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Message no. 1
From: "D. Ghost" <dghost@****.COM>
Subject: [SR3] Alphaware
Date: Sun, 13 Sep 1998 17:24:04 -0500
Alphaware is available at character creation in SR3 ... does that mean
that Alphaware is available in game as easily? (IOW, after the game
starts, do you still have to hunt down an alphagrade shadow clinic [see
page 99 of SSC] or are they fairly common now?)

D. Ghost
(aka Pixel, Tantrum, RuPixel)
o/` I traded my Flesh for a Fantasy and now my truck broke down, my wife
left me, and my dog died o/` -- Billy Idol, Jr. Rock Country Singer

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Message no. 2
From: Oliver McDonald <oliver@*********.COM>
Subject: Re: [SR3] Alphaware
Date: Sun, 13 Sep 1998 15:46:57 +0800
On Sun, 13 Sep 1998 17:24:04 -0500, D. Ghost wrote:

>Alphaware is available at character creation in SR3 ... does that mean
>that Alphaware is available in game as easily? (IOW, after the game
>starts, do you still have to hunt down an alphagrade shadow clinic [see
>page 99 of SSC] or are they fairly common now?)


I would say that that is up to the GM. Mine, for example, states that Alphaware is NOT
available at character creation...
Message no. 3
From: greg basa <demipop@**********.COM>
Subject: Re: [SR3] Alphaware
Date: Sun, 13 Sep 1998 19:24:36 -0400
>>Alphaware is available at character creation in SR3 ... does that mean
>>that Alphaware is available in game as easily? (IOW, after the game
>>starts, do you still have to hunt down an alphagrade shadow clinic [see
>>page 99 of SSC] or are they fairly common now?)
>
>
>I would say that that is up to the GM. Mine, for example, states that
Alphaware is NOT
>available at character creation...

Hm...that's funny, my group was already offering 'alphaware' in SR2, as all
it really is is cyberware with a 20% Essence reduction cost. That's a
really good roll on the operating table in SSC, but not as good as
alpha-grade. The 20% addition to the monetary cost is not only added on to
the cyberware itself, but also to the operating fees. I've allowed
alphaware, alpha-grade, and even beta-grade in character creation (and
occasionally delta, but only in special cases) (but man, do they have to pay
for it), as I don't really see the harm in it, as that doesn't necessarily
mean that the PC gets access to a shadowclinic.

But to answer the first question, I think that alphaware and alpha-grade
cyberware and clinics are now relatively easy to find, thanks to SOTA. It
was listed in the SR2C, I believe.

angelkiller's domain

http://www.mindspring.com/~demipop/AK404.html
Message no. 4
From: Adam J <adamj@*********.HTML.COM>
Subject: Re: [SR3] Alphaware
Date: Sun, 13 Sep 1998 18:07:03 -0600
At 17:24 9/13/98 -0500, D. Ghost wrote
>Alphaware is available at character creation in SR3 ... does that mean
>that Alphaware is available in game as easily? (IOW, after the game
>starts, do you still have to hunt down an alphagrade shadow clinic [see
>page 99 of SSC] or are they fairly common now?)

One would assume that something you found once could be found again.. :-)

And AFAIK, doesn't Alphaware have the same SI and availability, just a
pumped up cost?

-Adam J
If it's not in the mail on Monday.. or Tuesday.. or Wednesday.. or
Thursday.. or Friday, well, damnit, I'm buying it on Saturday.

