I like the changes to netrunning in terms of effectiveness - things like the synergies between smart weapons and hacking are delicious. The trees are solid, etc. There's been no real loss of power other than in terms of comparison to the ridiculously OP Contagion builds of yore. The distinction between covert, control and damage quickhacks is good, etc., etc.
But the one thing I don't like about the way netrunning has gone is the almost total loss of the idea of breaching a network before being able to hack it (either by breaching mobs or static points connected to the mobs' networks).
I've always been fine with the breaching minigame, and I always thought it was a cool mechanic that distinguished netrunning from "magic just with different graphics," which is almost what it's become now.
It's understandable from the point of view of streamlining, but think about netrunning as a thing: is the type of player attracted to netrunning really after streamlined or simplified gameplay? On the contrary, I think players who are attracted to netrunning (as a career, so to speak, and as a concept) are going to be attracted to the idea of it being a bit complex and a bit fiddly.
But the one thing I don't like about the way netrunning has gone is the almost total loss of the idea of breaching a network before being able to hack it (either by breaching mobs or static points connected to the mobs' networks).
I've always been fine with the breaching minigame, and I always thought it was a cool mechanic that distinguished netrunning from "magic just with different graphics," which is almost what it's become now.
It's understandable from the point of view of streamlining, but think about netrunning as a thing: is the type of player attracted to netrunning really after streamlined or simplified gameplay? On the contrary, I think players who are attracted to netrunning (as a career, so to speak, and as a concept) are going to be attracted to the idea of it being a bit complex and a bit fiddly.