Shadowrun
Shadowrun General => General Discussion => Topic started by: Cadco96 on <06-10-11/0151:50>
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I have never looked at Shadowrun much, but I have been looking it up and it seems amazing. Really deep. I love class-based and team-based games, especially shooters. It is only like 5 bucks and if it is still easy to find games, I would love to pick it up and learn it.
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Ok guys. Nobody jump on the guy, ok? It's an innocent, valid question.
Cadco: I'm guessing you're talking the Shadowrun Video game for the X-Box and PC? I myself quite liked it, but you'll find my opinion is in the minority around here.
The SR Video Game is based on a 20+ year old Tabletop Roleplaying Game, but other than the name and a few base concepts, it bears little resemblance to the RPG. And a lot of fans are bitter about that. So if anyone acts like a jackass to you, my apologies, but that's why.
(And really guys? Lets not be elitist drekheads here, ok? Different tastes and all that.)
Anyway, I'm not really certain what kind of community there is these days for the video game. I had the X-Box version for a while, and enjoyed it, as I said. But I know the studio that created the game closed down a year or two ago, and I think I remember Microsoft saying that they were closing down online support for it a while back. I'm not really sure though, sorry.
And unfortunately, the game didn't support split screen or local multiplayer LAN play, nor did it have a single player mode, which I think really hurt the game overall. I know that we used to play a lot of split screen Halo games, and likely would have played a lot more of this if we could have done that.
Anyway, good luck! ANd have fun with it! And if you're into tabletop gaming (D&D and the like), check out the Shadowrun RPG sometime. It's good stuff.
Bull
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Thanks so much for the reply. As you can probably tell, I have never visited this forum. It just looked more popular than the GameFAQs one. Turns out that there is a good community left for this game, with casual players and competitive players! So I will be getting it. Again, thanks, I know how people on the internet can be.
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Hehe, no need to jump. To quote the great Buckaroo Banzai "hey hey hey, don't be mean, there's no need to be mean. Cause remember, where ever you go...there you are." (Which applies heavily to the intertubes, hehe)
I seriously suggest checking out the novels and game books for Shadowrun...because as far as background and story....hands down SR beats all other games/shared-worlds that I know of.
And if you're interested in playing the table top RPG...I'm northern CA and looking to add 1 (one) more player to my weekly (when grown-up issues don't get in the way) game. :)
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Cadco: I'm guessing you're talking the Shadowrun Video game for the X-Box and PC? I myself quite liked it, but you'll find my opinion is in the majority around here.
That's Bull.
it should be minority
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I had always heard the game was terrible... the worst game ever made. I picked it up free at blockbuster while buying bad company. and was pleasantly suprised. Some pretty innovative abilities for a FPS, teleporting and gliding and the fact that you can combine them. Aside from the creative liberties the developers took with the shadowrun universe, my only real complaint was a lack of campaign mode.
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Cadco: I'm guessing you're talking the Shadowrun Video game for the X-Box and PC? I myself quite liked it, but you'll find my opinion is in the majority around here.
That's Bull.
it should be minority
Yeah. It was late, I was tired. FIxed it now.
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I had always heard the game was terrible... the worst game ever made. I picked it up free at blockbuster while buying bad company. and was pleasantly suprised. Some pretty innovative abilities for a FPS, teleporting and gliding and the fact that you can combine them. Aside from the creative liberties the developers took with the shadowrun universe, my only real complaint was a lack of campaign mode.
At the end of the day, those two problems were what, IMO, helped kill it. That, and I think poor timing.
It got a LOT of negative press because of it's departure from the RPG material. Probably a disproportionate amount of negative press, since far more people are likely to buy and play even a bad video game than will buy and play a tabletop RPG. (Wikipedia reports that the SHadowrun game sold 162,000 copies in it's first two months of release. Shadowrun has sold that many copies of the core book, maybe if you combine every copy of 1st through 4th ever sold. Inlcuding folks like me who've bought multiple copies of damn near every edition). But Shadowrun fans were disappointed by the game, and were very vocal in their disappointment, and that frequently got echoed by reviews.
