[Novocrane]

Besides the fact that it's up to GM ruling whether or not the Technomancer version of Software can be used to make programs for other people, the interval on making Autosofts is 6 months.  "Free" isn't likely to happen - at best, I can compile Machine Sprites with the autosoft, which also opens up the benefit of Diagnostics.

Basically, could be more helpful if Blackeagle had a modern medkit.

No, no it wouldn't. Any time the GM gives the party something really useful for free, its booby-trapped somehow.

That's an awful lot of assumption going on.

[RHat]

Basically, could be more helpful if Blackeagle had a modern medkit.

No, no it wouldn't. Any time the GM gives the party something really useful for free, its booby-trapped somehow.

So I get the Machine Sprite to analyze it.  Diagnostics helps it analyze the inner workings, after all.

Novo:  I cannot think of another simple way to get free programs.  Pretty sure you still have to pay for the cracked ones, too.

[Novocrane]

Are you sure you're playing a Shadowrunner?

I thought theft came with the job description. There's also freeware and open source contacts.

[RHat]

Are you sure you're playing a Shadowrunner?

I thought theft came with the job description. There's also freeware and open source contacts.

I said simple - stealing programs worth having and not getting caught isn't usually simple.  Also, freeware/open source programs fall under an optional rule, I usually make it a point not to assume such a rule is in play unless I've been told it is.  And weirdly, open source stuff isn't free in Shadowrun.

[HydroRaven]

Guys, I'm not trying to rush anything, it's just that my character has low charisma, so I have to play her a bit bitchy.

[Novocrane]

(I'm assuming) It's all IC, Hydro.

FWIW, old way yakuza aren't exactly the most meta-friendly bunch.

@RHat: If it need not be the best, or the source code itself, then things become a lot simpler. Point given on the 'optional', though.

[RHat]

Pretty sure everyone's concerns are IC.

[irisheathen]

Definitely  IC.

Ok so I'm curious. Does anyone know of a good scale that tells me what a _ charisma is equivalent to? I mean if my character has a 1 or 3 or 5 in this attribute they can do XYZ but not A? I've been trying to figure out how dumb/smart Johnny is. Same goes for skills. It seems (in my brief amount of research) that its highly contested and up to the GM in the end. In other RPGs I've had a loose scale to base my RP on though so I donno.

[Necrogigas]

As far as I understand it, rule of thumb for attribute ratings, for humans anyway, is that 1 is severely handicapped, 3 is average, and 6 is max human condition.

[irisheathen]

That's insane. I mean role play is cool but that's...wow. I kinda figured that 1 was functional and two was average at worst. Having 3 be average makes most characters seem way less cool and bad-ass or special. 

[RHat]

1 is "weak", not "severely handicapped".  3 is "typical", though. There's a table on SR4A67.

Most characters have multiple attributes above 3, so...

[Necrogigas]

If a 1 meant functional for attributes, there's no room for the underdeveloped. You couldn't explain the sickly (Body) or dumb (Logic), to name a few examples.

As for skills, the table at the start of the skills section of the corebook (pg. 119) is pretty good.

[RHat]

"Underdeveloped" is 2.  But "severely handicapped" has an altogether different meaning than weak, and would be built through Negative Qualities as well.

[irisheathen]

But then why have infirm and uneducated? or uncouth for that matter?

Yeah I read the skills table but I just wanted more of a skill by skill idea of what it means.
Its just really hard to role play a low charisma (or low (2) anything character) without some sort of RAW guide.
I found this on a thread earlier and thought it sounded about right

A skill of 1 represents the lowest level of professional training, not the lowest level of competency. Someone with a Con of 1 has had training or professional experience in how to con someone, but they aren't good enough to be a professional at it yet. -Fortinbras

But as for Attributes I'm at a loss.

[RHat]

Those qualities would be part of how you'd build "severely handicapped".