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Message no. 1
From: Wind Dancer <winddancer@***********.NET>
Subject: VCR's and DataJacks.
Date: Mon, 20 Oct 1997 12:57:32 -0400
ok, I have probly missed this discucion at one point or another, but I still
an curious. :)

Does a VCR come with a built in Data Jack. and if so, at what level?

If it is LV 1, can I subtract the essence and nuyen cost of the LV 1 and add
the essence and Nuyen cost of a level 4 if I so choose? Or is this not an
option?

Thanks.

WD
Message no. 2
From: Gurth <gurth@******.NL>
Subject: Re: VCR's and DataJacks.
Date: Tue, 21 Oct 1997 12:43:28 +0100
Wind Dancer said on 12:57/20 Oct 97...

> Does a VCR come with a built in Data Jack. and if so, at what level?

It doesn't mention whether or not it is in SRII. I've always ruled that
you need to buy a separate datajack if you have a VCR, mainly based on the
fact that the rigger archetype has a datajack.

--
Gurth@******.nl - http://www.xs4all.nl/~gurth/index.html
The truth may be out there, but lies are inside you head.
-> NERPS Project Leader & Unofficial Shadowrun Guru <-
-> The Plastic Warriors Page: http://www.xs4all.nl/~gurth/plastic.html <-

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Message no. 3
From: "J. Keith Henry" <Ereskanti@***.COM>
Subject: Re: VCR's and DataJacks.
Date: Tue, 21 Oct 1997 19:55:51 -0400
In a message dated 97-10-20 12:55:25 EDT, winddancer@***********.NET writes:

>
> Does a VCR come with a built in Data Jack. and if so, at what level?
>
> If it is LV 1, can I subtract the essence and nuyen cost of the LV 1 and
add
> the essence and Nuyen cost of a level 4 if I so choose? Or is this not an
> option?
>
> Thanks.
>
> WD
>
You know, I've always wondered this too, and when I couldn't find an answer
in the books, and, at the time, Tom Dowd on the phone said they weren't
included, I went with what he said.

-K
Message no. 4
From: Wind Dancer <winddancer@***********.NET>
Subject: Re: VCR's and DataJacks.
Date: Sat, 8 Nov 1997 21:45:26 -0500
At 07:55 PM 10/21/97 -0400, J. Keith Henry wrote:
ê>> Does a VCR come with a built in Data Jack. and if so, at what level?
ê>>
ê>> If it is LV 1, can I subtract the essence and nuyen cost of the LV 1=
and
ê>add
ê>> the essence and Nuyen cost of a level 4 if I so choose? Or is this=
not an
ê>> option?
ê>>
ê>> Thanks.
ê>>
ê>> WD
ê>>
ê>You know, I've always wondered this too, and when I couldn't find an=
answer
ê>in the books, and, at the time, Tom Dowd on the phone said they weren't
ê>included, I went with what he said.
ê>
ê>-K

Here is the stupid thing. I can understand why the VCR costs so much
essence, but why is the data jack not included in that cost. and for how
long have unsuspecting people been playing characters without the data jack?

WD
Message no. 5
From: NightRain <nightrain@***.BRISNET.ORG.AU>
Subject: Re: VCR's and DataJacks.
Date: Sun, 9 Nov 1997 18:54:51 +1000
ê>You know, I've always wondered this too, and when I couldn't find an
answer
ê>in the books, and, at the time, Tom Dowd on the phone said they weren't
ê>included, I went with what he said.


>Here is the stupid thing. I can understand why the VCR costs so much
>essence, but why is the data jack not included in that cost. and for how
>long have unsuspecting people been playing characters without the data
jack?

It's easy now though. Just rule that a VCR comes with a rigger datajack.
Limited use for much else.

NightRain.

