ANDERS MAGE PAGE 2.0

The Paradigm

The Program: The rules of the game are written, debugged and maintained by the Sleepers via some as yet not understood semi-autonomous process. The Technocracy is making low-level Program changes so their hacks don't cause system crashes.

Magick

Hacking: If everything is coded somewhere, then temporary changes can be hacked into the Program (i.e. the Paradigm). Permanent changes to the Program must be reprogrammed.

Spheres

All aspects of the Program are handled by embedded modules.

Correspondence — Positioning

All objects have a position within the graphical user interface (GUI) of the Program. Thus, it is possible to hack the program to do a grid search or to change your position.

Mind

Software — when dealing with the processing of Information.
Hardware — when enhancing the performance of the VA's mind (upgrading) or altering the performance of others'.
I/O — when affecting or enhancing the senses.

Prime — Programming/Reprogramming

Temporary changes are easy to hack but machine-level programming makes the changes permanent.

Time — Cycle Speed/Clock

The Program's cycle speed can be altered if you know the right hacks to affect that module. The area of effect may be limited to individual Icons as well.

Entropy — Chaos

Everything is organized according to orders of chaos. Even elegantly clean programs and hacks have an element of chaos; where there is absolute order, the Program seems to introduce chaos on its own. It is believed this is part of the Program's self-diagnosis algorithm (see Paradox).

Spirit — Intelligence

This is the Module covering artificial intelligence, self-perpetuating viruses, search daemons and anything else that has a self-animating force.

Pattern Magick — Icons

Objects, wetware and electricity are all objects and each are handled by a different module.

• Forces — Electricity: This is ultimately at the core of all forces as perceived by VAs. Lasers are powered by electricity. Machines use electricity. Even wetware seems to use electricity. Any force that can't be perceived as electrical cannot be perceived by a VA.
• Matter — Objects: Everything solid is an Object in the Program. Objects are programmed to interact with other Icons in a consistent manner.
• Life — Wetware, Biotech: Messy stuff but it provides the icons through which intelligence works with the Software.

Arete

Eliteness : How well the Program is understood and how well the VA can alter the Program. How you separate the posers from the real netheads.

Quintessence

Output: The final result of a hack or a reprogramming. Output is a somewhat mystical concept and many VAs believe they can improve their output through smart drugs, intense study or experiences.

Paradox

Errors: VAs accumulate "errors" in their icons if they make deep changes in the Program or if they screw up a quick hack. Too many errors cause areas of the Program to crash. However, the Program has many levels of self-diagnosis and will attempt to put the interface back online without disrupting other users. VAs that cause too many system crashes are eventually Debugged (e.g. paradox backlash).

Mage-Specific Backgrounds

Arcane — Transparency

Some Icons are more transparent to other users than others.

Avatar — Productivity

Each VA is destined to a certain amount of output in their lives. Some will output a lot more than others.

Destiny — Focus

VA's with intense focus can work miracles and never stray from their path. Those with too much focus are usually a drag to be around because they're so intense.

Dream — Data Retrieval

If all human knowledge is available somewhere in the Web then it can be retrieved. Some talented VAs have actually learned how to unconsciously tap into the Web's resources and extract this data. This process is not well understood and cannot be artificially created without serious intelligence programming.

Node — Inspiration

With inspiration, output can be increased and larger hacks to the Program can be achieved. This inspiration is drawn from a location within which the VA experiences enhanced levels of output.