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From:	Matt Wilshin m.wilshin@******.net
Subject:	Matrix Hosts
Date:	Wed, 22 Sep 1999 19:42:32 +0100

Message no. 1 Hi All,

I've been reading through VR2.0 and the Matrix section of SR3, and came
up with the following question:
What would the cost be of a computer which can act as a matrix type
host? I was thinking along the lines of a computer that would allow a
couple of people to play Virtual Quake/EF2000 etc.

Thanks for any comments.

--
---------------------------------------------------------------
Matt Wilshin
http://members.xoom.com/wilshin/
ICQ: 46747055
-------------------
"A clever bluff, Agent N42, but not clever enough. You see, right
away I recognized your 'pistol' as a cleverly disguised cigarette
lighter."
--------------------------------------------------------

From:	Gurth gurth@******.nl
Subject:	Matrix Hosts
Date:	Thu, 23 Sep 1999 11:15:23 +0200

Message no. 2 According to Matt Wilshin, at 19:42 on 22 Sep 99, the word on
the street was...

> I've been reading through VR2.0 and the Matrix section of SR3, and came
> up with the following question:
> What would the cost be of a computer which can act as a matrix type
> host? I was thinking along the lines of a computer that would allow a
> couple of people to play Virtual Quake/EF2000 etc.

Costs for true hosts are something you'll have to decide for yourself,
though hopefully the Matrix book will cover them.

If you just want to play networked games, as you seem to want, I think any
normal computer in SR can do that -- just put some cables between them,
and you play the games.

--
Gurth@******.nl - http://www.xs4all.nl/~gurth/index.html
Vraag niet om de terugkeer
-> NAGEE Editor * ShadowRN GridSec * Unofficial Shadowrun Guru <-
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From:	Ulrich Haupt sandman@****.uni-oldenburg.de
Subject:	Matrix Hosts
Date:	Thu, 23 Sep 1999 17:14:52 +0200

Message no. 3 Matt Wilshin wrote:

> What would the cost be of a computer which can act as a matrix type
> host?
I think I've read somewhere that a HOST cost 5 MY per level.

> I was thinking along the lines of a computer that would allow a
> couple of people to play Virtual Quake/EF2000 etc.

A level 1 HOST should be enough for such a game computer
since there won't be too many people who want to play
simultaniously. But as Gurth already said your simple
desktop in 2050+ should be able to do that, too.

Sandman

From:	Starrngr@*.com Starrngr@*.com
Subject:	Matrix Hosts
Date:	Thu, 23 Sep 1999 14:14:17 EDT

Message no. 4 In a message dated 9/23/99 08:13:40 Pacific Daylight Time,
sandman@****.uni-oldenburg.de writes:

> I think I've read somewhere that a HOST cost 5 MY per level.
>
Ouch... Expensive, if your information is correct. Then again, I would
expect that this includes all hardware, software, and the dedicated line that
conncects it to the 'trix. Kind of explains why its only corps like Fuchi
and Aztech that have serious red hosts if that price is correct... it would
be 50my for the hardware, plus the cost (In Y or Man Hours) to implement the
Ice....

> > I was thinking along the lines of a computer that would allow a
> > couple of people to play Virtual Quake/EF2000 etc.
>
> A level 1 HOST should be enough for such a game computer
> since there won't be too many people who want to play
> simultaniously. But as Gurth already said your simple
> desktop in 2050+ should be able to do that, too.
>
> Sandman

I think you would be wrong there, Sandman, about the popularity of on line
games. I've seen 30+ people at one time going at each other in an Air
Warrior arena as it stands. As the matrix grows in popular acceptance, I
would expect on line gaming to expand, not contract, and possibly even
supplant porn as the biggest moneymaker on the 'trix. Along with increased
demand, this would create a drive for better programs, which would inevitlabl
come down to bigger and better features, and require more processing power.

Then again, we also have the fact that computers themselves undergo a quantum
leap in power and abilities over the next 60 years.

All in all, I'd guess that between a decent home computer (2-300 mp) you and
up to 7 friends (they have to bring cyberdecks though) could have a decent
game of the 2060's eqivalent of Doom. An actual Matrix host could probobly
suppport about 100 players per level of host, minimum. In fact, I would bet
that gamers are the largest source of legal cyberdecks sold. The same
processing power that makes something like Black Ice and Asist possible would
make for the ultimate VR experiance. To be honest, I'm surprised (and not,
in a way, given how scarce skill points were) that more Deckers dont have
some sort of skill in computer games... That being what got them onto the
'trix in the first place, and into the world of doing things they shouldnt
(either trying to get game time for free or to gain some sort of cheat /
other advantage) in the second place....

From:	lomion lomion@*********.escnd1.sdca.home.com
Subject:	Matrix Hosts
Date:	Fri, 24 Sep 1999 10:15:42 -0700

Message no. 5 > >
> > A level 1 HOST should be enough for such a game computer
> > since there won't be too many people who want to play
> > simultaniously.

