NetRunner ------------------------------------------------------------ NetRunner is a game based on the genre of Cyberpunk and Cyberspace. The object is to break into computers and steal as much money as you can. To do this, you have a cyberdeck, and various programs. But the systems you are attempting to break into also have programs (called ICE: Intrusion Counter Electronics) that will try to prevent you breaking in. These programs can do anything from alerting a computer operator who will drop carrier on you, to trying to kill you. Brokers ------------------------------------------------------------ A broker will sell you the stuff you need. You cannot buy your programs or hardware off the shelf, since they are highly illegal. Brokers tend to be careful about what they sell you, but occasionally you might get some 'wares that are contaminated with a virus. But don't worry too much, because you'll find out before too long (when your programs start crashing left and right). They can also sell you drugs that will improve your stats. Frannie's Freehold BBS ------------------------------------------------------------ Franny runs a pirate BBS for you to buy/sell software and leave messages to other netrunners about your exploits or give/get tips etc. She tries to keep the programs in her program section virus free, but she is busy, and with the disreputable bunch of users she's got, they keep popping back up. She'll buy programs if the ones you have are better than the ones she has. The risk of getting virii here is definitely higher than buying the 'wares from a broker, but then here they are cheap. The BBS is intentionally low-tech (non-cyberspace) so it's harder to break into. Only known hackers, crackers, and miscreants are given access. The Secret Service (SS), FBI, and Netcops are not aware of this BBS yet so don't worry... yet. (Maybe next version) Techs ------------------------------------------------------------ These are the guys who repair or modify your deck. They can add memory, raise the speed, add armor or replace the ROM in your deck. They charge alot because they are working on highly illegal equipment. Programs ('Wares) ------------------------------------------------------------ There are different programs for different things. Transfer: Used to transfer money found in a computer system into your bank account. Run it when you are in a data node, and there is money there. It works by causing the system to perform an electronic funds transfer, and then manipulating the data to hide the transfer. There is no way to back-track one of these transfers...yet. Icepick/Torch/Flamethrower: These are a series of attack programs used to attack ICE. If you run into an ICE, just run one these till the ICE is destroyed. Icepick is the weakest, and Flamethrower the strongest. Spark/Arc/Lightning: These are another series of attack programs for combat with ICE. These work a little differently, and may be better under some conditions or worse under others. It up your personal preference which you wish to use. Spark is the weakest, and Lightning the strongest. Viruscan: This will detect whether viruses have infected you programs. It doesn't always work as new viruses keep appearing and Viruscan is generally a couple days behind them (IE Viruscan becomes more and more out-dated as time goes on, and you may want to buy another). Diagnosis: This will look to see if your programs have been corrupted or damaged. It usually won't detect corruption unless it is over 10% or so. And won't detect damage unless it is lowered in strength by at least 1 point or so. Recon: Run this while you are in a system, and will report back to you what ICE and money are in the adjacent nodes. ICE will try to trick you program to tell you nothing is there, so sometime there will actually be ICE in a node, that Recon reported none in. Analysis: Run this in a CPU node, and it will report how many ICE and how much money is left in the system. This is useful to let you know if you are leaving money behind, or whether, there may be no money left in this system to begin with. Stealth: Run this before you run into an ICE and there is a chance, the ICE will not detect you, and you can sneak past it. You cannot run this after the ICE has seen you. It is generally considered among netrunners, that only wimps use this program, and they aren't real deckers. Stealth II: This is a stronger version of Stealth. Plastique/Nitro/Fusion: These are yet another set of attack programs, but these are stronger than the other two sets. Matrix Mine: This program will plant a Matrix Mine ICE into a system at the location where you run it. This porgram is copy protected, and also will delete itself out of memory when you run it. Attributes ------------------------------------------------------------ Reflex decides who is faster and who attacks first. And since there are programs that kill you in one shot this is very important. Intelligence lets you do more damage to ICE and helps minimize damage the ICE does to you. Body: some ICE attack you physically, like sending a large amount voltage down the phone line, to fry your brains. This is how much damage you can take before you die. Luck: this is rather ambiguous. It can help you hit an ICE when you would have missed, or cause an ICE to