I'm a fairly veteran Shadowrun game master, having run it since 2nd edition with various groups. with my current group (in our first 4th edition game) i'm having trouble getting my players to memorize some basic rules. they're all experienced players from various game systems, though two are completely new to SR. all of them own or have access to the BBB.

let it be known that they are very good players who like to contribute, roleplay very well, rarely metagame or powergame, and are interested in the game world. but...

first, most of them have no idea how to use their commlinks (or how their commlinks work). i've explained it a number of times. luckily the team's hacker is an npc. usually all they use their comms for is text messaging each other, which they treat pretty much as a magic function with no regards to needing trodes, datajack, skinlink, etc. this also has been explained a few times.

second, a few of them haven't really delved into the basic rules for their character concepts, though i forgive the mage because she doesn't own the BBB. However, last night the rigger asked what a control rig was. and mostly her vehicle use plans involve not using her vehicles to do anythng but taxi around the team. i honestly think she'd do more if she'd learn her true capabilities. each time i explain to her that she can do A,B, or C, she's surprised. that's the worst example, but it exists in each player to some degree. like the ork shitkicker who is surprised he has X,Y, and Z penalty to his current action even though he just preformed several distracting (or damaging) things to get to where he currently is, or the mage asking about how her spells and drain work. (again, forgiven for lack of the BBB)

to reiterate, they're a great group. but in some respects they are a bit lazy.

does anyone else have problems like this? any suggestions?

I was thinking of putting them on a homework program, making them all study a certain rule point at home during the week between games. i tried this once before, and it didn't work. maybe if i give them karmic incentive? i.e. if you learn the gameworld wireless rules and demonstrate your knowledge, you get a one time 1 karma bonus?

any thoughts out there in trid land?

Mmm, I'd advise against karama insentives for them learning things they should really already know.

For someone like the rigger it is really one of those things that it is in the player's intrest to learn these things. I mean if the rigger is nothing but a shuttle service, he's really missing out on what he can do, and if he wants to do better he needs to learn it.

Similar things with the sami, needs to learn what is and isn't good for being able to hit things so that he can plan better.

Of course the rigger one is a good deal eaiser, make an NPC rigger to go up against the group, show your groups rigger what can really be accomplished. Should get him more interested in learning what all he can actually do.

The mage should be fairly easy to deal with as well. Simply let her borrow your book for a week or so and ask her to read the magic section. Only takes a few pages a day to get through it between sessions.

Hope this helps you out some.

Have NPC do cool stuff and demo what can be done in a non team killing way. Try to go for that "Hey, can I do that ?" response from the players.

Regarding commlinks: of course they can "magically" textmessage other people. Cellphones today can, why shouldn't they? Also, commlinks are fitted with non-DNI input options (touchscreen, real or AR keyboard, etc), I don't think your players are misrepresenting them. They're clearly underestimating them, though.

...been the opposite side of this coin as well.

A couple years ago I had a GM who said he really needed a decker for this campaign (3rd ed) he was starting as it involved a a lot of matrix stuff. So me, (who actually had a good grasp on matrix actions, Cyberdecks, & the such) volunteered to fill the role. He even allowed me to have the character enter play with a custom deck using the design/construction rules in Matrix. Well after several days' worth of my free time I finally had the character ready & looked forward to stompin' some sculpted digital butt.

She was not only a hotshot in the matrix, but fairly capable in combat and other support operations like B&E & EW (No this was not Violet (#66 - get your kicks on Route 66...)). So the campaign begins and soon, much to my dismay, I find almost all of the matrix actions are relegated to a simple hit/miss roll or even literal handwaves. Few of the programmes ever came into play and most of the deck's attributes seemed meaningless.

I could have just as well had a Sammy with a stock Sony CT360.

are you sure they actually want to play SR4?

never said anything about 4 .. we're firmly based in 3 *g*

I have a little bit of the commlink in my games, but I have recently been giving everyone a +2 to +4 bonus when they are using skills if they are in AR. That seems to get the mage and sammy wanting to use their commlinks more as well as actually train up some computer skills...

And I did have a rigger a while back that didn't know what all she could do. But little by little, she started using some drones and getting a little more out of her character.

