It reminds me of the screaming about WoD reboot.

At some point, it becomes a really good idea to just... burn everything to the ground and take what you learned into a fresh start.

Because for a given writer to be aware of EVERY damn supplement and detail is just unreasonable and slows everything down.

Quote from: The Butcher;776741There is a "heist problem" in RPGs? Please elaborate.

Whether you consider it a "problem" or not is a matter of personal taste, I suppose, but in most simulationist games a heist in actual play consists of five hours of contingency planning and thirty minutes of actually heisting, where if you've done the job properly nothing interesting happens.

That's realistic, but it isn't how most heists are portrayed in fiction, and in my experience isn't very much fun for most players.

Honestly, I think CGL should pull a Star Trek with Shadowrun.

Have 5E with its current storyline and heavy crunch for those that like the game as is.

Then have a second Shadowrun line... an alternate reality that is a complete reboot, with a more modern storyline and more modern, streamlined game mechanics.  Just don't forget the lens flare.

Every time that sort of thing comes up, there are things I want to say but can't due to CGL NDAs, and things I want to say but shouldn't because I don't have my own ducks in a row just yet.  

But...yeah.  Major streamlining has been thought up before, been in conversations before, and is an idea that's been kicked around in the past.

Quote from: Critias;777018I know the guys are busy as shit at GenCon (and, in fact, they just announced last week they're gonna have 36 more game sessions than previously announced, since they sold out so quick) and Origins.

That's great news! I will have see if our FLGS can launch some Missions events - they had LFR and PFS so Missions would be fresh blood.

Quote from: Critias;777018I've GMed a few times -- Elven Blood, my adventure compilation, was the GenCon adventure bundle a few years ago, and I wanted to say I ran a few of mine at "the big show," y'know?

Running at GenCon is hell. I prefer non-RPGs there due to how badly the sound situation can be. The most fun I've had running was when I grab my group and haul off to a quiet spot which is not really possible with sanctioned events.

Quote from: Spinachcat;777760That's great news! I will have see if our FLGS can launch some Missions events - they had LFR and PFS so Missions would be fresh blood.

Don't hesitate to contact Bull (Steven Ratkovich) if you have any questions or whatever.  He's definitely the go-to guy for the whole thing;  old school gamer, been playing Shadowrun for decades, and loves helping folks get up and running.  

Just so you know, it's sorted by "seasons" (and I want to say this is season...six?), year by year.  The first couple seasons were basically fan-made, they had poop for a budget, and it sometimes shows.  They've gotten more polished over the years, though, especially as Missions has become the de facto adventure line, too.  Bull's been able to start paying an almost-reasonable freelancer wage to draw in new talent, and it's kind of turned into the "testing ground" of would-be new writers.  

Those early seasons are -- or at least were, last time I checked -- available online for free, though, so if you're wanting to try some SR4 and need adventure fodder, poke around the site and you should be able to find plenty to work with.  

QuoteRunning at GenCon is hell. I prefer non-RPGs there due to how badly the sound situation can be. The most fun I've had running was when I grab my group and haul off to a quiet spot which is not really possible with sanctioned events.

I normally do a ton of wargames myself (I've always been a BattleTech fan, and since they supply the minis for their events, I can still play theirs;  I'd hate to try and fly with a Warmachine army).

Honestly this year I might end up doing more RPGs than normal (I want to try D&D 5E, I'm signed up for a cool L5R rpg thing, I've got plans with on-line acquaintances for a few Fate games, and I might crash one of the Shadowrun tables if there's space).  But yeah, the background noise can get really terrible.

I'm right there with ya, though, for sure.  Honestly, over the years, I think I've played more (or at least better) RPG sessions in hotel lobbies and stuff than I have in the official gaming areas.