[X] My Assistant

[hobgoblin]

And in today's review episode:

- Pirate Media: It's not as much about outlaw medias (pirate trid broadcast) as about "pirating" (making illegal copies) of medias. There's a bit of the former, but it's mixed with the illegal copy angle, making it a bit confusing at times. It starts with some great concept: copyright holders (corps) are the one making copyright laws (at least on their turf). The problem is that I don't know if the writer was afraid of going all the way with this idea (it would, after all, have a big impact on the Shadowrun world by adding a new element that was unheard of) or if he got confused, or if it's just bad writing, but it keeps the concept to vague to really get anywhere with it. And then it falls back into a problem that was already in the Sprawl Survival Guide: taking today's piracy situation and putting it in Shadowrun's timeline with nearly no change.
I think that 80s cyberpunk had a much clearer and more interesting vision of copyright, information control and piracy in the future.

At that time the widespread effects of the net on copying was mostly unknown (one could see traces of it in BBS copying, but that still involved a fair bit of manual labor in terms of floppy swapping and command entry). As such it was much simpler to take the existent system and project it forward (pocket/bag of floppies/tapes/cartridges), just add VR and BTL on top.

[Blade]

Given the insane overlapping legalities of mega-corporate extraterritoriality and fractured civilian governments that would be an amazing trick to pull off and explain without some serious handwavium and ignoring established canon.

As far as I know, canon has never been very far in copyright law and public domain. IIRC there was a few things about patents in one of the NAG, but I don't remember the details (just that the Neo-A are against them).
It's true that the extraterritoriality would cause some problems if the laws are vastly different everywhere and at the same time it might be difficult for everyone to agree on a common copyright law. That's the kind of details I'd have like to have in that chapter.

But outlawing a book because it's bundled into a package that violates IP would be like outlawing a Prince Paul album that he authorized for free release to Napster in the 1990s. The author of the womanhood manifesto clearly gave consent to the "pirate publisher" (which is sort of a nonsensical term for what was described; the pirate wasn't publishing anything but merely serving as an electronic distribution channel for pre-existing works).

I'm pretty sure you could consider that the book, due to its publication model, is tied to to an illegal business and outlaw it on that basis, using some laws similar to recent anti-terrorist/anti-internet laws. But I agree it wouldn't be a clean procedure.
But I guess that was the intent of the writer: to show the power of the lobby and the way it can use the law (since the lobby and the law are often the same) to destroy you if it wants too. But once again, it'd have been better if it has been more clearly explained.

[Blade]

At that time the widespread effects of the net on copying was mostly unknown (one could see traces of it in BBS copying, but that still involved a fair bit of manual labor in terms of floppy swapping and command entry). As such it was much simpler to take the existent system and project it forward (pocket/bag of floppies/tapes/cartridges), just add VR and BTL on top.

At that time, information was already a big theme in Cyberpunk. In Cyberpunk universes, corporation have money, they have resources (or what's left of them), they have people and the system keeps feeding them with fresh supplies of this. What they have to hunt for is the information. They have some, through the Matrix, but they don't have all they need. That's what they fight over, that's what can bring them down... In Cyberpunk, information is everything.

In classic Cyberpunk, information isn't free. The Matrix isn't free. It's closer to the French Minitel or old BBS systems where you need to know the name/number of the service you're calling and you need to call (and pay) for it. It's far from the Internet we know, but it's the Internet that we'd have gotten if it had been created by companies rather than universities and the military. And that's the Internet that a lot of companies would like to aim for now (to the point that in France some people say that the governement and companies actually want Internet to become the "Minitel 2.0"). It's much more natural for companies to want Internet to be that way, and that's why, to me, the Matrix should be closer to that model since it was created by corps for corps after the Crash.

So yes, at that time, they were also taking what was existing and applying it to the future. Except that this old vision fit the dystopic cyberpunk future much better than today's Internet and should have been kept.

[hobgoblin]

i speculate that trademark, patent and copyright (the parts that make up "intellectual property") is upheld by the corporate court (or else there would be little need for runners), and used as legal MAD between the AAAs and a barrier of entry for the upstarts.

