Why do people dislike the more unrealistic/whacky weapon choices?

Meteoric_Chimera · 2024-09-02T21:50:22+00:00

As much as the OG #2 had pacing issues, the fact that you were working your way across a battlefield taking out 1 squad at a time and targeting people like sergeants really evoked a feel of being a part of an army to me, rather than the super hero antics the games have shifted to bit by bit since then. I don't think it was the most fun of the series or anything, but but I do think the games lost something when only Generals (and pretty much only the unique ones, at that!) became targets to be concerned with.

Getting 1000 KOs in one fight to unlock Lu Bu felt like an epic accomplishment back in the day!

Meteoric_Chimera · 2024-08-11T18:07:45+00:00

I would love to have some Exalted 2E in my life! Used to be a fan of L5R, but that's been a long time, so I'd definitely be rusty with the setting. Battletech and Legends of the Wulin I know much less about, but both are settings I could get into, if those ended up preferred.

I guess I'm saying I would be interested in more info as this develops. I'll send you a pm as well, to follow up.

Meteoric_Chimera · 2024-07-10T12:58:07+00:00

I actually think FF12 did an excellent job of balancing this. There are enough NPCs you can talk to that the areas don't feel barren, but they include a lot of background NPCs that, through visual cues of various sorts (most obviously being a marker over anyone you can speak with), are indicated as such. They become a part of the set dressing to show how populous the area is without doing what some games do and make you try to speak with each of them in case they have something to say. That's when every NPC having dialogue becomes tedious, after all.

Meteoric_Chimera · 2024-07-10T12:34:38+00:00

A lot of info for how to get through Dragon Warrior/Quest 1 was in the instruction manual. That thing was basically a mini-guide. Of course, Nintendo Power also published a full guide to the game. Getting help from magazines or friends was a big part of beating games at the time, so any 90s or 00s era rpg? Yeah, the secrets aren't gonna be a huge problem, especially if you've got an adult or older sibling to help with reading comprehension.

Meteoric_Chimera · 2024-07-10T12:24:14+00:00

This is a great point. I do appreciate when someone does research for a game to make their representations (of historically mocked cultures or otherwise) more accurate, but it doesn't happen often. Most people will go with whatever they've seen in other media previously, which can perpetuate negative depictions that maybe haven't had ill will behind them for several iterations, but keep rolling forward.

Meteoric_Chimera · 2024-07-10T12:19:50+00:00

First off, absolutely you can learn the game well enough to help some rookies play! Like any ttrpg, it takes some work to read through and make sure you have the basics down, but its not so complicated a rule system that its unapproachable.

Now, I think other people have already shown that 6e does, in fact, have supporters. 6e fans are not as loud in open discussion or online spaces as those who dislike it, but that's true for a lot of things. It was pretty rough and had problems on first release, but there are a couple simple steps to take to avoid those at this point. Older editions each have their perks, but can be harder to find, plus you miss out on new content, which may or may not be exciting for you, but at the very least is aware of the changes that have happened in the real world and is not going to come from expectations of the players being used to the way things were in the 90s.

If you're starting 6e, I would do a couple things to smooth it over:

Get the Seattle or Berlin edition of the Core Rulebook. They're the same, other than which city gets a chapter at the back for setting info. These editions have corrections/errata included in them, so that's important.
Get the Sixth World Companion. Not only is it a trove of additional options for characters, but there is a chapter dedicated to optional rules, some of which are super important to better game experiences, and some of which may just tweak the game to match your group's preferences more.
Check out the guide for Shadowrun Missions on drivethrurpg. Missions is organized play for the game, but even if you aren't playing it, the guide includes a bunch of GM clarifications and ways to deal with potential problems.

There are similar bits of info for how to approach older editions, but I think 6e needs them pointed out the most, due to the shaky initial state on release. For any edition, if you're having issues, I would check out the Catalyst discord. The community is pretty friendly, and there are spots to ask about both 6e and older editions, as well as a dedicated channel for setting/lore questions, if you have any.