I would just say that some of this takes time for players, regardless of their experience level. And honestly, if everyone wants to just run around stealthy and fire guns...I'm gonna let them!

i meant the original poster. it doesn't sound like his players like the rules all that much. if they did, i'd think they'd show more interest in them.

ah, thought you were talking to me . . but WE really don't want to play SR4 *g*
we use the SR4 corebook as a STR-1 Club so the SR3 books live longer ^^

Don't be afraid to lay out their options for them, occasionally. If you think they're neglecting a better strategy because they don't know about it, tell them about it. It's not cheating, it's not telling them what to do, it's simply teaching them about the game world and about how you, as a GM, view the game world. And you'll never have to point that tactic out to them again. Lay out their options for a few runs until they're aware of all the better approaches they could be using, and the problem will fix itself.

I recently did this with a whole group that was new to SR4, and most of the group was new to SR. After the first half-dozen sessions I rarely had to fill in options and we all have a good understanding of how we all think the game should be played.

Also, cheat sheets help. edit: like these

I can relate to underutilized commlinks - I saw this in my game too. However, IRL, my phone can browse the internet (never used), take still pictures (never used) record audio & video (never used), play music (never used), has a calendar/day planner (never used), play games (never used), change ring tones/display including purchasing some (never used), send text messages (rarely used), and make phone calls (commonly used). I don't think it's hard to imagine that many people in 2070 are underutilizing their commlinks.

Sometimes people don't enjoy doing numbers. My wife is like that. She's a great player, she does neat stuff in combat. She was great at exalted because she always stunted a ton (although she didn't mind using less effective methods - like a string of sausages - as appropriate for her character and the setting). She loves the setting of Shadowrun, but can't stand the rules and doesn't like numbers. Since I run SR3, she says what she wants to do, I divvy up her pools appropriately and she just rolls the dice (if she wants). She has fun, I don't stress out.

Maybe it's the same with your group. If they don't want to know if they should use edge here or not, don't make them learn it. Apply it when you think it's appropriate. If they don't want to know the list of canon maneuvers, don't foist it on them. Let them say what they're doing. If there's a maneuver if the book to match it, use it. If not, make it up. In regards to the commlink, since that's a roleplaying thing, just write out what all it can do as a note they can refer to and stop worrying about it. They don't expect you to memorize each of their characters' edges and flaws, they write it down for you, so don't be surprised when the reverse is true now and again.

That they don't care about the mechanics is only a problem if you as the GM enjoy playing with players who number crunch. If you don't want that, let it go. Just roll the dice yourself as appropriate and most of all, keep the story rolling.

good responses all. let me clear a few things up.

@Karaden and DireRadiant.

good ideas. the npc route may be the best way to go.

@ Eurotroll and Karaden

Hmm, well if they are using their commlinks to send stuff in combat without appropriate equipment then that is a problem. But really all they need to do that sort of stuff is a subvocal microphone and some earplug style headphones and they have a communication device, null sweat.

If they are spesificly sending text messages, then they're going to need some form of display link, unless they want to be holding their commlink and looking at the screen the entier battle. As for sending a text message, I'm sure you could use a subvocal mic for a speech to text sort of thing.

If they don't have these things, I'd force them to use simple actions each combat turn or possably each IP to keep the information moving, along with the danger of an enemy targeting their precious commlink with Machine Gun fire.

So, the NPCs can help them learn to do things they don't know how, and giving them insentives in the form of no penelties will make them learn to use their equipment (commlinks) properly. Also, make sure that they actually understand the rules, because some of them (The matrix and commlinks in particular) can be absurdly confusing, and often leave things up to the GMs interpritation.

Oh, and if you really want to hit them hard, give them a blatently wrong and overdifficult test, like having to resist 20 points of drain, or taking a 15 dice pool penelty to one of their shots. If they call you on it, good, they at least know something, if not, explain it to them, tell them you just lied and point out how if they knew the rules, they'd be assured of getting the correct modifiers and such.

I think the rules are just very complex to just pick up and run with. If you see them doing things wrong just stop and demo how it should work.

Being able to think, write, speak and needing different equipment to do each one is confusing and stupid. Trodes are freaking stupid and cumbersome, if you would get to implant them then you would not have to mess with stupid ass AR gloves and shit or actual keyboards/holo keyboards, or subvocal mics which have to be stuck on.

Imlpants are fine, great even, if you are NOT a runner. It's kind of hard to throw away your implanted commlink after a mission gone bad.

