Unpublished Drafts - Free for All, Chapters that might have been Options

[Mäx]

I liked the Street Sam Catalog, Cybertechnology, fields of fire. Give me tech, give me rules, but keep the fluff out of it.

What the hell man, those books have a way more fluff then the current corebooks, especially Street sam catalog.
Too bad full on fluff gear books like that arent financially possible these days. i would love a new books like that

I think that we need to get to a common definition of fluff in order to truly understand each other. For me fluff is metaplot, events, timeline. Optional rulesets that compliment crunch, and source material about agencies or locations, haven't been in my definition of fluff.

Well ofcource my first statement isnt true if you make-up your own wierd definitions o what is fluff.
Fluff is everythink in the book that isnt purely rules.

[Demonseed Elite]

Do we think there is a current Story Bible? Any chance of knowing what you HAD planned if it is no longer in the works?

I'll just confirm that Peter was planning years ahead with SR4 when I was a writer. I've seen his projections, as have a few other freelancers who post here. Like I've mentioned elsewhere, Ghost Cartels was originally the starting point of a story arc that stretched years and connected a number of books, including the early prototypes of books like War! and Spy Games, which have changed since Peter's projections.

I doubt Peter's going to spill what he had planned, because there's been some talk among the former freelancers of using some of it for unofficial fan material.

Also, I'm just going to go on the record saying that I think SR4 does it right when it comes to the balance of fluff and crunch in its books, as well as how they handle story arcs and metaplot. I've never been 100% in agreement with all of SR4's decisions (I wish technomancers never came to be, for instance), but I really do feel, as a former writer and fan, that they made strong steps forward in book formatting (and hell, in book layout too).

[hermit]

I really do feel, as a former writer and fan, that they made strong steps forward in book formatting (and hell, in book layout too).

Seconded. The Jackpoint login pages will sorely be missed. And SR4A is very pretty. Full color, mmmmh!

I doubt Peter's going to spill what he had planned, because there's been some talk among the former freelancers of using some of it for unofficial fan material.

As in, a free web book? That'd be very cool. Where and how might this be published, via DDH? Or is this still too much in the planning stage for that?

[Demonseed Elite]

As in, a free web book? That'd be very cool. Where and how might this be published, via DDH? Or is this still too much in the planning stage for that?

Still too early to say. But there's a crew of former freelancers who still would like to write Shadowrun material and all helped brainstorm those ideas in Peter's projections, so naturally there's been some talk about what we can do and what we want to do.

[Synner]

Do we think there is a current Story Bible? Any chance of knowing what you HAD planned if it is no longer in the works?

Demonseed has mentioned one of the reasons I won't spill the beans on my metaplot plans and there are others. Regarding a current story bible, I seriously doubt Catalyst will follow down the path I laid out (particularly since to the best of my knowledge things have already veered significantly from my initial proposals), whether or not they have a new story bible for the next few years I'm not sure.

To keep things clear note that I was actually talking about two separate things with Tzeentch above:

• first there's the "metaplot bible" (which summarises each major past and current metaplot in a couple of paragraphs and offering a list of book references for each) which is part of a bigger document "A Sixth World Primer: a writer's guide to the Shadowrun universe" which goes into a lot of other things besides metaplot. Think of it as a development bible/document to ease the learning curve for new freelancers. This is something that was sorely missing and neither Rob nor I really had the time to put together. When Jennifer came on as my assistant developer, I finally got my head above water long enough to start laying down the groundwork. While still not complete it's sitting on my HD and clocking in at 80+ pages already.
  
• A "metaplot roadmap" which outlined my planning for future metaplots and the general evolution of the setting and the key plot points over the next few years. This was part of my integrated approach to the release schedule and allowed me to map out specific books in such a way that they played off each other and provided complementary content (ie. for instance Ghost Cartels intentionally plays off the setting material in Runner Havens and Corporate Enclaves while at the same time making use of the advanced gear and options in the 5 advanced rulebooks, and had I had my way you'd have Awakened Haunts coming out this year which would provide ideal setting to put into play some of the off-beat character races/species from Runners Companion by spotlighting the Metrópolesprawl.)

As for what exactly I had in my metaplot roadmap, all I will disclose for now is what I've already posted above: I had what became War! mapped out to follow on from the fallout of Ghost Cartels (though not the plot than what will see print), then the Artifactsarc and follow-up campaign, then a Horizon story, after that the Space Elevator plotline that's been rolling since Runner Havens would come to a head, and later down the line the big payoff to the teasers left by The Dream Seed/Ghost Cartels and which would be threaded through out the books in between.

