Shadowrun
Typed out by cassanit@lightlink.com
SNS-WR-USA
SHADOWRUN
INSTRUCTION MANUAL
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SHADOWRUN
Psst... hey, chummer--need a little extra cred? There's always room for
another runner in the sprawl, but only experts need apply. It's a nasty world
out there and Shadowrunner wannabes are just waitin' ta get geeked. Still
interested? Then stick around--things are just about ta heat up, and there's
plenty of nuyen waitin' where the action is.
Welcome to the streets of Seattle, more than 50 years into the future. A lot
has changed in the last half-century. Most of it for the worst. Arcologies
the size of small cities house the giant Megacorps and their employees, who,
for the most part, live a pretty safe and routine life. The real action takes
place on the streets below--in the shadows. For the right amount of nuyen,
you can buy adventurers-for-hire, called Shadowrunners, to do anything.
The Shadowrunners range from cutting-edge cyborgs to spell-casting mages,
some of whom aren't even human. In fact, Metahumans have played a huge part
in this world since the "awakening" years ago, when magical beings such as
elves, trolls, dwarves, and orcs began to resurface after lying dormant for
centuries. All this results in a constant struggle between magic and
technology, a balance that the world desperately fights to maintain.
In Shadowrun, you take the role of Jake Armatage, a runner with amnesia who
must put the pieces of his own mystery together to stay alive. You'll find
help along the way, but never put your trust in anyone--you never can tell
who's a;ready been bought and paid for.
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CONTENTS
Starting the Game 3
Name of Controller Parts 3
Game Controls Summary 4
Main Game Menu 5
Playing Shadowrun 7
Status Screen 11
Inventory Sub-Menus 14
Using Weapons and Armor 16
Combat and Shadowrunners 18
Party Status Screen 22
Using Your Magic 23
Skills 25
Resting and Regaining Strength 27
Spending Karma 28
Dialogue Windows 29
Keywords 30
Using the Vidphone 31
The Matrix 32
How to Play the Matrix Game 34
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STARTING THE GAME
1. Turn off your Super Nintendo Entertainmeny System by
sliding the POWER bar away from the Game Pak slot.
Plug a game controller into your system.
2. Insert the Shadowrun Game Pak, label facing front, in
the system slot.
3. Turn on the system by sliding the POWER bar toward the
Game Pak slot.
4. When the title screen appears, you may either wait for the
background story to appear, or press START to access the
MAIN GAME MENU.
NAMES OF CONTROLLER PARTS
L BUTTON SELECT R BUTTON X BUTTON
| BUTTON | /
Control Pad | / | / A BUTTON
UP __\__======_______________/_________________======__/__/
/ \ / / /\
/ \_ / ( ) / \
Control / | | / / \
Pad -------- == == / / / / ( ) ( ) |
LEFT | |_| \ / / / / | |
\ / \ \ | ( ) /
\ / \ _______________\________ | \ /
\ / \/ \ \ | \ /
\___/__________/\ \ \___|_____\___/
/ \ \ | \
/ \ \ | \
Control Control Pad START Y BUTTON B BUTTON
Pad RIGHT BUTTON
LEFT
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GAME CONTROLS SUMMARY
CONTROL PAD
* Moves your character in eight directions
* Positions the ACTION GLOVE, the MAGIC GLOVE and the CROSS-HAIR.
* Positions selection arrow beside options on all game menus.
X BUTTON
* Brings up the SPELL GLOVE while on the MAIN GAME SCREEN.
* Casts the currently selected spell where SPELL GLOVE is pointed.
Y BUTTON
* Directly brings up the ITEMS INVENTORY sub-menu on the STATUS SCREEN.
A BUTTON
* Brings up the weapon CROSS-HAIR while on the MAIN GAME SCREEN.
* Fires the currently selected weapon at the target in the CROSS-HAIR.
B BUTTON
* Brings up the ACTION GLOVE while on the MAIN GAME SCREEN.
* Activates currently selected action from the ITEM ACTION window.
LEFT BUTTON
* Directly activates EXAMINE action where the ACTION GLOVE is pointed.
* SHORTCUT: Flips to the previous page of KEYWORDS while viewing the
VOCABULARY INVENTORY sub-menu.
RIGHT BUTTON
* Directly activates OPEN on the door the ACTION GLOVE is pointing to.
* SHORTCUT: Flips to the next page of KEYWORDS while viewing the VOCABULARY
INVENTORY sub-menu.
START BUTTON
* Press to bring up the STATUS SCREEN while on the MAIN GAME SCREEN.
* Selects options while on the MAIN GAME SCREEN and OPTIONS screens.
SELECT BUTTON
* Brings up the PARTY STATUS SCREEN while on the MAIN GAME SCREEN.
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MAIN GAME MENU
START NEW GAME
To start a new game, use the CONTROL PAD to choose START NEW GAME from the
TITLE SCREEN and press the START BUTTON.
