Shadow Wars, A prospective game. Options

[Traul]

Deniability is mixed, as are the contestant. Some are 'professional' combatants, including merc squads, some are actual runners, some are gangs with dollar signs in their eyes. Some groups will be very weak, some will be quite strong, some will have a mix of characters.

So there will be NPC contestants too? Not sure many players will be interested in playing gangers (IMG:style_emoticons/default/nyahnyah.gif) I was actually more thinking of playing a merc than a runner. Anyone else tempted by a MET2000 team?

[Fyndhal]

Idea: Corporate Sponsorship to provide some smallish stack of corporation-specific advantages. Things like a 5% discount on x-type of gear, for instance.

I was thinking of taking Sinner, Day Job and In Debt and saying I was there with Corporate Sponsorship. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif)

[Karoline]

So there will be NPC contestants too? Not sure many players will be interested in playing gangers (IMG:style_emoticons/default/nyahnyah.gif) I was actually more thinking of playing a merc than a runner. Anyone else tempted by a MET2000 team?

Yeah, if only because I wanted to do this as teams and I doubt I'll have the 20ish players required to get the minimum of 4 teams I was hoping for.

[Traul]

Or you could go for smaller teams? One mage, one hacker and one sammy per team should be enough.

[Karoline]

Or you could go for smaller teams? One mage, one hacker and one sammy per team should be enough.

Yeah, but I didn't want to force that particular composition. Even so, we haven't had the 12 people that that would still require sign up (yet). I could switch to each person controlling a full team, giving a grander melee overall, likely reduce team size to 3 or so in that case so people don't have to make a ton of character sheets.

Edit: Although I was against it when I first came up with this idea (It was something I considered) the more I think about it, the more I like the idea. It would make handling teams easier as I'd only need to deal with one person for each team instead of needing to wait on five people, and would allow for a much larger spectacle. The fight is for several million after all, it should generate a ton of contestants. I'll still throw in some NPC groups to serve as some of the 'stronger' and 'weaker' ones.

[Punchline]

This sounds quite fascinating-- I just started the series with SR4, so I'm unfamiliar with the previous editions. My current GM tells me that this isn't a new concept persay, but we're all very intrigued by the idea. I'll be keeping my eye on this.

In fact, though I'll give the credit where it's due, I may borrow some of this for my upcoming chron.

[Karoline]

This sounds quite fascinating-- I just started the series with SR4, so I'm unfamiliar with the previous editions. My current GM tells me that this isn't a new concept persay, but we're all very intrigued by the idea. I'll be keeping my eye on this.

In fact, though I'll give the credit where it's due, I may borrow some of this for my upcoming chron.

Well, I've not seen it before, and I've actually done something very similar IRL before with The Other Game with great results as two teams of high end characters went at it.

On the other hand, the idea of a grand melee or a grand melee with teams isn't exactly new, though the multi day/huge terrain twist is somewhat new I think. I'm sure it's been done somewhere though (IMG:style_emoticons/default/nyahnyah.gif)

Oh yeah, Naruto did it back in the Chunin Exam (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif) Maybe that's where I got the idea.

[Punchline]

Well, I've not seen it before, and I've actually done something very similar IRL before with The Other Game with great results as two teams of high end characters went at it.

On the other hand, the idea of a grand melee or a grand melee with teams isn't exactly new, though the multi day/huge terrain twist is somewhat new I think. I'm sure it's been done somewhere though (IMG:style_emoticons/default/nyahnyah.gif)

Oh yeah, Naruto did it back in the Chunin Exam (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif) Maybe that's where I got the idea.

I hope you took no offense to my response, I wasn't at all accusing you of being unoriginal-- the concept you've presented is well thought out and very creative. The movie The Condemned runs with a similar concept, and I believe there was some incarnation of it called Urban Brawl in the SR system, which is one of the most popular sports in the SR universe. Your idea isn't quite the same concept, and I actually like it a lot.

[Karoline]

I hope you took no offense to my response, I wasn't at all accusing you of being unoriginal-- the concept you've presented is well thought out and very creative. The movie The Condemned runs with a similar concept, and I believe there was some incarnation of it called Urban Brawl in the SR system, which is one of the most popular sports in the SR universe. Your idea isn't quite the same concept, and I actually like it a lot.

No, not offended (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif)

Yeah, Urban Brawl is somewhat similar from what I've gathered, except that it involves only two teams, far more structure, isn't supposed to be lethal, and has some kind of goal (ball though goal).

Haven't seen The Condemned.

[Punchline]

Haven't seen The Condemned.

Don't bother. It's 'Stone Cold' Steve Austin in a WWE films release. It's really, really not good. The concept is basically the same as yours-- the exception being that it takes place in the jungle, and the participants are not there of their own will.

[Saint Sithney]

Oh hoo hoo hoo hoo!
How do you want to handle vehicle recoil?

[pbangarth]

I'm close to completion of a character. Are you set on players submitting a team each, or can we still form teams with players running single characters?

[nemafow]

I'm interested in playing. I'm also very interested on how you would do the whole 'team y and team x' randomly bump into each other. Would it be like a few blocks gridded, and teams choose where they go, and depending on whether there is another team there, is whether they fight ect?

Edit: yeah will you still allow single characters in a team with other players? Playing several characters is a bit overwhelming for me.

[Karoline]

I'm close to completion of a character. Are you set on players submitting a team each, or can we still form teams with players running single characters?

