From pbourque@U.Arizona.EDU Mon Dec 6 11:10:19 1999 Date: Sun, 5 Dec 1999 23:30:55 -0700 (MST) From: Pierre P Bourque Reply-To: jcml@coffeehaus.com To: Jovian Chronicles ML , Heavy Gear Mailing List Subject: [JCML] RE: [Alt_Sil] Hacking (long) (fwd) (RPG Stuff!) The following was originally posted to the Alt_Sil (Alternate Silhouette) mailing list... In an afterthought, I realized this might be useful to someone on the JCML and HGMLs as well. I'd be happy to see some discussion, and perhaps ways to refine the system to something a little faster. ---------- Forwarded message ---------- Date: Fri, 3 Dec 1999 13:17:35 -0700 (MST) From: Pierre P Bourque To: "'Alt_Sil@onelist.com'" Subject: RE: [Alt_Sil] Hacking (long) On Thu, 2 Dec 1999, Mark Fender wrote: > What are you after in hacking? As a lover of all things cyberpunk this is > always the hardest area to model. Let me know what you're after and I might > be able to provide some assistance. I'm looking for something a bit beyond the default of contested Computer skill rolls between attacker/defender... The prototype system I currently use is somewhat adapted from those that exist in Jovian Chronicles. Computer systems have 3 characteristics: * Processing Power (PP): General measure of the computer's capabilities. Also relates to how many dice the computer gets to allocate to various program/skills. * Knowledge (KNO): Essentially how good the computer is at using existing data libraries to extrapolate information. Also describes generally how many/how good those libraries are. Otherwise works like the standard KNO stat. * Creativity (CRE): How good the computer is at developing *new* solutions. Neural-net architecture systems tend to have good CRE capabilities. The values of these three characteristics determine cost, size of the system. Peripherals (displays, inputs, etc) are extra. Programs: Programs are given a Skill level based on their sophistication. The Program level determines the _maximum_ number of Processing Power dice that may be allocated to the Program. Additional dice from the User's MOS pool may exceed the program's Level (see below). There's a few general groupings of program types, the latter three are all related to computer combat: * General: These programs are generally specific applications for certain activities. See the listing in the JCC (JC companion) for the Big List). Generally replicates RPG skills, such as Piloting, Communications, etc. * Intrusion: Applications utilized to gain unauthorized access to other computer systems. Usually CRE-based. * Attack: Applications designed to hinder or damage the target computer system. Virus programs are the most obvious example... Trace programs also would qualify as an Attack program (usually initiated by the Defender, of course...). Effects of Attack programs can vary substantially, and should be Ok'd by GM. Common ones will either reduce the System's attributes (e.g. reduce PP by MOS/2, reduce KNO by MOS/2, etc). May be KNO- or CRE-based. * Defense: Protects the system from both intrusion and attack programs. Generally, a single Defense roll sets the default intrusion threshold (or default this to PP+CRE+Defense+mods). Once the victim system becomes aware of the attack (successful Detection roll), all Attack/Intrusion rolls become Contested. Typically KNO based. * Detection/Evasion: These programs include such things as subroutines to determine "suspicious behavior," such as repeated failed login attempts. Evasion programs do the reverse, and try to mask their behavior as innocuous. Detection/Evasion rolls work akin to the Electronic Warfare skill and ECM packages. Evasion and Detection are rolled once at the onset of "net combat", setting a default threshold. Once this has been done, the loser must allocate actions to reattempt evasion/detection. Typically CRE based. * Other: Programs that don't fit very well into the above categories... How Hacking Works: Like Computer rules in Jovian Chronicles, Computers and Users working together can augment the number of dice that are rolled. However, in my version, it works in the reverse: The User augments the Computer's skill rolls. The User(s) make a Computer skill check versus a 4. The MOS determines how many additional dice can be allocated to the Computer's skill rolls. This initial Computer skill check may also be used to determine Initiative when playing out computer warfare between two Users. Prior to initiation of combat, the Attacker and Defender must declare which programs their PP dice are allocated (e.g. which programs are currently active). Once Initiative is rolled, the User's additional skill dice may be allocated to currently active programs. Consider the Computer to get a number of actions equal to the number of Programs currently in operation. Resolve actions normally. Example: Neo's been working on the Hexagon Corp network, trying to gain access to steal some data. He's currently running a Yamato Electronics K-230 (PP3, KNO+1, CRE+1), and has a few programs he's named B&E v2.0 (Infiltration L2), Phantom (Evasion L1), and Crash (Attack L1). He also has sundry search utilities which he'll use to hunt for his paydata (KNO check). Neo's Computer skill is 2+1. The Hexagon top-of-the-line firewall computer has PP5, KNO+1, CRE+2. It's currently running TTX's System Defense IV (Defense Level 3), Guard (Detect L2), and a Trace program (L2). The Hexagon firewall runs largely autonomously, but should the Guard program detect anything suspicious, it will summon the local net administrator to oversee (and thus aid). The programs are currently allocated as such: Defense 3, Detect 2, Trace 0. The base Defense threshold is rolled as 3+1, rolling 2,5,6 + 1 = 7. The default Detection rating is 1+1, rolling a 3, making a Threshold of 4. Neo makes his Computer skill check, rolling 2+1 vs a 4. He gets a MOS of 3. He now has an additional 3 "phantom" points of PP, for a total of 6 (PP3 + 3), that he can allocate as desired. He decides to allocate two dice to his Evasion program (1 is "real" PP, the other is from his pool), and the remaining 4 to his Infiltration program. To recap, Neo's got a PP3, CRE+1, KNO+1 computer. He rolls his Evasion program first, getting 4,5 + 1, for a 6, which is higher than the target computer's Detection threshold of 4. He now rolls his Infiltration, yielding 2,3,5,6 +1, for a 7. The Defender's threshold is a 7, so Neo doesn't make it in this turn... Extras: Obviously, this tends to reflect a more "low-tech" setting, with standard computer-n-screen being the typical systems. In the case of cool tech like virtual reality interfaces (VRI) or even direct-neural interfaces (DNI), you can treat them as either giving the User either bonuses to their computer roll (e.g. the better interfaces allow them to help oversee/aid the programs better), or perhaps allow them a phantom bonus in Computer skill... So what do people think of this? It seems to work fairly well the few times I'd used it, but I think it could probably be streamlined quite a bit more... There tends to be alot of die rolling, since the computer can get *lots* of actions if it's running lots of programs. Pierre