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Your plans with No Future?

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Ixal

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« on: <02-08-19/0559:20> »
No Future has been out for some time and it has been a while since a book with mostly fluff and not rules or adventure hooks came out.

So I would like to know how this book has been received and what oarts of it you intend to use (and how).

Sphinx

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« Reply #1 on: <02-08-19/1325:56> »
I bought Shadowbeat when it came out in 1992. That was probably the first time I read a gaming sourcebook with the awareness that I would probably never use any of its contents, and not minding in the slightest. I read it cover to cover in one sitting for the sheer joy of it.

I was wrong, actually. Later I ran a campaign arc featuring Urban Brawl, and then another one about the music industry, and Shadowbeat turned out to be very useful ... but I didn't know that when I bought it, and it wouldn't have mattered to me if I never found a use for it. It was just that fun to read.

Some Shadowrun books are like that, and that's why I love them. The Attitude sourcebook in SR4 and now No Future in SR5 revisit the same ground that Shadowbeat first mapped out back in SR1, and it's still a blast. I don't buy the books because I expect them to contribute immediately to my campaign. I buy them because I love the glimpses they provide into everyday life in the Shadowrun world.

Indirectly, I think they help me paint a more complete and compelling picture of life in the Sixth World. The latest Urban Brawl match on the big trideo screen at Reno's during the meet with Mr. Johnson ("Screamers are leading the Paladins by two points in the third quarter"). The security guards chatting about the latest episode of Chase: Errant Knight while the runners sneak past ("Could you believe it when Muñoz got shot in the eye?" "Dude, spoilers?!"). Searching for a target in the crowd at a Fragging Unicorns concert ("sorry, guys, but Rev. Blackfeather is really killing it tonight, and the audience is kicking up a higher astral background count than expected").

Maybe later some of this content will inspire a truly epic shadowrun, or story arc. Maybe not. Don't care. I eat it up either way.

Stainless Steel Devil Rat

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« Reply #2 on: <02-08-19/1358:33> »
Yeah, it's invaluable flavor.  Not just for GMs to ad lib some scenery and background noise, but also for players who want to do one of the ever popular backgrounds of being a former athlete/rocker/investigative reporter.
RPG mechanics exist to give structure and consistency to the game world, true, but at the end of the day, you’re fighting dragons with algebra and random number generators.

Marcus

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« Reply #3 on: <02-08-19/1435:22> »
While I expect several of the adventages will see play at my table. Shadow culture books shape the world of sr. It meaningful ways, from contless character concepts to how players react various things at the table. Sure it's no plot book. But it is a great piece of setting.
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Ixal

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« Reply #4 on: <02-09-19/1038:45> »
Some Shadowrun books are like that, and that's why I love them. The Attitude sourcebook in SR4 and now No Future in SR5 revisit the same ground that Shadowbeat first mapped out back in SR1, and it's still a blast. I don't buy the books because I expect them to contribute immediately to my campaign. I buy them because I love the glimpses they provide into everyday life in the Shadowrun world.

I always liked the "How do people live" books. When was the last time one of those came out (although information about this often gets mixed into other books).

Wakshaani

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« Reply #5 on: <02-09-19/2140:00> »
While I expect several of the adventages will see play at my table. Shadow culture books shape the world of sr. It meaningful ways, from contless character concepts to how players react various things at the table. Sure it's no plot book. But it is a great piece of setting.

Oh? Care to share which ones? The few comments I've seen are "These will never be at my table" and I never got any feedback there.

kyoto kid

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« Reply #6 on: <02-10-19/1946:36> »
...I actually played an investigative reporter character in 3e and used Shadowbeat for the basics, even had Jack Q as a contact.  Was a lot of fun as there was some underlying intrigue in the campaign that she was looking to expose.   Her cameraman (and bodyguard) Mel was based loosely on the illustration in the book of the troll with the little camera wearing the fez with and press credentials.

When I was playing Leela for the first time (again in 3e) we used the performance table to gauge the success of her debut concert at New Royal Festival Hall (after which I retired her from play.  Yeah the kid hit a Novastar rating (for the classical world) and earned way, way more in just a couple hours at the piano than her entire shadowrunning career. Beat getting shot at and having spells slung at her.

I also had an Orc ex-Urban Brawl star as a runner as well.  Dressed to the nines (thanks to the high fashion armour in Cannon Companion) and had class.  He even had fans (Group: Followers) as a "contact".

