Shadowrun: Hong Kong - Who's excited?

[T.G. Oskar]

Odd that there's no promotion about it, and checking that the last SR thread was about 8 months ago, might as well ask: is anyone excited for the new stand-alone campaign?

Harebrained Schemes released (very successfully) the "additional content" Kickstarter for the campaign, which was already in agenda, and has already surpassed all its original stretch goals and its first additional stretch goal. As mentioned, the campaign will be on the Hong Kong Free Enterprize Zone (sp?), and will feature a 2-year skip from the two earlier campaigns (2056, compared to 2054). Once again, it'll have the concept of a central hub and a team, but this time, it's larger (by 1 team mate) and somewhat more diversified: an Ork Rat Shaman (mostly barriers and support), another Ork as a Security Specialist (I jokingly call him male!Eiger, but he seems to also specialize in melee), a Dwarf pure Decker (with a sweet sniper rifle and apparently demolitions expert as well), a human pure Rigger with a custom-made walker drone (or, to be honest, a unique walker drone with its pet human Rigger), and...a Ghoul Red Samurai. Yes, "I Can't Believe it's Not an Adept!"

Amongst the stretch goals (which include the Rigger and the Ghoul), there'll be improved Cyberware (including, potentially, a new skill for cyberware improvement), improved Magic (Great Form Spirits and NEW FOCUSES!!! YAY!!!) and a revamped Matrix experience. It's a vast improvement over Dragonfall: DC, and that was a huge improvement by itself. The latest stretch goal involves a mini-campaign that continues the Hong Kong story.

Alright, so enough promotion. Let's talk about speculation: what do you feel about the new party? What do you feel about the new setting? What may you expect from the new stand-alone campaign?

[Cespenar]

Hmm. The NPC roster almost nudges the PC towards a caster role. So does the charisma-etiquette mechanic.

Anyway. The Shadowrun games delivered twice in a row now, so I've no reason to suspect they'll do so again.

[heronbpv]

I sure am. Loved DMS, and i'm still playing dragonfall (third playthrough).
I kind of agree with your base team favoring certain builds, but you can always ignore it and use the other mercenaries when needed (remember that LuckyStrike was pretty much the best companion you could bring along, battle wise).
Maybe we can hope for the NPCs to bring their own etiquettes and stats (other than decking and strenght) to the dialog this time, so we can have more freedom building our own character...

[Brother Oni]

Personally I'm dreading all the Let's Play commentators badly mangling all the Chinese names of the districts.

I expect they're going to skim over the language issues and writing issues (Cantonese and Mandarin have less in common than English and Russian, not to mention that HK uses traditional characters rather the mainland Simplified ones), although pretty much all street signs are bilingual (English and Chinese), so it'll be nice if they kept that little detail in.

I'm curious to see to see how they present Chinese cultural customs in the game, as these are going to be fairly alien to a lot of western players, but as I understand it, they're going to be second nature to the character.

I'm only familiar with the 2nd ED lore, but metahumans tended to be regarded as almost second class citizens in Chinese culture. Has this changed in the latest version? It's going to be less obvious as HK is more westernised, but it simply wouldn't feel right without some form of discrimination.

[Calemyr]

If HK is as much of an upgrade as Dragonfall was? Well... holy crap. I mean DMS was pretty cool the first time through (I love the ending), but there were some pretty dumb things in there, like the psuedo-shotgun and the lack of any real team dynamic. Dragonfall, on the other hand, kicked nine kinds of buttock and really felt like a Shadowrun story, full of moral grays and good intentions gone wrong. I love the party for Dragonfall, including Blitz, who struck me as a lot more real than npc allies in most games.

This is the first I've heard about another Shadowrun game, so I can't speak to expectations, but I'm already looking forward to it. They've got room to grow and I'm eager to see how they use it.

[Morty]

I'd be more excited if I'd managed to finish either of the campaigns. I got stuck on the last mission in Dead Man's Switch and on a side-mission in Dragonfall... the one where you need to kill a survivor of a botched run so he doesn't talk. I'll be watching it with interest anyway.

