The USA Today
Population: 232 Million

The USA is a nation of sweeping planes and sandy deserts, around which tower the gleaming skyscrapers of the Corporation PolicedZones.

While the president nominally governs the USA, true power resides with the Corporations. A few states, notably Missouri, Arkansas, Kentucky and Tennessee have adopted a separatist stance. While these 'Independent States' they have not officially seceded, they do maintain tariffs when entering their PolicedZones, fuelling a large smuggling industry.

The rolling prairies of mid-west America are now a vast desert, caused primarily by the fact that the Pacific is so polluted in places that it no longer evaporates. Colorado, Wyoming and western Nebraska form the heart of the Great Central Desert, one of the most inhospitable places of the planet. Meanwhile, the rocky plateaux of Utah, Nevada and Arizona do receive chilling rain from the Pacific, resulting in them becoming a huge cold wilderness similar to the South American Atacama desert. The Great Lakes have shrunk to shallow pollution clogged waterways, surrounded by hazardous salt-flats. The world famous Niagara Falls is little more than a muddy trickle. Both the Mississippi and Missouri are shadows of their former selves, clogged with refuse and pollution.

Raising sea levels have flooded many coastal settlements with pollution-seeped water. The East Coast has been protected from flooding by a vast barrage connecting Long Island to the mainland, while vast concrete sea defences protrude for miles past the southern end of Manhattan Island. Where these measures end, much of the land has been eaten away, with hundreds of square miles of farmland lost to the rising Atlantic. New Orleans has become the new Venice, its streets replaced by punt-thronged canals that link new Corporation-built buildings constructed on piles and stilts raising them above the water, while Houston is simply sinking, one street at a time.

The Policed Zones
Built and controlled by the Corporations, each PolicedZone exists within steel-reinforced walls, protected by electric fences, intruder detection and laser repulsion systems. Every inhabitant is an employee of the relevant Corporation, providing feudal-style loyalty in exchange for security, housing and modern facilities. Employees are born in Corporation medi-centres and educated in the Corporation schools before working for the Corporation and then being incinerated in the Corporation funeral home. Corporation Employees seldom have to sweat, with ultra-high technology resulting in industrial robots and computer controlled production lines undertaking sophisticated manufacturing tasks. Entertainment is also provided by the Corporations, in the form of decadent playgrounds where young, rich trendsetters party in Corporation nightclubs and attend Corporation galas. Less privileged employees rely on the TV and Datanet for entertainment. Here they watch either Corporation produced soaps and game shows or pirate TV coverage of motor duels and other Bloodsports that occur outside of the PolicedZone's security.

Filter
Access to the PolicedZones is through areas known as Filter, where modern day drawbridges and portcullises prevent unwanted intruders entering Corporation territory. Here incoming trucks load and unload containers, protected in large parks patrolled by armed guards and IR-enhanced guard dogs. Vehicles passing through Filter are often required to strip down, as most PolicedZones maintain laws prohibiting carrying weapons by anyone who is not a Corporation law enforcer.

NoGo
Outside the safety of the PolicedZones, the remnants of the great American cities survive as areas known as NoGo, home to poor, disposed and desperate. The buildings here are crumbling, falling prey to acid pollution, ruthless overcrowding and exploitation. Some 'service status' areas manage to afford policing of sorts, while other areas are protected by local hoods or organised crime cartels. Conflict between rival gangs over territory and street-status are common, and most streets are tagged with gang symbols advertising their current 'protectors'. Many rich kids from the PolicedZones journey into NoGo looking for illicit pleasures, indeed you can find whatever you want in NoGo if you know where to look. In the shattered filth of the decaying suburbs, black marketers sell Corporation manufactured pleasures, smuggled from out of the PolicedZone factories. Hi-tech programs, designer drugs, electronics, live animals, body parts, antiques and uncontaminated water fetch the highest price.

SandSide
Between the PolicedZones, motorised gangs of raiders terrorise the scattered homesteads and bartertowns where average Americans try to eke out an existence. Here the roads run forever, slicing up the dusty and lifeless land of the Second Frontier. Great convoys of armoured trucks make there way between the various cities, often protected by Sanctioned Operatives. SandSide settlements operate under no jurisdiction but their own, with each settlement often fiercely independent. In the Bartertowns, outsiders are tolerated due to the trade they bring, but anyone stepping out of line can expect a lynching. Under the desert sands are many ruins, once populated areas that were abandoned due to lack of water. Scavengers constantly dig through these ruins looking for abandoned treasures, although most only find death at the hands of the local outlaws.