START SAVED GAME
Shadowrun has a battery back-up allowing you to save up to two games at one
time. To start from a saved game, choose START SAVED GAME and press the START
BUTTON to bring up the RESUME SAVED GAME SCREEN. Now choose your saved game
using the Control Pad and press the B BUTTON to begin play on that game.
If there is no SAVED GAME stored in a save game slot, the text will appear
dim. If there is a SAVED GAME stored in the slots, that game will appear
highlighted.
OPTIONS
Under OPTIONS, you can program your control pad settings and background
sound effects, and choose to play in stereo or monophonic sound.
CONTROL TYPE : A/B
Use this option to select your control type:
* CONTROL TYPE A: Left, Right, Up, Down on the CONTROL PAD moves your
character diagonally on the screen.
* CONTROL TYPE B: Diagonal on the CONTROL PAD moves your character
diagonally on the screen.
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STEREOPHONIC /MONOPHONIC
Use this option to select STEREO or MONO sound output. You only need to
select MONOPHONIC if your Super Nintendo Entertainment System has a stereo
video connector and your TV or monitor only has a mono connector.
B.G. MUSIC : FULL / EVENT / OFF
The following is a list of the available background music settings you have
to choose from.
* FULL: Background music plays at all times
* EVENT: Background music only plays during important events, or
when you talk to certain people.
* OFF: No background music plays.
* EXIT: EXITS back to the TITLE SCREEN
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PLAYING SHADOWRUN
Wednesday, 8:45 a.m. Officially you don't exist. You awake--head throbbing--
in a body drawer at the city morgue. Disoriented and confused...you've got to
pull it together and unravel a deadly puzzle of mystery, murder and mayhem.
You alone can shatter the Megaplexes with the data locked inside your brain.
Survival depends on your wits and your wayward companions. But only
high-caliber firepower can help you avoid a return trip to the morgue.
MAIN GAME SCREEN
The MAIN GAME SCREEN is where all the action takes place.
Moving
Use the CONTROL PAD to move along streets, through doorways, down stairs,
and into buildings and rooms.
Tags
The TAG BOX appears in the lower right corner of the screen to identify the
item or character your ACTION GLOVE, SPELL GLOVE or CROSS HAIR is positioned
on. In order for an action or spell to have any effect, the TAG BOX for the
item or character must appear.
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Action Glove
This yellow glove is used to identify the specific characters and items you
wish to examine, talk to, pick-up or manipulate in some way. To bring up the
ACTION GLOVE, press the B BUTTON. To cancel the ACTION GLOVE, press the B
BUTTON again.
Spell Glove
This gray glove is used to target the character or area you want to cast a
spell on. To bring up the SPELL GLOVE, press the X BUTTON. To cast the
currently selected spell, press the X BUTTON again.
If you do not have magic or do not have a spell selected, the message 'NO
SPELL SELECTED' will appear. Press the X BUTTON again to remove this message
and continue. (see page 23 for more information on how to use magic).
Cross-Hair
The CROSS-HAIR is used to target enemies when firing a weapon. To bring up
the CROSS-HAIR, press the A BUTTON. (See page 16 for more information on how
to use weapons)
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ITEM ACTION WINDOW
The ITEM ACTION WINDOW contains various verb commands you can use with
specific characters or items.
Doors
Many of the people and items in Shadowrun can be found behind closed doors.
To open a door, press the B BUTTON to bring up the ACTION GLOVE, position it
over the door until the tag box appears, then press the B BUTTON again to
bring up the ITEM ACTION WINDOW. Now select OPEN from the ITEM ACTION WINDOW
to open the door.
LOCKED DOORS require that you find the correct key to open them. Once you
have a key, you can bring up your ITEMS INVENTORY, choose the key and use it
on the door.
Items
In order to complete your quest successfully, you will need to pick up and
use the various items you find along your way.
To EXAMINE and PICKUP an item, call up the ACTION GLOVE and position it over
the item, press the B BUTTON to bring up the ITEM ACTION window, choose the
appropriate action word, then press the B BUTTON to enter that command.
Money (Nuyen)
To buy the various weapons and items, and to hire the necessary people to
complete your quest, you will need to gather a lot of cash. Nuyen, the
currency of the day, can be found in many places, for example when an enemy
is defeated, in many cases they will leave behind nuyen which you can pick
up using the ACTION GLOVE.
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BUYING AND SELLING ITEMS
In order to improve your chances of survival, you will need to take advantage
of any items that are up for sale.
Should you find an interest in an item, you can EXAMINE it from the ITEM
ACTION window to learn more about it before buying.
To buy an item, you have to ASK ABOUT... something in your VOCABULARY
INVENTORY in order for the seller to offer you the item for sale. When
someone offers you an item, they will ask you whether you want to buy it. To
buy the item, choose YES from the YES/NO requester box and press the
B BUTTON.
