 Sucked back into the Shadows |
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 May 2 2006, 02:23 AM
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#1
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Target  Group: Members Posts: 3 Joined: 2-May 06 Member No.: 8,517  |
Hey there,
I haven't played since first edition. I've recently found a gaming group and we've decided to play Shadowrun. I purchased SR4 the other day and I'm reading through it. I'm excited, but I'd love to trouble the forum with a question. Back with SR1, I was a sourcebook junkie. B/c of this, I'm tempted to shell out the cash for some of the SR3 expansions (man and machine in particular). But before I drop the money... How well do the SR3 sourcebooks convert? Do the sourcebooks overpower the players? Is it too much information/options to drop on beginning players? Lastly... Fanpro's site tells me that the magic book is coming in the near-ish future. Any clue on the release dates of other SR4 sourcebooks? Thoughts? -Thanks |
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May 2 2006, 02:24 AM
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#2
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panda! Group: Members Posts: 10,331 Joined: 8-March 02 From: north of central europe Member No.: 2,242 |
they basicly dont convert, or atleast not cleanly. better to hold out for the new books i think
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May 2 2006, 02:27 AM
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#3
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Ain Soph Aur Group: Dumpshocked Posts: 3,477 Joined: 26-February 02 From: Montreal, Canada Member No.: 600 |
There's no point in buying old "toys" books, like M&M of Magic or Rigger. The locations or theme books are still pretty good though.
As for the SR4 books, they are all supposedly coming out this year. But that has as much worth as when politicians promise they won't raise taxes. |
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May 2 2006, 02:32 AM
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#4
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Beetle Eater Group: Dumpshocked Posts: 4,797 Joined: 3-June 02 From: Oblivion City Member No.: 2,826 |
I'd buy System Failure and leave it at that for now.
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May 2 2006, 02:47 AM
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#5
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Moving Target Group: Members Posts: 106 Joined: 10-April 06 Member No.: 8,447 |
Unless your looking for some flavor of say supplements giving information about Seatle, making a few changes to the setting with commlink addition, cyberdeckectonmy.
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May 2 2006, 02:53 AM
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#6
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Great Dragon Group: Members Posts: 5,430 Joined: 10-January 05 From: Fort Worth, Texas Member No.: 6,957 |
Nasrudith... huh?
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May 2 2006, 02:54 AM
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#7
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Shooting Target Group: Retired Admins Posts: 1,784 Joined: 28-July 04 From: Cleveland, OH Member No.: 6,522 |
If you grab FanPro's Catalog you can see what's tentatively scheduled for 2006. My guess (and it's only a guess, but it's based on usual industry planning) is that we'll see Street Magic and Runner Havens at Origins. (July 4th weekend.) From there I'd guess that they're aiming to get both Emergence and Arsenal out at GenCon. (Second weekend of August) Augmentation is probably targeted as a Christmas (or GenCon SoCal -- mid November) release, but it might slip in 2007. HTH! |
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May 2 2006, 03:18 AM
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#8
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Great Dragon Group: Members Posts: 7,089 Joined: 4-October 05 Member No.: 7,813 |
i thought one of the books wasn't scheduled for this year at all? unwired, or something like that, wasn't it? (matrix book anyways, iirc).
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May 2 2006, 03:31 AM
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#9
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Target Group: Members Posts: 3 Joined: 2-May 06 Member No.: 8,517 |
Hmm....
Thanks for all of that... especially the link to the catalog, I hadn't seen that yet. I think I'll be patient and wait out the releases. Hopefully the quarter predictions were based on legit expectations and we'll see all of the books out on time. Thanks again |
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May 2 2006, 04:24 AM
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#10
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Running, running, running Group: Dumpshocked Posts: 2,220 Joined: 18-October 04 From: North Carolina Member No.: 6,769 |
the nice thing with a new edition in a gaming group, is you dont have to feel "preassured" now, to buy a cartfull of supplements to be on "even ground"... everyone in the group has the exact same material to work with.
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May 2 2006, 04:29 AM
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#11
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ghostrider Group: Retired Admins Posts: 4,196 Joined: 16-May 04 Member No.: 6,333 |
Until they start releasing sourcebooks. Then the "pressure" will be back, as much as ever.
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May 2 2006, 04:32 AM
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#12
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Running, running, running Group: Dumpshocked Posts: 2,220 Joined: 18-October 04 From: North Carolina Member No.: 6,769 |
eh, true, but with their release schedule, sr5™ might be here too :silly:
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May 2 2006, 04:50 AM
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#13
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Target Group: Members Posts: 65 Joined: 30-May 02 From: South Jersey Member No.: 2,798 |
In our group, I was the one that bought EVERY SR3 book that came out. With the switch to SR4, you have everything you need to play. You don't need any SR3 material.
