[X] My Assistant

[CanRay]

I'm of the opinion that the First Nations People that were around in Winnipeg when the Europeans settled there had a big ass laugh, "Man, can you believe those idiot white men? I mean, we only visit there in the nice part of the year for trading, they're going to live there ALL YEAR LONG!" Of course, it's an Urban Reserve now, so I'm not sure how to take it from there...

I grew up in a mountain (Impact Crater-created valley to be exact) in Northern Ontario. The cold didn't even need to be sentient to get you, there was enough of it to be everywhere. In addition, most years there was enough snow to bury me standing up (I'm over six feet tall.).

And, yeah, the Territories, dear $Deity the Territories!

So, to sum up, if you're in Canada, body armour won't go noticed, and you'll still probably want to put a wind-proof greatcoat over it. (Or have a bunch of warm clothing under an armoured greatcoat.).

[Shinobi Killfist]

All depends on the surroundings. Plenty of folks (including some who buy and wear those leathers in the first place) still equate riding leathers with biker gangs and motorcycle clubs and such. Whether the gear is practical or not, there are an awful lot of people who'll give someone a second glance, cross the street to avoid them, or hold their purse a little tighter when they see black leathers, vests, etc.

It also probably depends on the style of bike leathers, your general appearance outside leathers etc. One of my friends can do a reasonable impression of a half giant and with his epic beard he might intimidate people with or without bike leathers. Showing up on the bike just seals the deal. The more racing style leathers though don't really intimidate people in the slightest. In SR though I suspect lots of people drive bikes for the money saving/energy saving benefits so leathers might be common, on the other hand GO Gangs are a bit more prevalent so they might give off a more threatening vibe. Depends on how you play it, but isn't that what the social skills are for. You can pull your self off as corp commuter biker by carrying your self in the right fashion, you come off threatening and they see the leathers as Go Gang guy.

So, to sum up, if you're in Canada, body armour won't go noticed, and you'll still probably want to put a wind-proof greatcoat over it. (Or have a bunch of warm clothing under an armoured greatcoat.).

I'm from California and the heaviest clothes I had was a long coat meant for rain and mist. When I moved to NY I stood out in winter because I was under dressed. They were like dude aren't you cold. That first winter was brutal as I learned to dress for the cold.

[CanRay]

It also probably depends on the style of bike leathers, your general appearance outside leathers etc.

That could be it. The folks my parents hung around with (And my parents themselves, actually) pretty much were stereotypical "Bad Bikers" even if they were very decent people whose only connection to the Outlaw Bike Gangs was joining them on Toy Runs and "Ride For Sight". And, considering that fellow attendees included policemen, doctors, lawyers, a judge, and a person on the city council at the same rallies...

But, yeah, they were not wearing racing leathers at all. My Father had a "Cop Cut" jacket, in fact. (Watch the "Mad Max" series to see what that looks like.). I just wish I could fit into my leathers again.

[Brainpiercing7.6...]

But, yeah, they were not wearing racing leathers at all.

The point remains that SR has specificallly civilian armoured "bike" clothes, like the Urban Explorer suit.

SR also completely ignores bike leathers that you pull over your normal clothes, which are actually the most commonplace type in Germany, I believe. You wear your normal clothes - even just shorts and a shirt, and then slip the leathers on top - and they are really well padded, too. If you're going at 100mph the wind will cool you off (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif) . You could also stuff a ton of ballistic armour in those and go unnoticed.

It would get weird to get out of a car in one those suits, though, so... if you're a shadowrunner in a warm climate, it might pay to use a bike. Might make it harder to conceal the machine guns, but... there are plenty of small guns that pack enough of a punch.

[HunterHerne]

The point remains that SR has specificallly civilian armoured "bike" clothes, like the Urban Explorer suit.

SR also completely ignores bike leathers that you pull over your normal clothes, which are actually the most commonplace type in Germany, I believe. You wear your normal clothes - even just shorts and a shirt, and then slip the leathers on top - and they are really well padded, too. If you're going at 100mph the wind will cool you off (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif) . You could also stuff a ton of ballistic armour in those and go unnoticed.

It would get weird to get out of a car in one those suits, though, so... if you're a shadowrunner in a warm climate, it might pay to use a bike. Might make it harder to conceal the machine guns, but... there are plenty of small guns that pack enough of a punch.

You know, I never understood why most players would want a machine gun anyway. If you`re already in over your head enough that you need it, the run is likely botched.

Yes, there are circumstances, like a military campaign, or the occasional cover fire where they are helpful. I would just prefer to have a shotgun/rifle or a sidearm in most cases.

[CanRay]

Machine Guns are great when mounted on drones. Not so good when mounted on the sociopathic troll who really likes loud noises.

