Shadowrun Online Interview
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The game can't emulate everything from the pen-and-paper system, Wagner said, but when it does borrow, it does so with thorough execution. Players of the tabletop RPG will know that conditional modifiers play a large part in Shadowrun'˜s combat, and Cliffhanger has implemented those. However, the game isn't just combat. One of the most intriguing features of Shadowrun Online isn't necessarily combat-related at all; it's the implementation of legwork.
Legwork is in many ways the calm before the storm. This is your character's chance to gather information, discover alternate routes, disable security, and generally prepare for combat. Players can use their character's social skills to bribe, intimidate, or otherwise manipulate situations to their favor, or take advantage of technical knowledge to discover the layout of the enemy base, for example. It's not meant to replace the spontaneous nature of playing Shadowrun as a tabletop RPG, but it does evoke feelings of choice and consequence, giving a good sense of freedom within the game.
Once legwork has been completed, it's time for your runner to head into battle. Wagner and his team have also been hard at work on a big feature he refers to as (contextualized gameplay.) Depending on your character's archetype - fighter, mage, tech-oriented - they'll be able to view the world differently. Hackers, for example, can see where a terminal will open a bridge. Mages can see through walls and detect supernatural presences. Combat-oriented players will be able to analyze a battlefield most effectively.
