[betafu]

So my Shadowrun game is up and running - in Texas, with the PCs working for Lone Star.

One thing they'd like to do is do the whole 'tacnet' deal - I'm talking everyone has glasses/eyeware that has cameras, tight-beam audio, image link, so on. They want to have a tight encrypted PAN that they can share real-time audio and video and message each other during meetings and field situations. The one thing I'm still sort of iffy on after re-reading all the rules I can find on AR is ... how do you folks handle AR-messaging during meetings and NPC contacts? I'm assuming if you have VR gloves/rings/trodes for your hands you're still going to be moving your hand to send a message, unless you have 'ware. But do you have it require a free action during combat? Just let folks do it for free? Limit it to a sentence or two? Or just don't worry about it at all?

[Ympulse]

According to the S4A (someone correct me if I'm wrong) A player's actions in combat are equivalent to one second of a three second round. If you wanted to be draconic about it, I would say that anything they can say IRL in one second is a free action, a standard for two seconds, and three seconds would be a compex action. Anything longer than that and they're using initiative passes (If they have them)

[EDIT] If you want a reference for the idea that managing a tacnet takes combat turns, the jungle mercenary fluff in Shadowrunner's Companion (Can't give you the page number, don't have the material on hand) describes the PoV character spending a large amount of time working their AR tacnet, while only shooting once or twice, and cursory glances to her mages next to her.

[betafu]

Awesome thank you!

I think my larger question is ..

How 'visible' or realistic is it (in SR4A terms) for someone to carry on a real-time text conversation with folks via AR during normal conversation and social interactions?

Can you do it via eye-selecting letters and texting like 'the kids' do nowadays? Can you use gloves and use tiny little movements?

Or am I really really over thinking this, and AR is just AR and if they want to have full fledged conversations in AR while they are interrogating/talking to someone, that's just part of SR4A and there's not necessarily a roll to catch this, beyond your normal Matrix rules for breaking into the PAN?

[Ympulse]

Or am I really really over thinking this, and AR is just AR and if they want to have full fledged conversations in AR while they are interrogating/talking to someone, that's just part of SR4A and there's not necessarily a roll to catch this, beyond your normal Matrix rules for breaking into the PAN?

At baseline, I would go with this approach. No need to bog players down with (for the most part) unnecessary rolls. Granted, if situations come up where the minor details are important, everything from skittering eye movement to finger twitches could be used for roll initiators and whatnot.

Or, you can rule that it's common sense-ish to know that if someone gets an unfocused look in their eyes, they're doing the mental bit of matrix/net stuff. Really, this sort of thing can be as unobtrusive or detail-driven as it needs to be for the story. Obviously, if things get out of hand, you can reign in the rules as needed.

[TheNarrator]

Also, if the characters have a DNI link to their commlink (datajack, trodes or technomancer), then they can control it with their mind. Sending text messages and updating tactical information would be as fast as thought.

There is a piece of fiction, I think in the first SR4 core book, where a bunch of runners in a meeting with a Johnson go quiet for a bit (from the Johnson's perspective) to mutter to each other over their subvocal microphones about whether or not to take the job.

The main issue, I think, with trying to AR text chat with someone and talk to someone else would probably be distraction from multitasking. There might be some pauses. Then again, having stuff going on in AR 24/7 is pretty much the norm in the 2070s, from what I understand.

[lurkeroutthere]

With full DNI from trodes or a jack (this is one of the best arguments for a jack) sending up to 250 words is a free action. For people that have that level of tech a conversation should be trivial, and I would reward them accordingly. This is a future game and the real time Ghost in the Shell style team chats are a part of that.

Just remember most of their reasonably advanced opposition will be doing the same. As an aside the character managing the tacnet int he prior situation was pretty much commanding her side so i'm not sure if that's a good straight example.

[Falconer]

Even with DNI, I have a hard time seeing anyone communicate more than a short sentence with a single free action.

And then the recipients... in the span of a blink of an eye they're supposed to turn around and read/comprehend 4-5 sentences from multiple teammates in the heat of battle while trying to do their own thing.

Sorry don't buy it.


Even with mages... using their mental links to control spirits... if we try and give any kind of a detailed order it will end up taking multiple IP's issuing the order.  Just the way I've had others GM it.

[Cass100199]

...read/comprehend 4-5 sentences from multiple teammates in the heat of battle while trying to do their own thing.

This isn't as hard as you think. Soldiers do it already. Like anything commo, it requires training and radio discipline.

[Zilfer]

...read/comprehend 4-5 sentences from multiple teammates in the heat of battle while trying to do their own thing.

This isn't as hard as you think. Soldiers do it already. Like anything commo, it requires training and radio discipline.

That and you come up with code words that everyone of the team knows. Anything form simple Code Red to 10-4. Watch your 6. Small sentances like this can speed up communication and let you know what type of situation your in or they are in. Drekstorm could be code word for "your surrounded don't do anything stupid."

Though with spirits i've wondered if you summon the same spirit and it gets used to you, if it wouldn't preform a few services for free. You'd need to treat it as a friend of course. Why not though? They are sentient beings or at least some of them are.

[inca1980]

Awesome thank you!

I think my larger question is ..

How 'visible' or realistic is it (in SR4A terms) for someone to carry on a real-time text conversation with folks via AR during normal conversation and social interactions?

Can you do it via eye-selecting letters and texting like 'the kids' do nowadays? Can you use gloves and use tiny little movements?

Or am I really really over thinking this, and AR is just AR and if they want to have full fledged conversations in AR while they are interrogating/talking to someone, that's just part of SR4A and there's not necessarily a roll to catch this, beyond your normal Matrix rules for breaking into the PAN?

If you have a simrig and are using DNI via trodes or datajack, then everything matrix related is just pure thought.  No physical motions at all.  If my players spend a free action in combat, i let them say most anything....within reason of course, but it's never a problem.  Outside of combat, especially in social settings, if they have DNI then I let them communicate secretly...i.e. meta-game pretty much to their hearts content. 

[ArkangelWinter]

@Zilfer: The mage in my current game asked about that. He's a Cthulu Mythos tradition and I let him get basics like "Guard our home while we're asleep", "deliver this message", or similarly non-dangerous tasks as freebies with one of his spirits, so long as he keeps treating it like an equal in the team and not just a minion. Of course, that means it gets its delicate sensibilities hurt when he asks it to do something it considers unnecessary and stops with the freebies (and intentionally misinterprets commands).