Some friends and I thought we'd start a PnP group when we get back to college in a week. I've never played a pnp rpg before but I picked up Shadowrun since it looks like a lot of fun, it isn't tolkien fantasy, and I've played the SNES rpg before.

I was wondering, where do I start putting together a game? We are going to spend the first time making characters and just fighting monsters to learn the rules. What do I do next?

Thanks!

I'll answere this one.


Well go about with your group make up some characters.

then read the rules for different kind of scenario's for example do simple skill checks, do some simple combat and then add a difficult twist, do some basic matrix 2.0 scenes and do some basic rigging.

Take turns with the other guys/gals your playing with the different scenario's and then mash it all together in some mind blowing adventure in seattle of biblical proportions.

if you have any direct questions just ask on the thread, someone will answere you.

learn the rules, then I would suggest sending whoever draws the short straw of GM to the Shadowrun Missions page. DL some of the matierial, READ IT, then play.

If you all are new to PnP, just order a few pizzas and start with some sample characters.

Take it slow, you'll learn as you go along. Also despite some of the strong opinions you'll see on this board there isn't really a right and wrong way to play. If you're group is having fun you're doing it right, if they aren't then you may be doing something wrong or it may just not be your thing.

Since this hit my "Shadowrun Missions" signal, I'm obligated to stop in and comment.

If you go to the Missions site, there are currently a variety of Shadowrun 3rd edition adventures there. (Fourth edition ones will start to be posted in March.)

If you're just getting started with Shadowrun, while the game rules won't be accurate for 4th edition, the first 5 adventures are a pretty good introduction to the Shadowrun world.

SRM00-01 Mission Briefing focuses on "A day in the life" of the Shadowrun world.
SRM00-02 Demolition run focuses on how to do a basic Shadowrun.
SRM00-03 FORCEd RECON focuses on stealth, and how to do things without drawing attention to yourselves.
SRM00-04 Fork in Fates Path focuses on making choices.
SRM00-05 A Dark and Stormy Night focuses on what to do when the run goes wrong.

Once you've read (and possibly played) through those, putting together scenarios should be fairly straightforward.

If you're looking to buy a product, while it's an SR3 book, Mr. Johnson's Little Black Book is a great resource. The first chapter is all about how to GM a run. It goes into great detail on all of the little things that a veteran GM often does intuitively.

You've also found a great resource on Dumpshock. If you have specific rules questions, folks will generally be more than willing to help out with them. (Though, you won't necessarily ever find two people who give you the same answer )

Hi thought this would be as good of a place as any for a first post to the dumpshock forums.

I have been GM'ing / playing since the first edition. Let me just say that while all this advice is great, but what makes a truly enjoyable game is the story.

Having at least an idea of a story as you play a few missions - then flesh it out as you feel more comfortable - could take you deep into the hobby that we have all grown to love.

If you have read Gibson (father of cyberpunk) or even the Shadowrun novels ideas will come flooding to you.

also, go over the the GM registry section of the forums and check for other players/gm's in your area, you might be able to get into a game thats already going or get an experienced GM to run for you guys. and get on my Frappr map so others can find you

If you can wait a few weeks there is On The Run. Here is the official blurb:

This introductory adventure for Shadowrun, Fourth Edition sends the players in pursuit of an archaic media chip with priceless contents, mixing them up with a media legend’s ancient history. This adventure is seeded with helpful advice to immediately acquaint new gamemasters with running Shadowrun and also includes a number of tips that veteran gamemasters will find useful. It is also intentionally designed to familiarize gamemasters and players with various key aspects of the Shadowrun universe. On the Run is perfect as a stand-alone adventure, but it is also the first in a continuing series of adventures.

Thanks for the replys!

I've started to read the book but I think it's going to take multiple readings for me to remember things. Everyone in the group (five of us) has a copy of the book. Only oneo f us have ever played a pnp game and that was Rifts but when I looked at the Rifts book at B&N, it looked like there were a lot more "rules" than Shadowrun.

Are the novels sold at stores like B&N? The only fantasy/scifi I've read are the Ender's Game and the LoRT/Hobbit. I play Warhammer 40k and the shop we buy the stuff at doesn't sell rpgs.

When I first started playing rpg´s (I was 7 years old, but the advise is still good), I couldn´t read that well, so I never really read the rules at all. I just decided to roll a 6 sided die and that you succeeded if it was 3 or lower. Then we started playing, using the professions in the book as characters, and the list of professional skills as a guideline to what each character knew.

My point is, don´t sweat it if you can´t remember everything in the rules right away. Just try to let loose your imagination like you were a kid again, and do whatever you feel like. You can put however much emphasis on rules you want off course, just don´t get nervous about not getting it right. And when it comes to the story element. Just use ready made scenarios, or adapt some movie you saw. The best way to learn how to GM though, is to show the material a complete lack of respect and make use of the fact that you can make ANYTHING happen in your game. Just improvise, and follow only one rule; everyone is supposed to have fun.

the thing is, with most stores, they list the books by author. Star Wars and D&D might get their own sections; SR usually doesn't. but you can find a list of the novels on the SR site and work from there.

A classic first run for new players is the thoroughly enjoyable Food Fight! It is the first adventure in the third edition book First Run. Basic story is that the team of runners happen to be shopping in a store at the same time as a punk street gang is planning a robbery. All hell breaks loose as soon as the first shots are taken and the various foodstuffs explode left and right. This is a very simple mission that is great for learning the combat rules. And it doesn't take itself too seriously so it is a fun adventure to run while you are still stumbling over the rules.
I've run this adventure for both a tabletop group and (more importantly for your benefit) a group on this forum. You can read the entire run, including all the rolling that was involved, in the Welcome to the Shadows section:
The IC thread has all of the in-character conversations and descriptions of events.
While the OOC thread has all of the out-of-character conversations and the rolling.
If you wanted to run this adventure, just send me a PM or post here and I can give you the stats for the NPC's converted over to SR4 along with a map of the Stuffer Shack.

maybe they should relase that original one as a SR4 pdf on the site?

That would be sweet. I don´t have any version of it.