From:	Matb <mbreton@**.NETCOM.COM>
Subject:	Re: SHADOWRUN, 3rd EDITION!
Date:	Sun, 6 Jul 1997 03:41:31 -0700

John E Pederson wrote:

> Figured I'd go ahead and give a few more comments while I was at this:)

> My personal pet peeves with SR:

> What does all this stuff do???
> -Three fourths of the the cyberware isn't really explained as to how it
> does what it does. Wired Reflexes is my current favorite example. What
> about the blood filter? How on earth do you filter *everything* that goes
> into someone's blood? :) I guess I just like to have answers.

Heartily seconded. As I mentioned in another post, I'd like to see
Shadowtech-style write-ups for all, though I understand that might be a
bit large for the main rulebook.

Passing thought: Streetdoc sourcebook devoted to creating cyberware?
Or perhaps better linking from 'generic' cyberware to name-brand
cyberware - free upgrades from Smartlink I to II from ARES this month...

> Lots of people have problems with the binding, I've seen this, too. I've
> watched four different people buy copies of the SR softcover, only for
> three of the four to have the covers falling off and pages falling out
> within months. The one guy whose book isn't suffering this problem is the
> guy who had the covers and spine laminated (via contact paper) to protect
> them.

As far as the binding goes, both my SRI and SRII are fine -- it's the
covers I hate; they get all pebbly...

> Sample adventure. I don't know how many times I've wished to have had a
> sample adventure in the main book I coul look at, just for reference, if
> nothing else.

But better than the food fight...

> Allergies. Nuisance allergies shouldn't give any bonuses at all, and the
> allergies rule needs to be better described. As it is, it is *totally*
> vague and *very* open to abuse by munchy players (voice of experience
> here, having seen players create characters with something like 20+ extra
> attribute points with nothing except nuisance allergies - and no, they
> didn't tell me first).

Heartily seconded. More variety to them, too: allergies to animal fur,
cotton clothing, CRT emissions...

> What does all this stuff look like? We've got pics for heavy pistols,
> HMGs, and ligt pistols, but what about everything else? Just how big *is*
> an assault cannon, anyway?

Perhaps just reformating everything into an Uber-Tech sourcebook...
Glossies and full-page description of every piece of cyber/bio/nanoware
ever presented in SR...

> Negotiation, Etiquette, Languages, et al. Put the rules for social skills
> in a more prominent fashion. Don't toss them in the miscellaneous
> section, make sure to emphasive that SR isn't just about blowing things
> up.

> Encumbrance rules. ditto. Might put these as guidelines in the character
> creation section, it avoids things like characters lugging around 100kg
> of C-12 at a time.

Or under an explanation of the Strength attribute... Though they were
revamped in FoF, iirc, they are in Basic Black -- 5kg/point of Strength,
I think.

> Maps. Lots of people want more of a map, I'd wouldn't be against it
> myself. I'm curious to see just where the Heavenherders founded Azania
> and all:)

Ugh, no. Maybe a worldmap (though I thought I heard Steve say it wasn't
likely).

> Intro fiction. I think Plus ca Change was a good story, because it
> involved most of the major archetypes and it wasn't very hard to figure
> out what Nameless and company were.

A /better/ story this time. (g)

> Define 'cyberpunk'. Very few people who will pick up this game *really*
> know what it means. And define by example. Not everyone necessarily
> connects written definitions with words when they use them. I, for one,
> tend to connect abstract concepts to them instead.

'Tis to laugh. Shadowrun isn't cyberpunk anymore; I'm not quite sure it
ever was. Not to mention that cyberpunk's been mostly co-opted...

> Tables. The copy of Aerotech I have from - whew! - too long ago (8th or
> 9th grade, anyway) had all the tables in two different places, on the
> back cover and right next to the fighter sheets. You could barely read
> them, but they were there.

I'd prefer grouping everything together in the back, forget about
duplicating it in the text - the range chart in the firearms section
always bothered me because it's not complete enough to rely on.

> Character Sheets. I don't know anyone who *wants* to fold their book
> cover flat to make copies of the character sheet, at least not when the
> book is that big. Could you make them perforated or something? Not
> necessarily removable, but perhaps more accessible. Especially for the
> hardcover (that I have *got* to get:)

Probably need to up it to three or four different character sheets,
alas.

> Computer Theory - What's it do?

I'd like to see the "Physical Sciences" skill fleshed out to three or
four different skills...

> Could we at least get basic rules for modifying vehicles in SR3? Things
> like adding on firmpoints and hardpoints, etc. (How *do* you disguise a
> hardpoint - mounted LMG on a Westwind?)

Steve did say it would include parts of Rigger's 2.0. Hopefully not
enough of it to make it obsolete... I'd like to think FASA knows enough
of marketing to realize that :)



-Matt