The Ends v4.01

[Kaelik]

Hey, how about those complete lack of rules for Deadzone that go 0% of the way towards clarifying what is or isn't a deadzone. Anyone got any ideas what a deadzone actually is or isn't.

Are harddrives inside faraday cages actually immune to the virus crash that deleted all the things? Or does the matrix somehow reach past faraday cages? Or does the matrix not reach past them, but also it's still not a dead zone, because the matrix would be there?

[Trill]

Frank hasn't said anything at all since your post on page 24. But anyways, I took a shot at it: http://tgdmb.com/viewtopic.php?p=515443

EDIT: Just got the question answered by Frank. They weren't meant to be PCs at all. Well, Homebrew it is!

Should have said that it was in a PM

[Trill]

Hey, how about those complete lack of rules for Deadzone that go 0% of the way towards clarifying what is or isn't a deadzone. Anyone got any ideas what a deadzone actually is or isn't.

A dead Zone by itself is an area where the matrix infrastructure is not available. You ever went somewhere and found that you had no signal at all? That is a dead Zone.
Dead Zones are characterized by one fact: The retransmitter network that the matrix relies upon isn't there. This may be because nobody put any of them there (e.g. deep Jungle) or because the ones that are present are nonfunctioning (an EMP would by necessity render the area a dead Zone, simply because all Retransmitters are dead)
Following this, here is a short list of possible dead Zones:

• A rural area which for some reason was never seen as important enough to get matrix access placed there
• A jungle
• The site of an EMP
• A disaster zone of large enough strength (if a Tsunami kills all electricity in the area and no effort is done to rebuild then nobody will give the retransmitters any juice)
• Open sea without retransmitter buoys (whether due to catastrophy, negligence or active destruction)
• A underground bunker without newer matrix tech (maybe forgotten after the second crash, maybe even older)

Are harddrives inside faraday cages actually immune to the virus crash that deleted all the things? Or does the matrix somehow reach past faraday cages? Or does the matrix not reach past them, but also it's still not a dead zone, because the matrix would be there?

Yes, though how many hard drives do you think are/were behind one of sufficient strength? Doing so basically means "I don't have to access this data in a long time, so I'll put it where it's hard to reach".
A safe is a faraday cage, and how many harddrives are in safes? Some, sure. But they are mostly secrets, not actually stuff that's valuable from day to day.
And yes, in a Faraday cage you are in a dead zone with Rating dependent on the Cage strength. Even a rating 3 cage prevents commlinks from sending their data across unless you have a R3/R4 Receiver inside, and a rating 4 cage blocks even that.

[Lokathor]

Trill you're forgetting that Cages block their rating times four or less from going though the cage walls.

So rating 1 blocks most standard electronics (unless you have a Receiver 2)
rating 2 blocks even the good transmitters unless the other end has a Receiver 1
rating 3 blocks damn near everything.
rating 4 is almost a joke because who honestly even has the Signal 13 it takes to bypass a Rating 3?

[Trill]

Trill you're forgetting that Cages block their rating times four or less from going though the cage walls.

So rating 1 blocks most standard electronics (unless you have a Receiver 2)
rating 2 blocks even the good transmitters unless the other end has a Receiver 1
rating 3 blocks damn near everything.
rating 4 is almost a joke because who honestly even has the Signal 13 it takes to bypass a Rating 3?

I didn't forget.
Take a R3 cage. All data trying to get though there have their Signal rating reduced by 12. Best Signal rating you can have is 9, so the data trying to get through has a Signal of -3. Considering that -2 is already in the micrometer range you have no chance.
If you have an R3 dish inside however you raise the signal to 0, which is 3m. This is totally possible to achieve if both the commlink and the dish are as close to the cage walls as possible.
And if you try to send low-density data it's even easier because you then have a signal of 11, for an effective rating of -1. Even without a receiver it should be possible to transmit data.

And as I said, R4 Faraday cage blocks even that, because the highest you could get is 9+2(low-density signal)+4(R4 receiver)-16(R4 cage)=-1

[Kaelik]

Hey, how about those complete lack of rules for Deadzone that go 0% of the way towards clarifying what is or isn't a deadzone. Anyone got any ideas what a deadzone actually is or isn't.

A dead Zone by itself is an area where the matrix infrastructure is not available. You ever went somewhere and found that you had no signal at all? That is a dead Zone.
Dead Zones are characterized by one fact: The retransmitter network that the matrix relies upon isn't there. This may be because nobody put any of them there (e.g. deep Jungle) or because the ones that are present are nonfunctioning (an EMP would by necessity render the area a dead Zone, simply because all Retransmitters are dead)
Following this, here is a short list of possible dead Zones:

• A rural area which for some reason was never seen as important enough to get matrix access placed there
• A jungle
• The site of an EMP
• A disaster zone of large enough strength (if a Tsunami kills all electricity in the area and no effort is done to rebuild then nobody will give the retransmitters any juice)
• Open sea without retransmitter buoys (whether due to catastrophy, negligence or active destruction)
• A underground bunker without newer matrix tech (maybe forgotten after the second crash, maybe even older)

Are harddrives inside faraday cages actually immune to the virus crash that deleted all the things? Or does the matrix somehow reach past faraday cages? Or does the matrix not reach past them, but also it's still not a dead zone, because the matrix would be there?

Yes, though how many hard drives do you think are/were behind one of sufficient strength? Doing so basically means "I don't have to access this data in a long time, so I'll put it where it's hard to reach".
A safe is a faraday cage, and how many harddrives are in safes? Some, sure. But they are mostly secrets, not actually stuff that's valuable from day to day.
And yes, in a Faraday cage you are in a dead zone with Rating dependent on the Cage strength. Even a rating 3 cage prevents commlinks from sending their data across unless you have a R3/R4 Receiver inside, and a rating 4 cage blocks even that.

I just want you to know, that aside from giving your interpretation of Faraday cages, you didn't answer any of my questions.

