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Active Hardwires vs. Activsofts

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adzling

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« Reply #30 on: <07-08-15/1137:49> »
Keep in mind that you only get one activesoft at a time from your subscription.
So not nearly as powerful as 4 x rating 4 hardwires with 'softs.
But infinitely more flexible.

Keep in mind out of chargen its 124K, 20k a month, and .9 Essence for "Every skill in the game at 4" with the package and a subscription.  How many Rating 4 Hardwires is that if you have to purchase the skill softs?  4 maybe?  (AFB so this is from memory here, please correct my math if I'm wrong)

Stoneglobe

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« Reply #31 on: <07-08-15/1234:07> »
Keep in mind that you only get one activesoft at a time from your subscription.
So not nearly as powerful as 4 x rating 4 hardwires with 'softs.
But infinitely more flexible.

Keep in mind out of chargen its 124K, 20k a month, and .9 Essence for "Every skill in the game at 4" with the package and a subscription.  How many Rating 4 Hardwires is that if you have to purchase the skill softs?  4 maybe?  (AFB so this is from memory here, please correct my math if I'm wrong)

And you'd need to be online in wireless to use the library meaning you can have your system hacked and bricked.
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jim1701

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« Reply #32 on: <07-08-15/1250:32> »
Keep in mind that you only get one activesoft at a time from your subscription.
So not nearly as powerful as 4 x rating 4 hardwires with 'softs.
But infinitely more flexible.

Keep in mind out of chargen its 124K, 20k a month, and .9 Essence for "Every skill in the game at 4" with the package and a subscription.  How many Rating 4 Hardwires is that if you have to purchase the skill softs?  4 maybe?  (AFB so this is from memory here, please correct my math if I'm wrong)

And you'd need to be online in wireless to use the library meaning you can have your system hacked and bricked.

You only have to be online the turn you download the activsoft.  After that you can turn wireless off again if you want.  Not much chance of a hack there. 

Quote from: Chrome Flesh pp 78
Mechanically, skillsoft networks work as follows: First, the user wirelessly accesses the Matrix host that they pay a monthly fee to and requests a skill from the catalogue.  This is a Simple Action and, obviously, requires the user to have a wireless connection active. At the beginning of the next Combat Turn, the skill is ready to use, but the user suffers a –5 penalty to their Initiative Score, due to the lag time between the node remotely accessing the skill and the user’s cyberware enacting it.

Wakshaani

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« Reply #33 on: <07-08-15/1321:40> »
With teh Wireless service, it need sto stay on ... you aren't downloading it, it's remote-operating via your hardware. Small, but important, difference!

And, yes, a lot of pros and cons to the heavy Skillsoft build, as intended. Having a pile of skills that you can switch through when needed vs having fewer skills but that they can be Edged = a cost-benefit analysis. There's no clear "This way is better"... each version is strong here and weak there.

Which means working as intended. Yay!


adzling

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« Reply #34 on: <07-08-15/1357:36> »
Interesting, I would have thought once the activesoft was downloaded into the system you could turn off wireless.
We might houserule it to work that way.

I do agree though that with the clarification that hardwired skillwires require the purchase of the software to run things are very balanced between the tradeoffs between the various systems and purchasing via karma organically.

Without the cost of the activesoft a rating 6 skillwire at 0.3 essence and $24k cost was an insane bargain making it far better to get the hardwire than buy the skill organically (12 karma vs. 42 karma!?!).

It's really super encouraging to see you getting into the nitty gritty of the karmic implications for the various systems Wak.
I can't tell you how happy it makes me to know that you guys are thinking deep on play balance.
cheers for that ;-)

jim1701

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« Reply #35 on: <07-08-15/1358:34> »
With teh Wireless service, it need sto stay on ... you aren't downloading it, it's remote-operating via your hardware. Small, but important, difference!

And, yes, a lot of pros and cons to the heavy Skillsoft build, as intended. Having a pile of skills that you can switch through when needed vs having fewer skills but that they can be Edged = a cost-benefit analysis. There's no clear "This way is better"... each version is strong here and weak there.

Which means working as intended. Yay!



Then I would suggest a clarification for that as well in the errata

Hobbes

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« Reply #36 on: <07-08-15/1536:01> »
With teh Wireless service, it need sto stay on ... you aren't downloading it, it's remote-operating via your hardware. Small, but important, difference!

