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Message no. 1
From: shadowrn@*********.com (Jed Mitten)
Subject: Smartlink clarification
Date: Tue May 21 19:40:02 2002
I was just wondering what you all think about the display from a Smartlink
system. I remember a game a while back where a character used his SL to
lower a blind-fire around a corner from +8TN to +6TN with the explanation
that the cyber gives a sort of HUD of what it's pointing at.

IMO, that is not how a SL works, but it was a good idea. I see it as a
tracking system of sorts that needs the cybered mind to distinguish Friend
or Foe, then is able to act accordingly.

What do you think?

-Jed-

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Message no. 2
From: shadowrn@*********.com (Strago)
Subject: Smartlink clarification
Date: Tue May 21 20:20:01 2002
Jed Mitten wrote:

> I was just wondering what you all think about the display from a
> Smartlink system. I remember a game a while back where a character used
> his SL to lower a blind-fire around a corner from +8TN to +6TN with the
> explanation that the cyber gives a sort of HUD of what it's pointing at.
>
> IMO, that is not how a SL works, but it was a good idea. I see it as a
> tracking system of sorts that needs the cybered mind to distinguish
> Friend or Foe, then is able to act accordingly.
>
> What do you think?

I've raised this question, and if I remember correctly, the consensus
(after some discussion) was that it placed a targeting reticle (ie a
cross hair or dot) on the eye of the user. So when Strago has a
smartlinked pistol in his hand, he sees a cross hair where the pistol is
pointing.
This is because the smartlink includes some sort of gyroscope which
tells the system how the gun is held and where it it held. In the case
of the blind fire around the corner, I just don't see it.

"If it weren't for my horse, I wouldn't have spent that year in college."
-Lewis Black
Message no. 3
From: shadowrn@*********.com (Lone Eagle)
Subject: Smartlink clarification
Date: Wed May 22 04:05:01 2002
>From: "Jed Mitten" <cyberpir8@*******.com>
>I was just wondering what you all think about the display from a Smartlink
>system. I remember a game a while back where a character used his SL to
>lower a blind-fire around a corner from +8TN to +6TN with the explanation
>that the cyber gives a sort of HUD of what it's pointing at.
>
>IMO, that is not how a SL works, but it was a good idea. I see it as a
>tracking system of sorts that needs the cybered mind to distinguish Friend
>or Foe, then is able to act accordingly.

BTB the smartgun link paints a crosshair on your retina (or cybereyes)
showing you where your weapon is pointing. The ability to distinguish friend
and foe is a different system, and your friends have to carry transponders,
pattern recogition software is good chummer, but not that good.

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Message no. 4
From: shadowrn@*********.com (Lone Eagle)
Subject: Smartlink clarification
Date: Wed May 22 04:20:01 2002
>From: Strago <strago@***.com>
<snip>
>This is because the smartlink includes some sort of gyroscope which
>tells the system how the gun is held and where it it held. In the case
>of the blind fire around the corner, I just don't see it.

A smartgun link comprises numerous parts, a general concensus (I don't think
it's canon) is that one of these parts is a sub-partial simsense rig, which
tells the software where all the limbs are...

While a smartgun link doesn't mean you see "through the eyes of the gun" it
does include a rangefinder, if a character sees someone run round a corner
and gets to the corner 3 seconds later a quick scan would be able to show
what area was at 15 meters range and receeding, bingo a target, not a very
good one but hey that's why you're at +6TN.

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Message no. 5
From: shadowrn@*********.com (Gurth)
Subject: Smartlink clarification
Date: Wed May 22 05:15:01 2002
According to Jed Mitten, on Wed, 22 May 2002 the word on the street was...

> I was just wondering what you all think about the display from a
> Smartlink system. I remember a game a while back where a character used
> his SL to lower a blind-fire around a corner from +8TN to +6TN with the
> explanation that the cyber gives a sort of HUD of what it's pointing at.
>
> IMO, that is not how a SL works, but it was a good idea. I see it as a
> tracking system of sorts that needs the cybered mind to distinguish
> Friend or Foe, then is able to act accordingly.

I think he'd need to wire a camera into his weapon if he wants to shoot
around corners like that -- in which case it's not blind fire anymore. M&M
stresses that smartlinks don't work as a camera (p. 32) so what your player
wants to do is impossible BTB.

--
Gurth@******.nl - http://www.xs4all.nl/~gurth/index.html
Begint eer ge bezint.
-> NAGEE Editor * ShadowRN GridSec * Triangle Virtuoso <-
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Message no. 6
From: shadowrn@*********.com (Walter Scheper)
Subject: Smartlink clarification
Date: Wed May 22 06:15:01 2002
On 22 May 2002 at 8:17, Lone Eagle wrote:

> >From: Strago <strago@***.com>
> <snip>
> >This is because the smartlink includes some sort of gyroscope which
> >tells the system how the gun is held and where it it held. In the case of
> >the blind fire around the corner, I just don't see it.
>
> A smartgun link comprises numerous parts, a general concensus (I don't think
> it's canon) is that one of these parts is a sub-partial simsense rig, which
> tells the software where all the limbs are...

It's cannon, according to M&M a Smartlink breaks down into the following parts: an
eye display, a limited simsense rig, a processor and an induction pad.

> While a smartgun link doesn't mean you see "through the eyes of the gun" it
> does include a rangefinder, if a character sees someone run round a corner
> and gets to the corner 3 seconds later a quick scan would be able to show
> what area was at 15 meters range and receeding, bingo a target, not a very
> good one but hey that's why you're at +6TN.

Actually, a Rangefinder is a completely separate modification. Other than the
crosshair the smartlink only displays your current ammo count and if it's a cyber
version it lets you change firing modes or a shotgun's choke as a free action.
--
Walter Scheper
Message no. 7
From: shadowrn@*********.com (Walter Scheper)
Subject: Smartlink clarification
Date: Wed May 22 06:15:03 2002
On 22 May 2002 at 11:02, Gurth wrote:

> According to Jed Mitten, on Wed, 22 May 2002 the word on the street was...
>
> > I was just wondering what you all think about the display from a
> > Smartlink system. I remember a game a while back where a character used
> > his SL to lower a blind-fire around a corner from +8TN to +6TN with the
> > explanation that the cyber gives a sort of HUD of what it's pointing at.
> >
> > IMO, that is not how a SL works, but it was a good idea. I see it as a
> > tracking system of sorts that needs the cybered mind to distinguish Friend
> > or Foe, then is able to act accordingly.
>
> I think he'd need to wire a camera into his weapon if he wants to shoot
> around corners like that -- in which case it's not blind fire anymore. M&M
> stresses that smartlinks don't work as a camera (p. 32) so what your player
> wants to do is impossible BTB.
>
What Gurth said. Specifically there is the Guncam from Cannon Companion, page 35.
However, I'd make your player purchase an Image Link and Datajack in order to use
this to fire a gun around corners and get the Smartlink bonus. He's going to
have some sort of cable running from the guncam to his datajack; that won't route
through the smartlink's induction pad. Also, I wouldn't let him dodge while doing
so, since he'd be viewing what's happening around the corner, rather than paying
attention to what's going on around him. If he's firing anything bigger than a
pistol, you might even want to give him some extra recoil penalties. Depends on
which side of the realism/cinematic line you fall.

--
Walter Scheper

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