[adimar]

Hi All, I have an economy question.
How does availability of legal items come into being. (no talking about papa supply and mama demand meeting and 9 month later.... )
If no special circumstances exist than if an item is in demand (at a quoted price) than it will be manufactured and sold the demanding public. i.e. if i want a television (legal one, I'll get to stolen goods later.) there is no need to go to the black market and acquire one I just go to the local radio shack.
The only a couple of cases where actual availability might come into being is:
1) Extreme shortages that can not be supplied (dew to lack of raw materials etc). Normally this would lead to spiking prices but the government might mandate a fixed price and limit consumption by some rationing system there by establishing a black market scene. (WW Britain comes to mind).
2) In a state planned economy (like the soviet union) where the system isn't capable of coping with shifts in demand.
3) Items that are so "high end" that their very shortage makes them desirable. Super high end sport cars come to mind. these are produced by hand not because technology can't produce the quality but because their availability is kept "artificially" low.

Lets look at a piece of cyberware. Skill wires for example, it's completely legal but acquiring one with a high rating is very problematic. If I want a skill wires system I should be able to just go the local Cyborgs R Us outlet and get it installed, If this is a low demand system that they don't keep in stock than I might have to order one up (paying in advance), waiting for the system to arrive and that getting it installed.
There shouldn't be any AVAILABILITY where even if the desired item is legal and I have the money to pay for it. I still can't buy it.
If I'm willing to go black markets than illegally acquired items are actually sold at a cheaper price.

Adi

P.S. I know I'm luckier than 90% of the world's population having been born into a western society middle class family. (10x mom & dad)

[FastJack]

If an item lists an Availability rating, that means it's a Controlled Item/Substance, meaning that detailed records are kept of those that purchase it. Yes, you could go to the mall and get Skill Wires installed. But then you are on a list that you bought them and had them installed. And since you're going through legitimate channels, they are going to want a SIN, which means you better have a really good fake SIN if you don't want them to know it's you.

[adimar]

Yes, you could go to the mall and get Skill Wires installed.... But then you are on a list that you bought them and had them installed.

For the vast majority of the equipment this is not a problem.
I Especially liked  the fluff piece in one of the shadowrun products talking about a wage slave getting a sleep regulator (10K NY/Av 8 ) so he could stay up all night and play rpgs (talk about wish list items )

And since you're going through legitimate channels, they are going to want a SIN, which means you better have a really good fake SIN if you don't want them to know it's you.

Or I could just give them my real SIN. (If it's not hot).
The SINner (regular not criminal) should be a 5 point advantage not a 5 point disadvantage.

Adi

[flatlyne2001]

The SINner (regular not criminal) should be a 5 point advantage not a 5 point disadvantage.
Adi
[/quote]

Oh no it shouldn't it is a big disadvantage, the minute you leave any trace of you(fingerprint/blood/skin/hair) they can tie it to you since you are on record.

That in my opinion is NOT an advantage

[Tsuzua]

I've never really liked the 4th edition availability rules.  It seems getting nearly anything a huge pain in the neck in a "time to buy a car, gotta take a 3 weeks vacation" sort of way, while at the same time making it so only faces can get stuff.  I do like SR4M's contacts can just find stuff for you at a modest fee roughly once a week rules in that regard which is honestly just a hack over the entire thing.

There's also the fact that if you play sufficiently grimdark, Shadowrun actually isn't a captialist society at all, but rather a feudal society with assault rifles. 

As for the SINner quality, it can be an advantage, disadvantage, or a wash entirely based on how the GM approaches the world.  If the GM has a world where everyone actually focuses on solving crimes and stopping criminals then having a SIN is bad news.  However not having a SIN only buys you a little more time if that since they'll just make you a criminal SIN and fill in the details as they find them.  Either way, they'll be able to put two and two together and you'll need fake SINs regardless.

If the GM isn't as strict when it comes to evidence, yeah having the SINner quality is a free 5 points.  Considering the joke that is negative qualities in general, 5 free points from SINner isn't that bad.

[Cass100199]

If the GM isn't as strict when it comes to evidence

"So who picked up all their shell casings? That's what I thought. Role for initiative."

[flatlyne2001]

"So who picked up all their shell casings? That's what I thought. Role for initiative."

Doesn't everyone wear gloves when they load their guns?

[Medicineman]

If the GM isn't as strict when it comes to evidence

"So who picked up all their shell casings? That's what I thought. Role for initiative."

Shell casings ?
what Shell casings ?
all my guns use caseless Ammo !
And btT
Availiability is for when You want to buy an Item Yourself.
If its legal my Chars order  it via matrix with a fake SIN
If its Illegal they pay their Fixer and thats it. No hassle with Avail anymore

hough
Medicineman

[Rockopolis]

There's also the fact that if you play sufficiently grimdark, Shadowrun actually isn't a captialist society at all, but rather a feudal society with assault rifles.

I like this.  +1.  And I may have a new direction for character creation.

It does seem strange to have availability in such a completely consumerist culture, but yeah, I can see it as how long it takes to make it fall off a truck.  Still seems odd that you can't use one of your lower quality SINs and burn it.

[CanRay]

If the GM isn't as strict when it comes to evidence

"So who picked up all their shell casings? That's what I thought. Role for initiative."

Caseless Ammo, lots of advantages.

Now, the question is:  Who has swapped out their barrels/ditched and replaced firearms?  Hey, look at that, all those 'Runs you made against the various corporations, all the security companies are actually owned by one Mega, and they DO share data between them.  Oops.

That's why I swear by AK-97s.  Cheap, replaceable.

[Rockopolis]

Alternatively, there's always incinediary arrows.  Or exploding bullets.

[Cass100199]

Caseless Ammo, lots of advantages.

Call me a cynic, but I just don' think brand new runners get easy and affordable access to all the new toys and bells and whistles.

[Medicineman]

Caseless Ammo, lots of advantages.

Call me a cynic, but I just don' think brand new runners get easy and affordable access to all the new toys and bells and whistles.

Caseless Guns are standard Weapons in SR4A,cynic !

HokaHey
Medicineman

[Critias]

Caseless Ammo, lots of advantages.

Call me a cynic, but I just don' think brand new runners get easy and affordable access to all the new toys and bells and whistles.

Caseless ammo's been the rule, not the exception, for several editions now.

[Cass100199]

Not in my games. 

If you don't make them work for it, then they won't appreciate it.