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Origins - Neo Tokyo

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Slamm-O!

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« on: <06-17-18/1631:54> »
What did everything think of the new SRMs ? Any reviews ?
Mess with the best.  Die like the rest !

Captain Marge

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« Reply #1 on: <06-19-18/1321:52> »
They were thoroughly enjoyable! I and several of my compatriots managed to run the missions in chronological order and they all hung together really well. From the initial opening adventure which did a great job introducing the players to the setting and the heavy hitters, throughout the series where folks took a shine (or a disliking) to certain NPCs, to the end where all the choices made in the earlier games added up to a great, tense finale, it was all top notch!

Our ridiculous Elven sky pirates were a hoot to play (and hopefully fun for others to play alongside), we're all really looking forward to Origins 2019!
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Dmitri Kolnikov - Lead Singer of Trolling Thunder (retired)

Slamm-O!

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« Reply #2 on: <06-19-18/1558:47> »
Elven sky pirates ? I have to hear more of this team. 

Thanks for the run down.  I don't think I've heard of anyone running the full gambit of season 9 so far.  Any rough spots for Deckers, and or Riggers ? Previous seasons we've had the wilderness adventure with no 'net and drones running out of juice in the wilds. 

Mess with the best.  Die like the rest !

evilaustintom

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« Reply #3 on: <06-19-18/1650:42> »
They were thoroughly enjoyable! I and several of my compatriots managed to run the missions in chronological order and they all hung together really well. From the initial opening adventure which did a great job introducing the players to the setting and the heavy hitters, throughout the series where folks took a shine (or a disliking) to certain NPCs, to the end where all the choices made in the earlier games added up to a great, tense finale, it was all top notch!

Our ridiculous Elven sky pirates were a hoot to play (and hopefully fun for others to play alongside), we're all really looking forward to Origins 2019!

I concur...both with the fun scenarios, and the elven sky pirates - particularly in the Caribbean!

Candyman
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mbisber

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« Reply #4 on: <06-19-18/1656:41> »
I knew there would be player issues regarding the Neo-Tokyo protocols, so I played all eight CMPs first, then SRM01 Sunday.

The GMs were as good as in previous years, despite turnover; but I thought the Modules themselves were, on average, better written overall.

I did not like that some GMs requested player Edge rolls, as many as 15-20 per Module, rather than straight Skill rolls, whether the character was rolling 5D or 20D. I don't recall these rolls in previous seasons.

I suppose, as expected, players managed to flub lots of Etiquette, and, acquired lots of Notoriety and Public Awareness, even in the CMPs by ... misguided... actions.

I had a good time, but was getting frustrated by player/characters with low Social Skills asking and flubbing key questions.

Slamm-O!

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« Reply #5 on: <06-20-18/0129:30> »
Flubbing key questions ?

What questions were people missing ? 
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Fade

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« Reply #6 on: <06-20-18/0504:10> »
I'm pretty interested in the Edge Rolls that were requested.  Could you give some context on that? 
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Dr. Meatgrinder

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« Reply #7 on: <06-20-18/0547:23> »
I'm pretty interested in the Edge Rolls that were requested.  Could you give some context on that?

It seemed to be the catch-all for "Did you happen to be in the right place at the right time?" (appropriate), or "Did you happen to notice...?" (inappropriate), or "I don't know what skill you should use, so instead of making up something I'll call for an Edge test." (inappropriate).

Almost every GM I played with did this, so I imagined the missions were telling them to call for someone to roll an Edge test every scene.
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Hobbes

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« Reply #8 on: <06-20-18/1143:19> »

I suppose, as expected, players managed to flub lots of Etiquette, and, acquired lots of Notoriety and Public Awareness, even in the CMPs by ... misguided... actions.

I had a good time, but was getting frustrated by player/characters with low Social Skills asking and flubbing key questions.

