The nature of Cyberspace follows certain rules which are usually consistent from human network to human network, but the cosmetic effects of the implementaton of those rules are entirely up to the creator of the space. An individual Cyberspace environment is known as a Milieu. The milieu may be richly detailed and luxurious or spartan and utilitarian; it may follow an internally consistent theme, or it may be made up of a confusing hodge-podge of styles. The milieu may be created by a human or group of humans, or by an AI. Publicly accessible milieus tend to use easily recognizeable symbols, many of which may be explicitly labelled, but private networks can be as eclectic and obscure as the creator desires.
Alien networks, even assuming they use an analogous system, are unlikely to be penetrable by a human (or human-built AI) netrunners. Contrary to the expectations of the cinema, all sentient computer-using races do not use Macintosh or 8086 architectures.
Your Golem
When you traverse Cyberspace, you use a Duplicate (see Duplication Power) virtual body known as a Golem. This Duplicate must be Mind-Linked (across dimensions) to the base character, and is bought with the Advantage Transdimensional - Cyberspace (+�), and the Limitations Only in Cyberspace (-1), OAF: Interface Rig (-1), Concentrate Throughout (-�). The Golem must take the Character Disadvantage: Physical Limitation - No Independent Initiative (Impairs fully, Infrequently 15pts).
Duplication costs 2 character points per 5 pts in the Golem. Therefore, a standard 100pt Golem will cost 40 x 1.5 = 60 active, / 3.5 = 17 real character points.
While controlling the golem, the base character's perceptions of Real Space are severely impaired, and any PER roll in Real Space must be made with a -5 modifier. Any action taken in Real Space, or any damage taken which causes a break in concentration, will leave the golem inert and vulnerable in Cyberspace.
Note: the rules presented here for Golems are modified from the standard rules for Duplication, inasmuch as the Golem(s) have no independent vitality � they are completely controlled by the base character. For this reason, it is much more difficult to run more than one Golem simultaneously, and the Stats of the Golems are affected accordingly (see below)
The Base Stats for the golem's STR, DEX, CON, and EGO are determined by the stats of the base character and the total number of Golems being created. BODY, PRE and COM all start at 10. The Base Stats for your Cyberspace golem(s) are thus determined as follows:
| GOLEM STATS | |
| Golem Stat: | Figured at: |
| STR | EGO / No. of Golems |
| DEX | INT / No. of Golems |
| CON | {(INT + EGO) / 2} / No. of Golems |
| BODY | 10 |
| INT | INT / No. of Golems |
| EGO | EGO / No. of Golems |
| PRE | 10 |
| COM | 10 |
Figured Characteristics are worked out as normal, from your Golem's new Primary Stats. Like any other character, Stats can be improved from their base values by spending Character Points. Cyberspace Golems are not subject to the Normal Characteristic Maxima disadvantage.
In a milieu, the Golem has size, mass and appearance. These are determined by the character at the time of creation, and cannot thereafter be changed, just like a real body. (Of course, a golem can be improved between adventures with experience, as with any other character). The Golem need not be humanoid when it is created, or even appear sentient, though it begins (like all characters) with "normal" characteristics: 100kg weight and approximately 2m tall, or equivalent mass. These can be bought up or down at creation time with the appropriate Powers. The only difference between creating a Golem character and a normal character is that a Golem cannot take the "Distinctive Features" Disadvantage. In fact, most Disadvantages will not be appropriate to a Golem.
To be able to change the size, shape or appearance of the Golem, the character must buy the appropriate Powers (such as Multiform, Growth, Shrinking). A character can control more than one Golem simultaneously by buying Duplication. All of these Powers work in Cyberspace exactly as they would in Real Space.
Having a skill, power or talent in Real Space does not necessarily mean that the ability is useful in Cyberspace, though there are a few Skills which transfer seamlessly: Computer Programming, Systems Operations, and Deduction are all useable in both realms. Interaction skills such as Conversation, Interrogation and Persuasion only transfer when dealing with other intelligences (artificial or otherwise); to be useful against non-sentient computer systems they must be bought as such.
Subroutines
A Golem can create semi-independent subroutines to take care of menial tasks while within Cyberspace. The appropriate Power to use for this is Summon. Like the Golem, Summoned subroutines have size, mass and appearance within the milieu. The types of subroutines possible are determined by the Summons available to the Golem. For example, a Golem might Summon cannon-fodder sprites to delay the milieu's security sprites while the Golem runs bravely away. These poor entities would be defined when building the Golem's Summon Subroutine power.
Things To Remember When Netrunning:
Context is not necessarily a reliable guide to function within a milieu, especially private milieus. For example, a milieu might be designed to appear like a 12th century Christian monastery, with sprites - visual representations of program functions - appearing as monastic equipment or monks. The timekeeping functions may be represented by a sundial in the cloisters, while data storage may be represented by the library with its book-laden lecterns. However, there is absolutely nothing to stop the creator of the milieu from using visual cues misleadingly � the sundial, for example, may actually be a Hunter-Killer security routine and the library an auto-delete trash bin. Also, there is nothing to prevent a designer from inserting wildly discordant sprites, such as spinning red pyramids or flourescent green midget elephants. Obviously, the context of the 12th century monastery provides no clue as to what function these sprites might perform.
Unless you have appropriate skills, such as Invisibility, Stealth, or Disguise, you will be obvious to the milieu and to anyone else who may be traversing it. Often, a milieu will assign a body shape for a visitor based on criteria determined by the milieu's creator � perhaps access level. Area Knowledges can be bought for individual milieus, the milieus of a particular designer, milieus of a city, nation, planet, star system, and so on. They can be very useful when it comes to blending in to the milieu, or for aiding in ruthlessly looting it of anything you can get away with. As with other Area Knowledges, the wider the range of the skill, the more generalized the available knowledge.
Combat In Cyberspace
Combat works in Cyberspace exactly as it does in Real Space, with the following exceptions:
Attacks which can affect the Meat (or Silicon) must be bought with the "Affects Solid" Advantage (+2). A character controlling a Golem which comes under attack from such a Power takes the same BODY and/or STUN damage inflicted on the Golem. The controlling character gets no DEF against this damage, but the Golem's defenses are used as normal.
A Golem which is "killed" in Cyberspace is hopelessly corrupted in Real Space and gone for good. It can only be replaced by spending the Character Points to build a new one. Therefore, a character should beware of viewing the Golem as a "suicide doll" and avoid taking unusual risks with it.
If contact with a Golem is broken before it can be properly closed down (i.e., the link is cut off, either physically or by suppressing the Mind Link, before the Duplication can be recombined), it becomes inert within the milieu and is at the mercy of whoever or whatever finds it in there. Golems have no self will whatsoever without an active Mind Link. If contact is lost with a Golem, it can be found again with a Mind Scan, for which purpose it is defined as a very familiar mind. To close down a Golem properly, it must return to the point at which it entered the milieu.
Time and Movement in Cyberspace
I toyed with the idea of altering the time scale in Cyberspace to reflect the speed at which computer operations occur, but have discarded the idea to maintain playability. If you want to be able to do more in less time, buy more SPD for your Golem.
Movement is perceived in Cyberspace exactly as it would be in Real Space, but the actual physical distances covered by the networks are far less important than those perceived within the milieu. Two rooms which are adjacent in a milieu may be in separate hemispheres of a planet in Real Space. Similarly, a pair of terminals on adjacent desks in Real Space may be separated by thousands of virtual kilometres within the milieu.
The best advice is this: when in the milieu, just forget about Real Space. Unless, of course, someone stabs you in your actual real non-virtual chest. That would probably be a good time to start taking notice of the real world again.