"A place where there is non signal is a place where there is no signal" gives me no new information. Where is their signal? Is it based on connecting to other devices, so anywhere connected to any device is not a deadzone, or is it based on distance to mythical Matrix Backbones, is everywhere in the entire universe Deadzone 1 or higher because each city has a single Matrix Backbone with signal 8 and you have to be within 2 meters of that backbone or else you are in a deadzone, so the entire city is progressive layers of deadzone? Is a matrix backbone running signal 8 and then everyone within that is not a deadzone, but moving outside of that means you have to have signal to reach back and connect to a device within Matrix Range, are there Matrix Backbones every 30ft?

All of these very different situations are situations in which "an area with no signal has no signal my dude" but restating the words I've already read answers none of those questions.

[Grek]

The default assumption is that everywhere with normal matrix infrastructure is plastered rating 0 receivers and that many of those receivers have some combination of wired connections and/or retransmitters that they are willing to use to pass your message along with. Eventually, it gets to a cell tower where it gets beamed out into space or into a deep sea cable or some other thing that lets it (eventually) connect to the cell tower nearest to the recipient. That tower in turn passes the message along the same way, eventually resulting in the recipient getting the message. All over the course of less than a second. If you are within Handshake range of any one of those receivers, you are within Matrix range.

A Dead Zone is a place where either A] those normally ubiquitous receivers are all missing or more commonly B] they can't draw a chain of connections to the rest of the Matrix. A faraday cage is a good example of B. If you can't get a message into or out of the cage, nothing inside can talk to the Matrix and the area inside is a Dead Zone with a Rating equal to four times the Rating of the cage itself.

[Lokathor]

Yeah, the Signal 8 that a cell tower has doesn't tell you how far out you can reach them, it's how far they can reach each other or send something back to you (when you ask for some data). Except that you have to ask for some data first for them to send you anything. Even checking your email is sending a request off to some pop3 server or whatever the hell they have in 2070. So having a Dead Zone is about needing a minimum Signal to send a message that'll make it out into the Matrix. Because, yes, the cell tower network covers damn near all of the Seattle Metroplex. There's no part around where you can't get someone to send a Signal to you. However, in some places (eg: Barrens, some parts of the highway, etc) there won't be the usual backbone re-transmitter mesh that keeps your poor little Device 3 electronics online despite the fact that there isn't a cell tower every 400 meters.

So the fact that Technomancers have their Resonance suppressed because of Dead Zone is admittedly very weird. However, we can (doubtlessly) use this as evidence that each Technomancer is themselves a fractal reflection of the greater perfect whole that is the Deep Resonance, and it must maintain a constant contact with the Deep Resonance to maintain the fractal reflection.

Or however else you care to rationalize that weirdness.

Fun fact, the way it's written heavily implies that the Resonance reduction is in place of the Matrix range loss effect that normal people face, so a Technomancer with a Signal lower than their Resonance can go to spots where anyone else would be off Matrix while still holding a thin link back to the Matrix, despite lacking the Signal to actually reach that far back... because Spooky Technomancy.

[Trill]

Here Kaelik, I've used 9001 hours in order to create this masterpiece, just for you.

[Kaelik]

Okay trill, but you get that the rules dont specify that and that literally right above you lokathor is arguing a mutually contradictory interpretation of what a dead zone is.

[Trill]

Okay trill, but you get that the rules dont specify that

I have to concede this point. Yes, it's not explicit enough. But you can get to that information by considering that the Matrix is a mesh network, and mesh networks function exclusively through retransmitters.

and that literally right above you lokathor is arguing a mutually contradictory interpretation of what a dead zone is.

This however I don't see. How is he disagreeing with me?

[Kaelik]

This however I don't see. How is he disagreeing with me?

I happen to both play in a game Lokathor GMs and GM for Lokathor, so I know that he thinks "Matrix Retransmitters" are a specific thing that aren't all the devices, but are only the specifically designed Matrix backbone ones and you can be be in a Dead Zone while being in handshake range of hundreds of devices that are in handshake range or hundreds of other devices that are in handshake range of "Matrix Backbones."

[Trill]

In that case I have to disagree with Lokathor. Normal devices are perfectly capable of receiving and retransmitting data, so they should be able to work as retransmitters if necessary
[HOMEBREW INCOMING]

Most of the matrix backbone is made out of retransmitters. These can be the small ones most houses have on their corners/roofs (which are the same as the ones you can buy) or larger ones like the Cell tower network. Both of them work together to get data across. Usually what happens is this:

1. Start device A wants to send data to End device B. However B isn't in the Signal range of A.
2. A asks around for all retransmitters. Those it can reach will send a signal back to A that they are available.
3. A sends them an encrypted package along with a LTG (this being the LTG of B)
4. Retransmitters ask around for a path to B.
5. Once a path is found the package is sent to the next Retransmitter on the list.
6. For shorter paths this continues through the small Retransmitters. For larger paths the signal will be relayed to the Cell towers and sent through them until the package reaches a tower with Signal range to B, or the next closest tower.
7. From there on the package will be brought to B through intermediate Retransmitters.

If no Retransmitters are available the device (or a retransmitter) can ask other signal capable devices to take over. Sometimes this is faster (if one of the devices has a high Signal) sometimes it's slower (if the devices have low Signal ratings).
Thus you are in a dead Zone if there are no devices in your Signal range that could trace a path to the outside.
Recent barrens aren't necessarily Dead Zones (because some of the Retransmitters might be solar powered), but they usually are (no/unreliable electricity won't keep up the matrix backbones in that area)
Jungles are usually Dead Zones (even if you are in range of a tower you still have the problem of sending a request to them)
The oceans are covered with signal buoys which act as retransmitters.

If you have enough time and money you can (permanently) remove a Dead Zone by placing Retransmitters (of any kind) around. Keep in mind though that these only have limited battery life.
Another way is to get a Satellite Dish and retransmit through that.

