OtherSpace: Millennium Programmer Sheet

=Introduction= Computer Programmers are those people that make life a little bit easier for all computer users in the 41st century (in otherwords just about everybody) They create all those programs that we use to make everyday life a little easier as well as those that keep us safe from those pesky hackers.

=Sheet List=

Chargen Sheet
-< Cindy, a Female Human Programmer > Total SP: 100 Current SP: 0 Energy: 1220 Minutes: 1745 HP: 100%/100% Attribute Points: 6 Respecs: 0 RP Points: 5624 Craft Level: 7 ---< Attributes >-< Value: -14000 >--- Intelligence: Great                     Perception:   Fair Constitution: Fair                     Dexterity:    Mediocre Willpower:   Good                     Charisma:     Good Strength:    Mediocre                  Psi:          Non-existent (Scale: -3) ---< Skills >--< Value: 68000 >--- Fair Computer Operation               Fair Investigation Fair Computer Programming           Superb Terran Standard Fair Information Security ---< Gifts, Faults, and Quirks >---< Value: 40000 >--- Computer Specialist --< Skill System 3.00 >---

This sheet is chosen by +class/choose Programmer in the newbie trainer room. You may ask yourself, why exactly these skills? Computer Operations is self explanitory for the most part, but also none of the other computer skills can be raise above what the computer operations skill is. By taking the sheet Cindy also gets Computer Programming which is of course the essential skill for actually programming, Information Security which gives her the ability to write programs for securing Infomatrix nodes, and Investigation which is a skill Cindy will be able to use when doing searches in common areas of the Infomatrix (places that don't have to be hacked into).

210 SP Sheet
-< Cindy, a Female Human Programmer > Total SP: 210 Current SP: 0 Energy: 1220 Minutes: 1745 HP: 100%/100% Attribute Points: 6 Respecs: 0 RP Points: 5624 Craft Level: 7 ---< Attributes >-< Value: -14000 >--- Intelligence: Great                     Perception:   Fair Constitution: Fair                     Dexterity:    Mediocre Willpower:   Good                     Charisma:     Good Strength:    Mediocre                  Psi:          Non-existent (Scale: -3) ---< Skills >-< Value: 103000 >--- Fair AI Programming                           Fair Investigation Good Computer Operation                   Superb Terran Standard Good Computer Programming               Fair Tracing Good Information Security ---< Gifts, Faults, and Quirks >---< Value: 40000 >--- Computer Specialist --< Skill System 3.00 >---

At this point Cindy has been able to not only raise her core programming skills, but she's also been able to add a few extra skills. Now is the time when Cindy will want to start thinking about what way she wants to go with her programming. There are a few options open to her. In this example Cindy chose to go with tracing, a skill which compliments her information securities in that she can now write software that will trace hackers, and also AI Programming which is a more specialized and more difficult (or at least costly) skill. It's useful not only in computer AI's, but also robotic AI's also. A few other options Cindy could have gone with would include opting to add the core hacker skills ( Ghosting and Firewall Penetration) should the programmer wish to go more of that kind of route. Cindy could have chosen to go more of an Intel type route where she could have opted for cryptography or signal interception. If she had wanted to go a less than legal route forgery is skill that can also be useful for a programmer.

305 SP Sheet
< Cindy, a Female Human Programer >--- Total SP: 305 Current SP: 0 Energy: 1220 Minutes: 1745 HP: 100%/100% Attribute Points: 6 Respecs: 0 RP Points: 5624 Craft Level: 7 ---< Attributes >-< Value: -14000 >--- Intelligence: Great                     Perception:   Fair Constitution: Fair                     Dexterity:    Mediocre Willpower:   Good                     Charisma:     Good Strength:    Mediocre                  Psi:          Non-existent (Scale: -3) ---< Skills >-< Value: 134000 >--- Good AI Programming                     Good Information Securities Fair Business Savvy                        Good Investigation Good Computer Operation               Superb Terran Standard Good Computer Programming           Good Tracing ---< Gifts, Faults, and Quirks >---< Value: 40000 >--- Computer Specialist --< Skill System 3.00 >---