To sell an item to a buyer, bring up the ITEM ACTION window, choose GIVE
from the ITEM ACTION window and then move the ACTION GLOVE over the
character you wish to sell the item to.
If the character agrees to buy it from you, he/she will offer you money for
it. This amount is not negotiable. To sell the item choose YES from the
YES/NO requestor box and press the B BUTTON.
People
There are many characters in the game you should talk to. Some won't give
you the time of day, while others will provide you with very important
clues (see TALKING TO PEOPLE on page 30).
Life Meter
Located in the top right corner of the screen is your LIFE METER. The
length of this meter is equal to your BODY level. The BODY level dictates
the maximum STAMINA points the player can have. The LIFE METER shows the
amount of STAMINA POINTS you have remaining.
Each time you suffer a hit from an enemy, you lose STAMINA POINTS. When
your STAMINA POINTS fall to 0, you will lose your life. For an exact
count of how many STAMINA POINTS you have remaining, press the START
BUTTON from the MAIN GAME SCREEN to bring up the STATUS SCREEN or the
SELECT BUTTON to bring up thr PARTY STATUS SCREEN.
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STATUS SCREEN
When you press the START BUTTON, the STATUS SCREEN appears. The STATUS SCREEN
shows your condition and allows you to access your various inventory items.
The main area of the screen lists your ATTRIBUTE LEVELS, the amount of KARMA
and MONEY you have, and which SPELL, WEAPON and ARMOR you are currently using
(if any).
All INVENTORY items are accessed through the INVENTORY menu. To access an
INVENTORY sub-menu, use the CONTROL PAD to move the arrow to the sub-menu you
want to view and press the START BUTTON. The INVENTORY sub-menu will appear
listing all the items you have for the category you chose. If no items exist
in the Inventory sub-menu, the arrow will automatically return to EXIT.
To select an item in the INVENTORY sub-menu, use the same procedure described
above. To EXIT the STATUS SCREEN and return to the MAIN GAME SCREEN, choose
EXIT from the STATUS SCREEN menu or press SELECT to abort out of the STATUS
SCREEN.
The following is a list of various items in your Inventory.
BODY
Ranges from Level 0 - 20. Begins on Level 3. The maximum number of STAMINA
points you can have is controlled by your BODY level. For example, if you
have BODY strength of 7, you can regenerate your STAMINA to a maximum of 70
points.
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STAMINA is the number of hits you can take. Each hit you suffer takes off
varying number of STAMINA points. When your STAMINA reaches 0, you will lose
your life.
MAGIC
Ranges from 0 - 20. Begins on level 0. The maximum number of SPELL POINTS you
can have is controlled by your MAGIC level. For example, if you have MAGIC
of 8, you can regenerate your SPELL POINTS to a maximum of 80 points.
SPELL POINTS are used to cast magic. Even if you have spells, you must have
enough SPELL POINTS in order to cast a spell.
STRENGTH
Ranges from 0 - 6. Begins on level 0. Your STRENGTH level controls which
WEAPONS and ARMOR you are able to use. Although you can carry any type of
WEAPON or piece of ARMOR, you can only USE a WEAPON or WEAR a type of ARMOR
if you have the strength to do so. The various WEAPONS and ARMOR you can
obtain and the STRENGTH they require to be used are listed on page 21.
CHARISMA
Ranges from 0 - 6. Begins on level 3. Your CHARISMA level controls how many
Shadowrunners you can have working for you at any one time. At the maximum
level of 6, you can hire up to three Shadowrunners to help you on a run.
KARMA
Karma is magical energy you can spend in order to upgrade your attribute and
skill levels.
MONEY (NUYEN)
This shows the amount of money you currently hold. This money is shown as
nuyen, the currency in the year 2050. (See Page 9 for information on how to
collect money).
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SPELL
This shows the spell currently selected.
WEAPON
This shows the weapon you are currently using.
ARMOR
This shows the armor you are currently wearing. For ARMOR to be effective,
you must wear (or USE it, as described in the next section) it and not just
carry it in your ITEMS INVENTORY.
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INVENTORY SUB-MENUS
The sub-menus in the STATUS SCREEN provide access to information regarding
the various items you are carrying. These sub-menus are divided into the
following INVENTORY menus.
ITEMS MENU
The ITEMS INVENTORY sub-menu lists all the items you have acquired during
the game. Depending on the item, you can either EXAMINE, GIVE or USE it by
calling up the ITEM ACTION WINDOW and selecting the corresponding verb.
MAGIC MENU
The MAGIC INVENTORY sub-menu lists all the magic spells you have learned
during the game.
The LEVEL of each spell is listed to the right of the spell. The number of
SPELL POINTS required to cast the spell is indicated in brackets. From this
menu, you can choose your default spell assigned to the X BUTTON.
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WEAPON MENU
The WEAPONS INVENTORY sub-menu lists all the weapons you are currently
carrying. (See page 17 for weapons detail.)
