Action (and DF) flavor in this month's Pyramid...

[PK]

Doing my part for the "I didn't look closely at this months' Pyramid because the theme didn't grab me" crowd:

Heads up for the Action fans out there -- the latest issue of Pyramid has a 9-page article (practically a mini-supplement) about netrunning in Action that is 100% compatible with "movie-style" hacking. The article assumes a jump into TL9 and cyberdecks, but the rules expressly work just as well for hacking on TL8 mainframes and laptops (you just need some really expensive gear). GURPS Swordfish, here we come -- minus the gratuitous topless Halle Berry, of course.

And DF fans may want to know that Matt Riggsby's taken his DF8: Treasure Tables approach to a randomized mall/bazaar layout. What's in that store crammed into the back corner? *clatter*

(And hey, if anyone hates the cinematic over-the-topness of Action, this issue also has a whole article on rules to make certain advantages in GURPS far more realistic. Y'know, if you ever felt like Luck was silly, or like Empathy was unbelievable. So this covers a pretty broad spectrum.)

[Turhan's Bey Company]

Originally Posted by Rev. Pee Kitty

GURPS Swordfish, here we come -- minus the gratuitous topless Halle Berry, of course.

GM screen. Google Images. You do the math.

I've only glanced over this article, but I think I really, really want to find a use for it. Which is difficult because I mostly run fantasy games. But, hey.

Originally Posted by Rev. Pee Kitty

And DF fans may want to know that Matt Riggsby's taken his DF8: Treasure Tables approach to a randomized mall/bazaar layout. What's in that store crammed into the back corner? *clatter*

Just to draw out a point, the format is DF8's random tables. The content is all modern/postmodern. With slight adjustment to edit anachronisms out and put a few new things in, it could be used for a wide range of shopping centers from the late 20th century through space opera settings.

[PK]

Here are the hacking systems I'm going to be using, with the Pyramid #3/21 rules, in my Action games. All built with High-Tech rules, but assuming that the Genius (x500) option from Ultra-Tech is available in a cinematic TL8 game. The prices have not been inflated x1.25 nor has VR software been added, because this is TL8 and that stuff don't exist, yo. All prices rounded up to the nearest $ and all weights to the nearest tenth-pound.

Tablet Deck. Includes datapad terminal (-2 to hack unless you hook up a real KVM externally). Complexity 4: $50,010. 0.5 lb.

Advanced Tablet Deck. As above, plus High Capacity and Compact. Complexity 4: $150,010. 0.3 lb.

Milspec Tablet Deck. As Tablet Deck above, plus High Capacity and Hardened. Complexity 4: $150,010. 0.9 lb.

Laptop Deck. Includes portable terminal (-1 to hack, etc.). Complexity 4: $20,050. Complexity 5: $500,050. 4.5 lbs.

Advanced Laptop Deck. As above, plus High Capacity and Compact. Complexity 4: $60,050. Complexity 5: $1,500,050. 2.5 lbs.

Milspec Laptop Deck: As Laptop Deck above, plus High Capacity and Hardened. Complexity 4: $60,050. Complexity 5: $1,500,050. 8.5 lbs.

Desktop Deck: Includes workstation terminal (full features). High-Capacity. Complexity 4: $30,500. Complexity 5: $750,500. 29 lbs.

Milspec Desktop Deck: As above, plus Hardened. Complexity 4: $60,500. Complexity 5: $1,500,500. 33 lbs.

Cabinet Deck: Multiple servers and a RAID array. Includes workstation terminal. High-Capacity. Complexity 4: $15,500. Complexity 5: $300,500. Complexity 6: $7,500,500. 65 lbs.

Milspec Cabinet Deck: As above, plus Hardened. Complexity 4: $30,500. Complexity 5: $600,500. Complexity 6: $15,500,500. 105 lbs.

Larger "decks" certainly exist, but only in the hands of the bad guys.

[Mark Skarr]

Originally Posted by Rev. Pee Kitty

GURPS Swordfish, here we come -- minus the gratuitous topless Halle Berry, of course.

Sorry, RPK, you just lost me . . .. You should never take that route: Sex sells. Minus sex = minus sales.

[PK]

Originally Posted by Mark Skarr

Sorry, RPK, you just lost me . . .. You should never take that route: Sex sells. Minus sex = minus sales.

Meh. I don't want to derail the thread, so I'll just say this then stop: It was a completely pointless addition to the movie. It was painfully gratuitous -- the only way it could've been more so is if they'd paused the movie, thrown up a "Breast Intermission" card, and had a minute of her dancing around. And they're nothing special -- 3 out of 5 stars at best. Give me a mouse click and three seconds of typing and I can find better.

So when I said "GURPS Swordfish without the gratuitously topless Halle Berry," I meant that as a good thing.

[Kuroshima]

Originally Posted by Rev. Pee Kitty

Tablet Deck. Includes datapad terminal (-2 to hack unless you hook up a real KVM externally). Complexity 4: $50,010. 0.5 lb.

a Kernel-based Virtual Machine?

I know KVM is the hotness of the moment, but there are other virtualization options too, no need to single this one...

Oh, you mean keyboard/Video display/Mouse...

[Mailanka]

Originally Posted by Turhan's Bey Company

I've only glanced over this article, but I think I really, really want to find a use for it. Which is difficult because I mostly run fantasy games. But, hey.

It immediately piqued my interest, as we have quite a bit of hacking going on in my Space Opera game.