| From: | Arcady arcady@***.net |
|---|---|
| Subject: | Results of GM call on Bioware, Betaware, and a 3rd edition game of mostly newbies |
| Date: | Fri, 2 Jul 1999 01:05:42 -0700 |
I thought you might all like to know what I ended up doing in my game.
My game took place about 50 minutes after I sent out the question. As a
result I had to make a call before getting any of your feedback and at the
time I backed down and them in.
Which puts me in today's mess as after reading the commentary I sent them a
note saying I was making a atypical move and reversing the call. Meaning I
need them to revise two of the group's PCs. One of them quite heavily.
Here's the note I sent them:
(I have been told I write in a way that makes me sound harsh and cold. I
don't come across that way in person but this note may very well read that
way. It was not intended and I regularly remind my players to remember I'm
not trying to sound harsh in my emails. :) )
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> Hello;
>
> When you all got home you likely got an email saying I was saying
> all PCs had to be 100% 3rd edition compliant and all Bioware and Betaware
> and any cyber ware not in the basic book had to go.
>
> I sent that email an hour before the game.
> At the game I ruled that the PCs with those items could keep them.
>
> Now I am reversing that ruling...
>
> I don't usually reverse rulings like this. But after a discussion of this
> topic on the Shadowrun mailing list I am compelled to believe that my
> original gut feeling was the correct one and not following it could have
> serious consequences later on.
> While this will make some annoying waves at present; I feel not making
> this call will make worse waves later on.
>
> In addition to this when Man and Machine comes out there WILL NOT
> be a revision to add in those removed items. The general consensus I'm
> getting is that those items are not intended for starting characters.
> They are things you get in game.
> Letting the Sam's start with them would be like letting the mages
> start with a level or two of Initiation.
>
> I also feel the concern that this makes mages better is not
> founded. The 3rd edition rules went very far to cut down the power level
> of mages to be in line with other character types.
>
> Also. EVERYONE should go through their character and make sure
> that they HAVE NO CYBER WARE, EQUIPMENT, OR ANYTHING ELSE THAT IS ABOVE
> AVAILABILITY LEVEL 8.
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One of the players was most unhappy so I added this to them just a bit ago:
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> Hello;
>
> Well I didn't expect this to be a popular call. But I wanted to
> make sure it was made now before things went too far. The memo below is
> not intended to be harsh or hostile. It's actually the process of me
> sitting down and taking about 1 hour to put all my thoughts down in
> random order and then add to them. But there is a reason I no longer
> work in sales. :) I like the two characters that will be affected by
> this ruling most, I just see that they need a downgrade for a variety of
> reasons. However even with that I think they have sound enough concepts
> that the details can change to match the needs of the game.
>
> Onto my disjointed comments:
>
> Actually, even surgery as simple, and in fact especially
> something like cyber eyes would have a drastic effect on a persons
> psych. Arguably artificial eyes would have a more direct effect on a
> person's mindset than any other cyber ware one could come up with short
> of an artificial brain.
>
> Every last piece of cyber ware a person has should have it's own
> individual story. You'll never just go down to K-Mart and buy new cyber
> ware. It will always involve a dramatic amount of role-play. The same
> with new magic. They are both profound changes to a person's mind, body,
> and soul. See page 45 of the basic book, second column, first paragraph.
> It briefly talks about giving a story to your cyber ware. Other sources
> may say more.
>
> Initiation is in essence a higher power, more benefits stage of
> magic. Just like the more potent types of cyber ware.
> Both aren't meant for the newbies and people on the street.
>
> They're something you fear or don't understand when you first
> encounter them. Then in time become masters of them yourselves. There's
> a reason why the edge of advanced technology (Betaware and Deltaware)
> was dropped in the third edition. Alphaware is now generally available.
> But Beta and Delta are special items you won't be seeing just yet or
> that often.
>
> If the bone lacing was exactly as it was in the 3rd edition book,
> then use what's in the third edition book. It's on the chart on page
> 302. Also, you should NEVER as a player be choosing something because of
> how effective it is. The choice should be based on the story potential.
> And Bioware is not a readily available item from what I am
> hearing. Pages 128 and 304 cover the related field of biotech. From
> their commentary it is clear that the advanced tech is still rare. New
> Seattle mentions only one biotech facility in the city. On page 18. Owned
> by Cross Bio-Medical corporation and in Renton. It also mentions that
> cutting edge cyber ware is in the hands of people like Shiawase and
> other upper end corps. This in the same "section" but other pages and
> parts of that page.
>
> Now I don't have Shadowtech. But my inquires all respond that it
> advises AGAINST letting Bioware and above Alphaware into the hands of
> PCs made for a new group.
>
> It was very clear in the extremely short battle we had that the
> cybered character got a lot of benefits and was still able to be very
> effective in another, completely different area. (sniping vs. direct
> combat) Consider that the character is ultra fast, armored, and highly
> accurate as well as a good detective. At most a character should be
> three of those, more likely four. But being near tops in all four says
> something.
> The character with Bioware is even more extreme in this regard.
> They are both equiv to a mage of initiation level somewhere in the range
> of 3 to 6 or so, depending on which character and what the mage did with
> each level of initiation.
>
> I doubt the group's mages could each be so cross useful. Together
> they are very potent. But alone each is limited in scope.
>
>
> > Well I can't really say I like that,
> > The whole thing of getting Priority A Resources and a Level 2
> > CyberDeveloper Contact was so I could get some quality cyber ware,
> > and Level 2 Armorer for the same availability in Weapons and
> > Armor. I liked the Move-by-Wire system and went with the Samurai
> > for that feature. I can't say I know what the Initiation does
> > for Mages(I've only had time to learn the basics, which doesn't
> > include Magic)but it's probably something you need to get through
> > role-playing or something. While Cyber is something completely
> > different. After all the only thing my character has had
> > replaced, as in actually cut out, are his eyes and ears, and
> > that's because he was a handicapped child. I can't see him
> > having a limb removed for something better voluntarily so
> > everything else on him is simple augmentation. So settling for
> > having wires strung through his body while he waits for the
> > availability of a Move by Wire system, so he can have them all
> > ripped back out again and replaced later, doesn't fit!
> > with me. If I was going for an augmentation I would hold out
> > for the best, and since starting cash is divided by ten once play
> > begins, it'd be quite awhile before I could do anysuch thing.
> > Hinn's character has Bioware. From what little I read in
> > Shadowtech during the lulls in our gaming that stuff is fairly
> > readily available and even advertised in Seattle. I don't think
> > he should really wait till August for his stuff either on the off
> > chance it is revised. I looked through ShadowTech and found my
> > Bone Lacing, exactly the same way it was presented in the 3rd
> > edition book, so I don't think they'll change much in any event,
> > and I'd prefer to risk it if they do.
> > Course you're running the game so it's you're call. I won't
> > argue the point further. But if thats the way we're going to run
> > this I think I'll have a revised character for you next week.
> > This time a Phys Adept freom the 3rd edition rules. I had both
> > characters drawn up but finaly just went with Samurai because I
> > liked his cyber ware. But without the cyber ware I'll revise a bit.
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So that's it. :)
We'll see if I still have players in a few days. :)
