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Author Topic: Shadowrun Sixth World: Living entirely on Edge  (Read 1705 times)

HappyDaze

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Shadowrun Sixth World: Living entirely on Edge
« on: August 26, 2019, 03:48:57 PM »
So I just canceled my preorder for the book and instead picked up the pdf of Shadowrun Sixth World (aka 6e) without having looked too much at it other than the promises that it is going to be "streamlined" compared to 4e/5e. I've only spent an hour looking at it so far, but the massively expanded Edge mechanics look like they will take quite a bit to get used to.

In combat, the Edge pool gets accessed each turn with adjustments based on compared offense/defense values and then applied to select pre-roll or (not and) post-roll modifiers. I'm not sure how this is going to work out (it sure doesn't look "streamlined" at first glance) or what exactly they are going for here. Are they trying to get narrative control/effects or is there something that this really adds to the game? Again, just started looking into this, and I'm curious how others view it.

shoplifter

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Shadowrun Sixth World: Living entirely on Edge
« Reply #1 on: August 26, 2019, 04:01:53 PM »
From what I've read from veterans it's mechanically a mess with horrible proofreading, and most people are better off playing 4th or 5th. I can't speak for myself since I only own copies of the older books with little to no playtime but it sounds like peak Catalyst.

Alexander Kalinowski

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Shadowrun Sixth World: Living entirely on Edge
« Reply #2 on: August 26, 2019, 04:21:29 PM »
I just can't get into it. I mean it's clearly streamlining at the cost of simulation. I suspect it'll probably still be too complicated for those the game would like to attract and then it will probably alienate those who like Shadowrun for its simulationist aspects. (And if that turns out to be true, it should be a cautionary tale for GURPS et al.)

Also I am an opponent of "Spend metacurrency for a game bonus" as opposed to "Spend metacurrency and then THIS happens". It's too abstract and too gamey. The whole Edge metagame seems very gamist, based on all I have heard and read about it. I take it they wanted to remove circumstantial modifiers to streamline the game and introduced instead of gamist bonuses to pick from routinely. So, you end up playing less the actual scene/environment and more the Edge metagame instead? I don't know...

Much of the gameart is uninspiring (there are a few decent pieces though), the page design as well.

In short: I still don't know why I should move beyond SR 2nd/3rd edition and Cyberpunk Red is still upcoming as well. Hope it gives me some reaosn to move beyond 2020.
Author of the Knights of the Black Lily RPG, a game of sexy black fantasy.
Setting: Ilethra, a fantasy continent ruled over by exclusively spiteful and bored gods who play with mortals for their sport.
System: Faithful fantasy genre simulation. Bell-curved d100 as a core mechanic. Action economy based on interruptability. Cinematic attack sequences in melee. Fortune Points tied to scenario endgame stakes. Challenge-driven Game Design.
The dark gods await.

HappyDaze

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Shadowrun Sixth World: Living entirely on Edge
« Reply #3 on: August 26, 2019, 04:28:03 PM »
Quote from: shoplifter;1100946
From what I've read from veterans it's mechanically a mess with horrible proofreading, and most people are better off playing 4th or 5th.
I'm only interested in the mechanics (because all Shadowrun has horrible proofreading), but I will never willingly play 4e again (and I gave up on 5e after reading just the Core rulebook and one other suppliment). I am curious to see if the game is actually streamlined, but the Edge rules seem to so far indicate that the system is somewhat more complex even if it saves time by not requiring consultation of a big list of modifiers for every action (they did drop the massive table of modifiers for combat, right?).

Spinachcat

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Shadowrun Sixth World: Living entirely on Edge
« Reply #4 on: August 26, 2019, 11:55:03 PM »
What is the deal with Shadowrun and lack of playtesting and proofreading?

Did they do a public playtest with their fanbase?

Shawn Driscoll

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Shadowrun Sixth World: Living entirely on Edge
« Reply #5 on: August 27, 2019, 02:15:59 AM »
A fan has to contact the author and make an agreement to proofread their book for them. Otherwise, it doesn't get done. Some corebooks are too big for one fan to do on short notice. Throwing more bodies onto the problem won't fix things either. A corebook I proofread was one I wanted to buy and not have any typos in it. Fortunately, it was only 288 pages I think. I got a free PDF of it when it was released. A 900+ page corebook is too much to proofread in my book.