By this point in time Cindy has had a chance to work on her core Programming skills so that she's at a good level with them. Now is also a good time to start working on more secondary skills and deciding what direction she wants to go in. In this example Cindy has chosen to go the more legal route. Business Savvy is a good skill to have if she wishes to be able to handle small or large scale business deals. Cindy could now do anything from open her own small shop to becoming the Bill Gates of Millenium. She still could choose to go the less than legal route also once again forgery is a good choice for this, and even with business savvy she could go the way of shadey dealings in her business practice. She could have also chosen not to raise her secondary skills (tracing and/or info securities) to good yet, and could have added more social skills instead. Word craft is a good choice, particularly with business savvy. This would give her the business know how, and the ability to spin words in a pretty way to create a good PR campaign for herself and her software. Teaching is also an excellent choice of skill and is used in creating NPC retainers.

What Now?
Now that Cindy's at 300 SP, she has all of her core skills at a good level, and a decent number of secondary skills to fair or good. At this point it's important to decide what direction it would be good to take Cindy in. It's possible to specialize in one or two of several areas, or to be at a good level in more areas. It's also a good idea to ask what kind of roleplay you would like to get out of Cindy. She could in more of an investigative direction (freelance or otherwise) by raising her investigation skill. It's also possible for Cindy to go the direction of the programmer/ hacker by adding the core hacker skills (Firewall Penetration and Ghosting) to her sheet. She could also go the route in intel (military or otherwise) crytography would be a good skill to consider in this case as well as invesitgation, or she could choose to go the criminal route and go with forgery or any other combination of abilities. Also keep in mind that there are several other skills not specifically in the hacker skill set that can be useful. Languages are always a good idea. It's nice to be able to not only understand what others are saying about you, but also to be able to reply to them. In some situations Street Savvy, Wordcraft, or Political Savvy can be good options. If Cindy chooses to continue on with the criminal idea then Underworld lore is another option that's also good to invest in.

Core Skills
The core skills for a Hacker include:
 * 1) Computer Operation at the level you want you highest computer/hacker skills at - This is a prereq for all your Programmer skills, none of which can be higher in level than Computer Operation.
 * 2) Computer Programming at fair or higher - This is the skill required for actually Programming. In the crafting system there are actually pieces of software that can be created using this skill.
 * 3) Information Securities at Fair or higher - This skill is for keeping people (especially hackers) out of places they aren't wanted in the Infomatrix.
 * 4) Investigation at Fair - This is exactly what it says it is. The ability to find and retrieve information using the Infomatrix.
 * 5) Tracing at Fair (more of a secondary skill) - This is the skill that's needed to make Tracing software and can also be used to trace those pesky hackers that might be trying to break into your node in the Infomatrix.
 * 6) AI Programming at Fair (more of a secondary skill) - This is the skill to be able to create programs that take on a life of their own, and can act intelligently. It can also be combined with robotics to create intelligent robotic beings.

Secondary and 'Social' Skills
Eventually you will need to decide what it is that you would like to be able to do with your character. In particular the important decision is what kind of secondary and 'social' skills you would like for your character to have. Do you want to be the owner of a huge software empire, or the one forging credits to try and build your fortune. Would you like to be more of a teacher and be able to create retainers, or would you rather combine the programming and hacking skills to be able to dabble in a little bit of both?

Gifts, Faults and Quirks and Cybernetics
Gifts, Faults, Quirks, and Cybernetics are useful for adding further to a hackers skills, or even just rounding out their personalilty. As far as Cybernetics go, an Infomatrix Access Neural Link is needed if you wish to be able to access the Infomatrix in a more personal way. A synaptic booster is also a good idea as a boost to intelligence. As far a quirks go computer specialist is important if the Programmer wants to be able to raise any skills above fair. Suggested gifts would be improved intelligence, improved willpower, or improved perception. Other ideas to add to a characters personality could include slacker, you don't like going to work or doing things that don't interest you, but for some reason working from home and creating software appeals to you. Impaired constitution, perhaps you've spent so much time behind a computer or using that data jack that your just not that healthy. Greedy, perhaps you dream of creating your giant software empire and your only ambition for doing so is your greed. Or any other combination of GFQ's don't let this guide hold you back from exploring other ideas.