[Disorder]

First off this will be my first time GMing a game, ive played for over a year now in ShadowRun and probably about 10 years of D&D. I am setting my game in Sydney Australia because it seems theres just not much info on Sydney beyond the permanent manastorm that I have been able to find in the sourcebooks. One key issue I have noticed from one player in my group is that when he starts getting too many contacts he tends to rely on them too much and just not get his hands dirty himself. Is there anyway i can prevent this besides from just not giving him many contacts and absolutely making the contacts refuse to help.

Also any tips on running my first campaign would be greatly appreciates

[Onion Man]

Using contacts for legwork is fine and normal, using contacts to do the dirty work in a run is different.  That's high risk, high reward territory.  They should be charging him, and I don't mean a little chump change, I mean they should be eating up all his profits and then some.

[flatlyne2001]

That's also why contacts have "stats" with the player.  If they aren't connected or have good loyalty they aren't doing jack if it's 1) dangerous 2) out of their area of knowledge.

Also as Onion said it's gonna cost the character.

[Disorder]

Well maybe i should make it clearer. He tends to all he does during a game is start going to contacts if one wont do it, he will keep going down the list and the only way I have figured to get him out of that is give him timelimits to complete tasks and limit his contacts completely.

[CanRay]

Remember:  They're his contacts, but he's also THEIR contact.  And they're going to want to have him do stuff that's in his area of expertise as well.  And if he's built up a lot of owed debt to them, he'll be doing it for free, or he'll be Hung Out To Dry.

[Teknodragon]

Contacts have their own thing going on-- plus, if he's leaning on them and using them overmuch, have them act like it. People get annoyed when others take advantage of them. They could be best friends since whenever, but that well goes dry if the player's character doesn't start doing favors in return.

Could make for a good 'run plot, too: 'Sure, omae, I can crack that ice for ya null sheen. Thing is, I had this other thing I had to do. Maybe you could take care of it for me, scratch my back, yanno?'

Or: "No. Hell no. After that last 'favor' I did you, I had the Star up my hoop so far they could check my tonsils. Ain't sticking my neck out that far without some good hard nuyen, this time."

[JoeNapalm]

All of the above, but also - you said "list of contacts"...

I take it this guy has a LOT of Contacts?

So take the above, and multiply by the number of Contacts, and you have a guy who is very busy indeed - repaying favors, being asked for other favors (the player isn't the only one who can ask for a little something gratis..."Hey, chum, I really need a favor. I'll owe you."), and simply maintaining the relationships.

"Isis don't hear from you for three months, and when she do, it's only 'cause you want something? Oh no. It don't WORK like that, pretty boy."

-Jn-
Ifriti Sophist

[Crash_00]

Well if he's doing legwork with his contacts, then that's kind of a key point for his character and that side of the game. Now, if he's trying to get favors from each contact (such as cracking into a corp database, driving a getaway car, distracting the guards, ect.) then the biggest thing to push is that the contacts are going to want a cut.

If he squeals when the contact asks for a fair cut of the money just have them ask "Would you do it free for me?" If he answers yes, then make sure they call him up during the next mission with a rush job they need him to help with.

Also, remember that while higher loyalty means the contact will let the character inconvenience them more, it doesn't say it will let it be done for free.

As for your first campaign, the biggest advice I can give is take it easy and don't worry if you think it sucks. You are your biggest critic.

I highly suggest sticking with a very simple and easy run for the first one with light combat (especially if you have any new SR players) so that you can get used to playing the game from the other side.

[John Shull]

A little off topic but if your gaming with friends and such try to get their top 3 or 4 TV shows from them and incorporate some of their favorite elements into your game.  Half your team loves CSI then runnig down puzzle solving is a fair bit to work into games your running.  A Mentalist fan would love a adept who does the same.  My best friend was a Stargate SG1 fan and he wanted his character to be Jack ONeil with some bioware.  It wasn't perfect but it was close and I always new where that character was coming from and how he wanted to play the story.  He always loves playing it and wants to get him back in game when he gets home from the far sand. 

So my first piece of useful advice is give them what they like but not neccesarily what they want.  Give them the style, challenges, and fun you know they like and don't let them go Frankenstein crazy building the better die pools.  They have plenty of time to karma up going on runs later on. 

[Night Shade]

If he uses his contacts to do all the work and not do any favors in return at first reduce the karma awards, If he does not ask about it  give him no karma. because if he is not doing the work then he should get no rewards.

[John Shull]

A little off topic but if your gaming with friends and such try to get their top 3 or 4 TV shows from them and incorporate some of their favorite elements into your game.  Half your team loves CSI then runnig down puzzle solving is a fair bit to work into games your running.  A Mentalist fan would love a adept who does the same.  My best friend was a Stargate SG1 fan and he wanted his character to be Jack ONeil with some bioware.  It wasn't perfect but it was close and I always new where that character was coming from and how he wanted to play the story.  He always loves playing it and wants to get him back in game when he gets home from the far sand. 

So my first piece of useful advice is give them what they like but not neccesarily what they want.  Give them the style, challenges, and fun you know they like and don't let them go Frankenstein crazy building the better die pools.  They have plenty of time to karma up going on runs later on.

Sorry I really thought I put this in here but I obviously did not.  So if your player is wanting to run his own team of Shadowrunners like he is their Fixer or some spymaster you could let him.  If that is just not how you want to let characters run that's fine but he has a kinda valid theory for a character.  Espically if he was a mind control/suggestion specialist mage, a blackmailing spy, or just some paranoid ocd minor league Moriority who lairs in his moms basement til he has a proper subterran base.  If that will flat out not work, go to his plan B.  He has to like something else.  Jack Sparrow Hacker who will not ever stop wearing pirate clothes and eyeliner, or some other media heroe he has affinity for.  Shoot him straight as he is your friend.  Tell him the puppetmaster character is messing with how the game is working for you.  Tell him you will cut him a deal on another character to play and talk up some of his other interests he could get a character out of.  You will put Puppetmaster on the back burner and see what you can do to make it more workable to bring it back later but til then do you a favor with something a little more straightforward.  That is my suggestion. 
It would be bad for both of you to let him run a character that he wants to run a certain way that is gonna get him in conflict with you the entire time he is running it.  So do not just water it down and see if it works itself out but be more proactive and hash out something you both want to see in game, over playing pool, video games, or dvd marathon of your fav sci-fi maybe.