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Abbandon
Status: CLOSED
Link to the Chaos Theory wiki

CLEARED PLAYERS(6/6)
Fuchs - Stray - adept
Glyph - Haze - Mage
Tobias - Stormcrow - Samurai
Sir Psycho - Astro - Hacker
crizh - Voodoo - mage
quentra - qventra - Techno

Character Sheet Spoilers:
QUOTE (GLYPH - HAZE @ Feb 28 2008, 10:01 PM) *
[ Spoiler ]

QUOTE (FUCHS - STRAY @ Feb 28 2008, 08:06 AM) *
[ Spoiler ]

QUOTE (SIR_PSYCHO - ASTRO @ Mar 2 2008, 05:21 PM) *
[ Spoiler ]

QUOTE (CRIZH - VOODOO @ Mar 3 2008, 04:14 AM) *
[ Spoiler ]

QUOTE (QUENTRA - QVENTRA @ Mar 3 2008, 01:04 PM) *
[ Spoiler ]

QUOTE (TOBIAS - STORMCROW @ Mar 3 2008, 03:59 AM) *
[ Spoiler ]



Chaos Theory will be a game of shadowrun (set in Seattle) involving several individuals running the shadows solo in an attempt to have fun and let me take a shot at being the GM and creating a world that others can have fun in. My game will be focusing on the fantasy aspect of the experience. I hope to have a happy marriage between rolling dice to get results and making crap up to create drama and suspense.

I have no idea how much I can handle but lets aim for 6 people....... just make a character you want to have fun with and I will try to provide the entertainment. About the only characters I would be cautious about making is heavily social people, its fine to take social skills!! But if the only thing your character plans on doing is talking to people thats going to be pretty damn boring to me and in turn to you. Everything else is fine though.

I have some custom character creation rules and house rules though you should read BEFORE you make a character
Rules

You can post character sheets and backgrounds here in spoilers, dumpshock is pretty limiting in its mailbox space.

Im sorry ahead of time if this goes horrably wrong lol. I am a pretty active poster though so atleast the game wont die off because of the GM. My worst fear is that once i start this, things will happen and the amount of time i can dedicate to it will drastically change. But as far as I can tell I have lots of time hehehe.
Galedeep
Count me in. I could use a quick, light hearted game that doesn't require too much investment. Running around for the fun of it, instead of trying to worry about fitting in a group, and doing reasonable things...that just sounds like a good time.

I'll have a character up shortly. Likely going to go the route of magic, though I may lean heavily towards cyber instead. Haven't quite decided.
Sir_Psycho
Can you fill us in more on what you mean by "fantasy aspect"? Does that mean magic fantasy? Or just the wierdness of the sixth world, such as online stripper parlours, vr games, silly cyber-ware? I have no idea what you mean.

I'm considering building a young artist + bedroom hacker. Just a young, creative, non-comformist who happens to use his prodigal hacking skills to give him the income to do whatever he wants in life. He can't be bothered to even apply for lucrative corp work, or become a serious criminal shadowrunner. He decorates his bedroom with custom ARE, composes electronic indie music, tinkers with drones, chats on the matrix, paints, and makes t-shirts and gives himself wild haircuts. He leaves his apartment occasionally to see gigs, have coffee with people, go on picnics, buy drugs, and meet contacts.

He's not really a Shadowrunner. He's never killed anyone, or even hurt anyone. He certainly knows some shadowrunners, after all, he's a top hacker with a full suite of programs, and is very good at flying around the matrix doing jobs for people, as well as coding agents and IC. He'll actually probably be a useful contact for the more pro-active shadowrunners you run in Chaos Theory.

I'm also kinda/sorta involved in a few games right now. JohnC's Sink Hollywood, Sink and a SR3 game I would be GM'ing right now except for the fact that it's impossible to find a decker. I sent you a request to join your wiki.