[END OF THE HOMEBREW]

[Kaelik]

Houserules on Houserules

Why houserules:

1) Most of Matrix Stealth and Perception is garbage in the exact same way all other stealth systems are garbage, except that the matrix doesn't provide the "well you couldn't REALLY do that" mind chaulk on players and GMs that usually prevent stealth rules from being too stupid.

2) I want people to have big old huge fucking computer banks or physical computer locations instead of just some guy who has a commlink being a substitute for any computer system.

3) Also there's some weird shit with ICs sometimes just being better than people at things in a way that doesn't make a lot of sense, or it being unclear what ICs do or don't do.

Since at least 2 requires and explicit rejection of some parts of the Ends of the Matrix rules, this will be "incompatible" with at least some lore of the Ends of the Matrix. I mostly posting here so I always have access to it, but feel free to shit on it.

Programs

Programs don't have ratings. They all cost the same as their Rating 6 version, and they move up or down based on the operating system they are running on. As Software, they can be copied from one location to another and then re calibrated for the new system with an extended test as laid out in the Ends.

Pilots are not Programs however, they are Operating Systems that are specially designed for Drones. There is a different Pilot OS for each classification of Drone (Walker, Roller, Missile, Airplane, Helicopter, Sailer, Submersible) but you could copy one walker OS into a new walker drone, even of different design, and re-calibrate it. They grant System and Firewall and IC equal to their Rating when Lone Deviced, and when Networked they still provide a separate System that equal to their rating that sustains the Soft Programs for the Drone in question, allowing the drone to be easily directed without manual control, and to perform actions as appropriately ordered.

Since Softs are programs, they don't have ratings anymore, and are instead capped by the Drone Pilot OS. They still have the price of a 6, but the availability of a 4.

Three Kinds of Networks

There are three kinds of "networks" Lone Devices, PANs, and Servers.

Lone Devices

Lone Devices are any device not incorporated in a network. These are mostly things that don't matter, streetlights, toasters, things no one would even try to hack, or you wouldn't care if they did. Sometimes Drones are Lone Devices, and I guess you really care about them, but they usually aren't.

A lone device has some limitations. A lone device is incapable of using Matrix Stealth or running Cloak or using Matrix Perception to detect someone using Matrix Stealth. A lone device can have an IC, but that IC has all attributes at one. It's skills remain equal to the Firewall of the operating system.

"A device" is any set of electronics within signal 0 of each other such as "A camera and its sensors and its wireless and its swivel mount" or "A medium Drone and everything inside or attached to it" or "a Retransmitter" or "A Commlink and all the shit literally on the person of the metahuman carrying that commlink." Technically, orphan brains are not devices, they are PANs that are really shitty when not attached to anything since they can't run programs or take matrix actions and have network values of 1 Response/System/Firewall and Signal of 0.

Using wired connections does not in any way increase the 3 meter limit or decrease signal range. Some large objects such as "an aeres roadmaster" are 2 or more devices because of size.

PANs

PANs are a network attached to a metahuman brain, and I do mean attached. PANs are using that brain so if they lose contact or whatever it can't keep operating. PANs can incorporate a number of devices equal to their System Rating. Incorporated devices are treated as part of the network which means they aren't lone devices anymore, their dedicated attributes are switched to the highest generic of the network, and your actual human brain is aware of all the devices and will notice if one disappears. Devices cannot be incorporated into more than one network at a time.

Technomancers can incorporate devices, but are subject to the same limitations based on system. Technomancers can also incorporate sprites into their network, though Sprite network stats are considered "dedicated" and Sprites still count against the incorporated device limit. Sprites incorporated act as ICs, but are subject to the only one IP pass for ICs, and only one operating at a time rule. The Technomancer can change which of his Sprites is the operating IC as a Matrix Free Action.

Signal (LOS) range effects draw Line of Sight from any incorporated device of one network to any incorporated device of another device. Likewise if one of your devices is within Signal or Listening or Handshake range of an incorporated device of another network, then your entire network is.

If an incorporated device has no wireless, and is purely connected by physical wiring, then it still can be the target of Signal (LOS) effects, but cannot be the originator of such an action.

A Technomancer's VR ghost can always be the source for (LOS) effects, as it radiates signal.

ICs in PANs have the Stats of the brain they are attached to and the skills of the firewall.

Servers

While the human brain is always going to better than a relatively small pile of electronics, a sufficiently large piles of electronics provides some additional functions, at the cost of space, cost, and some loss of security and incompatibility with human brains. For this, you basically have to have a giant piles computers with a WIRED connection, with the system and firewall being capped by the size ranging from a system/firewall 1 cap for a computer the size of a modern PC, to a system/firewall 9 cap for a big old server farm. A pretty standard bedroom sized room full of computers is capped at system/firewall 6. They still require and Operating System to have those ratings, the size provides a cap.

Servers cost 10k per cap to buy and cost 1k per cap to maintain for a month.

Servers are good because they can incorporate any number of devices, not being capped by their system like PANs. Additionally, Servers, because of their complex infrastructure are also capable throwing out all kinds of random complex admin checks and shit just by default. This is modeled by having them run a set of programs against intruders as they are infiltrated. See "Server Architecture" later on.

Servers are "neutral" in that anyone connected to a server is automatically considered connected to anyone else connected to the server.

Servers are bad because they are kind of insecure. Firstly, since they connect so many devices and do not have a brain, a server does not notice Ostraka's or the physical destruction of devices attached to them as important events, they do not in fact, even recognize Icon Damage as significant (though only a Rend Icon from a Technomancer can do Icon Damage without breaking stealth). They carry on exactly as if a normal event occurred. Secondly if someone has physical access to any of the computers, or the wired connections between them (different from wired connections to incorporated devices), then the Server treats them as fully authorized admins. This means that ICs ignore them and they have full access to everything on the Server. This is the reason most servers are made up of only computers in a single well secured location.

Someone physically connected to a Server this way can look through all the files, manage all the devices, or view the inputs of as many sensor networks as they can manage at a time, looking for things the server might not notice. Additionally when physically connected a PAN may, when rolling Matrix Perception, provide bonus dice to the Server's Detect Intrusion Extended Test as a Teamwork. However, only the best Teamwork applies to each roll, multiple teamworks do not stack.

