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Posted by: Oni Feb 3 2008, 01:39 AM

Hi guys

I'm new to the shadows and to RPG's to, any advice?

Posted by: Fortune Feb 3 2008, 01:45 AM

Ask more specific questions.

Seriously though, welcome to Dumpshock. You could check out some of the existing threads (going back for years) for anything you may be interested in reading about. Or you could just ask away about whatever Shadowrun-related subject strikes your fancy, and someone will be sure to answer.

Posted by: BishopMcQ Feb 3 2008, 01:48 AM

Scooped by Fortune. Once again old age and treachery surpass youth and vigor...

For some resources to help make life easier, check out http://pavao.org/shadowrun/

There are a few hundred of us here, we all have ideas about what's best which usually disagree. By all means, ask and you shall receive.

Posted by: Malicant Feb 3 2008, 01:55 AM

Do your legwork and don't mess with dragons.

Welcome to the shadows, I guess

Posted by: Whipstitch Feb 3 2008, 02:32 AM

Always ask for half up front. If the J gives it to you, it's time to start worrying because he might be desperate. If he doesn't give it to you, it's time to start worrying because he probably doesn't expect you to make it back alive.

Posted by: Dashifen Feb 3 2008, 03:26 AM

Welcome aboard. My advice: since you're new to RPG's as well as Shadowrun, go out and play as many games as you possibly can, not just SR. We all love SR here, but that doesn't mean that you won't enjoy other games, too. 'Course, all of those games are clearly inferior to SR, but that's obvious.

Also, I'd check out the http://www.feartheboot.com pod cast and, if you want to, the associated forums. The podcast is about RPG's by a bunch of folk who play and run RPG's. They tend to avoid reviewing games and they have a standing ban against game stories (to avoid boredom in their listeners) but they have a large number of episodes that might be of interest to the new gamer (and veteran games, for what it's worth).

Finally, don't let the rules (in any game, but especially a rules-heavy game like SR) daunt you. They'll come in time.

Oh ... one more then: Never trust an elf.

Posted by: Naysayer Feb 3 2008, 03:55 AM

(This is assuming you already have a group).
If you are to be the gamemaster, sit down and talk with your players. Shadowrun is a rich setting, and there's a busload of ways to play it (or most rpgs), and players may have very different expectations from the game. Some may want to emphasize on combat, tweaking and twinking the rules to build the toughest fighter, mowing down hordes of enemies with twin submachine-guns, others may want to solve tricky puzzles, while somene else may want to focus on social interaction, or roleplay a dark, gritty character in a dark, gritty world... then there's the people who want a sneaky, stealthy Mission Impossible type of game. Or a magic-heavy, "Tolkien-with-Guns"- game. As a GM, you should also figure out what type/style of play would fit you most, and (that's usually the hard part) try to find a way to make everyone enjoy the game... it's tough, but at the same time, it can be tons of fun.

If you are "only" in as a player, then first, gratulations, your gaming career has just become a lot easier
But most of the stuff above still applies. Try to figure out what kind of character you would like to play, and also what kind of game you expect from playing Shadowrun, and talk about this with your GM. That can go a long way to making everything easier and more fun for everyone involved.
...
As has been said, look around, there's tons of useful (also useless, but still entertaining ) information here on Dumpshock.
Have fun, enjoy the game!

Posted by: Crusher Bob Feb 3 2008, 04:06 AM

One of the big things to pay attention to if you are new to RPGs is any 'above table' things that will impact your gaming group. For example, if you are playing SR, exactly what 'style' of SR are you planning to play? Consider that The relatively low key remake Casino Royale fits into possible shadowrun games just as well as Hard Boiled does. If you make a character for a Hard Boiled type game and expect to fire over 10,000 rounds of ammunition in a gunfight in a hospital maternity ward, but you are playing in a Casino Royale style game, things will tend to get messy.

Next, it's usually best if rules arguments and questions are delayed until the end of the game, its too easy to get sidetracked into a 2 hour long rule argument and run out of time to actually play the game. In general, if you don't know a rule, the GM should just make something up that sounds good so that you can get on with the game. Just make a note to look up or argue about the rule later.

Note also that certain rule-sets tend to promote a certain style of game. For example, in SR it is much easier to do damage that it is to resist it. This is even more pronounced in SR4, meaning that the side that shoots first tends to have a great advantage in combat.

Posted by: nezumi Feb 3 2008, 04:06 AM

Shoot straight, conserve ammo, never cut a deal with a dragon.

Posted by: Ravor Feb 3 2008, 04:15 PM

Remember that the Sixth World is nothing like the world of 2007, society has broken down, the gulf between the "haves" and the "have-nots" looks liek something from the Third World (99.9% of the population are "have-nots".), moral decay is largely a thing of the past (There simply isn't enough morals left to rot.), the corps are a hybred merge of pre-union big labor and a quasi-feudal kingdom, the cops are more akin to a jackbooted gang then "law enforcement" and are universally corrupt (Having action on the side is the only way they can make their lifestyle payments.).

Oh, and remind your table that there is nothing wrong with playing in a low dicepool game as Fourth Edition's engine starts looking more like anime then gritty cyberpunk with higher dicepools.