Also, I know that your interpretations of Matrix rules differ slightly from others on the forum. Maybe you could put a few of those interpretations up on the wiki so I can see what it is I should be focusing on?
Abbandon
-forgot to mention this is based in Seattle
-by "focused on fantasy" I meant non anal, death is around every corner, have 10 camera's on you at any given time. Hopefully its going to be more relaxed.
-Well I have certainly made an effort to decipher the matrix rules but jesus some answers are 50/50 or not there lol. You would have to tell me what the normal interpretations of matrix rules are before I could tell you how mine are different lol. If you have specific questions you can ask. Well I guess a couple of things that come to mind are programs and agents. If you load up programs on an agent and it goes off on its own, you still have those programs available to you. If your agent dies you dont lose it or have to retrieve it, you just have to reboot it.

@Psycho two things. #1 hacking from home is probably a really bad idea when tracing is a very common anti hacker mechanic. #2 You said your guy never killed or hurt anyone....virtual reality is just as dangerous as meat world and astral. I think anyone who spends alot of time in the matrix has either ran around and black hammered innocent people or goto places where they can meet other hackers and have matrix fights or at the very least been chased by black hackers or cyber gangs.. Its fine if you wanted to play a hacker who hasnt hurt or faught other people but that should probably be an important part of his background. Is he a pacifist or has he hurt people before in the matrix? Has he had fights? Has he ran into cyber gangs? Just something to concider as that statement made it sound like hackers dont face dangers just as deadly as samurai or mages.

*edit @psycho I approved you for the wiki but it said you havent confirmed your email so they didnt bother to tell you that you have been approved lol. Dont edit in your character though until I approve your character.
Sir_Psycho
By approve my character you mean post it in this thread, right? Sure, no problem. I've just been throwing it together in an ok Chargen. I'll probably have it to you tomorrow or even tonight if I can wrap it up in a few minutes.

As for Matrix stuff, I don't mind. I'm flexible. If there's something I want to do, then given this is a flexible, "fantasy" based game, I'm sure you'll figure something out and make me roll the relevant skills.

Also, Black Hammer is not a necessary program. Any computer user has several options to use against threatening hackers, even ones threatening with lethal biofeedback. Firewall, Biofeedback filters, Armor, Stealth, and if worse comes to worse, then jacking out is always an option. Also, if you're good enough, there may be even some creative options, like "oh did you just try to kill me? I felt that. I might need an aspirin. Oh oops, I just crashed your attack utilities, and with a handy trace and my agent, Lone Star has been alerted to your position, and you're about to be charged with several accounts of matrix assault and attempted murder. I also sent you about seven thousand porn registrations, but you'll be able to sift through those in jail." Ok. A bit unrealistic. But it's just like walking down the street in a dangerous part of town or going for an astral stroll. You don't need your handgun to be loaded with EX-EX to be safer, and you can always run.

Also, the character is not really a "break into corporate system and steal files from the clutches of black IC" type of hacker. He's talented, but small-time. He doesn't need the stress or the busy schedule. He codes simple progs and agents for commissions, does the occasional data search, maybe digs a little deeper if the price is right. His main passions lie in enjoying life, playing with computers and drones, not the life of an elite and covert matrix operative and all the money and stress that comes with it. Of course that could all change.

EDIT: also, I've got some building questions before I can submit.

The rule about us starting off with complimentary grade 1 skill groups. Does that mean if I spend 40 points in Electronics Group, then I get grade 5 skills? Or do I only get the free group if I spend no points? Also, why no breaking? For example, right now my hacking is at 4, but I'd really rather have a higher hacking and electronics warfare. Why the prejudice on specialisations?

Also, if I have a sim module w/ hot sim, and a datajack for my commlink. I don't need a subvocal microphone or cyber-eyes, right? All the data would be transferred into my head via DNI right. So I can send my thought-voice over wifi radio, and see ARO's behind my vision, right? I'm using cat's eyes for a change. Personally I don't think there's anything wrong with what I've suggested, but I'd like to check with you.

When you get back to me, I'll submit. I'm pretty close.
Dashifen
I'll play if you want me, Abbandon. If you're open to it, we can even chat during or after about rulings and gaming style and stuff.
Fuchs
Here's Stray:

[ Spoiler ]


If I get the wiki bonus (will register when at home) I'll probably take 8 additional BP for skills or contacts.

