Shadowrun
Shadowrun General => The Secret History => Topic started by: firebug on <03-02-14/2128:59>
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I was answering another thread and I thought about this... I'm hoping they'll mention it in Data Trails, but until then it'd be cool to discuss, especially for anyone who plays a technomancer who's been Emerged for more than a year or two.
So, in 4th edition with the advent of the Wireless Matrix, technomancers started to appear. Similar abilities to the Otaku of yesteryear, but without requiring any augmentations, blah blah blah. Everyone knows how TMs are, they're "organic commlinks" or what-have-you, able to interact with the matrix totally on their own. Their brains just learn matrix protocols. They learned programs and called them complex forms, they could simulate skillsoft in their own bodies, and be a walking PAN with an untouchable master node.
But that changed entirely in 5th edition. The thing is, though... It's not like mechanical changes like going from "having a number of IPs" to the 'new' initiative system, or switching how mystic adepts gain power points. Those have small impact on the world or the characters, and are meta-concepts. Nobody in Shadowrun talks about an actual fight in terms of "initiative passes" and Adepts don't describe their powers as "costing .25 of a Power Point".
But all that shit from 4th edition happened. That is how the matrix was, and was specifically changed from that. Meaning nodes stopped being a thing, technomancers went from complex forms being "how they do anything at all" to "the specific weird stuff only they can do", they can't slave devices to their Living Persona anymore...
The TMs had to have actually experienced that, right? I mean, reworking the matrix would be for a TM what someone completely rebalancing all the mana in the world would be for magicians. Do you think it's intended that somehow none of the TMs remember being able to do stuff they can't do now, or that all the technomancers slowly "evolved" to fit the new matrix? Was there a period of minor-mayhem as all the TMs were disoriented and uncomfortable with their powers for a few weeks?
I don't think it can be just a retcon, since people know the matrix changed and will probably make reference to it. I mean, you can assume deckers (once they bought the new gear and got used to the new handle) were probably frustrated about having to learn how to crack again. The ones that didn't get "early access" anyways...
I like the idea of my character being kinda pissed that she had to get comfortable with her powers all over again because The Man decided to shake up the matrix, angry that now she can't slave anything to her now non-existant "bionode", the loss of which was probably a little traumatic, while at the same time just realizing that the new matrix is more "open" to the resonance, allowing her to do crazier stuff than she could before.
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Well, we know GOD hates Technomancers because they can't regulate them at all. At least with deckers they can restrict the sale of decks to help control deckers, and brick a deck.
What can they do to stop TM's? They can knock them out. But they can't do much else to stop them.
Technomancers can also subvert the Matrix in ways that the new protocols are definitely not suppose to let happen, ie Complex Forms.
I think it makes sense that the Deep Resonance doesn't give a damn about what GOD wants, and just wants to see the Matrix expand.
So I have this theory that the Deep Resonance, after becoming self aware, that it realized that its own being and cognition were tied to the size of the Matrix. It wants more devices connected to it, so that it can be "stronger" in whatever abstract sense that's suppose to mean. It was not happy with the rate at which metahumanity was using it (or maybe it needs metahumanity so wants more people online), so it tried to go out and add its own devices. It found some children that were able to commune with it. So it made the Otaku. This is where I start going all Plan 9 on you, but I think Dunkelzahn saw what the Deep Resonance was doing and decided to help it out, so helped orchestrate the events that led up to Crash 2.0. With the wireless Matrix the Deep Resonance was able to reach out to more living things more easily and thus technomancers and technocritters.
So now GOD reworked the entire Matrix to make it a safer and happier place, and restrict users. Deep Resonance isn't going to have any of that. It wants more users. So its probably not happy with the idea of restricting what people can do with the Matrix. Anyway, I'm just saying that the Resonance does what the Resonance wants. I don't think there is any logical way to explain it, other than a Technomancer just knows.
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...This is where I start going all Plan 9 on you...
