Logs for ShadowRN and Associated Mailing Lists

From:	Alexander Shearer <alex@******.NOSC.MIL>
Subject:	Decking and magic (not connected, per se...)
Date:	Sat, 2 Apr 1994 14:33:40 -0800

Message no. 1 Just wondering...how many people out there have deckers/decking
as a major part in their adventures? We've only done it a couple of
times, and it turned out very badly. That's okay, because (going to
the second part of the post) we like magic a lot. In fact, on most
of our runs, Mages and Shamans form the majority of the group, with
maybe a Samurai along for the ride. What are the numbers like in
your groups? What kind of proportions? Anyone play riggers?

From:	Gian-Paolo Musumeci <musumeci@***.LIS.UIUC.EDU>
Subject:	Re: Decking and magic (not connected, per se...)
Date:	Sat, 2 Apr 1994 18:20:58 -0600

Message no. 2 My current char is a rigger. Fun character. Yellowjackets rock. =-) I need
the money to buy an EFA Fighter...Steve (my GM), you want to have my char
chance across a 20mil certified credstick lying in the street? ;-)

From:	Jai Tao <jdfalk@****.COM>
Subject:	Re: Decking and magic (not connected, per se...)
Date:	Sat, 2 Apr 1994 21:27:28 -0500

Message no. 3 On Sat, 2 Apr 1994, Alexander Shearer wrote:

> Just wondering...how many people out there have deckers/decking
> as a major part in their adventures? We've only done it a couple of
> times, and it turned out very badly. That's okay, because (going to
> the second part of the post) we like magic a lot. In fact, on most
> of our runs, Mages and Shamans form the majority of the group, with
> maybe a Samurai along for the ride. What are the numbers like in
> your groups? What kind of proportions? Anyone play riggers?

I very often play a decker...the only problem with it is that the
other players get bored, so actual matrix time is kept to a minimum.

From:	Matt <mosbun@******.CC.PURDUE.EDU>
Subject:	Re: Decking and magic (not connected, per se...)
Date:	Sat, 2 Apr 1994 21:32:53 -0500

Message no. 4 This comes to my one and only major, MAJOR complaint about Shadowrun- the
Matrix. It takes WAY too much time, comsidering the fact that the decker is
playing a sort of mini-adventure of his own.
With simple info-gathering, it's no sweat. Use the quick system, but for
major matrix jobs, the quick system, IMHO, doesn't cut it. Not detailed enough.

My solution? It may be a bit odd, but it's worked. In the group I ran and
ran in (Another guy and myself traded off being GM- when one was tired of it
the other took over) the decker was always an NPC. The GM decided how much of
what info the decker got, how the decker did in that security cluster, or
whatever, and it didn't take much time at all.
It's not the best of solutions, but our group can't meet often, and when we
do, we can't afford to spend an hour or two on a relatively minor point to the
overall run. With this, we still use deckers- heavily. But it doesn't eat
time.

Matt

From:	Necromancer <shilberg@********.UNI.UIUC.EDU>
Subject:	Re: Decking and magic (not connected, per se...)
Date:	Sat, 2 Apr 1994 22:21:08 -0600

Message no. 5 Uh, yeah. Sure, GP. And how about a UCAS Air Force surplus B-2 while you're
at it?

In the campaign I am running right now, I have a former Russian special ops
razorgirl, a Japanese Cat shaman <whatever>, a former UCAS Army physad, GP's
former K-E rigger, a freelance reporter, another razorgirl, and a former CAS
special ps guy that will be introduced shortly. I used to have a mage too,
but I kicked his ass outta there for being a general pain in the butt to
everyone else.

-------------
Steve Hilberg <shilberg@********.uni.uiuc.edu>
aka Jarred Wellsley <Necromancer>
aka Phaeros Lostchilde <Archlich of the Dark Order, High Necromancer
of Zalanthas>
Play Armageddon <studsys.mscs.mu.edu 4444>!

Message no. 6 I'll take the B2. You offering it?