-
< TSS Productions down - New URL Soon! / adamj@*********.html.com >
< ShadowRN Assistant Fearless Leader / TSA Co-Admin / ICQ# 2350330 >
< FreeRPG & Shadowrun Webring Co-Admin / The Shadowrun Supplemental >
< "Raven loves me! He just bought me a new rubber ducky!" - Lodi >
< TSS : ftp://thor.flashpt.com/pub/srun/ShadowrunSupplemental/pdf >
Message no. 5
From: "D. Ghost" <dghost@****.COM>
Subject: Re: [SR3] Alphaware
Date: Sun, 13 Sep 1998 20:55:36 -0500
On Sun, 13 Sep 1998 18:07:03 -0600 Adam J <adamj@*********.HTML.COM>
writes:
>At 17:24 9/13/98 -0500, D. Ghost wrote
>>Alphaware is available at character creation in SR3 ... does that mean
>>that Alphaware is available in game as easily? (IOW, after the game
>>starts, do you still have to hunt down an alphagrade shadow clinic [see
>>page 99 of SSC] or are they fairly common now?)

>One would assume that something you found once could be found again..
:-)
>
>And AFAIK, doesn't Alphaware have the same SI and availability, just a
>pumped up cost?
>
>-Adam J
<SNIP SIg>

Actually ... I can't find ANYthing on varying Availability/ Street Index
due to grade of the cyber ... (but yes, the SRCo said that due to SOTA,
alphaware now has the same cost and street index as standard cyber [as if
anywhere it was said that it, or beta & delta, had a *different*
svailability and Street Index ... or even that it should...)

D. Ghost
(aka Pixel, Tantrum, RuPixel)
o/` I traded my Flesh for a Fantasy and now my truck broke down, my wife
left me, and my dog died o/` -- Billy Idol, Jr. Rock Country Singer

_____________________________________________________________________
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Message no. 6
From: Gurth <gurth@******.NL>
Subject: Re: [SR3] Alphaware
Date: Mon, 14 Sep 1998 12:03:11 +0200
According to Adam J, at 18:07 on 13 Sep 98, the word on the street was...

> One would assume that something you found once could be found again.. :-)

Not necessarily. Who says the clinic will be in the same place the next
time you're looking for it? Ask K about Angel the street doc, for example.

> And AFAIK, doesn't Alphaware have the same SI and availability, just a
> pumped up cost?

It doesn't say in SR3, so you can assume it does. I don't really like that
idea, though, because it would mean every clinic (legal and otherwise)
would have their entire stock of cyberware in both normal and alpha
variants. I still see it as something that's a bit more difficult to find
than normal 'ware, so I'd give it a modifier to the Availability.

Although, as my game is set in 2050 right now, alphaware is only just
becoming available so I don't have to worry about it...

--
Gurth@******.nl - http://www.xs4all.nl/~gurth/index.html
On a wave of mutilation...
-> NERPS Project Leader * ShadowRN GridSec * Unofficial Shadowrun Guru <-
-> The Plastic Warriors Page: http://www.xs4all.nl/~gurth/plastic.html <-
-> The New Character Mortuary: http://www.electricferret.com/mortuary/ <-

GC3.1: GAT/! d-(dpu) s:- !a>? C+(++)@ U P L E? W(++) N o? K- w+ O V? PS+
PE Y PGP- t(+) 5++ X++ R+++>$ tv+(++) b++@ DI? D+ G(++) e h! !r(---) y?
Incubated into the First Church of the Sqooshy Ball, 21-05-1998
Message no. 7
From: Gurth <gurth@******.NL>
Subject: Re: [SR3] Alphaware
Date: Mon, 14 Sep 1998 12:03:11 +0200
According to D. Ghost, at 17:24 on 13 Sep 98, the word on the street was...

> Alphaware is available at character creation in SR3 ... does that mean
> that Alphaware is available in game as easily? (IOW, after the game
> starts, do you still have to hunt down an alphagrade shadow clinic [see
> page 99 of SSC] or are they fairly common now?)

SR3 doesn't mention this (it only talks about the reduced Essence cost and
increased nuyen price) but I'd give it something like a +2/x2 modifier to
Availability (and turning Always into 2/48 hrs or so).

