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![[ MATRIXWARE ]](../pix/matrixware.jpg)
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>>>>>[Get
your drooling glands ready ladies and gents, because there is some killer
ware out there. Sure, I hear you all talking now ... "Why would
I want to look at this? I build all my decks from scratch."
Well, that may be so, but some of these aren't decks ... these are all
kinds of other systems and peripherals which you probably haven't thought
of in a while. Sure, you've been cooking all your own CPUs since
you were ten and maybe you did just install a brand new MPCP-20, but I'll
bet most of you don't even know what a "Commandant" s3000 System Monitor
is, let alone how to build one. So enjoy this dump while you can,
before any of the corps I ripped off decide to burn this file right off
the Shadowland mainframe.]<<<<< |
|
>>>>>[For
simplicity's sake, I've divided this into three broad categories.
The first we'll call "lotek" -- it mostly consists of peripheral items
... stuff for tortoises and low end machines. The second we'll call
"tek" -- it's items which are on par with the SOTA at the time of posting,
or are just a cut of tomorrow's cutting edge. The last section is
(you guessed it...) "hitek" -- which consists of the real high
end stuff -- the items which'll be haunting your dreams. You know,
the stuff you really want and won't be able to get.]<<<<<
|
| Lotek | Tek | Hitek |
| Syncomm C22 m.c. Syncomm W24fx trid monitor Syncomm 8pXR amplifier Syncomm speakers MatrixLogic "Magazine" |
MatrixLogic "Commandant" s3000 MatrixLogic "Architech" v.4.05 NWST "Fatboy" AM2r |
MatrixLogic "Sentinel" MPCP Persona Overdrive Module POM Interface Card MPCP "Bus" Technology |
Syncomm C22 multimedia coordinator
Syncomm proudly announces its fourth generation
of multimedia coordinators with the C22. Capable of meeting all of
your needs, the C22 can be hooked up to any electronic media playing device
and with over 50 input ports, it can synchronize everything from a home
theater on up to an entire audio-visual concert experience. The C22
is the only multimedia coordinator in its class which does not rely on
proprietary equipment, and it accepts a broad range of input jacks as well
as support for over 200 adapter hardware and software. Enhanced memory
capacity over previous generation equipment allows you to empower the machine's
included expert system to automatically adjust such variables as volume,
balance, and equalization on audio devices and hue, tint, and contrast
on video, as well as many others -- the C22 features variable settings
so you can customize it to meet your preferences. It can even accommodate
live, real-time feeds at any bandwidth, reproducing a picture and sound
which is as close to live as a front row seat. Also, the C22 is MNML
v.6.0 compliant and can reproduce the Matrix experience better than any
other multimedia coordinator on the market!
Price: 4,820¥
|
>>>>>[Whose
idea of a joke was it to put this kind of consumer trash on the board?
These Syncomm items are standard issue tortoise drek! Hell, most
of these (and/or similar items) have been available since...well, a lot
longer than I care to think there have even been people around.]<<<<<
>>>>>[Shows
how much you know. I'll bet no one ever told you that you (and probably
up to ten total deckers) could use one of these babies to synchronize
Matrix movements. That means you can double team killer hosts and
use this thing to coordinate your movements. Me and a colleague
got one of these, cracked her open to jimmy with the electronics a little
bit, and hooked our decks up to it, as well as a couple of high-end tortoises
and a sat-dish. We jacked our decks into the machine and used the
sat-dish to hack into a satellite and onto the Grid. From there,
the tortoises, which were all running some kind of serious software were
able to run remote operations such as jamming the SAN open, etc. while
me and my teammate were able to coordinate our movements inside the mainframe.]<<<<<
>>>>>[There
are other things you can do with it as well. A friend of mine reprogrammed
the expert system in it (you know the one that keeps track of those "display
variables" to automatically load DINAB programs from a cyberdeck he jacked
through it and ran tandem with. By rewiring that expert system,
he was able to give it parameters for adjusting to different situations
and hence loading the appropriate programs. Apparently (at least
this is what he says), if you can crack the initial bits of code in the
expert system, its not too hard to reprogram. But you better have
a pretty good working knowledge of software to begin with.]<<<<<
|
Syncomm W24fx trid monitor
Rated the highest quality wide-flatscreen trid
monitor on the market by an independent product evaluation group, the W24fx
boasts a crystal plasmoid display with a resolution so clear you can could
count the grains of sand on a beach on it. The W24fx is also versatile,
and has input ports for nearly anything you could conceive of hooking it
up to -- cyberterminals, network reception boxes, and more. Why waste
your eyes on anything else?