Details like "defend it or loose it" (trademark) and limited durations (patent, copyright) have probably been thrown out the window (even today, anything published since maybe ww1 have not passed into public domain thanks to continual copyright extension).

open source likely operates in a legal gray area as corporations can have such licensing declared null and void on their turf, while secretly incorporating stuff from such efforts into their own products. And maybe setting traps in firmware and hardware against those projects via secret handshakes between hardware and software (A RL examples would be a Foxconn motherboard that provided junk data to any OS that did not ID itself as Windows). And pirated goods are a true nono (worked against maybe by first pushing a new handshake patch to the software, and then a firmware update). Both cases illustrated by the continual drop of rating on such projects.

This then comboed with corp crip and massive marketing about the quality of brand name products vs the knock-offs.

Rival corps may be trying to run open source or piracy efforts against their competitors, tho doing so may risk backfiring as someone could turn those efforts against the corps own products.

[hobgoblin]

So yes, at that time, they were also taking what was existing and applying it to the future. Except that this old vision fit the dystopic cyberpunk future much better than today's Internet and should have been kept.

And risk having the SR world seem eternally dated. Todays world is dystopic in different ways. Rampant (dis)information overload, ubiquitous tracking (all legally bought software in SR comes with a option that phones home, just like recent discoveries about Android and Iphone os). So you go from being a non-name to having multiple names, all aliases used so long, and replaced so often, you have forgotten your birth name.

One may be liberating "the truth" from some corporate database, but maybe the only outlet for it is pirate channels or rival corporations looking for a way to tarnish the competitions reputation and credibility. Its like the scene in MIB where they use craziest tabloid as a reliable information source.

[longbowrocks]

Pretty good book. The main advantage is that people looking for gear and rules are aware of the relative lack in this book, so they don't buy it. That way, the gear contained is a bit more obscure, making it more useful when trying to hide your character's capabilities.

[ravensmuse]

So I got a chance to look it over this weekend.

Remember when you were in high school, and you groaned when the assignment came up in English class where you had to write a research report and have a thesis statement and back it up and follow the MLA guidelines and what have you? That's what this book reminds me of. Not because it's clinical and written with a bored tone of voice - there are real moments of great writing that I'll get into in a minute - no, I'm drawing the comparison because it has the same problem that any MLA format research paper will have if the student doesn't give a shit - there's a lack of focus, and there's no support to the thesis that person chose to use.

What is Attitude's thesis? Because there are a lot of them, spread about the book. Is it, as the cover and first page of actual writing suggests, about how the woman on the cover isn't a shadowrunner, and what the differences are and where there are parallels? Or is it about Sixth World culture? Or is it about the real life of the shadowrunner, y'know, the one that's constantly broke and has to kick in doors in order to survive? Is it about faces? Is it about the media and it's destructive tendencies?

All of the above could have been an interesting book, but what we got was a classic mish-mash of ideas that aren't coherent, focused, and hell, useful.

Now, before I get authors all jumping on my ass about this, the writing in the book was fine, elevated to great in some cases. I specifically want to call out the fact that I was rolling throughout most of Slamm-0!'s chapter on sports, not only because the man is a sports fan after my own heart, but the sheer annoyance you see written in Netcat's postings reminded me of so many conversations I've had with my wife with friends present. Also, whomever wrote that chapter is obviously a Sox fan, because the Yankees are stuck in a losing streak and the Sox get a callbox? Yeah. Boston fan. Though you should have mentioned that we can get as angry as any soccer hooligan when the Yanks are in town (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif)

But what is this book about? The book title, cover, and first page all make the statement that this is a book about fighting the perceived against the real. But the rest of the book then goes off to waka-waka land talking about other things. A whole chapter is devoted to a character with a sledge hammer that could have been condensed down into a short article in the first chapter. We get Yet Another Diatribe about how to live as a shadowrunner on the street - bored with this, and have been for forever - and some strange story about a kid learning to be a runner and ending with his finger getting chopped off by a trapped garbage disposal. Huh? What does any of this have to do with public perception of runners, and what the truth really is (no, please, jump through some hoops and explain this to me, I'd love to hear it).

