This isn't going to be a full "Let's Build" instead, I want to talk through an idea that's been bugging me for weeks now.
When building a Shadowrun 5th Edition character you're given the option for "Alternate Gameplay" these modes, either high-power or street-level change the starting funds, and other limits for your character.
However, I was curious. If I really wanted a player to start at the bottom, and work up, what's the most restrictive set of limits I could place on a character and still have the game playable?
Why would a GM do this? Well, I wouldn't, usually. But, if I was running a group that really wanted a challenge, or I wanted to focus on a group building up their assets as a unit, and not as a group of individuals then imposing harsh starting conditions has some merit.
I've not gotten through the idea yet but I wanted to leave this here, both as a tease for my readers, and as incentive for me to chase this idea down and see where it leads!
Information for GMs, and gaming groups, targeted for Shadowrun 5th Edition.
Wednesday, September 23, 2015
Off Topic: Shadowrun Returns
I wanted to pop in to say that no, I've not fallen back off the face of the earth. Instead I've been stuck in that enviable, in tiring, position of having too much to do, and too little time in which to do it.
However! I have gotten a chance to buy, and play through the start of Shadowrun Returns.
While it's no replacement for a good group and a handful of dice the game nails the "feel" of Shadowrun. From the Barrens, to Pike Market, Shadowrun Returns feels like a Shadowrun game.
I'm not saying you should run out and buy a copy, but if you did, I would be surprised if you didn't feel it worth the price.
However! I have gotten a chance to buy, and play through the start of Shadowrun Returns.
While it's no replacement for a good group and a handful of dice the game nails the "feel" of Shadowrun. From the Barrens, to Pike Market, Shadowrun Returns feels like a Shadowrun game.
I'm not saying you should run out and buy a copy, but if you did, I would be surprised if you didn't feel it worth the price.
Monday, August 10, 2015
Fireside Chat: Policing
Well, I'm back. It's been awhile but I reached a point where I'm looking to put a group together, and with that I started thinking about Shadowrun again. It only made sense then to restart the blog as well.
I want to ramble for a bit on one of the hardest points to GM of a modern, or pseudo-modern RPG. The police.
I recently wrapped up a play-through of Mafia 2, on the XBox 360, and one of the things I liked about that game, that I think is missing in a lot of games is the fact that the police behaved in a semi-believable manner. Hit someone while a cop is near? That'll get you in trouble. Speed, that'll attract attention. Commit the usual bevy of mayhem, or mischief? That'll get police attention.
Granted, the game handles the police far too leniently in my mind, which results in some odd behavior. For example, you duck down a side ally for a minute, and voila, all is forgiven. Pull back out in front of the same police cruiser, and it's as if you'd never hit them at all. Now, I understand this makes sense from a game mechanic perspective, the game is supposed to be fun, but it rubbed me the wrong way. It, in a way, violates the "rules" that we all intrinsically understand.
The Seattle police department, today, isn't known for their ethnic, and cultural sensitivity. In fact, they aren't known for sensitivity, period. I cannot fathom that this viewpoint will change much in the future, and especially not once you start talking about Megacorps, and meta-humanity.
Where am I going with this? Quite simply, I think the police, and security in general are one of the hardest aspects to get right in Shadowrun. I'm reminded of Shadowrun 3rd Edition. Lone Star officers came equipped with a burst-fire only heavy pistol, the name escapes me, but it was simply terrifying. A car with two officers was a serious threat, simply because they were lethal. Granted, I handled this all wrong when I was GM'ng SR3. I played the cops as bumbling fools, often fudging the dice to reduce the lethality. This made for a more playable game, a more "fun" game, but it's not a memory I look back on fondly.
I firmly believe that the police should be scary.
Part of this comes from a shift in my understanding of what a Shadowrunner is. When I was younger I liked my characters to survive, to reach nearly Godlike levels of skill, and lethality. Character death was unheard of. It wasn't uncommon for characters to retire with millions in the bank.
This isn't Shadowrun.
Shadowrunners die. A lot. Shadowrunners are disposable, cheap throw-away bang-bang for their corporate overlords.
Characters should die. If they do something stupid, or are simply unlucky.
I'm still wrestling with exactly how I want to play the police in my new group, but as the thought processes gel a little more, you'll see my thoughts here.
I want to ramble for a bit on one of the hardest points to GM of a modern, or pseudo-modern RPG. The police.
I recently wrapped up a play-through of Mafia 2, on the XBox 360, and one of the things I liked about that game, that I think is missing in a lot of games is the fact that the police behaved in a semi-believable manner. Hit someone while a cop is near? That'll get you in trouble. Speed, that'll attract attention. Commit the usual bevy of mayhem, or mischief? That'll get police attention.
Granted, the game handles the police far too leniently in my mind, which results in some odd behavior. For example, you duck down a side ally for a minute, and voila, all is forgiven. Pull back out in front of the same police cruiser, and it's as if you'd never hit them at all. Now, I understand this makes sense from a game mechanic perspective, the game is supposed to be fun, but it rubbed me the wrong way. It, in a way, violates the "rules" that we all intrinsically understand.
The Seattle police department, today, isn't known for their ethnic, and cultural sensitivity. In fact, they aren't known for sensitivity, period. I cannot fathom that this viewpoint will change much in the future, and especially not once you start talking about Megacorps, and meta-humanity.
Where am I going with this? Quite simply, I think the police, and security in general are one of the hardest aspects to get right in Shadowrun. I'm reminded of Shadowrun 3rd Edition. Lone Star officers came equipped with a burst-fire only heavy pistol, the name escapes me, but it was simply terrifying. A car with two officers was a serious threat, simply because they were lethal. Granted, I handled this all wrong when I was GM'ng SR3. I played the cops as bumbling fools, often fudging the dice to reduce the lethality. This made for a more playable game, a more "fun" game, but it's not a memory I look back on fondly.
I firmly believe that the police should be scary.
Part of this comes from a shift in my understanding of what a Shadowrunner is. When I was younger I liked my characters to survive, to reach nearly Godlike levels of skill, and lethality. Character death was unheard of. It wasn't uncommon for characters to retire with millions in the bank.
This isn't Shadowrun.
Shadowrunners die. A lot. Shadowrunners are disposable, cheap throw-away bang-bang for their corporate overlords.
Characters should die. If they do something stupid, or are simply unlucky.
I'm still wrestling with exactly how I want to play the police in my new group, but as the thought processes gel a little more, you'll see my thoughts here.
Sunday, February 8, 2015
On Hiatus
Sorry all, with work, and being completely unable to get a Shadowrun 5th Edition group together I'm going to shelve this blog for awhile.
Given that I live in Seattle, you'd think it would be easy to get a group together. Well, you'd be wrong. With no group to GM for, I'm finding it hard to stay in the mindset to write regularly.
If you're in Seattle, and you're looking for a GM, let me know. Else, I'm sure I'll swing back around to this blog in the future. Be sure to add me to your RSS feeds, so when I come back, you'll be the first to know.
Ciao!
Given that I live in Seattle, you'd think it would be easy to get a group together. Well, you'd be wrong. With no group to GM for, I'm finding it hard to stay in the mindset to write regularly.
If you're in Seattle, and you're looking for a GM, let me know. Else, I'm sure I'll swing back around to this blog in the future. Be sure to add me to your RSS feeds, so when I come back, you'll be the first to know.
Ciao!
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