The more books you buy, the harder it gets for everyone to keep up, unless they take it as seriously as you do. All of the "flavor" books are just filled with material that you will probably never use, especially if you already have a campaign in mind as a GM. And the other sourcebooks don't convert very well... not that you'll miss any of it, having not played in a while. If you wait until the SR4 books come out, everyone can keep up at once, and you don't have to worry about any of your conversions being wrong. |
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May 2 2006, 01:00 PM
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#14
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Shooting Target Group: Retired Admins Posts: 1,784 Joined: 28-July 04 From: Cleveland, OH Member No.: 6,522 |
Several books were mentioned in last year's seminars at Origins and GenCon that are not listed on the 2006 schedule. Those include: Unwired (Matrix book) Running Wild (Critters book) Players Guide (Companion revision? No working title mentioned) GM's Guide (MJLBB sequel. No working title mentioned) 2 more "themed" city books, like Runner Havens. |
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May 2 2006, 01:21 PM
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#15
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Running Target Group: Members Posts: 1,002 Joined: 22-April 06 From: Canada Member No.: 8,494 |
I have a copy of System Failure and it was worth the money I payed for it. It is a good source book to cross over from SR 3 to SR 4.
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May 2 2006, 02:04 PM
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#16
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Moving Target Group: Members Posts: 142 Joined: 29-March 06 From: Quebec, Canada Member No.: 8,415 |
The 'Shadows of...' and 'Tagets' books are still qute good, just update the history and stuff.
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May 2 2006, 02:22 PM
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#17
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Running Target Group: Members Posts: 1,002 Joined: 22-April 06 From: Canada Member No.: 8,494 |
I wish there was some sort of constant update like they have with Mechwarrior: Dark Age on the SR website.
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May 2 2006, 05:27 PM
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#18
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Runner Group: Members Posts: 2,556 Joined: 26-February 02 From: Seattle Member No.: 98 |
I've found that being a GM is actually a good way to get sourcebooks. See, I have my group defray the costs of my picking up books... with 6 players, asking for 5 bucks apiece whenever a new book comes out covers the cost nicely, and since they're not coughing up a wad of cash in a lump, they don't mind the fact that the book is in my possession. Good way of guaranteeing books are available to the group at game, since a number of them prefer PDFs.
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May 2 2006, 10:22 PM
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#19
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Moving Target Group: Members Posts: 371 Joined: 10-January 06 From: Regina Member No.: 8,145 |
I'll add in my agreement to previous posts:
System Failure is easily converted but only really useful if you want your campaign to run "over" the events of 2064. The Shadows of... books (America, Europe, Asia) are all still good and just need a little bit of "tweaking" to bring in line with SR4. Dragons of the Sixth World will probably also be good for awhile if you want to do stuff with dragons. Sprawl Survival Guide will also be good for awhile. In fact, many of the "standard" rules in SR4 came from SSG. Basically, stay away from the "rule supplement" books. The "flavor" or "fluff" books are still worth it. However, if you can, I would recommend buying the cheaper PDF version of books rather than the printed. But that's a preference. |
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May 2 2006, 10:27 PM
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#20
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Moving Target Group: Members Posts: 475 Joined: 13-March 06 From: dusty Mexican borderlands Member No.: 8,372 |
But then what would he read on the toilet? That's where I come up with the most ideas to kill the PCs. |
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May 2 2006, 11:22 PM
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#21
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Runner Group: Members Posts: 2,556 Joined: 26-February 02 From: Seattle Member No.: 98 |
I can only imagine conversations over your gaming table...
"Cyber-controlled hellhounds with ruthenium dermal sheathes? Where do you come up with this shit?" "Heh heh heh..." |
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May 2 2006, 11:43 PM
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#22
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Moving Target Group: Members Posts: 314 Joined: 25-February 06 Member No.: 8,307 |
SR3 was the same way... You didn't "need" MitS to run a mage, you didn't "need" CC to have a Gun Bunny, but if you didn't you were missing a lot of important rules and clarifications. SR4 will be the same. You won't need any of the new books, but you're going to really, really want them. |
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May 3 2006, 12:37 AM
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#23
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Target Group: Members Posts: 65 Joined: 30-May 02 From: South Jersey Member No.: 2,798 |
Keep in mind that I was referring to not needing any OLD SR3 material, not any NEW SR4 stuff. I hated System Failure, by the way. |
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May 3 2006, 01:05 AM
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#24
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Moving Target Group: Members Posts: 314 Joined: 25-February 06 Member No.: 8,307 |
Ah, you're saying you don't need SR3 stuff to run SR4? That's true.
Honestly, I hadn't read System Failure, but I think that in my game I'm going to tone down the "wireless is everywhere and in everything" aspect. I think they overdid it... |
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May 3 2006, 01:09 AM
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#25
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Beetle Eater Group: Dumpshocked Posts: 4,797 Joined: 3-June 02 From: Oblivion City Member No.: 2,826 |
They only begin to implement wireless in System Failure (which I loved) - something like 3 cities have it by 2066. Then it probably snowballed using advertising money and the Dot AR bubble... I mean the Internet is only ten years old and it's everywhere. Imagine with a culture already addicted to information...
Here is a previous topic on the arrival speed of wireless. This post has been edited by Kanada Ten: May 3 2006, 01:25 AM |
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Lo-Fi Version | Time is now: 4th March 2025 - 09:06 AM |
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