Recruiting for Online, Google Hangouts Based Game, I've never tried it before, but I want to give it a shot! Options

[_Pax._]

Players will need to have a Google email account to allow access to Hangouts and Docs/Drive.

Actually, a Google+ account seems to be fine for accessing Hangouts, too.

EDIT: everything's installed A-OK, as far as I can see,

Meanwhile, since we're using the 1K KarmaGen version, I have the following characters to choose from and give a final spit-polish to, without having to make anything new:

• (Unnamed) (99%) Human hacker-adept. Has a milspec commlink, and generally mid-to-high teens die pools.
• (Unnamed) (98%) Pixie Magician Adept Druid tradition, Great Mother mentor; Pacifist, primarily a healer. Has mid to very-high teens spellcsting pools, solid drain pools. Doesn't know a single combat spell - but has mind-control covered. Uses Intoxicate and/or Nauseate in place of Stunbolt etc.
• (Unnamed) (99%) Human melee and stealth adept. Ex-ganger kid, still quite young; age ~14. Despite Strength 2, pulls off high-teens unarmed attacks for 5P(cold) damage vs half armor; has low-teens stealth skills.

I've a few other ideas floating around, but haven't actually put pencil to paper on them yet (figuratively speaking). I enjoy making characters for their own sake, though, so if the above niches/roles wind up going to other people, I can deal.

[Sid Nitzerglobin]

Sounds good, I'll get started on adapting and nailing down my CQC/mid range fire support street sam, sniper/infiltrator, and con artist/infiltrator runners using the karmagen system you linked tonight.

One small potential scheduling glitch for me: I've got fast track vSphere training the 22nd through the 26th so I wouldn't be able to make the 25th. I should be good to go from then on.

[Iduno]

I just finished rounding out my rigger/driver character with 750 karma. Enough to be functional in combat, stealth, and coversations (aren't all runners?). Good at mechanical and electronics stuff. The extra 250 points should help smooth out knowledge skills and a few more interesting skills.

New to the shadows, but hopefully useful.


Also, Sid's working on a Saturday. Ouch.

[Raiden]

Haveing internet problems. Will get everything sent when I can. Think im gonna go unarmed adept of death/face or infiltrator.

[Speed Wraith]

Sounds good, I'll get started on adapting and nailing down my CQC/mid range fire support street sam, sniper/infiltrator, and con artist/infiltrator runners using the karmagen system you linked tonight.

One small potential scheduling glitch for me: I've got fast track vSphere training the 22nd through the 26th so I wouldn't be able to make the 25th. I should be good to go from then on.

We're moving along well, so I wanted to start sooner rather than later, but if we have to delay another week, that won't hurt me any. It just gives me extra time to review all the character's histories and stats, and get a jump on getting more writing/planning/outlines done. If folks would like to start anyway, I'll make sure you're not left too far behind. Still plenty of time to figure it out (IMG:style_emoticons/default/wink.gif)

[Raiden]

Oh, one question. how do you feel on magical chars having 1 lvl of initiation at start?

[Sid Nitzerglobin]

We're moving along well, so I wanted to start sooner rather than later, but if we have to delay another week, that won't hurt me any. It just gives me extra time to review all the character's histories and stats, and get a jump on getting more writing/planning/outlines done. If folks would like to start anyway, I'll make sure you're not left too far behind. Still plenty of time to figure it out (IMG:style_emoticons/default/wink.gif)

No worries from my perspective, you guys do what you do (IMG:style_emoticons/default/wink.gif)

I have no problem catching up if you do wind up starting next weekend.

[Sid Nitzerglobin]

Oh I meant to ask if you've got any issues w/ my street sam using the following martial arts styles I wrote up a few weeks ago:

Kendo, Martial Arts Style
Kendo, meaning "Way of The Sword", is a modern Japanese martial art of sword-fighting based on traditional swordsmanship (kenjutsu) which originated with the samurai class of feudal Japan.

While traditionally focused on use of the katana/tachi, nodachi/odachi/nagamaki, and wakizashi/kodachi and their blunt training equivalents, techniques practiced in this style apply to all balanced melee weapons greater than 35cm/14" in length gripped at one end.

