I think the biggest issue that should be considered is that we just don't know a darned thing about anything except what has been explicitly stated in the press releases, and that ain't much.

Whether or not any of us feel (because we really don't have enough data to begin to think deeply about the impact on the game) it is a good idea is a moot point. The one thing I continue to take comfort from is that I can play any edition I want to and it is OK with the developers. No one is taking away what we currently have, and (I am really speculating here) if the 4th Ed is compatible with 3rd Ed. books, then anything that comes out under the umbrella of 4th Ed. can be integrated into your 3rd Ed. campaign anyway.

I know a lot of people who still play AD&D and wouldn't change to v3.5 for the world. I am sure the same can be said for SR3 versus SR4.

I think it is very good that we have a venue to vent/rant/commiserate/celebrate, but aside from that I can't get too worked up about something I have little to no control over.

hence, 4th edition.

And if they completly rewrite the system, then there will be no backwards compatability.

All of our previous books - with the exception of modules - will be Obsolete. Charatcer transfer will be difficult at best. If possible at all.

i've been hoping they'll do that. character transfer should be a matter of starting from scratch and assigning a similar amount of total earned karma and total earned nuyen.

and, no. the majority of your books--place books and event books--will still be relevant for the in-character information they contain, the same way SR1 and SR2 place and event books are relevant to SR3.

No way! You mean I didn't have to toss all my placebooks when we converted to SR3? Aw, man....

I wouldn't say a Personal problem.

But yeah, a problem.


And I'm not the only one with it. I guarantee it.

I'ts a crap shoot for fanpro. They're taking a risk. I hope it works out for them.

Really I do. I hate to see any gamining company go under. Or product line suffer.

(And please, don't say Sr has been suffering. I just don't buy that line)

Unfortunetly there will be a lot of "oldtimers" that won't be around to see any of it.

Eldritch, it's important that you take the medication according to the instructions.

2nd ed. was largely reverse compatible with 1st. 3rd was reverse compatible with 2nd. Why should we think that would change now?

I was thrilled when 2nd came out. I was thrilled with 3rd. So, I expect I'll like 4th pretty well, too.

You're not the first DS poster I've heard complain about the possibility that converting old characters might not be easy or even possible. Are you really going to stop playing SR if your favorite character gets taken away? If that's the case, you should get a pet or a spouse or a child to make emotional investments in instead of an RPG PC.

You're also not the first poster to wail, "I can't afford it!" First thing: not all the 4th ed. books are going to come out on the same day. Second thing: if your future doesn't contain a penny for SR supplements, it doesn't matter to you what comes out -- a new edition, or more books for the old one.

Gencon's 153 days away. Don't buy a 12 ounce can of pop every day 'till then, or don't supersize a value meal, or don't eat a candy bar? And you've got $75 saved up by the time the core book is out.

*shrug* okay.

You're right.

It's way more productive to assume the worst possible scenario is going to happen -- a useless core book that's incapable of being used to run a game, rules so changed there's no backwards compatability for settings or characters, an unreasonable price that you have no possible way to afford -- and just bitch about your problem on the internet.

You got me. The argument is yours. My mind has been changed. There's no going on. We should all start weblogs, as they are the only thing capable of withstanding the collective power of our angst and miserty. Woe. Wooooooooeeeee!

Just so you know, i'm blogging this....

*shrugs* back

hehe

Alright...I'm just going to add in my last few thoughts and then I think I'm done with this topic.

I'm a college student and whenever I hear the word "new edition" I always have a very immediate and very negative impact because it litterally does mean that I am going to have to shell out another 150 dollars for a text book that is only superficially different from the edition before but all the pages have been changed so that I can't follow along in the old one--thus I photocopy the book and then return. If SR 4 is superficial but I like the storyline I may be making a non-textbook stop to the photocopying machine.

In the end however, who am I kidding? I collect SR books so as long as the new edition is anywhere near interesting I'll buy it. I'm just very skeptical after the whole experience with Living Room Games.

I think that the example about the $10 cheque for continued use of your shoes was a very good example. How many people here are angry at Microsoft for continuously putting out "new and improved" updates and either refuse to buy them or else pirate them (or even switched to Linux)?

Drastic change is not always good. I have two words for that: New Coke. If you are too young to know what I mean or if you have forgotten about it I suggest you look it up or talk to someone who does remember. It didn't kill Coke but it almost did and it opened up the market for its competitors.

Just for the record, I don't think the following lines of discussion are really useful in a thread that is supposed to be discussing whether or not a 4th edition is a good idea or not:

1.) That's a personal problem, so it dosen't actually matter for the rest of us.
2.) If you don't like it then don't buy it.

To be perfectly honest, I can't imagine a more pointless thing to say in the context of a dicussion about whether or not 4th edition is a good idea. Someone having a personal problem or not liking it is precisely what is germaine to the discussion.

It's also not productive for the same person(s) to just keep repeating the same complaints over and over either. The person doesn't like the idea for a specific reason ... we get it. If they don't have any other reasons, why keep posting the same objections over and over?

those are perfectly viable responses to a line of argument that specifically excludes all other players. if i say "i don't care if every other player in the world likes it, i think it sucks", then "don't buy it" is the most appropriate response possible.

Still voting for cautiously optimistic, gonna buy it to find out. I've gotten too may years of enjoyment out of the game not to support it now.

Wounded Ronin: Yeah, I love the eighties too. And I love to make fun of the eighties. That´s why my game is full of jokes about the style of good old 2050:s. However, Shadowrun is in huge danger of looking rediculus if it doesn´t change with time. That´s how it is with sci-fi. It would become a novelty kult game, that people played of nostalgic reasons. I much rather have it evolve, and look back at how it was with fondness.

How true. My misstake.

What I said applies to Shadowrun though.

Truly visionary mullets can also stand up to time.

~J