[X] My Assistant

[CanRay]

The same reason anyone with Humanis affiliations gets shouted down and edited-over in the old shadowtalk (or is just shown to be an idiot), anything else smacking of racism is savagely ridiculed by the Shadowrunners doing the posting, etc, etc. Technomancers are born that way, so not fully trusting them and valuing them for who they are inside is wrong and anti-PC (same with SURGElings). The strong anti-racism undercurrent has been a part of the Shadowrun metaplot (as represented through established shadowtalk posters) for a long, long, time. Which, in a way, is something of a shame. It kind of takes out parts of the dark future by cutting them off at the knees, if we're told the world is a horrible racist place, but everyone we ever see from that world (that is to say, the Jackpointers and their other shadowtalking ilk) are all lovey-dovey with the ghouls, SURGElings, metas, technomancers, and whoever else might show up.

Again, Shadowrunners are not the social norm, and are aggressively independent. In fact, that's how some of them rationalize shooting Wageslaves in Shadowtalk, "They were sheeple, not people. I put them out of their misery.".

Part of that is not giving into pre-conceived notions like racism. Yeah, there's a number of them out there, but they'll be struck down damned quick.

Also, do you REALLY want the person that can think you dead angry at you, or happy that you helped defend them? (IMG:style_emoticons/default/nyahnyah.gif)

[hobgoblin]

Haven't read it cover to cover, but I made it through the crunchy bits in some detail. There are more useful items that I thought. The wearable drone jumps out at me as something that is unlikely to be allowed into most games. (Strength becomes 8, but agility is reduced by 1?)

Sounds like just the kind of toy i have wanted for hackers for a while, just as long it is not a full suite.

[BlackHat]

Sounds like just the kind of toy i have wanted for hackers for a while, just as long it is not a full suite.

Not sure hat you mean by 'full suite', but the drone I mentioned is basically power-armor (a big troll-sized rig, that a person wears, that makes them stronger). There are, however, some other wearable drones in the book. Two that you wear as part of a steam-punk outfit (like tethered clockwork pets), one that sits on your head like a drone wig, and one that fixes clothing... I think that is it.

[Pepsi Jedi]

Iirc, SR2 had a racism social modifier table (with random rolls, so who knows if that guard had a violent hatred for elfs when the face tried to smooth talk a way in) but later editions dropped (or at least i can't recall seeing it in SR3 or later).

Racisim is still present, heck Attitude addresses it in a few places.

By and large the Posters in the shadow talk area work with metas and mages and stuff so they're not the huge flaming racists you read about. but some show it. In attitude I think there's some comment I just read about a decker not knowing how to fist fight, that's why god made trolls.

[hermit]

*

[hermit]

Also, do you REALLY want the person that can think you dead angry at you, or happy that you helped defend them? nyahnyah.gif

It's my job as a shadwrunner to make them want me dead usually. So, as a runner, I do not care, I only care to see that person dead before they can think me dead.

And a lot of people kill with thoughts in SR. Mages, Riggers, Streetsams with smartlink, Adepts ...

Iirc, SR2 had a racism social modifier table (with random rolls, so who knows if that guard had a violent hatred for elfs when the face tried to smooth talk a way in) but later editions dropped (or at least i can't recall seeing it in SR3 or later).

It's back in SR4, see the companion.

[CanRay]

"I want many guns, floating around me, controlled by my murderthoughts."

That should totally be a song!

[Stahlseele]

Spider Jerusalem.
The Archetype of the Snoop/Hacker.

[CanRay]

And his Filthy Assistants!

[Bull]

Yeah, maybe I should have used 9/11 as an example instead ("hell yeah for no weapons checks on airplanes"). The Atom Angst is very Germany-specific (check this article for a quick rundown), and I guess I'm not as immune to it as I'd like to think I am.

By the way, that would make you a "sheep, led around by the nose", according to many German media ... yes, that was written by serious national newspapers and news sites, refering to Americans and Japanese failing to properly panic.

I'm as mucha sheep as anyone at times, depending on what we're talking about. Like the fact that I want and need to see big blockbuster movies at the tehater rather than waiting to watch them on DVD. I've come to terms with this a long time ago. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif)

Agree. Now, how to fix this.