Your wrong here, today you'll have thousands of ppl playing at one time in
some games. Games like everquest and asheron's call (which is in beta)
have thousands playing at the same time. Clustering servers is a common
practice and would only continue IMHO. Other more "traditional" games can
have upto 32 ppl per server today. My guess is that would only get to be a
larger # of ppl.

--lomion

From:	Scott W iscottw@*****.nb.ca
Subject:	Matrix Hosts
Date:	Fri, 24 Sep 1999 23:06:27 -0300

Message no. 6 "And now, a Channel 6 editorial reply to lomion."
] Your wrong here, today you'll have thousands of ppl playing at one time in
] some games. Games like everquest and asheron's call (which is in beta)
] have thousands playing at the same time. Clustering servers is a common
] practice and would only continue IMHO. Other more "traditional" games can
] have upto 32 ppl per server today. My guess is that would only get to be a
] larger # of ppl.

For an interesting view of not only multi(multi,multi,multi)-player
gaming, but also virtual reality and the Matrix, a good read is Tad
Williams' Otherland series (currently at Book Three of four{?} really
big books). It really paints a good picture of what VR can do, and how
it's not just a game for some people.

<frog>
Rrrrrreadit.
</frog>

-Boondocker

"If he'd pay me the money he's spendin' to
make me stop robbin' him, I'd stop robbin' him!"

-Butch Cassidy,
Butch Cassidy and The Sundance Kid

From:	Ereskanti@*.com Ereskanti@*.com
Subject:	Matrix Hosts
Date:	Tue, 28 Sep 1999 16:14:07 EDT

Message no. 7 In a message dated 9/22/1999 1:44:24 PM US Eastern Standard Time,
m.wilshin@******.net writes:

>
> I've been reading through VR2.0 and the Matrix section of SR3, and came
> up with the following question:
> What would the cost be of a computer which can act as a matrix type
> host? I was thinking along the lines of a computer that would allow a
> couple of people to play Virtual Quake/EF2000 etc.

I was working on this on HHH, but have shifted directions on projects due to
time constraints and massive travel arrangements.

-K (yes, I'm back from AZ but I'm leaving for OH on Monday)

From:	Airwasp@*.com Airwasp@*.com
Subject:	Matrix Hosts
Date:	Wed, 29 Sep 1999 09:46:13 EDT

Message no. 8 In a message dated 9/28/99 3:15:29 PM US Eastern Standard Time,
Ereskanti@***.com writes:

> > I've been reading through VR2.0 and the Matrix section of SR3, and came
> > up with the following question:
> > What would the cost be of a computer which can act as a matrix type
> > host? I was thinking along the lines of a computer that would allow a
> > couple of people to play Virtual Quake/EF2000 etc.
>
> I was working on this on HHH, but have shifted directions on projects due
to
>
> time constraints and massive travel arrangements.
>
> -K (yes, I'm back from AZ but I'm leaving for OH on Monday)

From VR 2.0, IIRC, 5,000,000 nuyen times the Security Rating of the system,
but nothing is taken into account for the color of the system (I would treat
the color as a multiplier ... Blue is 1, Green is 3, Orange is 6, Red is 10).

-Mike B.

From:	Matt Wilshin m.wilshin@******.net
Subject:	Matrix Hosts
Date:	Wed, 29 Sep 1999 18:51:53 +0100

Message no. 9 Airwasp@***.com wrote:

> In a message dated 9/28/99 3:15:29 PM US Eastern Standard Time,
> Ereskanti@***.com writes:
>
>

<snip me>

>
> > I was working on this on HHH, but have shifted directions on projects due
> to
> >
> > time constraints and massive travel arrangements.
> >
> > -K (yes, I'm back from AZ but I'm leaving for OH on Monday)
>
> >From VR 2.0, IIRC, 5,000,000 nuyen times the Security Rating of the system,
> but nothing is taken into account for the color of the system (I would treat
> the color as a multiplier ... Blue is 1, Green is 3, Orange is 6, Red is 10).
>
> -Mike B.

I was thinking of something similar, but perhaps basing the multiplier on the
total ACIFS rating, divided by three, plus 1 for every security level above Blue.

I thought this seemed more reasonable because on SR3 p.205 it gives a description
of the various host colours, and even a blue host can be owned by poor
businesses, so a host with very specialised ratings - ACIFS (2,2,2,4,2) for
example, would be cheaper than a system with higher ratings in everything.

--
---------------------------------------------------------------
Matt Wilshin
http://members.xoom.com/wilshin/
ICQ: 46747055
-------------------
"A clever bluff, Agent N42, but not clever enough. You see, right
away I recognized your 'pistol' as a cleverly disguised cigarette lighter."
--------------------------------------------------------

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