Quote from: jadrax;458291Yes, I certainly can see the merits of that idea. Although I am slightly concerned you commonly get offers to assassinate people in real life... ;o)



One of the cornerstones of the background that makes no sense at all is that gasoline is pretty common while water is an incredibly scarce resource. The Pacific is so polluted that it dosen't evaporate, which I am pretty sure is also nonsensical.

Not sure why accommodation is so cheap, or why you can't apparently buy a house outright. That's all from the list on the internet so I may well change it.

I don't think accommodation is that cheap just that clothes are really expensive. You can rent a nice appartment near Union Square for about $4.5K a month today but you can buy a tee-shirt in K-mart for about $8

Also with all that sea water I can see me investing in a few desalination plants. I can power them with all that cheap gasoline

If water really is that expensive then manual labour costs rocket I mean a guy cleans your appartment he is going to sweat about $100 dollars worth of water

Wine is $25 a litre and its 87% water... I can see me a business proposition

Quote from: jibbajibba;458323I don't think accommodation is that cheap just that clothes are really expensive. You can rent a nice appartment near Union Square for about $4.5K a month today but you can buy a tee-shirt in K-mart for about $8

Clothing prices can easily be reduced I think, almost none of the ones in the list are canon.

QuoteAlso with all that sea water I can see me investing in a few desalination plants. I can power them with all that cheap gasoline

If water really is that expensive then manual labour costs rocket I mean a guy cleans your appartment he is going to sweat about $100 dollars worth of water

Wine is $25 a litre and its 87% water... I can see me a business proposition

Yeah, I am rapidly coming to think that the water price is actually too nonsensical to survive contact with PCs...

Quote from: jadrax;458336Clothing prices can easily be reduced I think, almost none of the ones in the list are canon.



Yeah, I am rapidly coming to think that the water price is actually too nonsensical to survive contact with PCs...

Hmm... drink lots of cheap wine. Piss into bottles, seal, chill and sell

Altered the Clothing and Water prices downwards.

Computers
Computers are prevalent in the Dark Future of 1995, present in everything from pocket calculators to complex cybernetic limbs. Automated systems can be found everywhere, from the vast production lines of the so-called Corporation RoboTown factories to the automated Drive Systems that control expensive company cars. These computers do not operate in isolation, but instead are linked in one vast system known as the Datanet. All PolicedZones dwellings have access to the Datanet down the same cable that provides there TV signal, while in NoGo and SandSide, Datanet access requires a Satellite Link. Through the Datanet, programs can be brought and upgraded, as well as linking to the external resources they require to run.

New Skill: Datanet Use
Datanet Use is used to navigate the Datanet, as well as programming, hacking and understanding computer programs. Note that building, maintaining and powering computer hardware is resolved on the Tech Skill, Datanet Use only covers the programming side.
Usual Attributes: Understanding

Hacking
A new breed of Criminal has perfected the art of Hacking, interfacing with computers through either physical cables or the Datanet, to bypass passwords and either retrieve hidden information, override core functionality or simply damage programs beyond repair. Hacking is normally a long drawn out process, which requires days or even weeks to perform. A hacked program or device can only be made to perform in a way that makes sense. If you hack an onboard computer running Gazetteer program, you could alter a restaurants review or even add or delete a new item of information to the map. You could not make it stop the car it is installed on, as it does not have any control over the break pedal, unless the car has a Robotic Drive installed. Instead of attempting to override a computer, the Hacker may attempt to damage it, effectively flooding it with so much mal-ware that it becomes unusable.
Example: Dog Boy is running for his life from a US Cavalry Security Android through the ruins of Gary, east of the Chicago PolicedZone. Both Dog Boy and the Android have a Satellite Link allowing them to access the Datanet, which means Dog Boy can attempt to hack the Android and take control of it using his Datanet Plug. Dog Boy has the Hack-Attack program allowing him to attempt to hack the Android with a single action, and makes an Understanding and Datanet Use roll, gaining 3 successes. Unfortunately the Android had a massive four levels of Firewall installed, meaning that Dog Boy would have needed 5 successes to succeed.

Hardware
Automated Fire Control: Allows a Computer installed in a vehicle to fire a single weapon automatically with an Attribute and Skill of 2. Alternatively, the vehicle's driver may fire a weapon with Automated Fire Control through a Heads-Up-Display.
Robotic Drive: Allows a Computer installed in a vehicle to drive it automatically with an Attribute and Skill of 2.
Satellite Link: Allows a computer to connect to the Datanet wherever they are. This allows a vehicles Automated systems may be controlled through the Datanet.

