So I just realized that by removing the term and technology of "the deck" from SR, Fanpro is not only removing a SR cultural stronghold but a tie to a big part of the Cyberpunk world. I know the CP references in SR have always existed on many levels, but I think the whole Matrix/Cyberspace connection was one of the biggest running a close race with Cyberware.

I know this topic has been beat to death, I just wanted to share my thoughts.

It has been hinted by playtester(s) that decks have NOT been removed from SR4.

SR tech flavor isn't an extension of OUR perception of technology in 2060-70. It's an extension of the 1980s-90s perception of what "bleeding edge" tech would be in 2060-70. I think it's important that we and the devs understand that distinction, because it is an important distinction that lends SR some of it's unique flavor. Granted some of that will change to a certain extent but the cyberpunky flavor of the tech shouldn't be really heavily influenced by the real world less it become vanilla..i mean it is fiction/fantasy.

I would expect that the standard cyberdeck would shrink to PDA sized. I mean, this was already an option just by making a standard cranial deck and rather than implant it, put it in a pocket secretary case. (Okay, maybe a touch of GM sayso in there, but quite reasonable, I feel) Cranial parts only cost 20% more, IIRC.
And while there is a certain need to keep ahead of a technology curve so that the tech doesn't look silly in five years, I really don't think they need to shrink past palm sized. After a certain point, you're not limited by the technology, you're limited by the user. Palm sized is about as small as it needs to be. Ever crack open a modern graphing calculator? It's a bitty little chip, with all kinds of space used for the screen and buttons, because of our stupid, low-rez eyes and clumsy fingers.
Of course, if you're planning on running DNI anyway.......hmmm.............

While keyboard sized cyberdecks might be a thing of the past I tend to think that thier crazy essence alternative the cranial cyberdeck will be the standard format for decks in SR4. They are portable concealable and still maintain the matrix plus they might fit with the WMI a bit better than the old decks.

Considering hardly any decker actually uses the keyboard part of the deck when actually decking you just need to hook up a keyboard when you are doing a programming test etc.

You don't even need it implanted. Just a small brick in a backpack with a cord running into your head.

Note that much bigger things than deck size are going to change if they want to try mesh deckers with other runners. You know the old drill of sending the rest of the group out for pizza....and a movie whenever the decker headed off into the Matrix. The biggest is the decker not becoming a total limp noodle.

The Matrix surrounds us all, and we walk through it. But only the jacked in see it and interact with it in a HUD-like overlay.

EDIT: That's where Wi-fi really starts to make sense. You walk past the components of the Matrix and deal with them as you do.

Because it's a fantasy/sci-fi world that doesn't really exist? It's not real? That may have something to do with it.

Also note that while in SR1 and SR2 there was the idea that you were decking at the speed of thought and a entire matrix run through SAN SPU CPU yadda yadda was all taking place in at most a handful of seconds it seems that SR3 matrix is more taking place at roughly the same speed as reality.

So instead of the Samurai character calling in matrix support and the decker having fulfilled the request before the samurai finishes talking you assume that a combat round in the matrix and reality are taking place at the same speed.

In terms of bandwidth yes wired rocks the hell out of wireless as one individual fiber optic cable could use Wave Division Multiplexing to seperate out multiple channels over a in theory infinite number of axises on the cable. In contrast Wireless would need to have buttloads of slightly different frequencies to handle anywhere near the same composite bandwidth. Fundamentally though wireless and fiber optics pretty much are limited to the electronics on either end more than the transmission media so you could assume that WMI and Wired Matrix are roughly bandwidth compatible.

That was two disparate thoughts. One, there weren't rules for wireless. Two, that a distributed model could be treated as being slower given the speeds of actions while decking.

If you check out the cover art for the new book here, you can see that the dwarf de- uh, hacker is holding a small box that he is jacked into. Maybe the new "palm-decks."

I try not to assume anything given a piece of Zug artwork. It certainly is evocative and fun but if you use past paintings as a guidebook then you might need to assume Aerodynes are already here!

True, but it is the main book, so maybe he tried extra hard to keep it under control.

I saw a devil rat!

Yeah, but a lot of troll players would probably take exception to a sudden "your character is nearly three feet shorter now" mandate. Of course, it would solve all of the necessary suspension of disbelief with regard to trolls being able to intermingle with and live in normal society. When you're a generally demonized metarace that's a pretty small minority in any given census count, and you're 50% taller than anyone else, you're probably going to have problems driving cars or using elevators.

Maybe the troll is, like 14 years old? At least there's an elf ninja, (a hot lesbian nympho, no doubt) some SR traditions never change.

Also I notice that the dwarf is wearing wraparound glasses. VR gear, maybe?

The Troll in that PDF looks to me to be in the 2.5+ range. He even seems to be stooping a bit to get that low.

EDIT: The crouching even makes sense there since he's too tall to see in that hatch (cargo dock door?) properly. So it's not just a matter of him trying to avoid drawing a tall character.

Something about those figures... One or two of them look familiar, like I've seen them before. It might just be that Zug's art is distictive, but sometimes you see an artist use the same characters over several sourcebooks. I think I've seen that Troll Mage and Elf Ninja before, and not as generics or archetypes.

Anyone noticed how reminiscent the new cover is of the original SR1/2 cover? Seems like Zug giving a nod to SR's heritage to me, although I suppose it *could* be coincidence.

In the back of CC the mage is the dwarf (he's the only one not buying guns), also I think that's a Prescott.

I noticed right off that it was similiar to SR1/2's cover. I can't see how it's a coincidence. I think it's a deliberate nod to the past.

May indicate the direction of the game.

Whereas the first two were lower-level, SR3 was higher level.

So does this mean SR4 is lower-level again?

I believe Halrequin's Back was a 2nd ed. book. Not so much lower level. But I guess, generally, I see your point, although I think the level the game is at is due to the published adventures, not the rulebooks really.

If you want your charecter to start lower, give them less points to use on creation or if you use priority, adjust the values. SR has always put the power level of the setting firmly in the hand of the GM.

Well, I mainly was speaking from my own experience. We started out with a 100 point build, no more than 5 edge/flaw points, and no equipment with an availability over 3. Even with a twinkmeister, they were pretty low level charecters. After playing my vamp. slayer Ender for about 2 years, he was as powerful as anything I've ever wanted to play so I retired him. We started out with Food Fight and ended up in a high level IE/GD-SR/ED metaplot influenced campaign. We went through most of the 2nd ed. adventures and all of the 3rd ed. adventures (except Survival of the Fittest) along the way.

I just never understood the complaints about "street vs. high" level. Not that I can't see the appeal of either or all "levels," I just don't see where the debate comes from. I've always found SR 3rd ed. to be very compatable with both.

Well, I'll have to take all yalls word for it. It seems to be something that afflicts most people's game. We just never had that problem. Maybe we're an anomally.

If you put the cover for SR4 on the left and the cover for SR1/2 on the right, then it looks like you have two teams of runners breaking into the same facility from opposite sides. I wonder what's inside?

I have to say that I definitely prefer Elmore's cover.