I second the notion of cheat sheets. You know which rules you expect them to know. You also can suggest solutions they keep ignoring, although I´d avoid the apperance of railroading like the plague.

So write it up, it will take less time than making them learn by the book if they don´t care.

Section 1: Comlink use
Bits on comlink modes, bits on essential programs (In your opinion). Teach proper behaviour by exploiting weaknesses they show. All my players own encryption now...

Section 2: Rigging
A list of drone/rigger dicepools for certain actions will help. Have her acquire drones by chance. Tell her of marketing blimps or LS patrol drones when describing.

Section 3: Magic
Maybe you could copy a few pages from the book? Spellcasting process, assensing table, conjuration process, spirits from the critter section? Directly ask her if she wants to assense someone if it is appropiate. Ask her if she wants to do astral recon.

I would suggest getting Veggiesama's and Aaron Pavao's aids. These will really help as far as rule mechanics go. The other thing you might want to do, if you have enough books for everyone to read, is use the next session as a reading session. Having everyone understand the rules and the gaming world ensures everyone can contribute to the game and means more enjoyment for everyone involved. If they refuse, that is why the make the BBB hardcover. If you have it on PDF, I am hoping you have a Panasonic Toughbox laptop.

I don't see this being a problem with knowing the rules as such. Most of the players in our group haven' managed to eat the book like I have but we get along fine.

As long as the players know the setting and what is/isn't possible and what they're characters are capable of there shouldn't be any issues as the GM is usually fully aware of the rules and can point them in the right direction.

However if the characters are not able to work out what their character is capable of then something obviously went wrong during character creation......

I'm one of the OP's players, so I figure I should pipe up on this.

We've talked about this problem for the most part, and everything is cool and all.

For me, honestly, I just have a hard time memorizing rules. I could read them a million times, and still forget. So for my part (I play the medic), I think I'm going to write up a few 3.5 index cards with the healing/first aid rules and stuff, and just keep them with my character sheet. It should save time flipping through the book, or asking the GM stuff while he's busy with other players.

I love the game, love the setting, and I'm trying my best to retain the rules in my noggin. It's just difficult sometimes.

kinda doing the same here . .
on most of my char-sheets (NSRCG3 is my bitch ^^) there's all rules i think i'll ever need for this character on the back of the sheet-pages . . and if there's enough room sometimes on the front too *g*

When the player doesn't know the rule, you can always hand over the book and ask them to look it up while you deal with another player. There's also always player downtime while something else is going on, I always leave the main rule book out for people to peruse. ( I bring a laptop and keep the pdf open, and give the book out to the players.)

When I ask the player what gear they have and what it can do, if they don't know, I hand them book and have them look it for me while I deal with another player.

The advantage of having players look it up, they often find neat bits in the description which prompts their imaginations.

Of course, if it's dramatic moment, you just pick an appropriate set of dice to roll and go with it to keep it fun. Then hand them a book and say look it for next time.

I've not encountered this in my own games, as my players have always been big into reading the rules and get the most out of any system.

Its not as bad if it was just one player, because then the other players help out with the rules they know...but it sounds like this is a case of all the players having trouble remembering the rules...I feel sorry for the GM, cause that would suck!

I began playing Shadowrun having only read the fluff from SR3; See How They Run, So It Came To Pass and such. I grabbed an archetype and we got going.

It's best to start off slow and basic with them, even if they're experienced role-players. And really, don't be afraid to run through their options. If a player just stands in the middle of the hallway firing bursts at his armoured enemy, the Samurai he's playing should know to take cover in a doorway and maybe call some headshots. He's a samurai. The same goes for a mage, or a decker. There should be some assumed knowledge, and for an unfamiliar group, it's ok to fudge this and let them have an assumed level of knowledge, even if it's not exactly right.

And without a knowledge of the game in practical terms, the rules will go in one ear and out the other. I learned most of the rules by playing. "roll initiative" "what's initiative?" "it's who moves how fast in combat, it's your reaction plus initiative dice." "what's reaction?" "the average of your intelligence and quickness" "oh, cool." I know that if I had have read the combat chapter (this is sr3 obviously) I wouldn't have asked any less questions.

And whatever you do, don't forget to hand out the 3 foot tall pink mohawks.