| From: | Doctor Doom <JCH8169@*****.TAMU.EDU> |
|---|---|
| Subject: | Assorted Replies . . . |
| Date: | Wed, 16 Feb 1994 13:26:16 -0600 |
>Now: what does the players do?
>The drive down to the factory, crash through the fence
>(destroying the electric circuitry in their car) and
>run towards the nearest door, guns blazing! What am I
>supposed to do? Well, in that case I just gunned down half the
>team and the rest got away by sheer luck, but I would appreciate
>any tips on how to instill caution in my players.
I personally, feel that a shot fired does not *necessarily* indicate that a
specific 'run has failed; although, a true shadowrun rarely ever involves
one fighting one's way INTO a facility. In practice, there are some
contingencies for which one is simply unable to prepare, and hence one should
be prepared for the eventuality of being compelled to fight one's way OUT of a
bad situation. Ideally, one infiltrates and exits a location with no one the
wiser, but life is not ideal.
As to the instilling of the necessity of caution into your player's minds, I
would certainly consider your initial reaction was a step along the correct
path. Typically, Game Masters do experience a degree of reluctance when it
comes to the termination of player persona; however, to my mind, such rampant
stupidity is sufficient justification of the liquidation of characters--provide
them with sufficient rope with which to hang themselves if they persist.
Contrariwise, at the point of death perhaps you relent: They escape by the
very skin of their teeth. Doc Wagon arrives. They are treated to an extended
stay in hospital healing and repairing cybernetic equipment. The Johnson
dispatches a curt message to the effect that their services shall nay longer be
required. Their Fixer contacts them at hospital, exhibiting considerable
dismay and displeasure his disappointment at their haphazard, hotshot methods:
He set up this mission, and he shall be held at least partially responsible for
their behavior. He delivers to them an ultimatum: Either act more
professional or leave . . . his/her tirade shall probably also be coupled with
various (un)veiled threats to the effect that should they e'er cause him such a
loss of face again, he shall bring about their demise of his own accord.
Further, the above scenario does not e'en take into account the possible
effects of the recently-assaulted corporation's efforts to find the
trigger-happy novices . . .
2. Von Arndt Kraft:
>But now imagine the following scenario. An astral projecting mage moves with
>the blinding speed of magic (Magic rating * 1000 km/h or so) and now runs in a
>living obstacle, say a bird. He cannot harm the bird, but the bird is still
>an obstacle for the mage. What happens now. If I use real world physics (which
>I shouldn't, should I), the bird will punch right through the mage, leaving a
>big hole in his body. Which means, the mage is dead now.
I believe that the invoking of physics is inappropriate to the circumstances.
One is dealing with one's astral presence in this case, which--I sincerely
believe--lacks mass in any conventional sense. Hence, were one to experience
an in-air collision, one would simply ricochet off the bird (as one's astral
presence cannot affect the physical plane except via grounded metaphysical
energies) . . . considerably disoriented, to be certain, but not with an
unsightly hole ripped in one's person.
Colonel Count von Hohenzollern und von Doom, DMSc, DSc, PhD.
Doom Technologies & Weapon Systems -- Dark Thought Publications
>>> Working on solutions best left in the dark.
<<<
[ Doctor Doom : jch8169@********.tamu.edu ]
^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^
"If you can't take a little bloody nose maybe you ought to go back home and
crawl under your bed. It's not safe out here. It's wonderous, with treasures
to satiate desires both subtle and gross. But it's not for the timid."
-- Q
