From: kaydin@jarthur.claremont.edu (puck)
Subject: Re: Hacker
Keywords: hacker crashed systems
Organization: Forest of Satyrs, City of Vampires, the wilds.
Date: Wed, 22 Jul 1992 18:17:22 GMT

In article <20JUL199216424845@aardvark.ucs.uoknor.edu> brandon@aardvark.ucs.uoknor.edu (Garland Operator 7-G) writes:
>In article <la>, gdewan@mrcnext.cso.uiuc.edu (Geoffrey DeWan) writes...
>>In SJG's HACKER, when crashing systems, are you only supposed to be able to do
>>it once per phreak phase or can you go on a rampage?  I couldn't find any
>>restrictions in the rules but being able to go on rampages looks like it
>>could make a game go on for hideously long times.
>
>In the rules, you can crash as many systems as you want so long as you have
>root access on that system. That is part of the strategy, if someone gets too
>far in the lead, start crashing indials. Also, each system crashed requires
>a check to see if the ICE raids you (no ICE ... no problem), so a mad crasher
>might have unexpected company.
>
>As for the game going on a long time, it really doesn't. You check if it comes
>back every PLAYER'S TURN (1 in 6) and someone might/usually has an uncrash
>card. If it stays down for a long time, start working elsewhere in the net.

   Perhaps our gaming group has been going about the game wrong, but
following all the rules, our average game (mind you, we've only played
seven or eight times) lasts 5-6 hours, rather than the 1-2 hours mentioned
on the game box.  Are we missing something?

   Specifically, when someone gets close to winning, or a player gets
bored, he/she crashed the whole net.  Systems go down.  No one has
anything.  The game becomes simply an exercise in waiting for systems
to come up (reality, perhaps.  But does it make a good game?)  A full
half of the games ended when we all got tired (around 3-4 in the morning)
and declared ``We haven't won.  The Net has won.''  Frustrating after
playing for hours.  (note:  when we play Illuminati, it takes an hour
or so extra as well, but nothing like this).

   To fix the problem, we've come up with a few optional rules, and played
a couple games using some or all of them.  These aren't fully playtested
yet, so:

ICE:  Most systems have an ICE around 3 or 4.  If you have a +2 modem
and +1 epansion card, you'll never hit ICE (just *try* rolling a 1
on a 2d6!).  So we adjusted it so your *unmodified* die roll triggers
ICE.  Makes a slightly more dangerous game (though doesn't change it
too much).

Crashing:  Crashing a system counts as a hack.  Keeps the game from
taking all night.

Changes:  As a hack, someone with root on a system may change ICE or
Security by 1 level (up or down).  Needs a successful hack.  With
this system, time is of the essence, as once you get on a system, you
may raise the Security so high it becomes impossible for others to enter,
or raise the ICE to make it impossibly dangerous.  When we played with
this variant, the winner became clear in the first 5-6 turns (It still
led to a nice 1-1/2 hour game).

Cards:  Seperate system cards from action cards.  You get one of each
at the start of your turn.  Speeds the whole game up.

   Our overall opinion of the game:  it has the potential for a very
good game, and I haven't regretted my purchace.  However, it is still
in its early stages, and a 2nd or 3rd edition may fix many of the
above problems.  A refreshing, less paranoid change from Illuminati.

-kerim


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