Alternate Shadowrun Themes, other than Professional Criminal For hire, that is Options

[Jericho Alar]

So I'm in the process of planning out the general course of my next game (starting up next semester, natch.) Given that there's currently another SR game ongoing in my circle of players (in addition to the one I'm wrapping up) I'm looking into alternate campaign themes; I had previously played in a fairly successful game several years ago where we were actually Lonestar NARC (in a precinct so corrupt the adage about the cops just being the best armed gang in town was true to the point of being almost comical.) and while I think it might be fun to do something along those lines, I'm looking to drum up some alternate ideas so I can propose a few to the players and see what has the most interest.

So, anyone else played in or run a game where you *weren't* the typical mercenary criminal working for the highest bidder? how was it?

[blakmetalmedik]

Well we haven't started it yet, but at some point I'm going to be playing a low-tier sandbox game where we are playing as a turf gang (IMG:style_emoticons/default/nyahnyah.gif) looks pretty interesting, and will be kinda cool to see them develop and what we become.

[MikeKozar]

I always thought it would be cool to play as a DocWagon High-Threat recovery team. Lots of good action, you're always pretty righteous, there's lots of great in media res stuff you can do...and the bulk of your gear is supplied by the Corp. Ambulance? Chopper? Just sign it out and put some gas in it this time! ...and then you clock out for the night. The corp-sanctioned missions could keep a group busy for months, but eventually your team could wind up moonlighting, or sucked into a shadow war by virtue of being the only witnesses or getting a deathbed datatransfer...

[Ol' Scratch]

I've run a few games where the players were agents for the Dunkelzahn Institute of Magical Research. Sort of a black ops team that would go hunt down artifacts or deal with a few of the Big D's final requests dealing with magic. Tried it here once, too, but I got really sick and had to disappear for a while. I used to run a yearly Halloween game, too, where everyone got to play a heroic or antiheroic character of choice from their favorite horror movies as long as they could adapt it to the setting. The most memorable was a remake of Ash from the end of Army of Darkness where the apocalyptic world he awoke in was actually Chicago during the height of Bug City. That was probably one of the most fun games I've ever run. Just completely over the top.

One I've always wanted to play in is a Caribbean Pirates game. Freedom fighters down in Amazonia is another potentially fun campaign idea. For a change of pace, a quick game of professional Urban Brawl might be fun to run and play, too, but I wouldn't want to do that for a long-term situation.

[Jericho Alar]

Urban Brawl was one I was thinking about too; but it only really works if you play the lifestyle and not just the games; Dealing with fans, the press, the scandals, recruiting for the team, arranging 'accidents', getting on fixing matches, getting in over your head with the rich and crazy, etc.

it would take a particular sort of group to do though.


Another game I thought might be interesting would be to play as Firewatch (or a comparable Strike team) although I worry the game would feel too similar to a regular Shadowrun, most of the time.

these all sound interesting though! I hadn't even considered the Pirates angle.

[AKWeaponsSpecial...]

How about a rock band (or somesuch?) You'd have to come up with instrument prices, but if you're willing to go the Urban Brawl route, why not music? Just my two (IMG:style_emoticons/default/nuyen.gif)

[Thanee]

Wageslaves. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/grinbig.gif)

Bye
Thanee

[MikeKozar]

How about a rock band (or somesuch?) You'd have to come up with instrument prices, but if you're willing to go the Urban Brawl route, why not music? Just my two (IMG:style_emoticons/default/nuyen.gif)

Remember back in the 80's, when rock videos had the band altering reality with the power of their rocking? *POWERCHORD* Uptight girl is suddenly in miniskirt! *FACE-MELTING SOLO!* Station wagons and minivans turn into Hot Rods and Choppers! *POWERSLIDE* The cops all decide to join your party!

I have noticed that the Street Magic rules support actually doing that. Get a couple drones with loudspeakers, take 'MUST ROCK' as a Geasa, and lots of AoE spells. Entertainment and Trid Phantasm will allow you to transport the viewers into your personal Rock Opera, and Mob Mood will encourage them to forget they're supposed to stop you instead of rocking out. Add some Shatter effects for the Walls of Jericho trick, and you're in business...the business of ROCK!