Opaopajr

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Shadowrun Sixth World: Living entirely on Edge
« Reply #6 on: August 27, 2019, 06:12:04 AM »
Shadowrun is the perennial TTRPG example of the triumph of hope over experience. :p
Just make your fuckin' guy and roll the dice, you pricks. Focus on what's interesting, not what gives you the biggest randomly generated virtual penis.  -- J Arcane
 
You know, people keep comparing non-TSR D&D to deck-building in Magic: the Gathering. But maybe it's more like Katamari Damacy. You keep sticking shit on your characters until they are big enough to be a star.
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Abraxus

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Shadowrun Sixth World: Living entirely on Edge
« Reply #7 on: August 27, 2019, 06:45:47 AM »
Well as long as Rigging and Decking are easier to do then it is something I will probably buy in PDF.

Alexander Kalinowski

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Shadowrun Sixth World: Living entirely on Edge
« Reply #8 on: August 27, 2019, 07:34:27 AM »
Shadowrun has had a workable quick matrix-run mechanic since 1995, Virtual Realities 2.0. Ironically, Cyberpunk Red seems to pursue a quite similar approach to it now.

[EDIT corrected the VR edition above]
« Last Edit: August 27, 2019, 05:24:51 PM by Alexander Kalinowski »
Author of the Knights of the Black Lily RPG, a game of sexy black fantasy.
Setting: Ilethra, a fantasy continent ruled over by exclusively spiteful and bored gods who play with mortals for their sport.
System: Faithful fantasy genre simulation. Bell-curved d100 as a core mechanic. Action economy based on interruptability. Cinematic attack sequences in melee. Fortune Points tied to scenario endgame stakes. Challenge-driven Game Design.
The dark gods await.

HappyDaze

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Shadowrun Sixth World: Living entirely on Edge
« Reply #9 on: August 27, 2019, 09:11:28 AM »
Quote from: Shawn Driscoll;1101009
A fan has to contact the author and make an agreement to proofread their book for them. Otherwise, it doesn't get done. Some corebooks are too big for one fan to do on short notice. Throwing more bodies onto the problem won't fix things either. A corebook I proofread was one I wanted to buy and not have any typos in it. Fortunately, it was only 288 pages I think. I got a free PDF of it when it was released. A 900+ page corebook is too much to proofread in my book.

This book isn't 900 pages; it's 322 (including covers), so it's far closer to the 288 that you did.

HappyDaze

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Shadowrun Sixth World: Living entirely on Edge
« Reply #10 on: August 27, 2019, 02:56:51 PM »
So a really strong troll can do more damage with a fist than a human can with a katana. OK. However, that troll can also do more damage with that fist than when weilding a katana since the former varies by Strength while the latter does not. Also, if that troll has a cyberarm, the punch caps out at a lower damage. WTF?

lordmalachdrim

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Shadowrun Sixth World: Living entirely on Edge
« Reply #11 on: August 27, 2019, 07:46:06 PM »
Just in case anyone was wondering about this book. There is a 10 page errata doc available on their web site that was put together by a select group of fans (podcasters and streamers) that was put up on day 1 of GenCon.

Opaopajr

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Shadowrun Sixth World: Living entirely on Edge
« Reply #12 on: August 27, 2019, 10:31:31 PM »
Quote from: lordmalachdrim;1101131
Just in case anyone was wondering about this book. There is a 10 page errata doc available on their web site that was put together by a select group of fans (podcasters and streamers) that was put up on day 1 of GenCon.

What a selling point! :) Such dedicated fandom! Thank you for sharing.

(I don't know whether to laugh or cry about the state of things. Triumph of Hope over Experience, indeed!)
Just make your fuckin' guy and roll the dice, you pricks. Focus on what's interesting, not what gives you the biggest randomly generated virtual penis.  -- J Arcane
 
You know, people keep comparing non-TSR D&D to deck-building in Magic: the Gathering. But maybe it's more like Katamari Damacy. You keep sticking shit on your characters until they are big enough to be a star.
-- talysman

remial

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Shadowrun Sixth World: Living entirely on Edge
« Reply #13 on: August 28, 2019, 04:44:49 AM »
Quote from: lordmalachdrim;1101131
Just in case anyone was wondering about this book. There is a 10 page errata doc available on their web site that was put together by a select group of fans (podcasters and streamers) that was put up on day 1 of GenCon.

hey, better than the first edition core, which had an errata doc that had a higher page count than the core book.

lordmalachdrim

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Shadowrun Sixth World: Living entirely on Edge
« Reply #14 on: August 28, 2019, 07:03:50 AM »
I know. I've looked at it. Thankfully I got into SR with 2nd ed. I still prefer running a mix of 2nd and 3rd ed.