How can I get Shadowrun Riggers in GURPS?

[Jonny Reload]

Ok, I'm looking for a few basic things that I wanted help with, mainly porting over the concept of a Rigger into GURPS (For those of you who are unfamiliar with the Shadowrun setting, a Rigger is a person who uses Cyberwear to merge with machines like a car, a security system, a plane, and controls it much more efficiently then someone with manual hand control. Also the rigger is adept at controlling robots and drones from far away with his cyberwear.)

Has anything been made at all through the Cyberwear, Cyberpunk books that would help make a rigger or would some rules need to be scratched up and new cyberwear (Ex. a Riggers Deck, a Vehicle Control Rig, etc.) need to be designed as well?

[bazzalisk]

In 3rd Edition GURPS Vehicles (and Mecha and Ultratech 2) allow a Neural Interface Port to be used as a vehicle control console. The Standard GURPS Neural Interface Port provided +4 to all skill rolls whilst using it to control a vehicle (although UT2 had rules for giving a smaller bonus, and THS later ruled that a direct neural link give no bonus to using vehicles).

As for remotely controling systems - THS gives rules for `Telepresence', which is controling a remote drone via a VR rig (either neural or not) - and applies a slight penalty to all skill rolls due to not actualy being there (and a further penalty due to light-lag over significant distances, but that's probably not relevant to your question). Dropping the penalty and replacing it with the +4 bonus mentioned above might well help to simulate Shadowrun better.

[cmdicely]

Originally Posted by bazzalisk

In 3rd Edition GURPS Vehicles (and Mecha and Ultratech 2) allow a Neural Interface Port to be used as a vehicle control console. The Standard GURPS Neural Interface Port provided +4 to all skill rolls whilst using it to control a vehicle (although UT2 had rules for giving a smaller bonus, and THS later ruled that a direct neural link give no bonus to using vehicles).

As for remotely controling systems - THS gives rules for `Telepresence', which is controling a remote drone via a VR rig (either neural or not) - and applies a slight penalty to all skill rolls due to not actualy being there (and a further penalty due to light-lag over significant distances, but that's probably not relevant to your question). Dropping the penalty and replacing it with the +4 bonus mentioned above might well help to simulate Shadowrun better.

These are also in one of the Vehicles Expansions (VEX2, I think) which may be more useful for non-THS game.

EDIT: I wanted to add, Vehicles and the two Vehicles Expansions are something you might want to seriously look at for a cyberpunk game, recognizing that there are going to be some 3e->4e issues.

[Jonny Reload]

Crap, they put the stuff for drones in a setting book I really didn't want :-/

Isn't THS finished? (Like isn't the line done with producing books?)

[bazzalisk]

Originally Posted by Jonny Reload

Isn't THS finished? (Like isn't the line done with producing books?)

AFAIK yes. To be Honest there isn't a great deal more they could have written ... although a book focusing on each of the major Alliances would have been cool.

They put the telepresence rules in THS because that's where they were useful - telepresence is a fairly important part of everyday life in 2100.

[Jonny Reload]

Well it definately something that should be thrown in a new cyberpunk or ultra tech book. But thanks for the heads up!

[Kax]

Originally Posted by Jonny Reload

Well it definately something that should be thrown in a new cyberpunk or ultra tech book. But thanks for the heads up!

Doesn't need to be.
Combination of comms gear, VR software and VR hardware from UT/UTII, cyberware from Cyberpunk and UT/UTII, signal security gear from UT/UTII and design stuff from Robots and/or Vehicles II will give you what you want.
It'll cost, 'cos the drones will have to have robotic bodies and brains - but the capabilities will make up for it.
Keep everything at TL8 except for the cyberware, which should be at TL10, and you'll be fine.

[Deggial]

Personally, I use GURPS Vehicles for riggers and adopted all Shadowrun vehicle models.

As for cyberware, I found an unofficial conversion at a site, took it and altered it to my taste. I'm afraid that site doesn't work anymore.

Generally, I tried to stay as closer to GURPS rules as possible and it has been working quite well. I managed to have only one extra stat, Essence (for cyberware).

[PK]

Originally Posted by Jonny Reload

Ok, I'm looking for a few basic things that I wanted help with, mainly porting over the concept of a Rigger into GURPS (For those of you who are unfamiliar with the Shadowrun setting, a Rigger is a person who uses Cyberwear to merge with machines like a car, a security system, a plane, and controls it much more efficiently then someone with manual hand control. Also the rigger is adept at controlling robots and drones from far away with his cyberwear.)

Has anything been made at all through the Cyberwear, Cyberpunk books that would help make a rigger or would some rules need to be scratched up and new cyberwear (Ex. a Riggers Deck, a Vehicle Control Rig, etc.) need to be designed as well?

I actually wrote up rules for this in 3E... in 4E, I'd do it differently, but I'm waiting for Vehicles and Powers both to come out before I decide how. Here's my 3E writeup if it helps at all... it's based off the rules for neural interfaces and personal skill bonuses, with the math reverse-engineered from other pieces of cyberware (there's a lot of behind-the-scenes math to arrive at the final character point cost; the cash cost is totally mutable):

Rig Control: $25K (8 pts)/level
Sometimes referred to as a VCR (Vehicle Control Rig), this implant combines reflex booster, skill chip, and neural interface technology. Each level (up to 5) adds 1 to your skill when driving or piloting any vehicle. This bonus is doubled when using a neural interface, and is cumulative with the +4 interface bonus! It also adds its level (not doubled) to your skill when using an interface to control remove vehicles (cumulative with the +2 interface bonus). Your VCR does not add to your rolls to use interfaced weapons, etc., but you do get the normal interface bonus.

[PK]

Originally Posted by Rev_Pee_Kitty

Rig Control: $25K (8 pts)/level

Oh, in case it's not clear, this does not include the cost (points OR cash) of the neural interface, which is optional but recommended for use with this Advantage.