What are the odds... gm factor vs reality (long), thoughts and help please Options Track this topic Email this topic Print this topic Download this topic Subscribe to this forum Display Modes Outline Switch to: Standard Switch to: Linear+

[The White Dwarf]

(note: yea this is all sorta relative to just our games, but like Im pretty sure our games are similar to yours on a lot of levels, so try to keep that in mind)

Quote:
It's not a big deal at all unless your GM is trying to screw with you

I saw that in another thread. And its something I myself have said over and over again. And for something like 90% of anything people say is a problem regarding rules and character power, there is no problem unless... the gm is trying to screw you. This results in there being 4 kinds of entities in SR, and the fact that no matter what I think up I cant break this mold really takes some of the fun away, because the game becomes predictable.

1) Pedestrian people. Wage mages, cops, gangers, whatever. This is the low level stuff your hardened runner scoffs at. Even if you walk towards several of them without cover youre likley to soak everything fine and then lay waste to them with your SL-2 firearm, or Force 5 Manaball, or whatever. Really, unless the GM is trying to screw with you, theres no way theyre really a threat.

2) Secrity people. This is the stuff like camers, guards, whatever that is typically the obstacle of a run. Like take a camera, its not a threat as it cant kill you, it just might blow your run. So you sit down and come up with a plan to get around it, and problem solved, run completed, the pencil numbers on your character sheet get erased and raised. Yawn.

3) Dangerous people. This is stuff like the Tir Ghost hit squad, or a well-reputed opposing runner team. Theyre dangerous, youll want cover and surprise to really get some kinda edge on them. And they probably can and will wound you before its over. Its not the kind of thing you can charge, but it is the sort of thing you can beat with some good playing. Plus, they might have something better than an Ares Predator to loot. Score, loot!

4) Power players. Dragons, immortal elves, megacorporation HQs, missile silos, etc. Really, if it was designed like it would be in RL, it would be next to impossible for Joe Runner to make a successful crack at these things. Seriously. Theres just no way you could work your way past all that security without another power player giving you some info. Sure, if Dunkie says "hey guys, slip into Lof's lair, I scored you the schematics so just follow the yellow line" you can do it... but really if some Johnson said "I need to hire you to break into Lof's lair, youre on your own to do it" the runners would fail, assuming you were playing it realistic. Enter the meta-plot.

So whats the point of all this? Well, really, the point is that if the game is played realistically (which we always try to do) it really *does* turn into a game of one-ups-man-ship between the runners and security just like the one that drives RL markets. Runner buys scanner, security buys encryption, runner buys decryption, etc etc... until in the end either you succed, or you dont, because the GM decides on the opposition's stuff.

Like example: ganger vs runner
Ganger, pistols 4, heavy pistol 9M, armor jacket 5/3, body 4
Runner, pistols 6, SL-2 heavy pistol 9M, armor jacket and form fitting 7/3, body 8

Ganger shoots at tn 4, gets 2 successes. Runner resists against tn 2, soaks. Runner shoots at tn 2, gets 5 succeses. Ganger resists against tn 4, gets 2 successes, takes a serious. Rinse, repeat.

The point of the above example is that average (well built) runner is invincible against average ganger. Unless, of course, the GM trys to screw you by making the ganger pistols 6, or giving him AV rounds, or whatever. And as many people would argue, yea it could happen, but really, odds are *way* in your favor that it wont. So its predictable. Gangers are a non-threat.

So whats the *REAL* point of all this? That if you follow the canon rules, and try to adhere to a realistic game, there becomes a sort of breakpoint of runner > stuff or stuff > runner. Runner > Ganger, but Dragon > Runner. Theres no need to even really play because many of the encounters are forgone conclusions, like some sorta twisted paper rock siccors game.

So please, thoughts? Help? Is there anything I can do to break the cycle? The game isnt really dangerous or a challenge anymore, unless the players intentionally gimp their characters, or the GM intentionally makes everything dangerous. And please, dont use specific examples as it will just become a counter-example thread and thats not the point-- Im trying to find some kinda new outlook on the game that may help break the monotony. Theories, ideas, that sorta thing. Thanks.