Trained Only

The powerful and versatile computers and networks of the 26th century are nothing but sculptures of metal, plastics, and crystal without software. For most users, off-the-shelf programs are good enough to get the job done. For the advanced user—the hacker, the Gridpilot, or the cyber-spy—that just won’t cut it. When you need an edge, or simply don’t want the same vanilla software that every-body else is using, you need custom software, whether you write the code yourself or pay somebody to craft it for you.

Unlike most Craft skills, writing software requires virtually no materials or tools.

All you need is skill and a computer system with a PL equal to or greater than the PL of the software.

And time, often lots of time.

There is also the consideration that many forms of custom software carry high restriction ratings, sometimes being outright illegal.

A large list of available software can be found here. The software descriptions note a purchase DC as well as restriction level.

The Software Crafting Time chart shows the time required to write a program, based on its Craft DC. When necessary, always round up. Once the required time has been spent on crafting a program, the creator rolls a Craft (software) check against the Crafting DC. On a failed roll, the crafter must spend additional time as though the program’s DC were one higher, then roll again. If the Craft check is failed by 5 or more, the program is fatally flawed and the crafter must begin again from scratch.

1. Determine Software Effects: Deciding what the software will do is the first step. Software can have one or more effects, described in the Software Effects list, below. Some effects are particularly difficult to pro-gram, and carry a modifier to the Craft DC of the software.

A single program can have multiple effects . Software with multiple effects is much more difficult to design, however, so the Craft DC increases as effects beyond the first are added. For each effect beyond the first, a DC modifier equal to the total number of effects is added, cumulatively: +2 for 2 effects, +5 (2+3) for 3 effects, and so on.

2. Determine Software Complexity: The more complex a program is, the more time and skill is required to create it. The Complexity of a program determines its base crafting DC, which may be modified by a number of other factors (see below).

The complexity of a program also determines how powerful it is. This is measured by a single number from 1 to 10, which is the total of any bonuses the software provides to the user. While a program may have a complexity rating of 6 or higher, no single effect may have a complexity rating of higher than 5. Software with multiple effects divides its total complexity between effects in whatever manner the designer wishes. So, a piece of software with a total complexity of 7 may have one effect at complexity 3 and another at complexity 4.

3. Determine Software Flaws: Much of the time and effort expended in crafting a piece of software is spent in perfecting it. A crafter who is less skilled or in a hurry can write a program quickly and more easily if she is willing to accept a few imperfections. Leaving flaws in a program provides a negative modifier to the Crafting DC, and so reduces the crafting time, as well.

4. Determine Final Crafting DC: All of the Crafting modifiers are added together with the base Craft DC to determine the soft-ware’s final Crafting DC. This sets the time required to create the software.

5. Determine Software Purchase DC: Once the final Crafting DC is determined, the final Purchase DC can be found simply by subtracting 10 from the Craft DC (minimum of 1). This is the base Purchase DC to buy or sell the program, which may be modified by restriction level, local supply and demand, and so on.

Complexity Craft DC Complexity Craft DC

1 5 6 30

2 10 7 35

3 15 8 40

4 20 9 45 5 25 10 50

2 10 min 32 60 hours

5 1 hour 35 72 hours

7 2 hours 37 84 hours

10 4 hours 40 96 hours

12 8 hours 42 108 hr.

15 12 hours 45 120 hr.

17 16 hours 47 132 hr.

20 24 hours 50 144 hr.

22 30 hours 52 168 hr.

25 36 hours 55 192 hr.

27 42 hours 57 216 hr.

30 48 hours +1 step +30 hr.