Things have definitely changed. The 'Verse is a good deal more hostile. Just the other day I ventured forth from my hotel room briefly, hoping to do a little Ruins rummaging. Instead, I was treated to a double murder right in front of me. Totally unprovoked, from what I could tell: one moment two guys were hanging out in front of the concierge, probably getting ready to buy a room, and the next moment there were two corpses bleeding all over the carpet and a mysterious black-clad figure dashing for the station passage. Medics carted the victims off to Sick Bay long before any guards ever showed; the whole thing couldn't have taken more than a dozen units.
I slipped into a shortcut I found some time ago, which typically enables me to get to the Ruins without being accosted en route. (And no, I'm not telling you where it is. Find your own.) Now, I'm used to a bit of violence in the Ruins--who isn't?--but this was far more than the quiet mugging of tourists or the occasional inter-gang sniping. It might as well have been an old Consortium-Gaule war zone. Everywhere I looked people of all genotypes were locked in mortal combat, shooting at each other, dodging, swinging improvised weapons, bellowing in pain, screaming, dying... The medics could barely keep up with the carnage, and there was no sign of Security (which has seemingly decided to chuck in the proverbial towel).
I'm not ashamed to admit it: I elected to forego my rummaging and scurry back to the safety of my hotel room before someone decided I looked like a promising target. Next up: back to the University for more combat courses. Sigh.