So.... I know that this could devolve into something bad but I'm hoping for some good advice.

Anyways, to my point I am going to be starting a SR game soon and I discovered my roommate has the SR 3 books and I own the SR 4 books. Anyways I glanced over his books before I had to leave town for work and I was hoping I could get some opinions on what is good/bad about BOTH systems, even though I've run a bit of fourth edition. I will be more than likely be using some sort of wireless matrix in 3rd Edition if I end up running that.

Thanks.

4th has somewhat less complex rules. This is both good and bad. Makes everything faster, but removes some characters. So that, in short, is the divide.

My personnal opinion, having "grown up" on 3rd and now playing 4th, is that 4th is better.

i say play what you already know. if youve run sr4 then you dont have much reason to go back to sr3. unless you just want to see how it runs in comparison.

Just have whoever GM's pick the edition. Easier for them to maintain the rules then have them pick it up from the players.

I'd say 3rd edition is preferable to 4th, depending on how much experience you have with different rpgs. If you guys can easily jump to new rules, then go with SR3, Its a very in depth system. Otherwise cop out and go with 4th.

HERE is a thread from about a week ago on this topic. Cheers.

Fourth Edition is quicker to learn, and has a few changes and rules mechanics that I like (along with some I don't).

Third Edition has a steeper learning curve, but is more detailed. It has been around for awhile, so there are lots of tweaks and house rules out there to smooth out its rough patches. However, that only adds to the learning curve.

Fourth Edition is like a brand new car, while Third Edition is like a used car that a mechanic has taken home and lovingly tweaked and customized. So do you want to be a gearhead, or do you just want something you can drive off the lot?

4th is better just because it is easier to learn and uses a single game mechanic for everything.
3rd had too much stuff bolted on towards the end.
Never like the whole security/building rigger on rigger combat like a decker/hacker isn't doing the same thing.
And cyberware is way cheaper like it ought to be. Helps balance the whole mundane/awaken dynamic.


And you can always run a 2050 campaign using 4th and leave out some of the more difficult elements from 2070 (advance nanoware, bio drones, technomancers, wireless hacking, and the like)

I've played both. SR4 is much easier to learn, but a little simplistic, and breaks down at higher levels. Its flavor is very modern.

SR3 is like four games in one. None of them are terribly complex (although just the basic mechanic is a little more complex - and tweakable - than SR4's), but by virtue of having four different 'worlds', it takes longer to learn. Some players like having magic work distinctly different from shooting a gun or decking, some don't. Once you get the hang of it though, it does add to the overall atmosphere. SR3 has more of an 80s/90s punk flavor to it than SR4.

As an aside, there is nothing requiring you add the additional books for SR3. I've been running a game using only the main book for two or three years now, and no one has complained (although we did add watchers when we had no shamans). The other books add more options, but also more rules.

So in short, my recommendation is use the most complex system you're able to comfortably handle. SR4 dropped complexity, but also limited itself significantly, making it a smaller (and often far less realistic) playbox.

Are you leaning one way or the other? Are the players experienced with either system? How fast do you have to be ready?
I'm by no means an edition whore but I've been very pleased with 4th, if your looking to simplify things,add wireless matrix and advance the tech level/timeline make the change.

I'm leaning towards 3rd. but I want to actually get a chance to read through the core book and a couple of the gear books before I make a decision. As for my players well my roommate has been pushing 3rd and I agree if the skill levels are not as coarse as they are in 4th (maybe a little more like West End Games d6 system or something similar). To be honest I don't think I have to be ready very soon especially given the track record over the summer that I've had. So something like 2-3 weeks at a bare minimum.... realistically a bit more. But I want to have some idea about SR 3 at the very least.

BTW thanks for the link its proving to be very handy, and handier when I get home and can actually start reading more SR3 than Corporate Download

Trust you and the roommates feeling and go with 3rd. I prefer it. There's not going to be some new book that makes your PC obsolete.

I've been playing SR3 for more than 7 Years and SR4 for about 3 (or is it 4 ? ) Years now.
I'd strongly suggest the new SR4 Rules,they're easyer to learn,streamlined,faster ,also easier for the GM to make up in an Instant.
SR3 had some very stupid rules and we had to make up so many Houserules that it wasn't Fun anymore.
SR4 has its bad Rules too, but nowhere as many as SR3

with a new & streamlined Dance
Medicienman

For me the decision comes down to what sort of gameplay you prefer.

If you prefer simple, streamlined rules with little leeway for adjusting difficulties and all types of characters are basically the same stat-wise, then SR4 is your game.
If you prefer more complicated rules with room to adjust difficulties in three drastically different ways (number of dice, target number, and hits required) and in which each general type of character has their own subgame available to them, then SR3 is your game. SR3 also allowed players more uniqueness in their characters by design. A character with Agility 1 and Firearms 5 was completely different in battle than a character with Agility 5 and Firearms 1, and they were both completely different from a guy with Agility 3 and Firearms 3. And it was great that they were.

Those are the key differences between the editions for me. SR3 was a lot more fun because if you got bored with, say, playing a Rigger you could go play a Mage or a Street Sam and find yourself playing a whole other game within the game. It kept things interesting, though it was tougher to remember all the rules and keep them straight. Likewise, as a GM, I preferred it for the control I had in determining the difficulty of an action. If I just to make something a little harder, I'd apply a penalty to the dice pool. If I wanted it moderately harder, I'd adjust the target number. If I really wanted it hard, I'd do one or both of those and require a certain number of hits (to use SR4's parlance). It was a lot more dynamic. SR4 is really, really bland in comparison, but that's not a bad thing in and of itself.

That said, pick whichever one sounds the best to you and go for it. They both have their major flaws (TNs like 6 and 7 being identical in SR3, Attribtes and Skills being all but identical in SR4). SR4 is far more accessible to new players, but SR3 has far more options and charm to it.

Given you have the luxury of time, and the luxury of already owning the SR4 books (which I assume you've read and are familiar with), I'd recommend you go with SR3. You don't know how much longer you'll have those SR3 books available, and it'll give you the opportunity to sample both games and decide for yourself which is more your style. This has nothing to do with which book is better, just the simple premise of 'try what you haven't tried when you have the opportunity'.

Worst case, you'll know you did well to invest in SR4.

How detailed do you like your game rules? Thats the question you have to answer. SR3 also has wireless rules in the Matrix book.

I ran 2nd edition until 4th came out so I'd have to say 4th, if only for the fact that deckers are actually viable PCs now.

Again, I never played or ran 3rd so maybe deckers worked in that edition.