[Shinobi Killfist]

You know, I never understood why most players would want a machine gun anyway. If you`re already in over your head enough that you need it, the run is likely botched.

Yes, there are circumstances, like a military campaign, or the occasional cover fire where they are helpful. I would just prefer to have a shotgun/rifle or a sidearm in most cases.

Depends on the campaign style. Not everyone is into the nothing goes wrong because we are super professional dudes. A lot of campaign styles have almost required fight scenes of sometimes large size. I know in 3e on they really made the push in the fluff to crap on all other styles of play than super professional dude and his super professional teammates but lots of people like different game styles.

[CanRay]

And sometimes you want people to know you're coming for them, and what better way than to write your name in the wall with a belt-fed weapon system? (IMG:style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif)

Worked for Kane when he was hunting for Kat after all.

EDIT: There's times when you need to be calm, professional, discrete. And then there's times for when the lined coats come off, the combat armour goes on, and the dreky end of the stick is turned around...

[Shinobi Killfist]

Sure you should be planning things out to some degree, but some campaigns rely on combat a lot. In our last SR campaign I was playing a character called Boomtown/AKA Joe Cannon a heavy weapons and demolitions expert based street sam. Who got his arm bit off when he shoved a crap ton of explosives down a queen insect spirits throat, and then since I was broke I went on about 6 runs before I could afford to buy a cyber arm(-2 die penalty since I was now shooting lefty). Fun campaign but not exactly the only carry a side arm style.

He used stealth and cons when he could, but lots of runs were physical infiltration style runs and once you are sneaking in and get caught I don't think the guards are going to go soft on you because you have a SMG instead of a machine gun when they attack you. Now if you are conning your way in or something where the machine gun breaks the run don't take it. But if you are relying on stealth and control of the security systems but if spotted are otherwise an obvious infiltrator big guns can help get you out alive.

The current campaign is a bit more professional in style and is also a lot of fun.

[CanadianWolverin...]

May I make a suggestion on the issue of armor and local style?

Perhaps I am reading it wrong but in a setting with animated tattoos and what have you, what is stopping a shadowrunner from programing their camouflage/chameleon/modified suit to have patterns that look socially acceptable?

Beyond that, there are enviromental modifications as well, cooling/heating/sweat wicking systems, heck, there is probably a off the shelf or jury rigged setup so you can recycle bodily waste into energy or other useful byproducts as a back up to what your solar cells aren't grabbing from your enviroment.

Oh, and BC along the coast of the Pacific is really not any different than Seattle in most cases, sometimes they get frozen when I am still getting soaked by the downpour of the sideways rain. When it does manage to snow, it quickly melts and turns into flooded areas and a slush that will hydroplane you as quick as a wink, which of course has the rest of Canada wondering why an inch or two of snow gets us car accidents up the wazoo in our mountainous/hilly terrain when they are measuring their snow in feet. A military man once told me he had spent plenty of time on exercises on the prairies, the shield, and above the 60th parallel but he was never as cold as when he spent a night on a mountain on Vancouver Island because the wet air combined with the wind sapped heat from him in seconds regardless of what he was wearing.

That's why I laugh when I think of Seattle shadowrunners who don't have rain gear or at the very least a wet suit as a default in their gear.

[CanRay]

I have a story idea that incorporates the most angry characters I have ever conceived of. One is Ice Cold (The Accountant From Hell), another two are Pink Mohawk (Nas and Pup the Dog Shaman), and one is Black Trenchcoat (I haven't worked him completely out yet but have mentioned him here.).

Clothing and armour plays heavily into the group and story, and you're able to tell what kind of person and personality the characters have just from what they wear. Especially when they change their outfits and you realize that all you've seen so far was them acting professional and discrete.

To play to the infamous trope "The Coats Come Off", when they gear up big time, and you see just how much they were holding back before, well, "Of Drek." is putting it mildly.

Currently, I only have a synopsis that I've shared with a few people about it... "Pure distilled awesome" is how it's been described.

But I got other projects first, and I have a dozen ideas like this. But it's a prime example of how clothing and armour can affect people's view of you, even when you don't need to take weather into consideration.

[Tymeaus Jalynsfe...]

That's why I laugh when I think of Seattle shadowrunners who don't have rain gear or at the very least a wet suit as a default in their gear.

Having been on the receiving end of such weather, in several countries in fact, while I was in the Marine Corps, I can totally understand where that sentiment is coming from. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif)

[Blitz66]

Considering the availability of climate-controlled clothing, I don't think bulky clothes are necessarily out of place anywhere. Just say you wouldn't be without your air-conditioned overcoat in this heat. Hey, make it true, even. Winter and rain need less justification, but climate control on all your heavy gear is still a great idea.

