Chipware and skillsofts are in the spotlight in this article updating the rules for the varieties of skill chips, as well as their costs and levels. Finally, everything you need to know about pirating these valuable skillsofts is in here too, updated from the article on the classic BlackHammer Project.

One of the first benefits of full Direct Neural Interface was the ability to present data in a format that the human brain could easily access. The earliest brain-readable data format is simply encyclopedic data arranged in a method that the brain is able to scan through the direct neural interface and access as a sort of database of information. While this format is useful for people who just need to know stuff, it doesn’t provide much help in implementing this knowledge in a useable manner. Chips with this type of data are known as DBAMchips (DataBase Accessible Memory).

With a lot of experimentation both with how the data is recorded and stored as well as the actual neural pathways of the bioplastic chipware being used resulted in chips that could store data in a format that the brain can access more readily in a manner that is more similar to actual memory and skills. These RMEM or RECMEM (Recorded Memory) chips require a more sophisticated chip design as well as more storage space to record a skill, and also require that the skill be required from an actual human with the skill in question, instead of just using a compiled database of information and schematics. However, they are still limited to those skills that don’t require any serious physical activity to perform.

Finally, the most recent format of direct readable skillchip is the PPRchip (Programmed Physical Response). The information in these chips is coded to interface directly with those parts of the brain that control physical action, and thus are able to have recordings of combat skills, as well as more commercial applications such as driving, piloting, swimming and so on. However, as these chips were recorded from people with different physical forms than the person loading the skill, they take some practice to get used to. For every 4 hours of intense practice, or full day of just wearing the chip, the owner can access 1 level of the skill stored within it.

Based on PPRchip technology, some companies have begun offering SPRchips (Supplemental Physical Response). An SPRchip takes a skill from a PPRchip and with the help of an AI and a team of skillsoft engineers they strip away most of the basics of the skill from the skillsoft architecture so that it doesn’t over-write the user’s basic skill, but instead offers additional points of finesse and skill material that will help the average user with the skill. This means that the chipped skill will benefit users with a minimum of training more than highly-skilled users who probably already have mastered the intricacies stored on the chip. 

Chips and Memory Density
Bioplastic skillchips are rated by their memory density. The cheapest chips have a memory density of 1, and are used much like floppy disks were at one point in history. The reality is that a density 1 chip is so small as to be nearly microscopic – the vast majority of the physical size of the chip is basically a method to make the chip big enough for someone to handle it without needing micro-tweezers. Chip data storage density is the baseline for chip costs, with the chip hardware proper having a cost of 1 eb / point of Memory Density.

Each type of skill chip indicates what the memory density is required to be able to hold the code for the skill at level 1. For each level higher than this level, the density requirement doubles. So while a level 1 DBAMchip has a minimum density of 1, a level 5 DBAMchip has a minimum memory density of 16, and a level 8 DBAMchip has a minimum memory density of 128. The cost of the chip hardware is low when dealing with DBAM chips, but climbs rapidly when dealing with the more memory-intensive skills.

DBAMchip skill software

• Level 1 DBAM – 25 eb
• Level 2 DBAM – 50 eb
• Level 3 DBAM – 100 eb
• Level 4 DBAM – 200 eb
• Level 5 DBAM – 400 eb
• Level 6 DBAM – 800 eb
• Level 7 DBAM – 1,600 eb
• Level 8 DBAM – 3,200 eb
• Level 9 DBAM – 6,400 eb

DBAM chips can only store Expert Knowledge skills and similar information. They are most typically sold these days as supplemental information for use with a person’s existing skills. Because they store data in a fairly ‘raw’ format, they use the least amount of memory density per skill level of any skill chip. The base density for a DBAMchip is 1. The maximum level of a DBAMchip is +9. The actual software in a DBAMchip is fairly uniform in cost, at 25 eb for +1, doubling for each level thereafter. Only Expert Knowledge skills can be chipped as a DBAM. The main advantage of DBAM chips is the relatively low cost, and the ability to chip complementary skills (if using the complimentary skill rules in our 2d10 skill resolution system). By chipping an appropriate Expert Knowledge skill at +3, a character gets +1 on rolls with the appropriate skill. Chipping a +6 chip gives a +2 bonus, and loading in a +9 chip gives a +3 bonus. For instance, to improve a character’s AV-Tech skill, he could chip Expert Knowledge: AV Mechanics (giving him the equivalent of a few encyclopedias worth of AV technical manuals and schematics).

