Sharkrunners

Sharkrunners season 1 was a game created by area/code for the Discovery Channel as part of the channel's 20th year of Shark Week. The game used satellite tracking of six great white sharks off the coast of California. Users were able to take control of research vessels to gather, in real-time, information on the sharks, while trying to earn funding.

Sharkrunners season 2 used satellite tracking of ten tiger sharks and ten grey reef sharks off the northern coast of Queensland, Australia.

Sharkrunners was removed from Discovery Channel online in July 2011.

Institutions

When creating a character, the player is given the choice of three institutions to join:

- The International Marine Observation Project (I.M.O.P.): a high-tech research institute run by no-nonsense marine scientists looking for hard data

- The Piermont Group: a media-savvy philanthropic organization that is interested equally in scientific data and dramatic images

- Friends of the Ichtheological Nation (FIN): a hard-core ecological activist group devoted to protecting and preserving sharks at any cost

Sharks

Season 1 default names are given, in addition to their code numbers, for the six sharks in the game, though the player may rename them . They are as follows:

	A60480 Amanda	B39323 Betty	J39325 Jill	L39324 Lucy	M39326 Melissa	V62413 Vicky
Length	5.8 m	5.1 m	6.0 m	4.3 m	5.2 m	4.9 m
Weight	2000 kg	1700 kg	2100 kg	1400 kg	1800 kg	1600 kg

Season 2 default names for tiger sharks' are given, in addition to their code numbers, to the ten sharks currently in the game, though the player may rename them. They are as follows:

	N1701 Nicole	R0330 Ripley	J0203 JR	K2011 Kari	L0122 Lola	R0204 Rainebow2	S1080 Stacy	A1022 Adam	B0230 Broobry	R0220 Rainebow1
Length	3.25 m	3.30 m	2.92 m	2.96 m	3.51 m	3.68 m	2.95 m	2.53 m	3.30 m	3.24 m
Weight	220 kg	230 kg	200 kg	165 kg	235 kg	340 kg	200 kg	175 kg	215 kg	210 kg

- Lola has become unable to be tracked due to loss of tag or the tag has stopped transferring data.
- Rainebow2 has become unable to be tracked due to loss of tag or the tag has stopped transferring data.
- On 8/5/08, Lola and Rainebow2's data was recovered. They are able to be tracked once again.
- Since 1/3/09, Lola has become unable to be tracked due to loss of tag or the tag has stopped transferring data.
-On 1/12/09, Lola's data was recovered. They are able to be tracked once again.

Season 2 default names for grey reef sharks' are given, in addition to their code numbers, to the ten sharks currently in the game, though the player may rename them. They are as follows:

	C7895 Chloe	H7909 Hilary	I7888 Isabella	M7903 Mia	L7917 Louise	W7916 Winnie	Z7918 Zoe	G7910 Gabrielle	P7938 Phoebe	E7908 Eric
Length	1.68 m	1.81 m	1.72 m	1.78 m	1.71 m	1.62 m	1.82 m	1.68 m	1.63 m	1.22 m
Weight	30 kg	32 kg	30 kg	30 kg	27 kg	25 kg	32 kg	25 kg	23 kg	18 kg

Encounters

Danger levels: very high (VH), high (H), medium (M), low (L), very low (VL)
Data quality levels: very high (VH), high (H), medium (M), low (L), very low (VL)
Observation types: (HA) habitat and environment, (HE) health and biology, (SE) senses and perception, (AG) aggression v. humans, (RE) reproductive, (SO) social, (FE) feeding and hunting

	1-person dive	2-person dive	3-person dive	Surface	Cage dive	Seal/turtle decoy	Catch release	Attached camera	Remote camera
Required equipment	none	none	none	raft	cage	seal/turtle decoy	fishing gear	attached camera	remote drone camera
Crew	1	2	3	2	2	2	2	2	0
Danger	VH	H	M	VL	M	L	L	M	none
Data quality	VH	VH	VH	L	H	M	M	H	VL
Data types	FE, SO, AG, SE, HA	FE, SO, AG, SE, HA	FE, SO, AG, SE, HA	FE	FE, SO, AG, SE, HA	FE	RE, HE	FE, SO, RE, HA	FE, SO, RE, HA

In season 2, the seal decoy is replaced with a turtle decoy, and the attached camera has been replaced by the "SharkCam".