As long as you don't start changing gender mid-conversation I'm sure you'll be able to keep things coherent.
So you prettymuch do believe that TMs did experience a change, and that the Resonance fought against it to keep technomancers existent. It'd make sense that a major part of the matrix rework was an attempt by the corps to disable TMs, which resulted in a lot of them losing footing and understanding, but since their connection to the Resonance wasn't weakened (because how could it be?) they were "supplied" with new information and abilities.
It certainly gives Clockwork some credit to be fearful of TMs if the Resonance is semi-sentient and could have its own agenda. I suppose it makes sense, in what TMs are capable of purely through the complex forms and echoes. Things like the E-sensing echo don't have any place in the matrix, and are purely a construct of the Resonance, after all.
I reiterate that I'd love a short story about how the transitional-period between 4e matrix and 5e matrix was experienced by them.
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I think the change of the matrix protocols on technos would be more like the sudden change in climates are when you go on vacation....
Up here in the Frozen North (and for work), I have gone from -80c to 57c in a little over 20 hours.... add in to that all the elevation changes and your body kinda goes into shock. You wonder around for the first few days and it is hard to concentrate...
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For the sake of an interesting reference, check out "Riding the Stream", starting on Unwired 133, for part of why I figure technomancers should be using their Fading attribute for Matrix actions (possibly along with Resonance at times - looking at it, using Fading attribute in place of Logic and Resonance in place of Intuition or Willpower for Matrix Actions seems absolutely perfect).
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My question for you, firebug, is 'why do you think this happened all at once'? As any individual in the tech industry can tell you - as any observer of the tech industry knows, and you're probably one of them - a protocol doesn't get accepted overnight. Negotiations occur, hardware gets upgraded, the entire stuff takes time. Six months, eight months, a year or so of distribution and seeping into the less-cutting-edge places.
I don't mean to sound like I think your question is silly; I don't think it is. But at the same time, you're talking about a non-fundamental change. This isn't the Matrix 3.0; it's more like Matrix 2.1. People are still able to access information and do most normal things with their commlinks, just as they used to, and so the underlying codebase that's carrying the majority of the load for the AI, E-Ghosts, and Technomancers is still doing the same work. However, certain security protocols have been significantly upgraded in order to keep closer track on individuals - which requires a certain amount of hardware to circumscribe, and thus decks return for the real hacker (as compared to the script kiddies of 4e).
The Deep Resonance/Dissonance (which all technomancers feel, one way or the other) exists in part as a direct result of The Code That Exists; by simple dint of using the Resonance, the technomancer starts to become 'in tune' with the new code. Recall that when Jackpoint's resident technomancer (can't remember her name now, dammit) took a look around GOD's test node, she took a little bit to get used to the feel of the place, but then for her it was essentially business as usual.
I might suggest playing out a mild discomfort ("These pants don't fit like they used to!!" level) for a few minutes at the start of each run for a few sessions, but by that time the character should have 'broken back in' to the code.
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I'm not sure I buy SR5 Matrix not being a major change.
To my mind, it very much is Matrix 3.0, seeing as it's described as a n almost complete redesign. I'll look through some books tomorrow, but to me at least the new Matrix is far, far more than just a few tightened security measures. How else do you explain the complete and utter lack of programs on even a top of the line commlink? How else do you explain the fact that agents are no longer ubiquitous amongst the population, or the fact that GOD suddenly got complete and utter visibility of the entire Matrix as we know it?
Like I said, I'll look through some books to see if I can reaffirm my impression of the redesign as it has been presented.
I too hope the new Matrix book details how the change was for technomancers.
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To respond to Wyrm:
It's not really that I think it changed overnight. But even over the course of a few months would have caused some discomfort I'd feel. I suppose it could be a minor change; it's seems major because I'm looking at it from the perspective of a shadowrun hacker. Still, the change from nodes to free-floating devices on a grid had to have been uncomfortable for TMs in some way. Nothing compared to the transition to wireless, but it definitely changed how people interacted with it. Keep in mind too, that to a being that's so bound the matrix, saying that wouldn't notice it because Joe Wageslave can still access YouTube fine is a bit dismissive. Things that seemed small to the populace would inevitably be more noticable to anyone in-tune with the Resonance.
