2300AD and Shadowrun

[Jame]

What little of each I have seems to be similar, even accounting for the differences in setting (magic v. no magic)...

 

[Solo]

This is blasphemy.

-S.

 

[Gallowglass]

Hmm, one is a near future hard SF game written with pre-Cyberpunk attitudes to computes and information flow that desperatley tried to tack a Cyberpunk element on when it became trendy (and didn't do it very well) wedded to one of the more elegant dice mechanics which it then obscured by excess twiddly bits; the other is a lazy welding together of the two (at time of publication) most popular gaming genres without really doing either well, wedded to a horribly fiddly system involving buckets of dice that (especially in first edition) was atrociously explained and (I kid you not) needed flow charts to be explained...

Nah, can't see it myself...

OK, seriously, whilst there was a little overlap, the settings were almost diammetrically opposed (hard sf vs magic) and they were focused on very different things (Cyberpunk really was an after thought to 2300AD and only relevant in the core, Shadowrun was built around Shadowrunning...). However, if the cyberpunk overlap is what interests you, then there is potential there, and likewise a 2300AD variant where the earth is actually as per Shadowrun (that's why OQC is so strict!) could be very entertaining.

Cheers,

Nick Middleton

 

[Jame]

Maybe I'm blaspheming. But blaspheming is fun. Hey you, demon, get me my breakfast!

And remember, I don't know much about either system, but they have a somewhat similar flavor.

 

[The Hinterworlds Rambler]

Shadowrun? Great Gods of Gushemege! Shadowrun?

(Sprays keyboard with Lysol)

What a terrible game that was...

But not as terrible as RIFTS (BArffffFF)

I like the D20 modern approach vis a vis Magic and Whatnot. d20M Presents it to the point, without all the "Gee Whillickers" poo poo that Shadow run threw. Shadowrun, Indeed...

Man, I hate RIFTS..

 

[Jame]

Geez, and all I said waas that Shadowrun and 2300 AD have a similar flavor... Hey, at least I got disapproval out of it!

 

[Kentares]

I dont know enough of 2300AD to give an honest opinion about it but I certainly can give one about Shadowrun (which I play it since 1st ed.) and while one couldnt like the system one thing I cant agree is that its "a terrible game".
I´m sure that if one knows enough about the setting there should find something for every tastes. It´s just a question to know (or ask) what are you looking for.

 

[Gallowglass]

Originally posted by Kentares:
I dont know enough of 2300AD to give an honest opinion about it but I certainly can give one about Shadowrun (which I play it since 1st ed.) and while one couldnt like the system one thing I cant agree is that its "a terrible game".
I´m sure that if one knows enough about the setting there should find something for every tastes. It´s just a question to know (or ask) what are you looking for.

Leaving aside my earlier, silly reply, I do think the serious point is that the key features of the two settings (full bore cyberpunk in a fantasy (i.e. magic works) setting vs cyberpunk as a feature of only one part of the wider hard sf (i.e. magic does NOT work) setting) means the games are quite different. Not as different as Bunnies and Burrows and Demon:The Fallen say, but probably the two furthest apart of the near future/cyberpunk influenced games.

And whilst I really don't like the rules or setting of Shadowrun, that's my personal bias and certainly shouldn't stop anyone from having a look at the game (currently available from FanPro I believe...)

Cheers,

Nick Middleton.

 

[Jame]

I heard WizKids, but I could be wrong...

 

[Kentares]

Wizkids licensed the game to FanPro which produce the books since FASA closed doors.

And IMO they´re doing a better job now.

 

[Colin]

As far as I can see, the only similarity is the gritty atmosphere. However, 2300 lacks the atmosphere of despair so prevalent in Cyberpunk games, including Shadowrun. 2300 has a hopeful tone, looking towards Mankind's future on other worlds. The Kafer War was the most downbeat part of the setting, but even then, Mankind wins. (Trust me )
Mechanics-wise, they are extremely different. I'm only familiar with SR v1, but the whole bucket o'dice thing left me kind of cold.