Players do that in the Chicago Missions too.  Newbies gotta Newb.  And point out that new skills only cost 2 Karma  :  )

Fade

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« Reply #9 on: <06-22-18/0548:07> »
Just to check back in here, I went through every CMP in the 2018 series, including Las Vegas and the Caribbean, and only one mission calls for any Edge tests at all outside of Suppressive Fire (Which can happen on any run). All of these Edge tests are related to being in the right place at the right time, and if they got lucky or not.

We'll talk to the GM's before Gen Con to sort this out.

- Mike
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Mike Messmer
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mbisber

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« Reply #10 on: <06-24-18/1138:41> »
I went through every CMP in the 2018 series, including Las Vegas and the Caribbean, and only one mission calls for any Edge tests at all outside of Suppressive Fire (Which can happen on any run). All of these Edge tests are related to being in the right place at the right time, and if they got lucky or not.

We'll talk to the GM's before Gen Con to sort this out.

- Mike
CDT Shadowrun XO

This is in the SRM FAQ on p.14:

  Magic  is  common  in  Neo-Tokyo  and  simply  usi
ng  it  may  not  be  enough  to  garner  any  attention.   
Combat  Magic  higher  than  Force  3,  any  Mental  Manipulation,  and 
other  uses  of  magic  at  the  discretion  of  the  GM 
may  garner  attention  from  astral  surveillance.    When  the  GM  det
ermines  that  magic  use  would  be  suspicious,  the  GM 
may  have  the  player  roll  their  character’s  Edge  rating  as  a  dic
e  pool  opposed  by  a  dice  pool  created  by  the  Force  of 
the  spell  being  cast  and  an  add
itional  die  for  every  security  r
ating  level  over  C  in  that  neighborhood. 
If  they  do  not  get  any  net  hits,  then  a  watcher  spirit  has  tagg
ed  their  action  as  suspicious  and  an  astrally 
projecting  NTMP  mage  will  arrive  on  sight  at  the  beginning  of  t
he  next  combat  round  and  assense  the  situation.    Based 
on  their  findings,  they  may  remain  on  sight  to  monitor,  determi
ne  that  the  activity  is  not  criminal  related,  call  in  a  local 
patrol  to  check  things  out  in  the  mundane,  or  trigger  an  HTR  re
sponse.

Why Edge? Are Masking, et.al., Spellcasting, Stealth, etc, all irrelevant?

Kiirnodel

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« Reply #11 on: <06-24-18/1426:42> »
Why Edge? Are Masking, et.al., Spellcasting, Stealth, etc, all irrelevant?
I believe those things would fall under keeping the Spellcasting from being suspicious. You only make the edge test when the magic would potentially draw attention. If the magician is taking extra precautions to keep their actions obfuscated, then they aren't as likely to be noticeably suspicious.

Hobbes

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« Reply #12 on: <06-24-18/2144:12> »
Why Edge? Are Masking, et.al., Spellcasting, Stealth, etc, all irrelevant?

Sneaking skill likely won't matter, Masking would matter for sustains, I would say if a player is throwing spells with a Force 3 or 4 points lower than their Spellcasting the GM shouldn't be asking for an Edge check.  That's a tough spell to notice unless the spirit/security mage/whatever was Astrally right there to see it. 

Also note "...GM can..." so it's pretty much GM whim.  If you don't irritate the GM, you'll probably be fine.  Bring snacks, that helps.

TeOdio

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« Reply #13 on: <06-25-18/0547:38> »
I concur on snacks.  8)

Captain Marge

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« Reply #14 on: <06-25-18/1135:23> »

Also note "...GM can..." so it's pretty much GM whim.  If you don't irritate the GM, you'll probably be fine.  Bring snacks, that helps.

Absolutely - One of the guiding principles of our play in Shadowrun (and my personal GMing in other games) is if you can make the GM laugh, you can get away with all sorts of ridiculous stuff that may or may not adhere to the strictest letter of the rules. :)
Captain Marge - Captain of the Pirates of Piz'zazz
Dmitri Kolnikov - Lead Singer of Trolling Thunder (retired)