For sure though, I wouldn't think a PC would start the game disoriented. Presumably they've been changing and adapting with the matrix. I just wonder what that period was like, and would love to see an official fiction describing it. Even the ones who weren't runners probably had some kind of apprehension when they heard the corps were going to alter the matrix; at least in a "I wonder how that will affect me?" sense if nothing else.
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It did change very rapidly after the incidents in Denver, though, per my memory Storm Front - they spent a bit of time getting everything in place, but the actual switchover was quite fast.
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RHat has it; read Storm Front beginning on page 156, specifically under the One Grid To Rule Them All heading...
It's pretty clear that with the exception of a very few select individuals (and presumably a whole host of engineers and work personnel), the switch from Matrix 2.0 to x.x was pretty sudden.
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the lead up to the change was a bit quick in my industrial opinion, a little over a year just seems a bit too quick for something that affects the entire world. I have seen industrial jobs on a single site take 5 years, and that is nothing as far reaching as the matrix....
But once all that new hardware was in place? almost a matter of flipping a switch...... (well, not really, but the entire change would have taken hours)
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Reaver
Consider that the events of the Matrix redesign
a) Is fictional (so likely protected by plot armor (TM)
b) Was undertaken by order of the Corporate Court and the big ten in unison agreement
c) Was mostly implemented secretly much to everyone's surprise
With this in mind, let's examine the text.
So I managed to hack de la Mar’s newest link and found some more interesting things. Looks like the new protocol is watched over by GOD, but every member of the Corporate Court had to agree to be part of the team. They are all playing nice with GOD, and they each will have their own grid along with a public grid and national grid for the countries that can afford one. The public grid will supposedly cover everywhere and, according to de la Mar, will even be accessible via satellite link from any point on the globe! This is huge. How has it not been made public yet? Especially since de la Mar is claiming it will be up on January 1st. 2075 is going to be an interesting year!
> Slamm-0!
Whispers started in DeeCee and Atlanta shortly after the last election results were finalized. NeoNET, MCT, and Ares all started holding some closed-door congressional meetings in late November on both sides of the border. MCT must have lost out early, but it looks like Ares in the CAS and NeoNET in the UCAS have been sticking around. If there is some new Matrix contract coming around, these two are doing the heavy lifting. Yes. Ares. Not sure how that will work, but they are looking to get firmly entrenched with their new American patrons.
> Kay St. Irregular
So, we know that the planning began after "last election results were finalized". Unfortunately, it doesn't mention which elections specifically, but we can infer that since DC and Atlanta are mentioned, he's talking about presidential elections. The above from Slamm-O! also makes it pretty clear that most people would have been in the dark about the coming change.
Let's switch to another book for reference.
November 8—UCAS: Incumbant Angela Colloton (R) is elected president.
November 8—CAS: Ramsay McMalkin of the Technocrat party wins the CAS presidential election.
So, we know that at some point on or after November 8th, 2072 is likely when the planning started. And if we go back to Storm Front, we can find that Danielle de la Mar announced the new Matrix launch on December 1st, 2074. That's two years of planning, research and development, and implementation.
Must have been one hell of a security nightmare to manage the thousands of workers. But then again, all of these events take place in the somewhat dystopian 2070's, where corporate wageslaves likely wouldn't bat an eyelash at "upgrading a node here and a node there". Let's face it, if this was executed correctly, the number of people who knew what this REALLY was could have been contained, as is likely to have been the case given the response from the shadowtalkers.
Makes sense to me, at least.
