Skraa, chummer. I'm in my very first Shadowrun game, and I have to say, I'm enjoying it so far. However, after our first 'run last weekend (a courier run in Denver), I'm afraid I'm not quite sure what exactly I should be doing or if what I'm doing is right. Any and all help would be greatly appreciated.

A little background to start: I'm playing an Ork "ex-"Ares security counterhacker - he was drummed out of the security unit due to a Humanis CO, and picked up by a black-ops division, trained, and told to head to Denver, lie low with a cover ID, and they'll get in touch occassionally. Basically, they wanted a Shadowrunner they knew could get certain jobs done and were particularly loyal to the company.

The build is Body 4, Ag 5(7), Reac 4(6), Str 3, Cha 3, Intuit 55, Logic 4, Will 3, Edge 4, with Cracking group 4, Stealth and Electronics groups 3, Interaction group 1, Perception 4, Pistols 6, and Unarmed Combat 2. I've got a pimped-out comm (Sys/Fire6, Signal4, Response 5), all core standard programs at 6, and most of the core hacking programs at either 4 or 6. Wired Reflexes II, Muscle Toner II, pimped out cybereyes III. My main gun is a Fichetti Executive Action modified with Gas Vent III, Ceramic parts, and an integrated sound suppressor, loaded with Stick and Shock rounds. I've got an Ares IV modded for burst fire as well, and a pair of alphaware shock hands for close-in work.

The group has four more players, and what I suspect is a GMPC (the okay kind; he's an amnesiac that we're re-teaching the ropes; he looks like a gunslinger adept, so he's effectively another firing platform for the inevitable gunfights). The others are an elf mage, a human... brick I guess, a human bioware melee specialist, and a human face whose player will probably make it to roughly every other session if we're lucky (IRL issues, but Shadowrun seems forgiving, since every session seems to be an independent run).

So, to the questions. First off, you can probably tell that the group likes combat; that's why I went with Wired II and Muscle Toner II, as well as going to the trouble to work out my gun. With that in mind, I'm wondering if I ought to ask the GM if I can switch pistols to Automatics and go with automatics; sure, they're harder to conceal, but there's always the chameleon coating mod, and I can use assault rifles as well for added versatility. Also, unarmed combat seems... well, I can't imagine ever using it, I took it as a way to not ever be caught off guard and without a usable weapon, but I'm wondering if I should ask to switch to blades and get a retractable spur for the same effect, one less damage, but one more reach.

Second, the actual gameplay. During our first mission, I went to the meet with the Johnson early to do some Matrix recon. I didn't find much in the way of Matrix security (probably because the Mage's recon reported that the place was a spirit lodge of some sort), and almost accidentally hacked the building's financial records (it was the only real node, and the GM said he crit glitched the encryption and IC checks), so I wound up with a bunch of mafia financial data, which I sent to my fixer-broker contact in exchange for 40% of the take from the data auction. This turned out to work in our favour later, when we were ambushed by Triad and Yakuza gangers looking for the courier info; the face managed to not only convince them that "we're not the runners you're looking for," but got them to admit that they didn't know what they were after, and sold them the fixer's contact info to get in on the info auction (Schlock Mercenary fans: "We got paid three times!").

Also, during the adventure, since I'm the hacker and have such a high signal strength link, I told the GM that, unless I was obviously doing something else, I was scanning for nearby nodes like commlinks or vehicles that might be following us. I made several scan checks, with nothing abnormal anywhere around.

Of course, while I thought I was playing my character, the group kind of broke up and it wound up with me and the GM 1on1 a couple of times, which disrupted the flow of the game significantly. So my questions are: is this how one is "supposed" to play a hacker? What am I doing wrong (things my character would know that I don't, for example) and what am I doing exceptionally right? How should I handle gathering paydata without disrupting the session for half an hour at a time? Are there any tricks to playing a hacker, aside from always erasing the datatrail (that's in bold on the cheat sheet I made)?

Also, one specific question: in the Edit writeup, it says a single Edit action can only alter surveillance output for a combat round, and to do so for longer requires taking control of a device. It then points me at the next page where it talks about taking control of devices. The problem is, from the writeup, I'm not sure how to take control of a device. I know the Command program lets you do it, and I assume that I need to actually hack into the system first (a la "Hacking on the Fly"), but I don't see any actual procedure that I can use as a model. I assume I hack in, then make a Hacking + Command test, and then an Edit test to actually edit the output, but that's only an assumption, and I've got no idea what ideal thresholds would be for when the GM asks (we play that you know your specialty, and the GM trusts us enough to ask when he's not sure since we're responsible for knowing it).

Thanks, all. By the way, you're all awesome. Also, my apologies. I didn't intend for this to be a mini novel when I started writing it.