RECMEM Chip skill software

• Level 1 RECMEM – 50 eb
• Level 2 RECMEM – 100 eb
• Level 3 RECMEM – 200 eb
• Level 4 RECMEM – 400 eb
• Level 5 RECMEM – 800 eb
• Level 6 RECMEM – 1,600 eb
• Level 7 RECMEM – 3,200 eb
• Level 8 RECMEM – 6,400 eb

Recorded Memory skill software is significantly more expensive and memory-intensive than DBAM software. However, it also includes a lot more hands-on knowledge of how to use the information in the database. For instance, whereas a DBAM chip can have all the instructions on how to repair a helicopter (Expert Knowledge: Helicopter Mechanics), it doesn’t actually give you the necessary skills to do the work. A RECMEM chip, however, contains a recording of an actual person’s skills in a field. The base density for a RECMEM chip is 3 – this means at level 8, the chip to store a RECMEM skill is more expensive than the skill recording itself, as the skill storage pushes the limits of channeled bioplastic chip construction. RECMEM chips include just about all major non-physical skills, including just about all the Tech-based skills, and just about everything that is not an expert knowledge or Reflex-based.

PPRChip skill Software

• Level 1 PPR – 200 eb
• Level 2 PPR – 400 eb
• Level 3 PPR – 800 eb
• Level 4 PPR – 1,600 eb
• Level 5 PPR – 3,200 eb
• Level 6 PPR – 6,400 eb
• Level 7 PPR – 12,800 eb

Programmed Physical Response chips require the most skill to manufacture and to record the skills in a manner that they interface with the human mind like actual physically-triggered memories. The recording process is a long and fairly arduous task, and the person chipping a PPRchip skill also has to go through an acclimatization phase to be able to fully take advantage of them. PPRchips have a base memory density of 4, and a maximum skill level of 7. PPRchipware is required for any skill with a solid physical or reflex-oriented base – such as combat skills, piloting, and swimming.

SPR (Suplemental Physical Response) chips are the cutting edge of skillsoft programming. Designed specifically to not over-ride the existing reflex responses of the person chipping this softs, SPR chips provide a bonus to non-chipped physical skills. Just about any skill that could be chipped as a PPRchip can be chipped in an SPR version. The SPR chip is a reflexive construct that overlaps and links into the user's existing skill set to provide enhancements to those skills. As such, a person loading an SPR chip can never gain more skill bonuses from the chip than he already has in skill levels - so someone with Pilot (Vector-Thrust) +1 could not get more than a +1 bonus from a Pilot Vector-Thrust SPR chip. In addition, the chip is still based on a recording of a skilled person using the skill, so after a certain point, the user sees diminishing returns from loading the chip, because he may already have the skills the chip is trying to provide. However, as these chips were recorded from people with different physical forms as well as different base skills than the person loading the skill, they take some practice to get used to. For every 4 hours of intense practice, or full day of just wearing the chip, the owner can access 1 level of the skill stored within it. SPR chips have a high memory density - with a base density of 24 for an Alpha SPR, and a memory density of 192 and 3,072 for Bravo and Charlie models.
Alpha SPR - 500 eb - +1 to a skill up to level 3
Bravo SPR - 2,000 eb - +2 to a skill up to level 3, +1 to a skill up to level 6
Charlie SPR - 8,000 eb - +3 to a skill up to level 3, +2 to a skill up to level 6, +1 to a skill up to level 9

Pirate Chipware
Basic Direct Neural Interface Plugs and SkillJack Sockets are specifically wired to help the copy protection process used by the manufacturers of skill chips. However, bypassing these copyright controls through a wetware hack is a fairly common occurrence by those who work with pirated skillsofts, and some flesh mechanics sell SkillJack Sockets that have been pre-configured to work with pirate skillsofts. It is an Average CyberTech task (DC18) that takes 20 minutes to modify a SkillJack to handle pirate DBAM chips. A challenging task (DC 22) will modify it to handle pirate RECMEM chips also. A difficult task (DC 26) allows for all three types of pirate chips to be used with the modified skilljack socket. The difficulty is one level (+4 DC) more difficult if the wetware update is designed to hide itself from legit skill chips so they will function in the socket also.

Pirating a DBAM chip is pretty simple – grab the data, and copy it onto a bioplastic chip with the same memory density. It takes a simple (DC 10) electronics roll (and 5 minutes) to reroute the data into the appropriate data channels in the new chip. The difficulty of this task increases by two categories for each successive chip type. A RECMEM chip takes an average (DC 18) electronics roll, and a PPRchip takes a difficult (DC 26) electronics roll to transfer. The difficulty in all cases is increased by the level of the skill to be copied.