[Lethe]

But doesn't running a hot sim to the bonus make it physical? Or am I reading the rules wrong? Like I've said still pretty new for hacking but I have been reading.

No, blackhammer is physical in hot sim, but only stun in cold sim.
Blackout is always stun. Both would have no effect on people using only AR.

The meanest part is still to lock the connection open, so that the victim cant escape.
Edit: Just read, that Rybka uses the drone as a relay. While she can't logout in the moment, Tachikoma could always cap the signal. That would cause dumpshock to Rybka, but better then getting knocked out and backtraced, in case the fight ends poorly.

[Thvor]

For reference, Serious, see SR4A p. 233:

Blackout is black IC program that is a non-lethal version of Black Hammer. It causes Stun damage to both hot sim and cold sim VR users. Like Black Hammer, it is used with the Matrix Attack action (p. 231) and has no effect on programs, agents, IC, sprites, or AR users. Damage from Blackout does not overflow into the Physical Condition Monitor.

(emphasis added)

That does bring up a potentially newb question for me, since I'm also not very experienced with matrix combat: how does a user know whether his target is in AR or VR? I'd assume that he'd have to perform an Analyze Icon action, though the interface status for the user isn't listed in the Matrix Perception Data sidebar on SR4A p. 228. Or do you just have to guess, fire the black IC, and hope that it actually does damage?

[SeriousOne338]

AR= Augmented reality AKA Put on your smart goggles and see all the info feeding in from street signs, other people., devices that kind of junk sort of like this picture:
http://crossmediaaugmentedreality.files.wordpress.com/2012/04/future_search1_petitinvention.jpg

VR= Virtual Reality AKA the matrix your inside the computer system attempting to hack the computer programing. so your not physically there.



hummm good thing I chose not to use Black Hammer..... or you might lose the hacker in the first run. 

[Thvor]

I understand the difference between AR and VR from the user's perspective; just not the opponent's. As far as I understand it, any user jacking into a node--whether through AR or VR--shows up as an icon to everyone else in the node (SR4a p. 224, "When you log on to a node, your icon appears there").

I'm not trying to reverse what's happened to Rybka--I'm willing to accept that these guys are serious enough that they'll assume anyone hacking into their system is probably in full VR, and thus respond with black IC immediately (though in that case, we're REALLY not getting paid enough on this job!)--I'm more wondering for the general purpose.

[SeriousOne338]

I'm not trying to reverse what's happened to Rybka--I'm willing to accept that these guys are serious enough that they'll assume anyone hacking into their system is probably in full VR, and thus respond with black IC immediately (though in that case, we're REALLY not getting paid enough on this job!)--I'm more wondering for the general purpose.

Black IC was not mu first weapon but she crashed my attack program. So the hacker only had that as a response.  And yes you arn't getting paid enough.... but there might be something in the truck worth it.

[Lethe]

Ah, don't give too much away ;-)
But yeah, seeing the military level we are confronting, it seems well powered up. If we want to snack something on the side, we need the luxury of time, which is quite negative as i see it currently.

[Netzgeist]

About the question on how does the other user perceive if someone is running in AR or VR: basically, you make an educated guess based on their speed, i.e., their response time; VR is unmeasurably faster.
Another thing: even though Rybka has crashed the attacker Attack program, crashing it just makes a running program become loaded; the only thing he would need to do was to spend a complex action to run it again.

[Netzgeist]

Ouch, just noticed the IC posts... I'm a little bit sorry that Tachikoma used it's drone to jam on the fly. That means Rybka will be disconected from the node just now when she was ready for combat... and suffer physical dumpshock.

Guess that's what happen when our team suffer from a lack of communication. Whatever.

[Crossbow]

Netz, I am noting what seems to be some very passive aggresive commentary, I hope you are just trying to keep it light and are not getting frustrated.  I thought our communication was pretty good.  If you have a concern, speak up, we got time to work it thru.

[Netzgeist]

Sorry if it seemed like that, it's an OOC comment about an IC thing; all the sittuation happened in three seconds in game time - clearly, no time to communicate at all. It was not my intent to say WE were not communicating, it was more of a bad joke.

[SeriousOne338]

Ouch, just noticed the IC posts... I'm a little bit sorry that Tachikoma used it's drone to jam on the fly. That means Rybka will be disconected from the node just now when she was ready for combat... and suffer physical dumpshock.

Guess that's what happen when our team suffer from a lack of communication. Whatever.

 Don't worry the drone is being targeted, the node you are hacking is in the hummer. That being said there might be some vehicular difficulties for the car soon.

[Netzgeist]

Ouch, just noticed the IC posts... I'm a little bit sorry that Tachikoma used it's drone to jam on the fly. That means Rybka will be disconected from the node just now when she was ready for combat... and suffer physical dumpshock.

Guess that's what happen when our team suffer from a lack of communication. Whatever.

 Don't worry the drone is being targeted, the node you are hacking is in the hummer. That being said there might be some vehicular difficulties for the car soon.

Still, it's the drone that's being used to jam to same one Rybka was using as a relay point to hack the vehicle. Once it's used to jam, she loses signal to the targeted one, and so is forcefully disconnected, suffering dumpshock. Tachikoma intent was to force the disconnection, since he perceived she was "locked" on that node by Black IC.

But, you are the GM, so if you got a different interpretation, that's your call.

[Thvor]

Actually, I thought Tach was trying to block the distress call, not to rescue you from the black IC...

[Netzgeist]

Well; it's a better idea, indeed. 

[SeriousOne338]

Ouch, just noticed the IC posts... I'm a little bit sorry that Tachikoma used it's drone to jam on the fly. That means Rybka will be disconected from the node just now when she was ready for combat... and suffer physical dumpshock.

Guess that's what happen when our team suffer from a lack of communication. Whatever.

 Don't worry the drone is being targeted, the node you are hacking is in the hummer. That being said there might be some vehicular difficulties for the car soon.

Still, it's the drone that's being used to jam to same one Rybka was using as a relay point to hack the vehicle. Once it's used to jam, she loses signal to the targeted one, and so is forcefully disconnected, suffering dumpshock. Tachikoma intent was to force the disconnection, since he perceived she was "locked" on that node by Black IC.

But, you are the GM, so if you got a different interpretation, that's your call.

To be evil.... or not to be evil. I could say you lose signal strength because the wireless signal is being jammed.....    evil or not evil......