Quote:
If I had to write a list of things to change, this is what it'd consist of:
1. SIMPLER CHARACTER CREATION. Don't get me wrong. I loved the purchase system from SR2 and 3. Then again, it was simpler, and better explained. This one has promise, but could benefit from better organization, and a reduced Metahuman cost.
2. ASTRAL COMBAT MANEUVERS TABLE AND EXPLANATION. Yes, one is badly needed. The mechanics might be the same, but the dice pools and maneuvers aren't. Sure, one can always reference previous edition books to get the gist of it, but if the system's been rewritten, it should include more on what it's covering. At the very least, a well-written explanation and a maneuvers table should appear in a future sourcebook.
3. CYBERCOMBAT MANEUVERS TABLE. Same as above.
4. IMPROVED GEAR LIST. This is where you find out what something is and what it does. The current gear list does neither one particularly well. Some devices seem completely fifth-wheel, as nothing is said about what they're supposed to do. I had to figure out what a few of them did from old material, and that shouldn't be necessary with a whole new game system.
5. FIX THE SLANG! This isn't the 21st century we know, and the game's terminology should reflect this. It certainly shouldn't back-borrow from slang that was discarded in game continuity in favor of in-genre terms. DECKER! HARDENING! RESPONSE! FRAG!!! Say it loud, say it proud, for you are speaking of SHADOWRUN!!
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I have to agree 100% with all of these things. If any or all of those things had been done, I would have rated the game much higher.
What bears repeating is this-- nSR is not really that much simpler than previous editions of Shadowrun. However, the basic mechaincs are written much, much better than ever; making them feel much easier and more accessable. The writing quality in those areas is excellent. This is not a low-quality product by any means; it's simply that there are many other good products out there as well.