Ports

Season 1
Other than name and location, all three ports are identical except for crew candidates available for hiring. They offer four main services: selling gas, boat upgrades, equipment, and crew for hire. The ports from north to south are:

• Monterey
• San Luis Obispo
• San Diego

Season 2

• Port Moresby
• Bamaga
• Lakefield

Bonus location - achieve research rank level of 10 in the Sharkrunners HQ page

• Hamamas Beach Port

Accomplishments

Season 1

Title	How to accomplish	Payout
Beginner Sharkrunner	Complete 1 successful encounter	$1,000
Apprentice Sharkrunner	Complete 10 successful encounters	$10,000
Expert Sharkrunner	Complete 50 successful encounters	$50,000
Master Sharkrunner	Complete 100 successful encounters	$100,000
Complete Set A60480	Collect some of each type of data for this shark (Amanda)	$12,000
Complete Set B39423	Collect some of each type of data for this shark (Betty)	$12,000
Complete Set J39325	Collect some of each type of data for this shark (Jill)	$12,000
Complete Set L39324	Collect some of each type of data for this shark (Lucy)	$50,000
Complete Set M39326	Collect some of each type of data for this shark (Melissa)	$12,000
Complete Set V62413	Collect some of each type of data for this shark (Vicky)	$12,000
Attentive	Respond in time for 6 consecutive encounters	$3,000
Devoted	Respond in time for 12 consecutive encounters	$12,000
Addicted	Respond in time for 24 consecutive encounters	$30,000
Lightning Reflexes	Respond to an encounter in less than 5 minutes	$3,500
Safety First	Complete 20 consecutive encounters without an attack	$7,500
Mentor	Raise a crew member to skill 20	$0
Professor	4 or more crew members have skill 20 or higher	$0
Trainer	Raise a crew member to 20 stamina	$0
Drill Instructor	4 or more crew members have max. stamina 20 or higher	$0
Guru	4 or more crew members have the same favorite fish	$0
Frugal	Accumulate 100,000 cash in the bank	$10,000
Adrenaline Junky	10 shark attacks	$10,000
Bonding	Complete 25 successful encounters with 1 shark	$10,000
Explorer	Travel 1,000 miles	$0
Jack of all Trades	Complete a successful encounter using each type of equipment	$35,000
Shopaholic	Acquired every piece of equipment	$0
Heir Apparent	A crew member has completed 50 successful encounters	$0
The Norman Endowment	Collected some data from every shark	$50,000
The Dreyfus Medal	Collected a complete set of data for every shark	$125,000
Ultimate Sharkrunner	Accomplish all other tasks	$0

Season 2

Title	How to Accomplish	Payout
Beginner Sharkrunner	Complete 1 successful encounter	$1,000
Apprentice Sharkrunner	Complete 10 successful encounters	$10,000
Expert Sharkrunner	Complete 50 successful encounters	$50,000
Master Sharkrunner	Complete 100 successful encounters	$100,000
Complete Shark	Collect a complete set of data on any shark	$12,000
Complete Tigers	Collect a complete set of data on all 10 Tiger Sharks	$60,000
Complete Grey Reef	Collect a complete set of data on all 10 Grey Reef Sharks	$60,000
Duelist	Win 5 Duels	$12,000
The Good Life	Achieve a Research Rank Level of 10 & purchase an item at the Hamamas Beach Port	$10,000
Nerd Patrol	Hire all 7 specialists	$50,000
Attentive	Respond in time for 6 consecutive encounters	$3,000
Devoted	Respond in time for 12 consecutive encounters	$12,000
Addicted	Respond in time for 24 consecutive encounters	$30,000
Lightning Reflexes	Respond to an encounter in less than 5 minutes	$3,500
Safety First	Complete 20 consecutive encounters without an attack	$7,500
Mentor	Raise a crew member to skill 20	$0
Professor	4 or more crew members have skill 20 or higher	$0
Trainer	Raise a crew member to 20 stamina	$0
Drill Instructor	4 or more crew members have max. stamina 20 or higher	$0
Guru	4 or more crew members have the same favorite fish	$0
Frugal	Accumulate 100,000 cash in the bank	$10,000
Adrenaline Junky	10 shark attacks	$10,000
Bonding	Complete 25 successful encounters with 1 shark	$10,000
Explorer	Travel 1,000 miles	$0
Jack of all Trades	Complete a successful encounter using each type of equipment	$35,000
Shopaholic	Acquired every piece of equipment	$0
Heir Apparent	A crew member has completed 50 successful encounters	$0
The Norman Endowment	Collected some data from every shark	$50,000
The Dreyfus Medal	Collected a complete set of data for every shark	$125,000
Ultimate Sharkrunner	Accomplish all other tasks	$0

