Shadowrun

[Dog Pants]

The thread on in-game advertising has reminded me about something I read this morning that had me feeling the writer's emotions. FASA are releasing a game based on the tabletop RPG Shadowrun. For those who don't know it (probably everyone bar Joose and I then) it's a near-future cyberpunk setting with the addition of magic and a nice sort of Tron-style hacking aspect. The tabletop game was rather good IIRC, if slightly let down by the game mechanics, so the idea of an RPG, Deus Ex/Oblivion style FPS or MMONG got me quite excited.

Then I read that it was going to be a multi-platform CS-style online FPS that will use the new X-Box live thingy to let PC and 360 owners play the same game. A game which didn't even need a storyline, but for which they've soiled the name of one of my favourite settings.

Makes me wonder how the game would have been handled if they adopted advertising instead of Microsoft for their funding. The cyberpunk setting is perfect - advertising real products would arguably make the game even more immersive because you recognise them.

[Joose]

The news of how they were making this game damn near made me cry. The Shadowrun world is *so* appropriate for converting into a proper RPG (I personally would have it slightly more Oblivion than Deus Ex. Just with guns and cyberspace and stuff) that the fact they are making this wierdly generic shooter thing with it is fucking appaling. Its like someone getting the Lord of the Rings licence, and then making a Gauntlet clone with it.

[Dog Pants]

Exactly. I would have liked to see it more Oblivion than Deus Ex too - sort of like a first-person Fallout. And a co-op option. Mmmmmmmmmm.

Unfortunately it looks like Microsoft have got their claws into the license and even though I'm sure FASA still own the rights I suspect we'll now never see such a thing.

Maybe <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rifts_%28r ... ng_game%29" target="_blank">Rifts</a> could still make a good job of it, or even better the little-known <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SLA_industries" target="_blank">SLA Industries</a> - my personal favourite.

[Anhamgrimmar]

i prefered cyberpunk 2020 over shadowrun meself, but some of the best years of my teenage life were spent playing these games (thats where jaegerknack came from, it was a character made up for me in shadowrun, a wolverine pilot whom i ended up powergaming to the point where he was always lugging his ares firelance about on his shoulder, and had about 0.1000000001 empathy left or what ever it was)


hold on.......
1. get computer
2. get teamspack
3. get roleplaying system of some description
4. get drunk over teh internets
5. ..............
6. PROFIT GET!

paranoia would be for the fucking win i feel

[Joose]

hold on.......
1. get computer
2. get teamspack
3. get roleplaying system of some description
4. get drunk over teh internets
5. ..............
6. PROFIT GET!

paranoia would be for the fucking win i feel

the man is a fucking genius! This must be done! NOW!

[Dog Pants]

Paranoia is possibly the funniest RPG ever. I've wondered about various ways of playing games like this with my mates back home - we played a ton of different games, the longest running of which I generally ran. Problem is it's a big burden on the GM having to make all the rolls and keep track of everyone's characters (although this appeals in that a player would get an overview of what's happening rather than playing by number-crunching). The other thing that puts me off doing this is the amount of time I'd have to spend on TS being scowled at by Mrs Pants.

[Anhamgrimmar]

...snip... Problem is it's a big burden on the GM having to make all the rolls and keep track of everyone's characters (although this appeals in that a player would get an overview of what's happening rather than playing by number-crunching)....snip....

www.paranoia-live.net takes care of all those worries. if anyone could be up for it, i'll have a look at this sort of thing

The other thing that puts me off doing this is the amount of time I'd have to spend on TS being scowled at by Mrs Pants.

Could always get a second microphone i suppose...............


Just remember, in alpha complex, trouble shoots YOU!!

[Dog Pants]

Ooh, I remember hearing about Paranoia being able to be done over t'internet years ago now you mention it. I'd be up for seeing how that works. Maybe some sort of PBEM could be done for other games, although the lack of interactivity and speed would probably hinder most.

