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[SR5] Book of the Lost

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TheDeep

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« Reply #15 on: <03-21-17/1632:44> »
BOL will probably not make any sense without the Tarot Deck. It wasn't originally designed or written to make any sense without it, but CGL added content after I handed it in that may or may not be useful. It is a campaign book - so it shouldn't be read by Players at all.

There is not a PDF of the tarot deck (yet?). It was specifically designed to be a gaming prop, something the GM can hand to players across a table and let them see, feel, and interact with physically. My understanding is that the "Deluxe" set is the size the tarot is intended to be for game purposes and the normal size is for more general, non-Shadowrun non-gaming experiences (e.g., Tarot collectors, etc.).

There was a version of the tarot released last GenCon that can be used - but it was also small and really meant for collecting rather than using.

TheDeep

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« Reply #16 on: <03-21-17/1642:00> »
As for any "irrational irritation", there's not much I can offer.

Except that remember that this is a "game" and it is not attempting to be an "fortune telling device". In fact, in the sourcebook, it specifically says that the Sixth World Tarot isn't even a fortune telling device in the Shadowrun Universe.

Instead, it is a mysterious manifestation of 78 electronic devices that appear to have photographs of actual people in the Shadowrun universe in actual situations. What makes it unique is that the photos themselves should be impossible. Some of them are from impossible angles. Some of them are from private situations no one should even know about. Some of them may even be from the "near future".

No one in the Shadowrun universe has a complete "deck" of the Sixth World Tarot. They might have the one and only card of the "Three of Cups" in the entire world. Maybe they might upload a copy of the image to the Matrix - or maybe they won't. If they do - they might obscure it or modify it so that anyone downloading a copy will not have the full truth that's on the card. Rumor has it that the cards themselves have some ability or abilities to grant knowledge, wealth, and/or power, to whomever deciphers the puzzles within them.

Having offered that - maybe you can see it yourself to not think of them as "Tarot" cards like a neo-gypsy might scam a buck with, but are instead just another source book or game prop like a set of Weapons or Spell Cards.

Just a thought.

Sterling

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« Reply #17 on: <03-24-17/1007:40> »
BOL will probably not make any sense without the Tarot Deck. It wasn't originally designed or written to make any sense without it, but CGL added content after I handed it in that may or may not be useful. It is a campaign book - so it shouldn't be read by Players at all.

There is not a PDF of the tarot deck (yet?). It was specifically designed to be a gaming prop, something the GM can hand to players across a table and let them see, feel, and interact with physically. My understanding is that the "Deluxe" set is the size the tarot is intended to be for game purposes and the normal size is for more general, non-Shadowrun non-gaming experiences (e.g., Tarot collectors, etc.).

There was a version of the tarot released last GenCon that can be used - but it was also small and really meant for collecting rather than using.

For those players who actually get together physically around a table I'm sure this was a wonderful idea.  For those of us who play over the internet via Skype or Roll20? Not so much.

I really wish the company had been upfront about the whole thing, and made it clear that the two products are pretty much co-dependent.

It seems to me that offering the book as pdf but not the deck is particularly short-sighted.  That's coming from someone who's been accused of being a "Catalyst Apologist" because I can usually see the upside in most releases.

I hope that Catalyst's health plan covers shooting oneself in the foot.
« Last Edit: <03-24-17/1009:13> by Sterling »
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AJCarrington

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« Reply #18 on: <03-25-17/0902:10> »
In fairness, I don't think that we've seen word on whether there will be a digital version of the tarot deck or not (at least I don't recall).

Mr. Grey

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« Reply #19 on: <04-03-17/0911:12> »
As I read this, I cannot help but think of the opening in Denver, City of Shadows. Ace job guys!

Sphinx

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« Reply #20 on: <04-03-17/1036:52> »
I have Book of the Lost as a PDF, and I would really, really like to buy a copy of the Sixth World Tarot to go with it. But it's not for sale. Why not? I'll gladly pay for two versions of the deck, print and PDF, if it means getting the PDF today and the fancy print version later. C'mon, guys, take my money already.

Sphinx

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« Reply #21 on: <04-04-17/0128:28> »
Near as I can tell without a deck, all of the art that appears in the book is drawn from the Tarot cards. For the curious:

Cover: Eight of Blades
p.5: Seven of Blades
p.6: The Bastard
p.14: The Awakened World
p.22: The Comet
p.23: Four of Batons
p.25: Aes Sídhe Banrìgh
p.29: Three of Batons
p.30: The Hermit
p.31: The Threshold
p.34: Six of Batons
p.38: Ace of Cups
p.43: Queen of Cups
P.48: Four of Blades
p.49: Queen of Coins
p.54: Page of Blades
p.62: King of Batons
p.65: Eight of Coins
p.68: Five of Coins
p.72: Knight of Blades
p.76: Six of Coins
p.77: Six of Cups
p.80: The Dragon
p.84: Nine of Coins
p.87: Two of Batons
p.90: Nine of Blades
p.94: Ten of Coins
p.95: Five of Batons
p.98: Discipline
p.103: King of Blades
p.106: The Avatars
p.107: The Tower
p.110: Seven of Cups
p.118: Ten of Batons
p.119: Ten of Cups
p.125: King of Cups
p.126: The High Priestess
p.130: Two of Coins
p.134: Page of Blades
« Last Edit: <04-04-17/0130:40> by Sphinx »

Prime Mover

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« Reply #22 on: <04-04-17/1855:14> »
Still no eta on cards?
Why do things happen the way they happen? For
all I know the world Is Just one big game and all of
our actions are determined by the roll of a die.
-  Dunkelzahn,  Great-Dragon

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« Reply #23 on: <04-04-17/2213:41> »
Mhmm, right after the TM book ::)

AJCarrington

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« Reply #24 on: <04-05-17/1250:29> »
I thought I saw a post on Tumblr a couple of weeks back indicating that they were shipping from the printer at the end of March. Assuming everything is on schedule, we're probably looking at a May release.

The Tekwych

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« Reply #25 on: <04-05-17/1727:37> »
For those that placed a pre order with a company that uses Alliance they changed the SKU a few weeks ago. I had to place my preorder again with the new catalogue SKU

TheDeep

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« Reply #26 on: <04-09-17/2316:07> »

There are 78 tarot cards. The cards themselves contains much more information and detail than the 31 cropped and limited (and edited) images in the book.

There might be a PDF version of the Tarot Deck in the works - but it would make some puzzles much too easy and some puzzles actually impossible.

Personally I would think anyone who played Shadowrun would love to own something so unique anyway, which would solve any problems online players might have.


Mirikon

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« Reply #27 on: <04-10-17/0042:34> »
I've played Shadowrun, and I couldn't see myself spending more than $5 for a deck of cards. ANY deck of cards. Why? Because I'm poor. Literally, as in living below the poverty line. A sourcebook I have to buy that requires me to buy a physical deck of cards to be able to play it? Nope.
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RowanTheFox

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« Reply #28 on: <04-10-17/1701:03> »
I've played Shadowrun, and I couldn't see myself spending more than $5 for a deck of cards. ANY deck of cards. Why? Because I'm poor. Literally, as in living below the poverty line. A sourcebook I have to buy that requires me to buy a physical deck of cards to be able to play it? Nope.

Same here. As much as I love tarot decks, I'm so far below the poverty line I can't even see it anymore.
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« Reply #29 on: <04-10-17/1714:23> »
Personally I would think anyone who played Shadowrun would love to own something so unique anyway. . .
I don't see how you would think that.