Online Game, Looking for Players Options

[Kaiser_Bill]

Hi there everyone, I'm looking to GM an online game of SR4. Currently my plan is to run it via Windows Live Messenger (for which I've found a cool dice-rolling add-on).

I'm in the UK, but so long as you can be available at the right times then of course you can be anywhere in the world!

I'll be looking to run it Wednesdays, Fridays, Saturdays or Sundays, approx 6-10pm GMT(=UCT). The time limits are mainly for my one player, so I'm actually available before and after those times if we need to start the session earlier or carry on later on occasion, and we can definitely start earlier at the weekend.

I'm looking to form a group of about 4-5 runners, based in Seattle. I already have one interested player, so I need 3-4 more, no experience necessary!

Starting characters could be anything at all really, the only thing I'll give a flat 'no' to is a rigger with a drone army - they make combat slow, tedious and boring for the other players, not to mention harder to keep track of for me! A more modest rigger character would be okay, or one who mainly uses their bots for spying, etc.

(IMG:style_emoticons/default/cyber.gif)

[Triggvi]

are you looking to do it with voice as well and im?

[Guardikai]

Hi Kaiser. I'd be interested if you haven't filled up your player quota already. Am in the UK myself and am new to SR but have been looking for a good game. Will be in one later this month. Heads up that I may only be available on weekends. Any preferences for characters? Cheers (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif)

[Kaiser_Bill]

Triggvi: I was thinking just IM, but I can do voice as well if people want..

Guardikai: You're more than welcome to join us! Weekends are looking like the better option to me anyway, due to my other player wanting to be in bed early on weeknights for work (awww, bless!)

I'd rather leave characters largely up to the players, but it'll make more sense to think of them after we've got a group together.

Oh, and call me Bill. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/twirl.gif)

[Triggvi]

Triggvi: I was thinking just IM, but I can do voice as well if people want..

Guardikai: You're more than welcome to join us! Weekends are looking like the better option to me anyway, due to my other player wanting to be in bed early on weeknights for work (awww, bless!)

I'd rather leave characters largely up to the players, but it'll make more sense to think of them after we've got a group together.

Oh, and call me Bill. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/twirl.gif)

The only reason is that im only makes for a very long game. Alot gets lost in the translation.

[Triggvi]

Triggvi: I was thinking just IM, but I can do voice as well if people want..

Guardikai: You're more than welcome to join us! Weekends are looking like the better option to me anyway, due to my other player wanting to be in bed early on weeknights for work (awww, bless!)

I'd rather leave characters largely up to the players, but it'll make more sense to think of them after we've got a group together.

Oh, and call me Bill. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/twirl.gif)

The only reason is that im only makes for a very long game. Alot gets lost in the translation.

[Kaiser_Bill]

I can see that, although I've taken part in RP online in what was basically just a chatroom, and it worked pretty well. So all in all I'm not too concerned; it depends if the players are very keen on it or not at the end of the day.

Oh, and Guardikai, I meant to say about characters: try to make it have a certain amount of balance. I don't want characters that are only good for combat and nothing else, nor do I want characters that are useless in combat. Either one of those would lead to the player not being involved for large chunks of gameplay and would thus get bored or distracted or just altogether quit. But don't worry too much - build the character you like and I'll let you know if it needs adjusting..

Anyway, chargen is getting ahead of myself a bit - need more players first!

[Toloran]

I'd be very willing to join. I've gotten interested into shadowrun only relatively recently and haven't been able to get a game going =\ If I were to join, I'd prefer either Saturday or Sunday (preferably Saturday). Just to make sure: When you say Windows Live Messenger, do you mean MSN messenger or is it something different? (I don't use my MSN account very often so I'm just making sure). For the record: I'm Pacific time zone (GMT-(IMG:style_emoticons/default/cool.gif) so I'm open for doing either earlier or later on the weekend.

If I were to end up joining, are you restricting books at all? I'm mostly asking since a lot of the supplementary rules books (especially Unwired) seem to unbalance the game if the player is using a book that the GM is not.

[Shin]

Do you know what style of game you're intending to run (so-call pink Mohawk vs. Black Shades)? Other then setting the game in Seattle do you have any theme or plan for the game as of yet?

[Kaiser_Bill]

Windows Live Messenger is very similar to MSN Messenger, and the two can communicate with each other. I'm not certain whether the dice-rolling add-on will work with MSN or not though. I'll have a look for it and also find the links for people to download it as well..