Oh, and Firebug, here's Netcat's description of how the new Matrix affected her personally:
I’m talking about this against my own good judgment because I hate feeding Clockwork and the rest of the technophobes, but I think everyone else could use the data. First off the place feels a little weird to me. Can’t really express the concept in any other way and can’t really describe it further. Sorry. Secondly, the reason none of you are able to access it with your programs and your links is because the whole place is running on new protocols that allow only limited connectibility [SIC] from current commlinks. They changed all the security protocols to block every program we currently have to scramble, sleaze, decipher, and generally wreak havoc on their systems. For all of you this means you are going to need to start putting together new programs. For me it meant I just needed to spend a little time getting to know the new system and then generate a little coding on the fly. I did this a little at a time over the course of a week with a little trial and error. I got the coding right and I even managed to access the new grid and analyze the agent in the accessible node. The agent isn’t even an agent—it’s a piece of IC. I wasn’t successfully running programs for more than 30 seconds before that agent changed its tune and politely asked me to leave. I figured I was in trouble, but I tried to push it a little further. The IC didn’t do a thing, but within another few seconds another icon appeared in the node. It was an angel—I think Michael, flaming sword and all. He didn’t ask me to leave or say anything else. He just looked at me and shook his head. Next thing I knew I woke up with a pounding headache, a bloody nose, and Slamm-0! waving smelling salts under my nose saying we had to go. Whatever the icon was (my guess is a hacker from GOD), it tracked my position at the same time it gave me the boot. Luckily Slamm-0! was in good with the desk clerk at our bolt hole, and we were warned in time to get us clear. Got a quick look and the goons were KE, local Seattle cops. Looks like coordination is part of the new plan.
> Netcat
Cheers
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OK, 2 plus years I can see.
It would be sloppy work, but it would get you up and running, then do the "cleaning" after.
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Neat, so it seems like for Netcat the transition only took her about a week to really get used to and there wasn't really any disorientation-- Though she did mention that none of the old programs worked. Since she was still testing something before it'd been fully changed though, I think it'd probably take more effort (not a lot, but some) when it was implemented across the whole world over the course of a month (judging by the claim that it would be launched December 1st and up on January 1st) at most.
Whether or not the whole matrix changing would be more rattling to a TM than just them entering a node that is essentially a piece of the new matrix squared off from the rest is in the air. I could very much see it not mattering, since if you get used to the new global protocols in one place, you're used to them everywhere (that's kinda the point), but once it becomes global, I could see that making the Resonance itself then react to it.
OK, 2 plus years I can see.
It would be sloppy work, but it would get you up and running, then do the "cleaning" after.
Maybe not too sloppy. I mean with the eradication of untrained labor in the sixth world and the prevalence of drones, the corps could have seriously cut down the time it takes to get stuff done. I'm not an expert on anything like that though so... Just speculating.
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I actually just noticed that further on in her press conference, de la Mar stated that "By April 1st, 2075, this new measure of security will be offered by nations and citystates around the world." She also states that "The worldwide public grid is available now to anyone who downloads the new protocols." Presumably, then, existing hardware is somewhat compatible with the new tech; end users would merely have to "update" their commlinks, I imagine in a fashion similar to how your smartphone upgrades it's own OS when a system update is made available by the carrier. However, FastJack states that he had to cobble together old pieces of tech (essentially building a deck) in order to hack the new "nodes", if we can call them that.
There's also rumors in Conspiracy Theories that Dodger helped develop the new protocols, or was at least approached to do so by an unknown entity/megacorp, in exchange for assistance locating Maegera (or however you spell it's/her name...).
And while I wouldn't necessarily agree with the "sloppy" part due to the time of implementation, Reaver (remember that they could have been, and most likely were from references to de la Mar being involved in R&D before 2074), I will agree that they didn't succeed in their vision to entirely secure the Matrix. Obviously :D
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First off, all work on an industrial site is "Skilled". The only unskilled are the guys emptying the trash in the trailers and other janitorial duties (but different from janitors, who are skilled).