--
Gurth@******.nl - http://www.xs4all.nl/~gurth/index.html
On a wave of mutilation...
-> NERPS Project Leader * ShadowRN GridSec * Unofficial Shadowrun Guru <-
-> The Plastic Warriors Page: http://www.xs4all.nl/~gurth/plastic.html <-
-> The New Character Mortuary: http://www.electricferret.com/mortuary/ <-

GC3.1: GAT/! d-(dpu) s:- !a>? C+(++)@ U P L E? W(++) N o? K- w+ O V? PS+
PE Y PGP- t(+) 5++ X++ R+++>$ tv+(++) b++@ DI? D+ G(++) e h! !r(---) y?
Incubated into the First Church of the Sqooshy Ball, 21-05-1998
Message no. 8
From: David Foster <fixer@*******.TLH.FL.US>
Subject: Re: [SR3] Alphaware
Date: Mon, 14 Sep 1998 07:46:59 -0400
On Sun, 13 Sep 1998, D. Ghost wrote:

->Alphaware is available at character creation in SR3 ... does that mean
->that Alphaware is available in game as easily? (IOW, after the game
->starts, do you still have to hunt down an alphagrade shadow clinic [see
->page 99 of SSC] or are they fairly common now?)

I'd say so.... it's just more expensive.

Fixer --------------} The easy I do before breakfast,
the difficult I do all day long,
the impossible only during the week,
and miracles performed on an as-needed basis....

Now tell me, what was your problem?
Message no. 9
From: K in the Shadows <Ereskanti@***.COM>
Subject: Re: [SR3] Alphaware
Date: Mon, 14 Sep 1998 10:45:05 EDT
In a message dated 9/13/1998 5:29:23 PM US Eastern Standard Time,
dghost@****.COM writes:

> Alphaware is available at character creation in SR3 ... does that mean
> that Alphaware is available in game as easily? (IOW, after the game
> starts, do you still have to hunt down an alphagrade shadow clinic [see
> page 99 of SSC] or are they fairly common now?)

I would think that Alphaware is more readily available, perhaps not at an
"alpha clinic", but how about at the more heavily sponsored (ie; corporate
connected clinics) or at the larger hospitals.

-K
Message no. 10
From: The Great Cornholio <ChemPhD2Be@***.COM>
Subject: Re: [SR3] Alphaware
Date: Mon, 14 Sep 1998 19:50:56 EDT
In a message dated 98-09-14 06:05:26 EDT, gurth@******.NL writes:

<< It doesn't say in SR3, so you can assume it does. I don't really like that
idea, though, because it would mean every clinic (legal and otherwise)
would have their entire stock of cyberware in both normal and alpha
variants. I still see it as something that's a bit more difficult to find
than normal 'ware, so I'd give it a modifier to the Availability.

Although, as my game is set in 2050 right now, alphaware is only just
becoming available so I don't have to worry about it... >>

Let me jump in here for a sec. You may want to impose a moratorium at the
start of the game on alphaware, or betaware, or anything like that, of course,
and in 2050, you should.

But, what you may want to do in a more up to date campaign is set up at
character generation a system of contacts for alpha ware +.

For example, you could have a character pay 4x cost for a piece of alphaware,
but never have access to it again Or you can spend beginning cash to have
access to it, like a contact. I.E. An Alphaware clinic would cost 100,000.
Beta ware, 300,000 or more, Delta, 50,000,00 (I'm not THAT generous :-) ).
If someone buys a piece of alphaware without the clinic, then they just
happened upon a clinic before it moved or a piece of alphaware fell into their
lap in a very lucky , once in a lifetime situation. Same with betaware. But
if they buy the contact, it's like knowing the street doc who owns the clinic,
or one of the main surgeons, or they've dropped so much cash in the past the
clinic doesn't want to lose their biz, etc. etc....

