[Fizzygoo]

Unoriginal SIN is a rules expansion for SINs, Licenses, & Permits.

The goal was to build upon the SR5 rules and flesh it out while maintaining ease of use. YMMV. It includes SINs, License, and Permits overview (how they work, why one needs fake ones, etc.), new Qualities, and Lifestyle PACKS that incorporate SINs and Licenses.

As always, feedback is welcome.

[firebug]

Quickly looking at it, the writing in the "fluff" parts is a bit confusingly worded or grammatically incorrect, but I like the effort made to make it seem like all the official books.

If I get the chance to sit down and read through it all I'll give you better feedback, but right now I just want to say that I for one think it's really cool that so much effort and care was put into this so far.  How'd you manage?

Edit:  I like the SIN Equipment Packs.  The Lifestyle Packs are really cool too, good job!

[Fizzygoo]

Thanks for checking it out, firebug.

Any confusingly worded/grammatical quagmires you point out are greatly welcomed (editing other people's work is always easier than editing my own).

I've been writing up the adventures that I run my group through in as "official" of a format as I can for when I post them here so when I sat down to flesh this out I had a lot of the formatting already created.

Glad you like the PACKS.

[CitizenJoe]

What permit category do Seattle and Manhattan fall into respectively?

[Fizzygoo]

Seattle would be UCAS (though GMs could have the Metroplex clamp down with its own laws) and I would make Manhattan it's own (and more strict). I limited the country permit list to the nations in 6th World Almanac.

[CitizenJoe]

Back in second edition, they had legality codes for various nations.  UCAS allowed semiautomatic without a permit while Seattle was stricter. Aztlan allowed SMGs without permits by the way.

[Beta]

Just gave a quick read through, and I’d rate it above a lot of the officially published stuff for 5e.  Rules were clear on first reading, tables helped make it all clear, the SIN-packs were a great idea, and good (and sometimes quite humorous) use of the comments.  I didn’t take time to read the opening piece of fiction, but then again I’ve not read most of the fiction in Street Grimoire and I’ve had it for a year.

I’ll be pointing other people at this in the future, I think – players included.  They don’t really need to read all of it if they don’t want to, but Fruit of the Tree should be mandatory reading.  I don’t care if it isn’t official, it is now how things are in my game.

*applause*

[CitizenJoe]

I don't like the idea that feeding a SIN to the GSR sends back all your vital statistics.  That screams identity theft.  The current SSN system has you send in the SSN, name, DoB, gender (no longer required) and the system sends back a pass/fail.

I also prefer GSR because then you can call it the Geezer.

[Fizzygoo]

@Beta: Thank you, that means a lot to me. Very glad you liked what you read.

@CitizenJoe: GSR/Geezer, hehe, I like it. And yup, didn't see the asterisk in Aztlan about the SMGs. Couldn't find the UCAS one, but I don't have all my books on me.

The quick and dirty fix would be to asterisk the table. Like * indicates no permit needed for Pistols (Hold-out/Light/Heavy), ** no permit needed for Pistols and SMGs. Etc. The cop-out fix would be to just assume all the governments clamped down after Crash 2.0. Then there's adding more complexity with additional Categories (but I'd rather avoid more complexity if I can). I'll think about it and see what you and anyone else thinks.

As for the vitals to the GSR, "A set of biometric data including DNA, retina scan, and fingerprints will also be taken and logged into...two master databases: one maintained by the country that issued the SIN, and the Global SIN Registry..." (SR5 pg 367), so I tried to keep with that as best I could. And I assume a lot of rating 1 and 2 SINs are exactly that...identity theft, hehe.

Thanks again for all the input, you guys.

