Virtual Illusions

There is a slew of Equipment that is directly
for or pertaining to netrunners. Below I have a list of what
I thing is all of it. I also have several new items. A lack
of computer knowledge of the authors shows through when we start
discussing cyberdecks. It seems very much a sort of just pile
it on philosophy. Any one who has done any serious hardware upgrade
knows if you jump to 32mb you’ll have to throw out the 4mb you
have now. There also don’t seem to be anything in the way of
limits and adding memory the same as adding a chipreader. They
also lack some key items.

New Items

CPU
Ok, who here thinks it takes about the same
to amount of time to compile a few thousand lines of C++ code
on that old ‘286 that’s been stuck in the corner for the last
couple of years and that brand spanking new Pentium with all the
whistles and bells? Thought so. Yet according to CP2020 decks
don’t even have CPUs. I figure a deck has between 1-3 processors
depending on how whizbang it is. More CPUs are possible, however
if more than three are installed I’d start making the deck large
bulky and as likely to get hit in a firefight as an arm. More
than four and it becomes a desktop unit and is generally lost
with one successful trace it can’t be run with. Any more than
three CPUs and the rules for running from mainframes apply (see
below.) CPUs have two effects on netrunning, first they control
how many continuous programs can be kept running, and second they
can add a bonus to Intelligence for things that can be aided by
computers, this includes netrunning.

CPU level	Int bonus	Number of Continuous Programs
1	-	2
2	+1	3
3	+1	3
4	+2	4
5	+2	4
6	+3	4
7	+3	5

I-G Algorithm coprocessorThe daughter chip attached to the Direct
Neural Interface Controller is the full set of I-G transforms.
This chip provides the necessary code and speed to render the
I-G algorithms in real time. With out this chip netrunning is
impossible. As you might guess it is a black market item. It
can be openly bought by registered computer security consultants.
Most edgerunners don’t qualify as being registered since it involves
intensive background, and association checks as well as a SIN.
Also any legally sold chips are marked (a difficult system knowledge
roll to identify the chip that was used in a netrun after the
netrun took place.) Most I-G coprocessors are made by techs and
netrunners in the street without the tracking element.AI CPU/Neural Net
I list a price for AI’s but remember several
things this is only a starting price and they are completely unavailable.
They are plot devices and NPCs not items to be bought and sold.
If, for story reasons, you have one of these for sale in general
they have 400Mu for the AI code itself. Any additional memory
must be bought separately as well as the CPU to run the code.
In general a minimum of 5 CPUs or more (likely over 7) are part
of any AI system.Upgrade Memory
Memory is one of the more nebulous elements
of deck building. The reason memory is so questionable is that
there are no stated limits however, it almost reads like it can
only be done once which is unrealistic and keeps the memory way
to low. I use the following system: Memory can be upgraded to
a maximum of 40Mu on board. There is also an expanded memory
board (see below.)Internal Option Slots
Computers today have some sort of standard
bus (ISA, EISA, PCI, Vesa, etc) to add cards of one sort or another.
This can be anything from video accelerators to SCSI controllers.
I have trouble believing there won’t be something similar in
the ’20s it will probably be different set of letters (ECCI -
Enhanced Computer Card Interface) and I’m sure plug and play works
flawlessly, but the concept is still valid.Expanded Memory board
The Expanded Memory board is a board that
you drop into an ECCI slot and it provides between 10Mu and 40Mu
additional memory. GM’s discretion whether a computer can have
more than one of these.

Interface Co-processor
This is the video accelerator of the ’20s.
This adds all sorts of buffering, memory, and processing power
to the Neural Interface. This co-processor is an ECCI compliant
card that gets plugged into an internal option slot. In game
terms if the netrunners deck speed is already at +5 this will
give the added boost to get it to +6. If deck speed isn’t already
at +5 it doesn’t do anything unless the netrunner is running autopunchout,
advanced power strip or some other device that might have a negative
to the netrunners initiative or netrunning skill. In this case
it compensates by one point. For example if the netrunner is
running autopunchout which renders a -5 to initiative, but he
also has the interface co-processor installed, his initiative
would only be a -4. This board performs either the boost to +6
speed or the offset of one point of penalties, not both.

