So, anyone converted any of the old adventures to SR4 yet?
Converting characters is reasonably easy, with just using the character conversion rules on the main website, but how about other stuff?
My first thought would be Target Numbers. From what I've seen so far I would probably do the following:
TN 4 or less = Threshhold 1
TN 5, 6 or 7 = Threshhold 2
TN 8 or 9 = Threshhold 3
TN 10+ = Threshhold 4
Of course, that is assuming you follow the rule of maximum threshhold is 4. If you want to go over that you just bump the threshhold by one for ever two target number (three if that two includes a number evenly divisable by 6.)
Anyone else have thoughts?
The reason I'm asking is that I'm about to start a game using the SR4 rules, but starting in 2060 (without the wireless, of course) so I can run them through the chaos. I'm also intending to run them through Brainscan and Survival of the Fittest in the lead up to System Failure.
I'm probably also going to throw a few other adventures in there as well as well as the stuff I make up on my own.
Full Version: Converting SR3 (and earlier) adventures to SR4?
I know that one person converted Food Fight over to SR4, but I have not heard of any other adventures being adapted.
Looking at your TN--> Threshold conversions, I'd say that it looks pretty good. The one thing I would warn you about is that SR4 characters out of the box are much lower powered than SR3 characters out of the box.
With the emphasis on returning to a street level game, many of the characters that I have created for SR4 are just getting started in the Shadows, whereas the presumption for SR3 was that each runner was a professional that had already survived his first several missions.
If you want to create characters who are on par with beginning SR3 characters, I'd recommend doing the standard 400 pt build and adding 30-50 karma depending on how crunchy a build you want.
Looking at your TN--> Threshold conversions, I'd say that it looks pretty good. The one thing I would warn you about is that SR4 characters out of the box are much lower powered than SR3 characters out of the box.
With the emphasis on returning to a street level game, many of the characters that I have created for SR4 are just getting started in the Shadows, whereas the presumption for SR3 was that each runner was a professional that had already survived his first several missions.
If you want to create characters who are on par with beginning SR3 characters, I'd recommend doing the standard 400 pt build and adding 30-50 karma depending on how crunchy a build you want.
Your biggest and possibly only problem for conversion, is going to be Matrix 1 to Matrix 2!
Everything else is, relatively speaking, a lot easier.
I speak from experience.
Everything else is, relatively speaking, a lot easier.
I speak from experience.
Don't worry about character power level. An SR4 character made to be powerful can compete with almost any SR3 character except the ones that took the million 
. That threshold conversion looks fine. I've looked at converting a few but never actually done it yet. For the most part it looks like it would be fairly simple.
. That threshold conversion looks fine. I've looked at converting a few but never actually done it yet. For the most part it looks like it would be fairly simple.
Oh, Brainscan... by far my favourite published adventure (set) to date. I don't know about everyone else, but the Shutdown Arcology was my favourite campaign setting.
BTW HalloranElder if you are going to be running in that time make sure you have the Year of the Comet book, and the Wake of the Comet adventures. They would occur between Brainscan and Survival of the Fittest in the timeline. Besides them being cool in their own right they have tie ins to Survival of the Fittest (Ghostwalker is a major character in that, he is introduced in YotC), and System Failure (the beginnings of Winternights plans are seen in Wake of the Comet).
BTW HalloranElder if you are going to be running in that time make sure you have the Year of the Comet book, and the Wake of the Comet adventures. They would occur between Brainscan and Survival of the Fittest in the timeline. Besides them being cool in their own right they have tie ins to Survival of the Fittest (Ghostwalker is a major character in that, he is introduced in YotC), and System Failure (the beginnings of Winternights plans are seen in Wake of the Comet).
ive got a few old modules ive been meaning to convert to 4th. 2nd ed stuff, pretty old for the most part. dont ya just love used book stores?
only problem i see with the TN/threshold conversion, is that skill 1 could hit any TN, but you need a minimum dicepool for a threshold. so an unskilled attribute of 4 or less isnt going to be able to do some things offhand. not a big problem, but its sure to come up at least once.