[CanRay]

What I wouldn't give for climate controlled coats IRL!

[fistandantilus4....]

I've always wondered just how bulky SRs so called Armored Jackets are supposed to be. Even a standard police "bullet proof" vest is fairly bulky and can affect your movement unless you have one of the smaller ones that only covers the center mass area. The material's also fairly obvious.

Of course, armor isn't illegal in SR (the standard stuff anyway), and climate control would be nice. Heck , beyond even heavy armor. I'm from Cali and hate going out of state. Haven't found any place with better weather than San Diego.

That being said, I've been in Texas in July with flak and helmet. It sucks, but you can get used to it. Guys that go to the desert say pretty much the same thing. You can work with it, once you get used to how it feels. But I've noticed as I travel more that locals tend to know when you're dressing different. Seattle is a huge melting pot, so it would be less an issue there. As long as you had a serious rain coat anyways.

[CanRay]

People are able to easily notice that I'm an "Immigrant" to Winnipeg because I have multiple coats, while locals layer (With an oversized light leather or pleather jacket on top, usually.).

[KarmaInferno]

And sometimes you want people to know you're coming for them, and what better way than to write your name in the wall with a belt-fed weapon system? (IMG:style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif)

Worked for Kane when he was hunting for Kat after all.

EDIT: There's times when you need to be calm, professional, discrete. And then there's times for when the lined coats come off, the combat armour goes on, and the dreky end of the stick is turned around...

My main character either uses just pistols/SMGs, or machineguns. Not much in between.

Most day-to-day runner situations can be resolved with pistols.

If it's time to pull out the bigger guns, you are pretty much throwing subtlety to the winds ALREADY, might as well go with REALLY big guns.

Then again, this character has a tank gun in the rigged van, so he might be a wee bit biased about the utility of heavy weaponry.


As far as wearing flashy or memorable clothing, sometimes it's a GOOD thing. Many folks will be paying more attention to the outfit than the face of it's wearer.

"What did he look like?" "Well, he was dressed in great big army fatigues and his buddy was in bright pink leathers." "Did you get a good look at their faces?" "I'm sorry, I couldn't get past the pink."

(IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif)




-k

[Tymeaus Jalynsfe...]

Tank gun in the Van? Yeah, I'd agree that he is a bit biased. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif)

[CanRay]

Wearing outlandish clothing and distinctive items is an old trick to get people to not notice your face or other features. Flashy rings, loud shirts, and so on. And all easily disposed of in a dumpster with a little bit of petrol and a cigarette-matchbook "Timer".

That trick has been used since the... Forever.

[KarmaInferno]

Was in a Missions game, where (no spoilers) we needed a distraction at a nightclub so the other party members could have a conversation with a fellow without the half dozen bodyguards in the room noticing.

So my PC turns his ruthenium polymer'd Armani suit to max bright white, and struts out into the middle of the dance floor and runs Travolta 12.7, after a few moments strobing his suit in time to the music. I think there may have been a conga line at some point. The PC ended up leaving the club with like two dozen phone numbers from folks of varied gender.

The rest of the party managed to meet with the NPC without a hitch.

(IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif)




-k

[CanRay]

That... Has to be the most epic plan I have ever heard.

[Tymeaus Jalynsfe...]

That... Has to be the most epic plan I have ever heard.

Simply amazing to behold... Wish I had thought of that one. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif)

[KarmaInferno]

Hey, not all shadowruns have to be black ops mercs scowling in the shadows.

(IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif)





-k

[Tymeaus Jalynsfe...]

Hey, not all shadowruns have to be black ops mercs scowling in the shadows.

(IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif)

-k

Too True... Still, that was enlightened... Kudos... (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif)

[X-Kalibur]

I've always wondered just how bulky SRs so called Armored Jackets are supposed to be. Even a standard police "bullet proof" vest is fairly bulky and can affect your movement unless you have one of the smaller ones that only covers the center mass area. The material's also fairly obvious.

Of course, armor isn't illegal in SR (the standard stuff anyway), and climate control would be nice. Heck , beyond even heavy armor. I'm from Cali and hate going out of state. Haven't found any place with better weather than San Diego.

To harp on this and a couple other points, unless you're out in the mojave, it rarely gets to the point of being too hot for a riding jacket. And I certainly don't get any looks for it. Hell, I get more strange looks wearing scrubs than a black leather jacket with padding. (I blame it only being 6'3"). Hell, in San Francisco, it can be just as cold during the summer as the winter in the rest of the state just because of the offshore winds. But generally, runners in the LA area can wear pretty much anything and not stand out much, heh, even more so in West Hollywood.