ARMOR MENU
The ARMOR INVENTORY sub-menu lists all the armor you are currently carrying.
(See page 17 for armor details.)
SKILLS MENU
The SKILLS INVENTORY sub-menu lists all the skills you have learned during
the game. The level of experience for each level is listed alongside each
skill. (Increasing the level of a spell increases its power or the period it
stays sctive, and increases the number of spell points it takes to cast the
spell. You begin the game with level 1 FIREARMS and COMPUTER skills).
You cannot choose skills from the SKILLS INVENTORY sub-menu. All skills are
active as soon as you learn them. But, you can improve your skills by
spending Karma in the SLEEP MENU (for more information see SPENDING KARMA on
page 28).
CYBER INVENTORY
The CYBER INVENTORY sub-menu lists all the cyber equipmeny you are
currently carrying. You cannot choose cyber items from the CYBER INVENTORY
sub-menu. All cyber equipment is operational at all times from the moment
you have it fitted.
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USING WEAPONS AND ARMOR
USING YOUR FIREPOWER
To use a weapon, first select it from the WEAPON INVENTORY sub-menu in the
STATUS SCREEN.
To fire a weapon, press the A BUTTON to bring up the CROSS-HAIR, position it
over the enemy so that their TAG BOX appears and repeatedly press the fire
BUTTON. Your weapons (apart from grenades) have unlimited ammunition.
You can find a wide array of weapons and armor, each with its own advantages.
You can carry any weapon or armor in the ITEMS INVENTORY at any time,
although you will not be able to use it until their STRENGTH ATTRIBUTE is
equal to or greater than your STRENGTH required of the item.
USING YOUR ARMOR
To use a piece of ARMOR, you must select it from the ARMOR INVENTORY
SUB-MENU in the STATUS SCREEN. The ARMOR currently in use (if any) is shown
on the MAIN STATUS SCREEN next to ARMOR.
To wear a piece of ARMOR, choose it from the ARMOR INVENTORY and press the
START BUTTON.
When you select a WEAPON or piece of ARMOR, it will automatically replace
any WEAPON or ARMOR previously in use. The WEAPON or ARMOR previously in use
can be selected again from the appropriate STATUS SCREEN SUB-MENU.
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It is essential you become well armed and well protected in order to attack
and defend against the many enemies you will encounter in the world of 2050.
Wearing suitable ARMOR can significantly reduce the number of hits you
suffer.
The following is a list of the various weapons/armor and their corresponding
strength levels.
WEAPON NAME STRENGTH ARMOR STRENGTH
Zip gun 1 Leather Jacket 1
Beretta 101T Pistol 1 Mesh jacket 2
Colt American L36 1 Bullet Proof Vest 3
Pistol 1 Full Concealable 4
Grenade 1 Partial Body Suit 5
Ares Viper Heavy Pistol 2 Full Body Suit 6
Fichetti Light Pistol 3
Uzi III SMG 4
Defiance T-250
Shotgun 4
Ruger Warhawk Pistol 4
HK227 Assualt Rifle 5
AS& Assualt Cannon 6
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COMBAT AND SHADOWRUNNERS
A vital part of surviving in Shadowrun is performing well in combat. Although
certain hazards exist almost on every street corner, when there is a
Shadowrun to be performed, you will need more than just the fire-power--you
will need the help of Shadowrunners.
SHOOTING INNOCENT PEOPLE
You should contain your attacks to combat situations. If you shoot characters
that are not posing a threat to you, your spirit guide will warn you. If you
continue shooting innocent people, an additional message will appear and one
point of Karma (if you have any Karma) will be deducted.
SHADOWRUNNERS
There are three typoes of 'Shadowrunners' ready for hire--each with his own
size, strengths and weaknesses.
Mercenaries
Mercenaries are always ready for combat and they're usually well armed and
wearing some decent armor.
Deckers
Deckers are primarily useful in handling trips into the Matrix. They also
usually carry a firearm and armor.
Magic Users
Magic users rarely carry a firearm--they cast POWERORBS by default. With
Magic Users, you can tap into their SPELL POINTS and SPELL INVENTORY and cast
some spells they may not have the knowledge or SPELL POINTS to use.
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HIRING SHADOWRUNNERS
To hire a Shadowrunner, you must obtain and use KEYWORDS in your VOCABULARY
INVENTORY in order to ask them to join you. Once a Shadowrunner has agreed
to come on a run with you, they will follow you just about anywhere.
There are certain places however, where Shadowrunners will not enter,
preferring to stand outside and stand guard for you. When a Shadowrunner
leaves, he'll indicate that he's fulfilled his contact and disapear. He'll
return to where he was first hired, where you can then re-hire him if you
need to.
CONTROLLING YOUR RUNNERS IN COMBAT
When you first enter a screen containing combat, the Shadowrunners will
spread out and take up vantage points. They will also decide on which enemy
they will target and begin firing.
