Mod for Shadowrun Hong Kong: Project Genesis

[Phinx]

Hi all, I've been slowly plugging away at bringing to life a Shadowrun project that is inspired by Shadowrun on the Genesis. It will take influences, locations and characters from the Snes/Genesis games as well as the sourcebooks. Original story with an open world, custom soundtrack composed of my favorite tracks from various games. Custom abilities/weapons made by available by other modders, as well as myself. Making each runner have a unique feel within the games somewhat limited combat scopes of course.


Matrix wise I've made it so that the player will have download speeds based on IQ stat on cyberdecks, and downloading will require the player to interact/choose download during conversations, then stay by the data node until the download is complete.This will increase tension if under attack, and at times force the player to fight outside of cover.

You will also need to search for the files in the nodes via conversation, which can lead to some dummy files, some paydata, also data bombs. And the player will have various different softwares to make it easier to locate files or avoid bombs. Search bots, protection from data bombs etc.

You will also need to account for storage capacity which can be upgraded. Which means balancing the right amount of custom software to make gaining files easier, as well as allow f or enough space to download said files.

These actions will all build heat and increase the risk for the player if they get too greedy. Outside of typical runs, there will be a public matrix which will allow the decker on the player's team to hack various things to make life easier. Say hack Coffin Motel for free boarding (although abusing it will lead to trouble). All about risk versus reward.

Conversation wise I wanted to get some opinions. For conversation based skill checks would players prefer:
1 - <strength: intimidate> the player will see an attribute in brackets for the given choice, but they won't know whether the attribute is high enough. With success and failures leading to different outcomes.
2 - conversation won't show skill check choices unless the player meets the requirements.
I am currently using the first option, but I don't want players to think that the skill check options will always be the superior choice.
Or if there are any better suggestions, I'm open.

 

[Urthor]

Just do it like the base game, or do the prestigious way which is to make it toggle-able in the options menu.

 

[Phinx]

A few screenshots of the project starting with a remake of Sega Genesis Redmond Barrens including fully exploreable exteriors and interiors.

World Map where I've made the taxi as drone which the player can control to pick out what destination they want to go to.

 

[Phinx]

I have also gotten permission to absorb Life on a Limb. So expect a few familiar, maps, characters and missions from there. The picture below is a remake of Finnegan's Wake.

 

[Phinx]

 

[Phinx]

 

[ERYFKRAD]

Hi all, I've been slowly plugging away at bring a Shadowrun project that is inspired by Shadowrun on the Genesis. It will take influences, locations and characters from the Snes/Genesis as well as the sourcebooks. Open world and come it a custom soundtrack composed of my favorite tracks from various games.


Conversation wise I wanted to get some opinions. For conversation based skill checks would players prefer:
1 - <strength: intimidate> the player will see an attribute in brackets for the given choice, but they won't know whether the attribute is high enough. With success and failures leading to different outcomes.
2 - conversation won't show skill check choices unless the player meets the requirements.
I am currently using the first option, but I don't want players to think that the skill check options will always be the superior choice.
Or if there are any better suggestions, I'm open.

1st one sounds okay, but what info will the player have to weigh his chances?

 

[Phinx]

Hi all, I've been slowly plugging away at bring a Shadowrun project that is inspired by Shadowrun on the Genesis. It will take influences, locations and characters from the Snes/Genesis as well as the sourcebooks. Open world and come it a custom soundtrack composed of my favorite tracks from various games.


Conversation wise I wanted to get some opinions. For conversation based skill checks would players prefer:
1 - <strength: intimidate> the player will see an attribute in brackets for the given choice, but they won't know whether the attribute is high enough. With success and failures leading to different outcomes.
2 - conversation won't show skill check choices unless the player meets the requirements.
I am currently using the first option, but I don't want players to think that the skill check options will always be the superior choice.
Or if there are any better suggestions, I'm open.

1st one sounds okay, but what info will the player have to weigh his chances?

Basically I've made so that if a player has gone spent a decent amount of points on a particular attribute (say melee street samurai) then they should have enough points to beat the skill check, unless there's a narrative description where it implies that the NPC is strong/street smart or something along those lines hinting that you'll need really high points to get past it, or that it may be a bad idea.

As I feel for a Shadowrun game things should not always go according to plan and that is what makes runs interesting. Say you have a package delivery (milk run), during the delivery you encounter an NPC, who will attempt to steal the package unless have enough in A: dodge his stun gloves, or B: quickness check grab his arm before he attacks.

If you fail, you have to do some legwork and speak to locals, bribe etc to find out where the thief has run off too.

 

[Kruno]

This looks really nice. When will it be finished? Next month?

 

[Phinx]

This looks really nice. When will it be finished? Next month?

Will come in two parts. Part 1, I'm about two weeks away from releasing a closed off beta for testing. I'm currently finishing off the last major run for it. Then give a closed group the time to play and hopefully not run into too many bugs, as I've thoroughly tested it. But in the end, different minds will do things that I haven't thought of and may find bugs. I would like some more conversation options for certain parts, as some of the testers are fairly good writers they will help expand on the conversations. I would say no longer than 2 month max.

