Wednesday, December 8, 2010

The Matrix and Gathering Info/Locating People

The matrix just needs a huge overhaul from Shadowrun's existing rules- it's basically it's own seperate game.

Matrix vs Internet
The matrix is now mostly wireless, though it has non-wireless host systems. The "internet" is available to anyone with a computer- wireless almost worldwide. The internet can be accessed wtih a cyberdeck, though the cyberdeck provides no particular bonuses to internet access, except for perhaps access speed.

Internet
The internet can be used to find any public information- myspace profiles, wikipedia articles, google searches, etc. Like today, the internet might show you a google maps of a place taken a few years ago, but not a street camera or anything like that. The internet is incapable of breaking security of any system. Computers skill can be used to access the internet.


Matrix
Matrix is basically internet 2.0, and can only be accessed using cyberdecks. The matrix is used to break into secure systems and search out classified information. The matrix is also mostly wireless, though many systems (especially extremely classified ones- such as research labs) don't have any outside access and must be instead accessed from inside the facility.

A cyberdeck can be used through any data port to attempt to access a computer using standard hacking rules, except that people "off-site" can get a +1 to +3 TN penalty to all rolls based on how "far" they are from the system. (Example: Attempting to access the LA police computers from your house in LA would be +2, from another police station would be +1, from LA's police station would be +0. Likewise, attempting to access Aztechnology's secret research lab might be impossible off site. Accessing one of their less secure buildings might by +3 outside of Aztlan or aztechnology buildings, +2 from any aztechnology computer, and +1 from a central office, with +0 from the facility you're trying to access). This keeps deckers/hackers in the mission instead of hanging out at home.


Locating/Identifying People
This is not as easy as it may seem. While there are street cameras (owned by a variety of businesses, traffic cameras, sattelites, and similar) they are not all on one system and people rarely look at them as they approach, leaving it difficult to find a specific person on an image search.

For being "secretive" roll some of your dice seperately and track that highest number as your "matrix stealth". You are splitting dice amongst being secretive and learning info.

Identifying People
Identifying people involves searching out things about them on the matrix and seeing what comes back. This involves a hacking test. Computers can be used for internet ID, but they get +1 TN penalty to target numbers and no hacking pool, and can only gain level 1 or 2 information.

The TN is 4, which is modified by certain things (below). Every 2 successes can get you 1 extra piece of information, or move you to the next "level" of information. The information gathering test takes 1 hour per piece of information you uncover. Less than 2 successes means you've gained no info. You must gain at least one piece of info from a level before you move to the next level.

Level 1 info
Name
Listed Address
Businesses /Charities publically associated with
Public Knowledge
Photo

Level 2 info
License plate number
Rumors
office phone numbers, "public" phone numbers, business address
immediate family member names
approximate income level

Level 3 info
Credit report
regular contacts
active warrants/tickets
drivers license photo
SIN
bank account balance
public/business tax returns
aliases
if target is a decker/rigger/mage

Level 4 Info
Actual business/home address(es)
credit report
medical history
criminal history
tax returns (private/personal)
Thumbprint, blood type, etc.
special cyberware

Modifiers to gaining info TN:

Existing Details:
Name only (+1)
photo only (+2)
fuzzy image only (+4)
vague details only (+6)
name + photo (+0)
have at least 1 rank 1 info (besides name/image) (-1)
have at least 1 rank 2 info (-2) (does not stack with rank 1)
have at least 1 rank 3 info (-3) (does not stack with rank 1/2)
have at least 1 rank 4 info (-4) (does not stack with rank 1/2/3)

Target Behavior:
Target has deckers protecting his identity (+ opposed decker roll)
Target is a public figure (-1 to -3)
Target uses fake identities (+1 per alternate id)
Target goes to lengths to avoid digital transactions and pictures (+2 to +6)
Target has no SIN (+2)
Target is from a foreign country (+2 unless in that country)
Target has distinctive features or style (-1 each)
Target goes to length to be in photos, has extensive myspaces pages, etc (-1 to -3)
Target carries no cell phone or transmitters (+3)
Target is gathering info about you currently (-2)

Your behavior
You are trying to be secretive (+2)

Information Rank
Gaining rank 2 info (+2)
Gaining rank 3 info (+4)
gaining rank 4 info (+6)

Tracking Someone
Once you have the identity of a person, you might want to find out where s/he is. This is a bit more complex, causing hacking into traffic cams, credit card readers, and similar things.

The tracking check takes 1 hour per "zoom in". It takes 2 successes to gain level 1 info, 4 for level 2 info, 6 for level 3 info, and 8 for level 4 info. There are TN modifiers to this test (below), but the base DC is 4.

Level 1 info The country they are currently in
Level 2 info The city they are currently in
Level 3 info The district they are currently in
Level 4 info the building/vehcile/street they are in.

Modifiers
Existing Info
Vague details only (impossible)
Fuzzy image only (+12)
Photo only (+4)
name only (+2)
name + photo (+1)
every rank 1 info (-1, max -2)
every rank 2 info (-1, max -2) stacks with rank 1
every rank 3 info (-1, max -3) stacks with rank 1,2
every rank 4 info (-1, no max) stacks with other ranks.

Target Behavior
Target has deckers protecting his identity (+ opposed decker roll)
Target is a public figure (-1 to -3)
Target uses fake identities (+1 per alternate id)
Target goes to lengths to avoid digital transactions and pictures (+2 to +6)
Target has no SIN (+2)
Target has distinctive features or style (-1 each)
Target goes to length to be in photos, has extensive myspaces pages, etc (-1 to -3)
Target rarely, if ever, leaves the country (-5 for level 1 only)
target rarely leaves the city (-4 to level 2 only)
Taget rarely leaves home (-3 for level 3/4)
Target carries no cell phone or transmitters (+3)
Target carries public or business cell phone for non-secure job (-3) (like truck driver)
Target drives company car/police car etc (-2)
Target is gathering info about you (-2)

Your Behavior
You are trying to be secretive (+2)


Identifying Checks against you
Sometimes you'll want to know if someone is trying to learn things about you.

When someone is tracing you, you get to make a perception test every time they learn a piece of information about you. If actively decking (or if you have deckers watching out for you) this can be supplimented by a hacking roll. This perception test has modifiers as well, base 4. Perceptive helps for this, but keen senses do not.

Perception Test Modifiers
Level 1 information being gained (+12)
Level 2 information being gained (+4)
Level 3 information being gained (+0)
Level 4 information being gained (-2)
Person being secretive (+ opposed computer roll)
Person has trouble magnet (-2)
Person has distinctive style (-1)
You are currently gathering info/locating them (-2)

With one success, you know someone is searching for you. Each extra success nets you extra information as if you were gathering info about them. (R1 info only) Afterwards you can search them out using decking skill, and avoid their "being secretive" roll modifiers, gaining a -1 bonus to gaining information until they notice you back. If they make their perception test about you searching them back, they can choose to break connection, or keep probing, allowing you to both learn about each other.


While very difficult and complex, this ensures deckers are not "broken" but that there's a chance they can find out info about people.

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