YOTC is an interesting book. i would also recomend threats 2, if you want to cover anything in california, or the various other problems going on around the world. the thing with changelings is primarily going to affect NPCs. if you inflict it on the players, expect to be lynched. and be very carefull of any players asking to be a changeling. the only SURGE i would recommend allowing to players is goblinization. you can make them pay off the cost with karma, like buying a quality.
only problem i see with the TN/threshold conversion, is that skill 1 could hit any TN, but you need a minimum dicepool for a threshold. so an unskilled attribute of 4 or less isnt going to be able to do some things offhand. not a big problem, but its sure to come up at least once.
YOTC is an interesting book. i would also recomend threats 2, if you want to cover anything in california, or the various other problems going on around the world. the thing with changelings is primarily going to affect NPCs. if you inflict it on the players, expect to be lynched. and be very carefull of any players asking to be a changeling. the only SURGE i would recommend allowing to players is goblinization. you can make them pay off the cost with karma, like buying a quality.
Some of us think low skills not being able to hit high thresholds is a good thing. 
Well, how much absolute, utterly precise conversion from SR3 to SR4 do you need?
I mean, it's the plot that matters, right? Not the numbers. Are there any places where you can't just fill in approximately equivalent SR4 NPCs, info gathering rolls, and the like?
I mean, it's the plot that matters, right? Not the numbers. Are there any places where you can't just fill in approximately equivalent SR4 NPCs, info gathering rolls, and the like?
| QUOTE (mdynna) |
| BTW HalloranElder if you are going to be running in that time make sure you have the Year of the Comet book, and the Wake of the Comet adventures. They would occur between Brainscan and Survival of the Fittest in the timeline. Besides them being cool in their own right they have tie ins to Survival of the Fittest (Ghostwalker is a major character in that, he is introduced in YotC), and System Failure (the beginnings of Winternights plans are seen in Wake of the Comet). |
Year of the Comet - Got
Wake of the Comet - Got
| QUOTE (Teulisch) |
| YOTC is an interesting book. i would also recomend threats 2, if you want to cover anything in california, or the various other problems going on around the world. the thing with changelings is primarily going to affect NPCs. if you inflict it on the players, expect to be lynched. and be very carefull of any players asking to be a changeling. the only SURGE i would recommend allowing to players is goblinization. you can make them pay off the cost with karma, like buying a quality. |
Threats 2 - Got
As for...
| QUOTE (Teulisch) |
| only problem i see with the TN/threshold conversion, is that skill 1 could hit any TN, but you need a minimum dicepool for a threshold. so an unskilled attribute of 4 or less isnt going to be able to do some things offhand. not a big problem, but its sure to come up at least once. |
I don't really have a problem with that. The guy with the pistols of one hitting the guy at extra-super-duper long range in a snowstorm while he's on top a rapidly moving Ford Americar driven by a drunk troll with a death wish, doesn't seem all that plausable to me, so I have no problem with it being "lost".
| QUOTE (Cray74) |
| Well, how much absolute, utterly precise conversion from SR3 to SR4 do you need? |
Need? None. Want? Well, that's a loaded question...
| QUOTE (Cray74) |
| I mean, it's the plot that matters, right? Not the numbers. Are there any places where you can't just fill in approximately equivalent SR4 NPCs, info gathering rolls, and the like? |
True. However while I do tend to make most stuff up as I go, I panic if I don't have everything written down on paper, even if the stuff I write down never gets used as the players go off in a completely different direction.
| QUOTE |
| True. However while I do tend to make most stuff up as I go, I panic if I don't have everything written down on paper, even if the stuff I write down never gets used as the players go off in a completely different direction. |
Fair 'nuff. Just to keep things easy on yourself, you might just roughly convert everything you want written down for the SR4 game. "Looks about the same" or "should give the PCs about the same challenge as the original suggested" are fine conversion goals.
As for players going off-plot, there's a trick to that. Rather than firmly fix events to given dates and locations, leave them in a "pool." You can draw on events in the pool whenever the PCs stagger into a situation roughly suitable for a given event.
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