Style Over Subtance, alt.Attitude Options

[Blade]

Hi everyone!

I was pretty disappointed by Attitude. It had a few good ideas, but it was mostly a bland book set 20 minutes in the future rather than in Shadowrun's 2070. So I did what a lot of people tell people who criticize official books to do, I wrote my own.

It's far from complete, but I've already got a draft of the first two chapters (SINner and SINless lifestyles).
Before clicking the link, please be aware that:

• English is not my native language
• I write it in a text editor, I've done a quick layout to make it readable but it's really rough
• I decided to keep the Jackpoint theme but since I don't really know the Shadowtalkers, Shadowtalks are anonymous for now
• As it's not focused on a single place/culture it's sometimes a bit too vague and generic. I hope to fix that with a chapter (or an extra book) with examples.
• There are some sections that need a bit more work. I welcome any input you may have.
• I haven't done any proofreading.

You can download it here.

I'm especially looking for comments regarding possible breaks from established canon, forgotten important things and anything that could be interesting to add.
Comments regarding different visions of the world ("I prefer my Shadowrun with more fairies and sparkling vampires") are likely to be ignored. I agree that a good book need to accept different playstyles, but I think it also needs to a have a clear and distinct vision and direction.

Have a good reading!

[Brazilian_Shinob...]

I just skimmed it, but yes, that's one of the stuff I was looking forward in Attitude, not only stuff on music, trids, sports, etc,. But how is the life in 2070, oh well, it was not as disappointing as it was with War!

[Seriously Mike]

• English is not my native language
• I write it in a text editor, I've done a quick layout to make it readable but it's really rough
• I decided to keep the Jackpoint theme but since I don't really know the Shadowtalkers, Shadowtalks are anonymous for now

I'll look at it later. English isn't my native language either, but if you need a proofreader/editor/creative writer for the Shadowtalk bits, I can help.

[Blade]

I've updated it after getting feedbacks from a few friends and adding things I though were lacking (tech and health sections for both the SINners and SINless chapters)

[Seriously Mike]

I've updated it after getting feedbacks from a few friends and adding things I though were lacking (tech and health sections for both the SINners and SINless chapters)

Started reading. Found some minor mistakes. Can I get an editable version to highlight them and suggest corrections? Plus, formatting could use a couple of nudges here and there.

[Blade]

RTF version here.

[Seriously Mike]

OK, thanks.

[Brainpiercing7.6...]

I like it. Don't agree with everything, and some things are quite vague (because too many individual aspects are treated on one paragraph), but generally I find it well-written and well-designed.

Of course it's your world view, which won't necessarily reflect in my games, but...

(And I haven't actually looked into Attitude at all, myself, yet.)

[Blade]

Thank you!
I'm aware of the vagueness problem. That's why I'll try to add a chapter (or another book) with precise examples in different Sprawls around the world.

[Brainpiercing7.6...]

I have to say I would favour dropping all that soy/krill stuff, or at least making it rather optional. I know you wrote a LOT on it, and it was pretty tongue-in-cheek, too, but... it doesn't seem to fit the new direction of semi/post-dystopia SR4 has taken. (You actually put a lot of dystopia back in, I believe.)

My reasons are the following:
The meat industry as it is now is about as dystopian as it gets. I mean, we are committing absolute fucking genocide EVERY SINGLE DAY to put meat on our plates.
The food industry has always been one with a lot of competition. Low price/low quality food should be the norm.
Krill is already running out.

[Seriously Mike]

Krill is running out? Hell, looks like surimi from whatever fish could be a good replacement while tasting just as awful (IMG:style_emoticons/default/wink.gif) . Slapping a hydroponic greenhouse on the roof of a food processing facility can increase the amount of vegetables available as well.

[Blade]

That's an interesting idea, but at the same time:
- It's not very consistent with canon that insisted on having soy be the base of food, even in 2070.
- It's a bit too "20 minutes in the future" for my tastes. I don't want the Shadowrun world to be ours pushed a little further. I like to to be what we fear ours will become fifty years from now. The idea that pollution made it difficult to grow anything else than some GMO soy monoculture that replaced everything seems closer to that idea.
- With the megacorporations in charge, the competition in the food industry has probably changed a lot. Though I do agree about the low price/low quality and I think that soy/krill works there. I was thinking about dropping the "the cheapest nutrisoy is pretty good" idea in favor of something more in the lines of "the cheapest nutrisoy is mixed with wastes and other questionable materials in order to get more product out of the same amount of soy".

And on the topic of food there's something else I forgot to mention: the fact that the NAO and the similar other nations that claimed a lot of land might not want to use it for extensive farming in order to feed the Sprawls.

[Seriously Mike]

Think about feeding SINners first. The SINless can make do with a looted soypak and a roasted rat. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/wink.gif)

[suoq]

It's not very consistent with canon that insisted on having soy be the base of food, even in 2070.

