Runner Eyes Only

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Life's tough on the streets. But for people like you, the challenge is what makes it interesting. That's why you got the cyberjack implant and spend time running against the Corps. What could be more interesting than dodging a Mastiff and liberating some secret Agenda?

To help you, though, you're gonna need some buddies. Mantis, Fixer-at-Large, always comes through when you need him and Crash Everett, Inventive Fixer, has helped you out of a scrape or two. And your Broker is always willing to let you cash in on some sound investments. These are your friends, treat them well. Maybe if you've got enough cash, you could even Score! some more with the right contacts.

To avoid the eyes of the Corps, which are everywhere, Nomad Allies come in handy, and Leland, Corporate Bodyguard can save your neck if the Corp sends the Solos around. As for your friend Neal, well, he makes a good Fall Guy if nothing else.

You need to frequent the right places too, both in Realspace and Netspace. The Short Circuit is the best hangout for picking up new Icebreakers and Viruses from the people who write them. Gideon's Pawnshop is the place to pick up bargain stuff which other people just seem to trash, while his competitor Smith's Pawnshop is the best place to sell anything you don't need any more. While you're jacked in, check out the Hunt Club BBS for the lowdown on which Corps have got what. And the Junkyard BBS often has invaluable recycled information and goods on offer.

In terms of hardware, you'll need yourself a deck, maybe a Parraline 5750 or a Raven Microcyb Eagle, and an MRAM Chip or two. Consider some Mem Chips as well, the WuTech is good value-for-money, but the Zetatech and the chunky Tycho won't have you shopping around for so many. May as well grab a Nasuko Cycle while you're buying - give the Corps a headache trying to locate you.

Now the important stuff - what programs to load into your deck?

Gotta go with some Icebreakers. Black Dahlia is easily found and effective at defusing those nasty Sentries, but a bit expensive. Try Loony Goon or Shaka for cheaper alternatives, though Dahlia can be better in the long run if you're gonna be making lots of runs. You need a Hammer or maybe a Dwarf for crashing through Walls. To slip through Code Gates, try a Wizard's Book or Cyfermaster. There are plenty of choices - you gotta pick the ones you think will work on the Corp you're trying to run. Dropp is good if you like headlong runs into Black Ice, Dogcatcher can be useful against some of the nastier Corps, and Blink may just work where all else fails.

Now, you might also need some detection. Go for SeeYa, or maybe just a Speed Trap if you're more worried about ambushes than Ice. Stealth can be handy, but don't mix it with noisy Breakers. Go for Invisibility in the short term, maybe Cloak for extended use. Shredder Uplink Protocol is memory-hungry, but sometimes worth it for the agony it causes Corps. And always pack a Clown or two!

Now get out there and run those Corps.

- DM. (dm@anon-server.com)