A Server's IC has stats and skills equal to it's Firewall. Technomancers "emit signals" when VR ghosting and can even connect to devices without wireless listening, but for some reason this is still like connecting by handshake with someone else. It does not allow VR ghost Technomancers to physically connect with Servers, though they can of course, open a regular connection, and hack the Server.

ICs and What They Do

Note: All IC skill pools are capped at 7 in addition to the caps of Firewall.

ICs are still limited by connection. One thing this means is they can only run programs against networks connected to their network. But it also means at least three other things: 1) ICs cannot use Matrix Identification to detect anyone longer than connection range. Note, this is different from someone detecting anyone acting on the network as covered in Matrix Stealth. This means that ICs alone cannot detect an unauthorized network in a prohibited physical location and set off an alarm. 2) An IC can't take the Discover Network action. 3) An IC can't provide Signal Defense to anyone else, or to it's own network.

IC defense pools: Only a Server or Lone Device can use their IC skill ranks as a defense pool for Cybercombat. No IC can ever provide Signal Defense dice. PANs can only use the Cybercombat skill of the operating individual for resistance tests.

This means Lone Devices CAN be better than a PAN at resisting digital programs with no attribute involved that are connection range, such as Crash and Literally Only Crash. If you have really low attributes (Willpower or Intuition 1 or 2) or no skill at all, a sufficiently advanced Operating System and IC could be better than you at resisting other programs, but oh well, ICs can't defend on your behalf for your PAN. Also lone devices LITERALLY cannot detect matrix stealth, so you probably wouldn't want to default to one if you could.

Finding Networks and Detecting Networks

Usually, unless you are in a dead zone or something, there are lots of networks all around. You also can't really make your network invisible, only confusing or misleading. What this means in practice is that Matrix Steal and Matrix Perception represent when you realize a network is important, not whether it is there.

Seeing the Physical World From the Matrix

A Decker or Rigger can see all kinds of Matrix Stuff while looking though the matrix, and also, can usually see some physical stuff, either by his own eyes, his cyberware eyes, or the sensors of incorporated devices. Connecting these two things is not easy, but doable in some circumstances. If a PAN has succeeded in both physically spotting a Lone Device or Incorporated Device or a Metahuman Brain (or the metahuman the brain is attached to) and also has succeeded in identifying the network it is or is attached to from the background (using a successful Matrix Perception action, a completed Detect Network Extended Test, or a completed Detect Intrusion Extended Test) then the PAN can draw the two together and know which network is attached to which physical objects.

Sometimes you know there is a PAN and you know it is attached to that Doberman, but you have no idea where the person is because they are behind a wall. That's just what you know then.

If you haven't drawn together your visions because you only detected the matrix signature or you only see a physical device but haven't separated out the network from the background, then you just see a physical thing and you don't know it's matrix attributes, or you just see a matrix network and you don't know it's physical location.

Technomancers are advised to get an incorporated device with sensors if they are VR ghosting.

Some General Rules

Some things apply across Networks and different action types:
1) Matrix Perception is Intuition + Datasearch (unless an ability changes your dice pool).

2) Matrix Stealth is Intuition + Hacking (unless an ability changes your dice pool).

3) Making a Matrix Perception Test is a Complex Action.

4) Matrix Stealth TECHNICALLY takes a complex action to begin or end, but since you probably did it a week ago, in practice it is always active for those who wish it.

5) Principle of General Perception: If you spend a Complex Action making a Matrix Perception Test it simultaneously serves as a Matrix Identification Test as well as part of a Detect Matrix Extended Test (if you have designated a target for such a test) and part of a Detect Intrusion Extended Test against any valid targets.

6) Principle of Variable Stealth Algorithms: For each PAN that spends a metahumans IP to perform a Matrix Perception Test, you roll a different Matrix Stealth check that applies to that PAN until your Stealth is turned off by rebooting, taking a complex action to turn it off, or running an attack program.

7) Running any attack program instantly ends your Matrix Stealth.


Lone Devices don't make Matrix Perception tests and are always tricked by Stealth. This doesn't mean a Lone Drone couldn't see you with it's sensors and blow your brains out, just that it couldn't see your Network as separate from the general background.

PANs roll Matrix Identification against any networks within Signal or Listening Range and Detect Intrusion and Detect Network as normal. This uses up a complex action from the brain occupying the PAN. A PAN IC can also spend a Complex Action rolling a Matrix Perception Test. The IC's test operates as Detect Intrusion as normal but cannot be used for Detect Network, and can only Matrix Identify connected networks.

Server ICs roll Matrix Identification only against connected networks. They roll Detect Intrusion as normal. See Server Architecture for special effects of Server Detect Intrusion tests.

Matrix Identification

A Matrix Identification check only functions once against each stealthed network until stealth is reset and is the first Complex Action Matrix Perception Test that occurs after the network becomes a valid target (by entering signal or listening range of a PAN or by connecting to a PAN or Server with an IC). If the Matrix Identification result exceeds the Matrix Stealth result then the network is identified and separated out from the background. This does not always mean that any threat is identified, since any number of identified networks could be unthreatening, but if a network you have identified begins running ANY programs against you or taking matrix actions against you, then you recognize the programs being run and the network running them.

If the Matrix Identification result is less than or equal to the Matrix Stealth result, you do not separate the network from the background, and you can only discover what that network is doing or target it with programs after a successful Detect Network or Detect Intrusion extended test.

Detect Network

If you see a metahuman or incorporated device physically, but have failed to identify it in the Matrix, you can take Matrix Perceptions Actions to perform an extended test at the conclusion of which you will have Identified the network as if you succeeded on a Matrix Identification test. The Extended Test has an Interval of one Complex Action and can be performed against up to System physical targets at a time. The Threshold is the Networks Matrix Stealth dice pool doubled. If there is no network to detect, say because you are looking at a spirit that just looks like a person, or because you are looking at an illusion, then you could do this all day and never know the answer or really know that you are wasting your time. Critical Glitches on a Matrix Perception Test lose all progress on any active Detect Network tests, resetting to zero hits.

