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NETRUN.TXT
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1992-01-25
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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).