The first thing I wanted to show is this: Guided Supersonic Bullets. I think it'd be pretty cool to add this to the list of 'stuff to add to Shadowrun' -- it's nice looking at new technology, or things right around the corner, then figuring out how to slip them into the game.

The other thing is that I've been checking out a show called "Destination: Truth", and being introduced to a whole plethora of critters which would be awesome to add to Shadowrun -- some of them could easily be variants of existing creatures, but others I think would do well as new critters themselves. The Mongolian Death Worm would be an example (about as long as your arm, spits acid, and has a shocking touch).

Just throwing that out to the public.

I will pay you never to mention this again.

AFAIK the Death Worm was in Parazoology...you know, the book with the eye cancer artwork

Guided rounds for a railgun will be a problem. If I recall, the largest problem the military had with the railgun was not the making-it-work part, but was the making-it-work... but-not-melt-the-gun part. Their rounds also turn to slag, especially at higher velocities.



At least they have the differences between a railgun and a coilgun straight. It annoys me no end that people continually interchange these things.

Well, they're thinking 2020 for it, and that it's (theoretically) possible, so who knows? Still, the idea of having a railgun with guided rounds sounds pretty cool.

1,000,000,000,000 Frames/Second Photography. Cameras that can see around corners, because they record so fast they can 'catch' photons bouncing off objects. How's that for incredible?

Now that was awesome to watch. And it does make one wonder when RL will surpass SR in Tech.

In some places, it has. Most noticeably in information security that generally can't be stolen over the internet.

Remote control of a device.
Specifically, the idea that entering a location can force your device to turn off certain functions - or possibly, turn them on. I could see this happening in Shadowrun -- you enter a location, and your commlink automatically turns on / takes a picture / shuts off certain functions.

In some zones, you must have a commlink on and broadcasting, now what if this was an automatic thing?

Drive by Wire.

I always wondered how that would work. I figure this is natural for most cars in Shadowrun, now. Probably ticks off my character, Cleric, since he insists on driving the car himself - he'd probably want to have the old-fashioned rods and such for his driving.

Such prototypes have literally been around for decades. The problem is that all major markets mandate the presence of a mechanical steering column, which turns the X-by-wire into additional weight, bulk, and mechanical complexity instead of saving anything

interesting side-note that accidental property could, in theory, be harnessed to create a sort of plasma-thrower weapon. expensive and a bitch to deploy, but I'm sure certain Megacorps would find the idea interesting...

As modern day Naval and Artillery weapons systems already utilize Sensor-Guided Munitions GPS, Thermal, & Laser-designator. My guess is that Military scale weapons might be able to use these options; however, man-portable Railgun systems might not have it, unless your GM is willing to allow DeathDealer (Gun Heaven 2, pg. 33) for use with your Ares railgun.

Isn't that in RBB 2074? SK Deathdealer? Which comes in large-caliber variants for in-house use?



He's right; page 26. Personally, I'd rather like to see Jenny Hannivers, Mapinguari, and Mokele-mbembe.


Printed books?


Actually, it is a downgrade in SR4, and was used extensively as an upgrade in SR1 to 3. It's a standard in the passing generation of cars of today, where more and more component builders opt for short-range wireless for diagnosis functions because they vastly underestimated what a huge gateway for hacks a smartphone is, nor that the smartphone can access the in-car wireless ports. Cars being slated for networking integration (again because car manufactuers totally missed the smartphone), car hacks will become an increasing problem in the near future. Rebellious car syndrome will finally become a real thing.

Steer-by-wire isn't around for safety regulations issues, as Sengir notes; for the same reason, there's growing concern about drive-assist systems, especially considering the growing possibility of outside, IT-based attacks on cars. So while technologically possible, it is unlikely to become a reality for non-technological reasons, kind of like the 50s nuclear-powered electrical cars and airplanes.


That seems to be the basic premise of the SR5 Matrix. It also is very possible in SR4 using device backdoors and/or mandatory open PAN mode.


Much like vectored-thrust tanks, has been attempted and ultimatly discarded during the cold war for impracticability.

That's why the thing is called by-wire

Even if somebody stupid wanted to make it wireless, the protocols used for wireless diagnostics are only moderately more useful for real-time applications than IPoAC

However we may feel about certain aspects of that book, as a Canadian, I've seriously considered telling people that vorpal beavers are real.

DOOOO EEEEET! THIS MUST HAPPEN!

The only reason I haven't yet is a combination of not having the opportunity and not being able to keep a straight face if I do it in person. Still, some combination of vorpal beavers, burrowing beavers and snow moose would make for a great article on the Canadian wilderness.

I will spread the word of the dangerous Vorpal Beavers and the threat they have to travelers lost in the vast Canadian wilderness! The Snow Moose will be a bit harder to make things up for, though. I mean... does it shed snow? Is it made of snow? Does it just have a snowy white pelt and an enormously out-of-place capacity for stealth in snowy conditions? I mean... it just boggles the mind!

Snowshoe hares are a nice explanation for that. White in the winter, brown-grey in the summer, so it's easier to hide from predators. No reason it couldn't happen to a moose. I admit it's a lot less mysterious that way, though.

A standard Moose with the Concealment (self) critter power sounds quite probable.

Snow Moose, Parazoology p.20

Vorpal Beaver, Parazoology p.32

Another problem is that with the voltage(for railguns) and very high magnetic fields (both) affecting the round, you can kiss any electronics fitted inside goodbye. You might be able to shield them, but I wouldn't bet on it. Which means you're mostly stuck with 'dumb' ammo.

Talking without using your voice. This is like subvocalization, but better. Non-invasive, reading signals from the brain and creating speech.

Tracking Point - I think we've got smart guns!

2.8x Magnified Contact Lenses

-- I'm not aware of any railgun that has a muzzle velocity high enough to begin ablating the armature from atmospheric friction (but it only needs to last long enough to hit something it doesn't just fizzle away immediately after leaving the barrel). The current major issue for railguns (has been for the last decade) is abrasion of the rails caused by arcing currents and thermal management.

-- As most railgun projects are paired with a guided projectile I'm not sure if that is a problem. As is noted in studies, you don't actually need the electronics active during the launch.

Robotic Muscles are soon to be a thing - this is probably what we'd expect for cyberlimbs, but it is interesting to notice that they're needing a lot less 'muscle' for the amount of strength that can be created. The way I see it, a human-sized cyberlimb could possibly push into the Strength 9+ category without much effort. By 2050? I'm sure it would be refined to the point where you would get beyond your normal augmented cap.