Alternate Campaigns Options

[Crusader3025]

I recall from earlier versions of the Runner's Companion suggestions for campaigns that didn't involve shadowrunners. For example the "team" could work for DocWagon, or the media, or the military, and so forth. I would like to see a product in the future that addresses those possibilities and provides the GM information and tools for the players to create such a campaign. What do the rest of you think about that?

[BlueMax]

What sort of GM information and Tools are you referring to?
As long as its not "Plot Hooks" I may be interested.

BlueMax
/for me, and perhaps only me, plot hooks are useless

[Crusader3025]

What I'm referring to can be found in the Shadowrun Companion (FASA 1996) on pp. 110-123, titled Alternate Campaign Concepts. In the FanPro version (2002) it was pp. 109-123. If you have access to either of those books you will see what I mean. Each section covers character creation, adventure ideas and campaigning ideas. To the best of my knowledge this really hasn't been updated for 4E. Now I may have missed it somewhere, but I just checked the Runner's Companion TOC and it's not there. I suspect it got cut to make room for other useful stuff, and I have no beef with that. But it would be nice to see this material updated for the new edition. I know I've broached the idea of a Ghost in the Shell:SAC Section 9 style unit for my players to be a part of and they seemed interested. So I think alternate campaign ideas could be useful.

[BlueMax]

As I have both books right here, I do see that to which you refer. However, I don't see a huge benefit for you or I in a specific SR4A update. From my POV the differences would be minimal.

I've run several "Medic" type campaigns, though never Doc Wagon. Always an off brand, like Crash Kart, REO Meatwagon and so on.


BlueMax

[Crusader3025]

Well you and I have the books but there are probably people out there who have neither. I was thinking this might be of use to them. And I'd have no problem if this was done as a short pdf. The page count used for 10 gangs or 10 JackPointers could probably take care of this. Just my two nuyen. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif)

[BlueMax]

Well you and I have the books but there are probably people out there who have neither. I was thinking this might be of use to them. And I'd have no problem if this was done as a short pdf. The page count used for 10 gangs or 10 JackPointers could probably take care of this. Just my two nuyen. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif)

I would buy anything that had more tables and rules. Don't get me wrong. The last thing I need is more fiction.
Sometimes I feel like Shadowrun is turning into a pile of fiction and house rules.

BlueMax

[YourAdHere]

Information on technology your average shadowrunner couldn't get his hand on or has no use for would be helpful. Attack fighters, bombers, and main battle tanks would be useful for military campaigns. Specialized helicopters and vechicles soley for patient extraction and the tools they use would be useful for those medic games.

While all this information would be cool, the game is called Shadowrun after all.

[Karoline]

Information on technology your average shadowrunner couldn't get his hand on or has no use for would be helpful. Attack fighters, bombers, and main battle tanks would be useful for military campaigns. Specialized helicopters and vechicles soley for patient extraction and the tools they use would be useful for those medic games.

Very true. Arsenal does include enough info that you could likely work out a tank or battleship or whatever, but still, a dedicated.. for lack of a better word 'non-shadowrunning' SR book would be nice and include the sorts of things you mentioned. Especially great would be something that looks more at space. Arsenal included a few things like space suits, and augmentation has zero-g geneware, but other than that, very little is known (And nothing is really known at all as far as SR4 is concerned. You have to go back to older editions for any space info)

While all this information would be cool, the game is called Shadowrun after all.

No reason you couldn't play a black ops military team, or a HT Response team, or some sort of 'off the books' organization like you often hear about in conspiracy theories and such.

[Crusader3025]

I like the idea of space related stuff. Of course mages and adepts will stay away, since as I recall getting away from Mother Earth and doing your mojo is a BAD idea. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif)

Now I have to wonder if magic works on Mars? As I recall Evo has a base there. I suspect if there's enough life it is possible, as evidenced by the short story I saw somewhere where they were on one of Ares' stations.

Actually a shadowrun on Mars would just be too cool now that I think of it. Anybody remember the old move Outland? High Noon in space with Sean Connery as the marshall. Or something freaky like John Carpenter's Vampires of Mars? Who knows what kind of weirdness could show up on the red planet! (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif)

[Pepsi Jedi]

I've played a few games here the group was black ops for Megacorps, or black ops for one of the nations. Once for the Tir, once for the CAS. They can be fun but the 'bankroll' of it makes it a touch less challenging. Yes there are ways around it. I know of many, but... they get annoying. If you're playing that route, part of it IS the bankroll.

[crash2029]

I agree that some non-runner SR stuff would be cool. And I really want to play in a game out in the black.

