[nikolamat]

Cut down his share. Let the Johnson hire him solely for his expertise, send the group into a facility to escort him and let him analyze the data inside, then leave without performing a data steal because Johnson doesn't want it duplicated, he just wants to know what's in there. Let them also break into another part of the facility and steal some irrelevant data as a distraction.

Since the Johnson hires him purely for his knowledge, while the others are hired independently to escort him, he will get far less money. Maybe 60%, and no bonuses. The rest gets a bonus of another 10%~20% depending on how well they do with the distraction, covering their tracks on the real target and not leaving bodies (Johnson doesn't want too big a fuss, since that'd cause a fullblown investigation).

If he has to be escorted and only contributes Knowledge skills, it's simple: Knowledge Skills cost 50% of real skills. So he gets what nets out to 50% of the reward.

You could just handle negotiations privately, since he's hired by himself so won't be at the same location as the team being offered the job, so he'll only find out later. That will be a jerk move but really sends the message.

He actually now wants to play a hacker that doesn't go into the Matrix and can control Implants on enemies (if you have a cyberarm stop hitting yourself). Also how do you open locked doors in SR. I mean most of them will be keycard controlled right? so he can hack those maybe? Is there a way I could do that?

[Michael Chandra]

If they're connected to a security system, you could break open the wall, connect an optical tap and send a spoof command. You can also break it open with Hardware, then try to bypass it. There's rules for those somewhere, about how to get past Maglocks.

[nikolamat]

If they're connected to a security system, you could break open the wall, connect an optical tap and send a spoof command. You can also break it open with Hardware, then try to bypass it. There's rules for those somewhere, about how to get past Maglocks.

Thanks, but can you answer my previous question: Can you play a hacker without EVER going into the matrix?as far as im aware to hack implants connected to the matrix you actually go into the matrix right?

[Michael Chandra]

Technically, it depends on what you consider the matrix. If the matrix is logging into things in Virtual Reality, surfing it with your consciousness, then it's possible to go without, hacking purely in AR. Gives you less initiative and less passes but basically you tap a few keys on your commlink and stuff happens.

By the way, it's impossible to hack implants that don't have their wireless on. Smartguns, yes, those tend to be connected to an online commlink. But implants, no. Those are connected to your brain through DNI, which is unhackable unless they use VR-stuff that lets you mess with their brains. And only hackers and faces want that kind of stuff, hackers for VR and faces for linguasofts.

[Crunch]

AR hacker is perfectly viable.

In an investigation type game, like Call of Cthulhu or Dark Heresy, the professor archetype can work quite well. You could run an investigation type game with SR, but its a very specific type of game.

You could always combine the two ideas - A young post doc with mad computer skills running the shadows to pay off his college loans.

[GiraffeShaman]

Ask him to take some actual useful skills, such as hardware and first aid, that his type  of character might reasonably have. He may not be as good as the hardcore specialists, but he could contribute as a sort of skill monkey/jack of all trades.

Also you can force the issue.in to him in situations where he has to do things like fist fight, fight with a knife or sword, shoot a gun, and so on. Then give him some skill points in those areas the place of karma that the others are getting. In no time you'll have a competent runner, even if the foolish player is resisting it.

You...will...be....useful!

[Crunch]

I'd be really uncomfortable taking control of a player's character like that.

[emsquared]

Well then it isn't fun for the decker because he only gets 10 minutes to shine and they probably won't be any challenging with just a node or two. I think I'll stick to NPC hacker because none of my players really want to do that.

I get that you probably don't understand what I'm suggesting on how to run the Matrix but this is a moot point regardless. That stoic Street-sam? He only shines in combat, you're not gonna contract that out to NPCs. Plus it's really easy to be a superb combatant and Hacker, as an AR Hacker. Even as a Hot-sim Hacker, if all s/he can do is hack then either the player isn't very good at character building or they've chosen to only shine when there's matrix stuff to do anyway. A hacker sh/could also be the group's Medic, their saboteur, their leg-worker, their repair man for everything from armor to weapons to vehicles. So yeah, really you just are looking for an excuse to avoid the Matrix - and that's alright, but don't try and pass it off like it's not workable, because it is.

[GiraffeShaman]

I'd be really uncomfortable taking control of a player's character like that.

Oh, I don't mean posess him. Just put him in shall we say active situations. He can always maintain the right to stand there like a putz or run away or whatever.

Kind of like when the pudgy Sam Verner trained and became a lean mean shadowrunning machine at the start of the trilogy.

Well his main reason to avoid the matrix is that it sounds like he will convert to 5th edition soon. No reason to learn the more complex system, if they met their design goals with simplifying the Matrix.

[emsquared]

He actually now wants to play a hacker that doesn't go into the Matrix and can control Implants on enemies (if you have a cyberarm stop hitting yourself). Also how do you open locked doors in SR. I mean most of them will be keycard controlled right? so he can hack those maybe? Is there a way I could do that?

Anything that operates electronically potentially has a Node in the Matrix. Maglocks could conceivably be wirelessly enabled, more likely though they'd be hard-wired to a "security server" as it's more secure. Same with cameras and MAD scanners, etc. The way to do that is exactly as I said in my second reply to you.

What he would be doing is called AR (Augmented Reality) Hacking. He'd basically be operating through a bunch of "pop-up" windows in his Image-Linked visual enhancements, whether that's contacts, glasses or cyber-eyes.

As for hacking 'ware, most people with 'ware would either have the connectivity completely turned off, or skinlinked and slaved to their commlink. So he'd have to hack their commlink Node, access that particular bit of 'ware through it's Node in the 'link, and then it's controls Icon. Or at least that's how I'd do it (hasn't came up yet in our campaign).

[nikolamat]

He actually now wants to play a hacker that doesn't go into the Matrix and can control Implants on enemies (if you have a cyberarm stop hitting yourself). Also how do you open locked doors in SR. I mean most of them will be keycard controlled right? so he can hack those maybe? Is there a way I could do that?

Anything that operates electronically potentially has a Node in the Matrix. Maglocks could conceivably be wirelessly enabled, more likely though they'd be hard-wired to a "security server" as it's more secure. Same with cameras and MAD scanners, etc. The way to do that is exactly as I said in my second reply to you.

What he would be doing is called AR (Augmented Reality) Hacking. He'd basically be operating through a bunch of "pop-up" windows in his Image-Linked visual enhancements, whether that's contacts, glasses or cyber-eyes.

As for hacking 'ware, most people with 'ware would either have the connectivity completely turned off, or skinlinked and slaved to their commlink. So he'd have to hack their commlink Node, access that particular bit of 'ware through it's Node in the 'link, and then it's controls Icon. Or at least that's how I'd do it (hasn't came up yet in our campaign).

Thanks. Can anyone explain to me whats the difference between an AR hacker and a decker? I get that the AR hacker isn't in the matrix,but what are the differences between their abilities? What can a decker do that an AR hacker can't and vice versa. AR hackers can hack nodes right?

[Michael Chandra]

AR means walking around and interacting with your google glass. VR means fully plugged in.

[nikolamat]

AR means walking around and interacting with your google glass. VR means fully plugged in.

I know I'm not an idiot. I meant the advantages for AR and the advantages for VR what can I do with VR that I can't do with AR and vice versa?

[nikolamat]

Also chummer is for fourth edition right?

[nikolamat]

Also on which page of 20th anniversary can i find the rules for AR hacker?