I was thinking of the possibility of using internal networks inside the mega corps, ala Shadowrun and Cyberpunk.
Here is the idea...
- One main system (DMZ router), which is what we see now when we connect to a server (NPC only)
- Once inside said system, you could potentially run a piece of software to sniff out the "nodes" around you (leading you into the intranet of the "complex"), if you didn't have the sniffer software, you could not see the "nodes"
- The further you go inside the system, you would need higher level software/equipment (or a time variable) to break in further, otherwise, nothing has changed, as far as game mechanics, but you will get less of a gain on the DMZ, than you would inside the complex
- Node Types:
- HR Records (could be used for retrieval of info for a mission)
- Payroll (could be used for retrieval of info for a mission, and a good place for HDP draining virii)
- Research and Development (could be used for retrieval of info for a mission, or a good place to grab that hard to find software)
- Terminal Servers (could be used for retrieval of info for a mission, and a good place for place for HDP draining virii, as these are linked to corp workers)
- IC node (this is small hardware appliance that acts as a gateway into the secure corp nodes)
- Maintenance Node (corp server that has both cron jobs to check to see if the IC are running)
- IC (Intrusion Countermeasures) would be the first level of defence for each node group
- Keeping the IC busy after you crack it will determine the success of your hack
- (option 1) a special "timed" virus could be launched to keep the IC program from starting up (basically filling up the memory and CPU)
- (option 2) use normal malware virus to keep the system jammed up until the maintenance system of that server farm checks runs diagnostics on each IC and finds the ones whom have malware running and then formats those systems, resetting the IC
- Once the IC has been reset, by either the timer expiring, or the maintenance server formatting the IC (which would take x number of
hours/minutes)
- The IC will run checks over the Nodes it oversees, and over time will be able to identify and neutralize viruses loaded in said nodes (based on version number vs version number of the IC)
- Maintenance Node
- Most notable for being the janitor for the IC, once they have gone down
- If X number of IC go down within a Y time period, the IP is changed on the DMZ and all admin passwords are reset
- If a skilled hacker gains access to this system, they can turn on/off and format the IC around the complex
- This would allow the user to see all IP addresses and system types as well
- This would allow the user to shut the system down (which in turn would pause all jobs, until system restarted)
- Once system is restarted, IP address and Password would be changed
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This leads in to the possibility of contacts (BBS, back alley meeting, etc) to offload your stolen data/software/etc, and the possibility of players (with enough HPD to create "constructs" of their own, which would include IC and Maintenance nodes to guard sensitive data and pending research).
...from what I have seen, in the two days I have been on here, this is possible with a few tweaks/additions, including a real timer (using java script) to countdown the time remaining (while inside the process window, as to now allow our hackers to become lazy) for each process that has a timer, and cron jobs (game server side) to trigger the times to run maintenance on the IC and Maintenance nodes, as well as populating the BBS's and other locations with fresh missions.
BTW this is my first post, so a big hello to the community
Discuss