(A team of Heavy Responders are covering the apparently unarmed Rockamancer, who fingers his electric guitar. He looks up and catches their eye.)

"Tell me...do you believe..." (Strikes a pose) "...in the POWER of ROCK?"

(Heavies look around, suspicious)

Rockamancer grins. "You will."

[AKWeaponsSpecial...]

That's it, I'm making a Rockamancer right bloody now lol
hmm....elf, Charisma-based tradition, Artisan skill, Geas, Fame.....hmmmmm.....

[Ol' Scratch]

Rockers were a major archetype in the 1st edition complete with instruments and their own tech, were still good to go in 2nd edition, were embarrassed to be written into 3rd edition, and are completely ignored in 4th edition as if they never existed. Sad times.

[Draco18s]

So, anyone else played in or run a game where you *weren't* the typical mercenary criminal working for the highest bidder? how was it?

Space Opera.

AIs were generally taking over and stuff. I didn't play, but I got to sit in on most of it.

One of the PCs actually managed to meet the central AI of one (ex)human spaceship and ask some questions by ending the conversation with, "Ok, yeah, I'm going to go kill myself now." Which the AI let him do, because it would save the AI the micro amounts of processing needed to do it itself.

The PC, of course, didn't actually kill himself.

[Blade]

A small game played at 2 a.m, at the end of a con in a place owned by the communist party led to a campaign where the players play the "managers" of the 'John Blade Project' punk band. They "work" for the spirit of punk and against corps. It's completely over-the-top (the last game ended with the board of Aztechnology getting fucked by cockatrixes) but it's fun.

I'm also a player in a gangsta game, where we play ork gangstas, members of the Crimson Crush. We cruise around and kick some First Nation's ass. From what I've gathered we've been playing the gang part of Ghost Cartels but we've mostly been talking about our sexual relationships with the sisters of the other PCs.

I've GMed a street-level game, where the players played two orks living in the Barrens and trying to get by.

I've also GMed two sessions where the players were Lone Star agents and played in a game where we were members of a Korean special force (not unlike GitS' Section 9).

[Fuchs]

I am running a campaign where the PCs work for the Miami mob, with a heavy side order of "tomb raider" runs.

[Namelessjoe]

YAAARRRRR !!! Pirates like looting supply lines cyber hand and legs an single eyes.... beardy troll harpoonlaunching action, elf running across the harpoon rope goodness..... on and bar wenches and booty....
or
deep sea aquatic runs... like maybe sim/trid/btl documenteries on awakened sealife like giant sharks who eat your partner of 40 years (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif)

and ruling nations in africa

[Vertaxis]

Fast and the Furious + Shadowrun ??????

A group of riggers and street thugs hijacking big rigs and smuggling by day. Then, settling their beefs on the highways at night. Guns, booze, babes, and more. Maybe throw in a little Death Race 2000 as well.

Better yet, a full blow Cannonball Run, with or without the comedy.

[Vertaxis]

You could always go the route of the Running Man. It fits in with Urban Brawl and other death sports. Also, it fits with the megacorp structure and distopic world theme.

...or, perhaps..... make the team Number 6.....


-better yet, you start the game with:

"You wake up. You find yourself alone, naked, in a small room. You see a light from beneath the door and through the grill of the lone, small window on the wall opposite. Distant voices echo down the hall as you slowly regain your senses. As you try to stand, you catch yourself, unsteadily, as the effects of the drugs have still not abated. Once on your feet, you can now see an envelope that has been shoved under the door. Upon the face is your real name, not street name. The letter within reads as follows:"

Dear <name>,

You have crossed me for the last time. For too long you have cost me too much in nuyen and reputation and now I will make an example out of you for all the others to see. However, I am a gambling man and will give you and your cohort a sporting chance to survive. Escape your cell, find the clothes, tools and equipment that have been laid about this island. If you can survive the hazards of the island and escape it, then you will have your freedom. If you make this ordeal entertaining, then perhaps there will be a little bonus for you when you return to civilization. But we will be watching; watching you on Survivor <island name>"! (24 hour bonus coverage available on Pay per View)


Of course, all sorts of dangerous critters will be on the island. Perhaps even some island tribesmen that have gone back to the old ways, like head hunting, etc.

