We all know what criminals like our Shadowrunners use their cyberdecks and their criminal tendancies to do, right?

I guess we can also infer what legitimate work-related uses there are for such technology, because we interfere with it. Examples like datastores and such.


But what else is ASIST used for? I imagine that it's the best gaming technology ever, but how? Why? What do you think the non-criminal and non-drudgery uses for ASIST and the Matrix are?

We already know about BTLs and ordinary chips and decking, of course. But what else?


I mean, why would you slot a BTL, or even slot a full-X action-adventure chip where you're just passengering along on someone else's mind? Isen't there some way to make that adventure interactive and multi-user?

You know, like the FPSes of today, only truely first person?

I imagine that making Matrix-based hot-ASIST games would be a challenge, but a rewarding one. If you could somehow program the games to limit someone to their own personal physical abilities, by say ignoring any deck-based reaction Increase somehow, and ignoring any cyberware when computing someone's abilitys?

That woulden't be fair, naturally, but it would be a good challenge.

Another way to do it would be to try and limit everyone to a set ability set, like a videogame today. In the game, everyone appears as the same type of character, or it's a game of matched but differing abilities, but the game is designed for balance...

I dunno. Like, how would you do it? What kind of things along this line can you see? (And nobody need mention the sex. I'm sure we can all come up with endless things along that line of thought to do with ASIST technology, we needen't share the ideas here.)

Are you on something? ASIST use varies from gaming to sims (the answer to the movies of today) to telepresence.

[/edit] Perhaps a tad harsh. To answer your question, yes ASIST has uses outside of the criminal sphere. It makes possible the Matrix, which is like an internet you can live in. It allows you to experience sims, which is like a movie except you experience what the actor experiences. You can play games where you literally are the hero (very few of which are limited by your physical abilities, as far as I know). Plus, of course, you gain the wonders of telepresence, inhabiting drones, manipulating robots, and groovin' in Link clubs across the globe.

Okay, youch. Harsh, my man.


I *know* all that. What I'm saying is that, to my knowledge, there has never been anything written truely in-depth on the subject.


You say sim games, I say "What kind?" I say "Well, tell me about them. What kind of sim games do you see happening?" Etcetera.

"Dawn of Atlantis" was a leader in the fantasy RPG's, there was a paranatural animal first-shooter-type...aagh, that was all back in Target: Matrix.

Really? Hmmmhg. I'll have to try and find that, then...

Link clubs are in SOTA '63, I think.