[Poindexter]

I don't think I've ever made a character who didn't have a couple ranks in computer.

I have. What use is Computer when you lack the Logic to even be able to properly perform a datasearch? Easier to just call up a contact then.

I just figure the world is so infested with them at nearly every turn that there's a ton of computer related stuff that you dont even make rolls for, stuff that just requires a basic level of competency. The one point i throw into computers represents that basic level of competency.

[Namikaze]

Basic levels of competency with a skill are 0.  That's your average Joe Wageslave's skill with anything that they aren't trained to do.  That includes driving, shooting, running, climbing, etc.  If Joe Wageslave played baseball as a kid, he might have a point or two in Clubs and/or Athletics.  But generally, unless it's part of Joe Wageslave's job or daily routine, it's going to be well below the 3 points that most people consider to be "standard."  Just look at shadowrunners for instance.  As PCs, the characters are expected to be better than your average Joe Wageslave.  But there are never enough skill points to give you 3 in everything.  So 0 is really the average, because most people are untrained at everything.

Computers for instance, handle damn near everything for you - why would Joe Wageslave need to know how to use it beyond turning it on and using a word processor and email?  Having worked in IT support for a number of large companies, it's still amazing to me how many top-level folks haven't a clue about how their computer works.  They know what button to press to turn it on, and how to do their job.  Anything outside those confines (and sometimes within those confines) requires a call to IT.

So to me, an average user has a 0 in Computer.  Maybe 1 or 2.  But that's it, unless the person is using their computer all day every day.  I know a number of programmers for instance that, despite them knowing a LOT about programming, have no idea how to utilize and manipulate the Windows registry.  The skills just aren't the same.  So I'd say even a professional programmer would be fortunate to have a Computer skill of 2.  It's just not something most people need to know beyond the basics.

[jim1701]

I have a question.  Just how many programs can an RCC run at the same time?  I know the limit of programs that you can run simultaneously for drones is equal to your device rating - noise reduction level you currently have set.  If I am running programs like Virtual Machine, Toolbox or Signal Scrub that are not shared would these programs count against my sharing limit or would the device rating of the RCC be the limiter. 

[JackVII]

<Computer Stuff>

I think the main consideration for the Computer Skill is how closely the GM adheres to the book rules. I've seen a lot of GMs handwave the first information tier (General Knowledge or Public) so that anyone with a commlink can pretty much get that without fail. If they adhere strictly to the table and the rest of the matrix rules, it starts to get a little dicey on whether you can find basic information at all with a Computer Skill of 0.

[Top Dog]

<Computer Stuff>

I think the main consideration for the Computer Skill is how closely the GM adheres to the book rules. I've seen a lot of GMs handwave the first information tier (General Knowledge or Public) so that anyone with a commlink can pretty much get that without fail. If they adhere strictly to the table and the rest of the matrix rules, it starts to get a little dicey on whether you can find basic information at all with a Computer Skill of 0.

To be fair, most people can't reliably find General Knowledge or Public information if they're looking for a specific topic. (Like Namikaze, I have some IT-support experience. Googling is a skill a lot of people lack.) So having 0 computer skill does make sense for a lot of characters. If that means they can't always find stuff they need, that's realistic. As a runner, I'd like to have some computer skill since my life may depend on it, but it's a valid choice not to.

I have a question.  Just how many programs can an RCC run at the same time?  I know the limit of programs that you can run simultaneously for drones is equal to your device rating - noise reduction level you currently have set.  If I am running programs like Virtual Machine, Toolbox or Signal Scrub that are not shared would these programs count against my sharing limit or would the device rating of the RCC be the limiter. 

I think the RCC rules overcomplicate things with their description. Simplified:

• You can run a number of programs equal to your device rating.
• You can also use one or more of those program slots for noise reduction at 1 per slot used.
• You can also run autosofts in those program slots, sharing them to all slaved drone.s

[jim1701]

That's pretty much how I read it too.  Thanks.

[Malevolence]

Would it be game breaking to assume that the commlink has an Assistant (a la Siri or Now) that functions like an Agent with a total dice pool equal to the DR of the commlink (NOT 2*DR) for Matrix Search (and maybe Edit File for protecting your files on the device)? It just seems odd that with the existence of Agents in SR and such assistants today, they wouldn't be a potent feature of 2070's commlinks.


I've not used this in a game as the thought just occurred to me after following this discussion, so it might be totally unbalancing - I'm just putting it out there.

[Michael Chandra]

Game breaking, no, but I really don't see the point for it. If you want to use a 'search agent', take P2.0 as contact at 3 Connection and let it search info for you. Or you would just use a mapsoft/shopsoft instead.

[Hibiki54]

 The problem with using a Commlink to auto-pilot a data search is that you cannot use cyber programs or agents. The common cyber programs actually cut Matrix searches in half in terms of time. The Agents will do it for you if their rating is a comparable skill to the PC. A basic commlink doing a Matrix Search is limited to it's device rating for a dice pool.

So, if you're looking for the nearest Stuffer Shack in a city you never been in and you have a Trans Avalon (DR6), you're rolling 6d6 [Data Processing] against a threshold 1 or 2. But if you're looking for detailed information on someone's background, Siri or Cortana is more than likely going to fail to get the info you need.

[Michael Chandra]

The nearest Stuffershack sounds like something a mapsoft, which includes business listings, could tell you. Since they auto-update with GridGuide, the data won't be out of date either.

[Kincaid]

To be fair, most people can't reliably find General Knowledge or Public information if they're looking for a specific topic. (Like Namikaze, I have some IT-support experience. Googling is a skill a lot of people lack.) So having 0 computer skill does make sense for a lot of characters. If that means they can't always find stuff they need, that's realistic. As a runner, I'd like to have some computer skill since my life may depend on it, but it's a valid choice not to.

I work in a research library at a highly-ranked university (ironically, ranked #1 for Computer Science) and I'm no longer surprised when a reference question is answered by the first hit on Google.  Computer 0 is very understandable to me.

[Poindexter]

To be fair, most people can't reliably find General Knowledge or Public information if they're looking for a specific topic. (Like Namikaze, I have some IT-support experience. Googling is a skill a lot of people lack.) So having 0 computer skill does make sense for a lot of characters. If that means they can't always find stuff they need, that's realistic. As a runner, I'd like to have some computer skill since my life may depend on it, but it's a valid choice not to.

I work in a research library at a highly-ranked university (ironically, ranked #1 for Computer Science) and I'm no longer surprised when a reference question is answered by the first hit on Google.  Computer 0 is very understandable to me.

Agreed 100%.
However, these are "most people", yall are talkin bout, right? "Most people" aint shadowrunners. Runners are supposed to be a cut above the wageslaves who can't remember to google something before asking someone for help. Am i right?
For me, 1 rank in computer is like 1 rank in con. I'm creating a professional criminal here. There's a certain basic skillset I ought to have. But all this is just my personal feel on the whole thing.

[ZeConster]

For both my Computer 0 characters, having Computer 0 fits their character.

[jim1701]

For me I never have too many skill points.  I'm not going to spend a point in Computer unless it fits with the character concept I am going for.  So most of my characters will not have any skill in computer. 

[Csjarrat]

For me, computer is a nice skill to have on any character I can afford it on. If I'm taking skills at c or lower, it generally gets left out, but for a log3 char, computer 1(datasearch+2) is pretty nice, especially when combined with hot sim. 8 dice isn't amazing, but it's enough to look at getting two hits on average which is fine for finding basic stuff out.