Shadowrun
Shadowrun General => Gear => Topic started by: Rooks on <11-17-15/2338:57>
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as topic I see its in run and gun but not what it does or how much it costs or availability
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Are you talking about in the Communications Gear table on p. 87? If so, great question! I've no idea. It's the only use of the term Skinlink in the pdf. The only other place I can find Skinlink is in data trails talking about the technomancer echo.
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it's in SR4A (and it's NOT a great question If you know the former Editions ;) :) it's rather a sad Question ImO )
it used to be an alternative to a cable using the Skins electric field to transport impulses.
it used to cost 50 ¥ with an avail of 6.
IIRC its a paste containing Nanites that you apply on your Skin and the Nanites form a chain to direct the electrical Impulses from (f.E) your Hand that holds a Smartgun via your Arm & Shoulder to your Temple where its then connected to contactlenses (with a Smartlink), your Datajack or the ...strirrup/temple(?) of your Glasses (with Smartlink)
in essence its an alternative to a cable but since CGL wanted to boost the WiFi World (where everything should work better with wireless (Which it doesn't) and player Chars are supposed to be vulnerable to Wireless Matrix Attacks)
they omitted Skinlink.
Ingame you could buy it until December of 2074 (when SR4A endet) but it disappeared from the Market in 2075
With a wired Dance
Medicineman
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CFD ate it. Nanites are bad mkay.
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it's in SR4A (and it's NOT a great question If you know the former Editions ;) :) it's rather a sad Question ImO )
it used to be an alternative to a cable using the Skins electric field to transport impulses.
it used to cost 50 ¥ with an avail of 6.
IIRC its a paste containing Nanites that you apply on your Skin and the Nanites form a chain to direct the electrical Impulses from (f.E) your Hand that holds a Smartgun via your Arm & Shoulder to your Temple where its then connected to contactlenses (with a Smartlink), your Datajack or the ...strirrup/temple(?) of your Glasses (with Smartlink)
in essence its an alternative to a cable but since CGL wanted to boost the WiFi World (where everything should work better with wireless (Which it doesn't) and player Chars are supposed to be vulnerable to Wireless Matrix Attacks)
they omitted Skinlink.
Ingame you could buy it until December of 2074 (when SR4A endet) but it disappeared from the Market in 2075
With a wired Dance
Medicineman
...not just Wireless Matrix attacks, but also noise and "dead signal" areas. Was on a mission recently where we were stuck in "Nowheresville" TN. and none of our wireless dependent gear worked (including even Smartlink Implants for which essence was paid) as it was a dead signal area. Glad my character had a Bio- and Geneware for her sensory and armour augmentations as well as decent gun pools.
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...not just Wireless Matrix attacks, but also noise and "dead signal" areas. Was on a mission recently where we were stuck in "Nowheresville" TN. and none of our wireless dependent gear worked (including even Smartlink Implants for which essence was paid) as it was a dead signal area. Glad my character had a Bio- and Geneware for her sensory and armour augmentations as well as decent gun pools.
just a quick note here ... the gear should still function in a dead zone they just don't get the wireless bonus
for example smartlink would still provide the accuracy bonus but not the dice pool bonus
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...not just Wireless Matrix attacks, but also noise and "dead signal" areas. Was on a mission recently where we were stuck in "Nowheresville" TN. and none of our wireless dependent gear worked (including even Smartlink Implants for which essence was paid) as it was a dead signal area. Glad my character had a Bio- and Geneware for her sensory and armour augmentations as well as decent gun pools.
just a quick note here ... the gear should still function in a dead zone they just don't get the wireless bonus
for example smartlink would still provide the accuracy bonus but not the dice pool bonus
If your smartgun is connected via Cable to your DJ or Smartglasses ;)
No Cable, No WiFi = No Connection.
No Connection = No Bonus/Mod
with a 5 ¥ Dance
Medicineman
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Yes, but in the wireless world of Shadowrun, there is always some access, even if it remote.
A "Remote, enclosed place (cave, desert ruin)" is listed as Noise 6, pg 231.
So even in "Nowheresville" you would have some sort of access, albeit with a high amount of noise because of the signal "dead zone."
The two items would have the ability to communicate with one another (distance being 0m between them), you just wouldn't benefit from the wireless bonus.
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If your smartgun is connected via Cable to your DJ or Smartglasses ;)
No Cable, No WiFi = No Connection.
