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Posted by: deek Apr 9 2009, 05:23 PM

I'm getting started in the planning phase of my newest campaign. A few of my players are post-apocalyptic junkies and have expressed interest in playing in a post-apocalyptic setting. I've done some research on the genre and really haven't found much that I've gotten excited about. So, I am considering just taking SR4 rules, advancing time ahead about 50-100 years and running with it.

I'd basically keep all the tech and magic available, but limit it (high background counts in most areas, limited runtime/fuel for cyber/vehicles, limited wireless systems and generally just limited resources). I'd likely raise availability on most things way up and limit them to more populated areas...

I know its not "Shadowrun" per se, but the more I've thought about it, the more I think it could be fairly easy to run with SR4 and a handful of limitations (as mentioned above).

So, any of the creative and/or game mechanic minds have some additional thoughts to throw my way? I'd appreciate any input or things to think about as I am planning this next campaign...

Posted by: paws2sky Apr 9 2009, 06:03 PM

Do you know what the source of the apocalypse was? That will have a lot of bearing on most everything else.

Did the environment finally collapse, catastrophically?
Was there another wave of nastiness from the metaplanes?
Did the mana spike again, causing another VITAS outbreak, or worse?
Was there a not-so-limited nuclear, chemical, or biological exchange?
Planet-killer style meteor strike?
Or did the events of System Failure manage to wreck everything in a non-fixable way?

Mana Level: How the apocalypse played out will have a lot of impact on magic. If the Gaiasphere became destabilized, then you could have Mana Storms, Mana Ebbs and Flares, pervasive Background Counts and so on. Magic would still be a good thing to have, but your life would be much trickier.

Resources: Rather than limiting availability, I recommend reducing the amount of money you get per BP to, maybe, 1000 or 2000 nuyen.

Maintenance: I don't see a huge need to require the PCs to plug in their 'ware frequently, but requiring regular maintenance of gear (all gear) might be okay. How about regular glitches result in broken, but fixable gear and Critical Glitches mean destroyed gear? Maybe each player makes and Edge test every session to see if something starts acting up?

Wireless: I don't know that wireless would even be an option. Direct connections (commlink to commlink) would mean that Signal rating would actually become important in day to day use.

Communities: There are still some communities around and some might even be very, very well off. You might even find a working wireless network in the most advanced ones. If you allow cyberware and boiware, then that stuff has to come from somewhere - the most likely place is an advanced community that can either manufacture the stuff or has a cache of it lying around. For examples of different types of communities, ranging from just above barbarian level to really quite nice, see: The Road Warrior, Mad Max: Beyond Thunderdome, and The Postman, among others.

-paws

Posted by: deek Apr 9 2009, 06:31 PM

My initial thought was just a "basic" nuclear exchange, but some of your other sources are intriguing. The end result be much more sparse civilization and a few far away "well off" places, which may be a driver of the campaign arc.

I was thinking along the same level with the mana level. I want to leave magic as is, just really cause havoc in the gaiasphere.

I was thinking about maintenance issues with the ware. I'll certainly put some more time into that end. But I do like the idea of a chance that things break more readily and there be a lot more fixing, finding replacement parts and so on.

Yeah, I do like the idea of more direct connections. Wireless is still around, but only in a few lucky locations that fared a lot better.

Maybe I should keep reduce the time in the future that the apocalypse happened...my thinking is that I don't want so much new production of ware, but morese scavenging for parts or collecting working pieces from enemies and the like.

You've certainly given me some great angles to think about and work out in my head. Thanks!

Posted by: Writer Apr 9 2009, 06:35 PM

Increasing Availability makes sense, with or without a decrease in starting cash. Without a manufacturing base, there would be less product out there. Items would be harder to find and acquire. Also, "Restricted" and "Forbidden" would no longer have real meaning. Implants would be much more rare, as they need not only the technical infrastructure, but also the medical infrastructure. On the other hand, to keep them available at all, assume that before the downfall, technology increased enough that there are automated medical complexes still running. Some could be hidden. Others might have whole communities surrounding them.

The key, however, as Paws pointed out, is how the world fell. If you can find a copy of the new Gamma World, check out the background options. It is a post-apocolypse genre game, after all.

Posted by: The Mack Apr 9 2009, 06:40 PM

Or, you could just play in Chicago.

Posted by: paws2sky Apr 9 2009, 06:57 PM

That's another option. What if this happens around 2080 or 2090? Maybe just before Jan 1, 2100? Not too far in the future.

Or if you did it circa System Failure, then you don't even need to mess with the wireless world at all.

You know... If the apocalypse event left objects relatively intact, but killed people off - a pandemic outbreak, for instance - then there are whole sprawls out there waiting for some enterprising people to come and loot them.



Glad to help.



Also worth a look...

D20 Apocalypse: Its for D20 Modern, but it has a pretty good rundown of a bunch of different apocalypse scenarios, ranging from Plague Worlds to Nuclear Holocaust to Judgment Day, and a couple more.

Rifts: Yeah, I know. Ignore the shit game system and take a gander at the their (string of) apocalypse event(s). A limited nuclear exchange ultimately turns into a magically fueled Armageddon, complete with demonic extra dimensional beings.

You can probably find those both on the cheap at a used book store.

-paws

Posted by: SpasticTeapot Apr 9 2009, 08:55 PM

In the future, throwin' up the sign for south-side Chico earns you rather a lot more respect than it used to.

(Of course, it might well be related to the fact you've got mandibles and too many legs......)

Posted by: Dreadlord Apr 9 2009, 09:02 PM

For a REAL Road Warrior feel, Australia is hard to beat, ESPECIALLY in the Sixth World! That place is post-apocalyptic because of MAGIC!, especially in the middle part.

Posted by: Darth Phylos Apr 10 2009, 02:13 AM

Even without magic, if you head far enough inland it already has a post-apocalyptic feel in some places...

Posted by: Maelstrome Apr 10 2009, 04:23 AM

i was kicking around ideas for a shadowrun version of fallout. look at the fallout games for some ideas.

Posted by: paws2sky Apr 10 2009, 01:00 PM

You inspired me to dig out Target: Awakened Lands. Haven't looked at that in years.

Yep, Australia is completely and totally borked.

-paws

Posted by: GreyBrother Apr 10 2009, 01:12 PM

How about the SOX?

Posted by: The Mack Apr 10 2009, 03:28 PM

Although I have to say Chicago is pretty close to apocalyptic, it's a good place to look for inspiration.





Definitely a game to pull inspiration from.

I agree with you about the game's mechanics, but their setting is quite well done if you trim it back a bit and use elements of it (it can be a bit kitchen sink sometimes).

Posted by: deek Apr 13 2009, 12:45 PM

Wow, lots of great feedback here. Thanks so much for giving me some more things to think about.

I have some work to do to put together my campaign. My players have the four options that I'm willing to run (post-apoc is one of them), so I'll see what they are looking to run. And if they pick this, I may have some more detail to give and see how it sticks after I post it.