From:	Richard M Conroy <Richard_M_Conroy@***.ir.intel.com>
Subject:	Re: Screwing the Players
Date:	Tue, 24 Sep 96 12:36:00 PDT

Loki wrote:
>> Then lay down your default assumptions at the start of the campaign.
>> These defaults apply in any cases where the player doesn't outline
>> his actions clearly. make sure your players understand this.
>>
>> Examples of my defaults:
>> Weapons are always concealed except on a run.
>> Characters always lock & activate vehicle security systems
>> Ammo & weapons normally carried by players are specified on their
>> character sheet, otherwise they use their normally used handgun with
>> regular ammo.
>> Characters always use their SIN for payment (some characters already
>> have their laundering systems set up by default.
>>
>> There's a fairly comprehensive list, with individual varitaions for
>> certain people.

> I don't allow these kinds of "assumptions." The game is supposed to
> somewhat simulate life. I'd be impressed if you could just declare, I
> will ALWAYS lock my car, I will ALWAYS pay my bills on time, I will
> NEVER be late to work or an appointment, I will ALWAYS excerise and
> eat healthy...

No need to be facetious, the list isn't *THAT* complicated. The
assumptions are there so that my players don't have to spend hours
during character creation writing down nitty gritty details, or spend
half an hour during a game outlining his actions that come naturally to
his character. It's also to benefit me, when 8 players suddenly start
going through the finer points of their actions, I don't have to break
out the filofax: I can continue with the flow of the adventure without
irritating 5 minute breaks. There are many things that people do through
habit that they don't consciously think about; in fact if you were to
describe the motions of it, you wouldn't remember all the details. It
always struck me as unfair to make your players iterate all these
details, it always seemed a mechanic to try and just screw players over,
waiting for them to put a foot wrong, never giving them the benefit of
character knowledge. I particularly hate all this GM vs Players tripe,
in my experience it was always a symptom of an immature GM.

> Come on, where's the chance for fate, the occasional slip up, the
> unforseen absent mindness. The runners in my game are supposed to be
> real people not some comic book hero that doesn't get caught up in the
> everyday oops or never needs to plan cuz his standard weapons and ammo
> are ALWAYS with him. Eeesh! That's almost mild m-word...

What do you mean never needs to plan ? I only assume that they are
carrying their personal defense weapons, and only light armor (I'm using
house rules BTW, those 2 conditions aren't optimum).
A case in point, in the last game there were just 2 characters,
the fixer and his bodyguard. They were doing business, so the fixer had
his submachine gun stowed on his bike, but was just carrying a handgun
otherwise. His bodyguard had 2 big handguns, just about every waking
moment he's considered on duty, so he always has them. Their bikes were
expenxive enough to have quality security systems (mag locks), they can
use them quickly if need be (1 turn to start). They had a rough day, but
got lucky, but later on had to face a gang that was responding to
trouble on their turf (armed with smg's, shotguns & stuff). The fixer
gets hit while sitting on his bike, which then collapsed on him, pinning
him, and unfortunatly (for him) his smg too, which he had concealed
under his longcoat earlier. His bodyguard, who's down to his last clips
in both handguns, has to try and fend them off, which he just manages
with 2 bullets to spare, the fixers smg had just under half a clip left,
his handgun was empty. It was a cute game. Now they have to ditch about
5 grand of their favourite guns, get their bikes plates replaced etc.

The assumptions work both ways. When a character goes to watch an area
he doesn't have to tell me he's checking to see who's packing. However
it's not subtle. All my players have SINs, it's impossible to live
without one. Now they lose 20% of their cash on a monthly basis to
maintain their identity, and must pay a further 20% to launder big sums
(ie a couple of grand).
The assumptions are simple, my players find them agreeable, and
they stop arguments. They also know that they have to specify any break
from the norm, and often find that assumptions work to their detriment,
eg characters with high physical stats and/or athletics are assumed to
work out and keep fit on a regular basis. This leads to a pattern based
lifestyle that makes it easy for your enemies to keep track of you. I'll
not even get into the drawbacks of boobytrapping your own apartment.

Yes, characters have slip ups, which I can generally gather from how
they are currently acting, and how much stress they were under, but
people don't break the force of habit that keeps them alive, unless it's
under special circumstances. Of course, sometimes the character who
sleeps with a gun under his pillow finds it's fallen under the
headboard. Shadowrunners are exceptional people, who can never truly
relax, and certain assumptions must be made about how they conduct their
lifestyle.

And yes, I do veto certain character assumptions if they are too hard to
keep (like always wear a voice mask etc.).

Richard.
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