| From: | Dark Avenger <Avenger@********.DEMON.CO.UK> |
|---|---|
| Subject: | Re: Bombs and stuff |
| Date: | Sat, 28 Dec 1996 03:35:27 +0000 |
Neidengard" <mneideng@****.CALTECH.EDU> writes
>According to Thunder:
>>
>>Ahhh, but you assume that mages of sufficient power will be on call at
>>the precise time the bomb is dropped. Of course, being Haven, they
>>probably are :)
>
>It's probably quite hard to defend against a stealth cruise missile in
>terms of "noticing" it in time, depending on where it's fired from.
Yeah, but then too many people would get upset, and utterly destroying
Haven with a tactical nuclear strike, or some such is a bit more
earthshaking than I think the list will tolerate, shame really, I'd love
to trash the place <grin>
>>Ahhh, poor Seattle. The centre and highspot of Shadowrun. The most
>>alive city in the world..... What can there be left to do to the poor
>>place that it hasn't already experience? Ah, I know, how about.... but
>>no, I'll not tell you, I'll just let them land, erm.. arrive :)
>
>I can't quite figure out why Seattle (and after that Denver) get so much
>air time...what about Hong Kong, New York, Berlin, Shanghai, and the like?
>*sigh*
FASA sort of covered Berlin in the Germany sourcebook, but they took a
lot of the fun out of the city. I've been there a few times, and
although some of the people leave a bit to be desired, the city is
unbelievably full of life and fizz.
I don't think they'll touch other major cities, the Denver Box Set
(AFAIK) wasn't accepted witht he enthusiasm they'd hoped, so it's highly
unlikely we'll see another city sourcebook. New York is something that
has been covered roughly in other games, so it's a matter of
interpretation. Looking at a scale map of the city, and outlying areas,
New York is likely to be the largest and most violent metroplex on
earth. It has already been classed as a MegaCity, so shifting it
towards the Judge Dread realm (minus the munchy Judges), would probably
be a good way of dealing with it. Everything is possible in New York,
because of the *size* of the place.
The 1996 Habitat World Conference held a *lot* of useful information
regarding population trends and cities around the world, including
India, Europe and the US, it also revealed some things that indicate
Cyberpunk and Shadowrun aren't too far out in their vision of the
future. (regarding cities that is).
The Cyberpunk Pacific Rim sourcebook gives some nice pointers for
Oriental cities and attitudes, although it is a little strange in
places, it has it's uses. I don't really know if FASA will release
something for Japan, Hong Kong and China, there's a lot of potential
material there, but it's going to be difficult for them. If you want
something on japan, for instance, there's a chap over there (something)
Ichi (I've got the URL for anyone interested) who is compiling a
Japanese sourcebook, that is in direct opposition to the *friendly*
sourcebook released in japan. Also the two European sourcebooks also
held some stuff that meshes quite nicely with the little that FASA have
released.
Africa and Australia I believe are sourcebooks in production, though
that has yet to be confirmed by FASA. I'm not sure if they'll touch
South America, because of the highly volatile condition of this part of
the world. Though they eventually might. I figure they'll cover the
CAS in more detail at some point as well, We've got TirNanOg, Tir
Tairngire, two NAN books (could do with more information there), UK and
a poor coverage, but it's there of Europe. Doesn't leave them much to
cover now. Well, actually it does, but they've been getting *very*
general with their sourcebooks lately, which I feel is disappointing.
AS they leave so much unexplained, yet almost desolate. Large areas of
England are radioactive and toxic, areas which hold a lot of legend and
history, and power, Of course, where FASA says they're gone, it's
impossible to use them publicly. Same with other parts of the world,
they arbitrarilly destroy whole countries for no apparent good reason,
other than it saves them work thinking about it. I would like less
global destruction and more intrigue myself... but that's my only real
gripe about it all, generally I do like Shadowrun more than any other
system.
