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Message no. 1
From: Jeffrey Riordan <JRIORDAN@***.gov>
Subject: Rigging and Skill wires
Date: Wed, 17 Jul 1996 14:32:19 -0400
I was curious if anyone out there has had
experience with riggers who alos have Skill wires in
place. I was recently creating an NPC to help the PCs
out and deisgned him with a chip jack with skill wire 6
and rig 1. Yea, he's just the getaway driver not a real
rigger.
Then it occured to me about the compatability of
using something like Car (6) Skill chip with Rigging
controls. Would the Rigger be able to use his control
pool with the skill since the skill is artifical? I'm
looking at it since I don't want one of the PCs figuring
it out and then coming up with a similar character if it
doesn't make sense.
I'm not sure from a sensable point of view that it is
allowable since the skill wires are actually doing the
work while you're rigging is done by your brain. In
other words the skill you suddenly have isn't really
under control by your brain it's under the control of the
chip in your head. Should the two systems be
automatically compatible? Any comments or
suggestions?
Message no. 2
From: "Gurth" <gurth@******.nl>
Subject: Re: Rigging and Skill wires
Date: Thu, 18 Jul 1996 11:35:40 +0100
Jeffrey Riordan said on 14:32/17 Jul 96...

> Then it occured to me about the compatability of
> using something like Car (6) Skill chip with Rigging
> controls. Would the Rigger be able to use his control
> pool with the skill since the skill is artifical?

I believe there's a ruling that says you don't get pool dice if the skill
you use comes from a chip, but I'm not 100% sure. In this case, that would
mean he'd only get the 6 skill dice that the chip gives, and the bonuses
of his VCR (-2 Handling per level, +2+1D6 init etc.), but no Control Pool
dice.

--
Gurth@******.nl - http://www.xs4all.nl/~gurth/index.html
I've often tried to hold the sea, the sun, the fields, the tide.
-> NERPS Project Leader & Unofficial Shadowrun Guru <-
-> The Character Mortuary: http://huizen.dds.nl/~mortuary/mortuary.html <-

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Message no. 3
From: "Andre' Selmer" <031ANDRE@******.wits.ac.za>
Subject: Re: Rigging and Skill wires
Date: Thu, 18 Jul 1996 12:03:33 GMT + 2:00
@ experience with riggers who alos have Skill wires in
@ place. I was recently creating an NPC to help the PCs
@ out and deisgned him with a chip jack with skill wire 6
@ and rig 1. Yea, he's just the getaway driver not a real
@ rigger.
@ Then it occured to me about the compatability of
@ using something like Car (6) Skill chip with Rigging
@ controls. Would the Rigger be able to use his control
@ pool with the skill since the skill is artifical? I'm
@ looking at it since I don't want one of the PCs figuring
@ it out and then coming up with a similar character if it
@ doesn't make sense.
@ I'm not sure from a sensable point of view that it is
@ allowable since the skill wires are actually doing the
@ work while you're rigging is done by your brain. In
@ other words the skill you suddenly have isn't really
@ under control by your brain it's under the control of the
@ chip in your head. Should the two systems be
@ automatically compatible? Any comments or
@ suggestions?
@

My immidiate answer would be no, as that would mean for a few
measly hundred thousand neyen you have the equivilent of a auto-pilot
of 6. If I remember correctly, I believe that there is a rule
somewhere, that a decker has to have a skill to do decking, as he
cannot use a chipped skill. I would assume that that would apply to
rigging as well. Anyway, think of it in these terms, it would be then
possible to plug a chip into your deck, and let the deck do all the
work, while you say go here, go there. In decking terms, you wouldn't
need the decker, all you say to the chip is 'I want....', and off it
goes. Nice question though......ponder
Andre'

-- We exist because you want us to, because you are
|__|__ afraid to fact the facts. We are what you fear
/\ /\ \ in the deep recesses of your soul, yourselves.
|\ /\ /| | It is there in the shadows of your soul and those
|/ \/ \| | of the street that we exist. Through the use of
\/__\/ might, magic, cunning, blood, sweat and tears we
protect you from your fears, from youselves, from
others and keep your utopia, not ours, intact.
Message no. 4
From: Benjamin <benjamin@*****.com>
Subject: Re: Rigging and Skill wires
Date: Thu, 18 Jul 1996 13:44:22 PDT
>
> My immidiate answer would be no, as that would mean for a few
> measly hundred thousand neyen you have the equivilent of a auto-pilot
> of 6. If I remember correctly, I believe that there is a rule
> somewhere, that a decker has to have a skill to do decking, as he
> cannot use a chipped skill. I would assume that that would apply to
> rigging as well. Anyway, think of it in these terms, it would be then
> possible to plug a chip into your deck, and let the deck do all the
> work, while you say go here, go there. In decking terms, you wouldn't
> need the decker, all you say to the chip is 'I want....', and off it
> goes. Nice question though......ponder
> Andre'
>

Umm... Actually, Page 19, VR2.0, Cyberware & the Pool:"If the decker
has slotted a Computer skillsoft w/a rating equal to or greater than
his own skill, or he only uses the skill form the chip, the Task Pool
dice also go into the Hacking Pool."

