[robert4818]

1.  FPS set in the (real) Shadowrun world.
The world of Shadowrun is, IMO, more important than the rule-set.  A single player FPS set in the world of shadowrun, telling an authentic shadowrun story could be a very good game.  This is probably the weakest of the options,

Agreed. Shadowrun has an INCREDIBLY rich story and this option is, to me, taking the Microsoft option of ignoring all that and just making a generic FPS with fantasy races and calling it a win. At the end of the day, the elements Shadowrun has to work with to construct an FPS make it a very bland FPS. You would also create a balancing NIGHTMARE with magic and if you tried to integrate things like hacking and Technomancers, it would be a ginormous trainwreck.

I think  you are conceptualizing something different than I am.  Remember a Shadowrun game doesn't have to incorporate EVERYTHING from Shadowrun in order to be a decent game.  If we were to go with a FPS style Shadowrun Game, I would have it focus on a single "Street Samurai" character as the protagonist.  I wouldn't be trying to recreate the entire game for the player.  That doesn't mean that the game might not have riggers, magicians, hackers, the matrix, etc.  However, odds are that the Game might use those as supporting Characters or as enemies.  Think of it similar to a Star Wars franchise games.  Not every game contains jedis, bounty hunters, sith, star ship dogfights etc.  In fact many of the most popular games in the franchise tend to focus on a single aspect.  Rogue Squadron focuesed exclusively on flying and shooting, while Force Unleashed didn't have any...

1a.  Rainbow Six (original) version of Shadowrun.
More of a variant of the FPS shooter style game, but while the FPS one focuses on telling a story (ala Halo) this one would focus more on the tactical planning side of doing runs.   It would still be FPS, but would include a larger focus on planning out the runs over simply running and gunning.

Again, I think you'd run into the same problem as the first option. It would be better for longer, but eventually it would get stale and feel more like the gameplay was just a side-note, a way to drive the cut-scene story along.

You are probably right on this one.  You would need to incorporate more of the different systems into this game and it could create a mess.

2.  Grand Theft Auto style Shadowrun
Probably the closest non-RPG style game we could get to a shadowrun game.  The over-all set up of GTA would work for Shadowrun.  Open world Sandbox, shady locations, people giving you missions, etc.  Someone with good modding experience could probably put in a lot of work and mod up GTA 4 to be a shadowrun game.  For this you can think of what would be a natural blending of the old Sega game with modern sandbox gaming.

This isn't a bad idea but I think this lends itself more to the violation of what you actually are in Shadowrun; you're a criminal who shoots people in the face for money. GTA puts you more on the level (in actuality, not in depiction) of a super-hero who can square off with massive squadrons of cops and walk away. I think it would end up being more like City of Heroes than GTA and the system of punishment you'd have to institute to keep people on a more "Shadowrun" path would have to be so draconian and brutal you'd ruin the game.

When I say GTA Style, I don't necessarily mean an exact copy of modern GTA's with a SR paint job, though it could be fun.   Its more of the general structure of the game.  (Which, in fact is very much like the structure of the old Sega Game).  Go see a Mr. Johnson, Get a Mission, Do a mission.  Actual in-game story may or may not be needed.

3.  Metal Gear style of Shadowrun
Another Action game version of shadowrun, this time the idea would be to use a set up similar to the "tactical stealth action" of the MGS series in a shadowrun world.  The entire game may take place during a specific run.

See #1

Just like with #1, there's no need to create a broad game that encompases every possible aspect of the game.  Just as MGS doesn't cover every aspect of being a soldier/ex special forces member, an MGS game of shadowrun doesn't have to capture everything either.

4.  "Mass Effect" Shadowrun
Here we start touching in on the Shadowrun world from an RPG stand point.  Still rather action oriented, because I think shadowrun warants it.  The system can be tweaked to fit all the different playstyles.

Probably the most realistic incarnation of a good Shadowrun game. It would be a daunting task though because Shadowrun is such a massive game world. You'd have to compartmentalize it somewhat, though it would give you room for sequels and add-ons.

