The Plane of Cyberspace

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nick012000's picture
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Joined: 2004-05-19
The Plane of Cyberspace

It is everywhere and nowhere.
It is the depth of depravity and the height of community.
It is the ultimate freedom and bound by the most confining of rules.

The Plane of Cyberspace (assuming it is, indeed, a plane) defies most classifications. It is a giant network linking every electronic device in the known multiverse, from toasters to supercomputers. The actual description of the area varies from node to node, though the default is a simple black expanse with a regular, glowing green grid upon which the icons for the various functions controlled by the node appear.

Cyberspace Traits:
The Plane of Cyberspace follows the rules for the VRNet presented in the second d20 Future web enhancement. Additionally, every electronic device in the multiverse is connected to it, though the node of the device may be hard to find. In order to find a particular node for the first time, a user must make a Computer Use check. Because of the high DCs, most users must take 20.

Use the following table to determine the Computer Use DC:
Major computer system entrance (Government or large corporation public nodes): DC 25
Major computer system interior nodes (personal computers within a government computer net): DC 30
Moderate computer system entrance (medium business system entrance, commercial site): DC 35
Concealed node, multifunction computer device (government agency file server, private company personell files, PDA): DC 40
Minor electronic device with single function (Watch, remote control, Geiger counter, laser-sight): 40
Cybernetic implant: 45
User is in a node that shares a direct wired link to the desired node: -5
User can see physical location of node in real world: -5
User has been to node before: -5

Once within a node, a hacker must overcome any security present, and attempt to make any desired modifications using the normal rules for nodes.

Even if a user accesses a cybernetic device, his ability to control it is limited. The recipient of the cybernetic device has a direct neural link to all the implants within his body, and is often able to override even the most skilled hacker's efforts. Cybernetic devices are always considered high security nodes; even if a hacker successfully hacks them, the device's recipient can maintain normal control by making a DC 15 Will save.

Cyberspace Links:
The plane was originally accessed through a mod of Doom 3, and this mod remains the most popular method of 'entering' the 'plane'. It can be accessed from any of the known planes in this fashion, though there is no known method to physically enter the plane. Spells such as Plane Shift and Gate simply fail to work, and even Sigil lacks any (known) portals to it.

Cyberspace inhabitants:
While it cannot be physically enterred, the plane is filled with people. People congregate to it, participating in anonomous message boards, doing business, trading pornography, and generally being social. One rule of thumb is to not judge things by appearances; the hot chick you're talking to might be a fat nerd living in his mother's basement (or, worse, a fiend who wants to corrupt you by using lust).

Cyberspace features:
While the default appearance for cyberscape nodes is rather bland, only devices not intended for extensive visiting by users retain it for long. Almost all nodes are different, and their vistas range from bars and clubs to hellish pits full of flame (and everything in between). Literally any object can exist in the renderred reality, as long as it conceeds to the basic geometry required for a 3d render.

Besides the nodes mentioned in the VRNet Web Enhancement, the Plane of Cyberspace has the following well known nodes:

Asmodeus's Blog: This node is well known for (supposedly) being the blog of the notoriously secretive Lord of the Ninth. Readers quickly discover that the blogger seems to have a large following amongst both teenage mortals who sympathize with what looks like the exact same issues they deal with (but magnified to hellish proportions), and baatezu who take the opportunity to kiss up to (what they assume to be) Asmodeus. Whether or not the blogger really is Asmodeus (and if it is, how much truth it holds), the fact remains that it continues operating.

Pchannel: This message board is a descendant of the Japanese message board 2channel, and is by far the biggest message board on the planes. A notable feature it (and the other descendants of 2channel) is anonomous posting; while a space for a username on a post is provided, it is not mandatory, and those who use one are generally thought of as newbies.
As a result, the board is notable as having massive flame wars between members of opposing beleifs, as well as massive amounts of truly mindmelting porn (which is often quickly aged into nonexistance after the more uptight members of the board see it).

Portal of Evil: Once a website devoted to pointing out the truly unusual, insane, and perverted websites on the Internet, it is now a node devoted to pointing out the truly unusual, insane, and perverted nodes of the Plane of Cyberspace. However, it's name is now much more literal, with portals replacing the links of yesteryear, and many of the nodes so linked to coming from the Lower Planes. A notable feature of it is that all members are prohibited from contacting the owners of the sites in any way, though the owners of the sites can often detect the increase in traffic, determine its origin, and they are more than welcome to join in on the forums. That's when the real fun starts.

Ulden Throatbane's picture
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Joined: 2006-02-02
The Plane of Cyberspace

Added to the Thread of Threads

Overall it's pretty good. Although there is another Cyberspace thread/entry (originally posted by Persephone. Link here), I'm guessing that this is meant to be an independent entry?

nick012000's picture
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Joined: 2004-05-19
The Plane of Cyberspace

Huh. I forgot that that writeup existed.

How about 'replacement'?

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