I also want to mention that there's also a mean tone shot throughout the book, where it's totally okay to talk about killing people for realz and even glorifying getting a woman to throw herself in front of a train. I mean, uh, I like my Shadowrun dark enough, thank you, but Fastjack and crew have always drawn a line on making it coolz to be an honest killer, y'know?

Another thing I want to call out - Pirate Media is useless. It's a great discussion of stuff going on, but it's useless and half-written. Someone word for word transcribed either Wil Wheaton or some other tech writer's bit about going through the regular channels of getting DRM junk off of stuff you've bought, but that's it. Wouldn't it have been great to say, "yeah, there are hacking groups out there doing this very same thing. There's a regular arms war going on between the corps and pirates, and it's got some opportunities for you if you're a good hacker." I guess it ties in with the discussion of privateering a few pages beforehand, but the connection is tenuous at best! I follow the real life discussion myself, and it's a very interesting thing to watch - I mean, hands up if you know what I mean when I say Geohot vs. Sony - so to see it mentioned and then dropped because "well, we're done here," is very frustrating!

I will say that I skipped around a bit because honestly, the book is just a schizophrenic mess. It could have been a great Sixth World culture book - the elements are there. It could have been a great book for Faces - the elements are there. It could have even been a good follow up to Sprawl Guide. The elements are there. But they're not, and that sucks.

[Stahlseele]

I mean, hands up if you know what I mean when I say Geohot vs. Sony

*waves*

[Bigity]

I do, but only because of Penny Arcade forums.

[longbowrocks]

I liked the halo system idea.

[Smokeskin]

there's a lack of focus

[...]

All of the above could have been an interesting book, but what we got was a classic mish-mash of ideas that aren't coherent, focused, and hell, useful.

Reality tends to be that way. Especially when you're dealing with culture. What would an American contemporary culture guide look like? If it was to be comprehensive, it certainly wouldn't be coherent or focused, simply because the subject matter is extremely fragmented.

[CanRay]

It certainly doesn't help that a good part of culture sometimes involves drugs, and well, the only way to properly report on them is to experiment with them and... (IMG:style_emoticons/default/nyahnyah.gif)

[Mäx]

All of the above could have been an interesting book, but what we got was a classic mish-mash of ideas that aren't coherent, focused, and hell, useful.

I can agree about the first 2, but really really have to disagree with that last one.
I have all ready gotten use out of the gear chapter and the rest of the book has all kind of nice stuff to add to different characters backgrounds.

[ravensmuse]

Reality tends to be that way. Especially when you're dealing with culture. What would an American contemporary culture guide look like? If it was to be comprehensive, it certainly wouldn't be coherent or focused, simply because the subject matter is extremely fragmented.

Shadowbeat. SOTA: 63 / 64. Those are books on Sixth World culture, and they managed to cover the width and breadth without losing focus and keeping things coherent.

There are clearly two different books at play here; one is trying to be a follow up to Sprawl Guide and Guide to Real Life; personally, this is the section that felt like it was purposely tacked on and makes the book feel unfocused. The other is trying to update Shadowbeat, and it ranges from good and useful to, "really?". Either book I would probably pick up (if I was buying CGL products, blah blah blah), the latter more than the former, when I found it for a cheaper price. Because there's enough in the latter section of the book I dug.

I can agree about the first 2, but really really have to disagree with that last one.
I have all ready gotten use out of the gear chapter and the rest of the book has all kind of nice stuff to add to different characters backgrounds.

I actually agree with you there. I was solely disappointed with the music section because it needed a good clean up edit really bad, and I was disappointed that gear was one small section in the back. However, sports, the fashionista guide (really!), and other sections I can't recall because g'damn it, it's seven am and my wife is up watching the Royal Wedding were good enough for me to think to pull stuff from.

