Storm Front is out!, Leading to SR5! Options

[Patrick Goodman]

Nothing I had to do with, then. I wrote "Sleeping With the Enemy" and one piece of shadowtalk toward the end.

[Ixal]

I wrote "Sleeping With the Enemy"

Great chapter btw.

[Patrick Goodman]

Thanks. I'm glad you enjoyed it!

[Wakshaani]

When so many people are disappointed with the the power thrown around by great dragons, why not talk about the other stuff in the book?

So far no one has mentioned much what the Japancorps are up to.

[ Spoiler ]

Basically a new wave of patriotism/nationalism hit Japan and the big 3 Japan AAAs decided to present a unified front towards the outside world.
Inside Japanese borders they are at each others throats like normal. Outside of it they help each other to "rise again". They push hard into North America and are determined to exploit Ares and Aztechnologies current weakness and all 3 aim their sights at NeoNet.

Renraku deserves a special mention as they are crawling back out of the pit they have fallen in.

[ Spoiler ]

To do that they completely shifted their focus from technology to service and use all the access they have for data mining.
So when you want to enjoy the services offered by Renraku (the example in the book is a Spa) make sure to carry a expendable comlink for the visit.
Having a mask while visiting a Spa might be a bit problematic though.

I still need time to digest the Brackhaven piece. Politics make my head spin, especially when I read them late night.

Seven words that make every Shadowrunner sweat; "Boy, Renraku sure has been quiet lately."

(Found this comis strip about a week, week and a half ago.)
http://allthingsd.com/files/2013/02/googlestore640.jpg
(Appropriate, I think!)

[Ixal]

Appropriate, I think!

Yes, very much so.

[Pepsi Jedi]

Seven words that make every Shadowrunner sweat; "Boy, Renraku sure has been quiet lately."

(Found this comis strip about a week, week and a half ago.)
http://allthingsd.com/files/2013/02/googlestore640.jpg
(Appropriate, I think!)

Makes me think of Horizon, but yes, very "Megacorp" Feel there.

[Fatum]

Well, she goes from being a blundering flowery idealist to a blundering power-crazy maniac. "I'll make a dragon out of you yet, kiddo!" No honestly, it's a scenario under which the whole UN episode makes much more sense. It would assume that Dunkelzahn either misjudged her character (which is also an enticing thought) or is himself much less altruistic than he appeared in the past. Now if any of this is hinted at even as a possibility in material I just haven't read yet, I would be much more forgiving of the SotA73, if you are applying it as a post-factual fix, well at least it shows that you can always turn a story around.

I don't think thousand-years old hyperintelligent magical reptiles are capable of being altruistic. Reptiles in general aren't known for it. From what I understand, Dunkelzahn's actions were a bet at establishing human tech as the tool to fight the Horrors when they next come, and he wasn't all too subtle about pushing the metahumanity that way both when alive and after his death. Now, if anything, Golden Snout's usage of metahumans as servants combines perfectly with this approach (well, his and every other Great except for the radicals previously discussed), while Orange Queen's apparent idea of equal treatment hardly does.

[hermit]

Reptiles in general aren't known for it.

Actually, crocodiles are, to a point; they protect their young.

Also, dragons are more like dinosaurs, which puts them between birds and reptiles; and some species of birds are well documented for altruistic behavior.

[Pepsi Jedi]

Dragons also sapient. To relate them to reptiles would be akin to relating us to all mammals. Including naked mole rats and hedgehogs and cows. It's an extremely broad characterization, that as hermit points out, isn't quite accurate.

Dunk did alot for Dragon/Metahuman relations. Ever since he got on the scene the debate on weither he was honest about it, has persisted. Which now, is the exact same debate for Hestaby. "Does she really want better Dragon/Metahuman relations, or is it an act for a long game scheme"

[Lionhearted]

Also, dragons are more like dinosaurs

That's canon for the record, before someone argues otherwise.

[Fatum]

Dragons protect their young as well, but that and treating metahumans as equals are a long shot apart.