I have ideas. Things I've floated past Jason. The question becomes whether or not anyone wants to pick them up and run with them, and whether or not I ever have teh time to work on them myself.

Is SRM4-01 out already? I'm still playing SRM4-00, play by post on a forum, but it'd be nice to know whether or not it is.

Sadly, no. It's been in layout for a month now, but a bunch of stuff got put in line in front of it. Parazoology, Attitude, and the Toolkit on the SR side, and a couple BT books as well. So I've been stuck.

Bull

[hobgoblin]

Not sure hat you mean by 'full suite', but the drone I mentioned is basically power-armor (a big troll-sized rig, that a person wears, that makes them stronger). There are, however, some other wearable drones in the book. Two that you wear as part of a steam-punk outfit (like tethered clockwork pets), one that sits on your head like a drone wig, and one that fixes clothing... I think that is it.

Figures. What i have been looking for is a way for the hackers to use weapons without knowing weapon skills (IMG:style_emoticons/default/wink.gif) (and no, not skillsofts, i want them to employ their understanding of computers and drones). While they could cart around drones, that gets bulky in the long run (and potentially expensive). Closest i got so far is a walker modded suitcase gun from Arsenal (tho i guess a smart weapons platform with a SMG may work, if said weapons platform is collapsible without having to detach from the gun). But i would love to see something they could point in a general direction while worn, and that would then use sensor aided aiming to do the actual shooting. That way it can not end up being left behind as easily as something one have to put on the ground to use.

[Tymeaus Jalynsfe...]

Besides the chrome eyecovers have been a shadowrun staple since the illustration of the Street Sam in 1st ed. I think they were even a mod you could put on your cybereyes back then.

They still are...

[Stahlseele]

Figures. What i have been looking for is a way for the hackers to use weapons without knowing weapon skills (IMG:style_emoticons/default/wink.gif) (and no, not skillsofts, i want them to employ their understanding of computers and drones). While they could cart around drones, that gets bulky in the long run (and potentially expensive). Closest i got so far is a walker modded suitcase gun from Arsenal (tho i guess a smart weapons platform with a SMG may work, if said weapons platform is collapsible without having to detach from the gun). But i would love to see something they could point in a general direction while worn, and that would then use sensor aided aiming to do the actual shooting. That way it can not end up being left behind as easily as something one have to put on the ground to use.

Cyberlimb with a retractable weapon hardpoint with smartlink/gunnery software?

[hermit]

Review, Part 3
Part 1
Part 2

Independet together
Seems to wrap up the Shadowrunner advice part. Decent writing, varied, and most characters stay in voice well enough. Locales and organisations to find work with (and possibly further plots, though I at least didn't notice any Horizon stuff, or carniverous trees). One thing I noticed: is the Children of the Matrix part a reference to Imago?

The Music Scene
Good, now the shadowbeat part begins. Long was the wait, high is the expectation. Let's see how deep the disappointment is, shall we? First impression is good, then I noticed a canon discontinuity: Lyran mentions the use of glowmoss in the late 40s. Too bad Glowmoss was only discovered in 2061. At least it's shadowtalk, so it can be rationalised as Lyran speaking out of his ass. Another has Zango, singer of Astral Lightning, live longer and die differently. Granted, but hey, you just laid up Mercurial a short while ago, it's not like the book's some sort of forgotten tome of SR publishing ... also, I'm unsure what to think of Christy Daee. A bit to ... recent days for my taste. References to older books that are not effectively retconning are good, FINALLY someone takes the time to actually describe the Concrete Dreams, and the other old references are good to very good too (Orxanne! Darkvine! Dark Angel). This actually feels like this is an evolving world, not a new one every book. Well done here. And Barry Mana is something I really need to use sometime. Also, the non-human musicans are a nice touch.

Other things of note: The Art
Thsi is one thing where SR4 has been pretty consistently good, after the core books and except for Ghost Cartels at least. It's pretty good to top notch here, too. Lots of different styles, but it seems there generally seems to be an awareness that art in games supplements isn't just filler to up the page count.