So I agree with you on that.

[Blade]

Nearly finished!

Be your own boss: A chapter about how to start your own business. It doesn't fit in my vision of Shadowrun so I don't really care about it. Once again, most of it could have been taken out of a website/leaflet about starting your own business. It's all very generic, it could be written in 2011 with little to no changes and there are only a few aspects that touch the Shadow part. Nothing about Attitude there either. It's hopefully short.

Driving off the Edge: I don't get it. It's both absurd and useless. Translated into game terms it'd be something like: "if you've got lots of Edge, use it to do crazy stuff" but in fluff it's weird, and I don't see how anything in this chapter can have an impact on any game. Another waste of space. Hopefully short too.

The Right Crowd: Detailed writeups about a few NPC in the show business. It's decent, for those interested in such things.

[Blade]

And the last part, the gear chapter.

It's actually the best chapter of the book and it's great.
I don't mind the mix of IC and OOC elements (better than to have to look somewhere for the IC description and ten pages later for the OOC text), the texts are interesting, the gear is fun and/or useful enough to get used by players and not too much "power creep" (though I'm pretty sure Dumpshock can find holes to turn any of that gear into a broken abomination). It's just too bad that it covers so few different styles, especially since there are so many chapters that waste wordcount.

This is one of the few times when I found myself thinking "I want (this/to play with this/to do something with this)" in this book. I did it a lot in that chapter, and only one or two times in the rest of the book.

So to sum up my impressions about the book: it's not a very good book, but it's reassuring. It's not War! bad and it definitely shows potential in some places. One can hope that as the writers get more confidence and get more daring, the content will get more and more interesting. I just hope they'll realize that it's not 2011 with cyber and magic but (post-)cyberpunk 2070 and that they won't be afraid to invent new things and give more substance to things.
On the content of the book itself, it's underwhelming. The topic of the book is vague, and there are some chapters that don't really fit in while other things that could have been great in an "Attitude" book (such as something about reputation, about tribes, memes and sub/alter-cultures) are missing and so is the (post-)cyberpunk Style and Subtance.

In a few days, I'll have my PC run in the night life of an Inner City full of people from different cultures and subcultures, in an adventure that will mostly deal with Style, Attitude, and Life on the Edge, and I won't use much from Attitude (maybe some elements of the gear chapter). I guess that illustrates my point.

[Mäx]

the texts are interesting, the gear is fun and/or useful enough to get used by players and not too much "power creep"

Pretty much only think is that, from now on every Troll tank will have mechanical dragon or fairy wings (IMG:style_emoticons/default/wink.gif)

[CanRay]

Pretty much only think is that, from now on every Troll tank will have mechanical dragon or fairy wings (IMG:style_emoticons/default/wink.gif)

Great, now I have a Troll Tank in Faerie Wings going, "I'm a pretty, pretty princess!".

...

Well, would you argue with her?

[Mäx]

Well, would you argue with her?

Not unless i had a vehicle mounted gauss cannon. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/grinbig.gif)

[Patrick Goodman]

Great, now I have a Troll Tank in Faerie Wings going, "I'm a pretty, pretty princess!".

...

Well, would you argue with her?

From a distance, perhaps. A great distance.

[Grinder]

Blut & Spiele got released in german - adventure module containing not only 3 new adventures centered on urban brawl, but also a short primer abour the game, the german league and info on all 32 german teams (including important players, logo, and stuff like that). It's a nice addition to the "Playing Ball"-chapter.

[Stahlseele]

*nods*
i already bought it.

[phlapjack77]

is this module available to buy outside of Germany?

[Stahlseele]

don't think so, but i am not sure . .

[LurkerOutThere]

On the whole I was favorably impressed with attitude, some of the latter chapters are a little too out there in subject matter, but the gear section is neat without rewriting what gear or magic can do and strong enough to see the light of day without being completely broken.

Edit and Addendum: I left otu the msot important plus to this book, it's something I can hand new players and help them get a feel for the world, I may make the first couple chapters required reading for my gaming group.