I'll never get away explaining my gm I now can soak damage like an armored troll as my lightly dressed bikini mage. "Hm let's stick to 5th for now" was his first remark. Can't blame him honestly.
I've picked the "Look more core rules" option regardless- I am strongly convinced quickstarter sets and a few online streams/podcasts did not fully reveal the design intent and the so far defined rules, qualities etc. in a spectrum broad enough to seriously judge how it will work out in games long term.
One particular point of critic goes towards the narrators of the metaplot, however. To clarify what I mean, while there's nothing wrong with presenting such over podcasts or rp streams or at conventions, it feels a bit ridiculous to observe already as a spoiled 2019 customer, not to speak of immersing the point of view of a 2080 spectator.
It's like, the matrix in some US cities is down, and the rest of the world stands still- ironically a major narrative flaw for a setting that allegedly will favour a narrative style over the simulation.
Needless to point out, as passionate simulationist I was highly baffled when all info I was able to dig up on how this Blackout-thing would be received in Aztlan, all I got told on discord was basically "We can't tell you anything due to being told to not to talk about stuff".
I get it's like this for UCAS settings suffering from the blackout, and the failure of publicly available information is part of the plot, but still- I can't even roll my eyes as far back as this warrants. Narrow minded narrative perspective much?
Granted, storytelling technically is not related to the rules, but given the general opinion seems to be that SR6 favours a "narrative", action-heavy playstyle over the simulation-aspect, I have to highlight that neglecting the simulative aspects is what causes lore contradictions first hand, as stuff happens "because", and not because someone did it there, then and to achieve this. Blackout, not man-made, some greater evil, sure thing, nice plot. But why does the rest of the world lay the hands in the lap and gawk?
I've now read the other day that it's rumoured now the CAS made moves into Florida to reoccupy lost territory. Ghostwalker? Big Bad A? Anyone? Hello?
This even goes as far as that despite a freaking continent-wide blackout, massive riots were spared out to only take place where it fits a core plot for all I observed. As if everyone owned the best Trid machine by now and looting was a 60's thing. Just no.