for me there are some important Cornerstones in GMing a good game (and knowing the Rules is not the most important one)
1) Know the Chars (write the most improtant details down on a separate sheet (Important data ImO : Name,Race & Profession, Attributes, Edge, total Pools of the most important Skills for that Char(& Perception and etiquette), Soakpool, Pos & Neg Qualities
2) Let the Shadowrun World react correctly and plausible.
(If the Chars are running around in Downtown Seattle with ready & armed Assaultcannons SWAT Teams are sure to come around . A simple warehouse isn't guarded by Prof 5 Level Red Samurai . There's only a Handfull IEs worldwide and not many more Great Dragons. )
2A start simple
You don't need to start your campaign with chars meeting Richard Villiers and Damien Knight and they don't have to fight a Cybercombie and two Squads of Red Samurai (including two Combat Mages) all at once during their first run ! (I'm looking at You
First Run !
)
you can raise the danger and the ..."Epicness" of Your Runs later down the road
3) be fair and Just. Don't (ever) favor one Char before the other.
Same goes with name NPCs(don't favor them before the Player's Chars) . If the Chars manage to Kill the Boss of the Gang in the second session of your 20 Session Kampaign you invented and you planned for a Grand Finale don't let him escape miracoulosly. ( ! )
if the NPCs dead he's dead (you can always create a new Gangleader who noe becomes the "Endboss"
4) don't fudge the Dice ( ImO fudging dice demeans the decisions of the Players )
If the Player endanger their Chars , let them. (They usually have Edge to save their Chars' Hides)
nothing is sweeter than a fair and well earned victory (as a Player i would'nt enjoy the Game if I'd know that a GM would fudge the Dice in my favor ) .
5 ) go with the Flow :
If the Chars decide tto not go on Your prepared Run and want to go and stel some Cars instead, let them have a try
take 5 Min Of ,think of a location , think of some Chars the players could steal , of Difficulties (anti Car theft, who is the Owner of the car, etc). than go with the Flow
Your own Run has no expiration Date it can still be used some other Session
6) know the Rules ,know where to find them but be prepared to Improvise too (GM: What should I roll to keep the Door shut, the Zombies are about to break in )
He who dances with the Flow
Medicineman