[Doc Byte]

What about freelance treasure hunters? Sort of Indianer Jones meets Tomb Raider meets Clive Cussler.

Sample PCs:

- English Nobleman
- Archaeologist
- EX-SAS
- Rigger / Tech
- Hacker or Technomancer
- Mage ( preferable hermetical but a qabbalistic mage might be interesting)
- Maybe a representative of the Church of England

Of course one could combine some of this conceps into a single character.

[crash2029]

Wageslaves. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/grinbig.gif)

Bye
Thanee

I have always wanted to play Pencils & Paychecks in the 6th world! (IMG:style_emoticons/default/wobble.gif)

***

I still a Wages of War inspired mercenary game would be interesting. I also had an idea for playing an X-Com game with magical and dissonant threats instead of aliens. A Mission Impossible style game could be really fun. One I have wanted to play for a long time is a superhero/vigilante styled game.

[Doc Byte]

I have always wanted to play Pencils & Paychecks in the 6th world! (IMG:style_emoticons/default/wobble.gif)

Something like this?

[McCummhail]

Bug hunting is always a fun way to run. A bit of survival horror makes things interesting. It lends more to the situation when things literally jump out of their skin.

Docwagon HTR is something I have done with players and they loved it. The second time more serious notes creeped into the the whitewashed joys of sanctioned mayhem lending to a grittier campaign.

There are military and paramilitary groups out there that make for a very different style. We played UCAS rangers and the military nut at the table ate it up.

For a really different spin, we had a single arc game set in a Wuxia monks and mystics china. The team was headed by a ghost hunter based in Hong Kong and culminated in an war against a legion of Kung fu Zombies.

Fun times.

[pbangarth]

What about freelance treasure hunters? Sort of Indianer Jones meets Tomb Raider meets Clive Cussler.

Sample PCs:

- English Nobleman
- Archaeologist
- EX-SAS
- Rigger / Tech
- Hacker or Technomancer
- Mage ( preferable hermetical but a qabbalistic mage might be interesting)
- Maybe a representative of the Church of England

Of course one could combine some of this conceps into a single character.

(highlights mine)

Doing these now!

I'm in a game of Dawn of the Artifacts on Dumpshock in which I play a Qabbalistic mystic adept, modelled after Belloq from Raiders of the Lost Ark. I'm also playing an archaeologist in a Shadowrun - Conspiracy X crossover on Dumpshock.

Oh, also on Dumpshock, I'm playing a young drummer getting mixed up in corporate scheming. At this moment he is trying to save a singer poisoned by (I think) the ones who failed to sign her.

[3278]

After 20 years of Shadowrun, the idea of playing nothing but high-end corporate criminals gets wearing, so we've experimented with all sorts of alternative campaigns, from military to mercenary, street kids to gang kids, Doc Wagon HRT to petty crooks, BTL dealers to vice cops, even a National Geographic photojournalist and his support staff. I've never encountered a game robust enough to support such varied campaigns as Shadowrun.

[Saint Sithney]

Got a 2 man Kung-fu game going on. Just two guys wandering the earth looking for the next level of magical transcendence. One is a phys-ad gunslinger of the Wu-Tang path, looking to initiate through the secrets of the 36 chambers. The other is a continual amnesiac (he routinely needs to be reminded where he is and what he's supposed to be doing) Manipulation Mage following the path of the Adversary. He just tags along with the first player sort of like Rain Man, but talking to the devil all the time.

[kzt]

Corp or Gov intel agents is one I've toyed around with but never done. Mission Impossible or less 4 color style all possible.

[OneTrikPony]

The adventure book Missions was pretty good.

There's a jumping off adventure for several alternate campaigns:
DocWagon HRT
Lonestar undercover police
Corporate Security agents
UCAS millitary Comandos
Media Investigative team.

It's an SR3 book #7325
The adventures are fairly straight forward and simple but it does provide a setting of sorts for each of those alternate groups.

Way back an old group I played with decided we should be corp security. Not undercover or anything just 'pencils and paychecks' pluss guns and extrateritoriality. It was really cool to play defence for a while.