miss when it would have hit. It can help you do more damage (IE you hit the ICE in a tender place accidently). Luck can be helpful but don't count on it. Drugs ------------------------------------------------------------ Drugs will increase your stats to give you an edge in your decking, but drugs are dangerous. Every time you take them, there is a small chance you will die, or if you take a lot in one day, there is a chance you will burn some neurons, lowering that stat some. ICE (Intrusion Counter Electronics) ------------------------------------------------------------ ICE are programs that try to keep you out of the system they are protecting. You can either try to sneak past the ICE, or try to blow them to kingdom-come. Some ICE include: Corruption1-3: These will try to corrupt the programs in your deck to raise the chance that they will crash. NOTE: A corrupted program can still work; it will just crash some, most, or all of the time depending on the amount on corruption. Wight/Wraith/Vampire: These ICE are little stronger and will attack your program to make them weaker. If a program loses all it's strength, it will be deleted from your deck. (A note: if you copy a damaged program, the copy will also be damaged) Burner: This will attempt to burn out the ROM in your deck, making it un-usable for netrunning till you replace the ROM. Crasher: Perhaps one of the most annoying ICE, as this one will just crash you deck and make you drop out of the system. Raider: A variation of Crasher ICE, this will steal all of your money then Crash your deck. Hit & Run: This is just like the Raider ICE, except after it crashes you out of the system, it will move to a different node in the system. Flatliner: This ICE will try to reach out and stop your heart. Mindwipe: This ICE will send a voltage spike down the line to fry your brain. AI's: There are rumors of AI's (Artificial Intelligences) being in some of the higher level systems, but nobody seems to have first hand knowledge. It could be just stories, or that nobody has survived. Security Levels ------------------------------------------------------------ Different systems have different levels of security. When decking you will see these levels as blue, green, yellow, red, or black. The higher the level, the faster the systems, the deadlier the ICE, but ... the higher the rewards. Fighting a particular ICE in a lower level system will be easier than fighting the same type ICE in a higher level system. So beware. Nodes ------------------------------------------------------------ There are different types of nodes that you may encounter with in a system. They are SAN: System Access Node CPU: Central Processing Unit SPU: Sub Processing Unit DATA: Data Node IOP: Input Output Port DLJ: Data Line Junction SN: Slave Node Decking ------------------------------------------------------------ Decking is actually going into the system. Not physically into the system, but it will seem like you are. You are in reality sending your programs into the other computer and trying to get it to run them, while it is send programs to your deck, trying to get it to run it's programs (ICE). First, you jack into your deck. (WITH YOUR NUMLOCK ON) Use you keypad to move through the net. Systems are displayed as small to large boxes. To enter a system, just move into one of these boxes. Also, as you move around the net, you may see 'ghosts' (grey figures). These mark where another netrunner has left the net at, and when you leave the net, you will leave a 'ghost' too. You enter a system through the SAN (System Access Node). Next move through the system looking for data nodes (that is where the money is at). You will only be able to see what is in your node, and what type of nodes are adjacent to the node your in. If there is an ICE in the node you are in, and it sees you, it will attempt to attack you (or sound alarm or whatever). You may or may not get to attack it first. You cannot leave this node until you have destroyed the ICE, except by jacking out (pulling the plug), which will kick you out of this system. Once you've made it to a data node (there can be more than one), execute your transfer program, and you are richer. You can lose money going into a system if it does more damage to you and your deck, than what you manage to steal. Pick your systems wisely. Suggested Cyberpunk Reading Material ------------------------------------------------------------ Burning Chrome by William Gibson Neuromancer by William Gibson Count Zero by William Gibson Mona Lisa Overdrive by William Gibson Dreams of Flesh and Sand by W.T. Quick Dreams of Gods and Men by W.T. Quick Singularities by W.T. Quick Hardwired by Walter Jon Williams Voice Of The Whirlwind by Walter Jon Williams The Company Man by Joe Clifford Faust Vickers by Mick Farren The Feelies by Mick Farren The Running Man by Richard Bachman (Stephen King) Other good sources are various 'CyberPunk' role-playing games on the market: ShadowRun by FASA Virtual Realities by FASA CyberPunk 2020 by R. Talsorian Games CyberSpace by ICE GURPS CyberPunk by Steve Jackson Games And for a good look at what a 'CyberPunk' world looks like, rent the movie Blade Runner! Finally, it works well to listen to speed metal while playing this game (IE Yngwie Malmsteen, Megadeath, or Metallica).