Drones would help a lot depending on just how indepth the actual knowledge and training is for a skillsoft (I would imagine it would be pretty extensive)
a "Dirty" setup is a bit of misnomer. Its more of a construction term. Basically the operation will work just fine, but it is not a finished product. They are usually lacking is safety features (like railings, skirts, covers, etc), and you have hanging cables and wires, H-VAC is not enclosed, steel is uncovered, cement is untreated.
The only time you build like this is when you need to get something up and running quickly (so the mining sector is famous for this), then you go back in and "clean" the site while it's in production. (this means putting those employee safety devices in place, guarding and protecting cables and wires, dressing steel and concrete, etc). In the long run a dirty build takes longer and actually costs more, but you are producing revenue to offset the extra expenses (you hope).
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Big difference between a redesign of the matrix (which for all intents and purposes could have been an entirely virtual undertaking for all we know) and a construction site/HVAC install as I see it.
The only real clue, at least as far as I can tell, we have that any sort of physical labor had to be done is Orbital DKs mentions of maintenance workers and wired connections from Storm Front.
Let me be the first to pop up here and tell everyone that this is real. New protocols are being established for the pre-existing wireless Matrix, and these things will have a massive impact on our lives. From what I can tell the rollout for the new protocols has already started. I took a look at some of the orbital weapons platforms that had been shut down after the breach and they all look like they are back online now. I highlight the word “look” because I’ve been doing my assessments of them through a telescope and a vision magnification systems. I can’t find any sort of node for them, but they have been doing daily run-ups and I have seen maintenance staff out doing diagnostics with—get this—wired connections.
> Orbital DK
Quick update: I figured out what the wired connections were for and from what I can tell they were using the wired systems to upload the new wireless protocols. I’ve got nodes now, or at least I think they’re nodes. I have zero connectivity to them with my commlink. I can see them but have been completely unable to access them.
> Orbital DK
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the matrix doesn't exist in a vacuum and there has to be supportive hardware somewhere.
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Hehe, it does if it's on an orbital platform! :D
But yes, there is hardware, of course there is. That being said, there's very little evidence that physical work was even needed; as mentioned, the only reference I can find is Orbital DKs statements from Storm Front.
Since we don't know the physical hardware that "is" the Matrix, nor how these new protocols were implemented, any reference to modern day upgrades is moot; at this point, we're both just speculating wildly, really, and either of us could be more or less accurate.
2 years to develop and implement a global software update on the infrastructure owned by the Big 10 (and probably every subsidiary and supporter of the Corporate Court, and any corp with CEOs/Board of Directors that dream of becoming a member) would have worked towards this together; this represents a significant and concentrated effort as far as I am concerned. I don't think it needs to be sloppy work at all, though their goals to secure the Matrix were, as I stated earlier, largely ineffective.
To my mind, the Matrix revamp reads like the various DRM implementations that have been attempted in the modern day. How many times have we read that "We're releasing Software X with a completely unbeatable DRM system!" in a company press statement, and one day before official release the pirated version is out there?
That's what happened to my mind, which is ironic since GOD pretty much allowed the best hackers in the world to beta test their new system...
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That's what happened to my mind, which is ironic since GOD pretty much allowed the best hackers in the world to beta test their new system...
Maybe they were secretly hoping for another Dodger-style awakening of whatever passes for the SK's and other systems in there......
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@martin
You are right, of course, it is just wild speculation on my part (guess it comes from doing this actual type of work for a living fro telecomm companies, so I have an idea of just what is required. Of course we have no real idea just what matrix hardware servers, and operational support would look like, which makes my personal knowledge moot)
As to the new matrix protocols. I think it comes from watching 10 year corp kiddies make a mess of matrix with very little know how and a few programs that made the Corps wake up and see the huge holes there was in the matrix 2.0. From there, they do what every corporation in history has ever done. They knee jerked into a "solution" that is no solution at all.
