ณ ณ ณ ฤฤฤ ภฤฟ ฤฤ ณ ฤฟ ณ ณ ณ ณ ณ ณ ณ ฤฤฤ ณ ฤฟ ณ \ ณ ฤฤ ณ ณ ฤ\ ณ ณ ณ \ ณ \ ณ ฤฤ ณ ฤ\ ภฤ ภฤ ภฤฤฤฤ ภฤ ภฤ ภฤ ภฤฤฤฤ ภฤ ภฤ ภฤ ภฤ ภฤฤฤฤ ภฤ ภฤ  V E R S I O N 1 . 0 2 guide nabbed from FLEE THE PLANET BBS (flee.fsxnet.nz:2323) by baguette Programming/Concept ๐ Rob Jacob Documentation/Font ๐ Brandon Bannerman ออออออออออออออออออออออออออออออออออออออออออออออออออออออออออออออออออออออ  "The matrix has its roots in primitive arcade games," said the voice-over, "in early graphics programs and military ex- perimentation with cranial jacks." On the Sony, a two-dimen- sional space war faded behind a forest of mathematically generated ferns, demonstrating the spacial possibilities of logarithmic spirals; cold blue military footage burned through, lab animals wired into test systems, helmets feed- ing into fire control circuits of tanks and war planes. "Cyberspace. A consensual hallucination experienced daily by billions of legitimate operators, in every nation, by child- ren being taught mathematical concepts... A graphic repre- sentation of data abstracted from the banks of every comput- er in the human system. Unthinkable complexity. Lines of light ranged in the nonspace of the mind, cluster and con- stellations of data. Like city lights, receding..." ฤฤfrom Neuromancer  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 from breaking in. These programs can do anything from alerting a computer operator who will drop carrier on you, to trying to kill you. ฤฤ อออออออออออออออออออออออออออออออออออออออออออออออออออออออออออออออออออออออออออ To start out in the game, you must first pick the 'nym (short for pseudonym) that you wish to use in the game. This is the name by which all the other players will know you. Then you will be taken to the Stats Selection screen. The game will give you five chances to select stats with varying pro's and cons. If you don't choose any of the five, you will be able to try back the next day. The stats, also referred to as attributes, are explained below: Intelligence Lets you do more damage to ICE and helps minimize damage the ICE does to you. One of the most important stats. Reflex Decides who is faster and who attacks first. And since there are programs that kill you in one shot this is very important. Body Some ICE attack you physically, like sending a large amount voltage down the phone line, to fry your brains or stop your heart. 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. ฤฤ อออออออออออออออออออออออออออออออออออออออออออออออออออออออออออออออออออออออออออ Brokers are your only source of the necessary equipment and software that lets you Deck. Since most of the items the Broker sells you are extremely illegal to possess, they cannot be obtained by normal meansฤฤand they tend to be expensive. Note that while Brokers are generally quite careful and reliable insofar as the programs they sell you, there is always a small chance that a rogue virus will pop up in the warez. But don't worry, if that happens you'll find out real quick. ฤฤ อออออออออออออออออออออออออออออออออออออออออออออออออออออออออออออออออออออออออออ 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 อออออออออออออออออออออออออออออออออออออออออออออออออออออออออออออออออออออออออออ Without Techs, the breed of Deckers would be a dying one. They sell you improvements, repairs, and modifications for your Cyberdeck, some of which are listed below: Deck Speed Your Deck Speed starts out at 0, but you can build this up to 10. The cost to upgrade your deck speed is the current speed plus one, squared times 1000. So if your current speed was 3, your next upgrade would cost: (3 + 1) * (3 + 1) = 16,000 Deck Armor You start out with 2 points of Deck Armor, but this can be upgraded to 5. The means of figuring the cost is the same as for Deck Speed. Deck Memory Your Deck Memory indicates how many programs your Deck can hold in storage at one time. It starts out at 10, but a one-time modification can increase the storage capacity to 20 programs. It costs 25,000 creds. Replacement ROM Some ICE, like the Burner, will attack your Deck directly rather than attacking you. When this happen, your ROM will be burnt out, which will prevent you from Decking again until it is replaced. This replacement costs 1,000 creds. ฤฤ อออออออออออออออออออออออออออออออออออออออออออออออออออออออออออออออออออออออออออ Warez are the programs you use to support your socially unaccepatable but highly profitable activities. They range from simple funds transfers to super-powerful ICEbreaking virii designed to smash a system's defenses. They are divided into three categories: ICEbreakers, Analyzation, and Defense. ฤICEbreakersฤ These are your basic (and not-so-basic) attack programs, which you use to crack the defenses and ICE guarding a system you wish to rob blind. Each of them function differently, and have different strategies attached to them. They include: Icepick The simplest and least powerful attack program. Effective against most smaller ICE, but useless for long-term use. You start out with one copy of this, and it costs 2,000 creds. Torch Slightly more powerful than Icepick. Very effective against mid- range ICE, and can wipe out smaller ICE in one hit. Cost is 16,000 creds. Flamethrower A common, but extremely powerful ICEbreaker program. Affordably effective against almost any kind of ICE. Cost is 64,000 creds. Spark/Arc/Lightning Similar in power and identical in pricing to the Icepick/Torch/Flamethrower set of programs, these are unique in that they will destroy any ICE in exactly two hits. This is useful against higher-level ICE, against which you could waste precious time hacking away with Flamethrower, but against even a lowly Crasher ICE, the powerful Lightning would still take two hits. The difference in power is that each successive program is more likely to hit and cause damage. Plastique/Nitro/Fusion Similar in function to the Icepick/Torch/Flamethrower set of ICEbreakers, this set of programs is far more powerful. Plastique costs 250,000 creds, Nitro costs 1,000,000 creds, and Fusion costs 4,000,000 creds. ฤAnalyzationฤ The Analyzation genre of programs deals with information and data retrieval, as well as tactical and diagnostic assimilation. Transfer This program is absolutely *essential* to any decker's career. It is used to transfer money and