MATRIX

A brief explanation about the Matrix.

In 2029, a virus was released on the global computer system called the Internet. This virus was the first semi-autonomous program, capable of making its own decisions, and distinctions, but with one goal in mind: the destruction of all technology. Capable of rewriting any software, the virus' agenda was to breed, overwriting all systems, and consume them in the process. In a few hours, most world governments were destabilised, the economic system of most people was wiped out, and most essential services like power were in some cases permanently destroyed.

Luckily, a United Nations task force called Echo Mirage went into battle with the virus, using full-neural system vr simulation systems to fight the virus. After a year, they managed to develop the code to defeat it, but by then it was already too late.

Technology developed by Echo Mirage became the backbone of a new information age: The Matrix, an information system riding on cheap, easy-to produce fiberoptic cables and capable of being stored in fibreoptic chips.

Because the Matrix is so cheap to install, and easy to transmit on, it has become the de facto information source. Everything in the home that connects to a power plug, telephone jack, cable outlet, or satellite uses the Matrix. It has also gone everywhere. In any situation, there are probably about fifteen items attached to the matrix anywhere.

The Matrix begins on The Main Drag, an avenue that's infinitely long and can be traversed in a couple of seconds. From there, matrix users access various digital lots that front onto the main drag, like websites in a bygone age. These lots take up space on the main drag equal to their size and complexity, small lots could by dwarfed by the giant monolith representing Ares Macrotechnology.

Each Lot, or "Host", is represented like this.

Color Rating (Access/Control/Index/Files/Slaves)

For example: Red 5 (6/7/8/5/4)

Color is the level of complexity and security on a server, running from Infrared (systems without any intelligent security, like a cell-phone,) to Orange (systems protected by an on-call decker) to Green (Well-guarded by a shift of deckers) and all the way to Indigo (Protected by a fleet of deckers) and the mythical ultraviolet systems, which are rumored to be protected by an artificial intelligence. Higher-end hosts have a lower security tolerance, and deckers that can kill you more easily.

Rating is the number of dice the host throws in any given situation when it is resisting hackers and assisting security personnel.

Access is the host's ability to resist intrusion.

Control is the strength of a host's self-awareness, and how quickly it sends an alert. After a number of successes by the Control, determined by the GM, the system is placed on passive alert, and any deckers online are faced with increased penalties. After a number of successes past this, the system is placed on full alert, and will automatically shutdown (dump) a hacker.

Index is how well hidden information is on the host.

Files is how heavily encrypted files found on the host are.

Slaves is how well the host controls things connected to it.

DECKER

A brief explanation of a decker.

A decker can be anyone with access to the Matrix. All that is required is a willingness to attempt to break into a secure host. Attempts without a deck, however, tend to be... suboptimal. Even with a cyberdeck, Deckers require a highly illegal "masking" chip, which allows a deck to go unnoticed on systems.

A cyberdeck is a keyboard sized instrument with two plugs. One goes into the user's datajack, and the other enters into a matrix jackpoint. Jackpoints are hardly universal, and may require some modification. Deckers who wish to REALLY avoid being found use "dataline taps", a small cylinder that is closed over a fiber optic line and connects you to a feed without a jackpoint.

Once "plugged in", the Cyberdeck engages ASIST, which restricts muscle movement and transforms movements into the movements of your digital avatar, which can look like anything. Moving the avatar, using programs, all is done at the speed of thought.

Logging off on a secure host can be difficult. Logging off during decking is as well.

Each cyberdeck looks like this.

Name-MPCP (Body/Evasion/Masking/Sensors). Storage Size/Response Increase/Hardness

For Example: Kraftwerks-9 (5/4/10/8). 1000mp/+2 Response/+1 Hardness

Name: Usually a model name or designer.

MPCP: The basic "power stat" of a deck, the MPCP is multiplied by three to allocate to the following stats.

BOD: How tough your programs and avatar are. This stat is most important because it is your fighting and surviving stat.

EVA: How well you can avoid damage. EVA is the target deckers face to hit you.

MAS: How well you hide your presense. MAS is the target deckers and IC roll to find you.

SEN: How well you can detect things. This is the target number people must roll to hide from you.

Storage Space: Programs, Paydata and information all take up space on the hard drive. You need to have enough room to store it all.

Response: This is how much "Matrix Initiative Dice" you receive. High End cyberterminals provide more actions in a round, which tends to be better.

Hardness: protects your deck and body from damage. Hardness tends to interfere with high end response increase, but it is neccessary to survive a black ic attack.

Programs

Programs come in all shapes and sizes. In the future, there are billions of them, six of which are tools in trade for deckers. They don't always operate under these names, as these are classifications, but all programs of the same class do roughly the same thing.

Deception - Beats Access. Modifier = med

Sleaze - Beats Control. Modifer = high

Search - Beats Index. = low

Decrypt - Beats Files. =low

Override - Beats Slaves. = med

Shield - Defensive Program. Beats IC. = med

IC

IC are programs used by deckers to fight one another. All IC is based on principles learned from the Crash Virus, only very stripped down. Each instance of IC has a very specific role. White IC attacks programs, weakening them. Grey IC attacks decks, damaging the hardware. Black IC, the most deadly, attacks the ASIST control module, causing it to give the decker seizures, embolisms, and strokes.

Examples of White: Poison (weakens Bod), Screamers (lowers Sleaze rating), FindWeakSpot (lowers Shield), Tarpit (Lowers Reaction/Response Increase).

Targets Programs: +2x modifier to the program rating.

Targets MPCP or peripherals: 6x

Examples of Grey: Hospitalise (destroys BOD), Crippler (destroys EVA), Neon (destroys MAS), Blind (destroys Sensors), and Tard (destroys Response).

Targets Programs = +3x modifier to the program

Targets MPCP or peripherals: 7x

Examples of Black: Killjoy (causes stun damage). Black Hammer (causes lethal damage), Type-S (Forms a craving for blood in the user for 12 hours/success), Kompulsion (Forces the target to want to do something that isn't immediately life-threatening)

Causes Stun: 6x (Light), 7x (Moderate), 9x (Serious), 10x (Deadly)

Causes Lethal: 7x (Light), 12x (Moderate), 15x (Serious), 18x (Deadly)

Causes Psychotrope: 20x (For non-permanent, non-fatal compulsions/problems, +3 for permanence, +5 for fatal problems).

DECKING ROLLS

Decking comes down to:

Computers (TN = Host's Attribute - Program) vs System Rating (TN = MPCP, usually Masking or Sensors).

Cybercombat comes down to:

Attacker: Computers (TN = Defender's EVA + Shield)

Defender: Computers (TN = Attacker's BOD + IC Rating)

A successful hit with White IC lowers the targeted component of the Persona by one.

A successful hit by Grey IC lowers the targeted component of the Deck by the number of net successes. Hardness cancels out damage on a one-for-one basis.

A successful hit by black IC does damage levels at the rating set by the level of the program, or causes the effect of the psychotrope for the period defined by the program. The power of this attack for soaking by Body is equal to the MPCP of the deck, minus the hardness.

DUMPSHOCK

Dumpshock occurs whenever an icon is not able to perform a proper offline command, due to being in cybercombat, or someone disconnecting them physically.

The level of dumpshock taken is based on the system's color rating: Orange for Light, Yellow for Moderate, Green for Serious, and Blue for Deadly. Dumping off of an Indigo or Ultraviolet system has even greater effects, as determined by the ST. The power of the attack, to be soaked by Body, is based on the MPCP of the deck, minus hardness.