Okay, it looks like you'll have to install Live Messenger for this to work...after that you'll need to install Messenger Plus - http://www.msgpluslive.net/download/

and then the dice roller - http://www.msgpluslive.net/scripts/view/30...ed-Dice-Roller/

Apparently Live Messenger is a linear update/upgrade of MSN messenger - it's largely the same thing, just newer. So your current hotmail address should work fine with - mine did.

As for days/times I was edging towards Sunday after lunch (about 14.00 GMT) largely because it felt like a good time to me: people tend to be more available on sundays, but that works out as errrrrr, 6am for you! =S
But that was just an early idea and we can change it if needs be.

Books/supplements: I've just got the core rulebook atm - I'll have to get my hands on the others and give them a quick once-over.. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/ohplease.gif)

[Kaiser_Bill]

I have no grand ideas as of yet for the campaign...I have about a dozen missions I downloaded the other day. I need to read through them and then I'll probably start with some of those and likely start making my own up as we progress, after I've got a better idea of what people like/what works well with the group.

Pink Mohawk vs. Black Shades? I assume pink mohawk is heavy on the cyberpunk, whereas black shades would be a more corporate espionage style of play?
I was thinking of leaving it fairly open (at least to begin with), and of course ask the players what sort of game they'd like to do. Being as how the PCs will be relatively new to running I'd have thought it would tend to be closer to Pink Mohawk than Black Shades, but I wouldn't like to rule anything out at this stage.

One thing I'm not hugely keen on in Shadowrun is the magic. I've nothing against a PC being a spell-chucker, but if there's none in the group it certainly wouldn't hinder things. From my point of view I plan on using as little magic as possible.

[Shin]

Well, I'm not an expert on the Pink Mohawk v. Black Shades meme, but I have always taken it to speak to the question of in-game consequences. In a Pink Mohawk game, you ride around on your Suzuki Mirage with your White Knight through downtown Seattle shooting it up with the Corp Sec group that's chasing you in a lively chase scene, and then the next week you're hanging at the local stuff shack downtown complaining about soggy fries with your mates. In Black Shades, corp sec didn't follow you downtown because it was out of their jurisdiction, but interjurisdictional cooperation aside, the local Lone Star doesn't put up with joy riding chummers with military machines guns. Consequently they tracked you with drones and vectored street response personnel as available. Even if you manage to escape, an APB will be out in the lawful parts of the city with your SIN and biometrics, VIN of your mirage, etc. and depending on what records exist on you, folks might be coming to have a chat with you. Also, whoever hired you is probably not very happy about your mug on the six o'clock news. Clips of your joy ride have spread virally throughout the local trix VPNs, and people you know start making wise cracks about your escapade. Hanging out downtown is not likely an option for you (modulo disguise, fake sins, etc.). All this, of course, ignoring what the corp that was originally inclined to chase you might be doing.

Black Shades can also refer to the amount (and depth/sophistication) of planning that tends to go on for a run. These two concepts seem to go hand in hand in my mind. When there are real consequences in the game world, planning is more important.

As for times, I was thinking your original 6-10 PM would work well for me on a Sunday (that'd be 2-6/1-5 for me)... 6am.. not so much.

[Demelza]

If you aren't full already, I would also be interested in playing on Saturday/Sundays at your stated time and have a friend who is interested as well.

[Guardikai]

Hi Bill, I have windows live messenger but not the add on I think so I'll download that. I should be able to make the game timeslot at Sunday 2pm or the later one if you like.

A fair warning: I do occassionally have Sunday shifts (about once a month) that end at 7pm but can get back by 7.15 so wouldn't miss too much if the game started at 6. I can give you a few weeks notice whenever this crops up though. If it's too much of a problem I understand ^^

I'll bear your thoughts in mind regarding character generation. I am thinking face/infiltrator with some basic shooting + silent take down melee abilities? Probably using adept. Think that covers a few bases

This post has been edited by Guardikai: Sep 2 2010, 09:21 AM

[Kaiser_Bill]

Ah, icy, thanks for the info, Shin! With that in mind, I would be somewhere between the two: I don't want the PCs to be utterly paranoid and afraid to wipe their arses without a full complement of backup plans, but also there will be consequences of their actions - especially if they've done something really stupid!

