Linkage: http://www.shadowrun.com/shadowrun-online/...t-qa/#more-1696

Only a few functions, but sounds promising. Thoughts?

Contains Core Elements of game play, and some PVP but no Hacking.(yet)

Guess we have different ideas of what constitutes Core element.

So its Sammie/Magic Run to start, deckers/riggers need not apply?

Not so surprising as that is sort of niche area to deal with, but still ....

Guess they want to plug in functions as they go. Being an MMO and all.

But yes, Magic and streetsams are Shadowrun's core (combat) gameplay, as they both take part in the world that's shared by everyone and it's basically just combat. Like it or not. It's an early access, reduced version of the game, not the full game, as they look to release it, by my understanding, anyway.

Hoi Chummers!


Noting that not everyone may fully grok what CHP was intending to say, the Shadowrun Online "Steam Early Access" is really pre-Alpha, unfinished, with essentially a stage, some characters, and basic elements that they need to test and get feedback on "right now", while evaluating the client/server loads, stability and other network service factors. So, what CHP meant by "core elements of game play" was more developer speak than gamer speak, regarding the technical mechanics they're working on to evaluate the underlying combat and interaction system, which is likely blind (for now) to whether an attack is a bullet or a mana bolt. Similar to, but more advanced than, working out a game mechanic with stick-it notes across a rectangular square-tiled board. Of course there will be graphical elements, maps, character models and such, but from the devs perspective it's how the underlying code presents the game mechanics to us, and how well the basics of those mechanics feel to us that they're looking at. Every few weeks we'll see new elements added, new options and new graphics as the code, and the game grow before us. If you already know all this, ignore me. I'm just saying to not expect a game where you'll earn karma and advance your character on an ongoing basis. It'll be more like trying the same few runs different ways, running through iterations of the same set of plans, and improving on them as you go, but occasionally resetting everything from scratch.

So it's not even really a reduced version of the game, but pieces of what might come together in time as part of the beta version of the game, assuming they survive evaluation by the devs, and feedback from us.

Ultimately, Shadowrun Online's Steam Early Access lets us help shape (this vision of) the shadows we'll run in, Chums. And though it might be limited, and buggy...it may also be pretty fraggin fun. ^_^

I guess dat's all I wanna say. Ja Mata & seeya in 'da shadows...


-UGEplex