Price: 1,990¥
Syncomm 8pXR holophonic amplifier
Why settle for a wimpy sound you can tell has
been recorded and processed when you could have 64 channels of class A
holophonic audio? The 8pXR incorporates the newest technologies in
signal processing, delay, amplification, bass expansion, and more.
The 8pXR is the perfect addition to any audio system.
Price: 2,200¥
Syncomm holophonic microspeakers
Available in a broad range of power, Syncomm holophonic
microspeakers reproduce sound at higher quality and with smaller units
than any other company. Syncomm is so confident with our claim that
we are willing to guarantee that you will never find another speaker smaller
than one of ours with the same levels of power and quality of sound.
Available in 5, 15, 30, 60, and 120 watts, Syncomm microspeakers give you
everything you need in sound in an unbelievably small package at an unbelievably
low price.
| Type | Size (tweeter / woofer diameter) |
Price: (per pair)
|
| 5 watts | 0.2 cm / 1 cm |
100¥
|
| 15 watts | 0.5 cm / 2.5 cm |
300¥
|
| 30 watts | 0.8 cm / 4 cm |
500¥
|
| 60 watts | 1.5 cm / 7 cm |
1,000¥
|
| 120 watts | 2.7 cm / 12 cm |
1,800¥
|
MatrixLogic "Magazine" Offline Storage
Never lose another file with the MatrixLogic "Magazine"
Offline Storage system. Available in a variety of configurations,
the Magazine series features physical components which make it impossible
to be hacked into remotely including retractable jack units and removeable
media. The Magazine series is the smartest choice for any and all
kinds of data back-up, and at prices as low as 0.05¥ per megapulse
of capacity, it's also the most affordable. NEW in '58! The Magazine
features standard data compression protocols. Store twice as much
as before!
| Price: | 5,000¥ (removeable media drive) 2,000¥ (5,000 Mp capacity) 4,000¥ (10,000 Mp capacity) 6,000¥ (20,000 Mp capacity) 10,000¥ (50,000 Mp capacity) 20,000¥ (100,000 Mp capacity) 50,000¥ (1,000,000 Mp capacity) -25% on older units without compression Disks for removeable media drives are priced at 0.05¥
per Mp and come in capacities of 1,000, 5,000, 10,000, and 20,000 megapulses.
However, compression protocols can only reduce file sizes by 30% rather
than the usual 60%.
|
| Availability: | 5/10 hours |
| Street Index: | 2 |
|
>>>>>[Impossible
to hack? I doubt that. I'll bet I could get into one remotely.]<<<<<
>>>>>[You
might be able to, but it would have to be in the process of backing
up ... and even then, you'd have to work fast. The data flow rates
between those and the systems they're usually hooked up to is something
like 2,400 MePs. Yes, it can back up an entire 1,000,000 megapulse
mainframe in just under seven minutes. But unless you catch it
at that moment, there's not a chance in hell you could do it.
It's a little difficult to hack into something that isn't even hooked
up to the Matrix.]<<<<< >>>>>[But
they're still hooked up to the computers, right?]<<<<<
>>>>>[That's
sort of complicated to explain. If you buy one of these, you're
also obligated to buy the driver card (which this article neglected
to mention), which is another 250 nuyen (seems paltry, doesn't it?)
if you want to be able to use it at its full capacity. The driver
card is what enables the 2,400 MePs and it's also the thing that features
the special connection that allows the drive to unplug itself.
You see, when they say "removeable jacks" they're referring to the actual
connectors which make file transfer possible between the back up drive
and the computer/mainframe. The drive itself has the capacity
(when afixed to the port on the driver card) to physically disconnect
itself from the machine. From there, a timer within the drive's
own components counts down to the next scheduled back-up. Just
try and visualize how that works, okay?]<<<<< >>>>>[What
about the compression utilities?]<<<<< >>>>>[What's
not to love about them? They're great, that's provided you've
got one that was made in the last two months. Prior to the above
published release, the compression firmware was sold separately and
could only compress a maximum of 45%. Then they released the above
units, which could compress up to 60%. Problem was, if you had
it on the maximum setting, sometimes you couldn't decompress at all.
