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2050 Shadowrun PDF is out

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Mara

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« Reply #60 on: <10-04-12/2345:57> »
There is mention in the book that protection from acid rain and heavy smog is necessary, but no mechanics that I can see. How would you suggest treating these factors?

Part of Lifestyle expenses, same as I always treated them.

Tagz

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« Reply #61 on: <10-07-12/1117:44> »
Alright, I've had my hardcopy for about a week and poured through it.  I like it a lot, but have some comments/questions.

First off, the fiction and shadowtalk is great.  Occasionally it seems like it overused the foreshadowing irony joke a bit, but otherwise very good.  Awesome to see the names.

Second, the editing could have been better.  I know, grammer/spelling/editing mistakes happen, but there  are quite a few in this one.  The whole book has a very rushed feeling.  Looking at some of my other books (6WA, GC, etc), this sadly is becoming a trend.  For the most part it's just an annoyance that made me feel the book cost just a little too much (for 45$ I kinda expect better proofing).

The differences between different magical traditions are awesome.  Especially fun are the Shamanistic domains and Wuxing elemental casting.  There's always a player in my group that prefers elemental spells to direct spells and he'll eat this up.

Lots of the sample characters are missing an Edge stat.

Grounding is back.  Cool.  The fact that the spell must be physical, the drain is physical, and the Force/Magic of the target is a negative modifier seems like in fourth edition might be a good balancer.  What I really like about this is that it brings back spells like Clout and Blast.  Normally those are just Stunbolt and Stunball at higher drain that can effect objects like drones and cars.... except drones and cars don't suffer stun damage.  So they're just Stunbolt and Stunball with a little more drain.
But with Grounding, Stunbolt and Stunball can't ground because they are mana spells.  Clout and Blast can be Grounded.  I like this because this is a rules addition that gives more utility to existing things instead of replace things or obsolescence.

Matrix section is pretty awesome too, but useful information is mixed in in sort of a difficult to find way.  I love memory limits, Sys Ops, and simple node topography that looks like a flowchart.
Interesting that to make nobody script kiddies you had to make everyone a more limited technomancer, but it works.  I may consider bringing this to my regular games.
I am annoyed that the items that appear in the Matrix section don't have a place in the gear charts in the gear section.  It would be nice to have program costs listed in a easy to find chart rather then buried in text.  The decks, terms, and luggage do have nice charts to look at so they aren't that hard to find, but a place in the back would have been nice.

Chipjacks Headmemory, HeadTelephone, yes.  I have a softspot for old, outdated cyber on NPCs, some of these things will show up in my regular games.  Have to say though, Voice Modulator belongs in Headware, not Bodyware.  Pretty sure VCR does too.  Not a big deal, makes no mechanical difference, but it's the wrong chart if you ask me.

Cyber is way more expensive, and I'm ok with that.  What I'm not so cool with is how much Bioware is around, how cheap it is compared to Cyber, and how easily available it is.  Compare Wired 3 and Synaptic 3:
Wired 3:  Cost 500,000   5Ess   8R
Synaptic 3:  Cost 300,000   1.5Ess   6R
I get that there are supposed to be some items that are more optimal then others, but this is absurd.  Wired has a 500% increase in cost, Synaptic only 125%.  It's cheaper, better on essence, and easier to find.  All this, despite that in the 4th edition book (setting 2070's, 20 years later) Bioware is described as SOTA.  If I run a 2050's game then I'm going to have to modify the nearly the whole bioware chart's cost and availability.

The part that really gets me about the Wired/Synaptic thing is that Wired Reflexes are such a central theme of the game.  Such a staple to the Street Sam.  But because of the disparity here, it makes no real sense to invest in Wires.  Sure, at rating 1 there's enough of a cost difference to make it a real choice, but at rating 2 it's a short hop to the cost of Synaptic, so go Synaptic and save the essence.  No sense at all in getting a better grade of Wires, it'll cost more and still be higher essence then Synaptic.  So the way the math works out, there would be more Street Sames with Synaptic then Wired in 2050.  Just seems wrong.


Ok, comments and criticisms are done.  I have a couple questions now.

*Edit * Sorry, forgot one:
So, Shamans and Wuxing Traditions don't use binding.  Would that also mean that the tasks available only to bound spirits such as Aid Sorcery, Aid Study, & Spell Sustaining aren't available to them? And if that's the case, why does Wuxing have Spirit Spell Categories?  The Categories are only relevant to the bound services.  This seems to support both the idea that they can and cannot use these tasks.  I know I can decide for myself at my own table, but what was intended?

Slow Program.  It says it reduces the IC's Reation.  I'm not sure what you mean here.  Didn't think Reaction was a Matrix stat.  Could have meant Response, but there doesn't seem to be that stat in 2050's Matrix.  So that leaves two possibilities:  Either Initiative or the rating of the IC.

