Gaming aid: weapon and armor handouts Options

[piotrus]

Since nobody told me I shouldn't share my gaming aid here and it has been more then a week since I asked, here it is (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif) If it is violating some rules, I presume that an admin will delete it (and I will not reupload it if I am asked not to). As stated in the copyright note in all files, all rights belong to the WizKids and I claim no right for derivative work, so if WizKids (Catalyst...) people want, they have full rights to reuse this tool in whatever way, shape or form they wish.

The current version (download link at the bottom of the post) consists of three text (doc) files:
* weapon handouts (sample)
* armor handouts
* NPCs items by archeotype

Briefly: for gamemasters, the handouts make it easy to equip and run NPCs with a variety of weaponry, and also make it easy for the runners to loot them - and it should stop them from bugging you "how does this gun work?". For players, the handouts should make it easy to use even the most complex equipment piece without spending half an hour compiling notes from several sources, and should ensure that you can use an item to its full potential (my group has been gaming for 2 years and near the end we realized we could do "called shots" with any weapon...).

Armor and weapon handouts, based on info available in Core Rules and Arsenal, are designed to supplement those books (so feel honor bound not to use those gaming aids if you have not purchased the books yet! Remember - we need good folks at Catalyst Inc. to make profit so they can give us more stuff we can turn into gaming aids (IMG:style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif) ). The purpose of those handouts is to collect all info related to a given weapon (or armor) piece on one (printable) page, so that even first-time players can efficiently use something beside Ares Predator (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif) Even experienced players should appreciate the handouts (unless you feel confident you have memorized the rules for miniguns and flamethrowers, know how to use the White Phosphorus Grenade you've just picked up, and how many armor modification slot your armor jacket has ;p) Weapon and armor modification and customization is also made easy: just copy and paste mods used to the handout page before printing it, and voila. Similarly, you can append info on your favorite ammo (including chemicals) to the weapon use. Last but not least: handouts keep track of your ammo spent and armor damage.

The last file, NPCs items by archeotype, lists weapons and armor pieces that, based on their description, are likely to be used by common NPCs archeotypes (such as gangers, Mr. Johnsons, or security guards). It is meant to help you figure out what weapon that security corp or ganger who is trying to geek your runners is likely to be using (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif)

This is very much a work in progress. Text in red indicates places were I couldn't find the rules, they were confusing or didn't make much sense (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif) The handouts are likely to contain a few errors. I will do my best to answer any questions here, and implement proposed changes.

Next on my worklist: handouts for other items, -ware and spells.

Download link (rapidshare)

Google docs previews (may have formatting issues, for proper printouts, download from link above):
* armor
* weapons (only part of the file, Google docs has max file size limits)

[Xerxos]

Hm, the changed Flechette AP (+5 instead of +2) is only changed in the Ammo section, not the gun section (e.g. Raecor Sting). You should search for (f) and change this.

But aside from this, it's a great help for any Shadowrun group! Thanks!

[piotrus]

So my stat counter tells me that 40 or so people have downloaded the tool. Any suggestions for improvements, criticism...?

[DamienKnight]

So my stat counter tells me that 40 or so people have downloaded the tool. Any suggestions for improvements, criticism...?

Less information. If I have a totally custom weapon I may need an entire page, but for out-of-the-box stuff I would rather have something closer to index-card sized.

[cryptoknight]

Missing the Ruger Thunderbolt... (IMG:style_emoticons/default/frown.gif)

[piotrus]

Less information. If I have a totally custom weapon I may need an entire page, but for out-of-the-box stuff I would rather have something closer to index-card sized.

Good point, but that's easy to fix: just delete the info you don't need before printing. Works much better then the other way around, particularly as different people may consider different info useful for the index size.

Missing the Ruger Thunderbolt... (IMG:style_emoticons/default/frown.gif)

It will be added to the new version (note: Arsenal, p.24).

[crazyconscript]

I like it, but i am not going to be using it in any ongoing games, as we already have our systems there. If i ever run a game with newbies again however, or write a one-shot game i definitely want to use them to let the players know what exactly their stuff does, and keep track of them. Smaller size however would be useful for such purposes, as 2-3 page per players equipment is a bit much (IMG:style_emoticons/default/rotate.gif) , but thats easy enough to fix i think.