Keep in mind that your signal isn't all that is important. There could be a commlink 20m away that you can't pick up because -its- signal isn't high enough to get back to you. Other than that you seem to be doing a fine job, and can't think of anything in particular you're doing wrong. As for doing the paydata without taking up game time, try running it at a separate time as a 1 on 1 session (Unless you're doing it mid run, in which case there isn't much of a way to really work around it)

For the command question, you are essential correct, but with one major problem. In order to use the command program on someone elses dodad, you have to make a matrix perception test on them first. This can be really problematic for random camera on the street, as it is hard to figure out who you need to check up on to be able to run the command program properly. As an alternative you can repeat the edit action as many times as you want. It ties up alot of your time, but keeps the camera from seeing what you want it to see.

Quick question: the Johson was wearing some kind of indigeous crow mask? Man, I loved this run too.

Now, back on topic: if you really want to be paranoid as in, looking for spies every time, you should get yourself an Agent to do that for you, in this case, the GM would handle it and make every dice roll necessary whenever needed (or not, just to build up tension) and tel you whenever the agent detect something. This makes sense OOC and IC, OOC because speeds up the game, and IC, because, well, metahumans can always miss a detail on repetitive task, where a good algorithm won't.

Good point. There is actually some purpose software for this in Unwired in the security section I think. Basically a program that does nothing but sit there and scan for hidden nodes all day long. Makes it impossible for anyone to keep a hidden node in range of you secret for more than a few seconds. Watch out though, or the corps may suddenly start picking this up to mess with you.

Agents are a wonderful thing. So are multiple commlinks and subscriptions. You want to control that camera? Just buy an agent with edit. You control the hack, take control of the camera, then launch the edit agent. then you log into a seperate commlink and do the real work. This can be a great way to multitask without bogging down your link. It's a bit expensive, but you don't need a response 6 commlink to run an agent and edit program.

I don't really have any feedback on the rest of your questions. I'd be very interested in hearing ideas for multitasking hacking with actions from the rest of the party.

Agents are a good idea, and I already have a 2nd commlink, since I wanted my "working" link to stay in hidden mode but didn't want to be obviously "hiding in public." With its System 3, I can run a rating 3 Agent loaded with Scan without any hit to Response on that particular link (which I'm not really using for anything anyway) right? Then if I need the Agent to go hose a camera or something, I have it load up Stealth, Attack (to shoot back if some IC shows up), and Edit (to edit us out of the feed) for a net hit of -1 Response for five programs and tell it to sic 'em?

Brazil: Yep, that's the run

Anybody got any comments on my build questions? If the GM says its okay, is it worth it to switch to Automatics for the versatility or blades/spurs for the less essence cost, or should I keep him the way he is? After all, I don't want to be useless in a fight, and flavourwise it probably should have been autopistols at the beginning due to his corpsec background (I spent lots of time and effort looking up ways to make pistols shoot bursts, and never even thought of just using an autopistol). So, is the difference enough to bother the GM about, or should I just leave it be?

Ahh, the immortal problem in SR or Cyberpunk 2020... It's OK; before SR4, when decker/netrunner was in the Net, rest of team could go to pub, have a drink and come back before GM needed them . Now using of Matrix is really faster and better. Not perfect, but better. So these "disruptions" are normal thing if You use Matrix during play.


No need for Edit.
You have to:
1) detect a node - a Free Action, automatically succesful for active/passive node, or Complex Action and Electronic Warfare + Scan (4) test for hidden ones,
2) hack the node,
3) use Command program to Issue Command action or Control Device action. If You triggered an Active Alert, You must either use the Hacking skill to perform these actions (node gets +4 to Firewall) or Spoof a command from a legitimate user. If a legitimate user has higher access account, he can trigger an alert, log you off etc.

or
1) detect a node and get acces ID of legitimate user,
2) Spoof Command.

Maybe hacker also can:
1) Intercept Traffic between node and user,
2) Edit fake command and insert it into traffic.
But I'm not sure if it can be done for commands.

Wait, the System 3 is from your main comlink or your backup? If it is the main comlink, spend nuyen ASAP to improve it to 6. As people said, Signal is not that important UNLESS you like to carry a jammer with you. In this case, the stronger signal makes sure that you stay online while most people will be offline.
If anything else, read Unwired.

Yeah, System 3 is the backup (the "working" comm is Signal 4, Response 5, Firewall/System 6, and is also implanted). I'm working my way through Unwired, but I have what I call RPG ADD, where I'm so overwhelmed by possibilities that I keep skipping around as soon as something neat catches my eye, so reading a book cover to cover is an exercise in... well, an exercise in futility most days.

If you're running fast and hard, consider a Camera Neutralizer sensor (Ar p.59) at rating 6 it can make your crew a moving black spot just buying hits on every camera it passes. Well, it can so long as visibility modifiers aren't stacked against you.

If you're moving fast enough, it'll blind every camera you pass way faster than anyone watching could notice, unless they're actively looking for you.

Sweet advice-- I'll have to buy one for my very, very fast second-story gal/secondary hacker.

Hackers: You don't have to outrun Motorola if they (Star, that is) are headed the wrong direction.