Just an idea for ya. :-)

TGC
Message no. 11
From: "D. Ghost" <dghost@****.COM>
Subject: Re: [SR3] Alphaware
Date: Mon, 14 Sep 1998 21:31:52 -0500
On Mon, 14 Sep 1998 19:50:56 EDT The Great Cornholio <ChemPhD2Be@***.COM>
writes:
<SNIP>
>Let me jump in here for a sec. You may want to impose a moratorium at
the
>start of the game on alphaware, or betaware, or anything like that, of
course,
>and in 2050, you should.
>
>But, what you may want to do in a more up to date campaign is set up at
>character generation a system of contacts for alpha ware +.
>
>For example,
<SNIP>

hey wow TGC ... this gives me a great idea ... make a Shadowclinic (plain
vanilla, no alpha+ grade) a group contact (cost: 50,000 [per SR2 ... SR3
doesn't have group contacts]) multiplied by the cost multiple for the
cyberware grade available ...

Assuming the costs don't get changed in M&M, that would be 100,000 for an
alphagrade clinic, 350,000 for a betagrade clinic (and the 4 pt SOTA edge
if used/allowed), and 500,000 for a deltagrade clinic (and the 6 pt SOTA
edge if used/allowed). Of course, all this is only with the GM's
permission.... :)

D. Ghost
(aka Pixel, Tantrum, RuPixel)
o/` I traded my Flesh for a Fantasy and now my truck broke down, my wife
left me, and my dog died o/` -- Billy Idol, Jr. Rock Country Singer

_____________________________________________________________________
You don't need to buy Internet access to use free Internet e-mail.
Get completely free e-mail from Juno at http://www.juno.com
Or call Juno at (800) 654-JUNO [654-5866]
Message no. 12
From: David Foster <fixer@*******.TLH.FL.US>
Subject: Re: [SR3] Alphaware
Date: Tue, 15 Sep 1998 11:05:11 -0400
On Mon, 14 Sep 1998, D. Ghost wrote:

<SNIP>
->hey wow TGC ... this gives me a great idea ... make a Shadowclinic (plain
->vanilla, no alpha+ grade) a group contact (cost: 50,000 [per SR2 ... SR3
->doesn't have group contacts]) multiplied by the cost multiple for the
->cyberware grade available ...
->
->Assuming the costs don't get changed in M&M, that would be 100,000 for an
->alphagrade clinic, 350,000 for a betagrade clinic (and the 4 pt SOTA edge
->if used/allowed), and 500,000 for a deltagrade clinic (and the 6 pt SOTA
->edge if used/allowed). Of course, all this is only with the GM's
->permission.... :)

I like! Although, for starting PCs I still make Alphagrade
available and, if they won't take the contact, they can't get more without
hunting the place down (it moved and left no forwarding).

Fixer --------------} The easy I do before breakfast,
the difficult I do all day long,
the impossible only during the week,
and miracles performed on an as-needed basis....

Now tell me, what was your problem?
Message no. 13
From: The Great Cornholio <ChemPhD2Be@***.COM>
Subject: Re: [SR3] Alphaware
Date: Tue, 15 Sep 1998 23:10:19 EDT
In a message dated 98-09-14 23:54:20 EDT, dghost@****.com writes:

<< hey wow TGC ... this gives me a great idea ... make a Shadowclinic (plain
vanilla, no alpha+ grade) a group contact (cost: 50,000 [per SR2 ... SR3
doesn't have group contacts]) multiplied by the cost multiple for the
cyberware grade available ...

Assuming the costs don't get changed in M&M, that would be 100,000 for an
alphagrade clinic, 350,000 for a betagrade clinic (and the 4 pt SOTA edge
if used/allowed), and 500,000 for a deltagrade clinic (and the 6 pt SOTA
edge if used/allowed). Of course, all this is only with the GM's
permission.... :)
>>

Sounds like a good idea, although I'd pump the price to 75K. I just despise
the idea of delta grade cyber being easily available. Call me a
traditionalist.

You know, FASA really needs to ship 3rd edtion to this podunk town. :-)

TGC

PS> I've done similar things in 2nd Ed with Astral Contact Groups. Of
course, they can't be initiated, but they could have an "in" already. My cost
was 100,000 in 2nd Ed.

Further Reading

If you enjoyed reading about [SR3] Alphaware, you may also be interested in:

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