(Edit: Added subvocal microphone, forgot that she's got no datajack. Thanks, Sir_Psycho.)

(Edit 2: Pictures added.)

(Edit 3: Added AR Gloves after clarification. 425 Nuyen left for similar corrections.)

(Edit 4: Switched 1 point from negotiation to longarms - Stray's not supposed to be good at getting good deals. Added missing skinlinks to AR gloves and microphone, 325 Nuyen left.)
Abbandon
-Dashifen bring it (offhand that sounds like i have four players, so two more are welcome)

-cold/hot sim and simsense: Firstly you have to have a commlink, im not gonna let people turn random bits of cyber into commlinks. So your can roll with the following set-ups or something similar:
#1. Commlink+ Sim mod + trodes = simsense overlay in whatever fashion you want of your normal senses(Like ammo count in your natural eyeball or the feed from a camera). You are only able to GIVE commands with this set up by going limp and entering VR(otherwise you need an ar glove)
#2. Commlink + sim mod + datajack = simsense overlay like above but now you can give commands in AR
#3. Implanted sim module/commlink + sim module = exactly like #2.

-You still have normal skill caps for this game. No you could not raise electronics to 5 unless you break it at R1 and then raise two of the skills to that level. If you raised electronics to R4 it would only cost 30bp.

@psycho About hammering I was just trying to say that the matrix is more than just corporations. There are random people running around, sometimes even groups of them who look for other people and want to fight whether its to the death or just to knock people out. Hasnt your guy ever played an online game and gotten pissed at somebody or had somebody get pissed at him? You know how tough and fake people act on the internet already imagine if they all had programs where they could actually hurt one another lol. Theres probably other places where hackers go specifically to fight with each other whether its safely to test new attack programs or show them off or whatever.

A guy walking down the street has to worry about more then just lonestar. A guy in the matrix has to worry about more than just corp IC and hackers. I just find it unlikely that your guy who is in love with the matrix and stuff hasnt atleast dabbled in its darker area's. Has he gone out of his way to avoid other people? Does he run from every fight?
Abbandon
Fuchs your clear to wiki up your chica. Whats up with her not knowing any spanish ? hehehe.
Fuchs
QUOTE (Abbandon @ Feb 28 2008, 11:31 PM) *
Fuchs your clear to wiki up your chica. Whats up with her not knowing any spanish ? hehehe.


Well, I can't speak my mother's tongue either, so it's not too uncommon nyahnyah.gif. But with the 8 wiki BP, I might add spanish.
Dashifen
QUOTE (Abbandon @ Feb 28 2008, 04:08 PM) *
-Dashifen bring it (offhand that sounds like i have four players, so two more are welcome)


Sounds good. I'll bring along my face adept (not a Pornomancer, don't worry) character. I noticed in your house rules that you don't allow Augmentation. Is Arsenal out as well? I've been itching to try out some of the Martial Arts rules, but if you don't have the book that'll put that right out.


Glyph
I would be interested in this game. I have a street sorcerer named Haze I would like to play. I signed up for wikispaces, and put in a request to join your wiki. Here is the character:

[ Spoiler ]




Abbandon
-Fuchs I meant to ask what that MA meant for your spec in unarmed combat. You should pick some specific part of unarmed combat like offense, defense, take downs, subduing.

-Dashifen I dont have arsenal either although I hope to when it comes out in hardback. I think I can handle the quality, styles, and manuevers as long as you detail what they do. But dont take any equipment or anything from arsenal.

-Glyph, you said Haze is really against killing but you said he "took out" some whacko on the roof with a stunball? You have only takens 9 out of 10 possable spells?? You have no Foci ?? You said you spent 110 bp on active skills but minus the free ones I only count 86 ?? And im sorry but your gonna have to tag all your gear with costs so I can add them up easily.
Glyph
Athletics Skill Group: 1 free
counterspelling: 4 16
Dodge: 3 12
Electronics Skill Group: 1 free
Firearms Skill Group: 1 free
Influence Skill Group: 3 20
Perception: 3 12
Spellcasting: 6 24
Stealth Skill Group: 3 20
Survival/Urban: 1/+2 06
TOTAL: 110

I'll try to tag the gear with costs tomorrow.

