Hi all, i'm a new shadow runner (really, i'm totally new) and after playing the xbox shadowrun game was informed about the tabletop rpg which i obviously think sounds rather fun. I have played D&D before (although a very long time ago) so i have so vague knowledge of how to play tabletops, but have began reading the 4th edition core book, only to get increasingly frustrated with every page i read. After much trying and trying with both the 4th edition core book and the 4th edition quick start book i cant get my head around this.

I have enlisted my brother (who has no tabletop experience) to help me but he also cant figure it out (he is also interested in playing).

I was rather hoping that someone reading this post would take pity on idiot like myself and perhaps run me through the game and how it works, maybe even let us join an online gaming party and hold our hands as we throw ourselves into the rabbit hole.

Thanks in advance.

Do have any specific questions, for starters? Is the problem tabletop or Shadowrun? Is it the setting or the mechanic?

This is a rather broad request.
Maybe if you ask us specific questions about things you don't understand we could help you better O.o
For example: why is x like that?
or rather: how do i do x?
Maybe with an additional situation y thrown in there for good measure . .

Welcome aboard, don't take us all too seriously.

Thanks, well in general its everything, we have no understanding of the game (i tell a lie, i figured out that the target dice roll is 5) and was just hoping that someone would be able to take us in under their wing.
If anyone would be able to help that would be fantastic

Thanks in advance.

*dramaically & ominously rises from the shadows*
Welcome to the madness, Morlonde. Show respect, get respect, is one of my mottos.

Aside from that, I hope you enjoy your Shadowrun experiences.

I'd advise on going and looking around your FLGS's and try and find a group that would be looking for players.
Conventions where people are doing introductionary rounds would also be a possibility.
Else, this is going to be pretty much impossible.

Hmm. At the simplest level, you make Tests to see if you succeed at whatever your character wants to do; and what he wants to do is mercenary/criminal odd jobs for anonymous Mr. Johnsons.

But, it's a very different task to teach tabletop gaming than it is to teach Shadowrun *to* a tabletop gamer. The latter's much easier.

Shadowrun is the setting. Immerse yourself in that. The mechanics are important, but they're not the game.

Read the history section and all the short stories in the book. Buy a paperback novel from 1st-4th edition. It doesn't matter which. Read it. The setting and stories are great. Once you have an idea of what the game is about and how you want to fit into it, the mechanics will come easily. Get an idea of what type of runner you want to be and what you want to be able to do, then build him. You'll learn lots that way.

Mesh

Thanks all, i think it will be a while before im back, but thanks for the help everyone, but i shall leave for a while, got some heavey reading of the 4th edition to attend to

I wouldn't say that reading a novel helps with the mechanics, but obviously you need *some* sense of the setting.

reading some of the fiction can help a lot in understanding the setting. one of the best novels to read is '2XS'. good movies to watch for this are Bladerunner(for style) and Oceans Eleven.

the rules system is fairly straightforward. you roll a large number of 6-sided dice, and any dice that roll a 5 or a 6 are a 'hit'. you count the hits, and compare to the threshold or opposed roll. the number of dice rolled are usually ability plus skill +/- modifiers. the hard part is remembering all of those modifiers. the hardest part of the rules to understand is the matrix, dont worry about understanding the matrix yet.

Shadowrun 4 mechanics in a nutshell:

You roll a number of dice equal to your skill at something (basket weaving) plus the appropriate trait (agility). Fives or sixes are "Hits" these are good. A given test will require one or more hits. Some tests are all or nothing deals, home however are extended tests and you have multiple chances to acquire the successes necessary at the GM's discretion. Another kind of test is an opposed test, basically you and a characters rolling off one with more hits wins.

That's the dice system at it's most basic, some things will add to the numbers of dice, some things will subtract some will increase the number of hits you need. But 99% of everything mechanical in the game is some kind of variation on this theme.

Setting wise as others have said read the history and the fictions, I also recommend watching movies like Heat, Ocean's eleven, Mission Impossible, the Matrix, and any good spy movie you care to as inspiration but that reflects the kind of game I like to play.

I periodically run online games, keep an eye in the Missions subforum if you are interested I'm actually going to start soliciting for players for a game very soon. These games are self contained adventures where you carry your character over and can play them at conventions and other events where missions are being ran.

thanks guys, i think everyones mechanics for dummies sessions have dramatically cut down my reading time (not to mention my 'WHAT DOES THAT MEAN?!?!?!?! PLEASE JUST WORK' time)