[Top Dog]

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.

You use Hot Sim as a non-hacker when searching stuff with a commlink?

That's, er,

Brave.

[Csjarrat]

Why is it? There's no biofeedback for failing a search test. It's practically two free dice

[Top Dog]

Why is it? There's no biofeedback for failing a search test. It's practically two free dice

No, but there'll be biofeedback when some opposing hacker manages to find you plugged into hot-sim and decides to fry your brain. Either because he's a hacker for the other side (whatever that may be, but you're on a run so there's probably at least one) or a random hacker doing it for the lulz. And you'd have no meaningful defence against anyone trying.

It wouldn't be an issue most of the time, of course, but it will become an issue one day and it'll end in your death.

[Csjarrat]

Why is it? There's no biofeedback for failing a search test. It's practically two free dice

No, but there'll be biofeedback when some opposing hacker manages to find you plugged into hot-sim and decides to fry your brain. Either because he's a hacker for the other side (whatever that may be, but you're on a run so there's probably at least one) or a random hacker doing it for the lulz. And you'd have no meaningful defence against anyone trying.

It wouldn't be an issue most of the time, of course, but it will become an issue one day and it'll end in your death.

Aren't hacker supposed to be incredibly rare now we're in 5th ed?
why would they risk GOD's intervention for launching cybercombat against someone who's just searching the matrix for information on a company or spell formulae?
as I understand it, you can always use full matrix defence, which gives a pretty decent dicepool against anyone who isn't super kitted for cybercombat.
I dunno, maybe your GM is more harsh on you than I am on my players. I'd just make my players roll for hot-sim addiction rather than trying to hose their brains for doing data searches

[Michael Chandra]

I dunno, maybe your GM is more harsh on you than I am on my players. I'd just make my players roll for hot-sim addiction rather than trying to hose their brains for doing data searches

'Oi! Player interpretation there, not fueled by actual game experience. Careful Top Dog, you give me a bad name.

[Top Dog]

I dunno, maybe your GM is more harsh on you than I am on my players. I'd just make my players roll for hot-sim addiction rather than trying to hose their brains for doing data searches

'Oi! Player interpretation there, not fueled by actual game experience. Careful Top Dog, you give me a bad name.

More "Evil GM interpretation". It's what I'd do if someone blatantly uses hot sim all the time as a (relative) computer nublet. Well probably something milder first, just to let them know it's dangerous.

Not saying you can never use hot sim, mind you - but it comes with danger, and using it to search for run-specific things can end up badly if someone's paying attention. Of course not every innocent search will end with someone frying your brain, but hey, one search on the wrong topic in the wrong place can be enough.

[Csjarrat]

I dunno, maybe your GM is more harsh on you than I am on my players. I'd just make my players roll for hot-sim addiction rather than trying to hose their brains for doing data searches

'Oi! Player interpretation there, not fueled by actual game experience. Careful Top Dog, you give me a bad name.

More "Evil GM interpretation". It's what I'd do if someone blatantly uses hot sim all the time as a (relative) computer nublet. Well probably something milder first, just to let them know it's dangerous.

Not saying you can never use hot sim, mind you - but it comes with danger, and using it to search for run-specific things can end up badly if someone's paying attention. Of course not every innocent search will end with someone frying your brain, but hey, one search on the wrong topic in the wrong place can be enough.

Well, yeah, this is shadowrun after all :-) Its like sending your face into a mafia bar to dig out dirt on the big boss man. someone would notice and beat shit out of you.
thankfully, with a dicepool of 8, you just can't search for anything restricted or hidden, its just not possible with that dicepool.
It'll find you basic stuff though; articles, blogs, social media pages etc. probably nothing that's gonna get you killed but stuff that may be useful in the long run.
Hot-sim's main danger to the basic user is that it is addictive. that is something that I would be enforcing

[Poindexter]

I dunno, maybe your GM is more harsh on you than I am on my players. I'd just make my players roll for hot-sim addiction rather than trying to hose their brains for doing data searches

'Oi! Player interpretation there, not fueled by actual game experience. Careful Top Dog, you give me a bad name.

More "Evil GM interpretation". It's what I'd do if someone blatantly uses hot sim all the time as a (relative) computer nublet. Well probably something milder first, just to let them know it's dangerous.

Not saying you can never use hot sim, mind you - but it comes with danger, and using it to search for run-specific things can end up badly if someone's paying attention. Of course not every innocent search will end with someone frying your brain, but hey, one search on the wrong topic in the wrong place can be enough.

Well, yeah, this is shadowrun after all :-) Its like sending your face into a mafia bar to dig out dirt on the big boss man. someone would notice and beat shit out of you.
thankfully, with a dicepool of 8, you just can't search for anything restricted or hidden, its just not possible with that dicepool.
It'll find you basic stuff though; articles, blogs, social media pages etc. probably nothing that's gonna get you killed but stuff that may be useful in the long run.
Hot-sim's main danger to the basic user is that it is addictive. that is something that I would be enforcing

exactly why i take computer. i aint trying to dig up hidden files and shit. thats the deckers job. I just wanna know the territory.