Lack of Campaign
You couldn't do anything without X-Box Live (Or WIndows Live), since there was no single player (Outside the very short tutorial). This hurt, a lot. In a day and age where games like Halo and Gears of War are Shooter Kings, even a short campaign mode would have been nice. And whats the point of using a property like Shadowrun if you're not going to explore some backstory?
*shrug*
Still, like I said, I enjoyed the game. I think the magic really helped give it a unique flavor among standard shooters, and added some nifty twists and tactics.
Bull
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Is it a decent team-based shooter? A bit, yeah.
Is it Shadowrun (As in, the IP that's been around for over 20-years), no. Which is sad, because there is a very rich and interesting history that M$ could have used legally and would not have ostracized a very vocal group of people (IE: Us.). There's also the fact that anyone who researched the game further than just the Video Game Wiki or Website would see all of this, and go, "Hey, why did they write all of this, well, garbage when all this great stuff is out there?".
And that's as pleasant I've been about it since it came out. You're welcome.
Bull, one thing I'll point out: That's just the main rulebook you're suggesting. How many items have sold if you include all the suppliments, adventures, PDF Books (Now), and how many novels? I'm willing to bet one or two more than 162,000. (I've decided that's my sarcastic font, BTW. :P ).
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Cadco: I'm guessing you're talking the Shadowrun Video game for the X-Box and PC? I myself quite liked it, but you'll find my opinion is in the majority around here.
That's Bull.
it should be minority
Yeah. It was late, I was tired. FIxed it now.
I thought it was a nice play on words with your handle ^^
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Cadco: I'm guessing you're talking the Shadowrun Video game for the X-Box and PC? I myself quite liked it, but you'll find my opinion is in the majority around here.
That's Bull.
it should be minority
That's OUR Bull. ;D
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Well I really enjoy RPG video games and fantasy style books. If shadowrun is so great, how is the SNES game? (I have access to that). Also, what book should I start off with? Is it a series?
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The SNES game is MUCH closer to the SR PNP RPG at least . .
There are also some novels that play in the shadowrun universe, i'd start with trying to read one or two of those to see if it's an interesting world for you . .
Otherwise, SR is now at Version 4, and even though i, myself, prefer the 3rd Edition, the 4th is generally seen as being more newby friendly . .
SR is not pure fantasy, it's a mix between fantasy and cyberpunk . .
Shootouts between Robocop/Terminator and Merlin/Gandalf are pretty common on Runs ^^
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Well I really enjoy RPG video games and fantasy style books. If shadowrun is so great, how is the SNES game? (I have access to that). Also, what book should I start off with? Is it a series?
The SNES game is good. The Genesis one is closer to what the actual game system was like when it came out. Both have their nice parts, although I would have liked to have an ammunition system in the SNES game, myself, but that's just me. (That's also me talking now. Back when it first came out I didn't care so much.).
Shadowrun started as a Tabletop RPG (*Sighs* Ever hear of Dungeons and Dragons? Yes, like that.) which combined Fantasy and Cyberpunk together in a nice package. Since then, there's been two short films (One an April Fool's Joke), a series of novels, a CCG, a miniature game, and a few other odds and ends. There is a German version that has their own rulebooks and novels that have never been translated into English.
For a good taste of what the universe is like, I'd suggest starting with the Nigel Findley Omnibus (http://www.battlecorps.com/catalog/product_info.php?cPath=28_222&products_id=2476) of novels, which is how I was first exposed to it, and I've seen often on the forums stated as good starters.
If/When you want to check out the actual RPG itself, you can't go wrong with getting the Shadowrun 4th Edition Anniversary Sourcebook (http://www.battlecorps.com/catalog/product_info.php?cPath=28_189_193&products_id=2239). (I would personally suggest buying it at your Friendly Local Game Store if you can, however. Support local business! If not, there's always online ordering. :) But that's just my personal preferences coming through.).
The game has been around for over 20-years IRL, and over 20-years in game years as well, starting in 2050 and now in 2072 or 2073. It's a lot to take in, but it's a rich, full history with lots of interesting events and characters. Each of the RPG Sourcebooks (With the exception of the main rulebook) is written from the point of view of being an online post for an Illegal BBS (ShadowLand BBS for the previous editions, The JackPoint for 4th Edition.), and has a whole host of characters who will entertain and educate you in ways you never thought possible.
