How to Play
This page will describe how the use the OCTGN engine to play Android:Netrunner comfortably
There is also a video tutorial available
This guide assumes you already know how to play Android:Netrunner, so we will not go into the rules of the game. We will merely explain how to put those rules into effect in the most efficient way.
We also assume that you know how to use basic OCTGN functionality like logon, lobby or adding friends.
You can either host a game yourself or join an existing game. If you want to host, click on Host and select Android:Netrunner.
Enter a game name and click the Ok button.
Wait for another player to join. Use the chat window (or a voice client like Mumble) to determine who plays Runner and who plays Corp.
Now make sure that the Corp player has side A selected and the Runner has side B selected. You can change side by simply clicking on the letter. It should switch between A and B. This is important as Android:Netrunner uses an asymmetrical game setup. If you don't set sides correctly you will have to restart your game session (see below).
To start the game session hit the Start button. You should see the empty game area.
Player bierfuizl plays Corp (blue side), player highflyer plays the runner (brownish side). First load you deck, hit the the Load deck button in the upper left corner. Select one of your deck definition files.
The identity card should show up in your hand area in the lower area. Your R&D/Stack with the correct number of cards is shown in the lower right area. Now wait until your opponent also loads a deck before you proceed to the initial setup as your identity will then be revealed automatically.
To start the setup process just hit Ctrl``Shift``s or right-click in the main play area and select Game -> Set up in the popup menu. This will place your identity card in the main play area, shuffle your R&D/Stack, check if your deck is legal and deal a starting hand. If your version is not up to date, a message will appear to let you know. Playing with an out of date version is likely to provoke bugs that won't let you finish the game. You should update your version, then host/join a game again.
At this stage both players decide if they want to mulligan, as described in the Android:Netrunner rules. If you want to mulligan right-click in your HQ/Grip area and select Mulligan. The A:NR plugin will move your cards back to R&D/Stack, shuffle and draw five new cards.
After setup is complete and both sides had their chance to mulligan the Corp starts the game by clicking the small green triangle in the Corp player`s tab. This does not trigger any automatic functions but indicates the sequence of turns in the chat window. Using this function is not strictly necessary for game play but makes the log window more readable.
To start your turn, trigger automatic start of turn effects and fill your clicks hit F1. For the Corp this usually means the mandatory draw of the turn. When you have finished your turn, hit F12 and then click the small green triangle in your opponent's tab to indicate that your turn is over.
To install cards from your hand just double-click on the hand. The A:NR plugin will place Corp cards face down in the main area and it will also correctly rotate ice cards by 90°. The card installed will however just appear in the main area, so you will need to drag it to where you want it installed. Remember that when you install an ICE on a server, you will have to pay one credit for each ICE already installed on this same server. To do that, adjust manually your current credits pool by clicking the +/- button besides your credits counter or by entering directly how many credits you should have after installation.
Runner cards will be played face up in the corresponding section of the play area.
You can peek at an installed card by right-clicking it and selecting Peek, or by hitting Ctrl``p when your cursor is on the card.
To create a remote server, you should first right-click the play area and then select Create a new remote server or just hit Ctrl``s. A marker will then appear : you should install assets, agendas and upgrades under it, while ICEs have to be installed in front of it. This is not mandatory, but it adds clarity to the game.
To take credits use Ctrl``c. The A:NR plugin will reduce your click count by one and increase your credits like-wise.
To draw a card, double-click your draw pile. The A:NR plugin will reduce your click count by one and add the card on top of your drawpile to your hand.
To target a card, click on the card you intend to target while pressing shift. If you drag your mouse cursor from a card to another while pressing shift, an arrow will appear from the first card to the other one. To untarget a card, click on it while pressing shift. Click likewise on the source of an arrow to have it gone.
To rez installed cards you can just double-click them or right-click on the card and select Rez -> Pay and Rez.
Runner actions can be initiated by right-clicking the main play area and select the appropriate entry in the popup menu under Runner actions....
To start a run, right-click on the play area and select the appropriate entry in the popup menu under Runner actions.... A run has begun... If you're running at a remote server, you will have to target the remote server card your running at. If you start a run by playing a card like "Account Siphon" or "Maker's Eye", the run has automatically started (i.e. you don't need to start a run using the popup menu).
Targeting the ICE currently encountered would make it clearer for both player.