Advantages:
"+1 DV on Blade attacks; +1 die on Parry melee Defense Tests; +1 die on Dodge melee Defense Tests; +1 die for Receiving a Charge


Iaido, Martial Arts Style
Iaido is a Japanese martial art associated with the smooth, controlled movements of drawing the sword from its scabbard, striking an opponent, removing blood from the blade, and then replacing the sword in the scabbard. Iaido was first formally established as a separate discipline in the 17th century.

Over its history, the practice of this art has varied widely between theoretical and applied focuses. Most Iaido training of the 20th century consisted of perfecting the kata against an imaginary opponent exclusively. The majority of contemporary schools take a decidedly more practical approach with equal concentration on perfecting cutting technique and drawing/sheathing kata and a much greater emphasis on speed and efficacy of the first strike against an actual opponent.

Due to the extremely specific nature of its kata and techinques, Iaido advantages apply only when wielding katana/tachi and wakizashi/kodachi and their blunt training equivalents.

Advantages:
"+1 DV on Blade attacks; +1 die on Surprise Tests when initiating an attack; Ready Weapon (see p.137, SR4) becomes a Free Action; +1 die on Charging attacks

They're all standard advantages from other styles in Arsenal, just grouped differently w/ different style name and description. Given the way that MA ranks/advantages are purchased, these new styles are really 100% cosmetic/flavor.

If you'd rather not deal w/ them I can go ahead and take the ranks in the 'canon' styles to get the advantages my street sam wants. Just seemed more logical for my Japanese heritage katana wielding runner to have studied Kendo and Iaido than Krav Maga, Ars Cybertechnica, Escrima, and Tae Kwon Do...

[Iduno]

We will use the JMH standard for character creation using karmagen, so 1k karma, 625 attribute cap, metatype cost is equal to BP cost and attributes are 5* for cost.

Wow, that is a lot on attributes. Out of curiousity, I increased my stats until I hit the limit. Soft maxed all stats but one, which is a 4. That includes soft-maxed human edge. Not a problem, just something I found while tinkering.

[Speed Wraith]

Oh, one question. how do you feel on magical chars having 1 lvl of initiation at start?

Technically, you can, however you can't spend the initial karma on it. You can use the five points you're allowed to save from karmagen, plus any bonus karma I provide for decently fleshed out histories to initiate prior to the game start though. I know it really comes from the same place, but that's how I'd prefer to look at it. Also, if you want to start as a member of a magic group, you can use that bonus karma for that as well, but no ordeals which require actual action/dice rolls before the game begins. I don't remember if that leaves any ordeals available off the top of my head, so if not I might just figure out a way to get the mechanics done ahead of the official start.

Oh I meant to ask if you've got any issues w/ my street sam using the following martial arts styles I wrote up a few weeks ago:

Kendo, Martial Arts Style
Kendo, meaning "Way of The Sword", is a modern Japanese martial art of sword-fighting based on traditional swordsmanship (kenjutsu) which originated with the samurai class of feudal Japan.

While traditionally focused on use of the katana/tachi, nodachi/odachi/nagamaki, and wakizashi/kodachi and their blunt training equivalents, techniques practiced in this style apply to all balanced melee weapons greater than 35cm/14" in length gripped at one end.

Advantages:
"+1 DV on Blade attacks; +1 die on Parry melee Defense Tests; +1 die on Dodge melee Defense Tests; +1 die for Receiving a Charge


Iaido, Martial Arts Style
Iaido is a Japanese martial art associated with the smooth, controlled movements of drawing the sword from its scabbard, striking an opponent, removing blood from the blade, and then replacing the sword in the scabbard. Iaido was first formally established as a separate discipline in the 17th century.

Over its history, the practice of this art has varied widely between theoretical and applied focuses. Most Iaido training of the 20th century consisted of perfecting the kata against an imaginary opponent exclusively. The majority of contemporary schools take a decidedly more practical approach with equal concentration on perfecting cutting technique and drawing/sheathing kata and a much greater emphasis on speed and efficacy of the first strike against an actual opponent.

Due to the extremely specific nature of its kata and techinques, Iaido advantages apply only when wielding katana/tachi and wakizashi/kodachi and their blunt training equivalents.

Advantages:
"+1 DV on Blade attacks; +1 die on Surprise Tests when initiating an attack; Ready Weapon (see p.137, SR4) becomes a Free Action; +1 die on Charging attacks

They're all standard advantages from other styles in Arsenal, just grouped differently w/ different style name and description. Given the way that MA ranks/advantages are purchased, these new styles are really 100% cosmetic/flavor.