[CarpeGuitarrem]

Currently on the APEX mission in Dragonfall myself...need to wrap things up. I can't wait to see what they do for Hong Kong. May it keep getting better and better.

[Cyber Punk]

To say I'm excited would be a MASSIVE understatement!

I should really go back and finish Dragonfall now. I never got to finish hearing Glory's backstory.

Like Morty, I got stuck in Dead Man's Switch... but at a mission you do with Baron Samedi (Telestrian Industries, I think it was).

[thorgrim29]

I should really go back and finish Dragonfall now. I never got to finish hearing Glory's backstory.


Bring tissues...

But yeah, I heard about this a week or so ago, and I'll definitely buy it when it comes out (unless it's the same month as Witcher 3 of course)

[CarpeGuitarrem]

Glory's backstory may be the best thing in the whole game. Especially for how it brilliantly incorporates a specific game mechanic.

[T.G. Oskar]

I'd be more excited if I'd managed to finish either of the campaigns. I got stuck on the last mission in Dead Man's Switch and on a side-mission in Dragonfall... the one where you need to kill a survivor of a botched run so he doesn't talk. I'll be watching it with interest anyway.

The last mission in DMS can be a headache, since you have a lot of bugs and the NPC that follows you isn't that great (ironically). Getting the Ghost is worthwhile, since it works as a third bug-buster and has full proficiency in Rifles, with a pretty decent rifle at that (the Colt). The final choice depends on your own character: if you're not a Mage or Shaman (specifically a Shaman), try to pay for Alexander Falk, since he's hands down the best Shadowrunner for your Nuyen. Between the Barriers, Aim and Heal Wounds, plus Haste, you get a solid support. If you're a Mage or Shaman (or if you're both, essentially pulling off what Falk does), choose anyone you want (maybe even Coyote?)

As for the Pharma ACG mission, learn the concept of "Drone Harassment Tactics" (i.e. have the Drone step from a hatch, shoot, then spend the last AP hiding in; those the Drone shot will start looking at the hatch, thus making them forget about your party) with Blitz & Max (or your character, if a Rigger), and pay to loan Dietrich the Lightning Barrier spell. Between DHT and Air/Lightning Barrier, you can keep everyone in control.


To say I'm excited would be a MASSIVE understatement!

I should really go back and finish Dragonfall now. I never got to finish hearing Glory's backstory.

Like Morty, I got stuck in Dead Man's Switch... but at a mission you do with Baron Samedi (Telestrian Industries, I think it was).

For this mission? Lightning Barrier is your friend. DHT is only useful on the first floor, while the Barriers are good on both areas.

[Cikomyr]

I was playing an Orc Adept on my first play through, cultivated and sociable. I always did my best to make sure i had enough money for the nearby Transhuman Charity, and tried to redirect people, humans and transhumans alike, toward it.

I really felt a.pinge near the endgame when the Charity's manager started crying because of the impact my contributions had on the neighbourhood.

[Cespenar]

Glory's backstory may be the best thing in the whole game. Especially for how it brilliantly incorporates a specific game mechanic.

It really is a fresh feeling when a game can stitch fluff to crunch in a good way.

[Brother Oni]

It really is a fresh feeling when a game can stitch fluff to crunch in a good way.

It might be my age showing (or at least my experience of the SR novels), but that aspect of Glory's backstory didn't surprise me that much. Even within the new games, it's mentioned a number of times that Jake Armitage isn't an especially good Dog shaman, due to his former profession as a data courier and having a substantial amount of metal in his head.

[Morty]

The last mission in DMS can be a headache, since you have a lot of bugs and the NPC that follows you isn't that great (ironically). Getting the Ghost is worthwhile, since it works as a third bug-buster and has full proficiency in Rifles, with a pretty decent rifle at that (the Colt). The final choice depends on your own character: if you're not a Mage or Shaman (specifically a Shaman), try to pay for Alexander Falk, since he's hands down the best Shadowrunner for your Nuyen. Between the Barriers, Aim and Heal Wounds, plus Haste, you get a solid support. If you're a Mage or Shaman (or if you're both, essentially pulling off what Falk does), choose anyone you want (maybe even Coyote?)

