The future is disposable.
One of the core elements of this game is the choice between machine/flesh. Now this isn't a choice your avrage UWdrone gets to make. But that is why they are drones,neh. The operators are a different breed.
New YouDuring the Chargen-process you need to choose between
Shell or
Sleeve.
A Shell is complete body-conversion to machine. A cyborg body.
Pros:
- Replacable parts (easy to upgrade, quick to repair)
- Ablative (trade harm for damage)
- Base Armor (Armor - 1)
- Cheap (relativly speaking)
- "Free" module-slots
Cons:
- Not biological (higher base Transients, reduced human function)
- Detectable (higher base noise)
- SOTA dependent
A Sleeve is biological body, either the original or a genetically modified vatgrown sleeve.
Pros:
- Biological (less transients, human functions unimpared
- Scan resilent (less noise)
- Non-alienating (less prone to Pro-human reactions from Drones
Cons:
- limited module slots
- expensive (the vatgrown kind, your original is off course free, for the time being)
- non-module upgrades require full replacement
- healing takes time
Modules.Even if you do not take the step and go to a full sleeve/shell conversion (but what operator wouldn't) you may still upgrade with yourself. In fact everyone gets the P.A.N. Cyberbrain module at the age of 12 (off course some poor 4.world drones do not get this). But more than this costs Credits.
A module is an integrated piece of equipment.
-> requires slots (shell/sleeve dependent, gives Transient/noise)
-> Hard or Wet tech.
Hard tech - "classic" cyberware
- Transient/noise
- inexpensive
- SOTA dependent
- Upgradeable/replaceable
Wet Tech - genetic modifications, either cancer/virus induced or sleeve baseline
- Expensive
- permanent (non-upgradeable/replacable)
- fully integrated
These will be buildeable like the Crap in ApW. With factors like cost and effect paying a big part. Sell your soul or surf along with second grade kit. Your choice.