No, I'm not set on it. I may simply have it as an option for those who want it to allow for more teams to be generated. I think teams of 3 are more reasonable though. I was going off the last time I did this and there happened to be 10 people, so two teams of 5 worked out well.

How do you want to handle vehicle recoil?

Weapons on vehicles don't have recoil with a few special exceptions for particularly big weapons on small vehicles. Drones will follow a similar rule but be much closer scrutinized as to if they are big enough. Also, I should note that I believe in the 'round down' version of the mount rule found in 4a, as opposed to 'round up' found in Arsenal, so no 1 or 2 body drones with mounts.

I'm interested in playing. I'm also very interested on how you would do the whole 'team y and team x' randomly bump into each other. Would it be like a few blocks gridded, and teams choose where they go, and depending on whether there is another team there, is whether they fight ect?

This is basically exactly how it works. Teams can wander around looking for other teams, better positions, or supplies, or they can set up wherever they are, or split up, or whatever else they can think of except leave the War Zone. Based on movement (Stalking, walking, running, vehicles) they'll move around at different rates and be spotted from different distances and be more or less likely to set off traps that may or may not be around, etc. Movement around the city and surroundings will be critical, which is the biggest reason I'm delaying, because I want to get a city properly mapped out so this can be done properly.

Edit: yeah will you still allow single characters in a team with other players? Playing several characters is a bit overwhelming for me.

Yeah, a single character joining up with others is perfectly fine. I'll adjust the rules post later (have some new stuff that needs to get added from all this).

Basically character setup will be the same, but any player may make and control one, two, or three characters which must all be on the same team. So two people could get together and one could make two while the other makes one, or three people can get together to form a team, or a person can make their own team.

[nemafow]

Thank you for the quick reply (IMG:style_emoticons/default/wink.gif) Look forward to this going ahead. Shall we watch this space in the meantime for updates?

[Karoline]

Yep, this will be the main place for it. Rules will get updated every so often, and I'm sure more Q&A and 'LFG' posts will crop up.

Also, I'll likely throw something into the 2072 thread at some point (Mostly just hype and 'order now' type stuff.)

[Simon Kerimov]

Can we get more about the local? Or are there likely to be hazards of all kinds?

[Dakka Dakka]

Also, I should note that I believe in the 'round down' version of the mount rule found in 4a, as opposed to 'round up' found in Arsenal, so no 1 or 2 body drones with mounts.

All the rule from Arsenal does is allow small drones (Bod 2) to have a weapon mount, this is where you should use the optional recoil rule. Furthermore to allows large drones to havetwo LMGs or one larger weapon. Micro and minidrones cannot take a weapon mount since it is the wrong type of modification.

[Simon Kerimov]

Do trips to the Metaplanes violate the rule for needing to stay inside the city?

[Simon Kerimov]

Also, I assume our characters are not supposed to be cheaters? Should we add a roleplaying element to this, or is it best left as more of a strategy game?

[pbangarth]

Also, I assume our characters are not supposed to be cheaters? Should we add a roleplaying element to this, or is it best left as more of a strategy game?

If you're fighting in a fair fight, you haven't planned well enough.

[Karoline]

Also, I assume our characters are not supposed to be cheaters? Should we add a roleplaying element to this, or is it best left as more of a strategy game?

If you're fighting in a fair fight, you haven't planned well enough.

(IMG:style_emoticons/default/wink.gif) To expand, there will be plenty of chances to 'pose for the camera' so a personality certainly isn't a bad thing, but the main focus of the game will indeed be on the combat side.

All the rule from Arsenal does is allow small drones (Bod 2) to have a weapon mount, this is where you should use the optional recoil rule. Furthermore to allows large drones to havetwo LMGs or one larger weapon. Micro and minidrones cannot take a weapon mount since it is the wrong type of modification.

Alright, we'll go with round up, but expect anything with a body less than 3 to suffer debilitating recoil.

Do trips to the Metaplanes violate the rule for needing to stay inside the city?

Not so long as your body remains within the War Zone.

Can we get more about the local? Or are there likely to be hazards of all kinds?

Still working on it, so I can't give too much, but as I've said, it will be taking place in an abandoned city and surrounding 'wilderness'. The city will include of course buildings both ruined and not, as well as parts of the city being overrun with encroaching vegetation. There will be a fair amount of forest, with the rest of the wilderness part being scrubland with space buildings.

As for hazards, the Shadow Wars guys are specifically indistinct about what might be waiting for you. Alot of 'we can neither confirm nor deny that horrible thing X is in the War Zone, and we can neither confirm nor deny that we put it there intentionally'. It is however generally believed that there will be security emplacements (drones/turrets and similar) both active and inactive in the city, and there is likely to be at least a couple critters in the forest area, though how dangerous is anyone's guess.

So, possible hazards include just about anything you can think of. Might be critters, para and non, there might be infected, there might be a secret underground base, there might be drones and turrets, there might be landmines set up in front of the Stuffer Shack. The point here is tread carefully.

Edit: Various updates added in the first post.

[Doc Chase]

Hmm. Urban Wars, the new spin-off from the smash hit Desert Wars...

[Simon Kerimov]

I have a team. They aren't built yet, but the design phase is coming along well. I'm building a 3 person team, and I'll have a team name and bios in a bit.

[pbangarth]

I'm assuming that if you buy implants with the 250,000 nuyen after chargen, then you have to pay for the medical bills out of that as well. Is this correct?