[CitizenJoe]

I don't expect you to have the solution, but here's the issue with the GSR.  Some GMS like to think (or at least threaten) that if you leave a drop of blood at the scene the cops can find you through some sort of DNA database.  Ignoring the logistics of running a DNA profile and using that as an index, if you can send in one piece of information and get back fingerprints, retinal scans, name, date of birth, etc. Then you're basically handing everything you need to steal someone's identity with a simple SIN check.  Walk by CEO of SuperWealthBank, grab his SIN which he's legally required to broadcast.  Punch that into a SIN verification unit and you get his biometrics.  Run them through a cellular glove molder and some custom contacts for retinal duplication and you've basically got keys to the kingdom.  That's why the GSR needs to be pass/fail.  You give it scans and a SIN and it tells you if it matches the database records.

[Fizzygoo]

@CitizenJoe: I think I see what you're saying about the GSR. But I didn't see anywhere where the finger print/DNA/retinal information is passed back to the SIN Reader (if I did, let me know where and I'll address it. If it's in SR5, let me know too). In order to get that data one would have to hack the host that is storing it.

So in your example, walk by the CEO, grab their SIN and pass that through a basic SIN Verification system which would come up with a name, address/national-corporate citizenship, physical description/photo/holopic. Now the runner(s) can make a disguise to try and look like the CEO, but no fingerprints, retinal print, or DNA. But they have to get the basic SIN Verification...if they go for legal 1-2 rating, well, watch out for a glitch or critical glitch (GOD's alerted

Or, walk by CEO, grab their SIN, pass that that through expert SIN Verification system...at which point the system's hand reader, retinal scanner, and/or blood/saliva sampler now asks the runners to supply a hand, eye, and/or fluid to check against the databases. If nothing is fed into the system...no check can be made. If the runners are able to supply the requisite material...then it's still a pass/fail/unreadable check.

Or, walk by CEO, grab their SIN, then hack into the GSINR database, find the heavily encrypted files of the CEO in the system, break the encryption, copy the files, get out alive, acquire a good cellular glove molder and retinal duplication contacts, make the appropriate skill checks to make them work, find someone with matching physical traits, make a disguise to match, hope the CEO's security detail doesn't regularly have mage's assense the aura, succeed on acting skill checks, get the keys to the kingdom...only to bump into the CEO in their office, or run into his persona in the company's host, or have the disguise slapped off the runners face by one of the CEO's angry lovers.

All make for good Shadowruns.

And (in response to your post in the Rules forum SIN thread) awesome-thanks for the permits/legality first appearing in Shadowtech! I was so focused on nationality that it would have been years before my brain made the switch to "permits are for gear"! So thank you, thank you!

As for the threatening GMs and the drops of blood at the crime scene. Yeah. I warn my players that databases build up if they leave a lot of evidence behind and if they do I'll use that to complicate their lives. But throwing the PCs in jail kind of makes my roll moot...unless I want to run "Oz - The RPG"...which I don't. I go with common sense. My mage character cast some spells in a shootout against Vory in a nice downtown Seattle restaurant...so he spent about 30 seconds once the Vory were dealt with to the clean the astral of the lingering auras. Last game, our Street Sam took a couple heavy physical-damage hits from a combat axe...but it was in Chicago's CZ, so eh. Big deal about the blood. The GM could still use it against us, if he wants. But I trust the GM to make it a fun ride.

[CitizenJoe]

There's a couple concepts going on.  There's two basic types of databases: the Global database and the private databases (including national and corporate).  They don't necessarily contain the same data.  The second concept is where the analysis occurs.  There's point of use analysis and then there is point of storage analysis.  Point of use is a local analysis where you gather all the available info in your verification device and then you local device judges the veracity.  Point of storage requires sending all your collected data to the database and the database cross references it with the stored data, sending back a pass/fail.

The security required for the GSR is such that it must be a point of storage verification process.  You send a SIN and a piece of data to the GSR and it sends back a confidence level.  That's where DNA matching is tricky.  A monkey is 90% matched with humans.  You need to be 99.999% or so to match an individual.  Even then, sampling errors are likely to throw off the measurements.  You can't just point your commlink at a blood stain and ask the GSR to spit back a SIN, it doesn't work that way.

The private databases can work differently.  If the local device is part of the database agency, then the database is still internal and you can scan for matches internally.  So, the police can gather the blood sample, process it for DNA coding, then put that code into their database.  If it matches something in their database, either a known criminal or an open case, it gets appended to that file. It doesn't point to you, but if you ever do get caught,  they'll pin all of those cases on you too.