From:	Gian-Paolo Musumeci <musumeci@***.LIS.UIUC.EDU>
Subject:	Re: Decking and magic (not connected, per se...)
Date:	Sat, 2 Apr 1994 22:55:49 -0600

From:	Timothy Skirvin <tskirvin@********.UNI.UIUC.EDU>
Subject:	Re: Decking and magic (not connected, per se...)
Date:	Sun, 3 Apr 1994 21:47:36 -0500

Message no. 7 Alright. He MENTIONED ME AGAIN. FLAME WAR!!!

NE> razorgirl, a Japanese Cat shaman <whatever>, a former UCAS Army
NE> physad, GP's

It's not a cat, apparently. That's part of the reason I was kicked out,
I was annoyed by the lack of rules that were being followed.

And so I got mad, and argued. And argued. Steve had no real rationale
in kicking me out, he just killed my character off *snap* stupidly. I was more
than willing to just leave, but for some reason he just had to kill the charac-
ter off too...

NE> special ps guy that will be introduced shortly. I used to have a
NE> mage too, but I kicked his ass outta there for being a general
NE> pain in the butt to everyone else.

Being a pain in the butt apparently means asking that the rules can
exist a little. He started changing fundamentals without telling me. Also,i
it means that I want my character to be allowed to role-play...he messed up my
sister for some reason, and wouldn't let her be the buddy I payed for and revol-
ved my character around. Yes, my sister is charging 5k=Y= for a quick check...

Oh well. I'm out now, and I'm not returning to that particular game.
Unfortunately, I think that by his actions I was completely kicked out of the
group for all time...oh well. I'm annoyed at that one for sure.

----------------------- "Well, you see, they took the Bible literally.
Tim Skirvin Adam and Eve, the snake and the apple...took
(tskirvin@ it word for word. Unfortunately, their
superdec.uni.uiuc.edu) version had a misprint."
----------------------- - Rimmer, Red Dwarf (The Last Day)

From:	Joe Bay <bay@*******.RUTGERS.EDU>
Subject:	Re: Decking and magic (not connected, per se...)
Date:	Mon, 4 Apr 1994 00:36:18 EDT

Message no. 8 Or, you could run the parts at separate times. Preliminary decking starts
(and ends) before the non-deckers are set up. Another thing to do is to run
the decking stuff over talk or ntalk on the internet...at any time. Of
course, this doesn't work in the middle of a game.

Another solution is to have an "Assistant Keeper" to handle Matrix stuff, as
well as a couple of NPC's perhaps.

Joe
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From:	Joe Bay <bay@*******.RUTGERS.EDU>
Subject:	Re: Decking and magic (not connected, per se...)
Date:	Mon, 4 Apr 1994 01:03:28 EDT

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Alright. He MENTIONED ME AGAIN. FLAME WAR!!!

Oh great . . .

And so I got mad, and argued. And argued. Steve had no real rationale
in kicking me out, he just killed my character off *snap* stupidly. I was more
than willing to just leave, but for some reason he just had to kill the charac-
ter off too...

ANYway . . . you obviously mistake this list with a forum that CARES.

----------------------- - Rimmer, Red Dwarf (The Last Day)
^^^^^^
Yum!
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
FBI-CIA-KGB-NSA-BCCI-DIA-DEA-FEMA-KKK-FOIA-CONTRA-TRILAT-BATF-INS-IRS-MI5
MICHAEL JACKSON-CJE-5-NAMBLA-JFK-RFK-MLK-MKULTRA-COINTELPRO-ILLUMINATI-P2
THC Cill my landlord IA-YOG-CFR-ADL-BLUEBIRD-OSS-ONI-SOE-BIS-MOSSAD-SKUL
CIA Cill my landlord SOTHOTH-LIES-ARTICHOKE-OTO-NSA-BILDERBERGER-40 CTTE
FIST Cill my landlord SHOGGOTHS-NOAMCHOMSKY-SDI-INSLAW-TESLA-LAROUCHE-TSS
HI, I'M SATAN-ENJOY THE FILM-JIM JONES-GURDJIEFF-ABSWEHR-T.4-WACO-CROWLEY
HERE I GO-VROOM-HAUNTING TORGO THEME-RHIC/EDOM-PANDORA-CAN-ENIGMA-BEARDEN
PROZAC-SPETZNAZ-SS-MASONS-ODESSA-TAVISTOCK-WFMH-REUCHELIN-EUGENICS-OCCULT
CRYSTAL-METH-AMPHETAMINE-DO MY BIDDING-KLIMT-TENTACLE-UFO-CLIPPER CHIP-AI
-------------------------------------------------------------------------