Wow, didn't mean to post so much. Hope that helps, however. :D
EDIT: Oh, and what Stahl said. :P
My own personal explanation is like so: About Shadowrun: "Take the first part of "A Clockwork Orange", mix in everything you know about Punk Culture (If you're not old enough to remember Punk when it was real, research!), add in Fantasy Elements... Then pour in RoboCop and The Terminator. Season to taste, and cook at 400 Degrees until the guy in your oven breaks out and punches you in the face."
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Thanks for the replies! Okay, I will check out those novels, and try the genesis version because I do have access to both versions.
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Unbelievable . . that piece of junk software actually got somebody interested in the classic shadowrun universe enough to come here, post, and think about getting some of the books . .
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Is it a decent team-based shooter? A bit, yeah.
Is it Shadowrun (As in, the IP that's been around for over 20-years), no. Which is sad, because there is a very rich and interesting history that M$ could have used legally and would not have ostracized a very vocal group of people (IE: Us.). There's also the fact that anyone who researched the game further than just the Video Game Wiki or Website would see all of this, and go, "Hey, why did they write all of this, well, garbage when all this great stuff is out there?".
And that's as pleasant I've been about it since it came out. You're welcome.
Bull, one thing I'll point out: That's just the main rulebook you're suggesting. How many items have sold if you include all the suppliments, adventures, PDF Books (Now), and how many novels? I'm willing to bet one or two more than 162,000. (I've decided that's my sarcastic font, BTW. :P ).
Well, yes. But my point was, a "bad" video game that was not a good seller was still bought and played by more people than have bought and played Shadowrun. That's what I meant by disproportionate.
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Unbelievable . . that piece of junk software actually got somebody interested in the classic shadowrun universe enough to come here, post, and think about getting some of the books . .
Also, this right here is one of the reasons I encouraged people not to simple lambaste the game (or anyone who wants to discuss it). It used to happen back in the day with the SNES and Sega games too, even though they were a bit more faithful, and it happened with the Shadowrun Duels game even. People play them, then they go online to see what else is out there and they end up in the IRC channel, on the Mailing List, or at the Forums (Depending on the time period) asking about it.
At that point, there are two options...
1) Rant and rave about how what they liked enough to look for more sucked, and scare them off. Keep in mind that they liked it enough to go online and search for a source of more of this game. That's a huge thing right there.
or
2) Discuss it with them. Be friendly. Accept that they liked something you weren't a fan of, and use that to encourage them to give the Tabletop game and the "real" Shadowrun world a shot.
We need all the players and fans we can get. Tabletop Roleplaying Games have always been fighting an uphill battle, and these days it's even tougher with the sheer volume of easily accessible recreational material out there (Video Games, MMOs, Card and Board games, not to mention the fact that there are hundreds, if not thousands of RPGS now, as opposed to the dozens that existed when Shadowrun started off).
This is the same argument I had 15 years ago with Magic: The Gathering when it started to "invade" the local game shops and the local gaming club. Besides the fact that I enjoyed it, it was also a gateway for new players. Make friends with the CCGers, and then teach them RPGs. Some of our most die-hard Shadowrun players back in the day started off as kids who came up looking for people to play Magic with.
<shrug>
Embrace them. Bring them into the fold. Hrmmm... ANd no I sound like a cult leader. :)
Heh. Let's try this...
Show them why the Roleplaying Game and the RPG world is awesome, don't simply attack them for liking what you do not. I know, this is the internet, and that goes against all modern internet "rules of conduct" for some dumbass reason, but still...
Bull
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Damnit Bull! You're accusing me of suffering from the Eternal September myself!
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OK, some part of that is true... :-[
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The most frustrating thing about the latest SR video game is how much more it could have been. I think Microsoft did it a huge disservice. And the SR IP could make for such an awesome mmo. The older Sega and SNES versions of the game were a blast to play, especially good when you consider the state of video game technology at that point.
