Shadowrun Geek Code (English)

Gee… what?

What is that that thing?

The Shadowrun Geek Code is a spawned code of the original and famous Geek Code designed to convey your views and ways about the Shadowrun role-playing game to others, would that be human or bot readers.

If you don’t know anything about geek codes, you should read a little about the original geek code to see how it works.

The current version is 0.3, adapted for SR4 from the previous 0.22 .

Who

Original contributors were James Ojaste, Blair Monroe, Ryan Bolduan, grahamdrew, Logan Graves, Gurth, Sven De Herdt, Snake Eyes, Barbie LeVile, Lady Jestyr

Version 0.3 (SR4) contributors are Jérémie Bouillon, Adam Jury, Gurth, Niels Kobschaetzki, Ice Heart. Maintainer is Jérémie Bouillon.

Introduction and example

The SRGC is all about taking labels, adding qualifiers and variables to them, adding the whole stuff together into one « sentence ». If you didn’t understood a word, go read the first paragraphs of the original geek code.

Example : my own code would (at the time of this writing) look like SRGC 0.3: SR1- SR2- SR3 SR4+ h b+++ B--- D533++ UB+ IE+ RN DSF@ SrFr++++ LST(Shadowrun-France) W++++ hk+ ma+ m+ gm+ M--(+) P+ FP-->++*. Now, let’s see it in details :

SRGC 0.3: That’s the tag identifying the Shadowrun Geek Code, and the version number I use here
SR1- SR2- SR3 SR4+ I played all four editions of Shadowrun, I thought the first two had a lot of issue, the third one was a little better, but the fourth one is definitely the best; however it’s not perfect yet
h@ I have a couple light house rules, but that might change a lot (the @ attribute) from gaming group to gaming group
b+++ Quite simply, I own every US books, and most of the French ones too. Ok I don’t have the DMZ box, but it’s not exactly Shadowrun RPG isn’t it? :-)
B--- Why would I need a SR3 Limited when I have a first edition hardcover, well two in fact counting my first French one
D533++ I have a SR4 Limited Edition, numbered 533, and I purchase it first hand when it was out
UB+ I got a UB, but it took me several years to track one down at a fair price
IE+ I don’t have anything against Immortal Elves, they are fun to read in sourcebooks as a GM, and used with cautions in games they can be useful
RN I’m a ShadowRN member and I post once in a while, but it’s not a habit
DSF@ I’m a Dumpshock Forums member, but I can easily not read it for months, then post several times a day for a couple of month, etc. This kind of changes are represented by the @ variable
SrFr++++ I’m the admin of Shadowrun.fr
LST(Shadowrun-France) I’m a member of the Shadowrun-France mailing-list, but it’s slowly dying so I don’t have to post often
W++++ I’m the admin of Shadowrun.fr, and while it’s not as big as Dumpshock for example it’s quite big as it is, and mostly it’s the main French SR website and the closest thing to a French Official website
hk+ sh+ ri+ tm+ I don’t have anything against any characters types, but I think hackers, shamans, riggers and technomancers are quite nice
m+ Yup metahumans are cool, but as cool as humans
gm+ As the code says, I’ve been told to be a good GM, however a evil one
M--(+) All my characters have deep backgrounds and a lot of data with them, numbers are just second; however even with deep background I can occasionnaly go overboard (that’s what () means)
P+ I play 3 to 4 times a month, but since I maintain a SR website and I wrote and translate for SR, it’s my main habit
FP--*>++I didn’t wrote anything official for FASA/FanPro but I translate SR into French for the French publisher and I’m currently writing major portions of a FanPro sourcebook, so I will be FP++* when the book is out (that’s what > means)

The SR geek code: How we play

Edition

SRx (where x identifies the edition in question). For example: someone who has played second edition Shadowrun but doesn’t really like for it would denote this as « SR2- ». This is labeled « now », if you had a great time playing SR1 but now in the SR4 era think SR1 was not so good, quantify it accordingly.

`SRx+++`	The ultimate Shadowrun rules!
`SRx++`	They got it just about right with this edition
`SRx+`	Pretty good
`SRx`	I'm indifferent to the rules of this edition
`SRx-`	I don’t really like this edition
`SRx--`	This edition sucks drek!
`SRx---`	I almost vowed never to play Shadowrun again after I’d experienced this edition!
`!SRx`	I’ve never played this edition, and don’t want to either!
`SRx?`	What? There’s a new edition out and nobody told me?

House Rules

`h++++`	You mean people still use FanPro’s rules?!?
`h+++`	We have more house rules than official ones
`h++`	FanPro left a lot of holes, and we’ve used a lot of putty
`h+`	Our house rules add a little flavour to the game
`h`	We only have a couple of house rules. More guidelines, really
`h-`	I won’t play with house rules
`h--`	House rules are really just cheating
`h---`	How dare you imply that FanPro’s rules aren’t perfect!

