SR 5th ed. Version 2.1 of the Shadowrun 5 files for Hero Lab are now available! Hard Targets!

[adzling]

Yeah I figured as much hence my post.

It's a tricky one I'll give you that.

I'm happy to just wing it, sometimes it's just not worth building out a complicated widget for a single tiny mod in a massive game system.

Originally Posted by Mathias

I've thought about this, and have no good ideas for a user-friendly way to designate the exact contents of a 40-clip weapon, let alone every clip on the character, so this is not something that can be implemented until we have a good way to implement it.

[Polecat]

Originally Posted by Mathias

I've thought about this, and have no good ideas for a user-friendly way to designate the exact contents of a 40-clip weapon, let alone every clip on the character, so this is not something that can be implemented until we have a good way to implement it.

Honestly, I don't think it is that important. If the player wants to plan out each shot, they can do a bunch of extra leg work. Since its not something I imagine coming up that often. I'd just recommend having multiple clips.

We do need a way of registering stuff on PANs and WANs though. I know I sound like a broken record, but considering the only way you can stop someone from data-spiking your gun is to have it behind a good firewall it isn't something that should be overlooked.

[Mathias]

Originally Posted by Polecat

We do need a way of registering stuff on PANs and WANs though. I know I sound like a broken record, but considering the only way you can stop someone from data-spiking your gun is to have it behind a good firewall it isn't something that should be overlooked.

How often would someone actually have a set of equipment that can't be covered by their commlink/cyberdeck - where the link can't actually cover everything else that's in use, so that you can just look at the commlink's stats, and assume those are what to use when defending for the character against a matrix attack? Then, it's a simple matter of listing the matrix defense stats of the currently equipped matrix device next to the ranged/melee/sensor defenses along the top, and all their devices are assumed to be behind that firewall.

Having to check whether each device is inside the PAN, and change that every time you change out the list of active devices does not seem worth the electronic paperwork if the majority of characters will have a good enough commlink to cover a normal set of equipment.

[adzling]

FYI there are benefits to setting up more complicated PAN arrangements.

Such as a high stealth rated comlink running silent forming PAN that includes all your gear and then second comlink running an agent (to check for marks on both PANS) and slaving a bunch of garbage (RFID tags etc) to it.

Or a decker / rigger slaving his drones to his deck and running a comlink that has his other stuff slaved to it.

So it's not at all necessary to construct an interface for it imho (I keep all this as notes in the Personal section of my character sheet) but it would be nice as book-keeping can get complicated.

But i'm sure there's more important stuff out there.

[Polecat]

The main thing is that lots and lots and lots of gear is wireless now. And assuming that everything on your person is in your WAN or PAN is a problem. My character needs to carry three separate comlinks just to cover all his gear.

And when one of those devices is taken over by a decker, they gain control over all items connected to that network. Likewise, you can only benefit from the Wireless bonus from a single running device. So, what is actually connected really matters.

So far, this has come up 9/12 times we have had matrix combat.

If someone snags one comlink they can use a free action to make the guns in it spit their clips (if they're a smartgun) and that is just one of the many, many things they can do. So its important to know what is connected to what -- especially since you can only defend one network at a time means that your additional networks are just Firewall instead of Firewall + Willpower.

We had a half hour disagreement over someone hacking someone's gecko gloves and turning them off when he was half way up the side of a building, because the person just decided that they would be in their PAN without picking the items in their PAN beforehand.

So this would just make things easier and it is something all runners should consider.

[Mathias]

Originally Posted by Polecat

The main thing is that lots and lots and lots of gear is wireless now. And assuming that everything on your person is in your WAN or PAN is a problem. My character needs to carry three separate comlinks just to cover all his gear.

What rating of commlinks are you using? I just give every character who's not cash-strapped a rating 6 commlink, so that's covering 18 devices per commlink. Does your character carry 40-some wireless devices, every one of them turned on at all times, that you need three commlinks?

Do you really want to have to select a commlink from a drop-down for 40 different devices?

[Polecat]

Originally Posted by Mathias

What rating of commlinks are you using? I just give every character who's not cash-strapped a rating 6 commlink, so that's covering 18 devices per commlink. Does your character carry 40-some wireless devices, every one of them turned on at all times, that you need three commlinks?

Do you really want to have to select a commlink from a drop-down for 40 different devices?

I wish I could just copy and paste, but including the systems in cyberware and drones and stuff. Yes. And yeah, I really do. I have a few different weapon suites scattered across multiple coms so if I lose one com to a hacker I don't lose access to anything that isn't a club.

Cyborgs have it the worst in our experience.

The other thing is, if you have a single wireless device. Like, if you have anything not behind a firewall technomancers, hackers, sprites and AIs can jockey inside that thing without any real effort and follow you around without your knowing. They can also see everything you have running via icons if they're not behind a firewall. Its a pain.

So, yeah. I know I am being a broken record, but if you aren't encountering this as a problem its because your GM isn't using your deckers or Technomancers properly. Because we are running in the Boston Lockdown and it has been a total freaking nightmare.

Don't even get me started on nanites.