Strategic vs Dramatic and my take on SR 4, this is a rather long diatribe Options

[Nerbert]

There are, very generally, two kinds of role playing games and, very generally, two kinds of dice mechanics. There are Dramatic RPGs and Strategic RPGs and there are Hard dice mechanics and Soft dice mechanics.

To define very briefly:
Strategic RPGs - A strategic RPG is one in which the players navigate a series of puzzles and challenges which one must overcome or perish in the attempt. The emphasis is on problem solving, efficiency, resource management and leadership. The best example of this type of game is Advanced Dungeons and Dragons, also known as D&D 1st edition, or simply, 1st Edition. For anyone who has not played D&D 1st ed. its a very different game from 3.x Shadowrun 3e can be played very successfully this way.

Dramatic RPGs - A dramtic RPG is one in which the players navigate a series of stories and challenges which one may or may not be able to overcome. The emphasis of these games is on character development, plot advancement, and dramtic/cinematic scene setting. The best example of this type of game is White Wolf's new World of Darkness games. For anyone who hasn't yet played the new WoD, its a very different set of games from the old. Shadowrun 3e ought to be able to be played this way, but in reality, it is very difficult. More on this later.

A sidebar on dice mechanics. Dice mechanics are virtually the most important part of the act of playing an RPG. If a game's dice mechanics are shady, unpredictable, exploitable or unbalanced, it can drastically change the way a game is played. Nothing is more frusterating then having a character who ought to be good at something, but isn't, because the dice ruin everything he does.

Hard Dice Mechanics - A hard dice mechanic is one in which there is a rule for virtually anything. The focus of a hard dice system is to model, in a realistic and statistically accurate way, more or less everything that can happen to your characters. Pros - Verisimilitude, actions reconcile plausibly. Predictablility, its easy to plan ahead and know your relative strength. Cons - Inflexibility, you can't argue with the rules. Complicated - to play, you have to know what to roll in every situation and you can't fake it, because there's almost certainly a rule.

Soft Dice Mechanics - A soft dice mechanic is one in which the rules are flexible and open to interpretation, guidelines for rolls are given but the Game Master is responsible for both calling for a roll and for interpreting its results. The focus of a soft dice system is to model, in a simple and straightforward manner, the likelyhood of your character being able to perform a certain task. Pros - Flexibility, gamemasters are free to call for rolls and interpret the results in a way that best serves in the interests of the game. Simplicity, Soft dice rules are easy to learn and remember, exceptions are exactly that. Cons - Unrealistic, soft dice mechanics do not in any way model the way in which reality works. Unpredictablity, guaging your relative strength and planning ahead is more difficult.

First of all, I know I'm going to get many people saying that any of these statements aren't true. Particularly my statements concerning dice mechanics. This is not an academic paper, I have done no fact checking. I am speaking only from experience and opinion, and much discussion with fellow gamers. Personally, as far as hard dice mechanics go, I tend to ignore rules as frequently as possible, I call for rolls to get the game moving so I can actually tell a story. So I am biased.

Now, to Shadowrun. Shadowrun 3e is a game with a dramatic presentation and hard dice mechanics. Shadowrun's story is all about character, style, drama, cinematic experiences. It gets all its inspiration from novels and movies. Playing the game is more like CSI.

Characters have to constantly moniter everything they do and say, they have to think about all the possible things that could be going on or could happen to them. Everytime a character takes an action it usually involves at least three rolls. One to activate the action, one to resist, and one to see if someone else notices. In combat it could be more, especially when all the special abilities of all the different character options are operating simultaneously.

What do you roll when your remotely operated helicopter is trying to navigate through a canyon while being simultaneously hacked into by an enemy decker and blown out of the sky by someone else. Not only that by the helicopter is carrying your own decker who's hacking into the network of the enemy decker while being protected by his Mage chummer who's magically defending the helicopter from enemy mages but also suffering cyberware damage. Furthermore, your Rigger who's flying the chopper in the first place is under heavy fire from a group of runners with their own abilities, hackers and mages, and is being defended by two more combat characters.

And you know, this isn't even an implausible scenario. Whats even more plausible is having a team of runners actually cripple their own strategy to avoid having to play this out. I don't want to deal with all of the rules. This is a dramatic scene, why should it take four hours of rolling to reconcile. So break it down in to a couple of general rolls? Isn't that softening the game?

I love Shadowrun, but I don't play it any more. There's too many rules, the rules that exist are self contradicting and confusing. Everything is an exception. Everyone I play with loves the Shadowrun story, they love the universe, they love the presentation. They don't want to play. Playing that game is work. If you're already an expert, you have my applause. I'm sure one day I could be an expert too. But in the mean time, I can have a lot more fun playing another game completely.

The way I see it, Shadowrun 4 is going the way of a Dramatic Game with Soft Rules. Instead of having your Troll Street Samurai kick down the door and mow through a Grocery Store with his assault rifle, he'll be doing exactly the same thing in two rolls. The mortality rate of a starting Shadowrun character won't be 66% anymore.

I've run out of steam. I don't really expect anyone to agree with me.