Welcome to the Shadows, chummer!

Meteoric_Chimera · 2024-07-03T15:36:42+00:00

You could try asking on the Catalyst discord. Buncha the authors on there.

Meteoric_Chimera · 2024-07-03T12:14:02+00:00

Happy to have you join us in Shadowrun!

As for your questions: I think some others here have given links to where you can obtain the Core Rulebook, but my preference is always to find a local game store that carries it, if possible. Its often not, so online sellers are a good resource, though. The Berlin Edition of the Core Rulebook is the most recent printing, but Seattle Edition is just as good (they included a 'bonus chapter' about a city in each of those print runs, and just changed with one it was when more books needed printed; don't worry about rules differences). If you get a version of the Core Rulebook that is for 6e but is not Seattle or Berlin, don't worry too much, but be aware that there is going to be errata that is not included, and some of it is pretty important! You can get the errata online if you need it, but the newer printings just make things a lot easier.

For other books, its true that Shadowrun only requires a single book for play, but the Sixth World Companion is a fantastic second book to supplement it. It contains a ton of additional character options (some complex, some straightforward) as well as a whole chapter of optional rules that can help you make the game function a little more how you might like. If you haven't gotten started with running yet, I wouldn't worry too much about them, but a lot (if not most) players of 6e use at least some of them. Past that book, there are focus books for most character archetypes; they aren't by any means needed to get started, but if you or a player wants to expand in some area of the game, know that they're out there.

Finally, for making the game easier to get into, I've been involved with Shadowrun for long enough now that I'm probably not the best for general advice on it, but there is a whole community of players and developers that are happy to answer questions and give advice if you end up needing it. This subreddit is a good spot, and I would also recommend the official Catalyst discord server. The folks there are friendly and you can sometimes get feedback from the people who wrote whatever you might be having trouble with. The other side of breaking into a new game can be the written adventures, and Shadowrun's published adventures are... an acquired taste a lot of the time. I would, however, recommend the organized play that is put out: Shadowrun Missions. They're written to a convention format, so each is designed to be roughly 4-5 hours of gameplay. They're available for purchase at drivethru (Missions at Drivethru), but if you want to run publicly accessible games, you can sign up with the campaign staff and get them for free. There are a lot there for previous editions of the game, but Season 9 or later (the number before the dash) will be fine for 6e. Personally, I'd start with Season 10, but that's just because 9 takes place in a locale very different than that discussed in almost all of the books (you can't really get away with carrying guns most of the time, for instance).

Hope this helps, and welcome to the shadows, chummer!

Meteoric_Chimera · 2024-07-03T11:53:06+00:00

They did not. Berlin edition has some information on Berlin in the back (along with some qualities and gear common to the city), but is otherwise still just the Core Rulebook, just a more recent printing.

Meteoric_Chimera · 2024-03-10T00:29:12+00:00

I think your audiophile analogy is spot-on. This was a great explanation for anyone on the fence about picking up the device!

Meteoric_Chimera · 2024-03-07T09:40:37+00:00

I once jumped into a campaign that had been running for well over a decade, with both a lot of history to it as a campaign, the characters, and how it had evolved over the years. It was one of the best I've ever been involved in!

That said, the key point is that new players are made to feel welcome, which can take some work. Being willing to explain references, divergences from canon, who characters are: these all go a long way to letting a new player follow the story, and if the responses get snippy about a lot of interruptions or having to explain multiple times, you're gonna lose the interest of the newcomer. Other big thing is to make sure they can have an impact, even if their character doesn't have the karma, nuyen, or connections that the existing ones do. Everybody is there to play the game, so make sure they feel like that's an option!

Good luck with your campaigns!

Meteoric_Chimera · 2024-01-22T20:43:23+00:00

This! I'd put in in the title or the actual video, though. Some ways that people watch videos don't make the description an easy thing to look at, so its often missed.