While in combat, you can control your actions, and those of the Shadowrunners
you have hired. Although each Shadowrunner has artificial intelligence
controlling where they will stand, who they will attack and with what weapon,
you are able to force your Shadowrunner to perform in a certain way.
To control a Shadowrunner, press the B BUTTON, move the ACTION GLOVE over the
character you wish to control and press the B BUTTON again. An ITEM ACTION
window will appear allowing you to perform the following actions.
EXAMINE
Allows you to examine the Shadowrunner's STATUS SCREEN. This screen looks
similar to your screen, although each Shadowrunner is different. Some may not
be carrying weapons.
You are also able to look at the SKILLS and CYBER menus of your Shadowrunners
in order to learn their strengths and weaknesses.
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TALK
To talk to a Shadowrunner, point to them witb the ACTION GLOVE, choose TALK
from the ITEM ACTION window and press the B BUTTON.
TARGET
To make a Shadowrunner TARGET a specific enemy, choose the Shadowrunner that
you require, choose TARGET from his ITEM ACTION window and then move the
ACTION GLOVE over the enemy you wish them to target and press the B BUTTON.
This option only appears in the middle of a combat situation. TARGET allows
you to force a Shadowrunner to target a specific enemy. This is useful if
more than one enemy appears on the screen and the one chosen by the
Shadowrunner is not the most dangerous one.
The Shadowrunner with the most lethal weapons of anybody in the party, so
that it would be more useful to have them attack and defeat the enemy
causing the most damage to your party sooner, rather than having your best
Shadowrunner attack the weaker enemies.
MOVE TO
To MOVE a Shadowrunner to a specific location, choose the Shadowrunner you
require, choose MOVE TO in his ITEM ACTION window and then move the ACTION
GLOVE to the position you want them to MOVE TO and press the ...
This option only appears in the middle of a combat situation. MOVE TO
allows you to reposition the location of a Shadowrunner on screen. Although
Shadowrunners take up vantage points when there is combat on the screen,
you may wish to move them out of your way or move them to somewhere where
they are not a visable target to the enemy.
By moving them, you may either cause them to change who they TARGET since
they may be moved closer to another enemy, or they may be moved out of the
enemies' sight so that they do not suffer as much damage.
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GIVING WEAPONS AND ARMOR TO YOUR SHADOWRUNNERS
As you improve your weapons and armor in later levels, you may decide that
instead of trading it in, you'd prefer to give it to some of your
Shadowrunners who need it. By providing a Shadowrunner with a gun or piece of
armor that is better than the one they had, you can decrease your combat time
and reduce the amount of healing or resting required to keep that
Shadowrunner alive. You must be sure however, that the Shadowrunner you wish
to give the item to has the strength to use it.
HEALING RUNNERS
Just as you will lose HIT POINTS during COMBAT, so will your Shadowrunners.
After each major combat, you will need to chack your STAMINA level, and that
of each of your Shadowrunners, to ensure they can stay alive through another
combat situation.
To check the status of each of your Shadowrunners individually, you can move
the ACTION GLOVE over them and choose EXAMINE from the ITEM ACTION window, or
you can view a summary of all the members of your party including your
character by using the PARTY STATUS SCREEN.
If a Shadowrunner's STAMINA POINTS are close to zero, you may want to
increase them by HEALING the Shadowrunner. This can be done either through
magic or a magic user that was hired.
YOu may have to go through long combat situations where you might not find
a bed or be able to return to one. In this event, it is sometimes wise to
hire a good magic user who has HIGHER MAGIC ability in order to HEAL your
party SLAP PATCHES can also be used to HEAL your party although these must
be bought and cannot be regenerated like SPELL POINTS.
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PARTY STATUS SCREEN
To bring up the PARTY STATUS screen, press SELECT while on the MAIN GAME
SCREEN.
When you've hired some Shadowrunners, the PARTY STATUS screen can save you
time by allowing you to view the STAMINA POINTS and SPELL POINTS for all your
party members including your own character.
Your Shadowrunners will be listed in the order in which they are following
you. If a Shadowrunner is defeated, the space they occupied in the list will
be erased and filled by the remaining Shadowrunners.
The PARTY STATUS screen should be checked after combat situations in case
any member of your party is close to losing all his STAMINA POINTS and is in
need of HEALING or REST.
In order to check your own character's STAMINA and SPELL POINTS, you may
also call up the PARTY STATUS screen when you don't have any Shadowrunners
hired.
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USING YOUR MAGIC
CASTING SPELLS
You begin the game without any magical ability. Once you have met the demands
of your spirit guide, you will then be granted magic and be able to learn
different spells. Your spirit guide will also provide you with clues as to
what talisman items are required for each spell.
Spells can only be learned once you have collected the talismans required to
cast them. You must then return to your spirit guide with the items in order
to be granted the spell.