Book Ownership

`b++++`	I am Jill Lucas
`b+++`	I own every everything ever officialy published for Shadowrun
`b++`	I have a lot of SR books
`b+`	I have the main book and a couple sourcebooks
`b`	I have the main book
`b-`	My GM has the books I need
`b--`	I looked over it a few times at Waldenbooks, and make up the rest
`b---`	Umm, they’re made out of paper, right?
`b?`	I thought they were just novels
`!b`	Sourcebooks are just another way for elitists to show off, Fight the system!

BABY Numbers

BABY is the nickname of the hardcover limited edition of the SR3 main book.

`B+++`	Not only was I in line, but I’m below 100!
`B++`	I’ve got one, but I either had to wait in line forever or hack the HTML on the web sale
`B+`	Got one, don’t ask how
`B`	I caught a glimpse of it once, and I’d do anything for it
`B-`	Of course a hardcover would be nice, but I don’t need it
`B--`	Eh, doesn’t really matter to me
`B---`	Why do I need a BABY? I have a 1st Edition Hardcover!
`B?`	What’s a BABY?
`!B`	Frag off with your elitist BABYs!
`B###`	List your actual BABY number, if you choose

DADY ownership

DADY is the (new) nickname of the SR4 Limited Edition.

`D+++`	I got my SR4 Limited Edition on special order directly from Holy Boyled
`D++`	Got one from the original sale rounds
`D+`	Got one, don’t ask how
`D`	I caught a glimpse of it once, and I’d do anything for it
`D-`	Of course a LE would be nice, but I don’t need it
`D--`	Eh, doesn’t really matter to me
`D---`	Why do I need a DADY? I have a 1st Edition Hardcover!
`D###`	List your actual DADY number, if you choose

Universal Brotherhood

`UB++`	Bought it when it came out, won’t part with it for anything
`UB+`	I finally got a hold of it, took me 3 years, but I have it
`UB`	You have the UB? I’ll sell you my firstborn
`UB-`	UB is old hat, but it would fit well in my collection
`UB--`	Bugs suck, Chicago sucks, don’t want it

Immortal Elves

`IE+++`	I am Harlequin and shall shape the world!!!!
`IE++`	IEs are awesome … they are behind everything …
`IE+`	The Immortal Elves are pretty cool. They’ll probably show up now and then in my game
`IE`	Immortal Elves, huh? Sounds typical for fantasy elves …
`IE-`	The Immortal Elves are okay, but WAY overused
`IE--`	The entire Immortal Elf thing should never have happened
`IE---`	If you even think Immortal Elves within earshot I’ll rip your head off
`!IE`	I stubbornly refuse to get dragged into the entire Immortal Elf debate
`?IE`	Immortal Elves? There are Immortal Elves????

ShadowRN Membership

ShadowRN was the main area where Shadowrun afficionados could talk online. Now it has been mostly deprecated, the young ones prefer the web forum way, such as Dumpshock. The mailing-list is still on, but much less active. If you were an Admin or GridSec, label it accordingly, or use the variables to tell how that went down.

`RN++++`	I’m a ShadowRN Admin
`RN+++`	I’m a member of ShadowRN GridSec
`RN++`	I read all my mail and post at least once a day
`RN+`	I read most of my mail and post fairly regularly
`RN`	I’m a list member
`RN-`	I’m a lurker
`RN--`	I subscribed once but couldn’t keep up with the email
`RN---`	What’s ShadowRN?

Dumpshock Forums Membership

`DSF++++`	I’m a Dumpshock Forums Admin.
`DSF+++`	I’m a Dumpshock Forums Moderator/Helper
`DSF++`	I post on the forums daily
`DSF+`	I read the forums several times a week and post fairly regularly
`DSF`	I post once in a while
`DSF-`	I’m a lurker
`DSF--`	I got an account but don’t really use it
`RN---`	What’s Dumpshock?

Other Lists, Forums or communities can be indicates as follows:

`NERPS`	NERPS
`SRC`	SRCard
`STK`	ShadowTK
`SRFF`	SRFanFic
`SR_D`	SR_D
`SrFr`	Shadowrun.fr
`SrPl`	Shadowrun Polska
`SC2060`	Schattenlauf2060
`FProDE`	Fanpro German Forums
`LST ()`	Any other List/Forum/Etc

For example, if you daily talk in the SR forum of Jim’s board, your code could be LST(JimsB)+.

