I've played AD&D for the longest time and I like it just fine, but I'm looking for something new. I've been interested in Shadowrun ever since I played the console game on the SNES many years back. I would like to become involved in the rpg but have no clue where to start, which books to buy, which edition, etc... All I really need is the basics so I can read and understand the rules, create characters, and equip them ... maybe something to help me set them up in a campaign too. Thanks for any help you guys & gals can provide.

"Moab"

1.) Wrong forum, pal. But it's excusable, seeing as you're new.

2.) Forget everything you learned about gaming from DnD. Trust me.

3.) Go find yourself a copy of the THIRD EDITION Shadowrun BBB (Big Black Book), the core book. You'll eventually want to get Magic in the Shadows, Cannon Companion, and Man and Machine, at the very least, but that can wait. This book costs about 30 bucks, IIRC.

a) Welcome aboard!

b) The Welcome to the Shadows forum is for Play-by-Post gaming, you probably want to check the Shadowrun one. Don't be afraid to ask, and don't be afraid of us.

c) Basic book: Shadowrun Third Edition (if you live in the US, you can get it from most online retailers).

d) Official website. Lots of good stuff in there.

e) If you want to start easy after the Big Black Book, go for First Run. It has a few easy adventures that gradually increase the game's complexity. Just remember to play Food Fight in Tarantino style.

f) New Seattle gives you the default setting circa 2060. If you want to, you can always try to get your hands on the original Seattle sourcebook (obsolete, but chock full of ideas).

g) There are several thematic sourcebooks (Magic in the Shadows, Man & Machine, Cannon Companion, Rigger 3 Revised, Matrix). Go for them, but only after you're comfortable with the game and wish to expand on a certain aspect of it.

h) Gamemaster tools: SR3 Gamemaster Screen includes a book with stats for most SR critters. Shadowrun Companion has additional stuff for players and GMs that you'll find very useful. Corporate Download gives you tons of information on the powers-that-be in the Sixth World. It's incredibly good, trust me.

i) Anything else: Buy everything! Just kidding, go slow and get the basic rules first. There are several campaign books out there, but if you want something a little like a D&D dungeon crawl, you might want to check out Renraku Arcology: Shutdown first, then Brainscan. Excellent, self-contained stuff happening in Seattle, with a little fun in Hong Kong to add some spice.

j) If you're planning to play before 2055: Never, ever, let your players know about Bug Spirits. (related books: Queen Euphoria, Universal Brotherhood, Double Exposure, Bug City... the first gives you a taste of them, the second makes you run away in the night screaming, the third one is a great adventure and the fourth one is the official sourcebook for Chicago )

k) There's a lot of good stuff like Sprawl Survival Guide, the continental sourcebook Shadows of North America (watch out for Shadows of Europe in May) and Dragons of the Sixth World.
However, these are 2061 and onwards, with plenty of things happenning between them and the BBB (like Year of the Comet). Like I said, take it easy at first (though I'd take SoNA just to give you a better idea of the setting).

l) Don't run away from me, I don't bite... much.

I'd add, but it's pretty much covered. Welcome, good luck, and have fun.

If you'd like to play before you can wrangle players into doing so, there are some good PbBB games right here that'll be more than happy to let you learn the ropes. And trust me, in a game like shadowrun, the ropes are even more fun than the system.

Shoot Straight,
Conserve Ammo,
Never Deal with a Dragon.

Here's a q. that's rather appropriate here: what's the netiquette for getting into a game here? Do you just post in when one starts, or what?

When a game puts on its requitment thread, you make, or provide, a character to the specifications the GM requests. If the GM approves you and you're quick enough, you're in.

Most games usually start with an OOC thread where the GM announces the kind of game it will be and what rules to use for character creation. Once a game starts, though, you probably won't have the chance to join unless someone drops out.

Oh, and I hate to sound like a broken record, but a good way to get preference for new games is to run a good game yourself

Two characters being equal, if I'm picking who to let in, often I'll go with the guy with a proven track record, even if I've never played with or under him before (ie, I can see he's running an active game).

I like to start my games with a "recruitment:" thread instead of just an OOC thread. Then we switch to the OOC thread when the game starts. Seems to work well enough.

Hey, I'd run a game, but I probably suck. And by propably I mean definitely. It's been a long, long time since I played SR. Well, actually, I just turned a friend on to SR and since we didn't have long, and all I had was First Run, I ran Food Fight with him, and messed up ridiculously. But I could give it a shot when my classes are over. Anyone interested in giving me a chance at GMing?

You'll probably have people beating down your door

It's relatively easy to GM online if you can write because you've got all the time in the world to look up rules and information before posting. The hardest part that I've come across is keeping the game moving through the legwork portion of the game because you're not really able to spur the players on a lot ICly.

Runs also have to be on the short side if you ever intend to get them done. Think "convention sized" rather than "home sized". Do it in episodes, if you want to have a longer game arc going (several people are doing this right now... I've not managed to complete a game, so I haven't had a chance). That way you can let in new characters when the old ones vanish on you, etc.

would it likely be necessary to have the suplamental books before GMing a game on here, and also would you suggest starting with that or starting with trying to get into a game.

Trying getting into a game first, preferrably one that is starting. Get the feel of PbP and only then start your own.

thanks for the advice