MATRIX

Awake currently has a fully operational Matrix that exists throughout
the game. Deckers are the only people other than gods that have access to this
world and all its riches. Once you find certain rooms that have linkups to the
Matrix, you can use a datajack and cyberdeck to jack in. The better your
cyberdeck, the better your chances of survival and success in the Matrix.
The Matrix is invaluable when it comes to sneaking through security or 
grabbing information, because in 2064, everything is stored on computers.
If you need the dirt on someone, or a pass for a Maglock at the local 
police station, only a decker will be able to get it for you.

When you jack into the Matrix, your real body will remain by the terminal
unchanged. Your mind however will go on a trip unlike any other as the cyberdeck
simulates your experience. This means that although you might be unlocking Lone
Star's undercover payroll files, someone might be kicking the shit out of
you in real life. Since you NEVER want to be tracked down, you will almost
always jack in from a public terminal. Because of this, you will always need
someone you trust by your side looking after your body while you're away. In
this way, a decker relies on the group and the group relies on the decker.

In mud terms, the Matrix is probably one of the coolest things you will ever
see. It is essentially an alternate reality for the player, as you surf
through rooms that don't exist. You will fight and avoid mobs that are simple
computer programs, and will open doors that are made up of numbers. You will
also find data in there, that when you jack out, will be worth a lot to the
right person. As you make more money and gain a bigger reputation in the
Shadowrun world, you will be able to increase your abilities in the matrix.

See Also: DECKERS, CYBERDECKS, PROGRAMS, UTILITIES, LOCATE, LOGON, ANALYZE,
DOWNLOAD, CRASH, ABORT, SCAN, SOFTWARE, CONNECT, INTRUSION COUNTERMEASURES