I apologize in advance if these questions seem stupid or common sense but I am not a particularly computer savy person. I figure that it is better to ask than to assume incorrectly. My first question involves VR to AR interaction. Lets say a shadowrun team has a member in VR for whatever reason and he needs to communicate with the team. I know he could send a text message or email in VR just as he could in AR. However, since his physical body is slumped over in his apartment, would have any means of being able to verbally communicate with them. For example could he speak (VR voice?) to them in their earbuds while he is in VR, even though he doesn't have a mouth?

Another question, let's say for some reason, a shadowrunner decides to dump his commlink. Does he need to just get rid of the physical hardware or everything? For example, could he keep the operating system and the programs he paid for and just install them onto the new commlink the same way I would install Windows Vista and all of my other software/programs onto a new computer in real life? I am assuming just the hardware because he is trying to ditch the access ID.

Thanks.

Yes, because his brain waves are being translated into commands. He speaks in his mind, and that gets translated as sound coming out of your speakers.



Depends. If he cracked the software, he can have as many copies as he wants. If he did not, then all software is tied to an Access ID - therefore he loses everything.

Backgammon, thanks for taking the time to answer. What do you mean by "cracked the software?"

It's a rule added in unwired. I'd suggest ignoring it.

If you do not have unwired, the runner may only have 1 copy of the software, but yeah he can just copy off whatever software he had before onto his belt buckle or whatever.

Actually, it's in SR4 originally, Unwired just expands on it. Check out p. 228 under Source Code and Piracy.

Thanks guy, you've been a big help. This game has such a massive amount of information to keep up with. Sometimes I feel like I am drowning in it, lol.

See this alot concerning Shadowrun. Best way is to just implement things one bit at a time try not mix too much in your early sessions. Like everything else it comes together with time. And for me read,read,read and reread your SR material. Makes easy referencing when you need it. And you'd be suprised, going back and rereading something you haven't seen in awhile and you'll find something you had been looking for or find something you'd forgotten.

And if you like the way the game is working, don't screw up a good thing when you find that the rules actually say something crazy that seems to make little sense. If everyone is happy you don't have to change it. There are no Shadowrun Police.

Well, the one thing I do have on my side in this case is that I know the rules much better than my players do (of course I usually do). They really don't do a lot of reading past character creation. Unfortunately, at the rate they are going in this campaign, they'll probably end up dead. They also have a tendency to be reactive instead of proactive: so much so that I actually over plan. I almost have to lead them by the nose just to get things moving. Normally, I am very annoyed by this but in this game, I am kinda grateful. I have had time to get my bearings. Also, Prime Mover, you are absolutely right about reading and re-reading. Luckily, I am a person who has no trouble reading the rules in rpgs. Shadowrun does make it easy because the rules are not nearly as dry a read as they are in other games that I have ran. Still, the sheer lack of common sense that my players exhibit is astounding, especially with the current story arc.