Emergence Options

[evilgoattea]

I purchased the Campaign setting Emergence with the 4th Edition Rulebook because after I get the rules down I want to jump right into a story (2nd camp ill write myself) and I was thumbing though the book, I am a little confused how I am supposed to use this book, anyone got any insight. Thanks.

-Josh

[Cheops]

the book is basically a big plot hook or a newspaper. It tells you what is going on in 2070. How you use that info is up to you.

[Dashifen]

If you're looking for a pre-written game to run until you're more familiar with the setting and the rules, then you probably want to check out the Shadowrun Missions or the published adventure On the Run.

[Synner]

If you're new to Shadowrun then you're probably unfamiliar with some of our "usual" campaign book formats. The most "traditional" format we publish are story-arc campaign books which are divided into chapters each of which is a full-blown "canned adventure" that is intended to be played sequentially to tell a single story. The next format is what we call tracked campaigns these provide copious setting context and campaign information, but instead of blow-by-blow adventures, they present suggest a number of adventure outlines/frameworks that move the plot forward but leave the work of developing the specifics and coming up with stats to the gamemaster (making them easier to adapt to different groups' styles of play and power levels). Finally, we published event books, similar to tracked campaigns in some ways, these describe major events, their ramifications in the setting and upon PCs, the main actors involved, etc. They typically provide a lot of In Character setting information that is intended to function as plot devices and adventure seeds. This comes at the cost of a step-by-step adventure walkthrough that you find in many campaign and adventure products.

With SR4, we're trying out some new tricks. Emergence combines the "track campaign" format and the "event book" format. It presents what we usually call a "campaign framework" which establishes the overaching events that take place in 2070, surrounding the emergence of first Technomancers and later AIs into the public realm. It may be off putting to some one new to the game but many of those events are introduced through fiction pieces rather than as game information. However, each chapter is wrapped up by a Game Information section which suggests how you can use the contents of the fiction in your own game, provides a synopsis of events during the relevant timeframe, profiles the major players involved in the action, and finally provides a couple of "adventure frameworks" (outlines of adventures) that plug into the overall events and that can be plugged into pretty much any game. Emergence is also tricky because it focuses on a couple of entirely new elements to this 20-year old setting - ones that needed further development after being introduced in the SR4 core rulebook.

If you're looking for an easier learning curve and an adventure with a more traditional step by step breakdown (and some useful aids directed at new gamemasters) then I suggest you try the SR4 introductory adventure: On The Run.

The free Shadowrun: Missions adventures also come together to present a good introductory, street-level campaign that eases newcomers into the setting and some of its peculiarities.

[nathanross]

Emergence isn't so much an adventure as the old 7300 series FASA books were. There are so many possible adventures in the book though to keep you busy for a long time. I'd start out with missions though if I were you.

[W@geMage]

The format also gives a lot of useful handouts, because a lot of info is given IC by the Jackpoint users.
It really spices up the sessions when you can give the occasional handout, or simulate the daily news bulletin.

As suggested I would start with the Missions.
During the mission downtime I would try to incorporate some hints/handouts about what is happening in Emergence and give them some NPC's to interact with.
Maybe a friend/contact or relative begins to display technomancer stuff and some corp type is there when it happens and takes note of it.

[evilgoattea]

Thanks for all the answers. I kinda figured that the book was basically backround setting information for you to use however you want, i Just wanted to make sure. My plan is actually just to run 2 or 3 runs unrealeated to camp plot just to get used to the rules of the game. I bought the Shadowrun GM Screen and I might run some of the adventures suggested in that booklet that comes with it as well.

-Josh