If you'd rather not deal w/ them I can go ahead and take the ranks in the 'canon' styles to get the advantages my street sam wants. Just seemed more logical for my Japanese heritage katana wielding runner to have studied Kendo and Iaido than Krav Maga, Ars Cybertechnica, Escrima, and Tae Kwon Do...

To be honest, I'm working on a new martial arts style specifically for one of the members of the long-term story arc's opposition anyway. I'll review this a little bit this weekend and give you a solid answer or suggest changes, but just at a glance it doesn't look much different from any of the other styles so I doubt it will be a problem.

Wow, that is a lot on attributes. Out of curiousity, I increased my stats until I hit the limit. Soft maxed all stats but one, which is a 4. That includes soft-maxed human edge. Not a problem, just something I found while tinkering.

I find that humans are generally favored in all the build options, this is something I was a little concerned with. Still not as weird as using the Priority System to make a human magician with a 6 Magic and 8 Edge...

[Raiden]

Ok, Do we have a face? if so, do we have an Infiltrator? I have a couple of adepts that would work for either spot. both melee. if both are covered and the group feels we need more firepower I can just bring my Ex-Swat gunslinger adept into it. works as a part time PI :3

[Sid Nitzerglobin]

Ok, Do we have a face? if so, do we have an Infiltrator? I have a couple of adepts that would work for either spot. both melee. if both are covered and the group feels we need more firepower I can just bring my Ex-Swat gunslinger adept into it. works as a part time PI :3

I think we had a mage/face confirmed.

My dryad con artist/infiltrator can provide overlap on either of those roles if you want to use the gunslinger. My sniper has some techy infiltrator skills and high sneak if you want to go for social skills. My street sam is pretty much entirely specialized in ass kicking at medium to short range aside from a respectable sneak skill.

I wouldn't think it would be too bad for us to have most roles double covered to some extent or another, just as long as we still have all the bases covered, but ???

[Yerameyahu]

I would love to hear about how it goes with G+ Hangouts, strengths, weaknesses, best practices, etc. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif)

[Iduno]

I wouldn't think it would be too bad for us to have most roles double covered to some extent or another, just as long as we still have all the bases covered, but ???

The only tough ones would be rigger and anything else that costs money. 250,000 goes quick if you want a vehicle. Although you can have all of the skills with good stats to back it up for a second (non-gear) skillset pretty easily at 1,000 karma. I'm having a hard time justifying the mass of skills and stats I have. Why is my rigger so buff?

[Raiden]

grab teh born rich quality, +50,000 nuyen is a nice bonus to techies. and I enjoy the 1000karma, it lets me specialize in what I want, and round out other att, instead of having them at the dump levels. though logic is still pretty bad on most my non techie guys XD

[Raiden]

Oh by the way Sid, if he approves those new martial arts, can I steal them for another char for mine? basically a ninja assassin I will prob wind up playing in another campaign. because when my adept martial artist is doing 3-4 more base DV then a katana for the ninja.. something feels off XD

[_Pax._]

Wow, that is a lot on attributes. Out of curiousity, I increased my stats until I hit the limit. Soft maxed all stats but one, which is a 4. That includes soft-maxed human edge. Not a problem, just something I found while tinkering.

Don't forget that KarmaGen includes Edge, Magic, and Resonance in that attribute cap.

[Sid Nitzerglobin]

Oh by the way Sid, if he approves those new martial arts, can I steal them for another char for mine? basically a ninja assassin I will prob wind up playing in another campaign. because when my adept martial artist is doing 3-4 more base DV then a katana for the ninja.. something feels off XD

Sure man, go for it.

I wrote up Jeet Kune Do as well if you're interested (the gun fu adept I mentioned earlier in the thread is, shall we say, inspired by Spike Spiegel (IMG:style_emoticons/default/ninja.gif) ):

Jeet Kune Do, Martial Arts Style
Jeet Kune Do, or "Way of the Intercepting Fist", is a hybrid martial arts system and philosophy founded by martial artist Bruce Lee in the second half of the 20th century using direct, non-classical, and straightforward movements. It is referred to as a "style without style" and trains no specific techniques or forms but rather provides a framework of concepts for effective self defense and self expression. The practice of Jeet Kune Do was described by its creator as the process of casting off what is useless, freeing the practitioner from clinging to styles, patterns, or molds to allow the direct expression of one's feelings with the minimum of movements and energy.