But, probably DID cut down on matrix vandalism caused by bored Corp kiddies. (Good Job!)
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Yeah the whole "corp kiddies" thing sounds like PR spin to me. The corps wanted to make the matrix a tougher nut to crack, but they also wanted to be able to still break into their opponents' databases, etc. It's a double-edged sword, and the fact that GOD somehow managed to get a degree of autonomy makes me wonder if there wasn't something else going on as well. It sure sounds like De La Mar came from nowhere and forced all the pieces into place. It's a miracle that it works, but someone should do some serious vetting of De La Mar.
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I don't know if it is PR or not.... The matrix 2.0 proved to be vulnerable to a wide range of simple programs (well, not so simple) and some very basic hardware (a cheap commlink)
Honestly, when you look at matrix crime in it's entirety, I'd be willing to bet that less then 5% was caused by "shadowrunners", and a very large part of it caused by the syndicates. But the most obvious matrix crime would be the those that the everyday citizen sees, matrix gangs, AR graffiti, and all the rest. You don't waste billions of dollars to stop 5% of the crime, you spend that amount of money to start the majority of crime. In this case the syndicates and the obvious crimes that people see (the graffiti and the matrix gangs).
A police officer once told me: "Locks and bars only keep honest people honest. A criminal will always find a way to commit a crime no matter what you have in place"
If that's true, then even the Corps realize that the new matrix won't stop ALL the matrix crime, but it separates the men from the boys.
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Very true, Reaver. Especially what your police officer told you. I've actually heard a variation of that from Texas, where I was raised. It went something like this: "The electric chair keeps everyone honest." :P
Kidding of course, but what you said and how it's applied to Matrix 2.1 (that's what I'm calling this version) is very appropriate. It definitely fixed a lot of the problems with Matrix 2.0 by making things a lot harder without sacrificing too much of the power and portability of Matrix 2.0. The corps have a weird interest in doing this kind of thing though - they want to make it harder for people to get their secrets, but they want to make it easier to get the secrets of their rivals.
But I don't know how much damage was being done by the corp kiddies, matrix gangs, etc. Ultimately, it's almost all just AR damage, which should be reset or rebuilt pretty easily with a reload of the software or device. I'd say that they wanted to stop the syndicates, as you said, but mostly because the corps can't control them. Shadowrunners are an asset to corps, whereas the syndicates are not.
I still think the almost meteoric rise of De La Mar is strange. Does anyone know of any text that points to her background at all?
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Jet Set, page 7 to start.
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I still think the almost meteoric rise of De La Mar is strange. Does anyone know of any text that points to her background at all?
Fiancheto mentioned once that De La Mar is basically one of the "useful idiots" that the Man can use to get things done. The way I see it, De La Mar was crusading for more secure matrix because she really believed that this was the right thing to do. And powers-that-be backed her up because it suited their intrests.
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Which makes me wonder why they haven't disposed of her since. Which of course, makes me wonder what kind of leverage she has over the megas to make them play nice. The Corporate Court rarely does things quickly, Matrix 2.1 being one of them. I suppose she wouldn't need leverage over all of the megas, just over the right person at the right place at the right time.
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Or they still want a poster child around to push other bits through down the road if and when needed.
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Yeah the whole "corp kiddies" thing sounds like PR spin to me. The corps wanted to make the matrix a tougher nut to crack, but they also wanted to be able to still break into their opponents' databases, etc. It's a double-edged sword, and the fact that GOD somehow managed to get a degree of autonomy makes me wonder if there wasn't something else going on as well. It sure sounds like De La Mar came from nowhere and forced all the pieces into place. It's a miracle that it works, but someone should do some serious vetting of De La Mar.
This, so much. There's no way the corps would make the matrix 100% secure, because they still use it (often through syndicates like the Mafia or the Yakuza, or through runners) to attack and sabotage their rivals. And leaving themselves open to the same is one of those, what's the phrase... "Projected losses"? They're willing to risk losing a little if it means they can make everyone else lose more; they just need to stay ahead of the game.