Boston Microsystems found that out the hard way. Seems a team
of deckers were penetrating their mainframe and were working in some
kind of ungodly unison (sound familiar?). Their ice was crippled
and way too divided to be able to handle the problem so they were forced
to go to a total system shut down to get the intruders out. So
the shut down went smoothly (though they were already going to have
to completely reinstall some 30% of their intrusion countermeasures
software) and they went to reboot the system. (For the laymen
out there that don't know what this means and the deckers that just
don't appreciate it -- rebooting a mainframe of that capacity is a major
deal and can take hours before it's completely back on line.)
What they found out though, was that somehow that team of deckers had
managed to burn some 50% of their data archives -- which was over 1.2M
Mp in lost data! No problem, they thought, they had backed up
the entire mainframe on a paired set of 1M capacity Magazines at 60%
compression rate. <<BUZZER>> Sorry, no dice.
When they tried to decompress (and remember this is after they
had gotten the mainframe back up and running) the Magazines just sat
there. Total loss of 200,000 nuyen in hardware and 1.2 Mp worth
of data worth whoknows how much.]<<<<< >>>>>[Nice
rambling, but did they fix the problem in the recent units?]<<<<<
>>>>>[Yes,
though I'd still watch out for the 60% compression. It'll decompress
now, 1 in 20 will result in corrupted data. At least partially
corrupted. I use the thing religiously and when I first got it,
I backed up everything I had twice a week. Proved worth it the
first time ice crashed my deck and I had to reload everything.
After I repaired the guts, I just transferred the files onto there like
nothing had ever happened. But it happened again (I'm making myself
sound like the worst decker alive, I know it...) and I went to back
up and poof! Partially corrupted data. I lost a Shadowland
dump I had been saving as well as a read/write utility and my best attack
program.]<<<<< |
MatrixLogic "Commandant" s3000
For all your net needs, the Commandant s3000 system monitor is just what's needed
to ensure a smoothly running system. An integral expert system continuously
and automatically updates your system map and keeps you -- the SysOp -- up-to-date
on anything and everything happening. The Commandant monitors all system
events and traffic with the utmost precision, and real-time debugging software
handles most of the minor system problems, while keeping a detailed log so you
can keep track of persisting problems and possible system flaws. The built
in bastion protocols can also prevent would-be trouble makers (interlopers and
viruses alike) from invading your system. Also, the system map, in conjunction
with the debugging software, can pin-point major system errors and alert you
anytime, anywhere*.
* SysOp must have a MatrixLogic Messenger or compatibly configured
PDA.
| Price: 100,000¥ | |
| Availability: 8/2 weeks | Street Index: 3 |
|
>>>>>[Honestly,
most deckers won't get much use out of one of these. You couldn't
really use it to the full capacity unless you had it hooked up directly
to a mainframe and even then, that's provided you were working with
multiple cyberdecks and other assorted computer-type machines.]<<<<<
>>>>>[I
don't know, they're handy as hell back in the ol' shop. With one
of these you can control pretty much everything you hook up to it.
In my shop, I have my computer, my deck, and my trid all hooked up to
the thing (plus various other peripherals). This way I can kick
it in my favorite chair with a wireless keyboard and analog motive gloves,
staring at the lines of code on my big-screen trid, running the computer
parallel to my deck so I can test the code as I go.]<<<<<
>>>>>[Hey,
Trix, to me, two things seem to stand out. First of all, you run
with one of those ever-so-wonderful, ever-so-compact cyberdecks and
2, you don't write most of your own programs. I don't have a "deck"
per-se ... I do all my Matrix work with a breadboarded deck and this
thing goes a long way as a crutch for the system. It makes it
INFINITELY easier to lock down exactly what component part of my machine
is going haywire. Plus, when you're writing code, the Commandant
tends to be attuned to when you've made a major blunder. It isn't
so much that it know all the minor nuances of the programs you write,
as you write them, but for some reason, the damn thing is aware of when
your code is going to blatantly contradict itself or in some other crash
when you need it.]<<<<< >>>>>[They
also forget to mention that thing only has about twenty ports in the
back. Any major projects in mind? Well, then you'd better
pick up the expansion racks so you can network every machine.