Detect Intrusion

Each time a metahuman brain or an IC takes a Matrix Perception Test it accumulates the hits towards a Detect Intrusion Extended Test against any network that ran programs against it or took matrix actions against it since it's last Matrix Perception Test. The Threshold of this test is two times the Matrix Stealth dice pool of the infiltrating network. On completion of the test with respect to an intruding network the perceiving network will have Identified the intruding network as if a successful Matrix Identification Test had occurred, also you will, without knowing exactly what the network did, recognize it as a hostile intruding network.

Whenever an intruding networks Connects to a network, the network automatically gets a number of hits equal to it's Firewall on the Detect Intrusion Extended Test.

Critical Glitches on a Matrix Perception Test lose all progress on any active Detect Intrusion tests, resetting to zero hits.

Server Architecture

Because of the complex nature of servers, they can defend against intrusions they don't even know about. The way this function is that they "run programs" on people who are intruding on them. This can be bypassed by being a legitimate user, spoofing a legitimate user, or physical access to one of the computers. All of these methods make everything you do obvious and noticeable and recorded which means they could set off alarms if you try to run aggressive programs or do something to piss off another legitimate user. Also all your actions will be recorded if you are not intruding, though of course, if you are physically accessing the server, you don't need to run any aggressive programs, and you can order the server to delete any records of your presence.

For each 3 hits on the Detect Intrusion test of a Server it "runs a program" against the intruder, this includes free hits granted by the intruder connecting. The list of programs is designed in advance for the Server, this can be changed, but it takes 1 hour to change, so it usually won't be. The list contains a specific program to be run at each hit threshold. However, because these programs exist to emulate the Server's architecture, they aren't quite like running programs. Signal, Handshake, and Listening range programs can be run, even Signal (LOS) programs. Even though the IC is running them, they can effect people not connected to the Server, but must otherwise meet all the qualifications as a valid target including being within Listening, Signal, LOS, Handshake, or Connection Range, and being the correct type of network, Bio vs Digital. If the intruding network is not a valid target, then the defense program does nothing when run, and nothing is accomplished.

Servers can not be hidden with a Matrix Stealth Action, but can run a Cloak Program.

Simplification

To simplify, you can roll one Matrix Perception check for each network, then use it for all Identifications, and then further use it as the number of hits obtained each time on an extended test, calculating out in advance how many times infiltrators will be able to act before being identified. Then you could run the Server Defense programs at the appropriate times based on that calculation. Players can probably figure out how long until they are detected, since the would know their own Matrix Stealth Dice Pool and could estimate the hits per test from programs being run, though complications could arise in the form of programs that don't trigger (thus not needing to tell the PCs) and granted hits from a system rating they might not know. Of course, an opposing hacker might detect them before the Server using Detect Network.

Ultimately, if the Players don't do the math, so don't know their timer, that's fine, sometimes hackers get found out without being prepared. If players do the math, and have a timer running in their head, well hackers with a literal timer running are at least equally supported. And if they think they have the timer down, but are wrong, well finding out you were wrong is also supported. But for maximum uncertainty, just roll each test of the extended test manually, and keep in mind Glitches and Critical Glitches, secretly without showing your players.

Deadzones and Effects

Deadzones are no longer ratings with penalties. Instead, The Matrix is just the set of all devices within handshake range of any device that is also within handshake range of a Matrix Device.

The most relevant fact here is that Matrix Backbones exist which are always Matrix Devices and broadcast at Signal 6 with Level 3 Receivers.

Where are Matrix Backbones though? Under your wheels! No it doesn't make any sense, but for some reason, except when the DM says they are other places too (The Secret evil temple in the middle of the woods might have built a Matrix Backbone just because) every paved road has a Matrix Backbone under it. The Matrix Backbone is buried deep enough that it's signal is reduced by 1 so in effect Roads operate as Signal 5 Receiver 2. Generally inside cities assume they are basically at every intersection downtown fading out to every 500m at the outskirts. As you travel farther out they may be only one every km or further out in the boonies leaving potential gaps.

There are usually dedicated devices with larger signals that can reach Satellites which in turn route signal around the world, so everyone is connected by default.

What this means is that Deadzones are created by either a deliberate attempt to block off your area from the Matrix, or by a lack of people and signals. In return, this means that bringing along retransmitters is a way to obviate Dead Zones.

Sample Servers, ICs, and Hackers

Regular Security Forces:

Regular security are sometimes going to be incorporated into the network of an on site server and/or hacker for defense. However this is an extreme level of cohesion and trust not normally suitable to grunts with a Profession rating under 5. Most of the time Security are going to be running their own commlinks with their own defenses. The hacking defense for this kind of security force is that if you shoot enough bullets at the hackers they won't be able to hack you all. To that end defenses are just about stalling for time with no real expectation of fighting back.

Response and Signal shouldn't be above 3, sometimes 4 Signal.

Depending on the level of backing the grunts have, assume even the lowest security has a System of 3 and a Firewall of 4 with a Rank 4 IC. They sustain Armor, BioFeedback Filters, and Cloak. If connected to (and their IC detects the connection or an attack program is run) the IC drops Cloak and runs Terminate Connection on every action. As Grunts scale up in backing they increase the System, Firewall, and IC, generally those should be at least equal to their professional ranking +1. They take no matrix actions themselves generally, preferring to shoot at targets. They all have a Crash program, so in extreme circumstances (no contact with any material targets, solely a technomancer VR ghost) their IC and their own actions can be used to Crash, though they usually don't have any hacking skill.