Part 1 will also be a showcase to a few of the guys that worked on Mercurial who's current project has been put on hold. So if all goes well I will have a fair few able bodies to create the second half much faster. Having done part 1 on my own, I have a pretty good idea of how to delegate tasks,

Ideally I would like to implement Mob Wars from the source book as a major side story for part 2. Mapping wise I have a lot of the locations ready even for the next half, so it's more about implementing NPC's and making the world feel lived in.

Australia has also come down with strict lock down rules which means for the next few weeks I will have a lot more time on my hands to work on this.

 

[V_K]

More Shadowrun is never a bad thing. Why Hong Kong as a base though, might I ask?

 

[Phinx]

More Shadowrun is never a bad thing. Why Hong Kong as a base though, might I ask?

It has more features, more props, more animations, better optimization. Only real downsides were the editor's lack of stability, and the music. Music wise I've added a custom soundtrack to replace the mostly oriental sound on top of adding a ton more tracks. So all up a lot of improvements, with minimal downsides.

 

[Stormcrowfleet]

Very nice project! I wish you all the best, I'd definitively play that.

 

[Verylittlefishes]

looks cool, good luck with this

remake of Finnegan's Wake.

lol, Joyce's insanest work is not very often used as a subject of namedropping

 

[Phinx]

Still plugging away, have gotten some extra writers. Just thought I'd share the first location Redmond Barrens, as well as showcase a few of the NPC's, as well as the soundtrack. Was made on bandicam, and to make matters worse a friend was chatting away on discord whilst I was recording.

 

[Marat]

Looks impressive to say the least. How is it coming along?

 

[Jack Of Owls]

Haven't played any Shadowrun thingie since the days of owning SNES hardware but the setting and premise always appealed to me. Someday I'm gonna go on a Shadowrun binge and play a bunch of 'em including the Sega Genesis/Megadrive version (with its Neuromancer-inspired cyberspace sequences) and a list of the best mods as per recommended by the community, hopefully yours among them. Edit: I almost said including the one for the Sega CD above but there's no english translation for that version, and I think I was actually thinking more of Snatcher.

 

[Phinx]

Looks impressive to say the least. How is it coming along?

I took a month off, came back, my mouse was constantly disconnecting, short circuited my USB port which froze my windows and messed my master file table, and deleted all my users. Everything was backed up except my soundtrack (newer ones) which hurt a lot as I wasn't able to recover all of them with data recovery.

But outside of that Old Town (Snes), Redmond Barrens (Genesis), Fall City have most NPC's written and implemented. 8 short missions, 2 sourcebook missions, 3 story line missions. I need to implement Matrix HUB and tie in a few story lines, as well as rebuild a bit of the soundtrack. But going well.

 

[Marat]

I took a month off, came back, my mouse was constantly disconnecting, short circuited my USB port which froze my windows and messed my master file table, and deleted all my users. Everything was backed up except my soundtrack (newer ones) which hurt a lot as I wasn't able to recover all of them with data recovery.

But outside of that Old Town (Snes), Redmond Barrens (Genesis), Fall City have most NPC's written and implemented. 8 short missions, 2 sourcebook missions, 3 story line missions. I need to implement Matrix HUB and tie in a few story lines, as well as rebuild a bit of the soundtrack. But going well.

Happy to hear that. Good luck. Btw are you working on it alone?

 

[Phinx]

I took a month off, came back, my mouse was constantly disconnecting, short circuited my USB port which froze my windows and messed my master file table, and deleted all my users. Everything was backed up except my soundtrack (newer ones) which hurt a lot as I wasn't able to recover all of them with data recovery.

But outside of that Old Town (Snes), Redmond Barrens (Genesis), Fall City have most NPC's written and implemented. 8 short missions, 2 sourcebook missions, 3 story line missions. I need to implement Matrix HUB and tie in a few story lines, as well as rebuild a bit of the soundtrack. But going well.

Happy to hear that. Good luck. Btw are you working on it alone?

I did most of the work myself. Although I do have a few writers now, and will absorb most of the guys that did Mercurial if they like part one as their current project has been dropped.

 

[OracleX]

looking forward! do drop by with updates and such. always appreciated

 

[Phinx]

The character I'm using to test has way too much karma, so don't mind the easy kills. I'm also trying not to give away to many spoilers, as well as hidden pick ups. So keeping the videos short and conside.

Fall City Road still requires a fair amount more NPC's and things to do, as it'll be the main HUB, and is quite a large location.


One of the randomized missions ala Sega Genesis Shadowrun. Missions will have slight random alterations, which will require different actions or skill checks to complete. Some may lead to more nuyen, or an alternate tree leading to a new mission. Upon obtaining a mission, you will gain a key items which will act as a sort of mission journal.


The first Story Mission


Random Ghoul mission from Shadowrun Genesis. I've done my best to make sure that there are many extra locations and secret rooms you can access if you want to explore during missions. It comes with it's own risk.

 

[Phinx]

Intercity 5 highway & Snes Shadowrun Old Town locations. As for travel goes, various locations will be accessible by foot, public transport or using payphones for taxi's.


And last post for the day, some examples from the killer soundtrack I've put many hours into perfecting.

 

[Phinx]

 

[hello friend]

Glad to see this is still alive. I remember playing an earlier version some years(?) ago. How's the current state of the project?