New member here, and very excited to join the community. For the past couple of weeks I have been getting back into Shadowrun, reading the books and looking at the system, even starting to plan my next campaign for when my Vampire the Masquerade one ends here in the new year. Upon reflection, I have decided that elements of the history/map bother me, and am looking for input or ideas or whatever to make these essentially minor changes.
1. I think the NAN should go further east, including all of the Dakotas and most of Oklahoma, probably as part of an expanded Sioux Nation. I figure the NAN missing out on one of the major population centers of Native Americans (Oklahoma) would be bad for them.
2. I would like to make Amazonia smaller, more Awakened and less (meta)human. For example, having Brazil survive as a few coastal enclaves. I just think that would be cool, kind of a style change. Still Aztlan's main enemy, however.
3. I would like to see a more fractured India, maybe making it similar to the AGS in terms of a collection of monarchies, republics, dictatorships, etc. I dont know if any sourcebooks have detailed India, but it's what I would do.
4. I think having large parts of Africa labeled "tribal lands" is, well...lazy. I mean, really, Africa is full of diverse people with long histories who deserve more than a large blob on the map that essentially says "unknown". Maybe take a page from the old White Wolf game Trinity and have parts of Africa unify, advancing economically and technologically in non-Western based tribal federations. Like a Central African Union, or a Kenyatta Federation, something...hell even have an absolute crap-ton of new tiny nations is better than "tribal lands", IMO.
5. Having Central Asia suddenly become Turkestan all of a sudden seems odd to me. I am no expert, but it seems that the Central Asian nations are distinct for a reason, and a sudden unification seems strange. Again, this may be detailed in a sourcebook, but I have no idea if it is.
6. I have always wanted to re-name the UCAS and CAS. I like the name Federated States of America better than UCAS (eliminates the distinction between Canadians and Americans in the new state) and I think a southern state would probably not name itself a Confederation out of fear of dredging up the past...maybe call it the Allied States, a la Jericho? I would probably have the FSA forcibly retain Virginia, for security of DC, maybe having it under an extended military occupation?
7. I would probably have Russia keep the Baltics, maybe Belarus...resistance movements could be fun for runners to go to, worries about an expanding Russian Empire...more of a style change than anything else.
8. Coastal Provinces? I think this falls under the category of "tribal lands". Would be nice to see maybe a revived Chinese Empire here, or something at least. I am sure someone could dig up one of Puyi's descendents.
9. I would probably restore the monarchy in Austria and place them in the AGS...they would be a big dog in Allied Germany. Again, not a huge change.
Has anyone else made/thought about making these kinds of changes. I know some minor tweaking of the history would have to go along with it, but I don't think that's a big deal. Hell, I don't even know if the community here is cool with changing canon at all, but I guess I will find out
Ok, that's all I have. Suffice to say, I love Shadowrun, and when (if) I get around to running a game I will more likely than not make the above changes, since they make sense to me. However, I am looking for feedback, but be nice to the noob
Anyways, thanks in advance for the responses, and if I violated any forum etiquette, please forgive me.