[CitizenJoe]

Let me float this idea. 

Rating 1 and 2 SIN verification systems are civilian use.  Rating 1 is just the basic reader to accept SINS wirelessly or direct connection.  Rating 2 systems decode the SIN to get the embedded data, usually nationality, date of birth and gender.  Some SINs have different data encoded.  Neither 1 or 2 connect with a database but both are free to use.

Rating 3 and 4 are mercantile and employer grade.  These do connect with the GSR and are point of storage analysis systems.  These are restricted programs and the GSR has a subscription fee for use.  These systems verify that the SIN has been registered and verifies the info given to the system.  All of the civilian level data can be confirmed as well as Name, Metatype and any red flags.

Rating 5 and 6 are security level systems. Also restricted, these systems connect with national and corporate databases with more biometric data. Rating 5 connects to one national or corporate database.  Rating 6 connects to three allied databases. These are searchable databases, meaning that fingerprints or other biometrics can run to get a subset of matches.  These SIN checks cost money and time, particularly the DNA testing.

[Sendaz]

That is not a bad way to look at it.

So if I go into a Stuffer Shack and order the Super Slamm-O! Meal Deal, they will probably have a Rating 1-2 system, just enough to basically confirm the SIN I am using matches the SIN assigned to whatever cred account I am paying with so the receipt matches the virtual signature so to speak.  They are not going to consult the Matrix for more details so long as there is money in said account, since even if there was fraud it is protected by the bank. Sort of the equivalent to checking the signature on the back of a credit card against your signature on the receipt so they can say you were you. 
Pretty easy to spoof though will be easily spotted with any real scrutiny.  So if your obviously underage and trying to buy synthbeer around the corner to go with the meal using your older bro's SIN, even if your using his cred account to try and pay since your appearance doesn't jive with the listed age (assuming they would be at least carding you for age at a liquor shop, so level 2 scan to read the DOB) you are probably gonna get busted and kicked out unless you are fast with a bribe.

But if I go and apply at the Stuffer Shack for a job as a GipperFlipper the boss will have HR run my SIN on their business connection (Rating 3-4) to make sure I am registering as a UCAS citizen with not too many previous felonies and no outstanding warrants. (They don't mind if you did some time in the past, a lot of the staff are ex-con thimselves, but they just can't have you working if your currently dodging the law though as they don't need police raids on top of fending off the roach patrol to boot).  This basically goes as CJ's example of Pass or Fail given the information inputted, ie querying a database somewhere about my SIN .. is he a citizen yes/no,  right gender and metatype yes/no, and is there any issues to be aware of?  Felonies? yes / no, if yes more than 5? yes / no (again, hiring ex cons, but not if looks to be a habitual thing), any warrants yes/no. Sort of like a credit report in a binary yes/no form when you think about it.
Which can be good or bad since they won't get details like specific offenses or circumstances, felony is felony. 
Same way if you got stupid in college and streaked across the campus they could slap you with a flag on that SIN that will always flag you as a sexual offender on a yes/no check, again no exact details so good luck with that albatross around your neck.
A bit trickier to fake, but so long as you look reasonably like the person on the fake SIN and you don't go giving anyone a reason to be suspicious there is very little chance anyone will ask questions that require more than a Yes/No response.


Now say I been working my tail off and get informed I have won Regional Employee of the Year along with a trip to Honolulu to represent my Region at the Stuffer in the Sun corporate retreat.  If I go through airport security, because I am off to a different nation they will do a bit more thorough check as customs will be taking and matching my fingerprints against some database to be sure that is actually me getting on and off that suborbital which could be a problem if I have not splurged on a high end fake SIN that already incorporated things like this into the Ol' Geezer.
A lot harder to fake out the systems on your own without having a hacker buddy to compromise the scanners or using some fake fingerprints.  You get what you pay for.
So may have to lose the free trip unless I call in some favours.