Cybercombat.  There is no Response or Firewall.  How does one avoid being hit in cybercombat?  Are all attacks automatic hits?  Everywhere I've looked for an answer it just refers me to SR4A's cybercombat section.  When changing the actual stats and skills in use just referring to SR4A's Cybercombat isn't enough, the systems are too different.  I can't be sure, but I think what you intended was to use the Decker's own Reaction stat in avoidance tests, but this change is nowhere to be found.  Can I assume that MPCP would be added to the Decker's Reaction?  Hardening used in damage resistance, perhaps added to Willpower?  I think that's in keeping with the idea of using the Decker's natural abilities, but need confirmation that's actually how it works.

The Attack Program action on p163 mentions an Armor Program.  I don't see on listed.  Is there an Armor Program?

Are SysOps tests Success or Extended tests?  I assume extended as the threshold is pretty high, but this isn't actually stated.

Cyberterms stats can be upgraded twice and Luggage once.  What are the costs and/or hardware tests needed to make this happen?

How does one get a Program Carrier?  There is no cost, no build test, nothing.  Do we get one with every cyberdeck purchase?  Is it more about the size of a deck of cards (-4 concealability modifier?) or a VHS tape (-2 concealability modifier?)?

Gear on p181.  Gear and ratings.  So, the description says the rating is used, so no Rx2, use rating, ok.  But there are no listed Ranges on ratings, so can I have a R20 Maglock?  Seems absurd, but it's a serious question.


Alright, done.  Sorry if I've been overly harsh with my criticisms, but I've been looking forward to this book since I heard that it was coming and well... I'm disappointed.  It feels rushed and incomplete.  I know everyone working on this worked really hard, I just wish you had more time to work on this before releasing it because I feel everything I've brought up was something that could have been caught before print.
« Last Edit: <10-09-12/1646:17> by Tagz »

Parker

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« Reply #62 on: <11-24-12/0148:49> »
I've been hyped about this since it was announced and ordered a print copy when it came available.  The 'alternate history' approach is really enjoyable 'cause I get to rewrite the events of the 2050's to benefit my campaign and the enjoyment of my players. (heheheheh....)   But evil GM thinking aside, I've sat down with my players when they were making their characters and worked out what would work and what wouldn't. (For example, look at the tech level today.  I didn't see a problem using 4th Edition tech for them to use at higher cost/less availability or only through corp/government sources.  The technology shift would have its limits.  Otaku are still street tales and A.I.s don't exist yet.  Magic is is still an unexplored wilderness.  But hey, I get to dust off those first-edition adventures to use and I'm definitely looking forward to it. ;D
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CanRay

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« Reply #63 on: <02-02-13/1745:23> »
OK, a question came up on my Facebook about The Matrix and how to build a Network using the SR2050 rules.  Here's my reply, which I figured should go here in case others had the same question:

"Best and fastest way I can describe it is to use the old Shadowrun Genesis game. What you do with the Nodes is build a Matrix Map of individual Nodes (blueprint as you called it), each with it's own stats and IC.

If you're connecting from an outside source, you have to get through a SAN, then probably a SPU (Or a CPU in really small networks, like a Mom-And-Pop shop), and then to the Nodes you need to go to from there (I/OP to use/edit camera feeds, DS to get Paydata, SN to adjust things to whatever device is being used, etc.).

Here's a good video of a random Matrix Run for Paydata: http://youtu.be/s_1iL7OdKAw

Pause it when the player moves from Node-To-Node and you'll see the map that's built using the Nodes.

Yeah, it's long and complex compared to SR4A where all you need to do is break into one "Node" as the system trusts each other in a PAN, but it's a lot easier than what was previously used in other editions of Shadowrun. I had to balance a fine line between the two..."
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Black

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« Reply #64 on: <02-02-13/1959:13> »
OK, a question came up on my Facebook about The Matrix and how to build a Network using the SR2050 rules.  Here's my reply, which I figured should go here in case others had the same question:

"Best and fastest way I can describe it is to use the old Shadowrun Genesis game. What you do with the Nodes is build a Matrix Map of individual Nodes (blueprint as you called it), each with it's own stats and IC.

If you're connecting from an outside source, you have to get through a SAN, then probably a SPU (Or a CPU in really small networks, like a Mom-And-Pop shop), and then to the Nodes you need to go to from there (I/OP to use/edit camera feeds, DS to get Paydata, SN to adjust things to whatever device is being used, etc.).

Here's a good video of a random Matrix Run for Paydata: http://youtu.be/s_1iL7OdKAw

Pause it when the player moves from Node-To-Node and you'll see the map that's built using the Nodes.

Yeah, it's long and complex compared to SR4A where all you need to do is break into one "Node" as the system trusts each other in a PAN, but it's a lot easier than what was previously used in other editions of Shadowrun. I had to balance a fine line between the two..."

Thanks Canray!
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