Here are some standard dice pools for these kinds of Grunts:

System 3/Firewall 4
IC initiative: 11/1
Matrix Stealth: Logic+4(-1 hit)
Matrix Perception: Intuition+4(connected networks only)
Defenses:
Use characters Willpower.
4 Defense dice against to hit attempts from Firewall.
7 Dice when Biofilter applies.
6 Soak dice against Crash.
No Cybercombat Defense.
No Native Signal Defense, but see below.
Terminate Connection run at Logic+4.

Each System increase adds 2 to to Soak Dice on Crash and +1 to Biofilter
Each Firewall increase adds 1 to Firewall defense and Biofilter. It also adds +1 to Matrix Stealth and Perception and Terminate Connection dice pools.

Support Hackers:

Some groups of Security will have a few support hackers, either with the the rest of the squad incorporated into their network or alone but present to engage in matrix combat. These hackers often serve as Pilots or Riggers as well at the same time. Because of Incorporated Device limits if a security group is slaved to the hackers network they need one hacker for 4-5 regular security. A larger number can be covered by a single hacker not incorporating them.

Usually in groups a Support Hacker will start with a Backdoor Permanent on each member of their team and regular security ICs will send an arrow notification to the Dedicated Hacker when an enemy network connects to them. Hacker/Riggers usually give Drones commands and then defend their team by trying to Crash any opposing networks engaged in hacking. If the enemy has many strong Drones they may prioritize the Drone network over a hacking network. Hackers also provide Signal Defense to their group. Hackers usually have a single taser and do not engage in regular combat, often waiting in the car when responding or holed up in a safe room in VR when defending a facility.

A low level support hacker should still have at least Response 3, Signal 4, System 4, and Firewall 5. As Professional Rating increases these should increase by 1 per +2 professional rating except Signal which increase to 5 and then stays there. If they have a rich backing not reflected in professional rating this may increase.

Support Hacker Grunts usually have Logic and Willpower of at least 4 and Intuition of at least 3. They also have at least 3 Ranks in the Cracking and Electronics group. Generally for every +2 to Professional Rating increase their Cracking, Electronics, Logic, Willpower, and Intuition by 1. If they have an odd professional ranking give them specializations in Matrix Perception, Attack, and Signal Defense.

Sustained Programs: Biofeedback Filters, Armor, ECCM
Useful Programs: Find Mind
Important attacks: Crash, Seize, and sometimes Blackhammer.

Dicepools:

System 4/Firewall 5/Response 3/Signal 4
IC initiative: 13/1
Hacker Init: 8/3
Matrix Stealth: 6
Matrix Perception: 6, 8 For Connected Networks (IC runs Matrix Perception action each phase)
Defenses:
3 Signal Defense provided to the group.
8 Resistance against Connection programs.
8 Resistance against Signal/Handshake programs.
8 Icon Soak.
Biofilter value 9.
Willpower 4.
Programs: 7 dice.

+2 Professional Rating:

System 5/Firewall 6/Response 4/Signal 5
IC initiative: 16/1
Hacker Init: 10/3
Matrix Stealth: 8
Matrix Perception: 4, 10 For Connected Networks (IC runs Matrix Perception action each phase)
Defenses:
4 Signal Defense provided to the group.
10 Resistance against Connection programs.
10 Resistance against Signal/Handshake programs.
10 Icon Soak.
Biofilter value 11.
Willpower 5.
Programs: 9 dice.

+4 Professional Rating:

System 6/Firewall 7/Response 5/Signal 5
IC initiative: 19/1
Hacker Init: 12/3
Matrix Stealth: 10
Matrix Perception: 10, 12 For Connected Networks (IC runs Matrix Perception action each phase)
Defenses:
5 Signal Defense provided to the group.
12 Resistance against Connection programs.
12 Resistance against Signal/Handshake programs.
12 Icon Soak.
Biofilter value 13.
Willpower 6.
Programs: 11 dice.

+6 Professional Rating:

System 7/Firewall 8/Response 6/Signal 5
IC initiative: 21/1
Hacker Init: 14/3
Matrix Stealth: 12
Matrix Perception: 12, 14 For Connected Networks (IC runs Matrix Perception action each phase)
Defenses:
6 Signal Defense provided to the group.
14 Resistance against Connection programs.
14 Resistance against Signal/Handshake programs.
14 Icon Soak.
Biofilter value 15.
Willpower 7.
Programs: 13 dice.

For odd Profession ratings add +2 to Crash and Seize programs, +2 to signal defense, and +2 to Matrix Perception.

Dedicated Server Security:

Large servers help primarily to prevent you from needing on site security for most common server functions. A Hotel or AA apartment complex is unlikely to have dedicated server security, and probably just has one person who checks in every now and then, or they hire contract security for specific important events. Only high powered servers protecting the very rich or valuable corp facilities will have dedicated Server Security. Usually there will be a rotating staff with at least one person always running. In a self contained facility an off duty member might be on standby for a significant breach as well. On duty staff spend their time running Matrix Perception actions and Matrix Free Actions toggling through incorporated devices to see if anything is amiss, generally sticking biased towards important devices over meaningless ones.

Dedicated Server Security are those who are generally permanently running server security from the location of the Server. Because they have a server backing them up they are more interested in identifying threats and devising responses than they are in crashing a network. Someone hacking a server might very well be in a position that crashing their network just puts them out of your reach. In return usually hackers of a server aren't looking to Crash the server, since doing so would put the facility on full alert and prevent them from accessing information on the Server. Therefore, rather than Crash battles, Server intrusions are handled a little differently.

Server Security rely on the power of the Server and it's IC and architecture to handle initial defense and use their actions to pursue the threat in order to form a response. Security usually responds with a Probe to any identified threat. If the offending network is connected then a Backtrack is used to find their location and send out a response team. Once the Backtrack the Security works on disabling the hacker by repeated Seize attempts, or fishes for more information using Taxman. They may also use Misplace to prevent the intruder from acquiring information.

If the offending network has not yet connected then after the initial probe they will start running Denial on the offending network to slow it down or potentially disable the intrusion attempt, switching to alternative means if the offender does connect.

