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Questions about Signal rating

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The_Gun_Nut

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« Reply #30 on: <09-07-10/1150:20> »
It could be one way of silencing someones PAN.  Switching off their antenna.
There is no overkill.

Only "Open fire" and "I need to reload."

Kontact

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« Reply #31 on: <09-08-10/2129:27> »
Yeah, you definitely have to be able to turn wireless completely off, or skinlink is useless outside of counter-jamming purposes. 
Even a Signal of 0 has a range of 3 meters, which is well within where Johnson sits at the meet.  Muy peligroso.

Catadmin

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« Reply #32 on: <09-09-10/1754:36> »
Doesn't that put the cart before the horse though?
You can't grab the signal until you decrypt it, and you can't Initiate Cryptanalysis it until you have the node.

Or is access to a signal different than actually capturing it?

If you're talking about the hidden node issue (which you may not be), the node actually is in passive mode and the subscribing devices already have the node information (SSID, password, etc.) and broadcast to that node, then the node responds to them. To decrypt the signal, you need to get one of those subscribing devices, hack it, and then you have the node.

If I'm wrong about what you're referring to, let me know. I'm a few days behind on this thread.
Brandie Tarvin
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epkdnb

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« Reply #33 on: <09-10-10/2109:39> »
I see it from two different views:

1) Realistic: changing the broadcast strength on a device is very very easy to do , probably a free or simple action.  Plenty of examples have been posted already.

2) Balance: Let's say I'm the teams backup hacker with mediocre gear and skills.  Super elite hacker VRs into my 'link and starts attacking my icon/my programs, what have you.  If I'm allowed to simply lower my signal (which might not even be an opposed test, cause it's my 'link), now the super elite hacker is easily booted from my system because there can no longer be a connection between our 'links.

So while yes I greatly appreciate realism, I think that for balance sake it shouldn't be allowed.  While you could initiate a shutdown of your 'link to achieve the same thing, lowering the signal generally does not have any of the disadvantages of rebooting.

The_Gun_Nut

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« Reply #34 on: <09-11-10/1248:02> »
"Balance" is for shifty fantasy games that have people doing epic crap for the sake of being epic.  Shadowrun is set in a highly realistic setting (the real world).  While magic gives it a fantasy character, everyone and everything in the setting acts and reacts realistically and plausibly.  There are no "Sons of the Lost King running around with magic swords taking over kingdoms because everyone expects him to lead them to victory," because that is asinine.  It is a high fantasy trope that can only work in fiction, where the author has control over the story.

Ever shout at a movie because the characters did something retarded for the sake of moving the story forward?  That doesn't mesh well in a world where people die from doing something dumb.  Shadowrun does have a few people doing dumb things like that, and they are dead or soon to be.  You don't survive without learning, you don't get paid without thinking.

Remember that there are consequences to every action.  Even if it is only a free action to drop your signal and thus boot the hacker, you just dropped the rest of your team, too.  And when you power it up, your team gets distracted by you logging back into their network (assuming they have theirs on active) and the hacker gets a new chance to grab you.  You, on the other hand, have to reaquire all the signals you just dumped.  That can be a problem if you were trying to hack anything at all (which is likely).

"Game Balance" is, IMO, often the lazy way to judge an action (even in those wacky fantasy games).  The "realistic" way often opens up options that the player hadn't considered previously, and wouldn't have if they had taken the "balanced" way out.  Don't fall prey to it, you will be rewarded for clever thinking in the long run (and possibly the short run, too).
There is no overkill.

Only "Open fire" and "I need to reload."

Irian

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« Reply #35 on: <09-11-10/1401:22> »
"Balance" is for shifty fantasy games that have people doing epic crap for the sake of being epic.  Shadowrun is set in a highly realistic setting (the real world).  While magic gives it a fantasy character, everyone and everything in the setting acts and reacts realistically and plausibly.

No. Sorry, but just: No. Shadowrun was never big in the departments of "realistic" or "plausible". I'm not sure if someone ever asked the question what Shadowrun wants to be, but I personally would bet more on an Action-Movie approch instead of a gritty realistic one :-)
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FastJack

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« Reply #36 on: <09-11-10/1419:15> »
Actually, you could play it both ways.

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« Reply #37 on: <09-11-10/1438:40> »
I'm not sure if someone ever asked the question what Shadowrun wants to be
I always thought the first edition was the ruleset for Streets of Fire (1984 movie)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oJGo2rvfSuA

"You're about to enter a world unlike a world you've ever seen before where rock n'roll is king, the only law is a loaded gun. Where the beautiful, the brutal and the brave all meet."

Catadmin

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« Reply #38 on: <09-11-10/1443:59> »
"Balance" is for shifty fantasy games that have people doing epic crap for the sake of being epic.  Shadowrun is set in a highly realistic setting (the real world).

There are a lot of people who would both agree and disagree with this statement. @=)

For those wanting to debate it, perhaps a thread should be opened up that is solely devoted to that subject. Just a suggestion.
Brandie Tarvin
Author / DBA / SR Freelancer
website: http://www.brandietarvin.net
blog: http://brandietarvin.livejournal.net
Twitter: WannaBeWriter06

Now Available - Space Tramps (Flying Pen Press) and Latchkeys Unlatched (on Kindle and Nook)