Question, where do Runners meet?, Hackers have Shadowland..... Options

[Deadjester]

Hackers have Shadowland where they can socialize with runners of their type and and do deals and what not.

Where do Sams go to meet runners of their type, where they can do deals, be more comfortable with people who all know what each other do and just hang?

Or do they even have a special place/bar?

I know in RL there are certain places where you are more likely to meet mercs and get in contact with them so I was wondering if that still holds true in SR4 and if anyone had any info on it.

Deadjester

[emo samurai]

I'm sure there are, like, 50 of them all over the place. It's just that Shadowland can accomodate a million people talking to each other, and no physical place that offers any level of anonymity could do the same.

[Jaid]

there are some clubs and such that cater to shadowrunners. naturally, they are also full of wannabes. generally speaking, shadowrunners don't just randomly get together and share information, as a whole. probably for much the same reason accountants don't go hang out in one place and compare the financial data of their workplaces, except you can replace the consequence of "law suit" with "executed or at least never going to ever get another decent job if they live another 1000 years."

of course, if you are paying them for the info, that changes things entirely =P

but anyways, yes, there are such places. generally speaking they aren't terribly obvious, and will be full of wannabes.

[emo samurai]

Speaking of paying for information, how often does this happen in your world? And do you ever have you players approached with offers to rat their chummers out?

[Paul]

[SL James]

*breaks out the old "wait for Runner Havens" saw *

[Geekkake]

Shadowland: It's not just for hackers anymore. To use some older material as a reference, I refer you to the fact that individuals such as Matador (a merc) and Hatchetman (a street samurai) used to post, prior to some unfortunate events. Of course, Shadowland was more of a sewing circle than anything else.

[Rooks]

I believe previous versions of SR did make mentions to Runner bars where Shadowrunners hung out

[Deadjester]

They use to have the Neon Samurai in the older versions of SR, I was just cruious if any spoilers were let out for the newer one.

I wasn't thinking in the fashion, this is a "Shadowrunners Only Club" but a bar that is known for its hidden lvls where only those in the know are seen more often.

There are all sorts there but a place where they can filter to another floor or back area if they want to and be away from the standard riff raff and yuppies.

[nick012000]

Well, Club Penumbra is a known hangout for shadowrunners.

[Paul]

Was I speaking in English? Or do you people really not own any of the books that don't contain stats for cyberware?

The game world is filled with spots where professional criminals for hire like to hang out.

[kigmatzomat]

Yup. Poolhalls, bars, clubs, and some ethnic restaurants. Look, the best place for a bunch of runners to meet is somewhere no one would expect a bunch of runners to meet. Dance clubs & concerts can be good because no one will notice a white noise generator over the speakers. The ocean is the original white noise generator. Every city has a number of private clubs where you have to be a member to get access; runners & Johnsons will try to become members so they can have a bouncer and maybe some limited control on security.

[nick012000]

Club Penumbra in Seattle.

[Rotbart van Dain...]

[SL James]

Well said, Rotbart. Well said.

[Geekkake]

If I had to speculate, I'd imagine that runners hang out just about anywhere there's enough distraction and mind-altering substances to take their minds off the fact that they're dead, their bodies just haven't been alerted to the fact yet. But it's only a matter of time.

[Seven-7]

Shadowrunners aren't some super secret club. You dont get a decoder ring or some special card that gets you discounts. The only thing that seperates a Runner from a criminal or moraless corp is that a Runner isn't on file, anywhere...usualy. The whole theme is a bit wacked out I suppose, and hard to play. Were given this fluff that says "You're thieves, bullies, and generally moraless, but you dont kill for money, and you've got a heart of gold and like to save the world. Go play." Irks me a bit.

So your question is akin to asking "Where do all people with a rare case of pinky toe cancer go to hang out?"

Besides, isn't Shadowlands down or something? I never finished System Crash or whatever.

[Azathfeld]

In my game, the players have, from time to time, met with their fixer at Jethro's Olde Tyme Cafe. Jethro's is a bar with a faux-wood front, and a bouncer in a cowboy outfit outside. If you know the password (most recently it was "sarsaparilla"), the cowboy lets you inside. The password is disseminated a week or so in advance by an exclusive hacker network.

Once inside, you see that Jethro's is the most up-to-date, state-of-the-art hacker hangout this side of the Pecos. You order drinks through AR, and they're delivered by drones to wherever you seat yourself. The dance floor, which plays the newest computerized musical creations, allows you to load up an agent, which is then represented in AR; this allows hackers, who don't always have a companion, to bring along their own dance partner. On Fridays, Jethro's plays host to Ms. Mann and the One Mann Band, a technomancer-musician who's taught a complement of machine sprites how to play instruments built into her drones.

[Paul]

I like where you're going with this. What seperates a Professional from the common criminal?

[Signal]

[Nomad]

In my book, a Professional is one who takes great care in minimizing the risk of getting caught or doing something which will draw undo attention. They may not hesitate to kill, if necessary, but if it can be avoided, they will. Not necessarily because of a moral code, but because killing adds the possibility of reprisals. They don't talk about their runs because as the old adage goes "Loose lips sink ships (or at least get you caught)."

[Signal]

[Nikoli]

How odd, how many characters have we all seen that fall moreso into the later category than the former.

[Signal]

Too many. :(

A Shadowrunner, as someone previously mentioned, is basically a freelance mercenary, usually SINless.

Thus, a Shadowrunner can be either "professional" or a "criminal."

[Paul]

Remember too that fun isn't always "professional"-sometimes some people like hack and slash. I say tool in the box, to be used when appropriate-but obviously I don't claim to represent everyone.