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Message no. 1
From: Shaun Gilroy <shaung@**********.NET>
Subject: [SR3] Cyberdecks and Persona Programs
Date: Thu, 3 Sep 1998 08:55:01 -0400
I was attempting to assemble a cyberdeck last night and hit a bump. I
couldn't find the multipliers for the personaware anywhere in the matrix
chapter.

I could resort to the VR2 multipliers, but I wanted to know if those values
actually in there, or if the system for figuring up persona programs has
changed and I was too dense to notice.


Shaun Gilroy [shaung@**********.net]
Online Technologies Corporation
Message no. 2
From: Gurth <gurth@******.NL>
Subject: Re: [SR3] Cyberdecks and Persona Programs
Date: Thu, 3 Sep 1998 19:14:41 +0200
Shaun Gilroy said on 8:55/3 Sep 98,...

> I was attempting to assemble a cyberdeck last night and hit a bump. I
> couldn't find the multipliers for the personaware anywhere in the matrix
> chapter.

I can't find them either on a quick browse-through... Even the supposedly
all-encompassing index doesn't have the words "persona" or "persona
programs" in it :/

> I could resort to the VR2 multipliers

That's what I would do...

--
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Incubated into the First Church of the Sqooshy Ball, 21-05-1998
Message no. 3
From: Mongoose <evamarie@**********.NET>
Subject: Re: [SR3] Cyberdecks and Persona Programs
Date: Thu, 3 Sep 1998 17:16:21 -0700
>I was attempting to assemble a cyberdeck last night and hit a bump. I
>couldn't find the multipliers for the personaware anywhere in the matrix
>chapter.
>

The matrix Chapter of SR3, I'm assuming?

>I could resort to the VR2 multipliers, but I wanted to know if those
values
>actually in there, or if the system for figuring up persona programs has
>changed and I was too dense to notice.

SR3 has pre-built cyberdecks, and no rules for buiding your own at
ALL, that I know of. But you are right, I think they left the size
multipliers of the BEMS out.
I asked Rob Boyle, and he said that the BEMS were included, but we may
not have been communicating properly (He wasn't paying much attention).
If they are included, I suppose you can just use any BEMS that will fit
(Ie, no higher than MPCP, total not over MPCP x3).
If you want to do the math and figure out if all the BEMS are indeed
included (all at MPCP rating, I'd guess, as the rules imply you can use
any
combination you choose), Rob says the decks in SR3 wre built using VR2,
but the price is 60% normal (mass production), roundeded to end with
zero's. You could check if the price fits...

Mongoose
Message no. 4
From: Autonomous Zone <azone@***.COM>
Subject: Re: [SR3] Cyberdecks and Persona Programs
Date: Fri, 4 Sep 1998 03:13:43 -0500
> >I was attempting to assemble a cyberdeck last night and hit a bump. I
> >couldn't find the multipliers for the personaware anywhere in the matrix
> >chapter.
> >I could resort to the VR2 multipliers, but I wanted to know if those
> values
> >actually in there, or if the system for figuring up persona programs has
> >changed and I was too dense to notice.
>
> SR3 has pre-built cyberdecks, and no rules for buiding your own at
> ALL, that I know of. But you are right, I think they left the size
> multipliers of the BEMS out.

Yep. If you need to build, use the VR2 rules.

> I asked Rob Boyle, and he said that the BEMS were included, but we may
> not have been communicating properly (He wasn't paying much attention).

You're right, I wasn't. The BEMS Ratings are described on p. 206, under
Deck Ratings. Basically, characters can choose whatever BEMS ratings they
want for their deck, as long as none of the ratings are higher than the
MPCP and the total of the ratings does not exceed MPCP x 3.

> combination you choose), Rob says the decks in SR3 wre built using VR2,
> but the price is 60% normal (mass production), roundeded to end with
> zero's. You could check if the price fits...

The prices were also fudged a bit to even them out, and no have such
drastic price differences between sequential models.

later
Rob Boyle


---
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Message no. 5
From: Shaun Gilroy <shaung@**********.NET>
Subject: Re: [SR3] Cyberdecks and Persona Programs
Date: Fri, 4 Sep 1998 09:18:04 -0400
At 05:16 PM 9/3/98 -0700, you wrote:
>>I was attempting to assemble a cyberdeck last night and hit a bump. I
>>couldn't find the multipliers for the personaware anywhere in the matrix
>>chapter.
>>
> The matrix Chapter of SR3, I'm assuming?

Yes.