Before I turned to my current line of work I installed networks as part
of an internship at the technical school I was attending. We were
installing a network at a local companies "new and expanded" office
and the dumbasses had only ordered the one Commandant ... so, we had
to make due with that and wire only their critical systems while we
waited for the expansion rack to come in so we could wire the other
200 units. Bunch of retards.]<<<<< |
MatrixLogic "Architech" Programming Suite v.4.05
MatrixLogic has done it again with the Architech Programming Suite. Now
in its fourth generation, the Architech is more than just a software package
of programming tools. The Architech includes a series of universally compatible
subprocessors which are specifically designed for the awesome task of bringing
computer code to life as a fully functioning program. These subprocessors
are easily installed and create a series of subroutines within the computer
for such tasks as on-the-fly debugging, memory optimization, and built-in templates
for common programs.
| Price: 85,000¥ | |
| Availability: 8/20 days | Street Index: 4 |
| -3 to programming tasks, +3D6 to programming tasks, reduce task periods by one quarter (time x 0.75) | |
|
>>>>>[A
serious must for any-and-all deckers out there. If you program
your own utilities, you'd be smart to invest in one of these.
I was skeptical at first, but I got one as payment from a Johnson in
lieu of standard cash after a major run and I've been thanking him secretly
ever since.]<<<<< >>>>>[It
still doesn't beat old fashioned mainframe time.]<<<<<
>>>>>[But
how often do you get programming time on a decent mainframe? These
things are readily available so you can work uninterrupted with all
the resources you can afford.]<<<<< >>>>>[A
friend of mine has one and turns something of a profit with it (since
he gave up shadowrunning to follow the deckmeister's path). The
thing cuts down remarkably on programming time -- according to him --
if you're writing straight code, and even more so if you can use any
of the built in templates. Plus, the template database is upgradeable
so you can add them whenever you want. He says he spent 10,000
nuyen buying templates from various BBSs and has had a turn around profit
of at least 500%.]<<<<< >>>>>[What
about the hardware? If you can get the software package pirated,
can you put together the hardware on your own?]<<<<<
>>>>>[I
did. The SPUs aren't too rough. There are about 4 altogether
which you can stick on a standard deck plug-in card. (I recommend
using a Mitsuhama plug-in chipset. The signature chip is a cinch
to tear out and its a piece of cake to rip-out their SPUs and replace
them with your own. Look to spend about a max of 1,000 nuyen on
them.) The SPUs take anywhere from 2 days on up to program (a
piece, so that's really a minimum of about 8 days), depending on your
processor. Once the basic protocols are written, cooking the chips
themself is quick -- probably a quarter of the time it took you to write
the code -- so that's what? anywhere from 2 days on up. The installation
is a snap. Just pop open your deck, find an open expansion slot
and jam it in there.]<<<<< >>>>>[But
what's this I hear about an external box that connects to the plug-in
card?]<<<<< >>>>>[Whose
been feeding you that? There's the card and the software, that's
it. If the rumor you heard is about the "programmer's box" than
you've been listening to the wrong tree. Those are unavailable
(not to mention useless) outside of anyone who has direct access to
a mainframe. MatrixLogic makes a "box" alright, but only for the
mainframe version of the Architech. The box itself is sort of
a mini-cyberdeck which allows the programmer to enter a holoGUI for
assembling the code in that fashion. Just put it out of your mind.]<<<<<
|
Northwest Shadowtech "Fatboy" Active Memory Doubler
You know us, you love us! Northwest Shadowtech is back with a vengeance
to give you the extra edge you only dreamed of. Our "Fatboy" line is a
breakthrough in memory management smart-systems. Optimize your active
memory with this simple expansion sub-processor and watch your memory double
right before your eyes. So lose those bandwidth blues and drop a Fatboy
in your deck today!
| Price: 6,000¥ | |
| Availability: 6/18 hours | Street Index: 2.5 |
| Not a TRUE doubler of memory, the unit increases available active memory up to 85% (Active Memory x 1.85), but not more. | |
|
>>>>>[I
thought NWST went out of circulation?]<<<<< >>>>>[They
did for a while. Turns out the owners were shadow customers who
were running one of those legendary shdow businesses and they thought
they had the inside source on a lot of high-end equipment. Then
a lot of suspicious things started happening, deckers who bought from
them couldn't sleaze into anything, sammies were turning up dead after
their cyber shorted out, merc weapons were falling apart in their hands,
all of that. As it turned out, the NWST boys had been set up by
undercover corp ops (Fuchi in particular) looking to thin out a large
portion of the shadow community (only they know why...). Anyway,
seeing as how everyone on Shadowland had started pegging them as corporate
stooges anyway, they dropped out of sight for a while to reorganize
their operation. Anyway, it looks like they're back now...]<<<<<
>>>>>[Can
anyone substantiate the rumor that these things still crash decks though?
