Virtuals Are Their Own Reward

 

A virtual reality is a miniature universe, created by use of advanced imaging technology and direct brain link. Activated by a Netrunner entering their memory area, they appear as pocket environments, complete in every detail.

Virtuals are used as conferencing centers, recreational environments for corporate staff, offices where people on other sides of the world can meet via Net-conferencing to work on a project, and even realistic simulations (to train solos and pilots). Although we'll go further into virtual realities further on, you'll need to know enough to decide if your system currently has one. Like other things in the system, virtuals take up MU and must be stored in a memory; however, a large virtual can be broken up over several adjacent memories if need be.

Virtuals come in six sizes:

Virtual Conference Room: a misnomer; this could be any average size room where people can meet and talk.

Virtual Office: this is any larger space, usually including a couple of conference rooms, where Net-conferencing groups can meet and work.

Virtual Rec-Area: this is a small recreational area; a beach, spa or other small retreat not much larger than a city block, virtual rec-areas are usually not very complex; a couple small rooms and a lot of empty space.

Virtual Building: this is a large scale construct, equivalent to about a 10 story building. Virtual buildings are used when a large number of people must conference together via the Net. A good example of this would be the Hunt Club, a virtual building constructed as part of a Netrunner's club called the Master Hackers. It is basically an English Tudor mansion with surrounding gardens, libraries and carriage house.

A virtual building need not always be a building; the U.S. Navy maintains several virtual aircraft carriers for use as training simulators.

Virtual City: these are literally cities. They are used to simulate total environments. For example, training disaster personnel to deal with a virtual San Francisco earthquake is a lot easier than using the real thing. Virtual Cities are extremely rare; a rich man's toy.

Virtual World: as far as you can tell, this is a totally developed universe. Virtual worlds are constructed as elaborate vacation spots (a mental version of the 20th century TV show Fantasy Island), training simulations of large events (such as war zones or alien environments), or as the playthings of rich and powerful people who like to play god. For example, the ESA has used robotic braindance information to construct a huge Mars virtual world; some 400 colonists are currently using it to train for the coming Olympus Colony Project. On the other hand, Saburo Arasaka has a huge recreation of 16th century feudal Japan which he uses to impress his friends (and as a training ground for top Arasaka operatives).

Each Virtual has a Memory Unit cost based on its type, as well as an eb cost.

Type MU Cost EB Cost
Virtual Conference 1 10,000
Virtual Office 2 50,000
Virtual Rec-Area 4 100,000
Virtual Building 8 500,000
Virtual City 16 1,000,000
Virtual World 32 10,000,000

Realism: Realism is a measure of how much like the real thing the virtual is. There are five levels of realism.

Simple: a cartoon. Bright shapes, colors, funny noises.

Contextual: Like a very good CD-ROM video game. Textures, colors, better sound.

Fractal: Like true computer animation. Full color, sound.

Photorealistic: about as real as being in a video.

Superrealistic: just like real life.

To determine the effect of realism on your virtual's cost, multiply the base ML) cost and the base dollar cost by the realism value below.

Type Multiplier
Simple x1
Contextual x2
Fractal x3
Photorealistic x4
Superrealistic x5

Example: I build a virtual rec-area (Cost 4 MU and 100,000eb). I decide to make it as real as possible (x5). My total MU cost is 20. and my eb cost is 500,000.

Decide what virtuals your system has and in what memories you will place them.

Defenses

These are the programs that are used to keep the Netrunners from sneaking in and messing with your nice new system. You may select any program from the master list (if you pay for it).

A program can be placed anywhere in the system (inside a memory, CPU, a blank space, etc.) However, you must subtract its MU cost from one of your memories.

Most programs are stationary; once you place them in the system, they stay there. However, Hellhounds, Killers and Demons are all mobile, and can patrol up to 1 square outside the data walls of their resident systems.

Remotes

These are devices in Realspace attached to the computer system; manipulators for moving things, auto factories for constructing things, remote controlled vehicles and robots, monitor cameras, hidden microphones, video display boards, printers, holographic displays, automatic gates & doors, elevators, voice boxes, alarm systems, terminals, etc. Each one is controlled by the computer, using the most appropriate skill for it's function, or, as in the case of videoboards, cameras, microphones, printers and holographics, simply used by the computer to gather and disseminate information.

Remotes

Terminals: a terminal is basically a keyboard and a videoscreen, used to input information to the computer and get results back. Each CPU comes with one terminal; additional ones cost 5,000eb.

Autofactories: lathes and computer controlled assembly robots. Usually used in industrial plants, although there are many small abrication shops on the Street that use this technology.

Gates & Doors: computer controlled gates. Comon'; haven't you seen Max Headroom yet? And you call yourself a Cyberpunk!

Elevators: 'Nuff said.

Holo Display: emits a 3 dimensional image from a wall or floor port. Good for meetings;
often part of an executive conference room.

Manipulators: required for repairing tasks, painting, "or doing any other sort of "hand" work.

Microphones: common in a paranoid age.

Printers: Laser printers for hardcopy.

TV Cameras: also a common security measure. Usually in the halls of most corporate buildings (60%).

Vehicles & robots: small house cleaner 'droids, taxis, corporate vehicles and limos (for execs without human driven).

Videoboard: a large, flat-screen high-defi-nition TV. Up to 60 meters long. A common type of billboard In 2020.

Decide what remotes your computer has and place a symbol for each one inside your computer map.

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