When you first learn one of the six spells available, it will appear in your
MAGIC INVENTORY sub-menu. Next to each spell is the level of the spell and
the number of SPELL POINTS it takes to cast the SPELL. Attempting to cast a
spell when you have insuffecient SPELL POINTS will result in the message
'Not enough spell points' appearing.
The level of a spell is increased by spending Karma (see SPENDING KARMA on
page 28).
To cast a spell, press the X BUTTON to bring up the SPELL GLOVE, position
it over the enemy so that the tag box appears, and press the X BUTTON again.
The same procedure can be followed to cast a protective spell on yourself or
one of your Shadowrun party.
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The following is a list of various Magic Spells you can obtain.
Heal
Cures 5 hit points of STAMINA per level.
Armor
Armor protects you against damage. The time and level depends on the level of
the spell. You can only have four ARMOR spells active at one time.
Invisibility
The Invisibility spell enables you to become invisible so you cannot be
tracked by enemies (but you can still be hit). The duration of the
INVISIBILITY depends on the level of the spell.
Powerball
Powerball is a form of firepower. The strength of the Powerball depends on
the level of the spell.
Summon Spirit
Summons a servant of your spirit guide who will attack all enemies on the
screen. The strength of the attack depends on the level of the spell. This
spell does not need to be targeted at an enemy since it attacks all enemies
on the screen. You can only cast one SUMMON SPIRIT spell at a time.
Freeze
This spell freezes an enemy in a cocoon of ice. The duration of the freeze
depends on the level of the spell. You can only have four FREEZE spells
active at one time.
SPELL LIMITATIONS
You cannot cast an offensive spell on a character that is not an enemy.
Other magic users, however, do not have this limitation since they are not
under the guidance of your spirit.
COMBINING
You can combine magic spells for greater effect--you may decide to use a
FREEZE spell on an enemy before attacking them with an offensive spell such
as a POWERBALL or a weapon.
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SKILLS
You can learn and improve your skills so you can meet your quest. You begin
the game with two skills (Firearms and Computer), both at level 1 experience.
When a new skill is learned, it begins at level 1, but can be raised up to
Level 6 using Karma (see Spending Karma on page 28).
The following are the skills you can learn:
LEADERSHIP
In order for the Shadowrunners you hire to stay with you through the
dangerous times, you will need to be a good leader. Shadowrunners will fight
more adversaries nefore terminating their contract if you have good
leadership skills. Once the Shadowrunner leaves, he/she will tell you
they've had enough and return to the point where you hired them.
NEOGOTIATION
The better you are at NEOGOTIATION, the less you will have to pay for most
things in Shadowrun, including the hiring fees of Shadowrunners.
No haggling is involved in NEOGOTIATION. If you have this skill, the prices
for items for hire contracts offered to you will be automatically
discounted.
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COMPUTER
The higher your COMPUTER SKILL the less STAMINA you lose when attacked by an
IC within the Matrix. When combating an IC in the Matrix, a higher COMPUTER
SKILL also increases your chances of defeating the IC (see MATRIX on page
32).
You begin the game with COMPUTER SKILL at level 1.
FIREARMS
Firearms allows you to defeat enemies quciker and therefore spend less time
in combat where you can lose STAMINA. The higher your FIREARMS SKILL, the
more accurate your aim is when shooting enemies. Your FIREARMS SKILL will
begin at level 1 and can range from up to 16.
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RESTING AND REGAINING STRENGTH
Scattered throughout the city are beds that you can use to rest and regain
your strength. You can also save a game while you rest.
To use a bed, walk over to it, position the CATION GLOVE over it and press
the B BUTTON. Choose USE from the ITEM ACTION window and press the B BUTTON
again and you will climb into the bed.
SLEEP MENU
Each time you rest in a bed, the SLEEP MENU will appear. While resting, you
can save your current progress in the game, SPEND KARMA or select 'Exit' to
replenish your STAMINA POINTS and SPELL POINTS and continue gameplay.
Resting also replenishes the STAMINA POINTS and SPELL POINTS of any
Shadowrunners you currently have hired.
DAVING A GAME
To save a game, select 'SAVE GAME' from the SLEEP MENU, then choose the
save game slot under which you want to save your game and press the B
BUTTON.
The save-game slots are called GAME 1 and GAME 2. You will hear a beep to
indicate that your game has been saved.
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SPENDING KARMA
Karma is obtained after defeating a certain number of enemies. The more
difficult the enemies, the faster Karma will be awarded.
If you select 'USE KARMA' from the SLEEP MENU, you will be taken to the KARMA
INVENTORY screen. This screen allows you to allocate any Karma you have been
awarded during play to increase your ATTRIBUTES, SKILLS and MAGIC levels.
The amount of Karma you have is displayed on the top left of your KARMA
INVENTORY. To allocate Karma, use the CONTROL PAD to point to either
ATTRIBUTE, SKILLS or MAGIC and press the START BUTTON. A sub-menu will appear
on the right listing the various ATTRIBUTES, SKILLS or MAGIC SPELLS you are
able to increase the level of.