(Regardless of NWST's new and improved reputation?]<<<<<
>>>>>[Largely
unfounded as far as I know. I think I heard the same stories as
you did, but those were all newbie deckers who didn't know how these
things are properly used or installed. One that I heard about
was a classic case of stupidity. The kid was going up against
a major challenge of a host considering his skill-level and he was loading
his memory with a lot programs -- just stacking them there in holding
patterns, just in case he ran into any ice. Well, the ice ran
into him (poor sucker never saw it coming) and the first thing to take
a beating was his active memory -- the AM2r in particular. Well,
his whole system locked when it didn't know how to start reorganizing
the data and his deck got burned. (My diagnosis? If you're
gonna stack programs like that, use one-shots so the system just thinks
that you shot it off.) The other sob-story I heard was about the
kid decker that tried to supe-up his AM2r and when he got knee-deep
in the protocols, he tried to set them straight again and recompile
the software, figuring he had turned it into a 3r. Then, when
he tried to go beyond his limits, the whole thing just crashed.
Kid spent weeks trying to figure out what went wrong. Just goes
to show you, a little instruction reading and a healthy dose of caution
will get you a long way.]<<<<< |
MatrixLogic "Sentinel"
The MatrixLogic Sentinel Encryption/Decryption
circuit is a remarkable breakthrough in leading edge Matrixware.
Using an unheard of 1024-bit code system means encrypted data won't find
its way into the wrong hands and using a parallel 1024-bit decryption unit
means that any authorized encrypted message you receive, no matter how
garbled or tampered with, can be successfully decrypted to within 3% or
better of the original message. Also, when installed on a mainframe
or other Matrix server system, the intelligent parallel processing of the
Sentinal circuit can recognize any user. Even without a passcode,
fully authorized users can receive limited monitored access to the network,
while intruders will find it increasingly difficult to enter.
| Price: 24,000¥/level (max 6) | |
| Availability: (3 x level)/(3 x level) days | Street Index: 3.5 |
|
>>>>>[Okay,
so now we're privvy to something that just makes our life harder...]<<<<<
>>>>>[Not
necessarily. Most corporations already have 1024-bit codes on
their most critical systems and don't bother with more than 128-bit
encryption on anything else. (Hell, Ares Seattle's central office
only has 256-bit encryption.) If anything this has the potential
to make our lives easier. If you can swipe or somehow mimic the
cyberdeck of an "authorized user" on a system which supports one of
these, it'll just let you right in.]<<<<< >>>>>[Not
just that, but can you imagine if you could get your hands on one?
A little creative tinkering with the subroutines and the command protocols
and you could have the thing decrypting every encrypted datafile you
come across......]<<<<< >>>>>[But
what about that "more difficult" claim it makes?]<<<<<
>>>>>[They
at least have to TRY and sell the product. Perhaps that means
that you've got to ride the SOTA curve and upgrade your Sleaze utilities
... or maybe not. I've heard companies make those kind of claims
before, but I've yet to find a host yet that I would say "totally locked
me out" like they're implying this can.]<<<<< >>>>>[The
real selling point, I think, is the intelligent parallel processing.
What this means is that even their lowest model (the 32-bit slice of
American cheese) can effectively run an encryption program up to 64-bit
-- but not without its drawbacks (such as increased encryption time
and a massive taxing of system resources). It does this by sampling
the encrypted data through the decryption unit and plugging its security
gaps with further encryption. However, this also makes the Sentinel
proprietary. Any 64-bit encryption from a 32-bit circuit (for
example) has to be decoded by another MatrixLogic unit or else the decryption
will fail and the message will be completely lost. HOWEVER, this
does make the unit more than adequate at dismembering other codes for
their component data.]<<<<< >>>>>[So
that would make it a worthwhile buy if you're looking to deal with a
lot of heavily encrypted data, right?]<<<<< >>>>>[I
would think so. On the other hand, it would be a waste of money
if you bought anything less than a 256-bit unit, meaning you have to
spend at least 98K¥ and that's if you went through legal channels.
