DarkCrisis
Bad to the bone
Before I ever touched a D&D book, I was absorbed by Shadowrun.
This was thanks largely to the SNES and Genesis games. I can still remember the first time I played them. SNES first and then the Genesis game later.
In between the 2 I learned of the trilogy of novels about Sam "Twist" Verner. I still love The Artful Dodger. Best Decker this side of Seattle.
Eventually started getting my hands on the RPG books. This was 2E.
I've owned every edition (even 1E). Yes, also Anarchy.
I'm one of those people who think 3E is the best of the main line and quality has gone hill sense. 6E is one of the worst edited and error prone RPG books I have ever owned. The sheer amount of errata is staggering.
My main issue with SR is the rules crunchiness. It refuses to change. No matter how much it changes it refuses to slay some sacred cows. D&D figured out it (though its still far to bloated), why can't SR?
This of course brings me to Anarchy. 1E was fine. I get what it was going for. And despite it's flaws it was still the best version of SR to play simply because it was Rules Lite. 2E seems to have fixed all that and is bar none the best version of SR to play. IMO.
And of course the other video games. not sure much the arena shooter but the trilogy of top down games that came out 6+ years ago. Good stuff.
ANYWAYS.
With the success of Cyberpunk 2077 I was like where is Shadowrun? Deus Ex? Why aren't companies jumping on this?
Things I learned, while Catalyst has the publishing rights for the TTRPG, SR is owned by Microsoft and they don't give a naughty word. This is very obvious by how they care not how badly Catalyst does with their TTRPG product. Not to completely dump on Catalyst, at least they keep the torch burning. They just really need a "come to Jesus moment" when it comes to SR and frankly I don't think they care enough. SR6 drove that nail home for me.
Why would they care about a new video game? Top down or FPS. Maybe if someone came to them with a sack of cash, but CP2077 seems like lightening striking whos to say if a modern SR game would be as lucky. (Someone call the BG3 guys). Can you imagine a CP2077 style game but it's Shadowrun? Or even akin to the Deus Ex games. Perchance to dream.
And if the owner of the IP doesn't really care then not much can be done about it. It took a French company that actually gives a naughty word about Shadowrun to make a Good SR game. (SRA2E) To bad they don't believe in PDF with purchase of a physical book. No one is perfect I guess.
I've often heard that SR is beloved more in certain other countries and that always seems to be true. Germany has some of it's own SR products not found here? I think?
So yeah, I really wish SR was bigger than it is. It used to be mighty and now it's just barely a thing. I need a Manganello to step in and do what they can to revitalize it.
At least I have SRA2E. There will always be fans, even from other countries to help keep it alive.
This was thanks largely to the SNES and Genesis games. I can still remember the first time I played them. SNES first and then the Genesis game later.
In between the 2 I learned of the trilogy of novels about Sam "Twist" Verner. I still love The Artful Dodger. Best Decker this side of Seattle.
Eventually started getting my hands on the RPG books. This was 2E.
I've owned every edition (even 1E). Yes, also Anarchy.
I'm one of those people who think 3E is the best of the main line and quality has gone hill sense. 6E is one of the worst edited and error prone RPG books I have ever owned. The sheer amount of errata is staggering.
My main issue with SR is the rules crunchiness. It refuses to change. No matter how much it changes it refuses to slay some sacred cows. D&D figured out it (though its still far to bloated), why can't SR?
This of course brings me to Anarchy. 1E was fine. I get what it was going for. And despite it's flaws it was still the best version of SR to play simply because it was Rules Lite. 2E seems to have fixed all that and is bar none the best version of SR to play. IMO.
And of course the other video games. not sure much the arena shooter but the trilogy of top down games that came out 6+ years ago. Good stuff.
ANYWAYS.
With the success of Cyberpunk 2077 I was like where is Shadowrun? Deus Ex? Why aren't companies jumping on this?
Things I learned, while Catalyst has the publishing rights for the TTRPG, SR is owned by Microsoft and they don't give a naughty word. This is very obvious by how they care not how badly Catalyst does with their TTRPG product. Not to completely dump on Catalyst, at least they keep the torch burning. They just really need a "come to Jesus moment" when it comes to SR and frankly I don't think they care enough. SR6 drove that nail home for me.
Why would they care about a new video game? Top down or FPS. Maybe if someone came to them with a sack of cash, but CP2077 seems like lightening striking whos to say if a modern SR game would be as lucky. (Someone call the BG3 guys). Can you imagine a CP2077 style game but it's Shadowrun? Or even akin to the Deus Ex games. Perchance to dream.
And if the owner of the IP doesn't really care then not much can be done about it. It took a French company that actually gives a naughty word about Shadowrun to make a Good SR game. (SRA2E) To bad they don't believe in PDF with purchase of a physical book. No one is perfect I guess.
I've often heard that SR is beloved more in certain other countries and that always seems to be true. Germany has some of it's own SR products not found here? I think?
So yeah, I really wish SR was bigger than it is. It used to be mighty and now it's just barely a thing. I need a Manganello to step in and do what they can to revitalize it.
At least I have SRA2E. There will always be fans, even from other countries to help keep it alive.
