Formatting a sector is exhausting. First you find Virgin Web (hard enough); then you plan out every element you want to see, hear or feel in the sector; from there, you "sketch it out," first in your mind, then with deep concen- tration, elaborate progs and a lot of time; finally, you activate security measures, including Constraints, Restric- tions and countermeasures.
A formatting program relieves a mage of some of the burdens of concentration during a sector format. Instead of holding a completed image of a sector format in her mind, the spinner can build virtual representations of sector objects, and store them for use with the program. Once the formatting begins, the mage activates the procedure, which immediately takes the necessary steps to include the format elements specified by the builder. Thus, she could, for instance, prebuild a virtual Greek temple, then store it for later use. Better still, that spinner can copy elements of someone else's (non- Restricted) format, and use the formatting program to make sure that an exact copy of the item is achieved.
The only drawback of a formatting program is that every parameter set with it is identical; if, for example, our mage formats a sector with chairs, a manual format may create chairs with varying designs and appearances, while a programmed format whips up a plethora of identical chairs (assuming that the mage doesn't pro- gram multiple different chairs into the formatting program). Although formatting Web is a completely Elite activity, many Adepts disdain preprogrammed as- sistance. "Generic Web" is too uninspired for visionary Adepts, and most VAs prefer to put their "personal touch" on every element of a sector.
In game terms, formatting a sector requires several things: • Virgin Web, or an Overwrite Program (Entropy 5/ Mind 4/ Forces 4/ Prime 4; difficulty 10, minimum 10 successes, "vulgar with witnesses") which trashes a sector, allowing a spinner to start "clean" (though not without some glitches).
• A concept for the sector — anything from "a back- alley bar" to "an elaborate Victorian dining room with crystal chandeliers and mahogany furniture."
• At least four dots in Computer, Technology, Com- puter Hacking, or all three.
• A point of Willpower. • An Arete roll.
Once the spinner — and the player — finds the Web and decides on the concept, the process begins in
earnest: Code is written, the place is visualized, and schematics are often drawn up for consistency and reference. (See SITE 2 for details) For simplicity, treat this process as a plot element — the player writes up what he wants to create and the process he wants to use, and the Storyteller has him make an Arete roll to see if he succeeds. (See chart.)
After the format has been set, it cannot be erased. Even the Overwrite Program leaves "ghosts" of the old format that twist the new one in unpredictable ways. From this point on, the sector is more or less what the spinner (and player) wanted it to be... with a few hidden "treats" from the Storyteller, of course. Nobody's code is perfect.
Formatting is, of course, an extended roll. A failed roll at the beginning of the process muddies the process somewhat, raising the difficulty by one. A botch at this point twists the format, giving it aspects that reflect the maker's fears or neuroses (Storyteller's option). If the spinner fails to get any successes after the first three rolls, the attempt is a failure and the Web is "hazed" (locked into a state that is neither Virgin nor formatted).
Once formatted, a sector can be considered a Sanc- tuary or Chantry (as per those Background Traits), and becomes a plot element. Modifications are always pos- sible with another Willpower point and some heavy coding (possibly an Intelligence + Computer roll or two). A big Whiteout or an Overwrite Program might crash this area, but otherwise the realm remains sound.
Whiteout (Paradox)
When the shit gets too thick, the Web shuts down. Although spinners have made a lot of progress in secur- ing their sectors and icons from the worst effects of system backlash, Paradox remains as perennial a pain in the ass Webside as it does back on Earth.
Unlike the many backlash manifestations magi suf- fer in Meatsville, Web Paradox usually takes a single form: Whiteout — the area slows down, freezes or totally crashes, booting local spinners offline. The biggest dif- ference between shutdowns is severity. A minor White simply de-rezzes a single icon, while a really spectacular one can wreck an entire sector, at least temporarily. Although Whiteouts are more common than anyone likes to admit, people have begun to worry about them more than ever. The hideous effects of the Great Crash drove home the possible consequences of a really big White — and showed everyone that nobody is immune. In game terms, a Whiteout works like any other Paradox backlash: A mage accumulates Paradox in the usual ways; if he accumulates more than five points in his Paradox Pool (especially if he gains them all at once), the Storyteller can roll for a backlash as usual. The results can be found on the Whiteout Severity chart, and may take place immediately, or at the Storyteller's discretion. Paradox does not carry from Earth to the Web or vice versa unless the mage has climbed into Webspace from the Umbra. Moving from one to the other gives a spinner a clean slate.
The duration of the backlash depends on the Para- dox Pool of the spinner who caused the crash. The bigger the Pool, the longer the Whiteout. A spinner who winds up in coma stays out for the duration unless she makes a Stamina roll, difficulty 6. If she wins, she awakens after a few hours and in a world of pain.
As an optional rule, the Storyteller may roll for a Paradox backlash with a difficulty of 4 (rather than the usual 6) if the spell in question used Forces or Prime. This option does not apply in Warzones, which are configured to withstand heavy-duty shocks.
Small-scale Whites usually hit without warning. One minute the spinner's fine, the next, BOOM! Large-scale backlashes usually telegraph their approach with a drag — the whole area suddenly feels staticy and the icons in it stutter or slow to half speed. In game terms, everyone in the area has one turn to stop what they're doing and hopefully avoid the White Wave. A Wits + Dodge roll, difficulty 8, helps - anyone in the area other than the mage who brought the
backlash on takes half damage from the Whiteout if
they successfully duck and cover. (See Instant Offline, under "Procedures.") The guy who caused the back- lash is screwed.
If things really get out of hand (a long firefight, a battle, etc.), the Storyteller might add the Paradox Pools of all combatants together, then decide the back- lash severity and duration from the total. Or she could simply crash the whole sector and boot everyone home in the single huge Whiteout.