[Lethe]

In this case, simple can still be plausible. Thermographic vision is normal vision just in a different wavelength/spectrum. You could assume that in 2070 the chameleon suit is able to fake that too.

[Mercer]

Murrdox's house rules are an example of why they simplified things. When actually running the game, it is much easier for everyone involved if the suit provides a static effect, instead of a changing one depending on the viewer and the environmental conditions, etc. When putting together these house rules, you should consider whether the additional complexity actually adds anything to the game, or whether it simply gets in the way of the fun. Does the 'realism' really add anything to your game? Or does it simply distract as you go looking up modifiers to fit the exact situation?

Except that this is an example of where the "simplification" can actually be really, really complex, as in the example of a group of runners with a chameleon suit with thermal damping, an armor jacket with thermal damping, and a guy in regular armor versus guards with a mix of low-light and therm.  (Not an unusual situation since most runners where different types of armor, and with low light and therm having situation benefits and hindrances, mixing them up makes good strategic sense.)  You end up with a situation where every sneaker has a different set of modifiers versus every watcher, and vice versa.  That's a lot of rolling, and a lot to keep track of.

[All4BigGuns]

Murrdox's house rules are an example of why they simplified things. When actually running the game, it is much easier for everyone involved if the suit provides a static effect, instead of a changing one depending on the viewer and the environmental conditions, etc. When putting together these house rules, you should consider whether the additional complexity actually adds anything to the game, or whether it simply gets in the way of the fun. Does the 'realism' really add anything to your game? Or does it simply distract as you go looking up modifiers to fit the exact situation?

Except that this is an example of where the "simplification" can actually be really, really complex, as in the example of a group of runners with a chameleon suit with thermal damping, an armor jacket with thermal damping, and a guy in regular armor versus guards with a mix of low-light and therm.  (Not an unusual situation since most runners where different types of armor, and with low light and therm having situation benefits and hindrances, mixing them up makes good strategic sense.)  You end up with a situation where every sneaker has a different set of modifiers versus every watcher, and vice versa.  That's a lot of rolling, and a lot to keep track of.

How does it make things more complicated? Add four dice to the infiltration roll and subtract four from the perception checks to notice the infiltrator. Bit powerful in combination maybe, but it's not "breaking" anything.

[Mercer]

It's not a power issue, it's a clunky one.  It would be easier if it was penalties on one side or bonuses on the other.

What makes it complicated is you end up with a situation where each runner has a different dice pool versus each guard, and each guard has a different dice pool versus each runner.  So you either need to separate out which dice are from where (these guards get these four dice versus these runners but not those runners, while those runners get bonus dice versus these guards but not those guards, depending on who has damping, thermo, a chameleon suit, and so on), or you need to make separate tests for each guard versus each runner (in this instance tripling the number of rolls you make). 

It's the same problem amplified when the runners (who will almost always have different vision capabilities) are trying to find people sneaking.  You either have the PC's roll with the penalties-- and though I trust my group not to metagame telling someone to make a perception test with a -4 all but tells them a chameleon suit is in play, and that kills the mystery-- or you do all the rolls for the players behind the screen and have to keep track of all the pain in the ass modifiers listed above (which enemy gets which bonus dice versus which runner, and which runner takes which penalty from which enemy). 

It just seems like there would have to be an easier way.

[CitizenJoe]

When you add complexity to the game, do it because you're adding a puzzle.  Do not do it to throw more dice at the situation.  The solution to the puzzle should make you think, not make you look up an obscure rule. 

In the case of the chameleon suit.  If you decide that it is a tech version of invisibility, then ya, simplify it.  It is basically magic at that point.  If you want it to just be a tool for solving a bigger problem, then limit it to visible light and force the wearer to come up with alternative solutions. 

[Crash_00]

The issue described isn't only possible in chameleon suits though, and is really more of an issue just with Thermal Damping than the combination. It hits anytime you have multiple guards that each have different vision modes and characters wearing vision impacting clothing. They'll have to roll once against camo wearing characters and once against normal characters.

Then again, most of your guards are going to using a standard vision mode. More often than not, your guards will either all have Thermo or none have Thermo (although more commonly they all will since its so ridiculously cheap to slap into some goggles/glasses which they'll have for a smartlink/image link anyway).

Take a look at two runners, one in a Thermal Dampened Camo suit and one in a white leather coat. Toss in some partial light penalties also. Assuming two guards are patrolling, each guard will have to roll once against each character. The runner with thermal dampening will only have to roll twice if the guards aren't both using/not using Thermo.

If its something that you just have to simplify, you can just limit Thermal Dampening to one rating (4 for 2k) and have it add one to the threshold of any Thermo tests to see you.

[JustADude]

If its something that you just have to simplify, you can just limit Thermal Dampening to one rating (4 for 2k) and have it add one to the threshold of any Thermo tests to see you.

Well, that's not exactly a buying hits situation. Simplifying like that, I think, would call more for the true statistical average (i.e. 3:1) rather than the 4:1 for buying hits; especially since the mod "space" jumps from 3 to 5 when you go from Rating 1-3 to Rating 4-6.

Doing the 3:1 version lets players keep the ability to have one version for each level of required "space"; Rating 3 ([3], 1500¥, +1 Threshold) and Rating 6 ([5], 3000¥, +2 Threshold).

[Mirikon]

Personally, I like to take a handful of d6s and roll them at random intervals. Different number of dice, change up the timing, etc. Let the players see me rolling. If they ask what I'm rolling for, say "Oh, don't worry about it" and give them a Monty Burns grin.

Now, if the issue is different dice pools for different guards using different vision mods and different players using different methods of stealth, I've got an easier solution for you. First, get a DM Screen, so the players don't see what you're doing. Second, find an online dice roller, and have it roll a couple hundred d6s or so, and record the rolls (legibly) on a piece of paper. When a perception check is needed, take the next [dice pool] entries on the list, and that's your roll. Third, roll some dice behind the screen as cover, so the players don't catch on.

[Clockrate]

Just found this and thought id offer a solution.
Always Track the thermal bonus dice seperately.

That is if your infiltration pool is say 17 then you roll 17 dice and 4 seperately
so say you get 10 hits from your 17 dice and 2 from your bonus you would report to the GM that you got 10 pluss 2 successes
and then only he knows if his NPCs need to use the extra successes or not.
Seems simple, No constant changing of rolls or dice pools and it has the added advantage of not alowing the players to know what mods the NPCs have.