By "take out" I meant knock out, sorry to be unclear.

He is less combat oriented than my usual characters, but if you think he is too underpowered it would be easy enough to give him some foci and a few more spells.
Fuchs
QUOTE (Abbandon @ Feb 29 2008, 08:43 AM) *
-Fuchs I meant to ask what that MA meant for your spec in unarmed combat. You should pick some specific part of unarmed combat like offense, defense, take downs, subduing.

-Dashifen I dont have arsenal either although I hope to when it comes out in hardback. I think I can handle the quality, styles, and manuevers as long as you detail what they do. But dont take any equipment or anything from arsenal.


Ah, MA stands for "Martial Arts", it was listed as a specialisation in the book (p. 113 SR4). I didn't know we were using Arsenal Martial Arts rules, so I'll go over the rules there and adjust accordingly.
Tobias
I wouldn't mind playing if the slots still open. Am at work at the moment so will sign up when I can.
Abbandon
@Glyph Ahh I didnt take group skills into account =P. Nevermind hehe. You can not be under or over powered in this game so dont worry about changing anything, was just pointing out things I thought were wierd.

@Fuchs You are right that Martial Arts is listed as a specialization but I think they were wrong for putting it in there. When would you NOT get the +2 for Martial Arts?? When some guy holds a gun to your head and tells you to use jujitsu or wrestling?? You can fluff whatever style of unarmed combat you like but you have to specialize in a specific area (offense, defense, take downs, subduing..).

If you want to take some of those martial arts qualities you can Fuchs but thats it from arsenal. I only kind of know how they work because we are using them in Down in the Gutter and I've been able to piece together how it all works.

@Tobias cool.
crizh
I'd love to give this a try. I've only done PbP once before and it died after a couple of posts...

I'm really liking this new SR4 system and would love to try out some of the character concepts boiling out of my over-heated cortex.

I've got a nice Mage I've been working on, I'd have to tweak her a bit for the house rules, she has some gear from Arsenal (A pistol and FFBA is all I think) and the Biocompatibility quality from Augmentation. I'll have a look through the other qualities and see what I could swap it out with..

Abbandon
@crizh Hold off for a bit. If Galedeep or Tobias are not mages I might let you take a mage otherwise im magically tapped out.

We are on LOCKDOWN. Lets see how many of the first 6 are fat lazy turds who are all talk and who really wants to play. Lets hold off on character submissions and see who sticks and who falls by the wayside.
Fuchs
Specialising in Offense then, fluff is Kickboxing (seems to fit the trainer's background best). I'll check the arsenal rules, but I think I will stick with BBB rules.

Currently working on the wiki, that will take some more typing.
Abbandon
personal opinion: Mui Thai > kickboxing =P elbows & knees for the win!!
crizh
Cool, thanx.

I've got some non-mage characters too but they're full of stuff from Augmentation. I'd probably be quicker starting from scratch there.

Keep me posted.
Fuchs
QUOTE (Abbandon @ Feb 29 2008, 11:58 AM) *
personal opinion: Mui Thai > kickboxing =P elbows & knees for the win!!


It's mechanically the same, according to Arsenal's description nyahnyah.gif
Sir_Psycho
Some more questions before I finally submit:

Can I get an incompetency in a skill group? Do you have any limits on how many incompetencies a deficient runner like my character can take?

If I pick up combat paralyisis, does it a affect my matrix initiative? Would you be allowing me to take a version of combat paralysis that only affects meat-fights (for less points, of course)?
quentra
Totally wanna be on the outside banging in, but it seems all the fun types have been taken. So I wanna run a techno, but it seems all the places are taken up. If a space opens up, lemme know.
Tobias
FYI: Not going mage, probaly going cyber urban hunter. Going to sit and make him when I get home then do the wiki thingy.
Fuchs
I put Stray's wiki up (some stuff may need to be added still, like programs, but most stuff is up). I'll update the wiki from now on, not the layout in this thread, if I change stuff, like with the 8 wiki BP smile.gif

Also, if anyone wants a render for their wiki, PM me/post a description and I'll see what I can do over the weekend, depending on my free time.