Then again, no one said they were cheap, right? But well worth
the money I would think ... I mean, consider all the opportunities for
employment. You'd be a safer courier if you sampled your data
through it. Merc teams would love to have someone with the capacity
to sample out 1024-bit encrypted transmissions. You could practically
break into any host you wanted to and then get away with whatever paydata
you fancied. Endless possibilities...]<<<<< |
|
>>>>>[The
data that follows is the generous donation of Shadowland's own Switchburn
... everyone's favorite prodigy and Matrix legend. You can take
it however you want. If you would like to write it off as a whole
lot of malarky, then go ahead and do so ... I wouldn't though. The
mere fact that this information is even on Shadowland ought to be a testament
to her stature in the shadow community. I'm glad to have worked
with her in the past. If only I could meet her in person...]<<<<<
|
|
>>>>>[The
data that follows is the seriously reduced, simplified, purified, filtered,
and edited version of the contents of my senior thesis from my student
research when I was in college. I don't know how much the denizens
of Shadowland know about higher education and research and the intellectual
community and issues with intellectual property and such, but here goes... The
following is a result of my student research. I never graduated,
but all of this was made possible through my access to college and corporate
facilities, as well as millions of nuyen in research grants which I received.
Needless to say, when I ran off with it, there were a lot of unhappy people
(especially since all the research was "selfishly" -- as one professor
put it -- stored on my personal computer). Anyway, I have seen the corporate
world. I was involved with them while I was in college ... hell, I did
an internship with Fuchi! But that's exactly why I didn't go to them
when I was rubbed out of my academic institution. I didn't like the
things I was seeing. I didn't like the "big name, big money" feel that
goes along with it all -- I hate everything that is impersonal and detached.
And that's why I didn't want Fuchi or AEICC or Mitsuhama or anyone else
to get their hands on it. So evaluate this as you wish and if you want
to shoot for it, contact Commander Zippo and he'll get you in contact
with me. As long as this technology brings down the faceless corporation,
my life will have been a success. I don't care how, but this is to
never fall into the hands of any of their likes.]<<<<<
|
MPCP Persona Overdrive Module
Operating on a relatively simple principle, the Persona Overdrive module is
basically a standard MPCP chipset running in a tandem configuration with your
cyberdeck. After making several changes in standard MPCP programming,
this chipset is subsequently better equipped to asist the base MPCP unit in
governing basic Persona functions, therefore enhancing Persona capabilities.
In some ways, the POM is easier to program and cook than a standard MPCP, although
the real trick in putting one together lies in getting the interaction scripts
in the BIOS correct for the interface between the POM and the MPCP. In
essence, the POM adds to Persona programs directly, rather than through potential.
In this way, Persona programs can be coded at one level and by enhancing them
with a POM, they can operate at higher levels of performance.
| Persona Overdrive Modules add their rating x 3 / 4 (round down) to Persona programs. These points may be divided any way the decker chooses and at any time. Redistributing POM points is a simple action. Adding POM points to Sensors can increase the deck's I/O rating. A POM's rating may not exceed one-half the rating of the cyberdeck it is connected to. |
POM Interface Card
I'm throwing this in here for good measure because your deck can't interface
with the POM without this card. Like most of the junk in this data-dump,
you can strip a standard plug-in card and replace it with home-cooked chips
to turn it into one of these, although you may need to modify some of the I/O
ports. A POM connect to your deck with one of those big fat STJ-2200 telecommunications
connectors in order to keep the data flow rate between them nice and high (so
your deck doesn't slow down the POM and the POM doesn't slow down the deck.)
But anyway, what I'm trying to say is, don't expect to just cook up a POM and
think you can just clip it to your deck and it'll work. You need one of
these.
MPCP "Bus" Technology
Probably my biggest accomplishment while I was
doing my research -- and the reason Fuchi and about ten other megacorps
are on my ass -- is this: MPCP "Bus" Technology. Basically what this
means is that you can take two identical MPCP chips and physically pair
them with very few modifications to the programming, effectively doubling
their rating. This accomplished through fairly simple principles,
although I'll be frank, actually implementing the technology is something
of a feat. Honestly, I still haven't gotten the processors to run
completely cooperatively yet -- rather than running parallel, they tend
to compete with each other as though one were looking to take over the
system. I don't know the reasons for this, although I think I may
be close to perfecting the connection to enable a true parallel system.
