From:	"Jeremy \"Bolthy\" Zimmerman" <jeremy@***********.COM>
Subject:	Re: FASA's On/Off Course?
Date:	Tue, 5 May 1998 10:08:36 -0700

----------
> From: Frank Pelletier <jeanpell@****.IVIC.QC.CA>
> To: SHADOWRN@********.ITRIBE.NET
> Subject: Re: FASA's On/Off Course?
> Date: Tuesday, May 05, 1998 5:46 AM
<snip>
> And a good thing too. IEs were the scapegoat/plausible explanation for
> anything from fovae to human achievements to jiffy-pop popcorn. Damn!
<snip>

The immortal elves are behind jiffy-pop? Is nothing sacred?!

<snip>
> I'm ambivalent on the subject. On one hand, I think a few horrors
> filtering through would had that "horror" feeling in some games, dark,
> damp corridors, no sounds, only the ragged breathing of something in the
> darkness... ya know, "Alien"-like runs.
>
> But, if you use horrors in the same fashion as you use IEs...then get rid
> of them... Leonardo was an IE... Hitler was an horror... whoopie...
>
<snip>

I think this is a valid point. When one aspect of the game becomes a
central, overriding feature of game universe, the whole thing becomes a
little lame. I like IEs. I don't like it when they become as ubiquitous
as the ninjas in the Tick. "Dear, I think we just ran over an immortal
elf!" "It's okay, nobody'll miss it."

Similarly, in a gaming environment, having the same theme pop up over and
over again gets lame, be it horrors, or the standard "screw-the-runner"
adventures that they perpetually publish. My group has gotten to the point
where we just cannot endure published adventures anymore. Things like that
are nice when used sparingly, but become passe' when used ad nauseum.
Unless of course you just love having bug-huntin' shadowrunners, which is
your perogative I guess.