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Message no. 6
From: John Penta <johndevil@****.COM>
Subject: Re: VCR's and DataJacks.
Date: Sun, 9 Nov 1997 09:24:38 -0500
>Here is the stupid thing. I can understand why the VCR costs so much
>essence, but why is the data jack not included in that cost. and for
>how
>long have unsuspecting people been playing characters without the data
>jack?
>
>WD
Yep. When(in my currently still forming newbie group...still waiting
after 3 weeks for decker/rigger to finish up with cyberdeck(he's had
track, so...he's excused..)and been struggling for the time to help the
mage get started.) the decker/rigger bought a VCR, I made a ruling, for
sanity's sake:all VCR's come with a datajack +1 their level. the SEPARATE
datajack is a datajack programmed in the firmware for decking. I also
doubled the cash+essence cost of Muscle Replacement, Wired
Reflexes...don't remember what else. banned enhanced
artwinkulation(though I don't have shadowtech or cybertechnology, so that
ain't a problem.)...and reduced essence cost for smartlinks if ya had
cybereyes....any more suggestions? they're newbies to SR, me newbie to
GMing SR.
Message no. 7
From: Wind Dancer <winddancer@***********.NET>
Subject: Re: VCR's and DataJacks.
Date: Sun, 9 Nov 1997 12:31:58 -0500
At 09:24 AM 11/9/97 -0500, John Penta wrote:

<snip>

ê>mage get started.) the decker/rigger bought a VCR, I made a ruling, for
ê>sanity's sake:all VCR's come with a datajack +1 their level. the=
SEPARATE

<snip>

Ok, that is a decent Idea, at least for starters....

WD
Message no. 8
From: NightRain <nightrain@***.BRISNET.ORG.AU>
Subject: Re: VCR's and DataJacks.
Date: Mon, 10 Nov 1997 09:06:46 +1000
John Penta wrote:
>ain't a problem.)...and reduced essence cost for smartlinks if ya had
>cybereyes....any more suggestions? they're newbies to SR, me newbie to


For cyberarms you mean? Eyes don't affect the essence cost of smartlinks.

NightRain.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------
|The universe is a big place, and whatever happens, you will not be missed|
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

http://elf.brisnet.org.au/~macey/index.html

EMAIL : nightrain@***.brisnet.org.au
: macey@***.brisnet.org.au
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Message no. 9
From: Mon goose <landsquid@*******.COM>
Subject: Re: VCR's and DataJacks.
Date: Mon, 10 Nov 1997 10:33:29 PST
>>ain't a problem.)...and reduced essence cost for smartlinks if ya had
cybereyes....any more suggestions?

>For cyberarms you mean? Eyes don't affect the essence cost of
smartlinks.

Did anybody else notice that Smartlinks are listed as simsense
technology under the "simsense vertigo" flaw in R2? That implies
strongly to me that eyes are not involved in the proces at all- the
aiming reticule is "in the mind". It explains a few other things, like
how the system tracks your gun / eye triangulation. The essence
reduction for limbs covers the induction pad and probably some
processing hardware, leaving something a bit like an internal chipjack /
datajack combo to go in your head, for simsense info input and command
output to the gun.
It does seem that maybe a smartlink could be cooked up out of an
interactive simsense deck- maybe smartgogles actually incorporate some
very limited simsense capability, and if you could jack into them, they
would work as well as a full smartlink. Probably require some
resolution improvemnt as well, but jacked simsense is supposed to be
inherently cleaner and faster.
I wonder what else you could "play" through your link?
Cybertechnolgy mentions the "happines is a warm gun" sensation- I
assumed that was nueral stimulation, but it could be sim-stim.

Mongoose / Technological progress is like an ax in the hands
of a psychotic - Einstein

get sucked into -The Vortex- Chicago's shadowland BBS
http://www.concentric.net/~evamarie/srmain.htm


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Message no. 10
From: John Penta <johndevil@****.COM>
Subject: Re: VCR's and DataJacks.
Date: Mon, 10 Nov 1997 16:42:31 -0500
On Mon, 10 Nov 1997 09:06:46 +1000 NightRain
<nightrain@***.BRISNET.ORG.AU> writes:
>John Penta wrote:
>>ain't a problem.)...and reduced essence cost for smartlinks if ya had
>>cybereyes....any more suggestions? they're newbies to SR, me newbie
>to
>
>
>For cyberarms you mean? Eyes don't affect the essence cost of
>smartlinks.
*sighs*I'm not USING normal rules. I kept the cyberarm reduction(but I
STRONGLY discourage getting artificial limbs...I count a char's CHA as 2
less then...let's face it, cyberlimbs are VERY), but have made it a bit
more sane...from what I remember, smartlinks do their major work in the
eyes.
Message no. 11
From: NightRain <nightrain@***.BRISNET.ORG.AU>
Subject: Re: VCR's and DataJacks.
Date: Tue, 11 Nov 1997 09:58:15 +1000
John Penta wrote:
>>For cyberarms you mean? Eyes don't affect the essence cost of
>>smartlinks.

