What's your favorite Shadowrun edition?

Gorilla726 · Sep 6, 2004

Ok. So which one do you like?

Gorilla

Andrew D. Gable · Sep 6, 2004

SR3. Though I liked things I heard about the original, like the variable staging thing. More accurate, I thought, but probably more complicated.

Aristotle · Sep 6, 2004

I swear it seems like their are suddenly more posts about Shadowrun around here. Did I miss something? What gives?

I own most everything from the various editions, although I've only played the 2nd and 3rd editions. The 3rd edition was by far superior, and was an example of a game that really evolved into a great system (all in my opinion, of course).

After the 3rd edition came out it sold really well, and their were plans to up the production schedule (10 to 12 books a year IIRC); but then FASA closed and the game hasn't done nearly as well (in my opinion) under its new management. I miss the days when reading the shadowRN mailing lists and cruising the Dumpshock forums took up the better part of my day. :\

Jibril · Sep 6, 2004

Hard to say, the rules are more balanced in 3rd so from just a game play stand point its third but the style they used in the first and second edition books (writing the books like shadowland posts with all the decker comments) was so much better then the bland rule dumps that you get with 3rd edition its tempting to go with them.

trancejeremy · Sep 6, 2004

I hated 3rd edition so much, I stopped buying Shadowrun stuff. They completely ruined the game, IMHO.

Cergorach · Sep 6, 2004

Visually, 1st edition, it's just so much grittier then the new comic style of 3rd edition.
Rules balance wise, 3rd editon, although it did kind messed with the feel of the setting (but it was becomming pretty unplayable if the changes weren't made).

Chingerspy · Sep 6, 2004

I voted 2nd ed. Reasons -

I played this edition for 2 years straight; all weekend, every weekend.

I had more fun playing 2nd ed than 3rd ed. I missed out on 1st ed by about a year damn AD&D for making me miss it!

I heaps more 2nd ed material i.e. bought books, my own encounters, maps, stories, missions, etc...

I got 10 people interested in RPGs through 2nd ed. I don't see them too much these days but when I do they usually ask if I want to run a game for old times sake.

langolas · Sep 6, 2004

I started with 2nd ed and moved to third. It was a pain converting characters since they got rid of the all around "fire-arms" skill, which made sense. I liked the feel of the first and second ed books. I am a very visual person and loved having a page dedicated to each weapon and vehicle, pictures, stats everything. It's so much easier to show them what an ARES Master looks like, or the Vindicator Mini-gun as opposed to just guessing. I own almost all first and second ed books, plus most of the third ed ones before FASA closed it's doors.

I would love to get in on a SR campain or run one, but no one around here seems to care. Oh well.

I loved the Dragons of the Sixth Age book!

Thanee · Sep 6, 2004

Yes, the style of the older books (mostly from 2nd edition) was better, but they had to drop most of the cool shadowtalk, because of the plethora of information added, I'm pretty sure it was no easy decision. Still it's a shame.

I like 3rd edition the best, generally, however. They did away with some really problematic stuff (i.e. spell locks

) and I really like what they did with the knowledge skills, which help a lot to flesh out a character.

Tho, 1st edition (german version) was also pretty cool, because it was so badly written it was almost impossible to derive how the game is supposed to work. :heh: