Full Version: First Runs
So, I have an upcoming SR game coming up, myself as the GM. I was planning the job I was going to offer them, with room to tweak it once I get presented the characters, when I thought, "I wonder what other people introduce their players with"....so, shoot.
i'm starting a group of newbies tomorrow...not a one has played shadowrun before. i'm going to use the first run series to see how they do. from food fight onwards. not very original, but eh. i have no idea how they'll react. once i do i can create something tailored for them
I tried a few things with my group since it was my first time being GM.
-I gave each one a mini-solo mission so I could figure out their character. This had some success and allowed me to set things up for later sessions. Even if its just having the characters rent an apartment, it helps both player and GM figure out the character. I wouldn't suggest doing this with everyone present since they will be bored. I did it while others in the group were finishing their characters in another room. I think this worked well, and I'll probably do it again in any future games.
-I decided I didn't want to go the typical fixer route that I'd always experienced. Instead I had them go to a runner bar and try to find work that way, getting offered runs based on who they managed to connect with. It was a disaster. I got the complaint I wasn't giving enough structure to the game. Unless one of the players is being the fixer, I'd suggest finding a way to start the game with a fixer unless your players are willing to go out and find trouble on their own.
-Until you really know your players' and characters' abilities, you might want your first run to be less combat-oriented. While sometimes it is pretty obvious if the group is a bunch of combat monsters, my group really didn't have a whole lot of combat skills. My first run with this group was to have them discover where a missing shipment of weapons had turned up. They didn't have to even recover the weapons, just give the information to the right sources. Of course, it was in a bad part of town, and gangers, insane homeless, and devil rats allowed me to test the abilities of the group.
-There are some great sites on Dumpshock and the rest of the web with run ideas if you are coming up short. I find that the advice of elder GMs sometimes is helpeful since they have more experience tailoring runs to the characters.
-I gave each one a mini-solo mission so I could figure out their character. This had some success and allowed me to set things up for later sessions. Even if its just having the characters rent an apartment, it helps both player and GM figure out the character. I wouldn't suggest doing this with everyone present since they will be bored. I did it while others in the group were finishing their characters in another room. I think this worked well, and I'll probably do it again in any future games.
-I decided I didn't want to go the typical fixer route that I'd always experienced. Instead I had them go to a runner bar and try to find work that way, getting offered runs based on who they managed to connect with. It was a disaster. I got the complaint I wasn't giving enough structure to the game. Unless one of the players is being the fixer, I'd suggest finding a way to start the game with a fixer unless your players are willing to go out and find trouble on their own.
-Until you really know your players' and characters' abilities, you might want your first run to be less combat-oriented. While sometimes it is pretty obvious if the group is a bunch of combat monsters, my group really didn't have a whole lot of combat skills. My first run with this group was to have them discover where a missing shipment of weapons had turned up. They didn't have to even recover the weapons, just give the information to the right sources. Of course, it was in a bad part of town, and gangers, insane homeless, and devil rats allowed me to test the abilities of the group.
-There are some great sites on Dumpshock and the rest of the web with run ideas if you are coming up short. I find that the advice of elder GMs sometimes is helpeful since they have more experience tailoring runs to the characters.
My first run was with a group that was already experienced. We ran the silver angel adventure from SR2. It was really simple, a bit of combat and a bit of planning made it a great experience. We got a call from Mr J, went to the meet, negotiated some money, and boom, off we went. it was awesome, simple and done in 4 hours. I think I got clawed up by some cybered razor dogs.
I recommend a simple item steal from a low corp facility. throw in a small contingent of guards, 4-6. Try and really focus on legwork, and stealth. Drive home that killing does not equal experience/karma.
I recommend a simple item steal from a low corp facility. throw in a small contingent of guards, 4-6. Try and really focus on legwork, and stealth. Drive home that killing does not equal experience/karma.
Platinum, I agree with everything you said. I also think that especially if you are playing with new players to Shadowrun, it is good to introduce them to the CLUE files. I've found players who have read CLUE tend to make less CLUE files of their own. Of course this has nothing to do with choosing a first run, but it does help the game last long enough for there to be a second run.
I started each off with a quick intro to get a feel for their characters. The first is a Troll Adept living in the Redmond Barrens. He is a student at a small martial arts dojo, and is an all around nice (but lethal) guy.
The second character is where I found my hook to get rolling. He attended MIT&T and was a member of a fraternity. A rival fraternity set him and several other people up, and they ended up getting expelled for cheating. In revenge he sabotaged a summoning ritual one of his rivals was involved in, but things went horribly wrong and the student died. Having seen a number of trid dramas about Shadowrunners he fled for the shadows of Seattle.
