ChristophFranzen
commented
1 year ago The following might be related, because it's about "magically summoned" runners as well.
To test something I hired 3 runners for a trivial job in the docks. I completed the run, and performed at least another without hiring anybody – staying at the docks all the time, using only the PDA to call the fixer. When I finally left to the Redmond Barrens, the 3 runners reappeared with strange names (the internal "software-names", I think). Load the attached game, perform a run with those characters, and you will be rewarded by your fixer, gain karma, and be charged 0¥ 6 times for those runners. So I'm not sure any more whether the Smash Jacker copies really cost money when taken on a run.
Whenever you enter the Puyullup Barrens (from a different area, for example the safe house there or from Penumbra), another "copy" of the decker will be "automatically hired" and follow you. The only method to get rid of "hired" runners is to take them with you on a run. You can "hire" as many "copies" as you like this way, but in combat mode the active runners will be reduced to the first four, including yourself. You must pay all of them, of course. This is a new bug, introduced in one of the last updates. The only safe house where you can build training areas to increase your abilities is in this area, so if you go to train or rest, you will end up with at least two "decker copies". You must perform an easy run outside of Puyullup to get rid of them.