If you attempt to put one of these together, be warned, my research is
"on-going" here -- my bused deck still has its difficult moments and requires
constant pampering and attention. They're buggy and quirky, but I
think they'll revolutionize the way we deck. Just you wait...
GM's Notes
Syncomm C22 multimedia coordinator
(and other brands)
Reprogamming the expert system requires a series
of tasks. First, a Computer B/R (5) or Electronics B/R (6) test is
required to open and properly locate the components of the expert system.
Reprogramming it requires at least a Computer (5) test (Software being
the applicable concentration), though it may be greater depending on the
complexity of the changes. Consider this task to take a base time
equal to the target number x 2 days -- so the standard Computer 5 test
would require 10 days (5 x 2 = 10). Successful reinstallation requires
another Computer B/R (5) or Electronics B/R (6) test. Game Master
discretion is advised.
MatrixLogic "Commandant" s3000 system monitor
This unit can be used in conjunction with breadboarded
cyberdecks, home programming kits, desktop networks, etc. It confers
a -2 modifier to diagnostic tests when searching for damaged components.
It can also offer a +1D6 tast bonus to programming tasks if it is used
to link the programming computer and the cyberdeck (as well as any other
peripherals).
MatrixLogic "Architech" Programming Suite v.4.05
To program the hardware component of the Architech
programming suite, use the following task description:
| Software Task | |
| Rating: | MPCP Rating |
| Multiplier: | 8 |
| Cook Task | |
| Time: | MPCP Rating x 2 |
| Test: | Computer B/R (MPCP Rating) |
| Parts: | OCC @ SPU Programming Size |
| Tools: | Personal Computer (Memory: Programming Suite hardware
program size) Microtronics Kit Optical-Chip Encoder |
| Installation Task | |
| Time: | MPCP Rating x 1 hour |
| Test: | Computer B/R (MPCP Rating) |
| Parts: | PLC @ MPCP Rating DTC @ MPCP Rating Standard Plug-in Chipset (about 1,000¥) |
| Tools: | Microtronics Kit |
The Programming Suite's software can be easily bought pirated without the hardware. The software by itself would be approximately 20,000¥ or less on the street with an Availability of about 4/10 days.
MatrixLogic "Sentinel" Encryption/Decryption Circuit
The "Sentinel" comes in 6 ratings, each with the following statistics:
| Rating | Security Offered |
| 1 | 32-bit |
| 2 | 64-bit |
| 3 | 128-bit |
| 4 | 256-bit |
| 5 | 512-bit |
| 6 | 1024-bit |
The parallel processing of the encryption circuit DOES allow the unit to deliver a level of security with an equivalency of the next level higher. HOWEVER, this does make the technology proprietary and any receiving decryption circuit which is not also a Sentinel series will be incapable of decrypting the data. (Individuals may attempt to do so "manually" by monitoring and manipulating the code through decryption software/hardware packages, but this requires either a Computer (16) or Cryptography (12) test. Yes, that does mean it is nearly impossible.)
Sentinel decryption protocols make it easier to decode other codes. Consider the decryption software package within the circuit to have a DINAB rating equivalent to one half its rating. Decoding in-coming codes depends on their level of encryption. Consider the test either a Computer (encryption level x 2) test or a Cryptography (encryption level) test. The encryption level is equivalent to the above ratings (i.e. 32-bit codes are level 1, 64-bit codes are level 2, etc.). Therefore, the decryption circuit may either attempt to decode the message itself (using a number of dice equal to the DINAB rating) or the user can attempt to decode the message (adding the DINAB rating to either his Computer or Cryptography skill). All "authorized" messages are automatically decoded, and the Sentinel circuit receives +1D6 to any attempts to decode "unauthorized" message which originated with another Sentinel circuit.