That's where things got complicated. He was met at the airport by a slick looking suit named Algiers who was very upfront about working for Mitsuhama. He bottom lined it for the PC...Mitsuhama had set up the whole thing intentionally, and now basically owned him. If he didn't cooperate they'd simply turn him over to Lonestar. Of course the PC cooperated. And yes, he took the 4 point hunted flaw which is why I did this.
When asked where he wanted to be dropped off the PC chose the Redmond Barrens. Being a totally clueless college student things could have gone badly, but the chromed sam serving as Algier's bodyguard put some lead into a few members of the Rusty Stilletos to warn the gang away from our poor PC. The poor PC, lost and bewildered, ends up finding PC #2...the Troll.
Algiers contacts the PC later that night telling him about his first run. I sent them to a dingy barely used Seattle Museum to find an ancient clay tablet written in a strange language. The tablet was found on Mount Ararat in the 20th century, but was chalked up as a curiosity and never further investigated. Once the PCs found the tablet they were supposed to replace it with a fake given to them by Algiers.
Nice simple milk run, right? Things start off amusing when the players elect to take the BUS to the run. Their getaway vehicle is the equivalent of an Orc sized Vespa with a top speed of about 30mph.
Long story short they bungle things and alarms go off. They knock out the one uncybered security guard and get the job done, but the camera spots them doing it. Unbeknowst to them Algiers sees this as training for his new pet mage (PC #1) and was capturing the matrix feed so no harm done.
All in all it was a lot of fun. One of the PCs had never played Shadowrun, and it was interesting seeing them in action. Both are more used to D&D so rather than the intensive recon and planning I am used to from past groups (like the movie Heat) they just sort of barged in. Great stuff!
Can't wait til things start developing further...
The second character is where I found my hook to get rolling. He attended MIT&T and was a member of a fraternity. A rival fraternity set him and several other people up, and they ended up getting expelled for cheating. In revenge he sabotaged a summoning ritual one of his rivals was involved in, but things went horribly wrong and the student died. Having seen a number of trid dramas about Shadowrunners he fled for the shadows of Seattle.
That's where things got complicated. He was met at the airport by a slick looking suit named Algiers who was very upfront about working for Mitsuhama. He bottom lined it for the PC...Mitsuhama had set up the whole thing intentionally, and now basically owned him. If he didn't cooperate they'd simply turn him over to Lonestar. Of course the PC cooperated. And yes, he took the 4 point hunted flaw which is why I did this.
When asked where he wanted to be dropped off the PC chose the Redmond Barrens. Being a totally clueless college student things could have gone badly, but the chromed sam serving as Algier's bodyguard put some lead into a few members of the Rusty Stilletos to warn the gang away from our poor PC. The poor PC, lost and bewildered, ends up finding PC #2...the Troll.
Algiers contacts the PC later that night telling him about his first run. I sent them to a dingy barely used Seattle Museum to find an ancient clay tablet written in a strange language. The tablet was found on Mount Ararat in the 20th century, but was chalked up as a curiosity and never further investigated. Once the PCs found the tablet they were supposed to replace it with a fake given to them by Algiers.
Nice simple milk run, right? Things start off amusing when the players elect to take the BUS to the run. Their getaway vehicle is the equivalent of an Orc sized Vespa with a top speed of about 30mph.
Long story short they bungle things and alarms go off. They knock out the one uncybered security guard and get the job done, but the camera spots them doing it. Unbeknowst to them Algiers sees this as training for his new pet mage (PC #1) and was capturing the matrix feed so no harm done.
All in all it was a lot of fun. One of the PCs had never played Shadowrun, and it was interesting seeing them in action. Both are more used to D&D so rather than the intensive recon and planning I am used to from past groups (like the movie Heat) they just sort of barged in. Great stuff!
Can't wait til things start developing further...
I often find the same problem. As my players still haven't gotten out of the D&D mindset, they merely get the run and then go there. They stand outside for a while doing "recon" until one of them decides to go in and threaten whoever is at the helpdesk/reception etc.
I had the "advantage" of the first time I played Shadowrun playing with a brual GM who had no problems harming, torturing, or maiming characters. One character suffered magic loss half way through the first run and was dead by the second. My character failed a perception test and ended up in overflow after an invisible enemy stuck a cyberspur through my chest; he would have died except he had DocWagon and we were doing bodyguard work in a hospital. I was a bit more paranoid after that and would do a lot more leg work.
I don't suggest doing this to your players. It can be fun, but it tends to make the game hemorage newer players. However, some consequences for rushing in without a plan may sometimes be prudent.