No Connection = No Bonus/Mod
Yes, but in the wireless world of Shadowrun, there is always some access, even if it remote.
A "Remote, enclosed place (cave, desert ruin)" is listed as Noise 6, pg 231.
So even in "Nowheresville" you would have some sort of access, albeit with a high amount of noise because of the signal "dead zone."
The two items would have the ability to communicate with one another (distance being 0m between them), you just wouldn't benefit from the wireless bonus.
correct ... even in a signal dead zone unless there is something specifically blocking your gear you still have access to it's built in capabilities
dead zones only prevent access to the matrix because you're out of range or being blocked ... you could be in a Faraday cage and would be able to interact with anything that also inside the cage with you just nothing outside of it
you can even use commlinks to communicate with each other in these zones as long as you are with in range of the individual devices themselves since you can not access the wireless network that would extend your range and your able to over come the noise level if present
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???
A signal Dead Zone means NO connection to the Matrix. Am I right ?
and Yo get all those wonderfull Wireless Bonuses if Your gimmick (Gun, extendable Baton,etc) is connected Wireless to the Matrix .
So If You have NO Wireless connection to the Matrix you can't get the Wireless Bonus.
It is of no meaning if Your Gun can ccommunicate with your Comlink. It gets its Bonuses (Wired and Wireless ) from the Connection to the Matrix.
Thats one of the Baselines of SR5 !
you can even use commlinks to communicate with each other in these zones as long as you are with in range of the individual devices themselves since you can not access the wireless network that would extend your range and your able to over come the noise level if present
I'm not sure if this is RAW (I'm not talking if this makes sense ;) )
AFAIR only the Microtranceiver can communicate ( Range 1 KM) WITHOUT resorting to the Matrix. Every other
Items needs the Matrix.
Now You want to tell me that Commlinks can communicate without the Matrix ?
I highly doubt that.
Plese show me a Page to read it myself and what Range does a Commlink which is not connected to the Matrix
have ?
with a doubtfull Dance
Medicineman
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But Medicineman, remember, The Accuracy bonus of a Smartlink device isn't a Wireless Bonus, it is a basic effect. The Wireless Bonus is the extra dice on attacks.
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I'm not talking about wireless bonus here, only the built in capabilities of the gear. You still need wireless (ie matrix) access to get the extra bonuses
as far as commlink vs transceiver ... a transceiver is really just a stripped down commlink I don't have my book in front of me to give page number references (look up wireless connectivity and noise) but basically all devices have some sort of built in range based on their device ratings relative to noise level and other environmental noise factors ... as long as two devices are within the adjusted range of each other then they can communicate with each other. doesn't matter if it's a smartgun, kitchen appliance, or your commlink
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You wouldn't get any Wireless bonus, but you'd get the inherent (in the case of a smartlink, accuracy) bonus. Your PAN still exists, your gun can talk to your comlink can talk to your glasses can talk to your wired-reflexes. But none of these things can talk to the MATRIX, so you can't get any wireless bonuses. But the device itself still works.
A current world example would be that your garmin running watch can still talk to your smartphone and give you GPS location and your current heart-rate and pace, but if you don't have cell/wifi signal you can't compare your route to others or if you don't have maps loaded locally on your phone the GPS cords don't do you any good as you've no way to visualize them. Watch still works, but you don't get the bonus features of an internet connection.
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But Medicineman, remember, The Accuracy bonus of a Smartlink device isn't a Wireless Bonus, it is a basic effect. The Wireless Bonus is the extra dice on attacks.
I Know :)
Thats Why I wrote that You need a Cable to connect the Smartgun with your Sensors Smartlink.
What Is more of " an Issue" to me right now is that Banshee & Kiirnodel Argue that you can communicate with Commlinks in a Signal Dead Zone
and that You should get the Wired Bonus for Smartlinks in a Signal Dead Zone
Your PAN still exists, your gun can talk to your comlink can talk to your glasses can talk to your wired-reflexes. But none of these things can talk to the MATRIX, so you can't get any wireless bonuses. But the device itself still works.
How can They Communicate with each Other ?