To the OP, the game is better than what the video games make it out to be. I hope you get into it, and bring some friends. :)
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a GTA:seattle style shadowrun game would be fantastic. it really is unfortunate about the IP getting stuck where it isnt appreciated. but then FASA never was that great with keeping control of their own IPs.
heck, a shadowrun total conversion mod for one of the GTA games would be awesome.
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Gaaah . . . GTA with Citymasters and Trolls with road rage? T'anks for the nightmares . . .
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It is great to see a community that is so supportive of it's game. Honestly, I have never even seen a tabletop rpg. Still yet, I do have friends that I know would be immediately interested when I bring it up. Of course I want to dive into some novels and the genesis game first so I can get a feel for the universe. This is not at all what I was expecting when I showed up to these forums. I am still going to go out and buy Shadowrun for my Xbox 360 later today. From what I can tell, Shadowrun did not actually mess anything up. It took the title that Shadowrun fans love and turned it into something that they don't care about, then put it in a genre where people who do not care about Shadowrun would play it. The only reason that this would make any sense is that the developers hoped the game would sell to actual Shadowrun fans and FPS fans. Now it seems to have hurt the game more, because if you don't actually dive in to the Shadowrun FPS community, there is a lot of negative feedback which is coming from real Shadowrun fans. I understand though. It must have been really hard to swallow for you guys when the new game stripped everything that you knew about the universe and made a FPS out of it. You must admit that the game is deeper than your typical FPS, and it uses some cool ideas with the whole "magic" idea, but I doubt that it really helps. Anyway, thanks for getting me into something new!
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No Problem, you are nice enough ^^
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This is the same argument I had 15 years ago with Magic: The Gathering when it started to "invade" the local game shops and the local gaming club. Besides the fact that I enjoyed it, it was also a gateway for new players. Make friends with the CCGers, and then teach them RPGs. Some of our most die-hard Shadowrun players back in the day started off as kids who came up looking for people to play Magic with.
Heh. Let's try this...
Show them why the Roleplaying Game and the RPG world is awesome, don't simply attack them for liking what you do not. I know, this is the internet, and that goes against all modern internet "rules of conduct" for some dumbass reason, but still...
Bull
Bull, if there was an "Applaud and hug" button rather than just "Applaud", I would have clicked that instead. It would have been a manly hug, I should note.
Roleplaying games are a lot of fun. But are they the absolute pinnacle of gaming? That is a matter of opinion. People enjoy different types of games. Even gamers enjoy different types of games (they just usually have a longer list).
I haven't been drawn into a multiplayer shooter since Team Fortress 2 and Left4Dead. I thought the idea of PC and XBox 360 users gaming together was an interesting one. Too bad it never panned out.
Folks here are right - Shadowrun the Box game sits on the tip of a huge pyramid of RPG backstory. If you're curious, you should definitely check it out. If not, I hope you find a community and enjoy your game!
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I like the idea of a third or first person game in the vein of GTA placed in the Shadowrun setting. Loved the old SNES and Genesis games (liked the Genesis game better). Still have the carts around somewhere in the attic, even though my systems are dead.
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Well, we can hope the MMO lives up to our expectations.
We'll have Jagged Alliance MMO to judge by first, at least. And the ability to bring torches and pitchforks if they look like they're about to do a bad job. :P
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Wait what? Two short films?
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Wait what? Two short films?
One was by FASA. The other one makes me feel like FastJack trying to not pirate a 'Trid Broadcast.
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Huh. I guess I missed the FASA one. I had no idea.
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I would just like to interject that, in all my years on the interwebs (which is basically since ARPANET (okay, I exaggerate (but not by a lot))), this is the most civilized forum I've ever seen. Ever.
I figured, reading the first post, that poor guy was as good as shark bait.
I...I promised myself I wouldn't cry. :'(
*Grin*
-Jn-
Ifriti Sophist
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Here on SR forums, we only pick on people we know can take it :)
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Huh. I guess I missed the FASA one. I had no idea.
Bask in the hilarity. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8GPGQoR6f6w&feature=youtu.be (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8GPGQoR6f6w&feature=youtu.be)
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I never heard of that video either! GREAT STUFF! I will have to pick up a 1st edition book to find the reveal shoulder knockout spell!
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Gaes: Strip Show? :P