[Xzylvador]

Slow levelling has been one of the biggest problems I've had with SR as a player (I like roleplaying, but seeing my character gain power and knowing it's getting somewhere is important too) and for a long time I thought the SR system was to blame for this. But then after some different GMs I found that this doesn't have to be the case.
* Increasing the rewards, in pay but most importantly in karma rewards did a lot to give a sense of improving. (We started playing with Missions 2 and all got the feeling there just wasn't any character progression, we were gaining maybe 3-5 karma every month of playtime; at that rate just increasing a stat from 5 to 6 would take at least a year. So after some testing, we set to receiving the same amount of karma after every play session depending on how much progress we made, what/how we did etc.
* Karma for Nuyen (and vice versa) have been used successfully. (I never got the feeling this let the mage get too far away from the non-magic-users in the group. Also allowed the 0.1 essence sammy to get some better-grade 'ware because he was "stuck" and the gun nut/rigger to actually be able to one day buy that ridiculously expensive weapon/bot of his dreams (damned that ceramic components price!))
* But the most rewarding improvement in character progression ended up being roleplaying, not charbuilding, rewards. (Playing as part of a gang and saving up money to improve your neighborhood and upgrade your gang's gear from leather coats and knives to Armored Jackets with a gang logo and Predators or Uzi's, great fun! Gaining a new contact that looks like it could actually become a very valuable friend/asset if you work it right, awesome! Just being called to a meeting in a exclusive place where you get to skip the 2 hour line and just walk in the VIP entrance gave a great "look at us, we're in the big leagues now" ego boost.)

[CanRay]

Here's an idea.  It's a Role playing game.  Make it about something for the role.  Make it a pride issue for the character.  Someone messes with his home turf, his family, have his bank account hacked, embarrass the character so he or she has to act or loose face or more.  Karma is worth it, but having 3.2 mil swiped from their account and have to do a run to get it back can be worth it.

Pride and Respect.  It's two things that are both easy and hard to find in people at times.  Sometimes they have them in spades, somethings they have anything but that.

If the character is well-built storyline wise (Or the right Qualities), you'll be able to figure out what theirs is (or isn't, as the case may be), and play off those two things.

Sometimes, it can be as simple as stealing an retired soldier's armoured jacket with his denied unit patch on it.  Hell, Highwater, and all the Devil's Shadowrunners won't stop that soldier from getting it back.  And Heaven better stay the hell out of the way as well, as that'll be crushed as well.

Sometimes it can be as complex as actually rebuilding an entire life from scratch.  SIN, house, spouse, geneformed puppydog with the waggily tail and a 80-year lifespan...  And then show the price of it all.

[All4BigGuns]

Gear and Money.

Allows the players to go under the knife and cyber up. For the Karma players (Mages, Adepts and Technomancers [oh, my!]), you can put the optional Karma for Nuyen house-rule into place.

Wasn't aware that SR4 had that optional rule anywhere. Kinda curious where it is, because I likes it

[Xzylvador]

Gear and Money.

Allows the players to go under the knife and cyber up. For the Karma players (Mages, Adepts and Technomancers [oh, my!]), you can put the optional Karma for Nuyen house-rule into place.

Wasn't aware that SR4 had that optional rule anywhere. Kinda curious where it is, because I likes it

Answer was posted earlier: It's an optional rule from earlier editions they stick to.

Gear and Money.

Allows the players to go under the knife and cyber up. For the Karma players (Mages, Adepts and Technomancers [oh, my!]), you can put the optional Karma for Nuyen house-rule into place.

What rule is that?

An optional rule from SR2 and SR3 where you could cash in Nuyen for Karma or Karma for Nuyen, depending on the character's need(s).

It's stuck around as a house rule in many games as a way to balance out Razorboys/girls and Mages advancement.

[All4BigGuns]

Oh, all right then. May just end up bringing it back myself at some point. Just need to figure up a good exchange rate. I've done something completely broken with the 1000 nuyen for 1 karma default...

[JustADude]

Oh, all right then. May just end up bringing it back myself at some point. Just need to figure up a good exchange rate. I've done something completely broken with the 1000 nuyen for 1 karma default...

Wasn't it 2,500¥ = 1 Karma?

[Zilfer]

Yeah

[All4BigGuns]

Shadowrun Companion for SR3 gave two figures for getting Karma for nuyen. One was 100 nuyen for 1 karma and the other was 1000 nuyen for 1 karma. Personally, I have seen what 1000/1 can do if a character has accumulated 12 mill, so that might be a bit low...then again who is gonna be able to accumulate that much cash in most cases. (The GM was kinda foolish in handing out pay.)

[beowulf_of_wa]

that's one of those things that you need to make sure you don't set it as a hard fast rule but allow as a trial basis.

adjust the game as needed constantly

[All4BigGuns]

that's one of those things that you need to make sure you don't set it as a hard fast rule but allow as a trial basis.

adjust the game as needed constantly

Yeah, definitely one of those things that you try out and adjust as needed. Depending on how much money you give to your players per run, I'd say start at the 1000/1 ratio and if that seems to be too little for your game increase gradually until you get to a good "sweet spot". Now if you're really stingy with giving good pay, the 100/1 might work.

[beowulf_of_wa]

i'd prolly stick with the 2,500¥ per 1 karma to begin with, as i don't think karma should be easy to gain

though i might pull an exchange bank buy and sell rates concept
buy karma (2,500¥ each)
buy ¥ (1 karma gets you 1000¥)

fair? maybe
usable? if they choose to

remember folks: SR is definitely an "all things go against the player" / "round to the detriment of the player" sort of world

[CanRay]

I just viewed it as an economy, buy low, sell high.

I also had a free spirit in mind to do it with, but I should stop showing him as anyone I play with is scared to use the rule. 

[JustADude]

remember folks: SR is definitely an "all things go against the player" / "round to the detriment of the player" sort of world

Actually, SR says to round to the player's benefit. 

[beowulf_of_wa]

which edition?

[JustADude]

which edition?

SR4. The text always says "round up" when it's to the player's benefit to be higher, and "round down" when it's to the player's benefit to be lower. That's just what I've gathered from reading the books, though.