A wvia Cable
B Wireless Via the Matrix
If B is not possiblem, than it's only A
Thats what I'm saying al along
What "bothers " me is the Statement taht Comlinks can communicate in a Signal Dead Zone
you can even use commlinks to communicate with each other in these zones as long as you are with in range of the individual devices themselves since you can not access the wireless network that would extend your range and your able to over come the noise level if present
With a wireless Dance
Medicineman
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I'm not disagreeing with you. You are correct, if the ambient Noise of an area is greater than the Device Rating of the device then you don't get Wireless Bonuses.
I think the issue might be that we're using terms like "Dead Zone" which isn't actually defined in the game rules. Technically SR5 uses terms like "Static Zone" or "Remote" which refers to areas that have high Noise Ratings. They basically state out-right that there is no such thing as a place where there flat-out is NO Matrix
The other thing there is that you seem to have a misunderstanding of how a PAN functions, slaving a device to another means that the two are in direct communication with one another. That is why the benefits and drawbacks of slaving works the way it does.
In any case, like I said before, you can use a Smartlink (get the +2 Accuracy) in a Spam/Static Zone, you just might not get the full benefits from the Wireless Bonus (+2 dice)
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In any case, like I said before, you can use a Smartlink (get the +2 Accuracy) in a Spam/Static Zone, you just might not get the full benefits from the Wireless Bonus (+2 dice)
That is right, but the Smartgun and the Smartlink have to communicate with each other somehow to get a Bonus !
And that is what I said before :)
Technically SR5 uses terms like "Static Zone" or "Remote" which refers to areas that have high Noise Ratings.
And if the Noise rating is so high that it brings Wireless communication to cero a static zone turns into a Dead Zone, right ?
They basically state out-right that there is no such thing as a place where there flat-out is NO Matrix
what about .....
Desert, Jungle, Arctic Environment,Valleys, or the CZ (Containment Zone of Chicago)
with a Dance in an extreme Environment
Medicineman
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Quote
In any case, like I said before, you can use a Smartlink (get the +2 Accuracy) in a Spam/Static Zone, you just might not get the full benefits from the Wireless Bonus (+2 dice)
That is right, but the Smartgun and the Smartlink have to communicate with each other somehow to get a Bonus !
And that is what I said before :)
Honestly that may very well make sense in a real world situation, however as written the only thing effected is the wireless bonuses
Quote
Technically SR5 uses terms like "Static Zone" or "Remote" which refers to areas that have high Noise Ratings.
And if the Noise rating is so high that it brings Wireless communication to cero a static zone turns into a Dead Zone, right ?
pretty much ... at least that's the way we interpret it for Missions
Quote
They basically state out-right that there is no such thing as a place where there flat-out is NO Matrix
what about .....
Desert, Jungle, Arctic Environment,Valleys, or the CZ (Containment Zone of Chicago)
there is still technically a matrix there ... the questions is can you over come the noise level to get a signal through
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...as I recall the noise level was very high (don't remember the exact number).
As the character was also an adept, had to be careful with Essence to not go under 5. A datajack would have cut it real close.
Really could have used a skinlink for the smartlink and vision enhancements on the Ballistic Mask.
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again, I can't say this enough noise level (aka static, remote, or dead zones) only effect the wireless functions of devices and therefore only effect the wireless bonuses
page 421
When an item has additional functionality when connected to the Matrix, it’s described under the “Wireless” entry in the item’s description. This functionality only applies when the device has access to the Matrix, which is most of the time unless your gamemaster says otherwise, like if you’ve entered a wireless static zone. If there is a Noise Rating from a situation that is greater than the item’s Device Rating, not including distance, the item temporarily loses its wireless functionality (see Noise, p. 230).
also as note in regards to what this thread started about ... skinlink would also not have any effect on this either
skinlink would most likely make it harder if not impossible to hack your PAN because your would be in direct contact with all of your linked devices but without matrix access you still would not have any wireless functionality and therefore wireless bonuses ... which I think is why it does not exist in 5E since it is kind of pointless
now there is a technomancer echo of the same name, but the big advantage there is that techno's can now slave devices to their living persona and creating a PAN by physical contact
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...guess it's time to go throwback and "jack in" again.
That +2 pool bonus would have been real handy to have on the last Mission, especially on one particular occasion.
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I have a phone and a bluetooth headset... it doesn't matter if I have wifi or not, it works.
However, I can only play what music is on the phone.
If I'm connected to wifi I can run pandora or spotify (the matrix bonus for this item)
Smartgun systems can still link to smart link (just as my phone links to the headset) and so you get the+accuracy bonus just because the two devices can communicate with each other normally..