The details of exactly what all that entails will remain secret for now. Who knows you might still get to read it someday.

[hermit]

first there's the "metaplot bible" (which summarises each major past and current metaplot in a couple of paragraphs and offering a list of book references for each) which is part of a bigger document "The Shadowrun Primer" which goes into a lot of other things besides metaplot. Think of it as a development bible/document to ease the learning curve for new freelancers. This is something that was sorely missing and neither Rob nor I really had the time to put together. When Jennifer came on as my assistant developer, I finally got my head above water long enough to start laying down the groundwork. While still not complete it's sitting on my HD and clocking in at 80+ pages already.

What does it contain, then? Listings of corporations from canon and their structure and the likes? Brands? Known paranimals? Important NPC characters? All of the above? Or something else entirely?

[Synner]

What does it contain? Listings of corporations from canon and their structure and the likes? Brands? Known paranimals? Important NPC characters?

It contains some of that along with a glossary/slang list and stuff like the material I added into SR4A's Life in the Seventies "slice of life" sidebars, but mostly it outlines the basics of the setting and fiction framework from a development stand point. Mostly the stuff you mention is in appendixes that redirect you to the relevant references in an official book or books - the intent is to help writers not do their research for them (though I should note my book specs when soliciting for proposals usually included an extensive list of references and setting notes specific to the book at hand).

The content ranges from explaining what metahumans are, how the Matrix and Magic works, how astral space feels/looks like, all the way to things like "there are no flying cars/aerodynes and here is why..." or simple guidelines like "think 5 years ahead when introducing any technology, if its widespread use is going to break the back of the setting don't introduce it." Some of it is stuff that a hardcore fan would take for granted and knows off by heart, but a newcomer or outsider (such as an industry freelancer), who hasn't followed every single book released or the minutae of the setting might have missed.

For instance a would-be freelancer once asked me "if all augmented people could see Augmented Reality." Assuming the person had read the corebook that tells me they haven't really understood the fundamental concept and implications of Augmented Reality or that they are confused about what an "augmented person" means. Those basic building blocks and the rationale behind them is what the Primer was intended to provide.

[Stahlseele]

"there are no flying cars/aerodynes and here is why..."

mind shedding some light on this particular one? ^^

[sabs]

mind shedding some light on this particular one? ^^

Especially because the tech is /there/
Vtol works.
Gridguide could easily handle 3d/flight.
NeoTokyo is so well organized that people with SiN's on their commlinks are guided when they're /walking/ They have the processing power to handle the pedestrian population of Tokyo. Handling flying cars would be a no brainer.

Now politically I could see fighting it. Terrorism/Shadowrunning would cause big issues.

[LabRat]

While still not complete it's sitting on my HD and clocking in at 80+ pages already.

Maybe you should keep a copy somewhere else. You know...your HDs tend to implode. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/rotate.gif)

[MindandPen]

It contains some of that along with a glossary/slang list and stuff like the material I added into SR4A's Life in the Seventies "slice of life" sidebars, but mostly it outlines the basics of the setting and fiction framework from a development stand point. Mostly the stuff you mention is in appendixes that redirect you to the relevant references in an official book or books - the intent is to help writers not do their research for them (though I should note my book specs when soliciting for proposals usually included an extensive list of references and setting notes specific to the book at hand).

The content ranges from explaining what metahumans are, how the Matrix and Magic works, how astral space feels/looks like, all the way to things like "there are no flying cars/aerodynes and here is why..." or simple guidelines like "think 5 years ahead when introducing any technology, if its widespread use is going to break the back of the setting don't introduce it." Some of it is stuff that a hardcore fan would take for granted and knows off by heart, but a newcomer or outsider (such as an industry freelancer), who hasn't followed every single book released or the minutae of the setting might have missed.

For instance a would-be freelancer once asked me "if all augmented people could see Augmented Reality." Assuming the person had read the corebook that tells me they haven't really understood the fundamental concept and implications of Augmented Reality or that they are confused about what an "augmented person" means. Those basic building blocks and the rationale behind them is what the Primer was intended to provide.

I suppose we could never see that, could we? (IMG:style_emoticons/default/notworthy.gif)

-M&P

[RunnerPaul]

"there are no flying cars/aerodynes and here is why..."

mind shedding some light on this particular one? ^^

I would think that the "why" is "Because there was a massive cry of protest from the fanbase when we had one on the cover of New Seattle."

