When we were planning the changes we were going to make in Shadowrun, Fifth Edition and we were thinking about what we wanted to do to magic, we decided that it did not need changes as extensive as the Matrix (see this post and this other post for info about those changes). The system essentially worked, and it was consistent with rules in the rest of the game, so a major overhaul did not seem to be in order. That’s not to say everything was perfect. Read More

Our latest Dev Diary is all about Character Customization and has some great new art! Check it out!

http://harebrained-schemes.com/post/chris-dev-diary-characters/

We told you yesterday to be looking out for a new free preview of Shadowrun, Fifth Edition, and that preview is now available (Battleshop, DriveThruRPG). While the first preview focused on the look and feel of the game,  this one provides more rules content. It has a big load of the Game Concepts chapter, laying out the basic framework of the game, including tests, limits, attributes, uses of Edge, and so on. Enjoy!

Most deck-building games rely on competition for cards and victory to keep the action moving. Stalling on your turn in a competitive deck-building game is death. Heck, there’s even a mini-cottage industry commemorating Dominion’s fail-by-1 outcome of 7 coins. Read More

There is nothing that can make a fantastical setting feel more immersive than a really good setting shot. This is an incredibly effective way to help viewers instantly imagine what the world looks like, and it works very quickly. Whether it’s a simple camera shot showing the Ark of the Covenant being carted away into a warehouse full of treasures in Raiders of the Lost Ark, or Syd Mead’s amazing matte-painted scenes of the cities for Blade Runner, all it takes is a couple well-designed shots to immerse the viewers to a world of intrigue and shadows. Read More