GM Pregen Bits

What is a Pregen?

Basic definition

In a nutshell, a "pregen" is a Pre-Generated packet of information. This can be in the form of runs, campaigns, objectives, buildings that the players may encounter, vehicles or other props, or NPCs. Some of this information is commercially available, and sometimes this information has been created or compiled by individuals.

How does Runnerhub use pregens?

Basically, we don't really. The most pregen information used is in the forms of the Hub Contacts: the stable of created contacts that exist only on Runnerhub. There has been some effort to create maps and locations that others may use, with varying degrees of success. It comes down to what people are comfortable using, and what people are comfortable supplying.

As Runnerhub is a fan-based organization, occasionally there will be material produced from resources other than Catalyst. While this is acceptable in a home game, creating massive amounts of information as "canon" is not always something that can be pulled off well. As Runnerhub is basically a really large home game, we have adopted some things as canon that were not really created by Catalyst, and amended some things into canon from other published canon material. (Most visible is the fact that we do not really have much interaction with Headcases/CFD.)

What do we have?

Mostly, the Pregen info we have comes in the form of NPCs and minor locations. The major locations are either taken from officially published material (and which we do not have license to reproduce here, as it is copyrighted and a source of income for Catalyst), or created by the individual GMs for their runs. As individual GMs make up information, it gets spread via streams and ends up affecting the next run, but is not exactly a pregenerated bit of material.

What do we need?

Well, this is where we throw the concepts back to you, the fans and visitors. You do not have to be a GM to create a place, or a member of any of the Divisions to create an NPC. All we ask is that you make them interesting. Don't just give it a name and leave it at that: add some flavor to the page. If you are making a restaurant, add in descriptors of decor, AR descriptions, smells, sounds, atmosphere, general clientele, waitstaff, et cetera. If you are making an NPC, describe them. Are they fat? Thin? What race? How do they react to children? Did they build a volcano as a kid in school? Do they drive? Do they hate cars? Really, the same 20 questions that go into making a character can be used to make an NPC.

And who knows? Your created pregen could end up being used in the next run you go on. (The fact that Upkeep might offer a GMP bonus for well-crafted pregens also helps, right?)