New Shadowrun Fiction Anthology, Looking for Submissions

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Catalyst Game Labs released a new fiction anthology for Shadowrun with the first issue of Augment. This "Spring 2083" issue of the in-universe publication From the product description:

Magic is in the air and within the pages of this issue. Learn words of wisdom in an exclusive one-on-one interview with VIP CEO Michael Bishop. Listen to DJ Smash and Will-o-Wisp as they share their insight into the combination of magic, machine, and music. Discover how runestorms are endangering the Caribbean. Enjoy reviews of new products, clothing, tech, and so much more!

Catalyst Game Labs also issued open calls for submissions not just for future issues of Augment, but also for the Shrapnel fiction anthology for BattleTech. Guidelines are available at the links above. Augment wants fiction fitting a specific theme, while Shrapnel is more open to any fiction set in the BattleTech universe.

Augment is looking for short stories from 2000-3000 words of anonymous confessionals from people committing illegal acts presented as an in-universe publication by the megacorporation Horizon. Shrapnel wants 3000-5000 word short stories set in the BattleTech universe in any era of the setting's history (but a focus on BattleMechs is preferred). Stories should be character-focused but should not feature "Vanity stories, which include personal units, author-as-character inserts, or tabletop game sessions retold in narrative form.
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Both publications are paying $0.06 per word on publication with all rights purchased including characters. Please see the links for the Augment guidelines and Shrapnel guidelines for full information. You can also purchase the first issue of Augment from DriveThruFiction or the Catalyst Game Labs store for $5.99 or the the latest issue of Shrapnel from Catalyst or DriveThru for $6.99.

 

[MGibster]

I can't wait to introduce the world to Marty Stu of the infamous mercenary group The Stu Pots. A character that in no way, shape, or form did I make up for my own BattleTech games.

 

[Abstruse]

And because I'm overzealous enough I had five outlines written in the half hour after I saw the announcement, I learned you can only submit one story per issue.

 

[pablomaz]

All I wanted for Shadowrun was a coherent rules set. But it's too much to ask that from Catalyst.

 

[sevenbastard]

At first I was like what the heck I can knock out 2000 words at work during some boring conference call.

Then I remembered I haven't played Shadowrun since the 90s and I might be a little behind on lore.

I used to love Shadowrun, but we are just it diffent places right now. The game to me is like that person you dated and it was great, fond memories all around but you both went in different directions in life and you don't hold any ill will, but you also don't want to date them.

 

[Cergorach]

All I wanted for Shadowrun was a coherent rules set. But it's too much to ask that from Catalyst.

All I wanted for Shadowrun was a coherent rules set. But it's too much to ask that from FASA.
All I wanted for Shadowrun was a coherent rules set. But it's too much to ask that from FanPro.

 

[Reynard]

All I wanted for Shadowrun was a coherent rules set. But it's too much to ask that from FASA.
All I wanted for Shadowrun was a coherent rules set. But it's too much to ask that from FanPro.

"Coherent" is doing a lot of work here, and I would hazard a guess that it is mostly about system preferences rather than any objective measure. Shadowrun has always been a heavy 90s crunchfest. 6E is a little underwhelming, but it has been more and more coherent with every edition. It has a lot of moving parts, though, and has to mechanically accommodate a wide range of stuff, from astral monstrosities to cybertrucks. There are plenty of other options if you don't actually want to play Shadowrun.

As to the fiction: I have been in need a project to get back into fiction writing. This might be a good choice.

 

[Cergorach]

"Coherent" is doing a lot of work here, and I would hazard a guess that it is mostly about system preferences rather than any objective measure. Shadowrun has always been a heavy 90s crunchfest. 6E is a little underwhelming, but it has been more and more coherent with every edition. It has a lot of moving parts, though, and has to mechanically accommodate a wide range of stuff, from astral monstrosities to cybertrucks. There are plenty of other options if you don't actually want to play Shadowrun.

As to the fiction: I have been in need a project to get back into fiction writing. This might be a good choice.

looks at his Shadowrun collection
I absolutely love my 1e/2e/3e SR FASA physical book collection, the Fanpro ones a little less so, and I own most of the 4e/5e/6e in pdf (via Bundles).

The issue with SR is all the different systems that are stuck together, yes it's crunchy, that's not the issue. The problem is that it's a lot (maybe too much) spread out over all kinds of books. Cool! A new equipment book, but it also comes with more new systems. SR also suffers from Games Workshop 'syndrome': THIS edition we'll go for a very minimalist structured approach!" and they might start out that way, but a few years down the road it starts again with all the overflowing supplements with new systems. I remember that when I went to friends to play SR back in 2e/3e days, I needed to take an enormous pile of books with me to cover all the rules!

I liked the old SR FASA novels (and the Battletech and Renegade Legion novels) and read most (if not all of them), haven't read new (Fanpro/Catalyst) ones in a long, long while (although I have a whole digital pile of them). Probably because these days I have easy access to the whole worlds library in scifi/fantasy books and there are so many good/enjoyable books out there to read.

I really dislike the fluff direction they went in, so if I ever play/GM SR it will be set in 2050-2059 with probably the SR5e or Anarchy rules set. Still wondering which, because while Anarchy solves the issue of way too many rules and crunch, it might have overcompensated in the simplification.

Don't assume I don't like something just because I criticize it, you'll know when I don't like something.

 

[pablomaz]

I admit I was quite obtuse with my remark. Let me rephrase it: all I wanted from Catalyst was a system I liked.