>>Dwarven characters myself, but rarely do they have anywhere near the
>>abilities, and benefits of an elf. I can't say I hate elves, I merely
>>loathe them.
>
>I think the problem is the gaming companies who try to munchkinize them;
>the SR elves _started_ out balanced, before all this voodoo junk about
>the Tirs, the Earthdawn tie-ins (now _that_ I loathe), and all that came
>to roost.
Yeah, I'd have to agree here, originally the game was quite nice, but as
usual, thanks to Tolkien, the elves always get involved in world saving
events. It'll be nice to one day find a game or series of books that
don't glorify the little monsters. I was left in abject amazement when
they started with the Horrors stuff, and still hate the fact that they
allowed it to happen. After reading the Horrors details in ED, it
became very obvious that if they arrive in 205*, the world is ifnished,
end of story. Obviously that little concept escaped someone in the line
office. It would have been better, in my opinion, if they had involved
the other races more in some of the stuff they've doen, rather than
leave it to immortal superelves.
> Of course, some of the solutions proposed to balance the
>situation (kingdoms of dwarves underneath Denver, etc.) are hardly an
>improvement, but...
<grin> :) I'm curoius to see whether or not we get the Shadowrun
version of the Throal sourcebook released somewhen soon, that's one
thing I'm dreading. I still think Shadowrun should be a seperate
entity, with maybe legendary rumours linking it to Earthdawn, rather
than obvious glaring, oh look Earthdawn creatures.... :(
>>God I'm so sick of elves.
>
>So, don't use them. =)
I don't normally :) Occassionally though the temptation to play one,
just to kill it, is rather too much <grin> I'm afraid my Elven
characters wouldn't fit in with the popular view at all well. :)
>In all the Shadowrun the local crew has played there
>have only been about two major elven characters, one of whom was a PC of mine
>who has made the jump to ShadowTK as Thelienista. =) Why resort to
>underhanded, mystical elves when underhanded, mystical humans will suffice
>just fine? =)
DAmn right <grin> My comment wasn't actually aimed at the list, just in
general, it seems that whenever you talk to players from other games,
their favourite character is some overblown super elf, with all the
buttons and whistles, blaupunkt and goldfish bowl included. For some
reason, a straight human character has escaped a tremendous amount of
players. Trolls are second worse in this, the ultimate comabt
bulletproof sec guard basher. Why are all Trolls heavily cybered,
muscle bound morons who's only purpose is to get a bigger fragging gun.
One game I got involved in had a homosexual singing troll, who had a
penchant for pink and furnishings... The GM, had great fun playing him
in the worst camp way possible, and made for a thoroughly enjoyable
game. Certainly rather different from the usual Me trol, me talk bad
and kill things... Me stupid... I hate that attitude. Trolls are
people too. Orks as well. But dwarves. Little stunty things with
beards and of no intrinsic use to anybody.... wrong, potentially great
characters, and with a lot of potential.
>>Sorry, but I get like this sometimes. :) Maybe that's why I like
>>Humanis characters... I get to kill elves :) Something I can't do in
>>real life. (Mainly because I've never met one.)
>
>I do have to come out in support of the elves, but not the way FASA is
>handling them. I will admit to having a bit of a thing for the ears. =)
Uhoh, you're not a Trek fan as well are you??? :) Vulcans, elves...
elves, vulcans.... <sigh>
:)
Though I do agree. I was hoping that the elves would become something
entirely different from normal RPGs but it seems even FASA have fallen
into the Tolkien trap. I'm just glad my GM has ignored the majority of
the material regarding immortals and elven supermen, and plays them as
people. (except for the odd one or two).
I've just realised that I've waffled on a bit. I think it's the
computer I'm using, it's having the same effect on me as it has on two
other people. Endless chatter fingers :)
Sorry, I'll shut up now. :)
--
Thunda's player, using DA's account. (Cos I'm a cheapskate) :)