Dedicated Server Security are usually well trained expensive individuals and running on powerful Servers. While anyone of any skill could be connected to a server and defending it, only powerful servers will have someone running defense before an intrusion is discovered, and that person is likely to be quiet competent. Assume at least 5 for the three mental hacking stats and 5 ranks in the Cracking and Electronics skill groups. Usually they will also have a specialization in Analysis Programs, Signal Defense, and Defense.

A Standard Corporate Server Protector:

System 7/Firewall 7/Response 7/Signal 6
IC initiative: 21/1
Hacker Init: 14/3
Matrix Stealth: 14 dice -1 Hit, capped at 6 hits.
Matrix Perception: 10, Also see the Servers section
Defenses:
7 Signal Defense.
14 Resistance against Connection programs.
14 Resistance against Signal/Handshake programs.
14 Icon Soak.
Biofilter value 14.
Willpower 5.
Programs: 10 dice.
Analysis (Probe, Backtrack): 12 Dice.

Ares Headquarters:
7s for all attributes, 7 ranks in all skills, Cerebral Booster 2, Encephalon 2

System 9/Firewall 9/Response 9/Signal 7
IC initiative: 27/1
Hacker Init: 19/4
Matrix Stealth: 17 dice -1 Hit, capped at 8 hits.
Matrix Perception: 14, Also see the Servers section
Defenses:
8 Signal Defense.
19 Resistance against Connection programs.
19 Resistance against Signal/Handshake programs.
18 Icon Soak.
Biofilter value 18.
Willpower 7.
Programs: 19 dice.
Analysis (Probe, Backtrack): 21 Dice.

Special Ops Hackers:

Spec Ops Hackers are members of an elite Hacking Team. Only very good teams can have them. They 1 less in each Mental attribute than a comparable professional rating Support Hacker. They always have an Attack specialization. They make up for this by being almost as skilled as the rest of their squad in shooting (-1 to all attributes, -1 to firearms and close combat). After Crashing down an enemy, they have Blackhammer to follow up with a kill and usually Seize as well for when capture is necessary. They also hack server or devices when needed.

Rigger:

Riggers generally have similar stats to support hackers, and almost all are support hackers in addition to Riggers. They have Gunnery and Pilot equal to their other stats for whatever Drones they own, and can operate the Drone or Vehicle Jumped In. They may give orders if they have multiples or if they want to fulfill the Support Hacker role.

Remote Hacker:

Remote Hackers are individuals who engage in hacking from a distance. For stats use Support Hackers, however Remote Hackers usually have +2 signal over a comparable Support Hacker, work alone, and try to stay far away from enemies, working from a nondescript vehicle when Signal, Listening, or Handshake is needed. Alternatively they might work through Retransmitters attached to drones to maintain distance.

Remote Hackers usually target servers, though they do hit PANs when needed. Remote Hackers have Matrix Stealth or Exploit specializations and run Probes into Taxman, Master Control, Jedi Trick, and Impersonate.

If a Remote Hacker gets into a Crash Battle, they have Crash, but they prefer to severe the connection by turning off some retransmitters or lowering signal.

Open Servers:

Some Servers are generally open to the public and while permissions are still and issue and no one wants their Server to get crashed, there is nothing super important that needs to be protected. Server ICs focus on using Terminate Connection or Denial in defense, but alert an external entity to make sure that any damage is corrected.

Sample Architecture:

3: Probe
6: Backtrack
9: Terminate Connection (repeating)

Operation Servers:

Operation Servers are industrial servers that managed the operation of an important facility. Sometimes they have some cameras attached as well, but if a facility is very important it might have one Security Server and one Operation Server. Operation Servers primarily run factories or research centers who aren't expecting serious physical intrusions. Because they run important research or production lines, you don't want them interfered with in any way, for that reason they tend to have a hard defense designed to discourage any electronic intrusion without any concern for the safety of intruders.

Sample Architecture:
3: Probe
6: Crash (Repeating)

Security Servers:

Security Servers are the kind that run the security system for a facility with significant protections against intrusion. These are obviously the kind your Shadowrunners will be most concerned about. The main purpose of a security server is to run a host of sensors and detection equipment and notify security both internal to the facility and external to the facility to respond to threats, but without sending out too many false alerts. While a Server can run on a bunch of rules to decide what the appropriate response to any given sensor output is, and there are ICs that can make those determinations, the easiest way to manage is to just have an actual human plugged in making decisions, and have the Server alert them to oddities so they can make decisions. That is why Security Servers are the kind that have Dedicated Server Security the most often.

A Security Server is the kind described there, and doesn't just want to crash out offending networks, because Security Servers know that Shadowrunners will just try again if you keep giving them more chances, so a Security Server tries to identify and locate a hacking threat so that the Server Security can direct a proper response.

Sample Architecture:
3: Probe
6: Backtrack
9: Backtrack
12: Denial (repeating)

A Server that successfully runs Backtrack through it's architecture will update the IC and the admin user if there is one of the location as soon as the intrusion is detected.

[Lokathor]

Pros:

[*]Use of the word "incorporated" for a Device being subsumed into a larger Network is probably better than "linked".
[*]Having any guidelines at all as to where the Matrix Backbone is.

[Kaelik]

Pros:

[*]Use of the word "incorporated" for a Device being subsumed into a larger Network is probably better than "linked".
[*]Having any guidelines at all as to where the Matrix Backbone is.

PROGRAMS

[Lokathor]

The more I talk with others, the more I realize that Deadzone just can't be rated.

Jamming and its cousin Spam make total sense as ratings that act like Background. Too much wireless = bad. There's a really big limit on the EM you can have in a space, but the limit on how much useful EM you can fit into a space is way smaller, so it's easy to clog it up. Makes sense to the brain.

