[Xenon]

doing stuff wireless as a simple action is probably by manipulating something in AR
doing stuff wireless as a free action is probably by manipulating something with DNI

[DWC]

doing stuff wireless as a simple action is probably by manipulating something in AR
doing stuff wireless as a free action is probably by manipulating something with DNI

Nope.  DNI and AR don't matter.  All that matters is that the device is connected to the matrix and the mechanism you are using to command it is connected to the matrix.  Physically pushing a button on your remote control, sending a command into the matrix and back to a piece of equipment is faster than sending a DNIncommand down a fiber optic cable from your brain to the device.  But that's the way it was written, for the express purpose of getting people to open themselves up to having their gear trashed by opposing hackers.

[Xenon]

Even if the device is / have to be - connected to he matrix, you still need some way to interact with it, no?

doing stuff wireless as a simple action is probably by manipulating something in AR
doing stuff wireless as a free action is probably by manipulating something with DNI

It is either that. Or the manual switch can be activated faster manually if your device log into the matrix (but that kinda don't make sense, now does it).

or are you suggesting that you can wireless activate something with a free action without having access to AR nor DNI, just as long as the single device is wireless and connected to the matrix...? I thought only Technomancers could do that....

[KarmaInferno]

or are you suggesting that you can wireless activate something with a free action without having access to AR nor DNI, just as long as the single device is wireless and connected to the matrix...? I thought only Technomancers could do that....

That is in fact the way the book is written.

The action speed improvement only cares about the Matrix connection. It doesn't at all care about the activation method. You can be manually fiddling with levers, pressing a button, manipulating AR controls, or direct DNI issuing commands. It does not matter. As soon as you connect to the Matrix, you get the speed boost.


-k

[Xenon]

or are you suggesting that you can wireless activate something with a free action without having access to AR nor DNI, just as long as the single device is wireless and connected to the matrix...? I thought only Technomancers could do that....

That is in fact the way the book is written.

The action speed improvement only cares about the Matrix connection. It doesn't at all care about the activation method. You can be manually fiddling with levers, pressing a button, manipulating AR controls, or direct DNI issuing commands. It does not matter. As soon as you connect to the Matrix, you get the speed boost.


-k

KarmaInferno, is that the rule you will run with at your table?

[Crunch]

or are you suggesting that you can wireless activate something with a free action without having access to AR nor DNI, just as long as the single device is wireless and connected to the matrix...? I thought only Technomancers could do that....

That is in fact the way the book is written.

The action speed improvement only cares about the Matrix connection. It doesn't at all care about the activation method. You can be manually fiddling with levers, pressing a button, manipulating AR controls, or direct DNI issuing commands. It does not matter. As soon as you connect to the Matrix, you get the speed boost.


-k

That's one reading of it.

In my opinion if you look at the bonus, and then read the section on action types there's a clear implication of what action type would be represented by what method of activation.

So when I read "it becomes a free action" and then I see that there's a free action that has to do with activating devces I assume that the activation changes to that type of activation.

[DWC]

Your assumption is incorrect.  If method of activation mattered, wireless wouldn't.

[Crunch]

Your assumption is incorrect.  If method of activation mattered, wireless wouldn't.

How so? One of the activation methods is Activate Wireless Device IIRC.

[Xenon]

yes...

change linked device mode. p. 163
with dni. free action. wireless.
(or if you have a direct wire for that matter)
like smartgun fire mode if you have wireless on.
i cant read anything about that it can be done automatically through matrix without using a dni

eject smartgun clip. p. 164
free action. if character is "linked" to a smartgun
(wireless or with a direct wire to an internal or external smartlink)
i cant read anything about that it can be done automatically through matrix without using a link to the smartgun

change device mode. p. 164
simple action.
simple manual switch. or an AR control. or voice command. etc.
wireless.
(or if you have a direct wire for that matter)
like gun fire mode if you dont have wireless on
i cant read anything about that it can be done automatically through matrix without using a manual switch, AR control, voice command or some other other actual interaction

smartgun firemode if you have wireless ON
smartgun system, wireless p. 433
"Ejecting a clip and changing fire modes are Free Actions."