data from a system. When you find a Data node that has money in it, run this program and the money will automatically be credited to your account. It works by causing the system to perform an electronic funds transfer, and then manipulating the data to hide the transfer. Since its operation is quite simple, and the fact that it is so necessary and commonplace, the price for this program is relatively lowฤฤ1,000 creds. Analyze While a Decker is certainly able to make his fortune without this program, its purchase is strongly encouraged. This program can only be run while you are in the CPU node of a system, and when activated it gives you a readout of the total number of ICE and credits left in the system, up to the moment. This is invaluable in terms of time saved finding out afterwards exactly how worthless (or valuable) a run into the system would have been, and to find out if you missed any money after a run. It costs 3,000 creds. Diagnostics Another essential program here, the Diagnostics program checks out all your programs in memory, and highlights in red the ones which have been corrupted by hits from ICE attacks. It is advised that you run this after every battle in which you get hit. Unfortunately, the cost of this program is prohibitiveฤฤ25,000 creds. However, most Deckers agree that the program is well worth the price. Recon The Recon program scans the adjacent nodes of a system, and tells you what ICE and credits, if any, are in them. Note that some higher-level ICE can fool the Recon program into concealing their existence, so be careful when using it in high-security systems. It costs 5,000 credits, and can be very handy at times. Viruscan The Viruscan program is the only way of finding out if you have a virus in memory, short of the virus popping out and rearing its ugly head. Virii tend to be several days ahead of Viruscan, so if you got a virus on Game Day 4, only a Viruscan bought on Game Day 7 or later would detect it. Luckily, it only costs 1,000 creds, so you're not out by much. ฤDefenseฤ Defense programs are designed to aid you in moving through a system unmolested, and in guarding a system. Stealth/Stealth II These two sister programs are designed to make you invisible to ICE, so that you may pass through a few nodes undetected. It can be useful if you're hurt bad and don't want to have to tackle a lot of ICE. You cannot run this program once an ICE has seen you, however. Stealth costs 8,000 creds. Stealth II is somewhat stronger and more likely to succeed, and costs 50,000 creds. Note that it is generally considered among netrunners that only wimps use this program, and that they aren't "real" Deckers. Matrix Mine These are nasty little things that you can use you really nail another Decker. You can run it in almost any node of a system, and once run it will delete itself from memory, and the next day a Matrix Mine ICE will emerge in that node, and will attack the first Decker to enter that node (including you). The program is copy-protected, so it cannot be backed up, and costs 100,000 creds. ฤฤ อออออออออออออออออออออออออออออออออออออออออออออออออออออออออออออออออออออออออออ 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. ฤฤ อออออออออออออออออออออออออออออออออออออออออออออออออออออออออออออออออออออออออออ ICEฤฤshort for Intrusion Counter Electronicsฤฤare 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 of 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. Note that 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 unusable for netrunning till you replace the ROM. If you do not have the credits to replace the ROM, don't worryฤฤall NetRunners get a small income daily from various off jobs, and you'll eventually have enough to replace it. Crasher Perhaps one of the most annoying ICE, as this one will just crash your 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 attack your Deck's electronics, in an attempt to stop your heart. If your Body is damaged below 0, you will be effectively Flatlined, and have to return the next day. Mindwipe This ICE will send high amounts of voltage through the phone lines in an attempt to fry your brain. If your Int falls below 0, you will be killed, and have to return the next day. AI 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. ฤฤ อออออออออออออออออออออออออออออออออออออออออออออออออออออออออออออออออออออออออออ 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. ฤฤ อออออออออออออออออออออออออออออออออออออออออออออออออออออออออออออออออออออออออออ There are different types of nodes that you may encounter within a system. They are... SAN System Access Node. The entrance and exit between the Net and the system. CPU Central Processing Unit. Here, all the SubProcessors are organized and the entire system is co-ordinated. You can hook an Analyze program into this node to find out, vaguely, what's in the system. SPU Sub Processing Unit. Smaller, less powerful processors designed to carry out specific tasks and assist ICE in the defense of the system. DATA Data Node. Here, money and data are accumulated and stored safely out of the reach of incorrigible criminals. (Heh) You will rarely, if ever, find a Data node with money that is not guarded by an ICE, so beware. IOP Input Output Port. Monitors, Keyboards, Modems, RS-232 ports, and any other variations on the basic theme of Input/Output. There is currently no way to access these ports... yet. DLJ Data Line Junction. A section of the system where optical cables by the thousands convey the endeless stream of data which is life to Deckers. Unforunately, the current line of Cyberdecks available to Deckers is insufficiently powerful to access these lines... S_N Slave Node. A completely independent SubProcessor linked to the mother system for a specific purpose. ฤฤ อออออออออออออออออออออออออออออออออออออออออออออออออออออออออออออออออออออออออออ 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 sending 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 you're 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 the whole Net until you jack back in, and effectively remove you from the 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. ฤฤ อออออออออออออออออออออออออออออออออออออออออออออออออออออออออออออออออออออออออออ 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). GOOD LUCK!