>*sighs*I'm not USING normal rules. I kept the cyberarm reduction(but I
>STRONGLY discourage getting artificial limbs...I count a char's CHA as 2
>less then...let's face it, cyberlimbs are VERY), but have made it a bit
>more sane...from what I remember, smartlinks do their major work in the
>eyes.

They don't. Most of the essence is used in the induction pad. They do
affect the eyes, but not terribly much.

NightRain.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------
|The universe is a big place, and whatever happens, you will not be missed|
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

http://elf.brisnet.org.au/~macey/index.html

EMAIL : nightrain@***.brisnet.org.au
: macey@***.brisnet.org.au
ICQ : 2587947
Message no. 12
From: "J. Keith Henry" <Ereskanti@***.COM>
Subject: Re: VCR's and DataJacks.
Date: Tue, 11 Nov 1997 18:16:05 -0500
In a message dated 97-11-08 21:52:59 EST, winddancer@***********.NET writes:

>
> Here is the stupid thing. I can understand why the VCR costs so much
> essence, but why is the data jack not included in that cost. and for how
> long have unsuspecting people been playing characters without the data
jack?
>
> WD
>
In a simple answer, for YEARS, and that is part of the argument no doubt as
to what is required and what is not. With R2's explanations as to -why- a
VCR is so heavy on the essence, I can understand stuff a little bit. But
then having to have a DJ as well. It just gets kind of stupid after a while.
And then if you utilize the other "toys" that are in the R2 (Cranial VC
Decks and stuff), it becomes almost ignorant to have a "BIG TIME" Rigger
Character.

-K
Message no. 13
From: "J. Keith Henry" <Ereskanti@***.COM>
Subject: Re: VCR's and DataJacks.
Date: Tue, 11 Nov 1997 19:58:20 -0500
In a message dated 97-11-10 13:48:36 EST, landsquid@*******.COM writes:

> Did anybody else notice that Smartlinks are listed as simsense
> technology under the "simsense vertigo" flaw in R2?

Yes I did actually...

> That implies
> strongly to me that eyes are not involved in the proces at all- the
> aiming reticule is "in the mind". It explains a few other things, like
> how the system tracks your gun / eye triangulation. The essence
> reduction for limbs covers the induction pad and probably some
> processing hardware, leaving something a bit like an internal chipjack /
> datajack combo to go in your head, for simsense info input and command
> output to the gun.

Ya know, I wish people (other than yourself of course) would have thought of
this before they got into that -HUGE- smartlink argument not all that long
ago.

> It does seem that maybe a smartlink could be cooked up out of an
> interactive simsense deck- maybe smartgogles actually incorporate some
> very limited simsense capability, and if you could jack into them, they
> would work as well as a full smartlink. Probably require some
> resolution improvemnt as well, but jacked simsense is supposed to be
> inherently cleaner and faster.

Or more fun, run a "smartlink program" on one's cyberdeck through an
induction glove in the hand and a Display Link in the eye (which btw, is an
electronic imaging link to whatever it connects to). Put the deck in a
hardened case, backsling it, and lookie, the decker is ready to go. Just
imagine how far you could take -THAT-.

> I wonder what else you could "play" through your link?
> Cybertechnolgy mentions the "happines is a warm gun" sensation- I
> assumed that was nueral stimulation, but it could be sim-stim.

