Getting Caught

So far it was only talked about the bright side of the hacking community. It shouldn't be left out however that a whole lot of guys doesn't like you. The police is the nicer bunch. It can get much worse...

A whole lot of stuff can get you a visit from such an entity. Foremost these visits are caused by a bad nark attempt, when crashing a system or when hitting ice. But there are also other possibilities...

Bottom line is: you see them - RUN. Forget your deck, forget your library - just get your ass out of there. In hard rules: if you are subject to a corporate visit to your home, your decks and libs are gone. You only keep your procedures and knowledge. Your can try to get some new stuff later on. Of course it will be cheap trash stuff - just like the ones you had at the start of the game.

PS: Thank god they only took you gear!

The Real Big Trouble

Not everytime you get caught you will be able to menage to escape the guys that are after you. Escaping from the cops is comparably easy. You got a chance of 60% that you menage to do so. If you piss off the military forces you might be confronted with much more problems however. See your chances for escaping shrink to 30% with them. Fortunately it is a rare event that more then the police will care for a single hacker. Who will respond to a hack and go after you depends on the system you tried to invade. If not specified it is the local police.

I sense your question - what happens if they get me. Well for one they will make sure that they not only get you, but everyone else you had contacts to as well. Whatever friends you had (non playing chars)- they are gone just as your gear. Whatever information you got - it has been erased. Your procedures still are yours however. A good hacker always knows a place to make a backup.

How the guys that just destroyed all you had, treat your phyisical self depends on how often you have been in real big trouble. The first time you usually get away with just a warning. The second time they'll make sure that your name will be blacklisted in about every place known. A penalty more cruel then you might think as you aren't left with many legal activities anymore after that one. Finally if you get caught the third time you are gone. If you are lucky and it was only the police you will probably be executed. Don't even think about what others might do to you...

So to summarize: Never get caught. Ever.

First Strikes

Most corporations aren't only reacting however. They monitor the web very closely and make sure no hacker gets in their way. To ensure this information ratio, many corporations also do counter hacking. They hack people they think might have information that is useful in their own house. The bad thing is, you cannot run. It is your very own deck that is hacked apart. Try to win or be prepared to loose big bucks on deck repair. Additionally be prepared to find you databases wiped just like after you had been caught. All your friends and all your information will be gone. Fortunately at least your libraries will still be there.