Absolutely a big game.  Again though, Each Mass Effect game covers only a small portion of their created universe.  The same could be Done with Shadowrun.

5.  Shadowrun MMO
The holy grail of shadowrunning.  An MMO sandboxy world with everyone playing shadowrunners of different ilk.  The ability to hire on fellow runners to complete a mission, deal with the mega corps, etc.

As much as this gets passed around as an awesome idea...I dont think it would be so amazing. The biggest issue would be balance; how do you balance out the different aspects of the game and still have classes and races that arent basically a carbon-copy exercise in enforced mediocrity? That alone would be a monumental task. You'd need a company DEDICATED to the game that knew it well to sustain it and have it work out well. The fanbase is incredibly critical and vocal but dedicated. The MMO market is already well-saturated and difficult to break into.

I don't think it would need "balance" so much as a team of designers that really wants to stick to its focus.  A Shadowrun MMO would HAVE to focus on Shadowrunning.  If they let the game turn into WOW with a SR paintjob it would fail.  You couldn't be walking around killng 10 orcs in the sewers for XP.  You'd really need to have the game focus on Shadowrunning.


I think option 4 is the most realistic chance for a good Shadowrun game.

[shion]

I'm not sure how many of you go back that far... but does anyone remember X-com.  It was a game where you investigated alien landings and eventually have to thwart an invasion.  It was turned based, had shooting, line of sight, destructable objects to obtain line of sight, psychic powers etc. 

With all this talk, I think it would do a great shadow run in terms of capturing mechanics... but I'm not sure that sort of a game would really appeal to the ADD attention spans of the majority of todays gamers.   

Wow haven't thought of that game in ages.

[KarmaInferno]

Hey, look, they're doing a new version of X-Com for the short attention span generation!



-k

[CanRay]

Oh come on, they're not that...  SHINY!!!

[shion]

Very cool.  But first person, sniff.   Apparently you can switch to "tactical view".... maybe some hope.  In any case it's nice that someone else remembered the franchise fondly.   

But you can sort of see how it would tie into a shadowrun base... you go back to your squatter shack with your team and plan out the next mission.  Doesn't really get into the legwork and investigation though if you did it that way.

Hey, look, they're doing a new version of X-Com for the short attention span generation!



-k

[CanRay]

I'm still trying to figure out why they moved it to 1950 and what exactly the hell the aliens are.  We've seen geometric shapes and black ooze that does the whole "Total Body Invasion"-thing so far, from all I've seen.

[shion]

In the trailer there also appears to be an entirely energy based one.  The narrator says they're "living technology" whatever that's supposed to mean.  Still it did look like a bit more than your typical FPS, though some of the beginning power options and opportunity to steal massive technologies seems to have made it a bit simple.  Just a demo though so we'll see how gameplay works out.  Did you watch the demo walkthrough?

I'm still trying to figure out why they moved it to 1950 and what exactly the hell the aliens are.  We've seen geometric shapes and black ooze that does the whole "Total Body Invasion"-thing so far, from all I've seen.

[CanRay]

Haven't seen that yet.  I'll try to find it later, I guess.   

[DarkLloyd]

I'm surprised No one posted this one.

Like someone commented before.  "Why doesn't someone take the Sega game and use todays graphics" Looks like they granted that wish.

[bigity]

That one is mentioned all over the boards.  Both of em.

[Joush]

Syndcate, rather then Shadowrun, but a fun and brutal cyberpunk FPS if they manage to deliver on the promise of this video.

http://www.neoseeker.com/news/17582-syndicate-walkthrough-video-offers-11-minutes-of-gameplay/

[raben-aas]

How to do Shadowrun video games? This way:

[CanRay]

En anglais, s'il vous plaît?

[raben-aas]

Errh. It IS in English!

[Phylos Fett]

En anglais, s'il vous plaît?

LOL!!!