[kevin perrine]

    Simple question. But on a couple levels.
    What does Shadowrun's Matrix look like, to the different character types that use it?

    As I was reading about Technomancers, I got an impression that the Matrix might look (as well as feel, sound, and be experienced) differently to a Technomancer than it would to other characters.
    Would there be a descriptive difference?

    What does the Matrix look like in general to anyone using it?
    What does it look like differently to a decker?
    What does it look like differently (from both general and deckers) to a technomancer?


    A friend described the Matrix might look like what Neo (from the movie, the Matrix) sees at the end - looking like all the green numbers/text in the shapes of hallways and such (just like Neo sees at the end of the movie). This "matrix" would look like that because the deckers experience it knowing it's all code, etc... But with the overlay shaping it into a "world" (again, as Neo sees Agent Smith and the hallway). But to a technomancer this "matrix" actually does look like the simulation ultra-real version (of real-life). Basically FLIPPING the way they experience the Matrix in the movies, to simulate how technomancers "feel" the symphony of the digital world as another "real world".
Alternatively,  it was suggested that:

•   to a  normal user the Matrix looks like  "TRON".
• to a Decker/user it looks like the Neo/Matrix green-streaming code.
• to a Technomancer it look like real-life with interactive text-info/dropdowns (like newer smart phone apps overlaying the real world sites with info show on phones).

    Would that work? Or is it something else completely?

    Thanks!

[Stry]

In a nut shell currently the matrix looks what ever the company wants it to look like.  In the past every one used the same icons, but that was SR1. Then they created sculpted systems and there where various levels of that very basic to super realistic.

How deckers and technomancers view the matrix is kind of unknown.

[Xzylvador]

^ Yup, that's pretty much the answer:
"Whatever they* want it to look like."
(*: Our you if your reality filter manages to beat their system.)

TerraFirst's node might look like a forest or a meadow, its info post like a wise owl sitting in a tree and a fox guiding you around the system. Their analyse is a hawk flying through the sky watching down on everything or squirrels hiding in the treetops, their IC giant spiders, bears, lions, whatever. To get to other parts of the system, simply follow the forest path, climb up the tree of knowledge or down the rabbit hole.

Then you turn on your reality filter, 'cuz seriously, who likes all that nature crap anyway.
Flip a switch and all that stupid nature makes room for a city. The info comes through speakers and holograms, analyse looks like cameras and spydrones, IC looks like cops, helicopters, rotodrones or tanks. Other parts of the system can be reached by getting in a car, entering buildings, or upgrade your Horizon City-View Reality Filter (tm) account for only 50 nuyen per month and get your own jetpack!

Everything is possible!

[AJCarrington]

For visualization ideas, you might want to check out a couple of anime: Summer Wars and GITS: Stand Along Complex and S.A.C. 2nd Gig.

AJC

[Mirikon]

Lawnmower Man and Johnny Mnemonic are also good choices. Now, as for how a UV node would look, then you go to the Matrix movies.

[Xzylvador]

Quite old fashioned imo. Wouldn't Tron be more likely?
Imo, anyone choosing to live in a total immersion lifestyle could live forever in any kind of 'reality' he can program/buy, barely even noticing it's not "real". Check out the movie Repo Men... or well, of course, the Matrix, but then see it like the majority of the human view it, completely unaware that they're even inside a program. Not the there is no spoon "code" like Neo can see it.

[Stry]

I would picture the early version of the matrix before sculpted systems looking like the first Tron movie.

[Mirikon]

It all depends on the node's iconography. Naturally, the special effects would be better than in an old movie like Johnny Mnemonic, but all the same, the nature of how programs work would be similar. Tron would be a sculpted node, for certain. Both would have had their place in the early Matrix. Things are a lot 'cleaner' now.

[farothel]

The Netforce series from Tom Clancy also gives quite a good idea on what the matrix would look like in VR.  I'm not sure about the movies, but the books give good descriptions.