I remember when I was first introduced to SHADOWRUN I was fascinated by the game. I had been playing D&D for a couple of years already, and all of the sudden we were introduced to this new game (new to us, at least, by then it was in its second edition) that looks much more advanced and complex than what we had been playing until then. The pace was much quicker, frenetic, and it definitely reflected what a battle between a bunch of cybernetic post-humans with firearms would be like. So while we never stopped playing D&D, we welcomed SHADOWRUN into our gaming lives with gusto.
After a few years, I bought the third edition book for the game. I was pleasantly surprised to see that since the game was set some 50 years or so into the future, that they had moved the setting year to accommodate the fact that the supposed “future” they were setting in the game was drawing nearer (and none of the games “predictions” had come to pass). More recently when I acquired the 4th Edition book I found that not only had they moved the dates again, but that they had also updated a lot of the technology.
It would that when it comes to certain fields of technological advancement, even human imagination sometimes pales in comparison to what eventually comes to be.
And so, the cyberpunk world I grew up imagining no longer has such an incredible need for something – and that something was pretty much the base of almost everything in that world I imagined: wires.
Cybernetic implants, flying cars, amazing computers, intelligent weapons and even the Matrix were all made possible because of the crap-load of wires that connected them all. Sure, wires are messy and complicated, but the aesthetics of tangled, excessive wires were as much of a part of my cyberpunk world as were all the things they we plugged in to. Cleaning it all up and giving everything a much more “organized” look would have looked pretty cool just as well – but it just didn’t go along with the pessimistic view of humanity’s future that cyberpunk championed. We would have our technological wonders, but at the cost of a much more complicated, tangled life.
Seeing the way technology is going, I see wires as something that will be used less and less. Eventually they’ll be used only when strictly necessary and then who knows? Maybe someday wires will be a thing of the past entirely.
But my cyberpunk world will always be wired. I for no other good reason, then just because it looks bad-ass.
Good hunting;
O
NOTE1: This doesn’t apply to the back of my computer, which is about as tangled and messy as the back of a single desktop PC can get. In this case, I wish it would all just be wireless.
NOTE2: Ninja Clan members, don’t forget to log in and look below this post.
I totally agree with you, O. Imagine how different the Nebuchadnezzar would have looked if all the consoles were wireless, if they just place a little halo-y thing on their forehead to connect to the matrix. And, as a pragmatic rationalization, most things being wired (again) in the future makes sense. If everything was wireless, not only would there would be more interference than you can even imagine, but wireless data is SO easy to hack relative to wired transmission, even with phenomenal encryption. If you’ve ever watched Ghost in the Shell, you know what I mean.
Regarding the setting: You can still use wires and the safest thing to link equipment directly worn is via something called skinlink, which uses your own bioelectric field, thus being unhackable without touching you.
And while it most certainly is a drastic change, it really speeds up gameplay in certain areas and the hacker is much more integrated into the group.
when will streetmage get his cybereyes?
he was so badass with those and that blue hair
Wires offer something quite important as well: security. It would be very awkward for one’s implants to stop responding because someone was jamming your Wireless Personal Area Network.
I loved me some Shadowrun. Always wondered why it faded away…
It’s weird but somehow all those wires fit cyberpunk.. It would be weird if they suddenly changed it to bluetooth
I’ve got to agree, ‘cyberpunk’ has always been synonymous with techno-mess to me. One thing I always loved about the idea, was the grittiness the genre carried with it. Ditching the wires, while a better echo of tech-as-we-know-it, seems more like ‘cyber-glint’ to me.
This is funny. I was just talking to my wife about this very thing the other day. I’ve been playing Shadowrun off and on since 95 or so, starting with 2nd ed. I never played 3rd but recently got 4th ed and my gaming group started playing it. It’s fun and all but I always feel like something is off and I think it’s the cyberpunk feel of wires everywhere and grunginess. 4th ed feels so clean and…unwired. Like everything is all Tokyo when it should be Detroit.
Thats mainly the reason I prefer postapocalyptic settings.
Apocalypse itself is one thing, but aesthetics of advanced technology dressed up as long lost devices or even knowledge restored in our clunky way looks cool.
Example: powered exoskeletons from games and from reality. HAL from Tsukuba University looks like new Apple device.
If I had something linked on my brain there’s no way in Hell I’d use a wireless connection. Not. A. Way. Wires are infinitely safer and more reliable and there’s so much less fuss trying to keep the connection from getting mangled up with other wireless connections and preventing others from mangling them on purpose.
Just for the love of everything holy, if you plug something into your brain, stick to wires!
Several other people have already mentioned the reason why people in Cyberpunk would still use wires: Security.
Wireless networks can be hacked much, MUCH more easily than can wired networks (which requires you to basically access a terminal or some other physical entry port). Much harder to do that when it’s a moving target with an AC score. 
Exactly how I feel about cyberpunk worlds, O!
A perfect example was made in your post referencing the Matrix. You are absolutely right that cyberpunk’s tone is reflected in the almost dark and forced connection to technology. An exact opposite of this is present in the new Star Trek. Everything is so clean and perfect and smooth and rounded. While I love both movies dearly, the feel is completely different in each. One is the perfect future we aspire too and one is the gritty reality that is coming.
And now we can’t see the mage guy face anymore, just like before….
But it’s too late, the magic is broken!
And great strip, as always O ^^.
Yeah deffinatly safety first, you don’t want you cybernetic killing machine hacked by the enemy. Could be everyone who is on the upand up is wireless (sorry sir the authorities have temporarily commandered you body untill the present issues are resolved).
I remember my first character was a Pyromaniac Mage called “Magic Fingers” and our first run was to steal some tech from a company (standard fare.). The problem was our first plan was stealthy manipulative and downright outrageous and didn’t work. So the second plan went as such: drive up to gate, shoot guard in face, set fire to guard on floor, pee on guard, pose for the security cameras. Our GM had wanted us to do a stealthy approach, but had pretty much dissed our first idea, so we just went mental. Strangely enough it worked if I remember – the other guards were scared sh**less of us (probably cause of poor Officer Bob), we trashed their secuirty section and got the tech….and I set fire to the place as we left, burning it down and a good sized portion of the city as well…including our employers place. Needless to say we did not get paid…
It’s really nice to see the Cyberpunk! back. As you and others have said: Wires are a necessity for the right feel of the post-apocalyptic world. Luckily, there are lots of reasons such as security, simplicity, etc. why wires would be very likely in such a world.
Also.. I can’t precisely put my finger on it, but: Mage guy no longer looks cool. Maybe it’s his haircut or his rounder face, I don’t know. He no longer looks cool or mysterious.
Come on, give the mage a break – he just poses as background here. I’m sure he’ll look better in another strip