What connecting to the matrix does, is provide the smartgun system more processing power and up to date information to compensate for things like wind so you get a +2 DP bonus.
With the advent of the router, you can connect the datajack to the weapon and get wireless functionality. How this is suppose to work for a smartgun system is beyond me as the text on smartgun system indicates it uses the matrix for information.
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...prior to 4th ed, there was no need (nor way) for a smartlinked gun to talk to the matrix, or for that matter, cyber implants and most other gear (save for cyberdecks, telecom units, and simsense decks). All the bonuses offered were granted completely through their internal systems and sensors as it was not a "wireless world" back then. The only "wireless" comm (phones transceivers, radios, etc.) was over radio or cell frequencies which were separate from the Matrix. A Commlink back then was nothing more than an implanted frequency scanner that assisted with the use of other implanted comm gear. Other than this, everything was "hardwired", and therefore, it's own self contained independent system. The only way to gain access from outside, would be to physically jack into the item or implant or person's datakack.
Archaic in comparison to "today's" (the 2070s) wireless world? Yes, but still very functional. Systems from (or designed and built on the principles of) Pre Crash 2 era tech are what are termed "throwbacks" in the current game world. By logic, they should function just as well as their wireless counterparts, granting their full bonus for whatever task they are designed for without the need for involving the Matrix "cloud".
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the Bluetooth equivalent that ares predator IV used to connect to the smartlink is being interfered with by special jamming signals so that us consumers need to buy updated model... but that's only in civilized areas, so it should work fine in matrix blackout areas.
but eriously, SR5 Core 232:
Some devices don’t have wireless capability. Usually
this is because the person who bought the device
couldn’t afford one that was less than ten years old, or
because they thought they’d be more secure without
wireless. These devices are called throwbacks. Throwbacks
can’t be accessed by wireless connection, so they
can’t be controlled remotely or get a wireless bonus for
being connected to the Matrix. They still have universal
data connectors, so you can connect to them (and hack
them) by jacking in directly.
<emphasis mine>so whatever made the old predator IV work to get the DP bonus just doesn't work anymore.
But wait: Sail Away Little Sister
ARES PREDATOR III
A favorite of law enforcement in the 2060s, the Predator
III combines a rugged frame with a menacing appearance.
Its integrated smartlink system is incompatible with
modern wireless protocols and requires a translator program
and either a fiber optic cable or skinlink to interact
with modern PANs. Older, pre-Crash 2.0 smartlink systems
(such as the one possessed by Lieutenant Lydia Bowden)
require no such adaptations to function properly with the
pistol.
<again, emphasis mine>
so SR3 weapons require a translation program but SR1/SR2 work just fine....
Well then, give me my SR2 Ruger Thunderhawk
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...so according to SASS, an older smartlinked weapon and if one had an "old school" implant and a hardwired connection with a datajack the weapon would work as it should (granting all bonuses) without needing to talk to the Matrix.
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By SASS, yup...
but I believe it's just another example of the right hand not knowing what the left hand is doing.
These writers should all get to gether and hash things out before muddying the waters further.
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...so by that token, one could just put in their character background that they started with an "older model" smartlink implant and gun as that's all the street doc as well as her fixer could find at the time (thus bypassing all the wireless issues like noise and being hacked).
Or they could be older, back from before Crash 2 when all gear and 'ware were hardwired.
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You could do that...
But I'd probably treat it like the Lassiter in Firefly.
(http://i54.photobucket.com/albums/g100/YviThings/puttering/t21.jpg)
"Do you think it'll still fire?" *spark sputter fizz* "Oh well, still worth a fortune."
SR1-3 were what the 80's thought "the future" would look like. SR4 finally admitted that modern day had completely surpassed their expectations, so they started adding in modern marvels like WiFi. And SR5 went back and rebalanced things after they went overboard and let anyone with a smartphone become a hacker.
So now SR5 has much more balance and checks in place. Risk vs reward in the form of wireless vulnerability. If you want the extra dice, you have to open yourself up to potential attack.
No cheating. No antiques. Sorry =)
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after they went overboard and let anyone with a smartphone become a hacker
I must have started playing 4th edition after that. Low DR commlinks are more capable of hacking in 5e than they were in 4e.
