Well ... I have begun a website to try to recap my house rules so it's easier for me to reference them later (as a lot of my games are done on play-by-post forums).

Let's hope I manage to do something with the tiny spare time I have.

dimuscul.clon01.net

This one is about netrunning and long distance links.

While it wasn't apparent years ago when the rules were created, the thing is that travelling around the net in the search of info and social media isn't more costly than keeping on your local area. After all we aren't exactly using modems of old calling to specific numbers around the world.

So we can simply ditch the LDL rules about costing money ... but we still need tracing values.

My take on the issue (which I've been mumbling about for a while) is the following.

Each Node (or LDL) is considered a Proxy who transmits data to the rest of the world. Proxies can limit incoming data so countries can ban certain sites/zones (like social media during revolts, or other political sensible content).

The problem is that proxies tend to log every visit ... and usually, netrunners don't want to be traced.

Each times a netrunner pass through a proxy without being logged on, he adds half the security value as a penalizer to his Initiative. So if he goes through:

• Night City (T2 S2)
• Los Angeles (T2 S2)
• Mexico City (T2 S1)
• Panama City (T3 S1)
• Bogota City (T4 S1)

He would accumulate a trace value of 13 and a security value of 7 (-3 to Initiative).

Of course, you can buy a prepaid SIM card (10 to 30 credits) for your cyberdeck and throw it after the run making sure no one knows who you are. Just remember, if someone trace you - thanks to I-G algorithms - they know where you are in the Real Space.

So ... try to hack from a secure/anonymous place, will you?.

We have started playing the Land of the Free module for Cyberpunk with my game group. It all begun as a forum game but quickly developed to real world sessions as we finished our Edge of the Empire introductory module.

The first part, Adriana extraction, was smooth ... maybe to smooth (thanks to the Netrunner). After the game I thought of a dozen ways to spice up that session but, alas, it was too late. I been out of "real space" DMing for quite a long time and I find myself a bit rusty doing it.

But anyways, I've returned to directing Cyberpunk 2020 and that's what matters.

At the same time, Watch Dogs have been released and I have been having some fun with it ... one of the main tools the protagonist (Aiden Pearce) uses is a mobile phone which he uses to hack remote operated machines.

I been thinking if it was possible to do the same in Cyberpunk ... yes, it can be done. 

Let's take a look into it, but take into account that those rules are not mine, most of them comes from Rache Bartmoss Guide to the Net.

First, you need to program a new interface since you won't use normal I-G algorithms (Very difficult task on Programming skill or Difficult task on Expert:Complex Computer Language). Or modify standard modem routines to handle cyberdeck programs (Difficult or Average task, same skills).

Alternatively, someone else can do it for you for a 150-200 credits fee.

As we don't plan to netrun with a little pocket PC, we don't need to make further change to it's programs or interface. Which means we are ready to go and wreak some havoc.

Heres a completely illegal piece of hardware already rigged for remote controlling:

• Zetatech "E-Book" Microcomp (1CPU, 1INT, 12 MU with a 15.4cmx7.6cmx1.3cm size) 100cr
• Cellular upgrade (similar to the Cybermodem Interface) +500cr
• Custom netrunning interface +200cr

• Crystal ball (4STR, 1MU) 140cr
• Dee-2 (3STR, 1MU) 130cr
• Genie (5STR, 1MU) 150cr
• Hotwire (3STR, 1MU) 130cr
• News at 8 (4STR, 1MU) 140cr
• Soundmachine (4STR, 1MU) 140cr
• Terminator (4STR, 2MU) 260cr
• Phone Home (2/5STR, 1UM)150cr

Which amounts to 2040cr ... but remember, its illegal, so the price should be more like 4000cr

And voila! Ready to hack some remotes.

It's debatable if PDA and Microcomps  should already have cellular SIMs and ports. When Cyberpunk was created the FAX was the tool of the future ... but they have become little more than a gimmick while most people simply send e-mail/documentation from his portable smartphone or paper thin tabletops with more processing power than old mainframes and access to cloud databases that extend far and beyond.

Even the pay per time travelled on the net and it's LDC seem obsolete in the face of the networks and competing corps trying to offer the best and cheapest way to connect around the world.

So our generic Zetatech clone smartphone (1CPU, 1INT, 10MU) should cost around 200 or 300 credits, while the top of the line models (1CPU, 2INT, 20MU) should be around 500 or 600 cr.

Also, we need to put a bit of attention to Remotes and its accessibility ... should any hacker wannabe walk nearby to an Arasaka building and take a sneak peek over its camera system? 

When letting players (and NPC) use his remote hacking tools make yourself a question ... is that remote inside a datafortress?

• Is a robotaxi behind a datawall? Most probably, not.
• Is a Dataterm behind a datawall? Surely not.
• Is an Arasaka camera behind a datawall? Yes, you can bet about it.
• Are public traffic cams behind datawalls? Nope.

To control a remote behind a datafortress you will need to gain access to it. You can wreak it's datawalls previously (but they will repair them in a small amount of time) or you can brute hack the Codegate to attain the password (but most datafortress change it's passwords periodically).

The better way to do it, is to assault a datafortress, get inside, access to the users database, and add a new user for you and leave before somebody notices you and could suspect something. Until someone supect that account is compromised, your safe to go.

Once you have a way around the datawalls you can use the remote tools freely.