> SR3 has pre-built cyberdecks, and no rules for buiding your own at
>ALL, that I know of. But you are right, I think they left the size
>multipliers of the BEMS out.
> I asked Rob Boyle, and he said that the BEMS were included, but we may
>not have been communicating properly (He wasn't paying much attention).
>If they are included, I suppose you can just use any BEMS that will fit
>(Ie, no higher than MPCP, total not over MPCP x3).
> If you want to do the math and figure out if all the BEMS are indeed
>included (all at MPCP rating, I'd guess, as the rules imply you can use
>any
>combination you choose), Rob says the decks in SR3 wre built using VR2,
>but the price is 60% normal (mass production), roundeded to end with
>zero's. You could check if the price fits...

Well, I ended up just using the VR2 multipliers because, try as I might, I
could not find the BEMS multipliers (or any description thereof) in SR3.
Its like they hardcoded them into the pregenerated decks' optical chips and
forgot to tell you the ratings they were burned in at.

This bothers me for 2 reasons:
1 - New players who pick up SR3 are going to have to make something up for
how BEMS program levels are generated. There's a blurb about the
Personaware in
the "Cyberdeck" section, but all it covers there is that they do indeed=
exist.
2 - This means (in the case of the decker) you still need access to the
sourcebooks to actually make a character.


noysh the spoonë bard [BABY 909]
shaung@**********.net
>jack of all trades, master of none.
Message no. 6
From: Mongoose <evamarie@**********.NET>
Subject: Re: [SR3] Cyberdecks and Persona Programs
Date: Fri, 4 Sep 1998 13:50:32 -0700
Well, I ended up just using the VR2 multipliers because, try as I might, I
could not find the BEMS multipliers (or any description thereof) in SR3.
Its like they hardcoded them into the pregenerated decks' optical chips
and
forgot to tell you the ratings they were burned in at.

This bothers me for 2 reasons:
1 - New players who pick up SR3 are going to have to make something up for
how BEMS program levels are generated. There's a blurb about the
Personaware in
the "Cyberdeck" section, but all it covers there is that they do indeed
exist.
2 - This means (in the case of the decker) you still need access to the
sourcebooks to actually make a character.


+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

As Rob said, you don't NEED personaware multipliers, because they come
at any (possible) ratings you want as PART of the decks.
That was the impression I got from my first read of the matrix
section, and I think it will be clear to new players and actually LESS
confusing. It is perhaps less than ideal that they did not give BEMS for
the archetypes who have cyberdecks.
Actually, reading the "Deck ratings" section with a "first time
eye",
my impression is you can re-distribute points equal to MPCPx3 among the
BEMS ratings any way you want. I'm not sure about doing it while decking;
would that be a "swap memory" operations?

Mongoose
Message no. 7
From: Sommers <sommers@*****.UMICH.EDU>
Subject: Re: [SR3] Cyberdecks and Persona Programs
Date: Fri, 4 Sep 1998 11:29:07 -0400
At 03:13 AM 9/4/98 -0500, you wrote:
>You're right, I wasn't. The BEMS Ratings are described on p. 206, under
>Deck Ratings. Basically, characters can choose whatever BEMS ratings they
>want for their deck, as long as none of the ratings are higher than the
>MPCP and the total of the ratings does not exceed MPCP x 3.

So I take it by this you mean that the cost for the Persona Chips were
alreay figured into this cost? So as long as you keep to the mix above, its
assumed that you went out and purchased that particular deck with this mix
of chips.

>> combination you choose), Rob says the decks in SR3 wre built using VR2,
>> but the price is 60% normal (mass production), roundeded to end with
>> zero's. You could check if the price fits...

I'll have to check the costs out today but it does sound about right. I
think the problem is that under SR2 vanilla you had to buy a deck and then
get the persona chips seperately, then in VR2 you had to buy every
component seperately. Now under SR3 you have the option of buying each part
seperately or buying one big package deal fo rthe deck.

Sommers
Home page to eventually be installed in this location.
Actual date is Real Soon Now (tm)!
Message no. 8
From: Mongoose <evamarie@**********.NET>
Subject: Re: [SR3] Cyberdecks and Persona Programs
Date: Mon, 7 Sep 1998 13:24:11 -0700
:>> combination you choose), Rob says the decks in SR3 wre built using
VR2,
:>> but the price is 60% normal (mass production), roundeded to end with
:>> zero's. You could check if the price fits...
:
:I'll have to check the costs out today but it does sound about right. I
:think the problem is that under SR2 vanilla you had to buy a deck and
then
:get the persona chips seperately, then in VR2 you had to buy every
:component seperately. Now under SR3 you have the option of buying each
part
:seperately or buying one big package deal fo rthe deck.


You can't buy a "custom deck" or ANY separate components in SR3, I
think- I haven't read any rules for even getting more memory. All you get
is different utilities.
The rules for VR2 are, except where noted in the "sourcebook update",
unchanged, and still valid.
I think they "bundled" the persona chips with the deck in SR3 just to
simplify things for new players. It may also allow players to get persona
programs with ratings higher than 6 at start; its not a "rating", its an
"attribute" of the deck, like MPCP.

Mongoose

Further Reading

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