Use the CONTROL PAD to choose one and press the START BUTTON to increase it
by one level. Karma will be automatically deducted. The higher the level you
wish to increase something, the more Karma points it will cost to increase it
by a level. For example, if your current FIREARMS skill under the ATTRIBUTES
menu is 10, it will cost you 10 Karma points to increase your FIREARMS skill
to level 11.
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DIALOGUE WINDOWS
In order to learn about your past and survive your future, you will need to
talk to different characters along your quest. While some people will talk to
you automatically, in most cases you will have to make the first move.
To talk to another character, point to them with the ACTION GLOVE and then
press the B BUTTON.
Now choose 'TALK' from the ITEM ACTION window and you will be presented with
DIALOGUE WINDOWS. The screen divides into two areas. The top half contains a
picture of the person you are talking to and their dialogue lines. The bottom
half of the screen contains a your picture and your available dialogue
options.
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KEYWORDS
As you progress through the game, you will collect many KEYWORDS. KEYWORDS
are specific words you will need to ask characters about in order to gain
insight into various puzzles in the game.
When you collect more that the VOCABULARY INVENTORY can display at one time,
an arrow will appear to indicate that there are more words than can be
displayed in the window.
Instead of scrolling through the window with the pointer, you are able to
flip between pages of KEYWORDS by using the LEFT and RIGHT BUTTONS. The
RIGHT BUTTON displays the next window of KEYWORDS, while the LEFT BUTTON
displays the previous window.
TALKING TO PEOPLE
When you first talk to a person and the DIALOGUE WINDOW appears, the
character will greet you with an opening remark. You may then choose TALK
from the available options. This provides you with further dialogue lines
which are usually general in nature. You should study both of these as they
may provide KEYWORDS that you can ask this or other characters about.
To ask the character about something specific, you should choose a word
from your VOCABULARY INVENTORY. To choose a KEYWORD to ask a character
about, choose ASK ABOUT ... from your available options. Your VOCABULARY
INVENTORY sub-menu will then appear. Use UP and DOWN on the CONTROL PAD to
move through the alphabetically sorted KEYWORDS. When you are pointing at
the KEYWORD you want to ASK ABOUT..., press the B BUTTON.
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USING THE VIDPHONE
Early in the game you will need to find a credstick. You must use the
CREDSTICK on the VIDPHONE in order to operate it.
When using the credstick on the VIDPHONES found in various locations, you are
also able to use the DIALOGUE WINDOWS to talk to the character. These work in
exactly the same way as when talking to someone standing close to your
character.
To use the VIDPHONE, move your ACTION GLOVE over it and press the B BUTTON.
Then choose USE from the ACTION WINDOW. If you have any phone numbers in your
dialling directory, these will appear in a DIALLING DIRECTORY WINDOW. Choose
the number you want to dial by using UP or DOWN on the CONTROL PAD and press
the B BUTTON to begin dialling.
If the person you are calling answers, the DIALOGUE WINDOWS will
automatically appear.
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THE MATRIX
In order to successfully complete your quest, you must master the vast global
communications grid known as the Matrix. Cyberspace, as it is called by those
who have been there, allows the user to walk around the vast communicatons
lines without ever leaving their bodies.
To do this, they must 'Jack-In' to an appropriate point using the right
equipment. A person who jacks-In to the Matrix is known as a 'decker'.
Jacking in to the Matrix allows you to open locked electronic doors,
download valuable information and transfer money onto your own credstick.
THE RIGHT EQUIPMENT
To Jack-In, you must first be fitted with a DATAJACK. This thin wire linked
to the users brain, is used to send sensory information to and from the
Matrix.
Although it is always dangerous jacking into the Matrix, it is especially so
if done directly with a DATAJACK. The user therefore will need a cyberdeck.
A Cyberdeck (Matrix Imaging Cybernetic Interface Device) sits between your
DATAJACK and the Matrix. Although similar to a 20th century keyboard, a
cyberdeck is much more complex. It projects the users persona into the
Matrix, allowing them to take on a certain form. Whe you jack-in to the
Matrix, you will appear as a miniature version of yourself.
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The Cyberdeck also carries the programs used to attack and defend against ICE
(Intrusion Countermeasure Electronics), and has storage capacity to hold any
information downloaded from the grid.
JACK-IN POINTS
To Jack-In to the Matrix, you will need a suitable entry point. In Shadowrun,
this is any computer terminal that is linked to the GRID.
LAYOUT OF THE MATRIX
When you have successfully jacked-in, your persona (a smaller representation
of your character) will appear standing next to a representation of the
terminal they jacked-in from. The Matrix will appear as one or more areas
of tiles joined by DATALINES. Your persona is able to travel along these
DATALINES to get to other areas.