[FatherJack]

soiled the name of one of my favourite settings.
Makes me wonder how the game would have been handled if they adopted advertising instead of Microsoft for their funding.

Not sure what you mean, really - Microsoft aren't exactly short of a bob or two and make all sorts of different genre games - while they wouldn't want to lose money on a game, they seem fairly receptive to producing titles with a smaller target audience. I would have thought their main thrust would have been to make it playable on the 360, and the actual game type would have been FASA's choice before they approached them.

like someone getting the Lord of the Rings licence, and then making a Gauntlet clone with it.

Return of the King on the PS2 then? Actually, no - that's unfair to Gauntlet.

[Dog Pants]

I didn't mean they'd soiled it by getting Microsoft on board, I meant that they'd soiled it by releasing a (extremely likely to be) shite generic crossplatform shooter under the license, which if it is as bad as I expect could well put an end to any other Shadowrun game or if it's good will lead to more generic FPSs.

[Joose]

I would have thought their main thrust would have been to make it playable on the 360, and the actual game type would have been FASA's choice before they approached them.

I cant imagine it went like that.

Microsoft: Mr FASA, we want to make a game using your wonderful license.

FASA: Ooh, wonderful! make a really generic and rubbish looking shooter out of it, please! Whilst your at it, dick about with the in game history for no good reason.

It's more likely that microsoft had some generic shooter title they were developing, thought "we might sell more of these if it has a decent licence!", and just grabbed at the first one that vaugely fit their game. Whilst I dont think FASA would prefer their title turned into shite, I also doubt they could say no to the amount of money they have no doubt got from the deal.

[friznit]

Heh, I used to be a Shadowrunner years ago. Even got my old character sheets kicking around somewhere (we put them all on excel to avoid the spilt booze and hot rocks )

[Akiakaiu]

There was a Shadowrun RPG made, not sure who the publisher was, but it was for the Sega Genesis. I used to play Shadowrun alot on Sega. It was a fun game. Never tried the tabletop version of it, was too busy playing AD&D and Marvel, but from what I understand the Sega game was not that bad of a spin off (for the time).


Edit: gogo google, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shadowrun_(Sega)
There seems to have been a SNES version too, but I never heard of it.

Edit #2: Can't get the URL to work, bah on the (sega) part

[spoodie]

Mobygames FTW!
http://www.mobygames.com/search/quick?q ... un&x=0&y=0

[Joose]

I had that version once! It were brill!

And, tellingly, a lot better a game than this new shadowrun looks to be.

[Joose]

Best News Evar: The FPS Shadowrun game is not the only Shadowrun game in development. There is a MMO being made too, that is a *lot* more like the pnp game. Its still in waaaay early development so far, so stuff like what it'll actually play like, technically, is a bit unclear. However, They Who Know have said that it is as close to 'proper' Shadowrun as you are likely to get on a computer, which is encouraging. Also, interestingly, its being developed for PC and 360 at the same time.

[Dog Pants]

Best News Evar: The FPS Shadowrun game is not the only Shadowrun game in development. There is a MMO being made too, that is a *lot* more like the pnp game. Its still in waaaay early development so far, so stuff like what it'll actually play like, technically, is a bit unclear. However, They Who Know have said that it is as close to 'proper' Shadowrun as you are likely to get on a computer, which is encouraging. Also, interestingly, its being developed for PC and 360 at the same time.

Fantastic! It's a great setting and should appeal to fantasy and sci-fi fans alike. The tabletop game also had a selection of weapons available that would make a firearm pornographer weak at the knees.

[MORDETH LESTOK]

Today, Microsoft finally revealed when geeks can finally settle the age-old "keyboard and mouse or controller" debate. Both the Fista and Xbox 360 versions of Shadowrun will be available in June.

[Dog Pants]

There's a debate?

[Joose]

There's a debate?

not a long one:

Q:which is better?
A:Keyboard and mouse.

/debate