MPCP Persona Overdrive Module
Persona Overdrive Modules add a total pool of
their rating x 3/4 (round down) to Persona programs. These points
may be divided any way the decker chooses and at any time. Redistributing
POM points is considered a simple action. Adding POM points to the
Sensors program can increase the deck's I/O rating. A POM's rating
may not exceed one-half the rating of the cyberdeck it is connected to.
| Software Task | |
| Rating: | POM Rating |
| Multiplier: | 6 |
| Cook Task | |
| Time: | POM Rating x 3 days |
| Test: | Computer B/R (POM Rating) |
| Parts: | OCC @ program size |
| Tools: | Personal Computer (Memory: POM program size)
Microtronics Shop Optical-Chip Encoder |
| Installation Task | |
| Time: | POM Rating x 2 days |
| Test: | Computer B/R (POM Rating) |
| Parts: | PLC @ POM Rating^2 DTC @ POM Rating^2 |
| Tools: | Microtronics Shop |
POM Interface Card
In order for the MPCP of the cyberdeck to take
advantage of the enhancements the POM offers, it must be able to communicate
with it. In order to accomplish this, a two-way interface card needs
to be installed on the MPCP motherboard. With the card installed,
the MPCP will be able to communicate with the POM and therefore complement
its system resources with these, enhancing its Persona programs.
| Software Task | |
| Rating: | MPCP Rating + POM Rating / 2 |
| Multiplier: | 2 |
| Cook Task | |
| Time: | POM Rating x 1 day |
| Test: | Computer B/R (POM Rating) |
| Parts: | OCC @ program size |
| Tools: | Personal Computer (POM Interface Card program
size) Microtronics Kit Optical-Chip Encoder |
| Installation Task | |
| Time: | [(MPCP Rating + POM Rating) / 2] x 1 day |
| Test: | Computer B/R (POM Rating) |
| Parts: | PLC @ POM Rating x 2 DTC @ (MPCP Rating + POM Rating) Standard Plug-in Chipset (about 1,000¥) |
| Tools: | Microtronics Kit |
MPCP "Bus" Technology
The MPCP Bus Technology essentially involves joining
two identical MPCP chips for use in parallel processing. In theory,
the two chips work cooperatively and operate as fast or faster than a comparable
single MPCP chip of the same rating as the bused chips' virtual rating.
Programming, cooking, and installing a bused pair of MPCP chips is a trade
off. Whereas (aside from changes in the fundamental coding process)
the software task is greatly reduced, the technology is still in its infancy
and bused cyber-systems are extremely fussy, requiring a great deal of
attention and tinkering until the technology can be perfected. NOTE:
Bused MPCP chips must be of the SAME rating. Thus, a bused MPCP with
a core rating of 6, will have a virtual rating of 12.
Any other cyberdeck component's task which requires an MPCP rating to be
used in its equation uses the virtual rating.
| Software Task | |
| Rating: | MPCP core rating |
| Multiplier: | 8 |
| Cook Task | |
| Time: | MPCP Rating x 3 days x 2 |
| Test: | Computer B/R (MPCP core rating + 2) |
| Parts: | OCC @ program size x 2 |
| Tools: | Personal Computer (Memory: core MPCP program size)
Microtronics Shop Optical Chip Encoder |
| Installation Task | |
| Time: | MPCP Rating x 3 days |
| Test: | Computer B/R (MPCP core rating + 2) |
| Parts: | PLC @ MPCP virtual rating^2 DTC @ MPCP virtual rating^2 |
| Tools: | Microtronics Shop |
Game Master's Warning!
Use of bused MPCP chips and Persona Overdrive
Modules are optional sets of rules that can seriously upset your game balance.
DO NOT use these rules if you feel uncomfortable with them. There
are some additional optional rules you can use with bused MPCP technology
if you DO wish to use these rules but wish to make them more difficult
for the PCs (reflecting the fact that the technology is still in its infancy).
The first of these optional rules is to limit the maximum ratings of all utility programs to 150% of the core MPCP rating. Therefore, a deck with two bused 6 MPCP chips, which has a virtual rating of 12, cannot support any utility programs with ratings higher than 9 (6 x 1.5 = 9).
The second of these optional rules is to limit bused MPCP chips to breadboarded cyberdecks. This confines the decker to a single location, with the cyberdecks components spread out all over some desk, linked together with cables, etc.
The third option is to limit Response Increase by the core MPCP rating rather than the virtual rating.
The remaining options are more or less arbitrary. Due to the lack of sufficient development, the exchange protocols between the parallel MPCP chips has not yet been perfected. There are many quirks in the ways the two chips communicate with each other and on the whole, the bused chips behave erratically and unpredictably. The GM may at any time impose modifiers to target numbers, intiative, etc., or even lock-up or crash the system at his discretion and without warning.