[Synner]

Maybe you should keep a copy somewhere else. You know...your HDs tend to implode. :rotate

Okay,okay, let me rephrase that. It's sitting on several of my HDs and in a cold storage backup drive as well. Just in case. Contrary to popular belief I do learn from my past mistakes. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/nyahnyah.gif)

[hermit]

Especially because the tech is /there/
Vtol works.
Gridguide could easily handle 3d/flight.

Actually, no, it isn't. VTOL works, and there are air taxis that employ tilt rotor craft, but personal aerodynes are not competitive because they'Re loud, expensive, guzzle very expensive fueln, and arguably because there are some regulations about just how many flying objects are allowed to be in the air, so as that not every building is doused in burning wreckage from mid-air collisions on a daily basis.

That, and because it is a stupid scifi cliché, and belongs into SR as much as E.T.

They have the processing power to handle the pedestrian population of Tokyo. Handling flying cars would be a no brainer.

It's of course not like three dimensionally organising things of comparable or slightly lesser density would in any way be more complex. Also, safety regulations, as stated above.

[Stahlseele]

mind shedding some light on this particular one? ^^

I would think that the "why" is "Because there was a massive cry of protest from the fanbase when we had one on the cover of New Seattle."

i think that was just a bad perspective . .
generally, i would like flying cars O.o

[otakusensei]

So who let the FPMV "Flying Segway" into Arsenal?

[BlueMax]

The two best Shadowrun sourcebooks ever made (don't argue with me, you know I'm right) were Shadowtech and Shadowbeat. Neither advanced any particular meta-plot, were internally consistent, mixed rules and fluff (hell the rules were the fluff in no small part!), and fleshed out the world.

And neither had short stories spacing out the sections. Short stories that had nothing to do with the sections.
The fluff was directly related to the material covered.

BlueMax

[otakusensei]

And neither had short stories spacing out the sections. Short stories that had nothing to do with the sections.
The fluff was directly related to the material covered.

BlueMax

I've mentioned before, but the short fiction in SR4 has helped a lot to bring on new players around me. I can thank the opening fiction in SR4 directly as the reason I have a GM right now.

[Catadmin]

It worked reasonably well for TORG and their infiniverse newsletter.

Speaking of someone who owns most of the Torg rulebooks and all the fiction.. HUH?

In my part of the world, Torg died a fast, painful death. No one besides myself wanted to play it or look at it because it was overly convoluted. Which is a shame. I really did want to get a group together.

[BlueMax]

I've mentioned before, but the short fiction in SR4 has helped a lot to bring on new players around me. I can thank the opening fiction in SR4 directly as the reason I have a GM right now.

I cannot disagree with your statement. Fluff and Short stories are however not the same. Fluff supports the mechanics of a section.

BlueMax

[otakusensei]

I cannot disagree with your statement. Fluff and Short stories are however not the same. Fluff supports the mechanics of a section.

BlueMax

What about Game Set Match? I see what you're saying though, to each their own.

[hermit]

So who let the FPMV "Flying Segway" into Arsenal?

Lonsing. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/wink.gif) Since he wasn't allowed to sneak his Nazi flying saucers in, they had to give the dork something. That and his Uber Chibi which would be a total must have item if you would actualy use them in-game.

[Platinum]

Especially because the tech is /there/
Vtol works.
Gridguide could easily handle 3d/flight.
NeoTokyo is so well organized that people with SiN's on their commlinks are guided when they're /walking/ They have the processing power to handle the pedestrian population of Tokyo. Handling flying cars would be a no brainer.

Now politically I could see fighting it. Terrorism/Shadowrunning would cause big issues.

Not to mention safety. If you blow a rotor you could take out multiple streams and people below.

[Synner]

So who let the FPMV "Flying Segway" into Arsenal?

Lonsing. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/wink.gif) Since he wasn't allowed to sneak his Nazi flying saucers in, they had to give the dork something. That and his Uber Chibi which would be a total must have item if you would actualy use them in-game.

Actually, that would have been me. However, the Lockheed Sparrow FPMV was intended as an example of light-weight recreational use vehicles rather than an everyday commuting vehicle - sort of like an ultralight today or those backfan-parachute wing things I can never the name of.

[Lansdren]

Actually, that would have been me. However, the Lockheed Sparrow FPMV was intended as an example of light-weight recreational use vehicles rather than an everyday commuting vehicle - sort of like an ultralight today or those backfan-parachute wing things I can never the name of.

Part of me would love a escape plan that ends up on the roof with a bunch of those sitting their and the rigger just going "dont worry guys I have a plan"