------

Cyberlimb with a retractable weapon hardpoint with smartlink/gunnery software?

Arm-mounted fixed weapons mount featuring a grenade launcher firing HiEx minigrenades in semiauto and burst mode with range detected explosion and smartlink. Really, why settle for anything less than a Bolter?

I have ideas. Things I've floated past Jason. The question becomes whether or not anyone wants to pick them up and run with them, and whether or not I ever have teh time to work on them myself.

I sure hope it doesn't end up with a war about epileptic trees again (or rather, Jason just handaves this to people who are better suited for dealing with SR's background than he is).

Sadly, no. It's been in layout for a month now, but a bunch of stuff got put in line in front of it. Parazoology, Attitude, and the Toolkit on the SR side, and a couple BT books as well. So I've been stuck.

Pity. I'm interested in the Ork Underground stuff.

[Raven the Tricks...]

Arm-mounted fixed weapons mount featuring a grenade launcher firing HiEx minigrenades in semiauto and burst mode with range detected explosion and smartlink. Really, why settle for anything less than a Bolter?

Shoulder mounted man, leave your hands free.

[hermit]

Shoulder mounted man, leave your hands free.

Only if you're blue, hose-footed and have an interestingly shaped nose. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/wink.gif)

[Prime Mover]

I keep seeing reference to this spider jerusalem charecter and his poop gun. Seriously for out there hacker archtypes Bartmoss is my guy, hell he wrote his memoirs after they finally killed him followed by his destruction of the electronic world when they nuked his fridge. (And the only rpg book that made me spray pop out my nose several times.)

[Bull]

Barry Mana will be seeing some action in a CMP Mission (Convention Mission Pack) this summer. They're exclusive events for conventions through 2011, but hopefully we'll get those released to the general public in some format around the end of the year.

As for SRM 04-01, yeah, I want to push those forward again. I understand the need to get other products out the door, especially stuff taht needs to go to Printers. But still frustrating. Supposedly as soon as Matt's done with the BT book he's working on (WHich will be the next day or two), Missions is next.

I'm going to try and railroad the next few Missions adventures through ASAP as well, so that we have a backlog of finished adventures, and can avoid delays in the future.

[Stahlseele]

Arm-mounted fixed weapons mount featuring a grenade launcher firing HiEx minigrenades in semiauto and burst mode with range detected explosion and smartlink. Really, why settle for anything less than a Bolter?

show off <.< ^^

[imperialus]

FINALLY someone takes the time to actually describe the Concrete Dreams, and the other old references are good to very good too (Orxanne! Darkvine! Dark Angel). This actually feels like this is an evolving world, not a new one every book. Well done here. And Barry Mana is something I really need to use sometime. Also, the non-human musicans are a nice touch.

I loved the Dark Angel reference too. That was the first Shadowrun adventure I ever GMed, and it's still one of my favorites. Pity he seemed to come to a bad end.

[CanRay]

JetBlack LIVES!!!

[Sengir]

Pure and simple, Technomancers were mishandled in SR4. Partly because of the poor release date of Emergence

No release date would have made Emergence make more sense, except maybe shifting it into 3rd edition (IMG:style_emoticons/default/wink.gif)

The problem is that the core book introduced Technomancers as just another character concept, there was nothing secret to them both IC and OOC. And then Emergence was like "surprise, the guys you took for granted are supa-secret, so here's a campaign where your players piece together the mystery of their existence. Oh, and the world is in headless chicken mode, because everybody is afraid of hackers and weird programs which act like a retarded (in the medical sense) version of the agents they interact with on a daily basis".

[Stahlseele]

JetBlack LIVES!!!

I prefer Hotblack personally.

[Yerameyahu]

Hotblack doesn't live, though. For tax purposes.

[hermit]

Hotblack doesn't live, though. For tax purposes.

Well. Jetblack is an undead for artistic purposes. They have so much in common!

Barry Mana will be seeing some action in a CMP Mission (Convention Mission Pack) this summer. They're exclusive events for conventions through 2011, but hopefully we'll get those released to the general public in some format around the end of the year.

Is there *any* way to get a CMP if you're not doing a GMing turn at an American convention?