As the topic says, I am a bit confused here...

Are Catalyst Game Labs releasing two different kind of Shadowrun producs; The Anniversary edition books and the 4th edition ones?
I really like the Anniversary books and hope they will release more of them.

Can someone bring light to this matter?

Thanks

/T

They're updating the SR4 books to reflect the SR4a changes, but they're not writing books based on pre-change rules..

The Anniversary Ed is an upgraded version of the original 4th Ed rules, not a separate "branch" like AD&D vs D&D.

And AFAIK Anniversary versions of the other core books were considered but ultimately the idea was dropped...probably because we are quite late in the current edition's life cycle. Also, Anniversary Editions would amount to errata, and CGL doesn't do errata

Then what do I see here?

I do not like the sound of that.

I wouldn't say it is long in the tooth yet---as changing the system to an SR5 at this point would be counter productive. I think we have at least a couple of years before that happens. But only Jason and the Catalyst crew would have real info on that. We're all just speculating here.

So, who is going to GenCon with duct tape?

*raises hand*

Me!

Oh, wait. I might not be the volunteer you were looking for.

Jason h.

But, Can you answer the Question? I too think that a New edition is a ways off (Here's to hoping anyways), but it is a topic of concern. Do you have Any news on that front?

Any answer will come in the likes of a Jedi hand waving...

This is not the developer you are looking for or something.

Heh... yeah, I know...

Maybe Bull can stage a Shadowrun Missions LARP where they need to get a Game Studio Worker, and force the info from him?

Hey, if there's karma and involved for Missions characters, a lot of folks might be interested. Be also good publicity as an actual Shadowrun goes down at the CGL booth itself.

That is just awesome, Heh...

There will be a 5th edition at some point, but I have nothing more specific than that, except to say there will not be a 5th edition at GenCon 2011.

Jason H.

4th Ed will be six years old this fall, and it's rare that an edition of an actively developed RPG sees its tenth birthday...so I expect a 5th Ed in one or two years, simply based on "it's always been like that"


@Dez384: Have you looked at the release dates of the errata docs? The official release date for the Augmentation errata is "maybe Christmas" since a couple of years...

I was just remarking that there was errata, but it is nice to know that the game doesn't have to be "fixed" on a monthly basis.

Shadowrun 4th Edition (SR4) & Shadowrun 4th edition/20th Anniversary Edition (SR4a) = the main rules. If you already picked up SR4 before the Anniversary Edition, there's an errata you can download & print that will bring you up to speed (if you don't want to buy the Anniversary Edition book).
If you did pick up SR4a, then you're fine. If you have the books that were already printed after SR4 but before SR4a, there are individual errata for each of those books available on shadowrun4.com. Later printing of said books were adjusted/corrected before being re-printed, brinig them up to SR4a speed.

But I feel picking up SR4a, even if you already have the previous edition, is well worth it. And I'm NOT one to buy a re-issue of a book, just for some little additonal bit they put in the latest printing. Never Again.

SOTA ain't easy, chummers.

Actually there really isn't, there is the changes document, but it doesn't list all of the changes and some of the changes in it are wrong.

Plus SR4a itself has problems that need errata too.



-k

Dunno, really, just look how old those are; look at the number of glaring errors, inconsistencies and weird rulings in the books both new and old not covered by those. Look at the incomprehensible horror that is the "official FAQ".
Dumpshock has regular discussions of rule failures, and most of those could be fixed with an errata - but no real movements on that front, mphm.

No remedy being present does not equate the absence of problems...

Well... The Rigger Black Book hasn't come out yet so we should be OK for a while yet.

You got a point there...although who knows what the new SR Optionals line may bring

You mean other than Options?

So I just found out that the pdf of SR4A is different from the physical printing.

I think I'm done buying SR stuff until some work on errata is put forth by CGL.

The PDF that I have is Identical to the Hard Copy Book that I have... ALL 3 COPIES OF IT IN FACT.

Depends on which physical printing.

Also, German SR4A has errata incorporated, from what Ze Germans say.



-k

That seems to be a common sentiment. I know I decided that a while ago, with the exception of mini-releases like the recent Adept pdf.

Soooo, you are waiting for a fifth edition? Ok!

Really? Not saying you're wrong, but the only change I am aware of is that Pegasus forgot the table for cyberguns (and immediately delivered errata).

Yeah, Pegasus > CGL by a long shot :-/

You don't get it. The Augmentation errata was done and incorporated into the latest printing of the books years ago. It was set to be released for download years ago.

Now days, they usually just ignore anyone bringing this up. Not to mention a decent chunk of current problems that should have errata but probably never will.

Oh yea, and the latest printing of Street Magic does not have any errata, errata that is available for download and included in the second printing. The majority of these problems started with Catalyst's recent financial 'difficulties', and the resulting loss of multiple strong employees.


The SR4A pdf was released before the book was sent to printers. There where a number of problems with it. Some got fixed, some didn't. The changes where incorporated into the hard cover printing, and an updated copy of the pdf was made available to anyone who purchased it. If your pdf & book doesn't match, your pdf is out of date.

Regardless, given Catalyst's recent releases, I still think you should just not buy SR products anymore. I have not purchased anything past Running Wild, and I would not suggest anything past that point, except maybe Seattle 2072, to anyone (granted, I haven't read everything sense then, but I have read enough plus reviews on Dumpshock to make me confidant of this).


There is only one physical printing of SR4A that I am aware of; if any later printings exist, they do not have any changes. See above.

Well, Vice and Attitude had their bright points.

I like the way of the adept pdf, but there shouldn't be a limit on number of powers the discount applies to. You shouldn't be punished for being well-rounded, and as written the way of the warrior is stupidly good compared to the others.

Pfff. Just buy the latest printing if you want errata.
Unless it's Street Magic. Then buy the second-to-most-recent printing, since the most recent removed all the errata changes.

I often think I need to improve meine Deutch.

As did the Corporate Guide and all of the PDF only releases.

If you need further incentives, the German version of W! is out...Recharge can only charge devices which fit into one's hand, Slow and the "Holocaust victim's ain't dead enough yet" run got axed...now Pegasus just needs to come forward with PDFs.

For what it's worth, I happen to agree with you. Playtesters and higher-ups disagreed, so I put in what discount I could. They're all optional, anyways -- just talk to your GM, present your argument, and see if she/he will let you apply the discount to more stuff.


They get a bigger discount because their powers cost more. Because their powers cost more, IMHO, they needed the bigger discount. Guys that are getting +1 die to their main schtick for .25 don't need to be cut a break as badly as the guys that are getting +1 die to their main schtick for .5, the way I see it. *shrugs* You're free to disagree (no one's going to come to your house and steal your stuff because you're playing "the wrong way" or anything), and if your GM sides with you, play it however you want to play it.

Don't worry, after J Hardy finally admitted that all previously printed errata was handled like CGL's money (it's gone but they're trying to find it), he announced that he's working on new errata with a release date of "maybe next month"...as of September 2010.

Maybe he needs to punch people in the neck like he does with the novels.

Disclaimer: I understand what you're saying; I just want to make the reasons behind my stance clear to others.

My issue is that if you want a whole bunch of smaller powers, even if they're all on the list for your archtype, mechanically it could be significantly better to choose way of the warrior even if you aren't combat focused and just want a little improved reflexes and combat sense to keep you alive when things hit the fan. Removing the limitation on number of discounted powers eliminates this issue without significantly raising power levels.