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Until they came out with Data Trails, and let people plug in an Attack or Sleaze dongle, Commlinks couldn't hack anything in SR5.
In order to actually hack, you need some amount of Attack or Sleaze rating so you can perform those actions. Commlinks only have Data Processing and Firewall by default.
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I think some of you are under the impression that the wireless bonus has something to do with your connection with your device. The wireless bonus you get is because of the information your device gets from the martix, not the device itself. In other words, when you are using your sniper rifle and are connected to the matrix, it pulls humidity, wind, and weather information and uses ARO'S to help you. You don't get wireless bonuses if you 'jack in' with a data jack because you still aren't connected to the matrix. All that does is eliminate noise to specific devices, it won't help eliminate noise to the matrix. You do get accuracy bonus because you are still receiving information from your device via your PAN, and other info (bullets left in your mag, barrel temperature, etc).
I think they mislead with the term 'wireless bonus'. It should be 'matrix bonus'.
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Until they came out with Data Trails, and let people plug in an Attack or Sleaze dongle, Commlinks couldn't hack anything in SR5.
In order to actually hack, you need some amount of Attack or Sleaze rating so you can perform those actions. Commlinks only have Data Processing and Firewall by default.
Doesn't change the situation, nor does it change that while you had the relevant attributes in 4e, you were toast if you tried to use them like your disposable commlink was made by Fairlight.
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I think they mislead with the term 'wireless bonus'. It should be 'matrix bonus'.
This ^
Although there are some items that use "wireless bonuses" just to talk with each other. Like Wired Reflexes and Reaction Enhancers, nothing about them working together requires Matrix connections, just a way for them to talk to each other. That would be a "wireless bonus" that can also run through an Internal Router.
When you hold a Smartgun in hand, with a Smartlink installed in some kind of Eyeware... you automatically receive an Accuracy bonus. That is the gun communicating with your HUD, whether by wireless or a cable trailing down your sleeve. The bonus attack dice comes from the gun communicating directly with the Matrix at large. That bonus will not work through an Internal Router or direct connection. There has to be open communication with the Matrix. So Jamming will prevent you from getting the bonus dice.
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....I agree that it would make more sense to call it "Matrix Bonus".
Still having a difficult time conceptually with the fact what worked before wouldn't now particularly if old gear/ware was well cared for and maintained or faithfully reproduced using the original schematics from the pre wireless days. Gear and 'ware operated totally independent of the matrix until Crash 2.0 (4th ed). Why would it no longer function just because the old Matrix was crashed in the 60s after which it was resurrected to become the "worldwide wireless cloud" of the 2070s?
I have no issue with a "reset" (which is what 4th ed essentially was), but to retcon and say, no, an older piece of gear just will not work like it should because it doesn't connect to the "cloud" (even though it didn't need to in the past) doesn't make sense from a continuity standpoint.
Given the base ambient noise in a city, a lot of gear would be pretty useless because it is DR 0 as even a noise rating of 1 would block it from connecting to the matrix.
This is where I feel SASS got it right. "Legacy" gear would still work as always. It may be uncommon and/or require custom work, thus it might have a higher price tag for the advantage of "flying under the radar".
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here's a question:
How do you know that old smartlinks don't just provide the +2 acc bonus?
Things have changed a LOT since the rules of 3e. New attributes, new mechanics, Edge, limits, and everything else.
It's entirely possible that, that is all they ever did back in the good ol' days. (since there wasn't limits, or edge, and fewer attributes, etc)
So now in the "future" (of the future set game) they not only provide the +2 acc bonus, but if they are wireless, they actually help you shoot better too (for the +2 DP).
and really, it doesn't matter. The smartlink in the book is the only with we have to use. So use it.
And:
All of you seem to miss this little piece of info (EVERYTIME!)
page 27 SaSS
Several of the qualities,
metamagic techniques, spells, and weapon modifications
listed here are not detailed in the Shadowrun, Fifth Edition
core rulebook. Supplemental rulebooks such as Run Faster
and Street Grimoire, which will provide more details about
these items, are coming soon. Where necessary, though,
interim rules are presented here. Any rules presented here
will be superseded by later supplemental rulebooks.
which I take to mean as: "we are not too sure yet what we are doing, so nothing listed here counts if its NOT in a core book. (SaSS is an ENHANCED FICTION after all, and not a rules book, or a gear book... it's a story book)
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and now, lets look at the entry in it's entirety:
page 31
FIREARMS
ARES PREDATOR III
A favorite of law enforcement in the 2060s, the Predator
III combines a rugged frame with a menacing appearance.