Canon fights Canon.
Even the first story in the SR4 book has fishing boats (and fishing boats are available in Arsenal). RC has real food available to people living as low as Squatter with Homegrown Farming. Even in the most soytastic canon, soy isn't the base for food, it's the base food for wageslaves. It's the future of the McDonalds/Starbucks/Frozen Dinners lifestyle. It's part of the middle class trap.

For everyone who can't afford Soy or who can afford something better, food is still food.

And if the government doesn't want to farm, the sinless rapidly will. If they haven't been making their own food, they would have long ago starved to death.

[Brainpiercing7.6...]

Canon fights Canon.
Even the first story in the SR4 book has fishing boats (and fishing boats are available in Arsenal). RC has real food available to people living as low as Squatter with Homegrown Farming. Even in the most soytastic canon, soy isn't the base for food, it's the base food for wageslaves. It's the future of the McDonalds/Starbucks/Frozen Dinners lifestyle. It's part of the middle class trap.

For everyone who can't afford Soy or who can afford something better, food is still food.

And if the government doesn't want to farm, the sinless rapidly will. If they haven't been making their own food, they would have long ago starved to death.

I could live with that way of putting it...

[Seriously Mike]

Even in the most soytastic canon, soy isn't the base for food, it's the base food for wageslaves. It's the future of the McDonalds/Starbucks/Frozen Dinners lifestyle. It's part of the middle class trap.

Point. A corp drone on a lunch break will most probably feed on stuff he can grab from a vendomat down the hall, and when he comes home, he's so tired he doesn't have time for cooking.
That and I kinda took the "Cooking" skill for my adept for flavor - not only he can spot a wired whacko in the crowd and incapacitate him before he harms anyone, but he also makes mean-ass teriyaki! (IMG:style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif)

[DMiller]

Think about feeding SINners first. The SINless can make do with a looted soypak and a roasted rat. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/wink.gif)

Hey at least it's "real" meat. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif)

-D

[Blade]

UPDATE:

The document has been updated with a new chapter about the Mass-market Culture. There have also been some minor changes in the first chapters, but nothing big.

The link is the same as in the first post and the remarks are still valid.

Also, please note that:
- The "example file" that's mentioned in a few places will be an extra open to contributions from the community.
- In the sports section, the Slamm-O! text that is referenced is the text in Attitude, that is - as far as I'm concerned, ok about what it covers and that I didn't want to bother rewriting.

Have a good read!

[Blade]

So has anyone read it? Should I keep working on it?

[Paul]

Is there a link that allows me to download it as a PDF? Or is that not an option? (Or am I just missing it, I admit to being pretty computer illiterate.)

[Paul]

And as soon as I posted that figured it out. Figures.

[Blade]

The "here" link on the first post (in the you can click here line) is a link to the pdf file.
Or you can use the link below:
Style Over Substance (work in progress) pdf

[Blade]

UPDATE

Updated with the Shadow Media chapter (and probably a few things here and there in the other chapters).
I'm not very satisfied with this chapter so don't hesitate to give me your inputs.

The download link is still the same.

[JesterZero]

UPDATE

Updated with the Shadow Media chapter (and probably a few things here and there in the other chapters).
I'm not very satisfied with this chapter so don't hesitate to give me your inputs.

The download link is still the same.

Awesome. Thanks!

[Blade]

UPDATE

We get in the nitty gritty with the "Your Style" and "Using Style" chapters!
The download link is still the same.

Also some minor updates to other chapters:
* Culture & Lifestyle of the SINNer

- Work: Mentioning unemployment
- The Cultist: Added memetic cults
- Added the Career Opportunist to the Archetypes

* Shadow lifestyle
- Work: Added the fact that some managers might not be aware that some firms are employing illegal workers.
- Illegal but legit:
-- Talk about pawnshops as a bridge for goods between the SINner and SINless world
-- Added the fact that people will often call the cops when seeing a beggar
-- Added jobs like artisan, repairman and so on.
-- Added the entertainer job
- Social Structures -> Group and Community have seen many changes
- Entertainement: Added races
- Food: Explained why SINless don't grow livestock
- Politics: Added many explanations on the SINless politics systems
- SINless Cultures: Added Nomads

* Medias

- Movies: Explained a little further the YTS system.
- Fashion: Added explanation on the link between the environmental conditions and the clothes
- Books: Mention Ehran the Scribe's books
- Advertising: Added some information about "aggressive" advertising.

* Shadow Medias

- Movie: Added the remix culture
- BTL: Improvements
- Music:
-- Removed the part about the John Blade Project (too complex and meant as a private joke anyway)
-- Added a part about dance
- Games: Added dangerous kids games
- Fashion: Explained the relationship between the practical and social aspects of fashion
- Information: Added "word on the street" as an information source
- Hacktivism: Added infowar and some explanations on the hacker's motivations
- Added books and performances