[hermit]

That's a different matter. But they can be altruistic amongst each other. Lofwyr stopped Kaltenstein from getting himself killed once, for instance, even if he didn't have to and it probably flew in the face of dragon impulses and instincts. Kalt now owes him big time, of course.

[Lionhearted]

Sounds like Lofwyr to do something like that so he would owe him big time

[Fatum]

Sounds like Lofwyr to do something like that so he would owe him big time

Yes, this.

[Ixal]

Has anyone ideas/wishes what should happen with JackPoint in 5E?

[ Spoiler ]

As FastJack leaves to protect it from "himself" he advises the new admins, Bull, Glitch ans Slamm-0 (is it O or 0?) to purge the current access rights and reinvite everyone they want to be in.
Also new blood should join up, blood from the street to catch things like the new threat (see below) more early.

So who should be in and who not in your opinion? And which new guys (either by name if you know one or function/knowledge/personality) do you want to see.

About the new threat

[ Spoiler ]

It is now pretty obvious that there are Matrix entities who can overwrite brains and so take control of metahumans (as hinted at http://www.shadowrun.com/2070/2013/01/11/f...hletz-aka-wolf) and in the Eye of the Hurricane story.)
Considering who has all been infected maybe not even hot-sim access is required, although that is debatable. Also, Nanohives and Genetreatments make it easier for those beings to take over a host and/or provide another attack vector.
When Ares goes through with theit nanite enhanced marketing scheme it can get really ugly. Of course NeoNet and Horizon seem to be involved, but it is unknown if they are directly responsible for it or not (so far I say no. They are "just" experimenting on those beings which resulted in the violent response we see but did not build them).
And when you consider the theoretical reproduction speed of AIs (assuming they are AIs) by simply copying themselves in nanoseconds things can get out of hand quickly.

Confirmed victims so far are FastJack and Miles Lanier with Riser and Plan 9 being suggested victims also. And a lot of NPCs of course.
And how does De la Mar and the new Matrix fit into it? Coincidence? Is she possessed and pushes the new Matrix to make it more easy to take over people or hinder any opposition?
Oh, and Cerberus seems to be involved, too.

[Pepsi Jedi]

Has anyone ideas/wishes what should happen with JackPoint in 5E?

[ Spoiler ]

As FastJack leaves to protect it from "himself" he advises the new admins, Bull, Glitch ans Slamm-0 (is it O or 0?) to purge the current access rights and reinvite everyone they want to be in.
Also new blood should join up, blood from the street to catch things like the new threat (see below) more early.

So who should be in and who not in your opinion? And which new guys (either by name if you know one or function/knowledge/personality) do you want to see.

Ok, with Bull, Slammo and Glitch automatically in...

Netcat, Dev/Grrl, Kane, Frosty, Hard Exit, Kam, Fianchetto, Kay St. Irregular, Man of Many Names, Arete, Plan 9 (( but it's hinted he might be infected, so if so, no)), Sunshine, Wyrm Watcher, 2XL, Smiling Bandit, Pyramid Watcher, Butch, Orbital DK, Rigger-X, Turbo Bunny, Puck, Kat o' nine tails, Rifleman, Glasswalker, Sounder, Picador,Hannabelle,(( but her inclusion could be problematic))

I'd want them in, just off the top of my head.

Clockwork I'd want out, but the thing is, I want someone to kill him to take him out.

About the new threat

[ Spoiler ]

It is now pretty obvious that there are Matrix entities who can overwrite brains and so take control of metahumans (as hinted at http://www.shadowrun.com/2070/2013/01/11/f...hletz-aka-wolf) and in the Eye of the Hurricane story.)
Considering who has all been infected maybe not even hot-sim access is required, although that is debatable. Also, Nanohives and Genetreatments make it easier for those beings to take over a host and/or provide another attack vector.
When Ares goes through with theit nanite enhanced marketing scheme it can get really ugly. Of course NeoNet and Horizon seem to be involved, but it is unknown if they are directly responsible for it or not (so far I say no. They are "just" experimenting on those beings which resulted in the violent response we see but did not build them).
And when you consider the theoretical reproduction speed of AIs (assuming they are AIs) by simply copying themselves in nanoseconds things can get out of hand quickly.