Also, is it allowed to add IC ties between characters? Direct, or indirect (like frequent same club, overlapping contacts, etc.)
Abbandon
@Sir Psycho, ...your already getting a bunch of free bp just from starting with free skills, you want to load up on cheap negatives too? I guess you can have as many as you want(35/5 = 7) as long as they dont involve the word exotic.

@All I will let you differentiate Combat Paralysis between matrix/meat/astral and still get the full -20bp. Only if you have hacking or astral abilities. You can not take combat paralysis for a medium you cant or wont be using.

I think its cool to think of a hacker or mage who freezes in meat world combat but can handle crap just fine in their chosen medium, or a wannabe-hacker street sam who freezes in the matrix or wannabe-mage mystic adept who freezes in the astral.

matrix = both AR and VR

@Fuchs overlapping contacts and haunts is fine but I would prefer no direct connection with other players. Hopefully you all will be to busy to play a dating simulation lol.
crizh
@Fuchs. Is that your artwork? Cos' dang boy!...

I think the best you'll get from me is a stick figure... grinbig.gif
Fuchs
It's a render made with a 3d program, I didn't draw it. But I can do similar renders for other PCs and NPCs.
crizh
That would be 'pure dead brilliant.'

I've always hated that I have an image of a character in my head but not be able to share it with the rest of the group.
Dashifen
QUOTE (Abbandon @ Feb 29 2008, 01:43 AM) *
Dashifen I dont have arsenal either although I hope to when it comes out in hardback. I think I can handle the quality, styles, and manuevers as long as you detail what they do. But dont take any equipment or anything from arsenal.


Here's the information quoted from Arsenal for what I want:

[ Spoiler ]


In this case, I'm going to modify a different character. It's still a face, but it's an awakened face with the Astral Sight merit. He was originally built with a weapon focus to offset the inability to go astral and defend himself, but I don't think I'll have the points after getting all of the above. 'Course, the point is to see how he stacks up against Spirits if he's mostly mundane.
BlackHat
I pretty much expected this game to fill up before I even had a chance to think about it. wink.gif Abbandon, give me a heads up if people fall off the edge of the world, and you want to take on more players, but I expect to be behind everyone else, in line. I'll probably keep an eye on the action, anyway.
Abbandon
@Dashifen. You said you were gonna do Kaia 5bp, and then take two of the same advantage. To take two advantages you would have to spend 10bp.

Also how in the heck do you plan on making attacks of will if you are mundane since it requires the banishing skill ?? Oh.. it says banish+will OR just willpower. nevermind hehehe.
Abbandon
Glyph I see you have started on your wiki. Assuming all your gear adds up you are cleared and good to go. Once you finish the wiki just tell me what you want to spend your Bonus reward on.
crizh
I'm going to assume that I have to wait and see if there's a place for me.

I've not disappeared, I've just gone to bed as I'm on nights at the weekend.

If you give me the thumbs up I'll post a bio and start working on a wiki asap.

(It won't be very good, I imagine, I've no idea what I'm doing with HTML)
Abbandon
Crizh I decided to hold you at the door. If you saw it, i First said if you did not take a mage i would let you in because i thought just about everyone was playing a mage but thats not the case now as you can see in the first post. Then I was gonna maybe allow you to join with your mage even though that would take me over my goal of 6 people. Then i had second thoughts so I had to slam the door in your face =P. Galedeep hasnt put much effort into this beyond that first post but I wanna give him time so you still might make it.

If the door does ever swing open again you get first dibs. For right now I would hold off on your character. Sorry if I did not communicate that clearly.

Wiki's are super easy, nothing like html. It basically works exactly like most forums.
Glyph
Yeah, there was a bit of a learning curve, but once I figured that out it, was just a matter of copying all of the stuff and getting it organized. My character has a few programs and spells, so I put the spells on the character sheet next to his active skills - I included the Drain codes to simplify things. And the prices for his gear are itemized, now.

