10 of 10 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Unwired: cool for splatbooks, 14 Oct 2008
By D. Dechert - Published on Amazon.com
This review is from: Unwired (Shadowrun) (Hardcover)
Unwired is, for those familiar with Shadowrun, the Matrix book. I like what it has done, especially the examples of security and nodes, processes and comlinks. The fiction is great, as is the art (I give you exhibit A, the cover for Augmentation.)
Like the other splatbooks Street Magic, Augmentation and Arsenal, there are additions to the character options as well as shadowtalk about how things appear to work in the fictional Shadowrun world. I have to admit that I like the fiction and then rules explanation set-up used in this book and Augmentation and Street Magic. Topics include the social impact of the new Matrix, an Idiot's guide to the Matrix as well as multiple descriptions of the Matrix. Also included is a re-inclusion of a lot of information veterans of VR, VR2.0, Matrix and Target: Matrix will recognize.
This book is also a re-boot and re-aligning of the technomancer characters. Basically, they are given traditions and mechanics that essentially makes them almost "mechanically" the same as magicians. The same information in Street Magic about magician options are included but for technomancers. I like the change, personally, although some may question the thrust of making the Matrix another astral space.
Is the book great? Yes, although there are 2 problems, one minor and one major, which are irksome, at least in the first printing. The minor problem is a wrongly labelled chapter devoted to simsense and reprogramming (the mental kind) which is called "sprites". It's a minor problem. My biggest problem, and one present in Augmentation and Arsenal, is the lack of an index. Shadowrun, for me, always had a great index as a saving grace. The lack of the index does put more weight on players or GMs having to remember everything or at least knowing where to look it up at. While this is less of problem with an eBook, it's the reason I'll give it 4 rather than 5 stars.
All that aside, I bought the book and I recommend it for SR4 players or Shadowrun completests.
2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Unwired, 14 Mar 2009
By Nicholas Smeaton "Bluebottle" - Published on Amazon.com
This review is from: Unwired (Shadowrun) (Hardcover)
Matrix splatbooks for pervious editions of Shadowrun have always been the weakest in my experiance, simply because in pervious editions there was no easy way to incorporate Matrix action with Astral and real world action. Forth edition has solved this flaw so Unwired is a useful addition to the rules, not only does it cover technomancers in much more depth, but it also covers Matrix threats - I know the designers are making Technomancers the Matrix equivilent of mages but at least it makes playing a Technomcer easier and they've done a good job at keeping the two apart. Also covered are Artifical Intelligences and there is some new hardware and software for those who like to play a more traditional hacker. Because the Matrix is a lot more closely tied to the setting in SR4 this book I recommend this book, if you have a Technomancer in your group then this book is essential.
2 of 3 people found the following review helpful:
3.0 out of 5 stars
Unwired- a study guide for Networking, 16 Nov 2009
By Scott A. Boyd - Published on Amazon.com
This review is from: Unwired (Shadowrun) (Hardcover)
Honestly, I do not know where to begin. This book is overly complex and hard to understand, at least at the beginning.
The book takes 2070's wireless technology and incorporates real world networking exploits and hacker trick
(like DDOS and bot-nets) and gives them Shadowrun rules. If you are a realist junky this book is for you; if you
treat Matrix combat like the movie Matrix, then avoid this book.
The book really shines in the Technomancer section. Giving them a work up similar to Shamans, Technomancers gain some
real good Echos (their version of Metamagic) and even gain the Technomancer version of spirit guides.
All in all Unwired is a clunky book, with more detail then necessary for a hacker, while buffing up Technomancers.
If your game has one, or you are playing one, get this book. Otherwise, it is not necessary for you.