It's like how Lone Star doesn't want to actually stop crime. They wouldn't get paid anymore if that happened. But they need it to appear as if they're effective.
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Which makes me wonder why they haven't disposed of her since. Which of course, makes me wonder what kind of leverage she has over the megas to make them play nice. The Corporate Court rarely does things quickly, Matrix 2.1 being one of them. I suppose she wouldn't need leverage over all of the megas, just over the right person at the right place at the right time.
And why would they even bother to dispose of her? She was just a face they used, probably didn't knew anything, at least nothing important enough to put out a hit on one of the jet-setters (that's the term?). And even if she did, the changes made in the matrix weren't exactly illegal (I think).
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And why would they even bother to dispose of her? She was just a face they used, probably didn't knew anything, at least nothing important enough to put out a hit on one of the jet-setters (that's the term?). And even if she did, the changes made in the matrix weren't exactly illegal (I think).
Legality changes meaning in a setting like shadowrun where it's the amoral and greedy who are writing laws to benefit themselves. I think that she has rocketed to a position of power and importance, but it's something that the corps must have decided could be beneficial because she'd have shown up dead (or conveniently discredited) and the matrix overhaul never gone through if the megacorps thought they stood more to loose than gain.
I just hope that we hear more about technomancers - and they go from "clearly the worst archetype in the game" to "almost able to be as strong or useful as any of the other archetypes" once the matrix book is released. Since dissonant technomancers were released as part of the setting in 4E, I felt they were vastly underutilized - particularly if the general public is supposed to live in terror of them. That they were basically only mentioned in the matrix book was something I thought a disappointing failure to tap a great story possibility. I was honestly expecting a matrix overhaul, especially when 5E was announced and there were hints that how the matrix ran (crunch-wise anyway), but I was hoping so much that it would be a response to a cataclysmic dissonant technomancer threat like the last Matrix Crash was caused by Deus. Instead it felt like it was a thinly-supported change that really didn't make the setting feel any different from how it was before.
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Since dissonant technomancers were released as part of the setting in 4E, I felt they were vastly underutilized - particularly if the general public is supposed to live in terror of them.
I know, right? They're pretty much the evil GM's best friend.
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I used a group of dissonants in 5th edition recently. Basically I said that they were in a compound that ran on devices that never received the Matrix 2.1 protocols. So they couldn't communicate outside their compound, and thus were cut off from the Resonance. They'd been spending the last several years trying to get back, which involved acts of murder, kidnapping, and theft.
I'm hoping Data Trails comes out right on the heals of Run & Gun, but I have a feeling there's a LOT more content in Data Trails that will need testing and such.
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Slightly off-topic: are technomancers still being (illegally and brutally) experimented on in 2075?
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Slightly off-topic: are technomancers still being (illegally and brutally) experimented on in 2075?
Probably. Nothing publicly has come out in 2075, but that's mostly because there isn't a lot of fluff for 5th edition yet. However, I wouldn't be a bit surprised if someone somewhere (cough cough Celedyr) is working on technomancers against their will.
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Slightly off-topic: are technomancers still being (illegally and brutally) experimented on in 2075?
Sadly. based on the fluff all through 4e, It seems that a couple of Corps are still into the whole "vivisection thing" on Technos....
They just keep it VERY quiet.
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I think rumors about that kind of thing are one of the reasons why TMs in the shadows try to keep their powers a secret, for fear of being sold to MCT and the like.
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I really think it Is because of back ground elements like this, that players should get some ground rules established at their table before character are made.
I personally dislike technomancers... But I acknowledge that is personal, and that they are valid character, and that others love them.
And that seems to be the popular swing. People either love or hate them. which can lead to issues due to the established back ground for technos in general SR history.
my personal opinion is that this history for technomancers should never touch the table or the game that is run at that table. It's a can of worms that should be left to the fiction of the World setting.