[ruttiger]

I'm making a shadowrun themed game, all in text.  It was going great at first, when you are creating places sometimes it all just clicks and everything makes sense and you can describe everything down to the detail.  Same with the characters, throw together some stereotypes in a situation, everything just seems to fall together. 

This doesn't happen with the equipment though.  I can't describe 40 brands of handguns and have it mean anything.  I don't know the terminology for describing weapons, I don't know what any of them would really look like, beyond the basics of size and weight and weapon type.

That's not all, armor is the same way.  It's a little easier, it's clothes, but I'm not having an easy time with clothes either.  Describing simple objects in any meaningful way seems to be my biggest weakness, and I run into the same issue when I'm hosting runs.

Anyone have some advice?

[Crimsondude]

Hm ...

Well, there are pictures in the core book. And a Hell of a lot more in Arsenal.

But I could definitely see the problem when you literally don't have the vocabulary to describe weapons and armor such as "You hear the distinctive sound of AK fire" or recognizing the upper receiver of an M-23 is that of a cheap Brazilian knockoff.

Uh ... Visit Glocktalk?

[Mirikon]

Not every gun in the books are pictured, however. It'd be nice, but isn't a major necessity.

[CanRay]

Not every gun in the books are pictured, however. It'd be nice, but isn't a major necessity.

Almost is to me.   

[Crimsondude]

Well, my concern really is about knowing the terms because every Ares Predator has an image, but no diagram.

[Kontact]

The Gun Heaven PDF has a lot of pictures with labeled parts.  It's the best book ever in this regard.

Here's a sample.

[CanRay]

The Gun Heaven PDF has a lot of pictures with labeled parts.  It's the best book ever in this regard.

Here's a sample.

And Calibers! 

[redwolf]

just open wiki and down some pic and then fotoshop them if the'r not futcheristic to your liking and show to your players

[CanRay]

Or pull out your firearms reference books like I have.

...

Which bores the hell out of my group. 

[redwolf]

yes some chamer's dont like gun porn

[CanRay]

yes some chamer's dont like gun porn

Had a discussion about that on FaceBook recently, with the third party going, "This is why you can't please everyone."

Needless to say, I wanted my gear porn. 

[Stry]

The real question is what do you want more in a RPG book  pretty pictures or gear and info.

I kind of like how the SR3 Cannon Companion did it small pictures along the bottom instead of the half page images as in Street Samurai Catalog.

[CanRay]

Arsenal cut the line pretty good.  But if only there were a bit bigger.

But having a nice pic to know EXACTLY what you're about to pick up and heft in your hand...  Imagine the weight and the feel of it...  Picture opening the door and feeling the synthleather seat contour to your body...  Cracking open the body of the drone and figuring out where you can mount that extra LMG in a secure point that won't tear off from recoil alone...  Oh yeah, that's something you can't get without the half-page artwork usually.

[The Wyrm Ouroboros]

This is what the Palladium Compendium of Weapons, Armor, and Castles is for ... even has Harlech Castle.  w00t!!

[redwolf]

and were ho were do i get 1?