Shadowrun play by post game... on MY GFF?

It's slightly more likely than you think!

Basically, Pang's idea to run a D&D game by post intrigued me, and I like the concept. So I've decided I'll consider giving my favourite pen and paper game a shot when his is concluded.

So here's how this works: Setting up a campaign can take a month or two of story creation and NPC character design on my part, so before I commit to becoming even more of a turbo nerd than I already am, I thought I'd gauge some interest on the past of the GFF populace.

It's a slightly darker, more serious game than the D&D we currently have running, though the commitment of time is roughly the same. Probably going to be a main party of 5 or maybe 6, but room for others to play NPCs, if they wanted. Can always use someone to provide a voice to a random contact. As well, some of you will probably die, so there will be player spots that open up.

I know not a lot of people are familiar with Shadowrun, but I can provide links to the appropriate texts so you can get your feet wet before we play. Haven't decided if I'm going to run with the 3rd edition, or the much streamlined fourth. We can get to that when we get to it.

So, people. Anyone interested in a world of Neuromancer-based cyberpunk goodness mingled with one of the only decent futuristic fantasy settings ever created?

More information on the setting:
Shadowrun - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Only thing I'll say for sure about the setting: It takes place after the death of Dunkelzahn, but before the Earthdawn tie in.

Anyone interested in giving this a shot?


UPDATE

All right, guys. I figure since I'll be running this, I should let you newbies in on the ground floor. Here's a copy of the 4th edition main book.

http://www.belkanairforce.com/deni/2...4th%20Core.pdf

I have hardcopies of the books myself, but I also have every single rule book from all 4 editions in .pdf format for you leeches to borrow if you need them. I'm more than willing to make up characters along really basic lines: "I want to play an otaku/technomancer" or "I want to play a wired up street sam" and do all the character creation myself, but you should read the history introduction to give you an idea of the setting you'll be working in. Some big names in there you should be familiar with by game time so you don't drool on yourself when someone mentions the Big-D. Also, you should at least gloss over the archetypes to familiarize yourself with what sort of character options are open to you.

If you want more detailed info, say the Emergence (technomancer) book, or the Arsenal (guns and toys) and Augmentation (nano/cyber/bioware) for a Street Sam, or the Street Magic book for a mage. Whatever. Just let me know. If you tell me what you want to play, I can hit you up with some books from 3rd edition too. I know this stuff inside and out, so feel free to pester me with ideas.

Jam it back in, in the dark.

Originally Posted by Pangalin

This seems like it a might be a bit of a premature move; we really have no guarantee yet that PbP on GFF will lead to anything but disaster. I'd be more thrilled than anyone if it turns out to be something sustainable but the average attention span around here is about 10 minutes.

That said, I'd be more than willing to take a turn on the other side of the GM's screen if we're not all sick of the idea by then.

Actually that's why I -am- starting it now. Figure we'll get a pretty good idea of how this is going to work over the coming months. And if a few hours of story design goes to waste because we discover this isn't workable by the second level of the dungeon (probably because Gaybrial caves in Scaley Bob's head with a rock for lame jokes and referencing HIM lyrics) then so be it.

Here's hoping it proves sustainable.

There's nowhere I can't reach.

Originally Posted by :words: Overflow

My late friend once spent the better part of an afternoon and evening trying to explain to me all the many subtle and wonderful nuances of Shadowrun. I was, naturally, confused as all fuck. It sounded cool but I think I was fixating on the allure of causing earthquakes with one's mind just a little too much, and less so on the overall picture. I did come away with the good impression that if he weren't a total cokehead sociopath, it'd be a fun game to try someday.

Is there a convenient list of character templates from which I may make my buffet-styled choices?

Shadowrun - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

This will vaguely touch on it, but the point is this: Each archetype is customizable to endless lengths. The adept can be an etiquette augmented adept, not just a physical one. Your street samurai might be wired all to hell, almost a cyborg, or he might be a weapons expert more interested in demolition than killing up close and personal. Your Decker might be an I.C.E. breaker, or maybe an information specialist, or maybe even an Otaku, able to connect to the Matrix without wires or a cyberdeck.

The four main areas of influence:
Guns
Magic
Matrix
Machines

But you can infinitely combine these skills. A specialist is a good choice, but a street sam, death incarnate, isn't much help if the job is to extract a high level Corp R&D member quietly from a party and smuggle him to the safe and waiting arms of their rival, yeah?