Its integrated smartlink system is incompatible with
modern wireless protocols and requires a translator program
and either a fiber optic cable or skinlink to interact
with modern PANs. Older, pre-Crash 2.0 smartlink systems
(such as the one possessed by Lieutenant Lydia Bowden)
require no such adaptations to function properly with the
pistol.
SR5
ACC DAM AP MODE RC AMMO AVAIL COST
5 (7) 7P –1 SA — 15 (c) 6R 600¥
SR4A
DAM AP MODE RC AMMO AVAIL COST
5P –1 SA — 15(c) 6R 600¥
Now, lookie at that nifty entry for ACC of 5e.... it states: 5(7) for the smartlink being used.
So the smartlink is providing a +2 acc bonus (the EXACT SAME BONUS as listed in the CRB 5e)
And since we KNOW it's not a wireless enabled smart system (meaning both the link and gun) that would be no wireless bonus for the +2 DP. why? CAUSE IT'S A WIRELESS BONUS!! - you need access to the matrix and the proper gear to get that extra +2 dice.
But really. Why don't you just ASK Patrick? He wrote it all and he posts here. Get him to end the whining.
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This seems to be a common theme around here lately... asking for stuff from older editions, which doesn't work quite the same way anymore. "Hey, can we have retro antique Version 1.0 that does what it used to do before???"
I came up with a good analogy. Each version of Shadowrun is progressing further down the timeline, sure. But it's also... a Parallel Universe! In one universe, technology never progressed past how the 80's envisioned "the future" would turn out. Computers have to be hardlined from end to end, and you're lucky they don't still rely on vacuum tubes and punch cards.
But in another universe, technology caught up to what we call "modern day" and includes micro circuitry, wireless networking, and all that stuff. However, some things that may still exist in the other universes, don't work quite the same way you'd expect.
So... if your character gets a magic mirror, or a Sliders (anyone remember that show) remote control gizmo... and then travel from the SR3 universe into the SR5 universe, they're going to discover that their Smartgun works differently in one than in the other. It's the same gun, it's the same mean streets of Seattle, but some things are just different.
That's why Smartlinks worked one way in SR3, and now they work another way in SR5.
(http://i.imgur.com/YsbKHg1.gif)
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But really. Why don't you just ASK Patrick? He wrote it all and he posts here. Get him to end the whining.
To semi-quote a great man---
Wait...
You expected someone to ask the person who might have an answer and stop whining.... on the internet?????
Go home. You're drunk!
:P
::)
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But really. Why don't you just ASK Patrick? He wrote it all and he posts here. Get him to end the whining.
To semi-quote a great man---
Wait...
You expected someone to ask the person who might have an answer and stop whining.... on the internet?????
Go home. You're drunk!
:P
::)
Dude. Look at my sub caption.
I'm only 60% drunk!
The rest is all asshole
:P
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If you want a "retro" Smartlink without wifi shenanigans, the German 2050 Supplement has you covered, since that one was written for SR5, not 4.
You make all your connections via cable and get +2 ACC, but NO bonus dice.
If you want wired Smartlink + Bonusdice, play fourth edition, the mechanics have changed.
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If you want a "retro" Smartlink without wifi shenanigans, the German 2050 Supplement has you covered, since that one was written for SR5, not 4.
You make all your connections via cable and get +2 ACC, but NO bonus dice.
If you want wired Smartlink + Bonusdice, play fourth edition, the mechanics have changed.
In 5th you have two options to get the +2 ACC. from your smartgun system: plug in either to an imaging device that has smartlink or wireless in concert with DNI
You also have two options to get the bonus dice: plug in to cybernetic smartlink via a router or wireless to any imaging device with smartlink.
The only thing that seems to only have one option is the wind modifier mitigation since you need up to date atmospheric conditions provided by the Matrix.
It's strange the rules do not give the accuracy bonus to non-DNI imaging devices wireless.
All these people with characters that have smartlink contacts must miss the following:
The smartgun features
are accessed either by universal access port cable to an
imaging device (like glasses, goggles, or a datajack for
someone with cybereyes) or by a wireless connection
working in concert with direct neural interface
I guess they must stick a cable directly from the contact to the gun :P
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If you want a "retro" Smartlink without wifi shenanigans, the German 2050 Supplement has you covered, since that one was written for SR5, not 4.
