Shadowrun 4 - Simplified Hacking

This article describes a vastly simplified handling of all hacking activities in SR4.

Computers and hacking are a mess in SR 4. There are too many system attributes and programs and, from a character's POV, doing something is not in the least dependent on the Logic attribute. Therefore, a new system based on one opposed test for each action is proposed. The rolls take the form:

(Logic + Skill) against (System * 2) or a higher factor in some cases.

An attacker rolls Logic + the appropriate skill; the defender rolls his system rating * 2 (or a higher factor). The successes are compared and the attacker needs to win by at least 1 net success. More successes give elegance points and maybe a hidden bonus.

Programs are eliminated alltogether, because they are expected to be copied anyway. Instead, all power is given to the system rating; all comlinks and corporate computers as well as vehicles have one.

System Ratings

Because of the newfound importance of the system rating, below follows a list of computerized equipment. Note that all of them come with the complete set of computer and hacking programs, as copied from the matrix. Every comlink is fitted automatically with all the auxiliary equipment: holograms, printer, trodes, sim module, etc.

The situation that emerges is that a skilled hacker can enter almost everything except the megacorp and military nodes with relative ease. It also means that the players have effectively no possibility to protect themselves from good hackers either (aside from actively monitoring their comlinks all the time).

Hacking Rolls

For simplification, many activities (crypting/decrypting, healing and augmenting icons, detection by ICE) have been dropped. Note that only users with a cyber comlink can go into VR mode (always hot sim), all others have only AR.

The following table shows a typical chronology of a hacking attempt.

Any protected signal on sight can be found by electronic warfare. Personal equipment is only reachable via comlink, which must be hacked first; after that, the equipment is fully accessible. If several users are in a PAN, only the strongest comlink is visible (and provides auto-access to the others when hacked). This means that only one of the runners needs to have a top-level comlink.

To find a signal over the net, the character needs to have glanced the signature of the target before. All signatures change automatically every 24 hours, except webservers of public companies and institutions.

Hacking a node gets exponentially more difficult with the power the hacker wants to have. Hacking a node for r/w access can be done directly; hacking for root requires at least a read hack before. If a hacking attempt fails, the user is automatically banned and needs a signature change (takes 24 hours) before trying again.

Inside the node, the hacker can read or change things without resistance. However, a hacked system has two ways to detect the intruder: When a counter hacker is present, or when an action fails. In addition, to avoid characters to linger forever, all systems (including all comlinks) are automatically patched and rebooted every 24 hours. This also means no backdoors for coming back later.

Whenever an action fails (no successes on a hacking, computer or other roll), the system rolls against the hackers comlink; when successful (and this is likely), the system may ban the hacker or call in black ICE (all other ICE types have been removed, because they are no fun). ICE acts first, then hacker and ICE in turn (no extra initiative). AR runners are attacked 3x in each turn.

Black ICE attacks the comlink of the hacker (there is nothing the hacker can do directly against the attack; he must "kill the ICE first" to avoid damage). If the black ICE wins, any net successes are physical damage, which the hacker resists with Willpower only. When ICE manages to cause damage, the GPS location of the hacker is revealed to the ICE (this replaces the "tracker" ICE). If the hacker kills the ICE, the system cannot ban the hacker for the moment (but it can when his next action is detected).

Whenever a counter hacker is waiting in the node, the original hacker cannot see him. The counter hacker may detect entry, or every failed action, with a matrix combat test, and then stay hidden or reveal himself by attacking. An attacking counter hacker automatically alerts the system which may ban the hacker or call additional ICE.

Note: The concepts of the programs Reality Filter, Armor, Defuse, ECCM, Medic, Crypt, Decrypt have been dropped.

Conclusion

The hacking part of the gameplay has been drastically simplified. All the hacker needs are his Logic and matrix skills for attack and a good comlink for defense. All the GM needs is the system level of the network nodes, and the multiplication factor for write and root access. Hacker detection and ICE handling is now straightforward.

It should be said that this proposal is based on the concept that hacking should be a side activity of one of the characters, not a full-time job; this tended to bore the other players, who sat idly around while the hacker worked.