New Approaches to the Game World, Fluff changes in SR4 Options

[akarenti]

I just noted a few key words changed in the descriptions of some of the archtypes; the SR4 add in the FanPro Catalogue mentions "hackers" and "info brokers" and not "deckers" and "faces/fixers", which got me thinking.

I personally think "info broker" is a much more accurate description of most fixers' jobs; and it's a lot more intuitive for new players who aren't already versed in Cyberpunk.

Are they calling deckers "hackers" to make the game more accessible? Or are those silly cyberdecks behind the SOTA in 2070?

I'd also like to see how (or if) all of the Megas and governments survived this System Failure, considering how integral the Matrix was supposed to be.

Also, UMT has been around for 5 or 6 years by 2070. Anyone care to guess how that's going to affect the magical community? OneWorldTradition, maybe? With a new addition promising "streamlining," I can see UMT as a big hint of things to come in the magic community.

[mintcar]

My instincts tell me that there is going to be a lot of major changes to the game world. Not just in the details, but to the overall feeling. We're going to recognize it off course. And a lot of changes has allready been snuck in over time. But what I think is happening now is that they wipe the slate clean, take what they have in terms of metaplot and good game concepts they want to keep, then build the same game as before only looking at the current state of the sci-fi genre (The Matrix, Ghost in the Shell...) instead of the old cyberpunk stuff.

So my guess is that just about everything is going to change in some way or the other, even if it´s just a small change. And the over all effect is going to be post cyberpunk shadowrun. If we´re lucky it will also be good...

As for the magical community, I only have more questions. Like, what new awakenings will have occured? Will we see obsidimen or something like that?

[hermit]

I'd HATE to see something Matrix-style, but that's mainly because I hate the movies, I guess. GitS would be more appropriate, though it's technological dominance and all-pervasive Internet push Magic back as a dominating concept.

I also hope they keep this "ED is the Fourth World" angle since it gives the whole game a depth other systems lack.

And I surely hope they don't overemphathise corporate power, like Cybergeneration did. And please, no Fifth element style flying cars. I actually liked how Shadowrun managed to not go over the edge with sich technology, unlike other cyberpunk-esque systems.

[mintcar]

I would accept flying cars if they were expensive and heavily regulated. They would logicly have to be. It would be not so different from having your own helicopter.

[mintcar]

I think they will make the matrix more The Matrix-like. It´s not necessarily a bad thing, because as I´ve stated before it would make the matrix easier to visualize. All it means is they'll make the matrix look like the real world by default, but anything you can program can occur.

[hermit]

[The_Sarge]

[hermit]

[The_Sarge]

Erm, ok.

But look at the civilian space-flight program.

Sometimes people do stuff, just because they can.
What if someone amasses enough money to just build something in space.
Like the Corporate Court.
Add to this filthy rich individuals with corp connections.
And corps who want zero-G facilities which really serve a purpose.

Humans have the tendency to push their limits.

And space colonies are a Cyberpunk staple, because the world below is generally very dangerous and dirty and ugly and full of low-lifes who you just don't want to meet.

I'm not defending air cars with fervor here, I just want to say that if they stay reasonable and within game-context, I wouldn't just wave them away because they seem implausible now. I mean, it's 65 years in the future now. Just look at the last 15 years of our development... It's just crazy how much the world has improved.

[hermit]

[apple]

[hermit]

[apple]

Compared to the Millions of $ today? dirtcheap. One monthly salary of a middle-class wageslave.

With theses prices the orbit can be full of space stations and it could be believable. I admit that it won´t be the normal place of an independent wage slave, but the megacorps can really bringt (hundred)thousends of wage slaves into orbit.

Now, they just need a good reason for it. ;-)

SYL

[Eyeless Blond]

Zero-G fabrication. So very many interesting and exotic materials are impossible to create with earth's gravity constantly in the way. Not to mention cheaper construction of satelites, including easier construction of those damn solar panels which can't actually be deployed on a planet's surface without an insane amount of labor spent on counterweighing everything.

So, basically: space technology and (exotic) materials fabrication, two industries that would hugely benefit from it not costing a million bucks per pound to put something into orbit. And that's off the top of my head; I haven't even considered the tourism or entertainment industries yet. Imagine a zero-G Disneyland ....or zero-G porn.... :grinbig:

[apple]

Imagine a 0g-brothel ...

SYL

[Smed]

[hahnsoo]

[nezumi]

I think the problem it shakes down to is there are certain things which spoil the beautiful duality that is Shadowrun. The whole question we deal with is this is the world you and I, as players, know and love, but it has been twisted and degraded.

Flying cars do not contribute to either side of that equation. In fact, it subtracts from both sides. It makes the world seem LESS familiar and real, and it makes it seem less desperate (because flying cars are something people have hoped and drempt of for such a long time. No one thinks 'flying cars dehumanize us!')

No flying cars. I can deal with the doc-wagon VTOLs and the airbuses, but flying cars and anti-gravity are right out.

Space stations are a different matter, because they're not on earth, and they're not available to even a significant minority of the populace. So they don't subtrace from the familiarity of the world, but it does add to the sense of desperation and helplessness on earth (since the rich and powerful cease to live here, that means all that's left is slums). I would love to see more space stations, as long as they're out of reach of all but the top 15% of the population.

[Grinder]

The question is imo if we want SR to go further to sci-fi or not. I love Transhuman Space (thats a 2100-setting for GURPS with all the sci-fi stuff we love like space stations, life on mars, genetech, dark and gritty countiries, rich and shining countries), but i don't want R to become the same - i want earth-based runs without the posssibillity of space travel. I know it's possible in the 2060s, but to be honest, it is not likely to happen in most games. And i don't want laser weapons or flying cars.

Hope you understand my point of view. :)

[mintcar]

I don´t want those things either, at least not on a wide scale. I don´t think those things would improve anything about the setting. The new matix seems like a terrific idea on all accounts though.

[Kanada Ten]

Space stations are an absolute requirement for Shadowrun. The Z-O is a foundation stone of the world. The largest, most powerful bank, floating in the dark reaches, surrounded by the ultimate protection - empty space. The inhabitants looking down over all they control. Isn't it every runners' dream to taking on that bank, to dream of the golden goose?

[Guest_Crimsondude 2.0_*]

have you ever considered that a group capable of taking down the Matrix is probably just as capable of taking out Z-O?

BTW, "info broker" is not a new term to SR. It's been around for a while, and they are not fixers. Well, they are to the extent that they are a specialized version of fixers.

[Jrayjoker]

Speaking of fluff, what about IEs and GDs?

[hermit]

With "Space Colonies" I was referring to city-sized stations - like those planned by von Braun in the 50s. NOT a smallish habitat housing 10 obscenely rich people and the world's most wealthy computer. Which, by the way, will likely perish in SC/CE, and take the world economy with it. Something that may be fun if done correctly but definitly would drastically alter the way Shadowrun's world works and looks. And I am no fan of revolution, myself.

It sounds like they might take SR too much into SciFi. At least it does to me.

Additionally, what's all the fuss about zero-g sex? Unless you love bouncing off rather hard walls frequently or are seriously into bondage, it's only a messy enterprise that will much more likely result in bruises and broken bones than pleasure. I can recommend reading Pierre Boulle's short story 'love and gravity' for a rather in-depth discussion of that topic.

[Jrayjoker]