Confirmed victims so far are FastJack and Miles Lanier with Riser and Plan 9 being suggested victims also. And a lot of NPCs of course.
And how does De la Mar and the new Matrix fit into it? Coincidence? Is she possessed and pushes the new Matrix to make it more easy to take over people or hinder any opposition?
Oh, and Cerberus seems to be involved, too.

Well in Emergence, they said straight up that while people might be afraid of the "I'll just copy myself" AI reproduction, something in their uniquic creation prevents that from being so. I.E. all the free born AI are basicly some sort of random mutation that cannot, at that time, replicate themselves in that fashion.

[All4BigGuns]

Ok, with Bull, Slammo and Glitch automatically in...

Netcat, Dev/Grrl, Kane, Frosty, Hard Exit, Kam, Fianchetto, Kay St. Irregular, Man of Many Names, Arete, Plan 9 (( but it's hinted he might be infected, so if so, no)), Sunshine, Wyrm Watcher, 2XL, Smiling Bandit, Pyramid Watcher, Butch, Orbital DK, Rigger-X, Turbo Bunny, Puck, Kat o' nine tails, Rifleman, Glasswalker, Sounder, Picador,Hannabelle,(( but her inclusion could be problematic))

I'd want them in, just off the top of my head.

Clockwork I'd want out, but the thing is, I want someone to kill him to take him out.



Well in Emergence, they said straight up that while people might be afraid of the "I'll just copy myself" AI reproduction, something in their uniquic creation prevents that from being so. I.E. all the free born AI are basicly some sort of random mutation that cannot, at that time, replicate themselves in that fashion.

I say keep the younger ones and kill off the older ones. Sorry, but Bull and Fastjack have had a long enough life, and it's time for them to go.

[Pepsi Jedi]

I actually like Bull taking over. I'd question SlammO a bit, I'd have said Netcat over him but he is said to be skilled inspite of his annoyancefactor.

[All4BigGuns]

I actually like Bull taking over. I'd question SlammO a bit, I'd have said Netcat over him but he is said to be skilled inspite of his annoyancefactor.

Bull's cool and all, but maybe it's time for him to be let go.

[CanRay]

Slamm-Zero! by the way. Never forget the hyphen, zero, or exclamation mark. That's his username.

Slamm-0! is high on the annoyance factor, but he's an exceptional computer expert for his age (remember, he's only in his mid-20s) and a second-generation Shadowrunner. Yes, he's the primary example of a Manchild, but has proven responsible enough to be a single father and still provide the Shadowrunning services that keep a roof over their heads and food-like substances on the table. Away from the annoying online character, he's quite good at what he does.

Another, RL example, would be... Well... Me. If folks just knew me from the forums, you'd never think I was that serious a person. Hell, I come off as a manchild I bet. In truth, I'm far more mature than I should be for my age (and always have been), and can be trusted with children to babysit. With, um, some provisions, I admit.

[All4BigGuns]

...and can be trusted with children to babysit. With, um, some provisions, I admit.

Thanks for more nightmares... (IMG:style_emoticons/default/nyahnyah.gif)

[Patrick Goodman]

I would like to point out, for the moment, that Bull (the Missions coordinator) was not responsible for Bull (the best ork decker you've never met) being in the triumvirate. He actually fought it, as I recall. I can't remember if that decision came from the top, or from someone's pitch, but it wasn't Bull's idea.

[All4BigGuns]

I would like to point out, for the moment, that Bull (the Missions coordinator) was not responsible for Bull (the best ork decker you've never met) being in the triumvirate. He actually fought it, as I recall. I can't remember if that decision came from the top, or from someone's pitch, but it wasn't Bull's idea.

Didn't think it was, myself. I was just using him as an example.

[Bigity]

Lets get rid of the limited shadow posters completely.

[tasti man LH]

...absolutely goddamn not.