Nice to this revived for 5e.
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Marcus

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« Reply #7 on: <02-11-19/1048:01> »

You never know for sure. I'm just guessing, but candle on the dark and stollen ware. Further  I'd certainly consider the rock star table if a group would commit to it.
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Ghost Rigger

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« Reply #8 on: <02-12-19/0932:29> »
So far I've only read the game information chapter. Whenever a book comes out, I look for gear and qualities first because mechanical options are the most tangible thing the book can offer me. There wasn't much of interest in the gear department; mostly stuff that's there for NPCs and posing as NPCs. Some builds might get genuine use out of the expanded cybersenses, and I'm still convinced there's a way for me to abuse ProCams. The Molotov cocktail and liter of milk were genuinely good additions.

Now the qualities? If I were playing a character with a Code of Honor, Candle In The Dark would be a no-brainer choice. For five karma, I get two extra Loyalty on all my contacts so long as I don't do that thing that I already avoid doing because it makes me lose karma. It might even be worth getting post-chargen. Stolen Gear might also be fun for a streetsam who starts out with nice toys for a change. Massive Network and Networker? They seem like they would be NPC qualities for the most part, requiring 10 and 5 contacts respectively to pay for themselves. On the other hand, I could see myself making a CHA 7 face adept elf with Candle In The Dark, Code of Honor and 10 contacts; 9 being 4 point contacts and 1 being a 5 point contact, prioritizing Connection rating because I get an effective free two Loyalty with all of them. Assuming, of course, that I can justify such a character from a fluff perspective and figure out how he would work with the rest of the group.....

As for the rest of the book? I've glanced over it, and I'll read it proper sooner or later. The use I'm going to get out of it is having my character make in-universe pop culture references and not much else.
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Seras

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« Reply #9 on: <02-12-19/1230:20> »
The sports part was a really good read...I in real life I do not watch sports at all, so thats saying something ^^.

I was genuinly happy to read the rules and backround about combat biking and Urban Brawl. It is mentioned everywhere how popular these things are, but now we finally have material about it, that is not from 2nd or 3rd edition

Also the bit about Formula 1 beeing full not just with expensive, state of the art cars, but a testing ground for state of the art bodytech gives me some nice openings for shadowruns.... 8)

Finally Basketball beeing incredibly inclusive and meta/ adept friendly helps me build a more realistic backround...the hoop really is the place where everybody comes together...

I also really enjoyed the little bit about Renraku corp and their media....they really are the Invisible corp, so omnipresent in services and software, that noone pays attention anymore...it helps me as a GM to figure out how the differnt corps think.

And I think I will have my players smuggle TV and movie content into Atzlan...just for the heck of it. Oh the Irony, a nation built by drugsmuggling makes outside media more desirable by banning it  ;D
I apologise for my posts beeing weird to read, I am fluent in english, but almost never write in english anymore :-(

kyoto kid

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« Reply #10 on: <02-13-19/1534:30> »
Quote
Finally Basketball beeing incredibly inclusive and meta/ adept friendly helps me build a more realistic backround...the hoop really is the place where everybody comes together...

...so how would  a human or elf player defend against a Troll centre who can just reach up over them and dunk the ball?
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Ixal

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« Reply #11 on: <02-13-19/1547:14> »
Quote
Finally Basketball beeing incredibly inclusive and meta/ adept friendly helps me build a more realistic backround...the hoop really is the place where everybody comes together...

...so how would  a human or elf player defend against a Troll centre who can just reach up over them and dunk the ball?

By being an adept or full of cyber. But there are not that many humans in the pro leagues anyway. Mostly trolls, wakyambis and occasional elves and changelings.

kyoto kid

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« Reply #12 on: <02-14-19/0245:36> »
...that would limit the audience.
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Wakshaani

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« Reply #13 on: <02-14-19/0255:57> »
Quote
Finally Basketball beeing incredibly inclusive and meta/ adept friendly helps me build a more realistic backround...the hoop really is the place where everybody comes together...

...so how would  a human or elf player defend against a Troll centre who can just reach up over them and dunk the ball?

https://youtu.be/lysH8P9Cbpk?t=53

:D

kyoto kid

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« Reply #14 on: <02-14-19/1740:49> »
..against someone 8' -  9' tall though?

Yeah here in Portland we had Damon Stoudamire (5'10") and he could hit a 3 almost blindfolded, as well as like Webb, get underneath a big guy who is dribbling down court to steal the ball. but being posted up at the hoop by someone larger making a shot (in the case of a troll who could simply stand there and drop the ball through the net with his height, bulk, and reach)?

They would have to raise the height of the backboard and basket to at least make it a challenge and then it would be all that much harder for smaller metas to make a shot.

They may also require pads or even armoured suits as well. Imagine being a human and getting body checked by someone 5 times your weight. You'd end up in the 5th row. of the courtside level ,if they even allowed seats that close to the action (imagine a Troll or even bulked up Ork going out of bounds and landing among the spectators).
« Last Edit: <02-14-19/1742:25> by kyoto kid »
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