[cyberDrake]

I have to say, I agree with the above sentiment. The guide is great, but would be handier in smaller size, at the least reduced to 1 page per.

[piotrus]

I have to say, I agree with the above sentiment. The guide is great, but would be handier in smaller size, at the least reduced to 1 page per.

Ummm, almost everything is one page (weapons) or less (armor). Only multi weapons platform (the one that can be assembled into different variants - HK XM30) take up 2 pages, and of course lists (of mods, or ammo, or grenades) may also take more, for obvious reasons. Or am I missing something?

This aid is designed to allow a player to use a new piece of equipment fully and immediately. Index versions can be easily created, since the aid is in easy to edit doc format, not pdf, so anybody who wants a shorter version can just edit the existing pages, deleting whatever they consider useless... Again, the problem with making shorter index entries is that different players (and GMs) consider different info useful (for example, some keep track of ammo, others don't), so I'd have to create more then one index entry for each weapon - likely one for each gaming group (IMG:style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif) - and that is a bit too much. But again, if you think I am missing something obvious here, do let me know.

[crazyconscript]

Nah, your right. I meant that each page being 1 piece of equipment and each player having 2-3 sheets as such would be a bit much if you used them as they are. But, it is easily remedied by cut & paste, and occasionally making the writing smaller. As i said, its easily doable. But it needs to be done on an individual basis, for example in most cases i managed to get more than one thing onto each page and it worked. I like the fact that its so easy to use your handouts to do that (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif) , they are perfect for letting new players know what their stuff does

Edit: And also for keeping track of my custom weapon/armour o' doom....

[Tymeaus Jalynsfe...]

They look good... I like it

[kronax]

hrm. unfortunately i cannot get to it, the links are blocked by the firewall we have over here and i have no other net access. I dont suppose someone woudl be interested in emailing me this,could they?

unfortuantely, i used to get all my weapons from the ray gun site, but thats gone (IMG:style_emoticons/default/frown.gif) and for some reason, one admin decided to remove all my weapons from all my chars so now i have to rebuild them.


(ed- scratch that one, i got it to work now.)

[10gauge]

hrm. unfortunately i cannot get to it, the links are blocked by the firewall we have over here and i have no other net access. I dont suppose someone woudl be interested in emailing me this,could they?

unfortuantely, i used to get all my weapons from the ray gun site, but thats gone (IMG:style_emoticons/default/frown.gif) and for some reason, one admin decided to remove all my weapons from all my chars so now i have to rebuild them.


(ed- scratch that one, i got it to work now.)

The site has been moved, but it's still there: Shadowrun & Firearms

You can also download the whole site as PDF. Look at my sig.

Cheers!

[Kerenshara]

I love the idea. Where in the gods names did you ever find the artwork for the weapons? I have been looking and looking for simple line art to do my own cards.

But here is the idea I have and that I have been playing with:

If you have ever seen the hard-sided top-loader card protectors used for baseball cards and "magic" cards, they make idea gaming aids if you do it right. The come in a variety of diferent border colors (From UltraProTM the have clear, red, white, blue and black) which allows for quick sorting and diferentiation. I have all my spells in one, complete with all game information including the text in FULL from the entry. I was trying to do one for equipment, but what my plan had been was to have one for the main weapon, that would include an entry for modification and accessory slots available, then have cards for the apropriate accessories, and a card for each magazine with the type of ammo loaded in that magazine on the back side. So a Colt Manhunter would have the stats and text listed, along with any modifications factored into the stats, plus any available accesory slots. The silencer would be a separate card for "barrel mounted accessory" that would go with it, as would the top mounted smartgun system. I was planning similar cards for cyberware and computers and so on, but again, I need art or they are pretty boring.

The cards are 4"x3" so they can be stored and manipulated pretty easily, and the magazines can be written with overhead pens. That way, it's easy to pass off gear between players IC, and you can hand a piece of gear to the GM easily if they need to see something without accessing another chart. "Let me see that Manhunter again?"

Any ideas or feedback on my take?

[10gauge]

I generally like the idea! It sounds cool. The problem I see is that a character (let's say a street samurai) could have a very large deck of cards. You'd need cards for weapons, weapon mods, ammo, cyber- and bioware, gear, lifestyles, ...! So a character could have 100+ cards. The player has to have a quick access to all cards if he doesn't want to slow down the game. It could be a significant pain in the ass. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/wink.gif) But the idea itself sounds cool!