The bottom left corner of the screen contains two status bars. The top bar
indicates your current STAMINA level. If this level drops to nothing while
in the Matrix, you will be 'dumped' from the Matrix and immediately lose
your life. The bottom bar indicates your STORAGE CAPACITY. When this bar
reaches full, you will not be able to download any more data from a
DATASTORE, although you will still be able to attack IC's and CPU's. Any
attempt to download further data when your storage is full will result in
the message 'ERROR: OUT OF STORAGE.'
NODES
To get to the areas containing the DATASTORES and CPU's which you are
after, you must travel along the DATALINES.
At various points along a DATALINE, and especially at junctions, you will
cross a NODE. In most cases, you will be able to just pass through a NODE
without any problem. Sometimes, however, a NODE may be locked requiring a
password to let you through. In order to be allowed through, you will need
to fin the passwords for these NODES. These can be found by jacking in
through other terminals and from other characters. Once you have a
PASSWORD, it is stored in your ITEMS INVENTORY as an item. Next time you
pass through a locked NODE, if you have the right PASSWORD in your ITEMS
INVENTORY, you can pass right through.
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HOW TO PLAY THE MATRIX GAME
When you arrive on a tiled area, you should move carefully. Although these
areas contain the DATASTORES and CPU's which you are after, they also contain
hidden IC's (Intrustion Countermeasure Electronics).
These IC's are implemented by the owners of the area you have accessed to
protect their data and computer systems from theft and sabotage.
ATTACKING IC'S
To successfully cross these areas, you will have to avoid these IC's or
destroy them. In some cases, you will have no choice but to destroy them an
IC in order to proceed. Fortunately your cyberdeck is running a trace
program for narrowing down the location of these.
When you stand on a tile, the program scans the surrounding eight tiles for
these programs. If any IC's are detected, a message appears in the top left
corner warning you of the number it has found. As you move through the area,
by monitoring these messages, you can deduce the possible locations of an IC
and either avoid them or attack them.
To attack an IC, face the tile you think the IC is on and press the B BUTTON.
If there is no IC present on that tile, combat will fail. You will lose
STAMINA points and the message 'COMBAT FAILED' will appear in the top left
corner. The amount of STAMINA points you will lose depends on your COMPUTER
SKILL level. It is therefore not good strategy to regularly attack tiles
which do not contain IC's.
If an IC is present and COMBAT succeeds, the IC will explode and the message
'COMBAT SUCCESSFUL' will appear. You will then be able to walk over the tile
without suffering damage.
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If you walk onto a tile containing an IC without destroying it first, you
will lose STAMINA and be thrown back onto the tile you came from.
You should improve your COMPUTER SKILL level as you progress through the game
since the IC's you will encounter later in the game will be of a higher
strength. Attacking an IC of greater strength may take more combat attempts
to defeat and will cause you to lose more STAMINA POINTS for each
unsuccessful attempt.
DOWNLOADING INFORMATION FROM DATASTORES
To gain valuable information and money to help you on your quest, you should
try to download information from DATASTORES. DATASTORES are represented as
WHITE BLOCKS in the Matrix. Once you have fought your way next to a
DATASTORE, tirn your persona to face it and press the A BUTTON. The
information will be downloaded to your storage and the DATASTORE will change
in appearance to a transparent block.
When you JACK-OUT of the Matrix, windows will appear to tell you what you
downloaded.
Not all DATASTORES contain valuable data and information. The following are
the types of things you can find in DATASTORES.
Passwords
In certain areas of the Matrix, you will find areas locked off by password
protected NODES. To get past these NODES, you will need PASSWORDS which can
either be found on people or within the Matrix.
Datafiles
Datafiles containing valuable information are stored in your ITEMS INVENTORY
so that you can examine them whenever you want. All DATAFILES have a DF
prefix and include the filename as well.
Accounts
Since money is held purely as data, financial accounts containing Nuyen can
be transferred to your credstick. Any Nuyen you download is automatically
reflected in your character's STATUS SCREEN.
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Trash Data
This is data of no meaning or value to you. Therefore, when you JACK-OUT of
the Matrix, it is automatically discarded.
COMBATTING CPU'S
CPU's control certain systems and are vital to your character's progression
through the game--attacking a CPU can open electronic doors and elevators
and turn off alarm systems and other security devices,
Some CPU's are linked to the IC's protecting them. Therefore, successfully
attacking them causes all hidden IC's on the area to be detonated. The area
is therefore made safe.
Attacking a CPU is done by turning your persona to face them and pressing
the B BUTTON.
JACKING OUT OF THE MATRIX
Jacking out of the Matrix can be done at any time or location while in the
grid. To jack out, press the X BUTTON. Your programs will be terminated and
you will reappear standing next to the terminal you jacked in from.
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1850 Little Orchard St.
San Jose, CA 95125
Tel: 408/286-7074
(C) 1993 Data East USA, Inc. PRINTED IN JAPAN