Shadowrun Websites

`W++++`	I run a major fixture of Shadowrun on the web (Dumpshock, TSS, Sixth World Wiki, The Ancients Files … I’m Adam Jury) including the major non English ones
`W+++`	My site is well known and popular (Raygun SR Firearms, ShadowHelix, Timeline Explorer, etc.) or I contribute a lot to a major website
`W++`	I’ve got lots of good original stuff but my site’s not as popular as it deserves yet …
`W+`	I’ve posted a couple of character sheets or gaming articles and a few links
`W`	I mention Shadowrun in my list of hobbies
`W-`	My page’s Shadowrun section should be up any day now …
`W--`	Nope, no SR stuff here, but check out my custom Omni-Mechs
`W---`	I wouldn’t give free hype space to SR if FanPro paid me! D&D Rules!!
`W----`	I am R. Talsorian
`!W`	I don’t even have a website
`W?`	What’s an « SR Website? »

Characters types

Archetypes

`hk++++`	I am Fastjack
`hk+++`	Captain Chaos’s spirit asks me for advice
`hk++`	Matrix and Augmented World are everything I need
`hk+`	I think deckers are cool
`hk`	Hackers can be useful at times
`hk-`	Hackers are a pain in the backside
`hk--`	Hackers make good cannon fodder
`hk---`	I kill every decker I come across

Other character types follow the same pattern with the following code letters. There are so many character types, I would recommend only commenting where you feel really strongly about a character type.

`sa`	Samurai
`ma`	Magician (any tradition)
`hm`	Hermatic Mage
`sh`	Shaman
`ad`	Adept
`ri`	Rigger
`mc`	Merc
`rk`	Rocker
`dk`	Decker (I’m old school)
`tm`	Technomancer
`mu`	Mundane not cybered type
`fa`	Face, Social Chameleon

Metahumans

`m+++`	Human’s are an allowed character type?!?
`m++`	Most of my characters are metahuman
`m+`	Metahumans are cool, I even play one now and then
`m`	Metahuman/human … what’s the difference …
`m-`	I tend toward human characters
`m--`	Metahumans are to unbalanced … I doubt I’ll ever play one
`m---`	I wear pointed ears around my neck …

Greater detail can be provided using the following:

`e`	Elf
`o`	Ork
`t`	Troll
`d`	Dwarf
`mt()`	any other rare metatype like changeling, ghouls, etc.

An example of how this detail may be used is as a modifier to the original. For example: m--(e+++) would be « Metas suck, except elves—they’re really cool! ».

Personal play style

Gamemastering

`gm+++`	The original EvilGM™
`gm++`	My campaigns are legends in my town
`gm+`	I’ve been told I am a pretty good GM
`gm`	I’ve gamemastered from time to time
`gm-`	I tend to avoid gamemastering, it’s not as much fun as playing
`gm--`	I’m a lousy gamemaster … I pity the player that gets me to GM
`gm---`	Gamemastering SUCKS. No way I’ll take on that much work

Munchkinism

`M+++`	Has anyone seen where I put the nukes?
`M++`	Milspec isn’t good enough for me …
`M+`	I occasionally go overboard on a character
`M`	Wiz gear is cool
`M-`	If it fits the character concept, I’ll go for the good stuff
`M--`	I never powergame. Every character has at least 3-4 pages of well thought out background
`M---`	I’ve written deep novels about my characters and feel vaguely ill when standing near a Munchkin

Frequency/Intensity of Play

`P+++`	I don’t come out of character long enough to go to class/work
`P++`	I live/eat/breathe SR
`P+`	SR is my primary social outlet
`P`	I have a regular group and we play on weekends
`P-`	I don’t play as often as I’d like
`P--`	I haven’t actually played in years
`P---`	I know some folks who have played SR
`!P`	I don’t actually play SR
`P*`	I play, but only by email/IRC

Shadowrunning as a professionnal

`FP++++`	I’m the spirit of Nigel Findley
`FP+++`	My name is Boyle, Rob boyle
`FP++`	I write major parts of SR books for FanPro
`FP+`	I contribute to the SR books FASA, FanPro or locals publishes
`FP`	I’m a playtester
`FP-`	I used to write for FASA and/or FanPro
`FP--`	I’ve never contributed anything to an official SR publication
`FP---`	I don’t want to write for SR
`FP----`	I write stuff for another game and/or publisher, and only them!
`!FP`	I don’t know how to write!
`FP?`	You mean those books aren’t generated by Deus?
`FP*`	I’m a translator of SR products into non-English locals

Document publié sur shadowrun.fr le dimanche 13 août 2006 par Jérémie Bouillon.

L'auteur de cet article n'a pas spécifié de licence, son contenu original est donc par défaut mis à disposition sous le contrat Ludys-Jdr Usage Personnel. Tous les usages du document sont autorisés pour une session de jeu de rôles ludique sans caractère commercial. En dehors de ce contexte, aucune reproduction n'est autorisée sans l'accord de l'auteur.

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