Optical Read/Write
About now the phenomenally astute who know
what I’m thinking are wondering how do those huge systems have
hundreds upon hundreds of Mus of storage with the restrictions
mentioned above. Part of the answer is that those restrictions
don’t really apply to mainframes. The other part is they use
optical disks. These are essentially read/write CDs that can
store as much as 670Mus of data on a single CD. I might as well
mention now that calculations have 1Mu equaling about 25mb. Which
means one of these CDs can carry about 14Gb of data. And these
things come in arrays for those who need racks of these things.
In general it takes an action to move anything to or from one
of these drives because of the access time. While this does nothing
to slow down normal users who don’t notice the 1sec delay, a netrunner
who needs the killer 6 which is on his CD knows he’s in trouble.
Optical drives can either be mounted as internal or external
option slots. Only one drive may be mounted internally in a portable.
A modern CD is three inches in diameter and comes with its own
caddy.

External Option Slots

In general these are the external ports
that attach peripherals and any number of other things to the
deck. Generally if it isn’t covered and the GM allows it can
be attached by an External Option slot. Things attached externally
are generally attached by some cable or another.

Net link
Quite simply this is the port the you plug
the phone/net cord into to get a direct connection to the net.
Obviously this is not necessary on cellular decks unless you
are running directly against a computer not attached to the net.

Building a Better Deck

Below is a pretty much complete list of
options and what type they are. Every one say “Thank you
Dave” Because I pretty much stole it from him. At some
point I must split/expand this list into two separate lists one
for decks, portables, and desktops and a second list for Mainframes,
but as of yet I haven’t got around to it.
To modify/upgrade you must buy it new.
I.e. if a netrunner decides some time down the road that the 4
internal slots he has aren’t enough and he wants to go to six
he must pay the full $450 plus have it installed or install it
himself. However he does have the 4 internal slot option module
to do with what he pleases (hang on a wall, try and pawn, try
and hit the attacking solo with it, etc.)

Basic Deck:
A basic portable deck has the following
stats:

CPU:	1
Memory:	10 Mu
Data walls:	2
Speed:	0
Cost:	$500
Includes Voxbox, Flipswitch, and trodes

General Options:

Name	SourceBook	Cost	Special
2 CPUs		+500	+1 Int, run 2 continuous program
3 CPUs		+1100	+2 Int, run 3 continuous programs
I.G. Algorithm coprocessor		+300	Netrunning capable
*AI CPU		+300,000 or more
Combat assault deck	CP p124	+1500	20SP
Cellular deck	CP p124	+2500	Cellular
Cyber­limb deck	CP p123	+1500
Upgrade memory	Choose Only one.
20Mu		+2000
30Mu		+3500
40Mu		+5500
Speed upgrades	CP p124	+2000/lev	Maxspd: 5
Datawalls	CP p124	+1000/lev	Maxlev: 10
Hardened deck	C2 p17	+2500	EMP proof
Language processor	C2 p15	+1500
Deck security	C1 p9	+400/+1000	Thumb/Retina
Internal Option Slots:	Choose only one
2 option slots	+100
4 option slots	+250
6 option slots	+450
8 option slots	+700
10 option slots	+1000
ExternalPorts:	Choose only one
1 port	+50
2 ports	+100
3 ports	+170
4 ports	+240
6 ports	+380
8 ports	+520

Internal Slot Options:

Name	SourceBook	Cost	Special
Expanded memory board
10Mu		3000	+10Mu
20Mu		4000	+20Mu
30Mu		6000	+30Mu
40Mu		9000	+40Mu
Interface Co­processor		3600	See above
Chipreader	C3 p70	150
1 Mu Chip		3 ea
5 Mu Chip		14 ea
10 Mu Chip		25 ea
LR Comp Board		1000	See Orbital Running
MIM		100	See Micronet running
Optical read/write		700
100 Mu disk		100 ea
300 Mu disk		150 ea
670 Mu disk		270 ea
Videoboard	CP p124	100/sqft	Monitor
Scanner	CP p124	300
Holovid driver	C3 p70	500

External Port Options:

Name	SourceBook	Cost	Special
Interface plugs		200
Chipreader	C3 p70	120
Chips		See Above
Optical read/write		750
Disks		See Above
Trodes	CP p124	10	­2 Int during netrun
Keyboard	CP p124	var	Antiques only
Printer	CP p124	400
Netlink		20	For non­cellular

Other Netrunner Equipment:

Name	SourceBook	Cost	Special
Body weight Life Support	C1 p6	500	3day
Auto Punchout	C1 p8	330	lifesaver
Expert Series Comp/Prg.	C2 p16	Var.
Zetatech Compumods	C2 p18	Var.
Net Vision Glasses	C2 p24	900
Fiber Optic Cables	C3 p4	.1/meter
NetRepeater	C3 p4	1000	black market
Comp.JunctionBox	C3 p4	100
PowerStrip	C3 p69	50
Advanced Power Strip	C3 p69	250
Mainframe proc. upgrade	C3 p70	200 ea
Database	C3 p70	500/level
Tight Beam Radio Relay	C3 p71	1500
Batteries	C3 p71	5/hour
DeadMan’s Handle	C3 p71	1000
Zetatech Dragnet	C3 p71	5000
EBM 99080 “Muse”	C3 p71	300
J.I. Mod		See Orbital running
Enhanced Buffer		See Orbital running

Used Parts

The prices above represent the cost of new
parts, a netrunner may choose to purchase used parts at a hefty
25% to 75% savings. However, any have cyberpunk GM worth his
salt is likely to have the piece burn ozone at an inopportune
moment. Good in the short term but I wouldn’t depend on a deck
with questionable parts.

Example Decks

First Deck - Bought at Radio Shack

Basic Portable		$500
CPU:	1
Memory:	10Mu
Datawalls:	2
Speed:	0
IG coproc:		$300
2 Internal option slots		$100
2 external option slots		$100
Chipreader (int)		$150
Interface Plugs		$200
Netlink		$20
Total:		$1,370

Second Deck - Stolen from Zetatech

Basic Portable		$500
CPU:	2	$500
Memory:	20Mu	$2000
Datawalls:	4	$2000
Speed:	1	$2000
Cellular		$2500
IG coproc:		$300
4 Internal option slots		$250
2 external option slots		$100
Chipreader (int)		$150
MIM		$100
Optical R/W (int)		$700
Interface Plugs		$200
Netlink		$20
Total:		$11,320

Third Deck - pulled from the hands of a
dead netrunner

Basic Portable		$500
CPU:	2	$500
Memory:	40Mu	$5500
Datawalls:	6	$4000
Speed:	3	$6000
Cellular		$2500
IG coproc:		$300
Retinal security		$1000
4 Internal option slots		$250
2 external option slots		$100
Chipreader (int)		$150
MIM		$100
Optical R/W (int)		$700
Interface Plugs		$200
Netlink		$20
Total:		$21,820

Fourth Deck - Custom Designed and Built

Basic Portable		$500
CPU:	3	$1100
Memory:	60Mu	$5500 + $4000
Datawalls:	8	$6000
Speed:	5	$10,000
Cellular		$2500
Combat Assault		$1500
IG coproc:		$300
Retinal security		$1000
4 Internal option slots		$250
2 external option slots		$100
Interface Coproc		$3600
Chipreader (int)		$150
MIM		$100
Optical R/W (int)		$700
Interface Plugs		$200
Netlink		$20
Total:		$37,520