Additionally, research accomplishments can be made, some of which can assist in the completion of The Good Life goal for Sharkrunners season 2. Research projects can be initiated on a player's Sharkrunners HQ profile and will result in 450 - 950 (?) research points per goal reached. The ultimate goal is 105,000 points to accomplish the level 20 research requirement in order to have a gold border around an individual player's flag.

Equipment

Boats

There are four boats in the game. Each can have an engine refit (increases both cruising and top speed by 10%) and upgraded fuel tanks (increases fuel capacity by 20%).

	Aqua-Tech Breeze 300	Storm Pro XL	HydroLite Typhoon	Tradewind 4000
Price	free (starter boat)	$90,000	$90,000	$250,000
Top speed (MPH)	35 @ 1mpg	42	61.6	62
Cruise speed (MPH)	28 @ 1.5mpg	35	49.5	50
Fuel capacity	500	900	900	2,000
Crew capacity	3	5	4	6
Refitting cost	$4,000	$9,000	$9,000	$25,000

Equipment

Chain-mail Lower risk of shark attack for dive and cage techniques $2,000	Upgraded chain-mail Lowest risk of shark attack for dive and cage techniques $4,000
Light dive cage Enables cage dive techniques $8,000	Medium dive cage Enables cage dive technique/ lower risk of shark attack $12,000
Titanium dive cage Enables cage dive technique/ lowest risk of shark attack $31,000	Turtle decoy Enables turtle decoy technique $2,000
Turtle decoy advanced Enables turtle decoy technique. Improved data quality $12,000	Medium fishing gear Enables catch & release technique $2,000
Advanced fishing gear Enables catch & release technique/ improves data quality/ lower risk of shack attack $6,000	SharkCam Enables SharkCam technique $10,000
Advanced SharkCam Enables SharkCam technique/ improved data quality $25,000	Remote camera drone Enables remote camera drone technique $85,000
Submerged sensor pod Improved data quality for surface observation technique $5,000	Advanced submerged sensor pod Best data quality for surface observation technique $10,000
Chemical shark repellent Lowers risk of shark attack for dive and cage techniques $3,000	Electromagnetic shark repellent Lowers risk of shark attack for dive and cage techniques $3,000
Advanced scuba system Improves data quality for dive techniques $6,000	Medium hand-held camera Improves data quality for surface observation technique $5,000
Advanced hand-held camera Best data quality for dive and cage techniques $11,000	Underwater camera stick Improves data quality for surface observation technique $2,000
Improved scales Improves data quality for catch & release technique $5,000	Improved sonar Increases encounter range $12,000
Premium sonar Maximizes encounter range $35,000	Improved tracking software Increases response time for shark encounters $10,000
Espresso machine Occasionally prevents stamina loss from an encounter $15,000

Specialists

Season 2
These are the seven specialist needed for the Nerd Patrol Achievement

Name	Data bonus	Specialty	Location
Willie	HA	Ecologist	Port Moresby
Debby	HE	Veterinarian	Port Moresby
Monica	SE	Chemist	Bamaga
Paul	AG	Wrangler	Port Moresby
Eve	RE	Geneticist	Lakefield
Lilly	SO	Psychologist	Lakefield
Victoria	FE	Dietician	Bamaga

External links

• Fan site
• Website of area/code, the game's creators