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> Another Shadowrun Inspirations Thread, I can't find any of the old ones to post in, so...
Iduno
post Mar 11 2019, 08:11 PM
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I've seen a few older movies that fit in well with Shadowrun, so let's discuss what makes a useful inspiration.

Casablanca and Maltese Falcon are pretty good movies, but starring a single character trying to get the most out of a situation means you're just taking the theme (or the bait-and-switch ideas). Also, great characterization.

The Sting is what a face does, or wants to do. If you do runs that focus on a single character's interests and skills from time-to-time (everyone getting a side mission is a fun way to dive into backstories and motivations), this is a good inspiration.

The main issue I find with using inspirations wholesale is too many of the shows focus on one character, while the game focuses on a group. Also, the threat of violence generally becomes actual violence. 2 counter-examples:

Heat stars a single character from each of 2 teams working on opposite sides of a heist. Hitting the truck focuses on tactics and planning the players could use, if that was a thing players did. Being sold security plans for a building they can profit off of if they figure out how to exploit thing is a thing the GM could do. Especially if you can find architectural drawings for a building that have utilities shown on them. Throw in a few security features, and you're good to go.

It's Always Sunny in Philidelphia is funny. It's also good for a lighter style of game, less competent characters (if everyone wants that), or to change up one-offs. It stars 4 or 5 selfish idiots (about the same as most gaming tables) hatching stupid schemes that never quite work right, and the fallout from them. Season 10 episode 4 - Charlie Work feels like it would be a great inspiration for a mashup of Betrayal at House on the Hill and Shadowrun, with 2 conflicting plans with incomplete knowledge on both sides. Vary the specifics, but one person trying to solve a problem while the rest of the group has another plan, and the successes of one are setbacks for the other would be a fun (once), chaotic run. This show is highly group dependent (more beer and peanuts than serious), but also works for stories about other groups of runners in town. Also, like a game of Paranoia, the strength and weakness is that you can get your players to do a lot of the "creating conflict" part of GMing.

Edit: For characterization most stories are easy. Any story with a witch main character works well for mages (wizards don't work for Shadowrun mages, at least based on the examples I have off the top of my head), faces are grifters (Hustle, or similar shows and movies), literally any action star can be a street sam, and bad 80's/90's VR movies all work for deckers. Gentleman thieves used to be common in media as well, and fit some character types. Setting for me is mostly "watch Bladerunner and/or 5th Element city scenes."
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