer play in my experience, but even a simple Google Earth view  with "it is like this" does the majority of the work.  Hand drawn map ditto.  (Not that Jawsey will be doing a lot of tactical combat movement, he hopes).  The gaming group I grew up with, long ago, used dominoes to make a quick 'map' and chess pieces for people, so maybe my expectations are just low, but that always worked well enough for us, so I really don't think super high detail and fidelity is generally worth a lot of effort.

Being able to hack someones ware by plugging in to them is creepy .... and way too cool not to be a thing.  Definitely possible notoriety territory if it gets known, I'd think.  (Also agree about the cyberpunk vibe; need the chrome sometimes)

[Tecumseh]

Catching up.

@Jack
Does Kill Code update our understanding about the best way to run comms? I know you have posted extensively about the book's content. Broadly speaking, should I be running silent with my wireless gear slaved to my commlink? AM's deck is device rating 1, which means that's it's limited to slaving 3 devices, which is an obvious constraint.

@GM
There's no perfect way to run a fight. Even a routine scrap can take 2-3 weeks. When I GM I run things fairly traditionally, with a 24-hour timer when it's someone's turn. That said, I'm comfortable with the group declaration and resolution that you describe. To me, that would be more realistic than a pure turn-based approach.

Maps are wonderful. I would be delighted with something hand-drawn and then scanned. For example, here are questions that Mato has about the current situation with The Jackal's Latern between the Stuffer Shack and the tenement:

1) How tall is the Stuffer Shack? Does it have sight lines on the lot behind the bar?
2) How tall is the tenement? Are there fire escapes going up the outside?
3) Where are the gangers milling around out back? In one big pack near the bar, or spread out?
4) Where are the gangers stripping the bike? Which corner of the lot are they in?
5) Where are the motorcycles?
6) What else is around? Does the fence provide cover or is a see-through chainlink fence? 
7) How far is MadCat going to have to run to tackle a dude, and how far is he going to have to drag him to get him out-of-sight?

All of these are quick and easy to resolve face-to-face but can take a lot of time to figure out via PbP. Alternatively, a map could resolve a lot of them all at once.

@GM
Things are going great so far. We're maintaining a very good pace, which I am enjoying. We have really good momentum and I'm hoping we can keep it up.

[Jack_Spade]

@Tecumseh

Not really. Slaving is still a very viable method. That said, keeping wireless off in general will be the safest way in general. Microtransceivers are probably the best way to communicate without getting found or targeted by a decker.

That said: The best defense is a good offence: There are lots of people around with weapons and other hardware. Going in normal mode shouldn't get more attention than being silent. Because if someone on the ganger's side is worried about another raid, he might have an agent running, that scans for hidden icons. Looking out for such a setup would be a really good idea - and if there is one, neutering it is also a good idea.

[Lorebane24]

Aight, I'll fiddle with google-whatsit tommorow and see if I can figure it out, and barring that, I'll do a sketch of the area.

Until then...

The Stuffer Shack is only a single story (I guess it occurs to me if there is an established RAW form for most stuffer shacks to take?  I always figured they were like a slightly larger 7-11 but with more stupid shit and no gasoline), but it's high enough and close enough that you might be able to reach a second story window of the Lantern.

The tenement building is a run down, blocky, five story affair with a single entrance main entrance in the center up a short flight of concrete stairs, but there is an old fire escape along one side.  The ladder is currently up.

The lot in the back is actually pretty spacious for a building of the Lantern's size (about 50x30 feet), and surrounded by a chainlink fence, about three meters high and topped with jury-rigged barbed wire.  There is a gate on the far side from the bar that is currently open.  The ganger on is chopping the bike in the corner closest to the bar, and he periodically goes in to refill his drink.  However, people are regularly stepping into the lot from the back door to check grab something from their bikes (which are parked here) or relieve themselves on the wall.

It looks like taking someone out will require either luring them away, or some good sneakin and precise timing.  If you can reach the gate without being detected, you can probably clear it to reach the guy on the bike, but you'd need a way to make sure no one going to coming out back in the meantime, and he's close enough that you'll have to be able to do it noiselessly.

[Lorebane24]

Also, I love questions like this.  I don't have everything ready in excruciating detail, but generally if you poke at something, I'll try to find some venues for it, as well as a few wrenches in the gears.

[gilga]

Which icons are in the vicinity? - AM would like to hack something for a distraction (or for safety if they keep their guns wireless).
Perception (Matrix): 11d6t5 3

[Lorebane24]

I took a look at my maps, but when I tried to do it I'm told I can't access it and have to contact my domain administrator (would this be my ISP?).  In any case, I looked at a screen cast and I'm hoping to get something that's more specific on a smaller scale, at least for now, so I'll draw something up that shows a bird's eye view of the relevant buildings and surrounding area.  I'll make a note of the icons then, and probably a little more description as I flesh out the area a little more.

[Tecumseh]

I took a look at my maps, but when I tried to do it I'm told I can't access it and have to contact my domain administrator (would this be my ISP?).  In any case, I looked at a screen cast and I'm hoping to get something that's more specific on a smaller scale, at least for now, so I'll draw something up that shows a bird's eye view of the relevant buildings and surrounding area.  I'll make a note of the icons then, and probably a little more description as I flesh out the area a little more.

I have no idea what any of this means. What are your maps? What's telling you that you can't access it/them and that you have to contact your domain administrator? Aren't we just talking about attaching a simple image file to one of the game posts, like you did with the house rules in the recruitment thread?

ICly, we have lots of options. I would suggest that we try hacking first. I think anything involving spirits is making matters too complicated at this point.

If we need an elevated perspective, Mato is an excellent jumper and should be able to get up that fire escape to the roof of the tenement.

OOCly, I think this is a textbook case for the Influence spell, but I'm assuming that Mato isn't aware that AM knows it.

[gilga]

What are our decking options? hacking a gun, disabling a bike creating a distraction by moving one, or playing very loud music suddenly from a comlink may create a disraction.

[Lorebane24]

Alright, so I'm working on the map as I type this.  It's coming out a little more detailed than I had expected, and it'll be coming up before I go to bed along with a detailed (and somewhat revised, but nothing that should affect any of your current plans) description, including matrix info.  We'll be looking at several largish buildings and the surrounding area, and I've got it drawn out so I can fill in rooms as well as you uncover more info about the ground floors.

In the mean time, though, I'm brushing up on the matrix rules for this next bit, and was wondering how you guys imagine matrix perception and silent icons working?  Is it like "run a task to search for hidden icons and then 'bam!' you can see them?"

Also, I want to make sure I'm interpreting ties correclty on a matrix perception test:  The way I'm seeing it, you technically meet the threshold, but have no net hits, so you would be able to spot the icon, but wouldn't get any other info about it.  Is that right?

[Jack_Spade]

Well, first you have to ask the question: Are there any Silent Icons around and make your Perception test vs. Log+Sleaze of any silent icon that is actually around.
After that you receive a number. From there you can set filters. Find all silent icons that aren't stealth tags, or find all silent running commlinks, or all silent running weapon icons. If you want to examine an icon closer, one is picked at random from the selected group. For that one you'll get one information per net hit. (Defender wins on ties obviously). The more detailed you set your filter the more likely it is that you'll get the silent icon you are actually looking for.

What you don't get is details on every icon with just one perception test.

[Lorebane24]

Well, in this case everything is just buying successes for a quick below-average result because they're basically being passive about being hidden/silent.  There is one icon that gets 3 successes, matching AM's.

[Jack_Spade]

Yeah in that case you can save time by just telling everything gilga eventually can find out