....see, the whole "access to matrix"-thing does not look so complicated if you ask me.

Wireless ON? Check
DNI access? Check
--> You get to do it in a free action instead of a simple

[Emil_Barr]

Thatis in fact theway the book is written.

^^THIS^^

[DWC]

The entire bit about direct wires providing the same action economy benefit is blatantly false.  The device must be connected to the matrix, and the interface you are using to command it must be connected to the matrix.  You can input that command via DNI to another wireless enabled device, or pushing a button or a wireless enabled remote, but as long as you're sending your command out to the device via the matrix, you get the wireless benefit.

I wish that weren't the case.  I'd love to see DNI or hardwired connections provide those benefits because that makes sense.  But that wouldn't encourage PCs to expose themselves to having their equipment hacked in combat, which was the stated goal of the entire "wireless benefits" mechanic.

[Crunch]

You haven't actually answered my question.

[KarmaInferno]

or are you suggesting that you can wireless activate something with a free action without having access to AR nor DNI, just as long as the single device is wireless and connected to the matrix...? I thought only Technomancers could do that....

That is in fact the way the book is written.

The action speed improvement only cares about the Matrix connection. It doesn't at all care about the activation method. You can be manually fiddling with levers, pressing a button, manipulating AR controls, or direct DNI issuing commands. It does not matter. As soon as you connect to the Matrix, you get the speed boost.


-k

KarmaInferno, is that the rule you will run with at your table?

Hell no. My contention has been that the wireless bonuses were written stupidly.

I am probably going to just rewrite the whole thing for my home games. I just don't pretend it'd be anything but a houserule.



-k

[Xenon]

The entire bit about direct wires providing the same action economy benefit is blatantly false.

The "entire bit" is taken directly from the actual rule that describe the Free Action used to take use of the action economy benefit as well as the actual description of the device in the gear section. This is not the only one, there are multiple examples.

Change Linked Device Mode p.163
A character may use a Free Action to activate, deactivate, or switch the mode on any device that he is linked to by a direct neural interface through either a wired or wireless link. This includes activating cyberware, changing a smartgun’s firing mode, changing a smartlinked shotgun’s choke, deactivating thermographic vision, switching a commlink to hidden mode, turning a device’s wireless functionality off, and so on. Note that it takes longer to interact with some devices, as noted in individual gear descriptions.

• Provide action economy if linked to DNI wireless. Or with a direct wire.
  
• This free action can not be used if device is not linked to DNI

Smartgun system: p.433
This connects a firearm or a projectile weapon directly to the user’s smartlink. 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.
If you’re using a smartlink, the smartgun system increases the gun’s Accuracy by 2. 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.
Retrofitting a firearm with an internal smartgun system doubles the weapon’s price and adds 2 to its Availability. An external smartgun system can be attached to the top mount or underbarrel mount with an Armorer + Logic (4, 1 hour) Extended Test. The small camera has a capacity of 1 and can be equipped with vision enhancements (p. 444).
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.

• Provide action economy if linked to DNI (smartlink) wireless. Or with a direct wire.
  
• This free action can not be used if device is not linked to DNI

There are 3 solutions to this.
1) The text under wireless bonues is mostly "fluff" ("if you got access to the internet then your action benefit will work - since it will have wireless access to your DNI")
2) The book contradict it self and either the wireless bonus rule need to be changed or the rules that control the actual actions need to be changed.
3) They both add limits. That you both need DNI and access to the matrix.

[DWC]

And you'll note that ejecting the magazine and changing fire modes are both listed as Wireless bonuses, which require an active matrix connection rather than a DNI connection.

The Change Device Mode action in the combat chapter is a general rule.  Wireless Bonuses (both within firearms and as part of smartguns) are a  specific rule that includes additional restrictions.  That additional restriction that applies for smartguns, along with bipods, chemical protection gear, and numerous other pieces of equipment is spelled out in the Gear section and rules out using DNI to free action manipulate specific items.