i have to admit that i am fairly recent to shadowrun. my group has always tried different games but usually turns back to dnd.

recently i ran some short missions with a little plot between them and the guys have liked it and want me to run a full campaign. but as i mentioned the group comes from a DND kinda mindset and is not fully into the setting and therefore do not take advantage of the diverse array of abilities and their application in this world "shoot first and ask questions later" is their motto, but they apparently think that everything will just come to them as if by magic.

well the point is i am trying to get them off the dnd train and expand their rpging a bit more, so here goes my idea

the guys created their characters and before starting the game i had them start in their native countries and complete/participate in an individual mission which lead them to their soon to be HQ for the time being. they arrived in central europe, (what used to be liechtenstein) where the language is german. so some of them actually got into character and played their nationalities and of course the languages they chose, so far so good.

they hooked up with this guy heinz ruehman, who will be their fixer so to speak for now, he got them a job transporting a package from vienna austria to hannover germany. i basically envisioned them to get the package, plan their route or transport and get on the way... but they basically procrastinated and are waiting for me to tell them what to do next... which i do not wish to do.

as you can tell they havent gotten far.

on this job i wanted to surprise them, while getting of the plane, train, car or other transport they were going to be surprised by the local law enforcement and *wrongfully* arrested for stealing data from a megacorp, after which they would have to find their way out of this mess and clear their *good* names, which of course could lead to one of many possible outcomes, like them going on a revenge killing spree and trying to kill everybody in the company (which by past experience is very likely to happen) or they could find the real offenders and hand them in.

i am feeling very frustrated with them, because some only made the character but did not read about the setting or are even trying to get into it.

any advice on the campaign idea, how to handle these guys, or just general input, would be greatly appreciated.

I made the leap into Shadowrun during 3rd ed. It's not an easy world to get your head around. Contacs are a great tool for both players and Gm's. If they take too long, the Fixer might call them and ask what's up? If he's irritated that the grop isn't on task, it might motivate them. A new group like this needs a lot of direction. Do they have times and destinations? If so, just say time is passing, what are you guys doing?

A common problem in SR is the protracted planning period. sometimes the group can get really bogged down in planning exactly what they're going to do. This can be no big deal if you don't mind the group spending a couple hours arguing the pro's and cons. but sometimes they seem to be talking in circles, and accomplishing very little.

So, if I understand the situation correctly; the players got a job delivering a package but have so far just sat around and done nothing?

If they really want the action to come to them, might as well give them what they wish for.

Just tossing some thoughts on the matter, but having the fixer call and warn them that the longer the package is 'in route' the more dangerous things will be. And if they still just sit doing nothing- attack them.

That should light a fire under their asses and motivate them to get the package to its intended location. ...maybe.

thanks for the input.

how about the idea of them being falsely accused? you think its any good?

Great idea, being falsely accused. and i bet your gut is right about how they will react.



if you do this I would guess they would look for more ways to not transport anything, not sure why they wouldn't deliver the package though. Since there looking for combat perhaps you can have their fixer Que them in on a Corp, or other running group that plans on taking the package between check and the northern Italian border. perhaps they'll go deliver the goods just to get attacked.

the Law can come in and assume they are the other Team (because all good DND players loot everything). and continue the falsely accused rout

There are a couple posts that have been made on how to get out of the mindset of the D&D, like the Bad GM? thread.

I don't want to recreate my post from there, so this is the direct link to it: Here

Basically, I would say that enforcing the fallout of doing the D&D hack and slash type thing will run into a lot of problems, especially when you start looking more at how security forces can act, the news crews filming and airing their faces and no one will deal with them anymore and their contacts will dry up and flake away to keep from being associated with them. Security will overpower them with superior tactics, equipment, personnel, etc.

Perhaps some examples of professional type runners, whether it be movies, or even just doing a GM-run NPC. Doesn't even have to be exactly by the book, or even having dice rolled. Just some scenes that make the PCs wonder 'How could we do that?' I'm actually working on a social engineering encounter for my team to see so they understand how that could help in SR.

In the end, you may just need to carrot and stick them the way you want them to go if they're not moving. If they aren't going in a location, drop a few rumors, some events happening that way. Sort of like in any D&D game, you make mention of a quest or big bad in this way, the PCs go that way. If not, then have events start happening to come up with reasons to push them that way, or just wing it and go with the PCs in the way they want to go. Problem with that is if they don't do anything.

Bah, just embrace your inner Pink Mohawk and let the chips fall where they shall, you know that you want to.

Rather than framing them you could just have the package be something "hot" and have the police come looking for it. And the mob, and the corps and some random gangers and whoever else you want. Have their houses broken into or torched. Have their contacts roughed up or "disappeared". Turn up the heat until they get the hint and start moving.

Alternately, you could have the fixer call them up, scold them for not having completed the job and demand to meet them. Then when they show up to the meet they find the fixer and his cronies dead and another team waiting to ambush them and steal the package.

For starters I would have the fixer call them and ask where they are, when they respond their still in the city have him be suprised and ask why they havn't got moved. Have him state that while he didn't make it specifically stated the package is time sensitive so they need to get it there in a couple of days or he's not going to pay them. If they bawl have him point out that this should have been pretty much implied. This will be a good motivator to get moving. I would be careful having brand new players transporting something valuable enough that the package itself is hot or targeted, that doesn't make too much sense for very green or unknown runners. Instead I would focus the run about the complications of border travel in the sixth world. For what it's worth I thought your mistaken identity bit was a good one I would throw the following caveats in. For one have the other team steal their package as kind of a crime of opportunity, that will help focus their agression a bit second bit of advice is if they try and pick a head on fight with the local law enforcement, military, whatever have them slaughter some mooks and DND kill on. Have the high threat response roll up, if they do anything other then head for the hills let them roll some dice and kill their characters, this will help break them into the Shadowrun mode.

Now if they get picked up by the cops and play it cool theres a chance you could introduce a street wise detective or somethiung he suspects their runners, he knows their probly up to no good, and he knows the other team probly stole whatever their escorting. Have him point out that maybe there's a bounty on the other teams heads (alive or severely reduced dead) and cut them loose if they play their cards right allowing them to make a little money on the side while trying to get the package back but forcing them to think a little more laterally as they now have to track down another runner team in an unfamiliar city in time to make their deadline.