[Kerenshara]

I generally like the idea! It sounds cool. The problem I see is that a character (let's say a street samurai) could have a very large deck of cards. You'd need cards for weapons, weapon mods, ammo, cyber- and bioware, gear, lifestyles, ...! So a character could have 100+ cards. The player has to have a quick access to all cards if he doesn't want to slow down the game. It could be a significant pain in the ass. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/wink.gif) But the idea itself sounds cool!

Well, you don't actually carry ALL that gear on you at the same time, do you? For things like 'ware, they sell a 9-pocket 3-ring-binder page that you could go double sided with (18 per "page"). Essentially it was most important for immediately "worn" items. My spells would go in the binder... eventually. I would just keep the ones I use the most handy.
So I would have: my sidearm, accessories and clips; My automatic/longarm, accessories and clips; Worn armor (and underarmor); Foci; Disposable items (read: grenades); Comlink (a decker would use a page like my spells). That is about 50 items at MOST if you go heavy on the clips and disposables. They sell a pretty wiz storage box that will hold 50 cards in protectors that is hard sided. The stuff you keep in a duffel bag can be put in the binder as well, since your character will have to take actions to get it out. And if (like somebody in my party) you have a pair of 10,000Â¥ shades, then those probably deserve a card too. *grin* And since you can break things out in to 5 categories, finding an item amongst the 50 is actually pretty easy. I do just that for another system I play in. It may seem like a lot of overkill, but it also keeps you concious of your character's loadout at all times. (It will also tell you pretty quick if you're carrying more than is trully reasonable. Ask an active duty infantryman: he never has enough space for all he wants to carry, but no matter what, it's always too much weght.)

[piotrus]

I have been thinking about how to solve the "overload of info" problem, particularly as my ultimate goal is to have every potentially confusing piece of equipment explained in a hand-out.

A solution would be to have two (or more) layers of info, with the first layer being the short summary, and referencing the more detailed rule summary (either linking to rulebook with a page number, or - for those times where books are not easily available, and/or where the relevant rules are split through multiple pages and rulebooks), to a rule handout.

There is no easy solution, as different people remember different part of the rules (and not always well...). Thus I prefer to go a bit overboard and in my gaming aids include as much info as possible; as they are easily editable they can be tailored (shortened) for personal purposes - shortening is easier than expanding them.

A binder with numbered full page and card-size (18 per double sided page) sheets may be a good solution, particularly if accompanied by a table of contents on the first page.

[eidolon]

Any chance you could up the file to a less sucky host? RS has reached its limit and wants me to (LOLz) pay for an account.

[piotrus]

Any chance you could up the file to a less sucky host? RS has reached its limit and wants me to (LOLz) pay for an account.

Huh, can you give me a link to an article that Rapidshare has suspended free downloads? Usually you can download s set number of data in a given timeframe for free...

[McCummhail]

Rapidshare and similar sites always try to encourage / con you to pay for an account.
It is how they keep their business lucrative.

I have a group of first time shadow run players.
I use crib sheets for my players that summarize specific actions (melee combat, ranged combat, etc)
These sheets would be an excellent supplement.
The attention to detail on bits like reloading actions are details that my players have gotten hung up on in the past.

I am going to try using these in game with my players, but I am going to try to make a firearm crib sheet by type and reduce the firearms themselves to note card size.
I want Catalyst to give us pictures of every weapon as a picture conveys a lot more than the limited descriptions and stats in many cases. (I can hope)

[piotrus]

I am going to try using these in game with my players, but I am going to try to make a firearm crib sheet by type and reduce the firearms themselves to note card size.
I want Catalyst to give us pictures of every weapon as a picture conveys a lot more than the limited descriptions and stats in many cases. (I can hope)

Yeah, more pics woudl be nice.

If you make those crib sheets, please consider sharing them with us!

[Synner667]

Have you tried deviantart.com, since several of the SR have work there ??

[piotrus]

Wouldn't really work well for my handouts, but I've decided to upload them to Google docs (see updated links above).

Mind you, Google docs does some strange things with formatting tables, so if you want the printouts formatted the way they should be, you still need to download them as docs. But the GD html pages should give you a good grasp of what is in the handouts (and thus, if you need to go to the trouble of downloading them).

[kanislatrans]

I like 'em. for my younger group they are perfect. Nice work....