[Mollari]

Hey guys.
I have a question regarding players using technology that isn't either in the game, or that is in the novels but not in books.

An example of this would be a phone switch board to avoid IC tracking your physical location.

The device would look like this:
A) a comlink
B) another comlink
C) a device housing
D) a mechanical device separate to the either that mechanically dials phone B

So the runner sets up a phone custom ringtone, light display or whatever. When the display of the comlink A accepts the call a light sensitive sensor on device D activates. The runner dials in another number or texts it to comlink A and the device manually dials it to comlink B

Result:
Your phone is never the one making the call. Just being relayed through another. If your target traces the call, it locates your switch board but not your device. If the hacker who's tracing it is 100m away from the switch board (likely) then the comlink A will be invisible due to run silent.

This sort of phone switching or bouncing is definitely in the game world, just no rules or solid device.
I love rewarding my players for innovative ideas. I'm running a very black trenchcoat game and was wondering how you GMs deal with these.

To clarify, my players aren't asking for this. I'm just wanting to set the bar and see if this is a reasonable expectation.

[Jack_Spade]

In general, that's what the build&repair rules are for. For you as GM that is a way to let your players create stuff like this.

That said:
That's not how the matrix works anymore. You make calls by forming a persona and using the Send Message matrix action. Your switchboard is unnecessary complicated. You can just leave a disposable commlink lying around somewhere, form your persona there through DNI and when you are done with it, switch it off.

[Mollari]

Hi there

Thanks for the quick reply.

So build and repair rules. Crb? I'll definitely look into that.

To the messages. To form a persona don't you need to occupy a device that's matrix linked (comlink / deck)? Exception being technomancers.

So you use your comlink or DNI to form a persona (which is at your meat location), how do you then inhabit a device (move your persona over to it) at a distance?

[Jack_Spade]

That's the point: There is no requirement to have the device at your meat location. Your DNI (either Trodes or a datajack) connects wireless to your commlink. Which means the commlink can be anywhere where the matrix can reach and (where you can compensate the noise)

[Mollari]

You are completely right! Oversight on my part.

However I take it Trodes and a DataJack are the only way you could accomplish this and there would be a couple of sacrifices to this.

1) As Trodes and a DataJack apparently don't have a device icon of their own, and when you go into the matrix you don't create a persona you can use it (to your range and noise reduction) to reach out to your comlink further away and connect to it

2) You couldn't do it with a comlink, deck, RCC etc. as once you hop into it you immediately assume your persona on that device (which happens to be on you). So you can't use a comlink, to connect to another comlink further away, and form your personal around that farther comlink

3) You couldn't operate your external distanced comlink running silent. Trodes and DataJacks don't have their own data processing (to my knowledge), so you couldn't matrix perception for it (unless being the owner of the device makes it visible to you whilst it runs silent, though unlikely)

Question. Can you not use a device without forming a persona? The Send Message matrix action says you can send longer messages when using a DNI or through AR. Can you not just type on the screen and have the device send the message to another device. No persona involved?

If you can, then the switch board would remain an options for sending messages through silent running devices with no persona involved.

You can also tell I'm not that great with matrix stuff. Magic I'm better with Thanks for fielding all my questions.

[Jack_Spade]

Not exactly.

1) Trodes have a DR of 3 and Datajacks are dependent on their grade (2 to 5). They do have a device icon - it's just not your persona icon and there is - by omission - a possible case to be made that your DNI is subsumed into your persona icon as soon as it is formed.
2) You could do so by using other means of remote controlling your commlink/RCC/deck. An image link and AR gloves would do just as well.
3) There is nothing preventing you from running silent. Both devices have data processing and firewalls (all devices have those). Running silent never hides the device from yourself - you are the owner and have the equivalent of 4 permanent MARKs on your devices. And as long as you have a MARK on a device you can see it in the matrix.

You can't use a device without forming a persona on it: Send message is a matrix action which necessitates someone having logged on and by that forming a persona.

That said, there is - as always - a way: Micro transceivers don't create persona's, are voice based and can call commlinks when they are wireless active. They can be daisychained in wireless off mode and only be detected through a radio signal scanner.

Another, much simpler method is gaining a MARK on someone else's commlink and just send your message from there.

[Spooky]

Another, much simpler method is gaining a MARK on someone else's commlink and just send your message from there.

Oh, the shenanigans.....