[Demonthresis]

I'm very new to the game, so I'm sure I'll be on here a lot asking questions that I don't want to burden my DM or advanced party member with, so here's the first.

When upgrading a Comlink's OS, is there an advantage to purchasing the top of the line (Novatech Navi) then upgrading or just purchasing bare-bones (Vector Xim) and then paying the points to upgrade.  From what I'm understanding, upgrading a firewall past Rating 3 is just Rating x 500 Y, there doesn't seem to be a formula to add one level at a time or adjust for prior levels.  I know when adding armor to drones you ignore previous armor as you rip it out and add new armor instead.

[UmaroVI]

You can't upgrade more than +2. So you need to either buy an OS with the stats you want, or buy an OS with 1 or 2 less, then upgrade.

[Demonthresis]

Ah, that would do it.  Thanks for helping a newbie out.

[Demerzel]

You can't upgrade more than +2. So you need to either buy an OS with the stats you want, or buy an OS with 1 or 2 less, then upgrade.

I don't think that applies to the OS, the specific rule states hardware has the limit, it is silent on software.

SR4A, p.122

A device’s hardware ratings may only be upgraded by +2 with regards to their original ratings. Further improvements have no additional effect on performance.

[Demonthresis]

That would explain why I've heard to have a firewall of 6 as something near mandatory.  The Navi only has a firewall of 3 to start so that would make it impossible to get a 6 (using Core rules, I'm not sure what's out there in the other sourcebooks).

[ArkangelWinter]

That would explain why I've heard to have a firewall of 6 as something near mandatory.  The Navi only has a firewall of 3 to start so that would make it impossible to get a 6 (using Core rules, I'm not sure what's out there in the other sourcebooks).

1) Arsenal and Unwired have tables for just flat buying Firewall 6
2) Firewall 6 is really only mandatory for hackers/riggers and heavily cybered characters without skinlink. Others usually dont have as much worth hacking

[JustADude]

That would explain why I've heard to have a firewall of 6 as something near mandatory.  The Navi only has a firewall of 3 to start so that would make it impossible to get a 6 (using Core rules, I'm not sure what's out there in the other sourcebooks).

1) Arsenal and Unwired have tables for just flat buying Firewall 6
2) Firewall 6 is really only mandatory for hackers/riggers and heavily cybered characters without skinlink. Others usually dont have as much worth hacking

My Mage, who has Gremlins 3, has had all the Wifi stripped out of his gear that he can, and relies on old-school physical controls for things like his glasses. He still uses his Commlink to control his Holowear suit, but he's got an Agent to do the fiddly stuff for him.

Of course, he bought our Hacker's old BattleBuddy Basic off her when she upgraded to a Cybernaut, so he has Firewall 6 anyway. She cut him a bit of a good deal, too, after she broke his old commlink when a Crit.Glitch meant he unleashed a spew of virii that brought half of Denver to its knees in minutes. And that was just from him trying to shut his commlink off.

[UmaroVI]

You can't upgrade more than +2. So you need to either buy an OS with the stats you want, or buy an OS with 1 or 2 less, then upgrade.

I don't think that applies to the OS, the specific rule states hardware has the limit, it is silent on software.

SR4A, p.122

A device’s hardware ratings may only be upgraded by +2 with regards to their original ratings. Further improvements have no additional effect on performance.

You misquoted the book by inserting "hardware" where it doesn't appear. The correct quote is

SR4A, p.122

Upgrading a device is simply a matter of having the proper hardware module (for Response and Signal) or software package (for Firewall and System). Once you have the module or package, simply install it into the device, a matter of a few minutes’ work. A device’s ratings may only be upgraded by +2 with regards to their original ratings.

SR4A has tables for just buying Firewall 6, but you can't install it into any commlinks except MilSpec ones (you can install it into Security or Military drones or vehicles, though).

[Demerzel]

Let me start by saying, my bad on the page number, that should have been page 222 not 122.

My first printings both Limited Edition and open edition both include he word hardware.

However, looking back at the historical pdf's I've saved, my first PDF excludes hardware. That is my original PDF with a created timestamp of 3/10/2009 4:55:49 pm, and modified: 3/10/2008 8:31:21 pm.

Then I have a PDF with a created 3/30/2009 4:04:33 PM, and Modified 3/30/2009 4:26:18 PM that includes the word Hardware.

And finally the PDF released late last year with a created 3/30/2009 4:04:33 PM, and Modified 12/6/2011 11:33:22 AM.

Now searching around I can find a Errata document that includes the changes from 2011 here:
http://www.shadowrun4.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/12/SR4A_errata.pdf

This was only linked on the blog entry here:
http://www.shadowrun4.com/2011/12/shadowrun-twentieth-anniversary-edition-back-to-reprint-%E2%80%A6-again/

I can't find anything that links to a set of changes that happened in late March 2009. I imagine since they made changes to the PDF prior to the first printing they probably didn't create an Errata document for the changes from the first PDF to the PDF that includes the first printing.

If you purchased your PDF from BattleShop you can email customerservice.catalyst@gmail.com to have your downloads reset so you can obtain the corrected PDF as of December. If you used DriveThru I don't know the correct contact, but they should be able to get you the update as well. If you used other means to obtain your PDF then I can't help you.

[Lethe]

Nice answer, finally ;-)
There were already too many contradictions, that i just couldn't believe it was limited.

1. Military grade gear is just a higher rating, no extra mumbo jumbo in it. If you can use custom System/Firewall for them, so can you for other commlinks.
2. You can program and use your own System/Firewall without the ratings being limited by the OS installed before. So you should buy them individually too - without limitations.
3. A prepack OS of System/Firewall is cheaper than custom ones (normal package deal). So the custom ones are not just upgrades. Ie. Hardware upgrades are cheaper than the full commlink, meaning they are really only upgrades and therefore limited.

[UmaroVI]

Oh, damn, this is one of those issues. I suppose that makes a bit more sense, even if it does mean that buying OS is for suckers.

[Mirikon]

Buying an OS is a decent choice for non-hackers, especially spellslingers and people without a lot of chrome.

[All4BigGuns]

I can't believe I missed that one little word every time I looked that sentence up after seeing that +2 limitation on upgrades until now. Well, still gives a reason for people NOT TO BAN WAR!. The Battle Buddy Basic is kinda necessary for starting hackers so that they can actually upgrade to something really nice later.