And, yes, a lot of pros and cons to the heavy Skillsoft build, as intended. Having a pile of skills that you can switch through when needed vs having fewer skills but that they can be Edged = a cost-benefit analysis. There's no clear "This way is better"... each version is strong here and weak there.

Which means working as intended. Yay!



Then I would suggest a clarification for that as well in the errata

Yeah, because as written it doesn't have a wireless bonus that I can recall.  If wireless is required for any functionality it really needs to be written that way. 

Sterling

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« Reply #37 on: <07-08-15/1556:01> »
But it's right there in the so-called "useless" fluff:

Quote
The actual data is hosted remotely, allowing a user to request a skill package, which is then run on the nodes, with the skills being loaned to the user. This mirrored approach prevents the code from being captured and copied, quashing piracy before it can become an issue, while allowing the user a huge swath of potential skills.

Chrome Flesh, p. 78
"His name is Sterling. He’s an ex-pat Brit making a living as a fixer and a hacker in Metropole. He’s a rare blend of upstanding and fun...(so) listen to his experience."
>>Data Trails, p.82

jim1701

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« Reply #38 on: <07-08-15/1600:39> »
But it's right there in the so-called "useless" fluff:

Quote
The actual data is hosted remotely, allowing a user to request a skill package, which is then run on the nodes, with the skills being loaned to the user. This mirrored approach prevents the code from being captured and copied, quashing piracy before it can become an issue, while allowing the user a huge swath of potential skills.

Chrome Flesh, p. 78

Again highlighting my problem when they mix rules into the fluff and hit frappe.

Kincaid

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« Reply #39 on: <07-08-15/1609:49> »
But it's right there in the so-called "useless" fluff:

Quote
The actual data is hosted remotely, allowing a user to request a skill package, which is then run on the nodes, with the skills being loaned to the user. This mirrored approach prevents the code from being captured and copied, quashing piracy before it can become an issue, while allowing the user a huge swath of potential skills.

Chrome Flesh, p. 78

Or perhaps the problem of only reading part of the text.

Again highlighting my problem when they mix rules into the fluff and hit frappe.
Killing so many sacred cows, I'm banned from India.

jim1701

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« Reply #40 on: <07-08-15/1646:51> »
But it's right there in the so-called "useless" fluff:

Quote
The actual data is hosted remotely, allowing a user to request a skill package, which is then run on the nodes, with the skills being loaned to the user. This mirrored approach prevents the code from being captured and copied, quashing piracy before it can become an issue, while allowing the user a huge swath of potential skills.

Chrome Flesh, p. 78

Again highlighting my problem when they mix rules into the fluff and hit frappe.

Or perhaps the problem of only reading part of the text.

I shouldn't have to read every word on every page.  I don't have to read every word of every page of any other RPG system I currently own in order to play them because they generally know how to keep rules and fluff delineated for ease of use.  Similarly helpful when the quote function is used correctly.

Kincaid

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« Reply #41 on: <07-08-15/1701:32> »
Maybe not.  But asking people to read two paragraphs labeled "Wireless Skillsoft Networks" when they're interested in how wireless skillsoft networks work doesn't seem too onerous. 
Killing so many sacred cows, I'm banned from India.

jim1701

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« Reply #42 on: <07-08-15/1723:06> »
I see, it's completely the customer's fault.  I get it now.  Every time I think this company is starting to pay attention someone has to come along and prove me wrong.  I'm out. 

adzling

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« Reply #43 on: <07-08-15/1911:50> »
It's really embarrassing the quality of the product they churn out given the high calibre writing talent for the fluff.
+ I have to say I was particularly impressed by Wak's contribution to this thread, he knows the nuts and bolts which is great.

It's now well past time for Catalyst to stop this madness, replace the line editor and implement a solid editing process.

Hobbes

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« Reply #44 on: <07-08-15/2029:26> »
"Mechanically, skillsoft networks work as follows:
First, the user wirelessly accesses the Matrix host that they pay a monthly fee to and requests a skill from the catalogue. This is a Simple Action and, obviously, requires the user to have a wireless connection active. "

Could be clearer.  If the intent was that a wireless connection was required for basic functionality here would have been a good spot to spell it out.  As it is, a wireless connection is only mentioned in connection to swapping skills.