Re: GURPS Shadowrun
 

Also, as a side question to all this decking talk going around - I'd like to see an example of how to handle a cyberdeck with GURPS; the TL9 computers that are portable surely don't fit the bill and they don't change all that much by TL as they advance so out of curiosity and possible game utility I'd like to see some prospective game stats on one and an example of how you put it together to make it work (so I can retroengineer the process and build different models and things).

Re: GURPS Shadowrun
 

I totally get that objection, and to some degree, I sympathize. Although, having played in a game where it worked out just fine (and was kinda kewl, actually), I don't think it's any bigger of a problem than magic -- it's a set of abilities that the PCs have, so the GM has to think of (a) ways for them to make use of the abilities, and (b) ways to keep the abilities from ruining the game. The GM just has some extra thinking-things-through to do. And I've never seen a game that the GM was too prepared for; I have, however, seen plenty of games that he wasn't prepared enough for.

The "can't suspend disbelief on technology that very nearly exists now" argument just doesn't hold water for me.

Re: GURPS Shadowrun
 

The Pyramid Netrunning article has a few examples of pre-built cyberdecks, as well as rules for building custom decks from the computers in UT.

Re: GURPS Shadowrun
 

The original trope doesn't require wireless hackers in the assault team with real-time combat effects. Case was a former military cowboy, even, and he didn't need to do any of this kind of stuff.

Re: GURPS Shadowrun
 

You are saying that technology to hack anything wirelessly from a calculator to a pacemaker and anything in between very nearly exists now? Even if its hardened and or further shielded by being surrounded by human flesh/bone?

Re: GURPS Shadowrun
 

The original trope doesn't require it, but some people feel that it makes for more entertaining gaming.

And IIRC, Case was a punk-ass street kid who was good at hacking; he wasn't former military. Even the Dixie Flatline wasn't former military. Corso (Armitage) was, but he didn't do much hacking in the book.

Plus, Gibson had virtually no understanding of actual computing technology when he wrote Neuromancer, and even his flawed understanding was based on circa 1980 tech.

Re: GURPS Shadowrun
 

See above re: Van Eck Phreaking. Also, look into the well-known effects of EMP on electronics. Now, give those technologies several decades (and maybe a few cyber-wars) to develop....

Re: GURPS Shadowrun
 

That doesn't mean that induction-based computer intrusion nearly exists now. It means that you can wildly extrapolate it from something that exists now, without actually worrying about such minor details as whether it's actually possible.

Re: GURPS Shadowrun
 

Van Eck proved you can interpret the data of a viewscreen as a tv image, I find it hard to believe you'd be able to interact with the terminal via a similar methodology. Related technology yes, actually able to change settings etc, no.

Re: GURPS Shadowrun
 

It depend a lot on how you implement decking ...
Physically, i would say it is about the size of a modern keyboard. perhaps a bit more heavier. DR1 for basic model, hardened model exist.
A basic one allow computer hacking roll without equipment penalties.
Fine or very fine ones add +1 or +2 to the roll.
Compact, fast, high capacity TL9 personal Computer
It run a C6 decryption program, a c6 Virtual reality program, and a suit of c5 software tool for hacking.
A very fine one have the genius option instead of fast, and run a c7 decryption and a set of c6 hacking program.
100TB storage included
Does this help ?
(The decryption program should be a few complexity level higher, to handle real-time hacking ... perhaps consider that the encryption program run on a dedicated quantum chipset.)

Celjabba