[Crusader3025]

Not to sell Shadowrun short, but if you really want to game "out in the black," then I recommend MWP's Serenity RPG. Can't do wrong by going to the source. And the Firefly 'verse is a pretty cool place to RP in. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif) Might just grab me a new copy at Origins or GenCon this year. Been hankering to do a sci-fi game along those lines. Of course I got people after me to restart my Knights of the Old Republic Star Wars Saga Edition game so who knows... (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif) Now that I think of it most of those players are also Firefly fans so maybe I won't have to do too much convincing. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif)

[Doc Chaos]

What do the rest of you think about that?

I am currently GMing a round whos characters are completely on the SIN side. Yes, legal SINs (IMG:style_emoticons/default/wink.gif) They are doing freelance work for law enforcement agencies (mostly bountyhunting, getting back the more notorious bail jumpers, etc.), but on the other hand have ties to gang crime and such. The longterm plan for them is to go into the artefact/paraphernalia hunting business. Thats probably when they will drift from (mostly) law abiding citizens to a more shadowy area, but hey, they'll try to stay legit.

its a lot of fun for everybody. Its a way more street-level campaign than the usual stuff that happens with and to shadowrunners. Just playing out the inside of the works in law enforcement is a great experience. And having registered and law-abiding characters, but without the restricitions of a 'corporate' group. Its really great and I encourage every GM to at least try this once, even if it is just a one-shot game.

[spasheridan]

I think superheroes would be a neat idea. Ala Kickass. Folks who cyberup and wear costumes and beat up crooks and clean up the mean streets of Seattle. With guns.

[YourAdHere]

Correct me if I'm wrong, but people live in space in 2070's right? A campaign set in space would be pretty cool, except for the no magic thing. My question is, do the still use solid fuel rockets to get crafts into space or is it just as simple as flying up there ala Starwars/Star Trek style?

And while I said before "the game is called Shadowrun", I didn't mean it as it's the only thing you can do with it. I'm just wondering how far away from the central theme can you get before it's a new game when it comes to source material. I would love to be able to strap a character into the latest stealth fighter and blow some bad guys out the sky.

[Karoline]

Yeah, people live in space in 2070s. I think there is a colony on the moon and on mars, and likely some space stations. I think the problem is that there aren't enough people living in space to make it particularly feesable to do alot. It isn't like firefly where you can hop from planet to planet trading illegal goods. Heck, even a run would be difficult, because after you did whatever, your ship back home could be tracked for weeks and simply shot out of the sky/space with a few missiles.

And as much as I would personally love to work on a space station or something like that, I don't know that it would make an interesting campaign to be doing zero-g research or grow hydroponic farms or whatnot. Might be a cool RP exercise, but not a proper game.

As for the magic thing - yeah, no magic in space unless a significant amount of life is gathered, and even then you'll have a high background count. A space station or colony might allow you to use magic, but likely have a background count near a half dozen or so.

I don't think any of the things mentioned would necessarily be enough for a book on their own, but all these sorts of things combined could make a cool 'alternate adventures' book. Add some more things for underwater stuff, subs, torpedoes, maybe some underwater facilities.

Space, military, underwater, medical. I'm sure we could come up with a few more things that could all be thrown into a book together.

[BlueMax]

I think superheroes would be a neat idea. Ala Kickass. Folks who cyberup and wear costumes and beat up crooks and clean up the mean streets of Seattle. With guns.

Sorta did this. We did a campaign based on "Mystery Men" . Having not seen "Kickass" yet, I cannot compare the two. Mystery Men are the "other guys", the 4th rate super heroes. In the course of the movie, and in our campaign, they didn't start off with any real "powers".

Most blossomed into Physads by the end.

BlueMax

[Doc Chaos]

EVO has a base on mars, lots of people have bases on the moon, but those are all research or mining bases. Same with space stations. I'd hardly call that usable surroundings for runners...

[YourAdHere]

EVO has a base on mars, lots of people have bases on the moon, but those are all research or mining bases. Same with space stations. I'd hardly call that usable surroundings for runners...

Except for sabatoge or something like that. Of course, if you live there, I guess it would be difficult to be runner.

"Hey, Bob. Know anything about that reactor explosion? Seeing as your the only person in the entire station without a SIN, I figured I'd ask."

[Dumori]

Firewatch trains it top mages out at L3. They also aprently do nasty stuff with bug spirts out there. Go Ares every one fav corp. One a saide note Azz it messing with horrors, Ares with Bugs. I wounder what nasty little projects the other corps have going.

[Doc Chaos]

Lots, thats why they're Corps (IMG:style_emoticons/default/wink.gif) But seriously, thats top-of-the-foodchain Runner material, nothing you just plunge into your group for a sunny saturday afternoon gaming session.