The thing I personally love about Shadowrun is that it, more than most games, rewards non-combat skills. I've had face characters, utterly useless in a fight, live for ages and completely change the face of campaigns just by their ability to speak languages and understand who to talk to in order to get things done.

In the end, you're a group of thieves and mercenaries, and every group needs a good con-man to say the right words and handle the other-than-killing bits.

This thing is sticky, and I don't like it. I don't appreciate it.

Originally Posted by Shin

Is it in anyway like Rifts? It certainly sounds like it. Mark me down for a reserve spot. I might well be all roleplayed out by the end of my tenure in the Dungeon of Doom.

Can't believe you poked at a dead thing. You -NEVER- poke at a dead thing in D&D. COME ON.

Also, not like Rifts... ever read Neuromancer by Gibson? That with magic.

I am a dolphin, do you want me on your body?

Zeph's fairly right. It gets dwarfed by D&D and Battletech and the like, but it's still fairly well known. It's just not often played -well-. *primps his I worked for the company collar* Most people turn it into the Matrix with the crazy gunfights constantly and loud, big weapons going off everywhere. Also, since there is avid interest in this, I'll definitely start drawing up some campaign settings and nailing down some specifics.

I'll say this: It won't step on Pang's toes. I want to let his D&D thing run its course before this crops up.

I was speaking idiomatically.

Originally Posted by Garr

I know even less about Shadowrun than I do D&D. I'm told by pretty much everyone that's played the pen and paper version that it's fun times. I don't know if you've got the patience for a rookie like myself, but I'd like to get in on this too.

That reminds me, I need to get off my ass and work on my character for Pang's D&D campaign in the event one of you guys gets killed off.

Well, I'm the guy with the armour who stands up front and challenges dead things to come hit him. So my money is on my dying first.

What kind of toxic man-thing is happening now?

Originally Posted by Jessykins <3

You know I'm interested in all this, just thought I'd make a post for any sort of post-count method or someshit, I dunno. I love you Lucas.

FELIPE NO

Originally Posted by Dhsu

I made a Catholic priest named Judas Chang but he died all the time (in the whole two times I played). I'd like to give him another go with some tweaked stats, I'm just a little worried about the time commitment. Interested in seeing how this turns out though.

3rd edition catholic magic rules? I loved those schisms where different religious schools got different twists in the shamanic skills. Biggest drawback of 4th edition to me was the lack of magical variety.

And yeah, there's clearly enough interest to sustain this. I'll have to draw up a campaign.

What, you don't want my bikini-clad body?

Originally Posted by Elmoogle

I remember playing the SNES and Genesis games and thinking they were the coolest thing ever. The clincher was when some random guy on the street offered me to sell me grenades, so I shoved a gun in his face and told him they were free, then he turned out to be a NARC and oh shit we're screwed.

Yeah, sounds good to me.

Fucking Lone Star, man. Goddamn corporate rent-a-cops.

Jam it back in, in the dark.

All right, guys. I figure since I'll be running this, I should let you newbies in on the ground floor. Here's a copy of the 4th edition main book.

http://www.belkanairforce.com/deni/2...4th%20Core.pdf

I have hardcopies of the books myself, but I also have every single rule book from all 4 editions in .pdf format for you leeches to borrow if you need them. I'm more than willing to make up characters along really basic lines: "I want to play an otaku/technomancer" or "I want to play a wired up street sam" and do all the character creation myself, but you should read the history introduction to give you an idea of the setting you'll be working in. Some big names in there you should be familiar with by game time so you don't drool on yourself when someone mentions the Big-D. Also, you should at least gloss over the archetypes to familiarize yourself with what sort of character options are open to you.

If you want more detailed info, say the Emergence (technomancer) book, or the Arsenal (guns and toys) and Augmentation (nano/cyber/bioware) for a Street Sam, or the Street Magic book for a mage. Whatever. Just let me know. If you tell me what you want to play, I can hit you up with some books from 3rd edition too. I know this stuff inside and out, so feel free to pester me with ideas.

Editing this into the opening post as well.

There's nowhere I can't reach.

Not at all. I'm not even taking character applications yet. Just letting people get a feel for the world so they can decide if they want in or not.

This thing is sticky, and I don't like it. I don't appreciate it.