For the 8 points, I got one more spell (Stench), specializations for his two magical skills, and added one more point of Connection rating to his talismonger contact.
Abbandon
@Glyph
[ Spoiler ]
Tobias
I've been at work all day with our systems down ((the computers are up and running so is the internet so I’ve done nothing all day but this mostly)) I've used the SR4 Excel sheet to throw together a character. I am missing gear but I’ve allocated the BPs etc for it. I've then put it on the wiki (I am sorry if this was presumptuous of me) the break down of the BP spends:
[ Spoiler ]


I hopefully will get time tonight after I finish to finish on the gear and tweak a bit.

Again sorry if I shouldn't have just gone ahead and put it on the wiki.... but I'm awfully bored.

Now got to find something else to do...
crizh
@Tobias- I'm feelin ya there.

I know you said hold off but I'm having so much fun I thought I'd post a bit of background in case I get lucky...

[ Spoiler ]
Abbandon
@Tobias Looks good so far. good job. I am intrigued by the "urban hunter" part of your character description. Does he actually hunt down animals in the city? For what purpose? Its probably a pain in the ass to you but I think it would be cool if you told a story about one of your more exciting smuggling runs somewhere on the wiki. Oh yeah dont forget your free electronics group.

@Crizh Voodoo sounds good. She sounded like a city kid before she joined The Enrolled, and then after the crash she takes off on a cross country journey on foot which I would assume takes her out into the wilderness...if she is dumpy and has no survival skills she must have faced death like daily lol. She sounded hermetic? Which also doesnt fit with a trip into the wilderness instead of going to other cities by planes and studying at public magical libraries and stuff and places The Enrolled has access to.
Glyph
Abbandon:

[ Spoiler ]
crizh
I wasn't thinking of straight hermetic but a homebrew version of Voodoo with a more rational empirical slant. I've got a short write up on it and 'The Enrolled' that I'll PM to you when I get a minute. (At work atm...)

She relies heavily on spirits to cover up for her own short-fallings. Task spirits, for example, are great for surviving in the wilderness if your a cloistered geek with no real world experience at all.
Abbandon
Nice try Glyph but what do you think about how I laid out your spells lol.
Tobias
I've thrown together a quick list of gear before going to get some sleep, as its 2.50 am. I will have to tweak the BPs as I don't think I have used all the Yen.
Glyph
QUOTE (Abbandon @ Mar 1 2008, 04:58 PM) *
Nice try Glyph but what do you think about how I laid out your spells lol.


Much nicer looking - formatting isn't my strongest suit. smile.gif Haze would probably have to be in a pretty bad way to want to overcast, though - that's some nasty Drain.
Dashifen
QUOTE (Abbandon @ Feb 29 2008, 07:51 PM) *
@Dashifen. You said you were gonna do Kaia 5bp, and then take two of the same advantage. To take two advantages you would have to spend 10bp.


My bad. I misread the quality and thought you got 2 advantages per 5 BP of quality, not 1 advantage at 2 manuevers. I'll have to fix that on some of my players' character sheets, too. So noted. I'll have the character sheet posted tomorrow morning since I'll actually be at home for most of the day!
Dashifen
Hrm ... I might as well do this now rather than later. I can't even get through character creation today -- the day when I don't actually have anything to do but housework. If I can't get the character done, its somewhat unlikely that I'll be a focused player. Since you've got people waiting in the wings, as it were, feel free to invite someone in to take my spot smile.gif Enjoy the game all! Abbandon, if you've got more questions, keep 'em coming smile.gif
Sir_Psycho
Ok these are the stats for Astro, my French-Syrian tortured artist/petty computer criminal.

[ Spoiler ]

Sorry there's not a lot of prices on things. I compiled it all on ChargenSR4 v.2.0 and the output doesn't include prices. You can be assured that was all legit. I used Nikoli's commlink generator for the Comm.

I'm doing a 20 questions background, so that's pretty comprehensive. I'll probably PM it to you later tonight. It was a big weekend (Mardi Gras here in Sydney) so sorry I have taken so long.
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