[elrikthebastard]

So I have this Munchkin in my game and I have started to sew together the madness.

I was looking at my TV, Computers, cellphones, fridge, stove, washer and dryer, tablet and just about every other device on the face of the earth.

If you have cyberware on you, there may be some advertising to it. Somewhere on that bit of hardware, unless removed, there is a Corp logo on it.

Bioware... =-)

You have some fantastic headware and every so often, while sleeping, you have a dream/advert. None intrusive, but you wake up having a grand time with Corp Marketing Rep One and Two... Mr. Munchkin called it UnProfessional in a huffy tone.

Anyone find this over the top?

[Crimsondude]

That seems entirely reasonable, depending on what the bioware is.


It's not a matter of whether they'd do it, but rather how they'd do it. I'm no medical expert, but I'm pretty sure the capacity exists with larger bioware pieces to have an ancillary piece that could produce subliminal or subconscious thoughts and inclinations to certain stimuli.

[AndyNakamura]

Elrik, that sort of bundled advertising might actually cost you extra.

[elrikthebastard]

Thanks Crimsondude and AndyNakamura

... and you can do firmware updates via the matrix... I am liking this more and more.

Next is the brainwashing.

[Namikaze]

Thing is, bioware isn't electronic.  It's organic.  So it doesn't get "firmware updates" or anything like that.  That's also why it doesn't have a DNI, because there's no electronic components to handle the interfacing.

[elrikthebastard]

Was watching a Show on how Scientists are storing data in cells and can update the cell's data with a current. I attribute it to a 1200 baud modem at the moment to update Bioware.

This idea just makes me laugh and laugh and laugh.

[Namikaze]

Believe me, I want to help you get as many tools as possible to deal with this...  tool.  But I still think your best bet is to simply tell him to go to hell.

[elrikthebastard]

Actually I took your original advice Namikaze.

I have an Orc PI in the wings, then I have roll dates for when I see how far that PI has come along, then I have other story elements in play. The PC's parents want him, the Corp wants him for Fraud, eventually the Corp's Competition will start to sniff around. Once that happens, People In the Know will come along...

I have a retired team of Paladins and Ghosts in the wings waiting. I sat down and actually worked on my escalation... WHOOT writing course - I have a timeline worked out and variables that can be adapted on the fly.

The rest of the party is pretty mundain, they will grow and become great runners... if they survive of course.

I just took his whimsy and made it a major part of my story. He is a greedy broken soul that can enjoy dominating the Matrix, till someone puts a sword/bullet through his chest... the head is worth some major coin.

I have another buddy, other then Osryan, once he realizes what is happening, he will try to will weight the options and more then likely give the Munckhins character over, just to make sure he and the rest of the party don't get caught in the cross hairs.

It is cruel and petty, but so far I am having a great deal of fun.

[RulezLawyerZ]

Thing is, bioware isn't electronic.  It's organic.  So it doesn't get "firmware updates" or anything like that.  That's also why it doesn't have a DNI, because there's no electronic components to handle the interfacing.

Hmm... the biological bits could possibly get updates via some sort of viral transmission; the engineered cells have certain markers and/or cellular gates that signal/accept the virus, it splices its payload into the cellular mechanism, spits out a bunch of viral clones, then dies off once the bioware is completely upgraded. It would be hell to do in real life, but the theory is simple. Imagine picking up a package labeled "firmware update" and just finding a candy bar

Actually, that might be an excellent way to sink a product line, too. Slip a tainted upgrade into the general population, so it only hits those people with a particular piece of bioware, or a particular combination of bioware implants...

ETA:

You have some fantastic headware and every so often, while sleeping, you have a dream/advert. None intrusive, but you wake up having a grand time with Corp Marketing Rep One and Two... Mr. Munchkin called it UnProfessional in a huffy tone.

Not unprofessional, but maybe unethical. Although a lot of marketing folk believe that ethics don't apply to them anyway, even today; only the sale matters.

[elrikthebastard]

Thanks for posting RulezlawyerZ.