As for the Pharma ACG mission, learn the concept of "Drone Harassment Tactics" (i.e. have the Drone step from a hatch, shoot, then spend the last AP hiding in; those the Drone shot will start looking at the hatch, thus making them forget about your party) with Blitz & Max (or your character, if a Rigger), and pay to loan Dietrich the Lightning Barrier spell. Between DHT and Air/Lightning Barrier, you can keep everyone in control.


This would be good advice if I could restart the mission while changing my team roster, but I don't think I can. The last DMS mission should be doable now that saving mid-mission is possible, but I just never felt like returning to it.

[Cyber Punk]

For this mission? Lightning Barrier is your friend. DHT is only useful on the first floor, while the Barriers are good on both areas.

Isn't that a Conjuration Spell? I played a spellcaster that used SMGs, but no conjuration. I'll try it again should I get the chance, though.

This news has got me playing Dragonfall again, though this time I'm starting from scratch.

[Cikomyr]

I know the option of specking your own decker usually make the matrix sequences much funnier to me when my PC is a decker.

I always dislike being forced to use whatever the NPC deckers have been specked with.

[heronbpv]

At least for me, the problem is when I'm not a decker, have one in my team, but can't use his skills to hack a terminal/select a dialog option and gain information for whatever reason. It kind of misses the point of having a team in my opinion...

[Cyber Punk]

That's been fixed in the Director's cut, as far as I can see.

[huttj509]

At least for me, the problem is when I'm not a decker, have one in my team, but can't use his skills to hack a terminal/select a dialog option and gain information for whatever reason. It kind of misses the point of having a team in my opinion...

They did MUCH better with that in Dragonfall: diractor's cut than DMS.

And I loved the Dir. Cut being free if you owned Dragonfall.

[T.G. Oskar]

This would be good advice if I could restart the mission while changing my team roster, but I don't think I can. The last DMS mission should be doable now that saving mid-mission is possible, but I just never felt like returning to it.

I know it feels hard, but it shouldn't be hard to rewind to the spot where you can choose your team roster, and maybe reconsider the choices you made for your PC. I insist that Falk is worthwhile (unless you already do what Falk does, in which case it becomes something redundant).

BTW: the problem is the final battle, or reaching that final battle?


Isn't that a Conjuration Spell? I played a spellcaster that used SMGs, but no conjuration. I'll try it again should I get the chance, though.

Yes, all Barriers are Conjuration spells, but if you tag Dietrich along, he can use them...provided you play Dragonfall: Director's Cut, that is. DF: DC lets you loan items, so you can make Dietrich hold the Barrier and use it for you, covering chokepoints.

[Brother Oni]

And I loved the Dir. Cut being free if you owned Dragonfall.

I enjoyed Dragonfall being free if you backed SRR on Kickstarter.

[huttj509]

I enjoyed Dragonfall being free if you backed SRR on Kickstarter.

I don't recall if I backed, or bought the bundle. I just remember at GenCon, walking the dealer hall with my friend (who hadn't played SRR yet, and was meaning to pick it up), and we saw the banner and handouts about standalone Dragonfall Director's Cut. Looked like REALLY nice changes to the mechanics, and I tentatively asked how much it would be, since I already had Dragonfall, and man, having a game when a director's cut comes out at full price is annoying.

"It's a free upgrade if you already have Dragonfall"
"Oh, well then, sold! :-)"

[Calemyr]

And I loved the Dir. Cut being free if you owned Dragonfall.

Oh yes. It's stunts like that which truly make it seem like a company is working for the gamers rather than the easiest dollar. They earned a lot of good will from me for that.

[Cyber Punk]

I've been playing Dragonfall again (the Director's Cut) and I just passed where I was last time (the Bloodlines mission). I couldn't get to the elevator undetected, and we got out of the building with one turn to spare.

In the MKIV mission, where do I find the Drug Formula?

[CarpeGuitarrem]

In the MKIV mission, where do I find the Drug Formula?
Hmmmmmm lemme think back...honestly, I don't specifically remember--it involved a lot of sneaking around the building and looking at notes and stuff and using passwords to hack into computers.

[Cyber Punk]

I just figured it out: entering Formula 17 into the data terminal. :smallbiggrin: