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CrystalBlue

Jul 26 2005, 02:24 PM

Because the new system is only a few weeks away, I need to get up to speed with A LOT of the goings on with the shadows. So...could I get some of these questions answered?

- How did the Matrix crash and what led up to it?
- What significant things have been happening in the shadows?
- What books could I get and read to help me along on the history?
- How can I pre-order one of those limited edition copies of the SR4, even though I don't get to go to Gen Con this year.

- Will there be convertion rules from 3rd to 4th?
- How will the SR Missions play for the 4th edition?

Thank you in advance and sorry for any already asked questions.

Ancient History

Jul 26 2005, 02:29 PM

QUOTE (CrystalBlue)

Ye'll need to wait for System Failure for that 'un.

Sharaloth

Jul 26 2005, 02:30 PM

1) we don't know yet, that book hasn't been released
2) we don't know yet, those books haven't been released, though one could imagine a lot of panic from the matrix collapsing, and a lot of work from the high-speed setup of the new wireless matrix, and all the beautiful cash such a thing would generate.
3)that are out now? Well, there's always the Shadows Of... books, they've got some nice world information, but if you wanna know about the new crashand post-crash, it's System Faliure and SR4 that you're gonna have to look to
4)*shrug* reserve one for when it comes out at your FLGS? Anyone else know another way?
5)Yes, they will be posted on the Shadowrun FANPRO US website, but will NOT be appearing in the SR4 BBB
6)No bloody clue, maybe someone else knows this one.

There, how's that?

Bigity

Jul 26 2005, 03:06 PM

Hm. I really hope I don't have to buy a SR3 book to get information that should be in the SR4 core book.

Sharaloth

Jul 26 2005, 03:14 PM

System Failure is the details, SR4 will be the aftermath and likely a very short synopsis. If you don't need to know step-by-step what led to the Crash2.0, or don't want to run through the module, then you can probably safely ignore System Failure for the SR4 capsule history.

the_dunner

Jul 26 2005, 03:20 PM

Nobody realized that Shadowrun cyberdecks used 6 bit fields for the year. When the computers tried to roll over to 2065, everything crashed.

Synner

Jul 26 2005, 03:22 PM

QUOTE (Bigity @ Jul 26 2005, 03:06 PM)

Hm. I really hope I don't have to buy a SR3 book to get information that should be in the SR4 core book.

SR4's History section will likely offer a brief overview of the Second Crash and its aftermath. However, such events will be 5 years old in 2070 and even more stuff will have happened in the meantime - any History chapter will cover all that and the original material that's been handed down from edition to edition which all adds to a (necessarily) brief overview of the highlights.

So... if you want the play-by-play of how the Crash 2.0 comes about, what it involves, what the direct and indirect aftershocks are, how it affects individual countries, sprawls and people, etc, you will certainly need to pick up System Failure.

Regarding the build up to the Crash, material has been discreetly seeded over the last few books (DotSW, SSG, SoE, SOTA64, SoA) which are linked to or foreshadow the events of the Crash. None of these references are essential to understand what transpires but are more of a bonus in terms of continuity for those who've been following the subplots and like that sort of thing. All the material necessary to understand the Crash 2.0 is included in System Failure.

Chance359

Jul 26 2005, 04:09 PM

QUOTE

- How did the Matrix crash and what led up to it?

QUOTE

A giant artificail tree stand on an artificial green hill. One section of the boughs is withered from blight. The blight spreads and corrupts the trunk. The tree falls and breaks into many pieces. The branches are absorbed into the ground, and the hill becomes a cloud.

Loose Alliances p. 156

Kagetenshi

Jul 26 2005, 05:07 PM

Bad acid trip, got it.

~J

Bigity

Jul 26 2005, 06:14 PM

All the material to understand the second crash should be in SR4, not System Failure.

All the details can be in SF, but the synopsis and the overall happenings should be in SR4.

I can deal with that.

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