See the Above...
-K
Message no. 14
From: Mon goose <landsquid@*******.COM>
Subject: Re: VCR's and DataJacks.
Date: Wed, 12 Nov 1997 01:08:58 PST
>> Did anybody else notice that Smartlinks are listed as simsense
>> technology under the "simsense vertigo" flaw in R2?
>
>Yes I did actually...
>
>> That implies
>> strongly to me that eyes are not involved in the proces at all- the
>> aiming reticule is "in the mind". It explains a few other things,
like
>> how the system tracks your gun / eye triangulation. The essence
>> reduction for limbs covers the induction pad and probably some
>> processing hardware, leaving something a bit like an internal
chipjack /
>> datajack combo to go in your head, for simsense info input and
command
>> output to the gun.
>
>Ya know, I wish people (other than yourself of course) would have
thought of
>this before they got into that -HUGE- smartlink argument not all that
long
>ago.
>

I think that was BEFORE R2 came out, though. I'm observant, not
psychic! I actually lurked for that debate- it was pretty interesting,
but asserting catagorically that smartlinks were sim-stim based without
book backup would have led nowhere.

>> It does seem that maybe a smartlink could be cooked up out of an
>> interactive simsense deck- maybe smartgogles actually incorporate
some
>> very limited simsense capability, and if you could jack into them,
they
>> would work as well as a full smartlink. Probably require some
>> resolution improvemnt as well, but jacked simsense is supposed to be
>> inherently cleaner and faster.
>
>Or more fun, run a "smartlink program" on one's cyberdeck through an
>induction glove in the hand and a Display Link in the eye (which btw,
is an
>electronic imaging link to whatever it connects to). Put the deck in a
>hardened case, backsling it, and lookie, the decker is ready to go.
Just
>imagine how far you could take -THAT-.

MMM, now rethinking, i take back my idea. The cyberdeck and simdeck
both have no input from the BODY to triagulate its position re-the gun.
The eye display link would be redundant with sim input, as well. Now,
if you were wearing a simrig, had the right progs and hardware, yeah,
you've got a lab table smartlink and have succesfully reinvented the
wheel, and maybe saved .5 essence.

>
>> I wonder what else you could "play" through your link?
>> Cybertechnolgy mentions the "happines is a warm gun" sensation- I
>> assumed that was nueral stimulation, but it could be sim-stim.
>
>See the Above...
>-K

No, not what can you "play" a guns link *through*, what can i do with my
smartgun link besides aim the gun in my hand. Cetain data about mybody
movement should be avalable (to broadcast on a riggers system channel?),
some commands can be issues and some data recived (maybe to open custom
locks, or download data), certain (pre-programmed?) perceptions. Could
I get different guns each giving me a different fealing? a gun for when
I'm happy, a gun for when I'm blue...

Would expalin why Mongoose collects so many guns- he's literally
addicted to them! He used to fondle a stolen Thunderhawk he almost
never used- the feeling of authority, power, and responsibility was so
centering. Who needs sim when its built into your gun? The Ingram
smartgun gives of an edgey, violent vibe- its hard not to kill with it.
Ares guns tend to be cold and efficient.

Man, just founda BIG use for that simsense engenering chip and
subliminal programing guide I found!

I'll never trust a gun again....


Mongoose / Technological progress is like an ax in the hands
of a psychotic - Einstein

get sucked into -The Vortex- Chicago's shadowland BBS
http://www.concentric.net/~evamarie/srmain.htm


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Message no. 15
From: Czar Eggbert <czregbrt@*********.EDU>
Subject: Re: VCR's and DataJacks.
Date: Wed, 12 Nov 1997 07:39:37 -0600
On Tue, 11 Nov 1997, J. Keith Henry wrote:

> In a message dated 97-11-08 21:52:59 EST, winddancer@***********.NET writes:
>
> >
> > Here is the stupid thing. I can understand why the VCR costs so much
> > essence, but why is the data jack not included in that cost. and for how
> > long have unsuspecting people been playing characters without the data
> jack?

Accually The Datajack has been required sence the beginning, Read
the description of the VCR in the Gear section of SRII.
Has anyone made a rigger with a headware Remote Deck and no
Datajack yet? I love the look of a players face when the Badguy jumps into
the back seat of a car and drives off. :)
Czar Eggbert

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Ruler, Dark Side of the Moon.
homepage: http://www.geocities.com/Area51/5648
mailto:czregbrt@*********.edu
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Further Reading

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