You make all your connections via cable and get +2 ACC, but NO bonus dice.
If you want wired Smartlink + Bonusdice, play fourth edition, the mechanics have changed.
In 5th you have two options to get the +2 ACC. from your smartgun system: plug in either to an imaging device that has smartlink or wireless in concert with DNI
You also have two options to get the bonus dice: plug in to cybernetic smartlink via a router or wireless to any imaging device with smartlink.
The only thing that seems to only have one option is the wind modifier mitigation since you need up to date atmospheric conditions provided by the Matrix.
It's strange the rules do not give the accuracy bonus to non-DNI imaging devices wireless.
All these people with characters that have smartlink contacts must miss the following:
The smartgun features
are accessed either by universal access port cable to an
imaging device (like glasses, goggles, or a datajack for
someone with cybereyes) or by a wireless connection
working in concert with direct neural interface
I guess they must stick a cable directly from the contact to the gun :P
Using a router wont give you the bonus dice, only the ability to use functions that allow you to talk to the gun, like 'quick loading function of a smartgun' (CF, 84)
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This allows the use of some wireless functionality,
such as the quick-loading function of a smartgun or
the engagement of a smuggling compartment, but not
those that require an outside network or similar function,
such as skillwire downloads.
CF84<emphasis mine>
The wind modifiers mitigation need the matrix because somewhere it states the Matrix is providing up to date weather/atmospheric info.
Nowhere that I know of does it state that the DP bonus requires something from the matrix other than it the term 'wireless bonus',
So while it only mentions quick-loading for smartgun, to say this means it excludes all other functions of a smartgun would also mean it excludes all other wireless bonuses other than the two mentioned in the paragraph,
They shouldn't have created the router in the first place without having an exact list of which wireless functions it can process...
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oh Spirit's Sake!!!
It's like herding cats!!!
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This is why Wireless Bonus and Matrix Bonus shouldn't have been rolled into one term.
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Almost any weapon that isn't specifically a Throwback, comes with some basic wireless functions.
Firearms come with wireless capability and a digital ammunition counter. Ammunition (p. 433) is sold separately. All firearms have the following wireless bonuses in addition to any wireless bonuses on each model:
Wireless: The weapon displays an ARO that tells you ammo levels and ammo type loaded. If you have a DNI, you get two additional benefits. First, ejecting a clip (for weapons that have them) is a Free Action rather than a Simple Action. Second, changing fire modes (on models that have more than one) is a Free Action rather than a Simple Action.
These functions have nothing to do with the Smartlink. They just happen to be repeated verbatim in the Smartlink block to make it sound fancier.
Incorporating a small camera and laser range finder, the smartlink keeps track of ammunition, heat buildup, and material stress. If you have a smartlink, you can mentally switch between gun modes, eject a clip, and fire the gun without pulling the trigger. The camera lets you shoot around corners without exposing yourself to return fire (at a –3 dice pool penalty). The system makes use of advanced calculation software, allowing for precisely calculated trajectories and high precision over any distance.
Like I said, just a bunch of reiterated fluff, since any gun does most of those same things (except the camera corner shot, that's new)
Wireless: A wireless smartlink provides a dice pool bonus to all attacks with the weapon: +1 if you’re using gear with a smartlink or +2 if you’re using an augmentation for which you paid Essence. Ejecting a clip and changing fire modes are Free Actions.
And again it repeats the Eject and Fire Mode stuff, even though we know that's inherent to guns in general already.
So the only new function the wireless Smartgun has added is the bonus dice.
Everybody uses the Matrix. Most shadowrunners have multiple pieces of gear that use it, often interacting with the Matrix without them knowing it. Smartlinks use it to look up local conditions and calculate firing solutions, medkits access medical databases to analyze and diagnose injuries and then recommend treatment, and your clothes and armor use it to detect wear and tear. And tell you when it’s time to do the laundry.
Most smaller devices don't do a whole lot of processing on their own. They outsource it to the Matrix, and then act on the data when it comes back. That's why I think the dice pool bonus is a Matrix bonux, b/c the Smartgun sensors are recording data, sending that off into cyberspace, and then acting on the firing trajectory that comes back.