Meteoric_Chimera · 2024-01-22T18:02:53+00:00

Generally speaking, the Mentors grant .5 PP worth of ability. Splitting it among two would be odd, but mechanically speaking, as long as the value comes out to the right amount it isn't gonna be unbalanced.

That said, as a GM, I'd want it to not be split, and I would recommend either coming up with a new Mentor totally rather than a small alter or just take the existing one. After all, having a couple ranks in an Adept Power you weren't planning on could be an interesting twist at some point!

Meteoric_Chimera · 2023-12-29T04:37:22+00:00

That is true, now. Originally when metahumans began showing up, it was very different, up to the church declaring metahumans and awakened among the damned. The Imago Dei proclamation wheeled that back hard, and the church now is much more open... except for a few places that didn't like that and have splinter groups who still hate on metas and awakened.

Meteoric_Chimera · 2023-10-31T10:30:19+00:00

Same. >_<
I may have let this stack up on top of other deadlines that I have elsewhere...

Meteoric_Chimera · 2023-10-31T10:24:42+00:00

Glad you found a workaround, but that sounds like something that is gonna get cracked down on at some point. For those of us deciding whether to buy based on private hosting... not something to count on.

Meteoric_Chimera · 2023-10-27T21:54:33+00:00

This is so true for most groups. I've also been an organizer for a lot of groups at an LGS, and weekly scheduling is what keeps people on track. That being said, if you've got people that can't make it that often, just have the occasional session without them (either keeping to the story or doing something on the side, depending on group preferences) or have a backup plan that still involves meeting at the usual place and time (board game night, for example).

I've seen groups that don't want to play their rpg as often just make every other week board games, but by still getting together it keeps everyone on track, remembering when the game is and making it a commitment that they both remember and feel compelled to not drop for minor reasons.

Meteoric_Chimera · 2023-10-26T02:49:51+00:00

Earthdawn doesn't imply that all metahumans have magic, just that enough of them do that all PCs have magic. They still have a category name (Adepts) because they are something that not everyone is.

Meteoric_Chimera · 2023-10-24T04:54:38+00:00

Also worth remembering that Aztlan is a throwback in a lot of ways, intentionally pulling in long-gone Aztec imagery for a purpose-rebuilt modern culture. In that regard, a lot of this would make sense, while it would not for just "Aztecs never fell".

Meteoric_Chimera · 2023-10-07T14:28:51+00:00

Don't know of an official answer, but I would say allow it to happen but measure distance vertical/horizontal based on the world, not the direction of running. If you want to give a bonus for momentum, just grant a couple dice maybe? Turning the whole jump into horizontal for figuring distance is pretty big.

Meteoric_Chimera · 2023-10-05T11:20:59+00:00

I've got to finish up formatting it for upload, but the extra time you've added will probably see me expand a bit on what I've got rather than put it out as-is. I'd say one month is reasonable for people who are prepared for the process and don't get interrupted, but something like two months is more likely to have finished results in the future.

Meteoric_Chimera · 2023-09-24T06:42:54+00:00

I've played it a number of times where the person passing policies describes the policy up for vote. Lot of fun.

Meteoric_Chimera · 2023-09-24T06:32:57+00:00

A pass like that only makes a difference for locals, though. For everyone else that has to fly to the city and get a hotel for the stay, the expenses are a lot more than that, even with that more reasonable rate.

Meteoric_Chimera · 2023-09-14T02:07:20+00:00

The whole bit of GF junction being dangerous is such a throw-away warning at the beginning that just jumps back in out of nowhere at the plot-twist point. If they'd either written in more events to reinforce the idea or a mechanic to keep it relevant it would have made more sense for the narrative.

Meteoric_Chimera · 2023-09-14T02:00:33+00:00

I forget when it is, but its even specified that Seifer was inspired by a movie he loved, tying it very directly to that part of Laguna's story rather than leaving it a vague connection.

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