Your name wouldn't happen to be Keith eh? =-)

My wife, almost a nurse, and my buddy, Keith, had a discussion about this too, and it was similar to your train of thought. Then we starting to talk about Bioelectrical signatures/frequencies and Chaos Theory and and then he rambled on about String theory. The last two because his smarmy smart. =-)

For the record, I can fix almost any network and computer, and I babysit servers all day. When I am not doing that I build websites. The medical stuff is not my cup of tea.

Right now I am working on a way to biologicaly "signature" that will interact with Bioware. I would like to have some science behind me when I do this, but the game is in 2075, I can just make some smack up... as long as it does not sound to magical or mystical. Another buddy wants me to use Nanites, but I think he has creepy dreams about nanites... Most of the stuff I am reading is WAY over my head. Theory is one thing, getting into the biological initiative is leaving me, blank. Then again, I know what I want to do, and I just have to follow some rule sense.

As always thank you!

[RulezLawyerZ]

Your name wouldn't happen to be Keith eh? =-)

Not last time I checked, no. I do know a Keith, though

Right now I am working on a way to biologicaly "signature" that will interact with Bioware. I would like to have some science behind me when I do this, but the game is in 2075, I can just make some smack up... as long as it does not sound to magical or mystical. Another buddy wants me to use Nanites, but I think he has creepy dreams about nanites... Most of the stuff I am reading is WAY over my head. Theory is one thing, getting into the biological initiative is leaving me, blank. Then again, I know what I want to do, and I just have to follow some rule sense.

You can hand-wave most of it as "ooh, future!", but it's a relatively trivial matter to make a cell express a particular protein on it's surface, which acts as a signal or an anchor for other cells/viruses. They basically work like those "key sleeves" you used to be able to get, little rubber things which each had a different texture so you could tell your house key from your work key in the dark. Actually, keys and locks might be a better analogy: Only the right key will turn once inserted in the lock, so the bioware cells express a particular protein (the lock), and the viral shell carries a matching protein (the key). When they meet, the virus injects its payload, updating the cell; if it hits a non-bioware cell, or a cell with the wrong lock, it doesn't, and the virus probably gets cleaned up by the immune system. Nanites are going to work in a similar manner, especially soft nanites; in fact, a custom virus may very well be a soft nanite.

[elrikthebastard]

I am trying to fine a way to "infect" an individual. At first I was thinking just hidden into the datastream of their daily news feed. A well programmed in a format universally accepted (Java2075), and that compiled the infection to the individual body. It could take a day to compile that condition. And then another day to get it through the system.

My thinking is that Shadowrun has magically worked out the biology of the message input. If you can interface your cyberware with  your nervousness system to the point of feel (or there about), then they have a way to install firmware, in said cyberware, and then can infect biological systems with confusing or dangerous messages.

IF you have a datajack, half the job is done for you. I could slip a sophisticated program into your commlink, and then it insert the infection into your biological System.

Or my idea is utter madness! This is my long arc so I have some time to polish it.

Thanks again!

[Namikaze]

Soft nanites, retrovirals, bacteria - those are the best ways to do what you're looking to do.

[RulezLawyerZ]

So something slipped into their soykaf, rather than their datastream. Time to start nosing around and encouraging your characters to develop repetitive habits and brand loyalties; call it "character development" Maybe even a binary or trinary arrangement; A and B do nothing by themselves, but if consumed at the same time, A+B form Voltron C, which latches on and starts tapping into the victim's customer's brain and "encouraging" them to buy more.

[elrikthebastard]

Thanks Gents!

I think I am going to go with nanites. Then when the Players get annoyed at me, I can raise my hands and scream "SCIENCE!"

The more I think on it, the more I want to use Brand Placement in the game. I have to run over some topics, so as to not get bogged down. But certain Bar's mugs, Advert AROs. And in the age of endless self promotion I think that 2075 will be aggressive as hell. My 11 year old asked why mugs could not be "tainted" to encourage people to dink again.

No matter what I look at there is some companies logo, device, shield, name... 2075 must be blinding when not filtered.