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Any tips and advice for a new GameMaster

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Prophet21

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« on: <07-07-13/1230:50> »
Haven't ran a game yet, but played a few.  Really like the new rules coming out, but more than likely starting with SR4 Anniv RB.  So any tips and advice in running a game will be appreciated.
Thanks

GiraffeShaman

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« Reply #1 on: <07-07-13/1243:41> »
Get used to the combat, skills, and magic system first, if you aren't already, before moving to more complex systems like hacking and vehicle combat.

Keep the game moving. Try to have several mini shadowruns on hand at all times, which you can run if you run out of material or things seem moving slow. Even a simple run where everything goes right and there's no combat will focus player attentions and they enjoy picking up a little karma.

About the structure of a shadowrun:

A Shadowrun has 3 parts, the legwork part being somewhat optional. (Although some shadowruns are almost entirely legwork if you want to design them that way, such as a mystery that must be solved or a lost person found)

Nearly all shadowruns start with meeting a Mr. Johnson. Meeting the Johnson usually is done at a bar or night club of some sort, often in the back room, but this is not a set rule. There is sometimes a meeting with a Fixer first, but often this is done by phone/text. The runners get the vague outlines of the run, decide if it's something they want to do, and if so then negotiate a price. At this point the runners are given more details on the job and can ask questions. The Johnson sometimes provides help with the run or sometimes will provide it if asked. (Fake key cards for example to get in the target site) This is a great time for a GM to help out beginner players with ideas on how to infiltrate the site.

Instead of a dungeon full of monsters, shadowrunners penetrate security systems. This is usually to get into some building or group of buildings. The basics you need to have is a layout or at least a general idea of a layout, guard stats and patrol habits, command centers and other large groupings of guards, physical security (ie drones, cameras, motion sensors, fences, and more), magic security (if any), and matrix security (If any, usually at least a small amount) You also want response times both for the police and any additional security the site has contracted. (Could be their own forces somewhere nearby or some other contracted company) The generic shadowrun is the runners breaking into a building to get a hacker to an offline system to steal paydata. But sometimes the target is something physical. And kidnapping valuable employees for a "career change" is another common shadowrun.

The third optional part of a shadowrun is the legwork section. Not strictly necessary, but it makes richer stories and it lets certain character types like Faces get a moment in the spotlight. This is mostly meeting with contacts to get information about the run. It may involve solving a mystery or it may involve things like learning the physical layout of a target. Sometimes an entire shadowrun can be mostly legwork. For example, you are hired to find some rich corper's runaway son or daughter. (The legwork section of the run usually is set before the security system penetration) Sometimes this section includes stuff like the hacker trying to learn more about the target site using hacking, stealthy characters scoping it out, or magicians with astral projection scouting astrally.
« Last Edit: <07-07-13/1247:42> by GiraffeShaman »

Prophet21

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« Reply #2 on: <07-07-13/1257:57> »
Thanks much.  For the first few adventure/campaigns, I will be using prewritten ones from CGL.  But your last point, about letting each pc shine, I had thought about doing when I first thought about running SR.  I have read a few plots and have some ideas to go beyond the main adventure, via a sideplt or 2. 
Thanks Again

GiraffeShaman

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« Reply #3 on: <07-07-13/1315:56> »
BTW, the upcoming Shadowrun Returns video game will likely have tons of ideas for shadowruns. Good luck. :)

emsquared

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« Reply #4 on: <07-07-13/1417:03> »
Single most important thing as a new GM; don't be overly concerned with trying to provide your group with "adequate" mechanical challenges. i.e. don't worry if you get going and things seem "too easy", make it cinematic, make it fun, and let the runs be epic and awesome. You're not doing it wrong if your guys mow down the guards, hamstring the system, walk in, walk out, and still have the piss and vinegar to go get in a bar-fight afterward. You can worry about dialing in the dice later. Focus on learning the systems (Combat, Magic, Hacking, etc.) and having fun. I'm a DM/GM of many years and still have to constantly remind myself not to let the mechanics get in the way of a good story.

Prophet21

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« Reply #5 on: <07-07-13/1445:58> »
Good point, in my past games I have had a problem with that.  Granted I knew the system much better than I do SR but I will definitely keep that in mind.
Thanks

GiraffeShaman

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« Reply #6 on: <07-07-13/1503:52> »
Yep, because SR is a deadly system to players. Check out the thread on Milk Runs below.

Prophet21

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« Reply #7 on: <07-07-13/1549:29> »
Along those lines, my intent is using published adventures to start.  So which one would you suggest first?

GiraffeShaman

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« Reply #8 on: <07-07-13/1601:50> »
Quote
Along those lines, my intent is using published adventures to start.  So which one would you suggest first?

I'm not that up on current published missions, but Missions is probaly a good place to start. The parts of Season 4 I saw looked good to me. Also, staying away from Artifacts Unlimited seems like a good idea for newer players. It sounds fairly high powered. (I just know this from reading these forums, no experience with it personally)

Queen Euphoria is my favorite published shadowrun, but it's in an old edition and would have to be converted. Still ideas carry forward through editions well. Renraku Arcology (Shutdown) is another great one and a huge module, but again from a previous edition of SR.
« Last Edit: <07-07-13/1605:08> by GiraffeShaman »

Michael Chandra

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« Reply #9 on: <07-07-13/1850:01> »
Also, staying away from Artifacts Unlimited seems like a good idea for newer players. It sounds fairly high powered. (I just know this from reading these forums, no experience with it personally)
Yes. A thousand times yes. Fighting off two assassins which got ~20 dice? Fighting bug spirits with ~20 dice, requiring stacking the defensive and visual modifiers to not get torn to bits at once? Fighting a Force 8 Immunity in a heavy aspected background count? Those are a disaster in the making.

Missions 0, 1, 3, 5, 7, 11 are nice though 11 doesn't have much of a satisfying ending (likely because Bull wasn't allowed to kill off Bull for a dramatic climax), 9 has a few potential issues, Elven Blood's 4 missions (5? I forget) is nice and they're going to release Sprawl Wilds later.

You could take Copycat Killer, toss in Ashes and Manhunt from Sprawl Wilds, do the Elven Blood runs, then do SRM04 Missions Ork Underground with 0,1,3,5,7(,9),11, then do Carbon Copy to follow up on Copycat Killer + SRM04-05 (Silver Platter). That should fill you for 15+ sessions.
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