From:	Timothy Skirvin <tskirvin@********.UNI.UIUC.EDU>
Subject:	Re: Decking and magic (not connected, per se...)
Date:	Mon, 4 Apr 1994 07:45:55 -0500

Message no. 10 I don't care if you care or not. I just respond anyway. I consider it
my job, against everyone's will usually.

Argh. I hate it when our lab person screws up EVERYTHING.

----------------------- "Well, you see, they took the Bible literally.
Tim Skirvin Adam and Eve, the snake and the apple...took
(tskirvin@ it word for word. Unfortunately, their
superdec.uni.uiuc.edu) version had a misprint."
----------------------- - Rimmer, Red Dwarf (The Last Day)

From:	Killian@***.EDU
Subject:	Re: Decking and magic (not connected, per se...)
Date:	Mon, 4 Apr 1994 18:16:56 EDT

Message no. 11 >
> Just wondering...how many people out there have deckers/decking
> as a major part in their adventures? We've only done it a couple of

We only did one actuall campaign where the decker was highlighted...
"Maria Mercurial" (spelling...?) That was a pain in the ass!!! (excuse
my american... :) )

> times, and it turned out very badly. That's okay, because (going to
> the second part of the post) we like magic a lot. In fact, on most
> of our runs, Mages and Shamans form the majority of the group, with
> maybe a Samurai along for the ride. What are the numbers like in
> your groups? What kind of proportions? Anyone play riggers?
>

I too _love_ magic in the shadowrun world, but the way we play, mages or
magical beings such as adepts are not too common in the shadowrun world so
our GM's has limmited the number of mages they allow in the game.
usually, we have either 1 mage, 1 shamen, and the rest of them mundanes,
or 1 mage (or shamen) 1 adept and the rest of them mundanes. we did
however have a campaign with 1 shamen (shark) and two physical adepts and
the rest of the charactors mundanes.

I have played a rigger, and he was cool. I like riggers almost as much as
I do magical beings. all i did was send in one drone with the party while
I was safe in my limo remotely operating the drone and never getting hurt.
however, when the drone gets damaged, repairing them can be _very_
expensive!!

Killian

From:	"Brian W. Allison" <bwa550s@***.SMSU.EDU>
Subject:	Re: Decking and magic (not connected, per se...)
Date:	Mon, 4 Apr 1994 19:17:05 -0500

Message no. 12 On Mon, 4 Apr 1994 Killian@***.EDU wrote:

> usually, we have either 1 mage, 1 shamen, and the rest of them mundanes,
> or 1 mage (or shamen) 1 adept and the rest of them mundanes. we did

Sheesh... last time I GM'ed we had a Bear, an Eagle Adept, a Mage! And we
only had 4 players.... Needless to say they weren't very good at just
physical fighting... Intiatives of 23, 8, 7, 5. *grin* (Yep, the 4th was
a Sam.)

From:	Koert Vynckier <kvynckir@***.VUB.AC.BE>
Subject:	Re: Decking and magic (not connected, per se...)
Date:	Tue, 5 Apr 1994 11:35:34 DST

Message no. 13 Wonder how many people are using decking as a part of the campaign ?
Well, I don't as it takes to much time for one person to do something, while
the others just have to sit around and wait.
So I let them make a decker character to become their NPC-decker, and I do the
decking stuff myself (at home) and decide what they can get out of it.
So nobody is bored for too long, maybe when the mages go astral, but still it is sort of
like scouting the real world, so they can get interesting info for the sammies. (Unless
nasty things happen, <grin>, <grin>.
Night Owl

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