I think it's been implied that several of those are dead and gone. I think at one point a shadowtalker actually wished dragonslayer was still around. Others of those (orange queen, for instance) wouldn't be invited to jackpoint because who really wants the big dogs intruding on the conversation? I know I wouldn't want the powers that be involved in jackpoint. Thats the trouble with the big dogs and immortals being allowed in: either they're too big and important for it to be safe to shre info with them (they are potential targets, after all), or they are unknown enough that no one would invite them. And god, they always hinted at things and never came out and said it. It's good reading, but I imagine it would tick off the people looking for paydata.

Laughing man would be banned for starting flame wars with dragons. No one wants a flame war with a dragon. They sometimes take the metaphor too far.

Matador will not be coming back for obvious reasons. Picador is in though.

-Frank

Bring back Digital Heroin!

*eyedart* No wait... lets see me get off my ass and submit something semi-coherant freelance style first, then bring back Digital Heroin...

If only there were a freelance position for just writing shadowtalk...

< blink >

Um... how could I propose to do that?

To whom it may concern,

I would like to have advanced viewing of source material so that I can offer up in character commentary. I won't tell a soul what I see.

< /blink >



It should be noted that I treat NDAs like holy writ, given my actual line of work and the fact if I violated the standing one I'm under two big hairy knot tying types would come tie and anchor to my legs and throw me into the augy...

That shoulden't be too hard.... Just observe Dumpshock an base your Shadowtalkers' personalities off DSers.

Like me. About 45% insightful, 45% inane, 10% asinine, and has a tendancy to dissapear for months on end then come back and it's like "Hey... Didn't you like, post here all the time forever ago?"

Or Ancient History, who if he's not still Shadowtalking in 2070, damnit he should be.

Bah. He's out there... Like any good IE, he assums new names as times change.

Personally what I'd like to see answered is what option Cap was hit with. I mean it really could have gone either way with him.

But yeah I definately get the impression the crash fried alot of folk. Cap is a maybe on survival as an AI now, Alice in somewhat of a similar situation where she was probably killed. Certainly something bad happened to her.

Others would likely simply drop off the face of the earth so to speak, either because some one found em and killed them, or they finally decided to retire completely. As for dragons not showing up on Jackpoint, well... I dunno. Realistically I wouldnt count out the possiblity of them poking their noses in anyway. I mean look at all the stuff Dunklezahn had decker wise, and he was by no means the most active dragon on the trix.

At the same time their not the sort I'd casually send an invitation to either. And then of course there is age. Some of the posters by now even if they survived would be pretty old by now, look at Fastjack. Others that are trolls or orks especially would be hard put on by age in some cases. Besides some names shouldnt be around too long anyway, not many runners live to get anywhere near old age to begin with.

Either way I hope they keep up the practice of the occasional quip, it's something rather unique to the SR RPGs that I've allways enjoyed.

For what it's worth, from what I've read from the few older sourcebooks I've managed to get my hands on, I think the Shadowtalk was good.

My favorite example was the discussion in the Matrix 2.0 book - the very long discussion talking about the nature of the Matrix.

It's important to note that some of the examples people cite as their "favorite shadowtalk" aren't really typical shadowtalk. The comments by Dunk & Co. in the Aztlan sourcebook, the Matrix conversation between immortals and the mysterious Cybertechnology discussion are all things that could still possibly exist in the format of SR4.

Well thats what made it wide open for GM's. Is the secrecy, although it was a little cryptic at times I did like it. It just did not allow for many plot details to be opened. IE: What the hell is going on with Shasta Lake? ANYONE? Anyone?

That's kind of why having a ton of one-offs and people spreading misinformation, disinformation, information, half-information, and outright lies are so important...

It lets you decide what's true and what's not. More, it gives players room to latch onto complete lies and be certain it's the truth, which is fun.

All this misinformation and red-herring-tossing is continued in SR4, just in a different format: For example, instead of having two or three shadowtalkers contradict each other's posts, there might be one or two contradicting reports or memo's on the same topic, triggering a discussion amongst the JP'ers, thereby adding another angle for the GM to use.

Coolest idea ever: Take a Shadowland post from one of the surviving Shadowland nodes, including Shadowtalk. Post that on Jackpoint and have the JPers comment on the whole document.

I like that idea. Mind if I use it?

BUNG!!!

Yeah. You could even sort of do it in the style of AH's notes he has in his Ancient History files section. I found alot of that stuff really interesting reading. Partially because some of the background info (Like Dunkies will) was stuff I never knew before (Like how some of those 'token' winners were actually the contest winners for some FASA prize give away)

I was also unaware that the Big D really did turn into a spirit when he died etc. Doing it in that way might be a good way to 'update' old information. A sort of "Hey guys remember -this- file? And how we were wondering about conversation X?" and then point out the revealed info where appropriate. It woudl be abit of a blast from the past for long time SR players, and a handy thing for players like myself who havent been playing as long (I only got involved in SR3 several years ago, and I'm now hunting down the old books because they have info you cant get anywhere else)

Yeah, I *still* want to know not who all teh people chatting in Aztlan were/are but who it was that managed to stay "invisible" and capture the whole thing, then reposted it.

To my knowledge, this is a HUGE mystery that was never explained.

Also, someone mentioned a PDF that had the different posters, with intrests and such ... is that available anywhere? Because I'm in teh mood for a good long read.

That makes sense. leo and his "trusty sidekick". One fo the few folks I could see hacking a line on Jane in The Box.

Maybe the posters do not need stories behind them.Maybe they are just shadow runners from all over the world.

DasToolier could have a long story behind their post..Or the post could all be the story they have. The simple fact of having basicly untold number of posters,and posters without pasts will give the book a larger since of well there are a lot runners. Those who posted on the topics do not have to be super elite shadow runners. They could be just another face in the crowd.

So what if Miss-trix doesn't have story. Hell, You could use her in a game as an NPC, and not have worry about the lasting effects.

Never bet against Named NPCs. Even when you're betting on other Named NPCs.


Especially since FastJack is two Named NPCs in one.

Fastjack. Damian Knight.

Never seen together. Never even heard from at the same time! Concidence? I think not!

Look! Up in the sky!

*runs, as fast as possible.* Falling Girders!

Uh-huh!

Buttercup is Maria Mercurial.

Never seen together. Never even heard from at the same time! Concidence? I think not!

I am Spartacus!

I don´t remember one of you posting at the same time that Emo does. Coincidence or split personality?

The credstick's in the mail, chummer, courtesy of the Azzies.

Just be sure you don't open the box anywhere you enjoy staying....

Since someone mentioned it, I would love to see Neon Samurai back in Arsenal, especially if Ares has still been working on their LASERs.