 My views on the SR4 FAQ, Why not? Everyone else has an opinion. |
 Apr 23 2005, 04:39 AM
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Moving Target  Group: Members Posts: 276 Joined: 29-September 02 Member No.: 3,348  |
Okay, here are my questions and comments about the SR4 FAQs so far. (Why not, everyone else is doing it? :) )
Unfortunately, this doesn’t answer any of the real questions about SR4 decking/hacking. Nor does it address any of the perceived problems of SR3 in this area. If the cyberdeck has been eliminated, what will it be replaced with? How will costs for its storage/programs/whatever compare with SR3? Will SR4 hacking eliminate the frequent problem that while the decker’s busy, the rest of the party is bored? If so, how will it accomplish this? Will there be any equivalent of the combat decker archetype, designed to go on-site to access systems that aren’t normally accessible? Will SR4 hackers ever need to risk going where they might have to dodge spells or bullets? Which will be more important in SR4 hacking; skill or equipment/programs?
Simplification is good, but these two concepts are separate things in a lot of cyberpunk fiction and a lot of people will want to play only one of the two concepts. Does a SR4 rigger/hacker still jack into the machine like their SR3 counterpart? Do wired/boosted/whatever reflexes still only apply outside the vehicle while VCR bonuses only apply inside the vehicle? Will SR4 vehicle combat rules be integrated with personal combat? Will SR4 vehicles still be incredibly fragile, unless they’re controlled by a rigger? Will a non-rigger driver have any chance against a rigged driver?
Based on what I understand here, this says several things. You only have to roll the dice once, which will save a little time. Instead of spending time calculating TN modifiers, you will spend time calculating SR4 dice Pool modifiers. This is not simpler than SR3, just different. Attributes appear to be a lot more important than skills now. Rule of Ones failures will happen less often now, if they even exist in SR4. The loss of the old dice pools will simplify things in combat. It also removes a lot of player choice in allocating those pools, thus making combat more an exercise in dice rolling than decision making. There will be no longshot successes. Some things will just be flatly impossible to some characters. Those last two points mean lower powered goons won’t be able to wear down tougher opponents dice pools by numbers and may not be able to hit them or hurt them at all. This means goons will need to be tougher, to the detriment of non-combat-intensive characters. Dodging (if it still exists in SR4) just got harder. There’s not enough information to tell if resisting damage or drain have become harder or easier in SR4.
It is not obvious why these attributes needed to be separated, or how they are used in the game. For example, if my character wants to try to notice something, which would he use? Neither attribute seems particularly appropriate.
Why would people choose to buy Edge instead of more attributes or skills, regardless of character type? And I don’t understand why this would help non-cyber versus a cyber character. Both types could purchase Edge with Karma, while the cyber types can purchase cyber with money.
So is it cheaper to be a mage in SR4 since you appear to get a lot less for it than in SR3? If not, why do you feel the need to weaken mages? And will there be any changes in mages use of the astral? As it stands, going astral is incredibly useful for spying unless the GM decides to be a jerk about it. I’m only going to be shelling out my hard earned cash for SR4 if it’s a clear improvement on SR3. So far, the real problems in SR3 don’t seem to have been addressed, so I have no idea if SR4 will solve them. None of the listed changes in the SR4 FAQ seem to be improvements, they’re just changes. And some of them don’t appear to be positive changes. |
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Posts in this topic
Ed Simons My views on the SR4 FAQ Apr 23 2005, 04:39 AM
FrostyNSO QUOTE (Ed Simons)Instead of spending time calculat... Apr 23 2005, 04:51 AM Arethusa Guys, it is simpler. Currently, there are two var... Apr 23 2005, 05:02 AM Kagetenshi The new method is well over the border of psychoti... Apr 23 2005, 05:05 AM Arethusa How? You don't even know how the mechanic... Apr 23 2005, 05:08 AM Kagetenshi If the dice thrown can at any point approach one (... Apr 23 2005, 05:13 AM Arethusa I'm not saying the potential for insanity isn... Apr 23 2005, 05:18 AM Kagetenshi Point. Alter my previous statement to say that the... Apr 23 2005, 05:29 AM Fortune QUOTE (Ed Simons) Simplification is good, but thes... Apr 23 2005, 07:19 AM Ed Simons QUOTE (Fortune)QUOTE (Ed Simons @ Apr 23 2005... Apr 24 2005, 08:08 PM mfb because there are plenty of people who are very qu... Apr 24 2005, 08:39 PM Crimsondude 2.0 But the Math majors have the Math skill, whereas t... Apr 24 2005, 08:50 PM Arethusa Are you telling me you've never met anyone fan... Apr 24 2005, 08:53 PM Crimsondude 2.0 Well, the previous post was edited. However, to re... Apr 24 2005, 08:57 PM hermit But separating Perception and cognitive intelligen... Apr 24 2005, 09:03 PM Crimsondude 2.0 I didn't say it doesn't. I'm just sugg... Apr 24 2005, 09:17 PM hermit Apart from the fact that skill isn't everythin... Apr 24 2005, 09:20 PM Patrick Goodman QUOTE (Ed Simons @ Apr 24 2005, 03:08 PM)QUOT... Apr 24 2005, 09:38 PM Ed Simons QUOTE (Patrick Goodman)QUOTE (Ed Simons @ Apr... Apr 30 2005, 01:46 AM
blakkie QUOTE (Ed Simons @ Apr 29 2005, 07:46 PM) And... Apr 30 2005, 02:15 AM  |
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