However, Dead Zone isn't a single rating because being "on The Matrix" is actually a two-part process.
[*]You can stand 41 meters away from a Signal 500 Cell Tower with your Signal 1 Commlink. You can "hear" all the info you want from the Cell Tower, but you can't tell it what you want to hear about. Useless.
[*]You have a fancy Signal 8 Commlink but you're FooNum meters away from what's left of I-84, basically in the middle of no-where. You can shout all the messages you want over to the Matrix Backbone under that paved road nearby (I-84) but they can't get the response back to you because they only have signal [something less like 8 and more like 3].

So "Dead Zone" shouldn't be a thing, and "can pull off Handshake with a designated Matrix Backbone device" should be a thing.

The part about the roads being the baseline location for Backbone is really good. The part about the lanes is weird because you'd space them minimally to avoid overlap to keep costs low, and I don't want to calculate the spacing on the fly and stuff like that. It's probably a lot easier to say that a Backbone Retransmitter is a Signal 3/Receiver 1 device that's every 300 meters along every paved road that's had any construction since 2064. And they don't normally re-broadcast the signal to the next thing, they take it in and then run it along the fiberoptic cable that also runs under the road (which has been buried next to every paved road since 2035 or so).

[Kaelik]

The fact that RELAYING MESSAGES through a device you don't own is something you find a priori impossible and inconceivable when it's literally spelled out in the Ends is weird.

I have no idea what your insane commitment to creating deadzones 3 meters away from Matrix Backbones is, but it's really dumb and doesn't even make since in the fiction.

[Lokathor]

Actually if you look at the Signal range chart you'll see that standard commercial commlinks (Signal 3) would get high density handshake within 400m of a road, and low density handshake within 4km of a road. If the user also has a receiver module it goes out to 1km high / 10km low.

So, sure, your toaster doesn't get onto the Matrix all by itself as easily because it's a tiny little Signal 1 thing, but it hooks into the house wifi and then off it goes, simsensing all the toast it can imagine.

[Kaelik]

Actually if you look at the Signal range chart you'll see that standard commercial commlinks (Signal 3) would get high density handshake within 400m of a road, and low density handshake within 4km of a road. If the user also has a receiver module it goes out to 1km high / 10km low.

So, sure, your toaster doesn't get onto the Matrix all by itself as easily because it's a tiny little Signal 1 thing, but it hooks into the house wifi and then off it goes, simsensing all the toast it can imagine.

Standard commercial commlinks with signal 3 would be able to get high density signal within 400m of a road, AND they also would get signal 400m into a deadzone 3.

So you are in fact STILL describing how you would give a -3 penalty to all Technomancers when they are 400m away from the road, and a -1 penalty (the start of a deadzone) when they are more than 3 meters away.

[Lokathor]

No, you misunderstand. I'm suggesting that it's just plain unrated matrix terrain now. You either are or are not within handshake range of a larger Matrix and thus can or can't do trans-matrix handshaking things involving Networks that are far, far away from you. Most importantly you can make Research checks against way more data stores than are probably right next to you. Also, you can send mail and make calls and stuff like that. That's it. Dead Zone isn't shifting your Resonance down by its Rating, since it has none.

That said, the rules for Sprite/Techno-ghost movement should I suppose then be updated such that (1) you can't move from X to Y if you can't reach your personal Signal at point X to point Y and (2) you can't move to a place with literally no electronics within your Signal range (such as outer space, or untouched forests) and are booted back to the Deep Resonance or your body if the very last electronic in an area is destroyed. The first part means that you still can't freely jump in and out of a faraday cage or wifi paint box (there's of course an Echo to bypass this limit) and the second part is borderline flavor, since nearly any place you care about going can just have some electronics taken to it by your friends if you're that serious about it.

Also, while we're kinda on the subject, it's rather obvious that there is (or at least, should be if there is not currently) not just one "the whole Matrix", but actually several "a Matrix" blobs, and then different Matrix blobs can connect with each other through specially dedicated (very high latency) routes. So you can send a call from Earth to the Moon, but it takes a whopping 1.3s to get the message there, so you can't do any realtime simsense or other high density stuff, but you could totally have a Research check get routed there and get a reply back in a bit.

[Trill]

How (if at all) should Jedi Trick interact with devices with more than a binary outcome (Pass/Fail)?
With a door it's easy to say: Either it opens or it doesn't.
Same with a SIN Scanner, either it gives the okay or it doesn't.

But what for stuff like a Cyberware Scanner? What's "Pass" in their case? What's "Fail"?
Same with a street light? Would it just change the state? Would it go to a particular state?

My current idea is that it basically doesn't work on them, but I'm not sure about that.

[Grek]

Jedi Trick lets you act like you had the 'correct' credentials for whatever definition of 'correct' you care to use. So for a Cyberware Scanner, you could make it show whatever readings you want, and for a street light you can do fuck all because street lights operate on a timer and don't respond to the outside world.

[Trill]

Jedi Trick lets you act like you had the 'correct' credentials for whatever definition of 'correct' you care to use.

Ah, so you're saying that you transmit what kind of data it is and that it is correct? Because I understood it more as a query that you answer with a placeholder.
So normally it's "Ask for data -> Receive data -> Check data -> If data is correct -> Do X" and with Jedi Trick it's "Ask for data -> Jedi Trick -> Do X"

So for a Cyberware Scanner, you could make it show whatever readings you want,

As above, since it says "Bypasses a request for a password or show of credentials". A cyberware scanner doesn't ask for credentials any more than a camera does.

and for a street light you can do fuck all because street lights operate on a timer and don't respond to the outside world.

In the fifth world, sure. I'm sure that in the sixth world those are all networked and controlled by the GridGuide.

[Grek]

From a fluff perspective, Jedi Trick reaches into the device and does manually does whatever the device would do if it had gotten a correct input. For a Cyberware Scanner, that usually means "Display the results on this screen" and in that case Jedi Trick lets you reach in and make the screen say whatever you want it to say. Or write whatever results you want to log, or whatever other thing the scanner is supposed to do.

For a street light, there's no request for credentials. It's a light, it changes colours. Jedi Trick is not the button that does this job. You could maybe hack GridGuide, but that's different from hacking an individual light.