Slicing

p. 107 and T-SM p. 86

About Slicing

In many instances, a single Computers check is sufficient to resolve a character's attempt to slice a dataprocessing system or device.

However, when a character attempts to break into an especially well-guarded (and dramatically significant) system. or must defend against a skilled enemy slicer, the GM can use the following rules to create a full slicing encounter:

Simple Slicing Checks

The difficulty for a simple Slicing check is calculated based upon any defenses present within the system and the inherent sophistication of the system against intrusion. Slicing into a tapcafé's systems to alter a transaction might be trivially easy, while a military outpost could be hardened and prepared for a slicer's assault. In general, the more vital the materials protected by the system, the more difficult the system should be to overcome.

See: System Security table for difficulty suggestions.

Simple Slicing Bonus Symbols

Some of these suggested results might be better represented in a full slicing encounter!

Success: Additional may be spent to reduce the time required for the action undertaken. This is generally representative of the character's extensive familiarity with systems of the type targeted.
Advantage: may be spent to uncover additional information about the system. The character might discover additional assets that could be targeted, the owner's personal journal entries, or the presence of well-concealed defenses. Once the presence of such systems is discovered, a character may attempt to gain access to them with further Computers checks.
Triumph: A may be spent to obfuscate any actions the character may have taken while slicing the system. Each may be spent to add to the check if another slicer should attempt to detect or identify the character's actions with a Computers check.
Threat: The GM may spend generated on a character's Computers check to represent the character doing a poor job of concealing their presence in the system. Security systems are alerted to the presence of the character within the system, while other slicers attempting to discover evidence of the character's actions may add to their check for each generated by the character's initial Computers check.
Despair: may be spent by a GM to represent the character leaving behind trace information of their own system in the computer system they were attempting to slice. For each generated by the character's Computer check, the GM may add to any future Computer checks in which an NPC uses the target system to slice the character's own computer system.