The system focuses on minimizing movement and striking and counterstriking with efficiency, maximum effect, and extreme speed. The system centers around the proposition that the best defense is a good offense; perfecting simultaneous parrying and striking in one motion; and on the use of different 'tools' for different situations. These situations are broken down into ranges (Kicking, Punching, Trapping and Grappling), with techniques flowing smoothly between them. It is up to each practioner to "fill in the blanks" within these ranges as to which specific techniques and stances are most suited to their individual strengths and the tactical dynamics of any given moment of combat. As a result, the majority of Jeet Kun Do training consists of "real combat" or all out sparring as it is only in these environments that a student can effectively judge a technique worthy of adoption.

Advantages:
+1 die on Unarmed Combat attacks (may be taken twice for a cumulative +2 dice); +1 Defense Tests against melee attacks; +1 die on Interception attacks (see p. 151, SR4)

[_Pax._]

grab teh born rich quality, +50,000 nuyen is a nice bonus to techies. and I enjoy the 1000karma, it lets me specialize in what I want, and round out other att, instead of having them at the dump levels. though logic is still pretty bad on most my non techie guys XD

I can find it hard to make a pure rigger, even on 300,000 nuyen. I could easily spend twice that, and still feel like I don't have everything I need, let alone want.

[Raiden]

thats true, Im not very good with all the techie stuff but from looking at it I see so many things to get. let alone the drones that cost 200,000+ T.T

[Raiden]

[*] (Unnamed) (98%) Pixie Magician Adept Druid tradition, Great Mother mentor; Pacifist, primarily a healer. Has mid to very-high teens spellcsting pools, solid drain pools. Doesn't know a single combat spell - but has mind-control covered. Uses Intoxicate and/or Nauseate in place of Stunbolt etc.


lol. normally I would use the spell orgasm but since we may have a 14 year old with us I wouldn't but let me tell you, casting that spell on Mr.Johnson while trying to negotiate with him can turn out to be VERY hilarious.

[Iduno]

Don't forget that KarmaGen includes Edge, Magic, and Resonance in that attribute cap.

Yep. 625 karma is still a lot to throw at stats. I can do well as a mundane with moderately high edge at the 375 with normal 750 point karmagen.

I can find it hard to make a pure rigger, even on 300,000 nuyen. I could easily spend twice that, and still feel like I don't have everything I need, let alone want.

I can blow about 250,000 on either drones or the rigger without realizing how much I spent. Uh...It's ok if the rigger van is actually a used Dodge Scoot, right?

Nah, I was able to get a slightly modified stepvan.

[Sid Nitzerglobin]

I can blow about 250,000 on either drones or the rigger without realizing how much I spent. Uh...It's ok if the rigger van is actually a used Dodge Scoot, right?

LOL, for real.

My quadriplegic hacker/rigger had blown through his 310K (Born rich, In debt for 10K, and a Trust Fund: High to offset the required high lifestyle cost to boot) by the time he had his headware/commlink/hacked programs, wheelchair (a Horseman PMV w/ adv. rigger cocoon, speed mod, a bit of concealed armor, an extra fuel tank, and a small nexus), a couple of Fly Spys and Repeaters, and a pretty pedestrian Ford LEBD I as his only attack drone.

[_Pax._]

Hell, I had one character - not a rigger, even - where I had to revamp a large portion of the concept, because it was too expensive to kit him out with what I wanted his Day Job to be: an owner-operated "roach coach" based on the Nissan Coda from SOTA73. With, as mentioned in the shadowtalk for that vehicle, a rail-based drone "chef". Darned truck turned out to just be too bloody expensive, in and of itself. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/frown.gif)

...

Meanwhile, I think I've settled on playing either my Hacker Adept, or, my young-kid stealth adept (whose street name is now Frost - because his given name is Jack, it makes a great pun, and, yes he has elemental Strike (Cold) among his adept powers).

Because we're likely to have a youngster in our midst, I've elected to forgo trying to bring in one of my (many) Ghoul characters. They'd be just a wee bit too grisly to fit a PG-13 game, IMO.

(Other players: "Why'd you kill those two guards?!? They hadn't seen anyone!" Me: "Grocery shopping." Heh.)

[Raiden]

are we allowed to keep 5 or 10 extra karma from chargen?