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48
Hardware
The basic building blocks of the Matrix in Shadowrun are
devices of varying processing power (see Nodes, p. 57) and their
interactions through fiberoptic cables, radio waves, satellites,
and sometimes laser or microwave links (see Data Exchange,
p. 53).
In 2070, almost everything carries some kind of node with
it. Whether it’s RFIDs in clothes, small processors in refrigerators,
commlinks in jewelry, or full-blown servers in huge racks,
nodes are all over the place. The air is constantly filled with a
buzz of radio waves, coherent signals directed at satellites, and
fiberoptic cables pulsing with the light of data transfer between
continents. In short, the Matrix relies on the hardware that
forms its parts—a fact that was known before the Crash 2.0
but often overlooked.
nodeS
Nodes are the most important building blocks of the Matrix.
Every computerized device able to execute programs and instructions
is a node. They provide the raw processing power of the
global network and are
the places of the Matrix
(see Sculpting, p. 55).
Everything governed by
standard Matrix protocols
happens in nodes.
They run programs, store
data, accept connections,
and run personas and
agents. Each node is
governed by an operating
system, from which
it derives its Firewall and
System attributes (see Operating Systems, p. 51). Its physical hardware
components determine its Response and Signal attributes.
There are three general categories of nodes: peripheral nodes,
standard nodes, and nexi. Apart from the four Matrix attributes, a node
is characterized by its access ID, persona limit, and processor limit.
Access ID: Every node has a hardwired access ID, which
serves as its address in the Matrix. If someone wants to find a node,
they look up its access ID.
Persona Limit: This is the maximum number of persona that
may simultaneously run/originate on the device. Note that this
only counts users who are using this node to get online, it does not
count persona running on another node that access this node.
Processor Limit: This is the number of programs the node
can run before it starts to experience Response degradation (see
Matrix Attributes, p. 212, SR4). For standard nodes, the processor
limit is equal to System rating.
SaMpLe peripHeraL nodeS
Device Response Signal System Firewall
AR Glove 2 2 1 1
Credstick 2 2 6 6
Fridge 1 3 2 1
RFID tag 1 1 1 1
Security Camera 2 3 2 4
Smartgun 2 1 3 4
peripheral nodes
Peripheral nodes, or peripherals, and the devices they run on
can be found in almost every single item in 2070. Peripheral nodes
are common in objects that don’t require the computing, processing,
and networking capabilities of standard nodes, but that benefit from
being networked or accessed in some way. RFIDs carry peripheral
nodes; toasters, fridges, and guns contain them; and even clothes
facilitate peripheral nodes
to process information.
Peripherals use the
same rules as standard
nodes (see Devices and
Software Ratings, p. 206,
SR4), with some restrictions.
They are only able to
run a single persona and can
only run programs they are
designed to use. Matrix attributes
of peripheral nodes
range from 1 to 6 just like
standard nodes, though most peripherals have low Response ratings.
For simplicity, most peripheral nodes are given a single Device
rating to represent all of their Matrix attributes (see Device Rating,
p. 213, SR4), but gamemasters should feel free to adjust ratings as
they feel appropriate.
Since the operating systems of peripheral nodes are far more limited
and focused, their System rating is not restricted by the Response
rating, as is the case with
standard nodes. In other
words, the System rating
of peripheral nodes may
exceed Response rating
without penalty.
Peripheral nodes can
only run one persona at a
time, they are not designed
for multiple users. For this
reason, they only have
admin accounts, but these
accounts do not receive
the +6 threshold modifier for hacking (treat them as standard accounts).
They can, however, be clustered with other minor nodes,
acting in concert as a single super-node (see Clusters, p. 55). To
guard against their weak security, peripheral nodes are often slaved
to more secure nodes (see Slaving, p. 59). Other functions, like data
storage, communication with other nodes, or the representation of
peripheral nodes in VR, work exactly like standard nodes.
Standard nodes
Standard nodes are run by commlinks, terminals, home telecoms,
and almost any object that is portable and capable of running a
single persona and a number of programs or agents.
Standard nodes use
the rules given for nodes
(see Device and Software
Ratings, p. 206, SR4).
They have standard processor
limits.
Standard nodes may
only run a single persona
at a time, but the interface
allows individual users
to tailor the persona to
their particular settings
and preferences.
Unwired
Simon Wentworth (order #1132857) 9