This would mean that the decker DOES have a pool if he is using just a
chip.
Message no. 5
From: mike.paff@*****.com
Subject: Re: Rigging and Skill wires
Date: Thu, 18 Jul 1996 14:18:22 -0700
> From: Benjamin <benjamin@*****.com>
>
> > My immidiate answer would be no, as that would mean for a few
> > measly hundred thousand neyen you have the equivilent of a auto-pilot
> > of 6. If I remember correctly, I believe that there is a rule
> > somewhere, that a decker has to have a skill to do decking, as he
> > cannot use a chipped skill. I would assume that that would apply to
> > rigging as well. Anyway, think of it in these terms, it would be then
> > possible to plug a chip into your deck, and let the deck do all the
> > work, while you say go here, go there. In decking terms, you wouldn't
> > need the decker, all you say to the chip is 'I want....', and off it
> > goes. Nice question though......ponder
> > Andre'
> >
>
> Umm... Actually, Page 19, VR2.0, Cyberware & the Pool:"If the decker
> has slotted a Computer skillsoft w/a rating equal to or greater than
> his own skill, or he only uses the skill form the chip, the Task Pool
> dice also go into the Hacking Pool."
>
> This would mean that the decker DOES have a pool if he is using just a
> chip.
>
I believe the VR2.0 reference involves an Encephalon in addition to the
skillsoft, and IMHO is a special case with regards to dice pools and chipped
skills.

As far as the skillwires/VCR combo, I would have to say that a standard
driving skillsoft would not be usable while rigging. The skillsoft was
designed (recorded?) with a normal driver in mind, who uses his hands
and feet to control the vehicle. The skillwires take over control of the
appropriate muscles of the body, and with some direction from the user,
controls the vehicle using his hands and feet.

A VCR interrupts the signals between the brain (spinal cord?) and the
extremities, and interprets these signals in order to control the
vehicle.

Unless the skillwires and VCR were specially integrated to allow the
VCR to accept the signals from the skillwires, the skillwires would control
the vehicle using the user's body.

Even if the skillwires and VCR were integrated, I would say that the extra
time delay, and additional level of interpretation involved, it is not
unreasonable for the rigger to lose access to some or all of his control
pool.

Mike Paff
Message no. 6
From: "Ferri Pagano" <Ferri_Pagano_at_STRM__Amsterdam1@******.com>
Subject: Re[2]: Rigging and Skill wires
Date: Fri, 19 Jul 96 13:40:32 EST
@ experience with riggers who alos have Skill wires in
@ place. I was recently creating an NPC to help the PCs
@ out and deisgned him with a chip jack with skill wire 6
@ and rig 1. Yea, he's just the getaway driver not a real
@ rigger.
@ Then it occured to me about the compatability of
@ using something like Car (6) Skill chip with Rigging
@ controls. <snip>

Who cares? so he's got a driver's skill of 6 like a
regular good driver. No rigger mods though so bad
initiative, NO control pool [no pool with wires], so
a good driver but would get trashed by any rigger
anytime anywhere. And that is as it should be.
He could serve as a poor man's AI autopilot
though...
F.
Message no. 7
From: Brian Johnson <john0375@****.tc.umn.edu>
Subject: Re: Rigging and Skill wires
Date: Fri, 19 Jul 1996 11:22:39 -0500 (CDT)
> @ I'm not sure from a sens{i}ble point of view that it is
> @ allowable since the skill wires are actually doing the
> @ work while rigging is done by your brain.
> @ The skill you suddenly have isn't really
> @ under control by your brain, it's under the control of the
> @ chip in your head. Should the two systems be
> @ automatically compatible? Any comments or
> @ suggestions?
> @
>
> My imm{e}diate answer would be no, as that would mean for a few
> measly hundred thousand neyen you have the equivilent of a auto-pilot
> of 6. If I remember correctly, I believe that there is a rule
> somewhere, that a decker has to have a skill to do decking, as he
> cannot use a chipped skill. I would assume that that would apply to
> rigging as well. Anyway, think of it in these terms, it would be then
> possible to plug a chip into your deck, and let the deck do all the
> work, while you say go here, go there. In decking terms, you wouldn't
> need the decker, all you say to the chip is 'I want....', and off it
> goes. Nice question though......ponder
> Andre'
>
Options:
1) yes, they are compatible
2) with some rewiring, as 1)
3) with customized, as 1) (buy alpha grade SW, RC1)
4) not compatible
5) with practice

I'd go either with 1, compatible, or 2) and charge .5 essense for the
wirework. If you go with anything else, it gets real complicated real
quick. Especially for SSamurai/ Company men.

on 5) If you spend enough time doing step aerobics, you learn the
workout, no? So if you spend enough time learning the ins and outs of
the programming, you'd be able to spend control pool on it (don't
go giving the skill away for free, although I gave three skills free with
'training or skill chip use' after about six months. Never hurt my game any.
Makes SSamurai a little less bad, though.

Further Reading

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