My time calculation of 6am was for Toloran (him being Pacific Timezone), but assuming you're in the East, then 2pm here is 9/10am for you. I don't know how your clocks are set up over there, but at the moment in the UK we've got daylight savings so we're currently in British Summer Time which is one hour ahead of GMT - just to make things really confusing! BUT that's going to end soon, and the clocks will go back to GMT...I just looked it up and that's due to happen on the 31st of October.
The reason I wanted to start earlier is that then we've got plenty of time if the session over-runs, and also we're less likely to be interrupted by people needing food (stupid meatsacks!). So if you could start a little earlier than 1/2pm EST that would be great.
----------------------------------------------

Since you mention the amount of planning, I'll quickly give you guys an idea of how I would *like* things to run: Mr Johnson contacts you at the end of a session (assuming mission complete) with details of your next run. The group then spends the following week planning, to include whatever communication is necessary between yourselves and of course with me (eg. for info from contacts, requests for equipment, etc.). The plan should be complete for the beginning of the next session so we can hit the ground running and make best use of our time. That's the plan, anyway...but you know what they say about plans.. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/grinbig.gif)

Demelza: You're more than welcome, as is your friend. Do the pair of you have any ideas for characters yet?


I'm kind of assuming that Toloran's time difference rules him out unfortunately, but that does mean that with Shin, Guardikai, Demelza + friend, we have 4 players to add to my one I already have which equals a group of five, which is great! I'm making a few assumptions there, but hopefully it'll work out.

I think I will lay down the law now and say definitely Sunday afternoon, as early as possible, dependent largely on Shin's availability.

Guardikai: Your Sunday shifts don't sound like they'd be too much of a problem - I'm sure we can work around them, especially with advanced warning.
I like your character ideas so far...FYI my other player is thinking of making a techy dwarf (poss. rigger/driver/mechanic), but he's prone to change his mind on a whim, so that's not set in stone yet!


Well, this is looking like it's panning out nicely so far...if people can confirm their definite interest and availability then we can start swapping e-mail/IM addresses. It'll also be a good idea to make an in-character thread on the forums here as well. Agh, that also means I have lots of reading to do! (IMG:style_emoticons/default/ohplease.gif) lol

[Guardikai]

I'll confirm mine now then. Glad my Sundays aren't a problem. Will pm you further details. Good luck with the reading ^^

Edit: Can't pm, still on new member probation. Shucks... please message me your msn email?

This post has been edited by Guardikai: Sep 2 2010, 01:41 PM

[Toloran]

My time calculation of 6am was for Toloran (him being Pacific Timezone), but assuming you're in the East, then 2pm here is 9/10am for you. I don't know how your clocks are set up over there, but at the moment in the UK we've got daylight savings so we're currently in British Summer Time which is one hour ahead of GMT - just to make things really confusing! BUT that's going to end soon, and the clocks will go back to GMT...I just looked it up and that's due to happen on the 31st of October.
The reason I wanted to start earlier is that then we've got plenty of time if the session over-runs, and also we're less likely to be interrupted by people needing food (stupid meatsacks!). So if you could start a little earlier than 1/2pm EST that would be great.

I'm a morning person so that isn't a huge problem at all.

[Triggvi]

You are in GMT right?

Pacific time zone is GMT-8 hours. 10 am Pacific time would be 6pm GMT.

Eastern time zone is GMT-5 hours. 1pm eastern would be 6pm GMT.

[Shin]

I can't reliably do earlier then Noon (12:00 pm). I have other things I have to do in the morning :/.

[Neurosis]

Is this full/how full is this?

[Demelza]

I know my friend has been wanting to play a technomancer for a while, but can't say how certain that is. Myself, I'd probably be looking at something in the way of a mage. Haven't gotten much farther than that yet.

Can't currently PM on this board to exchange e-mail addresses however, so if you can PM me yours Kaiser, I'll contact you direct over msn.

[Toloran]

Oh, sorry to bail (although It seems I wasn't going to be in the group ANYWAY but still...) but apparently I've managed to scrounge together a group in real life (IMG:style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif)

Thanks anyway.

[FlyDog]

My Sundays are free if there's still a slot open. If there's one left I'd be glad to join.

[Kaiser_Bill]

Thanks, Guardikai - got your PM.

Toloran: I didn't meant to completely rule you out I was just thinking the timings made it not so likely that you'd be able to do it, but I'm glad you found yourself a group IRL - I wish you all the best with that! =]


On the matter of times, I just want to check - is everyone fully aware that I'm based in the UK and all times I have stated are local time? Just want to make doubly sure of that because you may not have picked that out and just assumed we were all in the US...I know Shin and Guardikai know this, but how about everyone else who has expressed an interest?

[Demelza]

Time zone was understood from the start. It's not a problem.