To break an ICE, double-click the Icebreaker you are going to use to achieve that. A popup window will appear, showing the different options made available by that icebreaker. The different options are showed like this X : do stuff. You just have to click the different options in the right order then click Finish selection to activate the different effects in that order.
For instance: you are trying to use "Corroder" to break a "Wall of Static". You first need to double click on "Corroder": a window will then appear showing 0: Pay one credit to announce {break barrier subroutine} and 1: Pay one credit to put one 'plus one' marker. Since "Wall of static" has a strength of 3 whereas "Corroder"'s strength is only 2, you'll first need to add a +1 marker to it in order to break the only subroutine "Wall of Static" has. Therefore, you need to click 1: Pay one credit to put one 'plus one' marker, then click 0: Pay one credit to announce {break barrier subroutine} and finally click Finish selection. A +1 marker will be added to "Corroder" (because of the 1) while you will automatically lose one credit, and because of the 0, you will lose another credit, and the log will then announce that you have paid in order to break the subroutine.
Don't forget that you cannot enter more than 9 numbers this way: if you are encountering a heavily fortified "Hadrian's Wall", you will need to repeat the procedure (but that should be the least of your worries by then). All credits spent using an Icebreaker will be deduced from your total automatically. If you have "Cyberfeeder" or "Toolbox" in play, the amount of credits you should have paid using your icebreakers will automatically be reduced.
If the runner does not break a ICE subroutine, the Corp player triggers it by double-clicking the ICE. If there are several subroutines on that particular ICE, a pop-up window will appear, showing the different subroutines that can be triggered. You can activate the subroutines the same way you can activate icebreakers abilities (see above). If the ICE has only one subroutine, double-clicking it will simply trigger it. The Corp player should make sure with the runner player that he is not breaking a subroutine before activating it.
To jack out, you need to hit Esc (you won't need to hit Esc if the Corp player activates an "End the run" effect).
If your run ends successfully, hit F3 before accessing cards. "When you successfully run at" effects will then trigger automatically.
If the runner player accesses HQ, the Corp player needs to right-click on the hand area then select Show a card at random. Once the Agenda is on the Table, the runner can target it with Shift-Click and then Use Runner Actions... > Score Target Agenda or Ctrl``G to score it
If the runner player accesses R&D, he needs to right-click the play area Runner Action > Access Top X cards from Corp R&D or Ctrl``A
If the runner player accesses Archives, he needs to right-click the play area Runner Action > Score all Agendas in Archives. All cards in Hidden Archives will be moved to the Face-Up Archives and all Agendas in Archives will then be scored.
If the runner player accesses a Remote Server, he should indicates in which order he is accessing the cards in the server by targeting them successively. The Corp player exposes then the targeted card : right-click on the card then Expose, or Ctrl``e. If the exposed card is an agenda, the runner should target it then right-click the play area Runner Actions...>Score Target Agenda or just press Ctrl``G. If this card is a trashable card, the runner can trash it by targeting it, then right-clicking the play area and selecting Pay an Trash Target (Resource, Asset or Upgrade) or just press Ctrl``Shift``T.
#Trace
The Corp player triggers a Trace by activating a subroutine or by playing a card. Either way, a popup window will appear asking if he wants to boost the signal of the Trace. He needs then to enter the amount of credits he intends to use on that trace and press OK. That amount of credits will be taken from his credits pool (if the Corp player is using the NBN ID card, the amount he needs to pay will automatically be reduced).
The runner can then boost his link by double-clicking his Trace marker in the bottom left corner of the play area. He should then indicates the amount of credits he intends to use to boost his link.
If the trace is successful, the Corp players triggers the effect by double-clicking the card he used to start the trace.
While the runner is tagged, the corp player can trash his opponent's resources. To trash a resource, target it, then right-click the play area and select Pay an Trash Target (Resource, Asset or Upgrade) or just press Ctrl``Shift``T. The corp player will automatically lose one click and two credits.
Wait for both players to load their deck or your opponent will see your identity card before he/she selected his/her identity!
Use Ctrl``Shift``s to start the initial setup.
If double-clicking does not work, click in the main play area. Make sure the chat window doesn't have focus.
Use the green triangles to indicate turn sequence.
Use F1/F12 to start/end your turn and let the A:NR plugin do its bookkeeping.
You can rez cards at the end of the runner's turn : simply double-click the card before hitting F1.