I don't suggest doing this to your players. It can be fun, but it tends to make the game hemorage newer players. However, some consequences for rushing in without a plan may sometimes be prudent.
| QUOTE (Jerob) |
| I often find the same problem. As my players still haven't gotten out of the D&D mindset, they merely get the run and then go there. They stand outside for a while doing "recon" until one of them decides to go in and threaten whoever is at the helpdesk/reception etc. |
One of the players showed up two or three times to play guest spots in the campaign I ran a few years back so he knows what to expect. The other has read the Shadowrun novels and is a fast learner. The first run was easy...the second will get harder. Also, one of the players from the original campaign will be joining us for the next session so they'll have a veteran to help things along.
I've always found it interesting converting players from other games to Shadowrun. Things that work in Rifts or D&D will get PCs killed here, and I for one prefer that realism.
I guess you might say that I am one of those 'brutal' GMs. I've killed my fair share of PCs, but never without giving them a shot. They always knew what they were getting into...take the Arcology for example. But I also think that players prefer that sort of style. It gives games a dangerous edge and keeps them on the edge of their seats.
One possible way of introducing your new players to Shadowrun is to run of the Shadowrun Missions scenarios. You'll find how some players will take unique angles that may not even be covered in the scenarios. 
| QUOTE (Landicine) |
| I had the "advantage" of the first time I played Shadowrun playing with a brual GM who had no problems harming, torturing, or maiming characters. One character suffered magic loss half way through the first run and was dead by the second. My character failed a perception test and ended up in overflow after an invisible enemy stuck a cyberspur through my chest; he would have died except he had DocWagon and we were doing bodyguard work in a hospital. I was a bit more paranoid after that and would do a lot more leg work. I don't suggest doing this to your players. It can be fun, but it tends to make the game hemorage newer players. However, some consequences for rushing in without a plan may sometimes be prudent. |
I have to opposite problem. I baby my PCs....I pull back....I lower the bar for them. It makes for boring gameplay, but I don't want to slaughter them because then they quit and get frustrated.
Jerob - don't. Just don't.
If your players actually want to play, rather than "Smash troll with +5 Greatsword", they should expect some deaths. Or major injuries.
Make it very clear to them that combat WILL hurt and they WILL die if they don't think things through.
For starters, ALWAYS use the good-old "My sammy is a death machine, but what happens if Ganger X offloads 2 shotgun blasts into him via ambush?" scene. It should rapidly bring up the major differences of DnD Vs Shadowrun. It doesn't mater if said Sammy has a Reaction of 11, TN 6 does suck, no matter who you are.
It should make even the most frenzied of players realise that their best Dikoted-cyber-mage munchkin will go down screaming unless they use a little thought. Sure, there are times where a more frontal approach may prove necessary but the mindset is more like "Ghosts in the night" rather than "Mall Massacre, film at 11"
Oh, and don't forget to make things deeper. If someone actually starts to use their brain and thinks they should "try to minimise evidence", reward them by having their contacts start to warn them about hanging with a bunch of criminals known to the Star.
Or have the others on tape - grainy but sort of identifiable - and the smart player scot-free. Up the TN on finding some items because "Crap! Player X, it's a little hot for you to be here right now. Look, keep away from a week or too, hey? It'll give things time to cool off."
That all being said, Some people just don't get it and start to "lose" contacts, all the while complaining "why me? The others seem to have no problem, my Charisma is 6, what's the deal?"
-Tir.
Pretty ain't smart, dumbass.
If your players actually want to play, rather than "Smash troll with +5 Greatsword", they should expect some deaths. Or major injuries.
Make it very clear to them that combat WILL hurt and they WILL die if they don't think things through.
For starters, ALWAYS use the good-old "My sammy is a death machine, but what happens if Ganger X offloads 2 shotgun blasts into him via ambush?" scene. It should rapidly bring up the major differences of DnD Vs Shadowrun. It doesn't mater if said Sammy has a Reaction of 11, TN 6 does suck, no matter who you are.
It should make even the most frenzied of players realise that their best Dikoted-cyber-mage munchkin will go down screaming unless they use a little thought. Sure, there are times where a more frontal approach may prove necessary but the mindset is more like "Ghosts in the night" rather than "Mall Massacre, film at 11"
Oh, and don't forget to make things deeper. If someone actually starts to use their brain and thinks they should "try to minimise evidence", reward them by having their contacts start to warn them about hanging with a bunch of criminals known to the Star.
Or have the others on tape - grainy but sort of identifiable - and the smart player scot-free. Up the TN on finding some items because "Crap! Player X, it's a little hot for you to be here right now. Look, keep away from a week or too, hey? It'll give things time to cool off."
That all being said, Some people just don't get it and start to "lose" contacts, all the while complaining "why me? The others seem to have no problem, my Charisma is 6, what's the deal?"
-Tir.
Pretty ain't smart, dumbass.
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