Software
Doublethink: Only available to users with a Datanet Plug, this software maps the user's whole brain onto a Database, providing a perfect copy. While this is a substantial aid to the user's memory, it also allows hackers access to the users innermost thoughts. A user of Doublethink with access to the Datanet gains three additional successes when attempting to remember something they once knew.
Firewall: Each level of Firewall increases the difficulty of hacking a system by one level, to a maximum of six.
Hack-Attack: This software package contains a number of automated systems for bypassing passwords and other security systems, allowing a Hacking attempt to be performed in a single action.
Head-Hunt: A sophisticated countermeasure program which monitors a computer system and attempts to disable the software of any detected Hackers. Each time an attempt to hack a system with Head-Hunt is attempted, it immediately attempts to neutralise the hostile machine, with an Attribute and Skill equal to the number of Head-Hunt programs installed, to a maximum of six.
Gazetteer: This program provides user generated information about points of interest throughout America. With Gazetteer, a user can locate a near-by restaurant, read customer reviews and even obtain a list of items the owner wants to barter for food.
Roadfight: This program provides the user with up-to-date information on road conditions, wind factor, relative velocities and numerous other conditions relevant to a fight. Users gain a +2 bonus to their Drive and Shoot skill. While normally only usable in a car, characters with Cyber-Eyes or Datanet-linked mirror shades can use this at anytime they are connected to the Datanet.

Datanet Viruses
Viruses are hostile programs, replicating pieces of software that verge on being life forms. Each Virus has an Attribute and Skill equal to its rating, which it automatically uses to attempts to hack any computer that connects to it, as per the Datanet Use skill. Most Viruses have a rating of 1 to 3, although particularly dangerous ones can rate higher.

Androids
While industrials robots and automated vehicles are commonplace within the PolicedZones, humanoid robots, or Androids, remain uncommon and distrusted. Economic concerns prevent widespread adaptation in the manufacturing and service sectors, where Indentured Servants and Cloned labour are a much cheaper alternative. Some Corporations have experimented with military Androids, although this has not met with huge success. The Watts NoGo massacre of 1992 was infamous for when a programming error resulted in almost two thousand civilian deaths, resulting in the United Nations attempting to pass a resolution leading to a worldwide ban. While this has not so far come to pass, use of military androids remains low. After all, many Generals ask, why send million dollar android to perform an assassination, when a human suicide bomber is cheaper, more efficient and endorsed by several major religions as morally superior than using a soulless machine?

Example Android: Locust
Cost: $219,300

Locusts are experimental military androids designed for solo-deployment in environments where it is to dangerous to deploy a living soldier. They are usually directly controlled via the Datanet, but can be given basic programming, which operates while they are offline. Lightly armed and armoured, a Locust relies upon its speed to avoid danger while getting to its targets. Locusts are styled to look insectile, with a green Kevlar skin. Locust military androids do not have hands, but do have inbuilt weapons and equipment.

Muscle: 3, Understanding: 0, Tenacity: 3, Appeal: 0, Nimbleness: 4, Toughness: 4, Senses: 4/6, Health: 20

Skills: Athletics 3/6/6, Brawl 1, Notice 3, Shoot 3

Mutations/Abilities: Enhanced Vision, Leaping, Night Vision, Swift

Armour: Light
Weapons: two Light Machine Guns (Fully Loaded)
Gear: Firewall 3, Satellite Link

Animal Life in 1995
Even in the polluted seas and deserts of 1995, humanity has not succeeded in exterminating all the animal life that inhabits the world. Indeed, in some places, animals long though of as extinct have made a re-emergence, such as the large population of trilobites that lurk in the dark swamps of Louisiana. Other animals, especially mammals, are becoming increasingly scarce in the modern world and when driving the open roads, it is rare to see one. Many domesticated animals are valued above humans, as they provide food, fibre and labour while alive, and a host of raw materials when killed. Many small ranches only exist due to their small population of livestock, which they must constantly defend from predators, raiders and disease. Around the campfires of the Bartertowns, rumours persist of 'mew-taters' in the deep desert, which prey of those communities that live there. Several official investigations into reports of animals that are 'not quite right' have determined that they categorically do not exist, but rumours persist in spite of this.

Trilobite
Louisiana trilobites are flat Arthropods around the size of dinner plates, which dwell in the polluted swamps around New Orleans and Houston. They are predatory by nature, and many an unwary wader has suffered deep bites while travelling through the swamps and bayous. Resourceful humans have not neglected to exploit the upsurge in the Trilobite population: Roast trilobite and trilobite gumbo are both very popular dishes, rapidly becoming known as the true taste of Louisiana.

Muscle: 1, Understanding: 0, Tenacity: 3, Appeal: 0, Nimbleness: 3, Toughness: 1, Health: 10

Skills: Athletics 3/6 (Swimming), Brawl: 2, Intimidate: 1, Notice: 3, Stealth: 3

Mutations/Abilities: Armoured, Amphibious, Night Vision

Armour: Light

Voodoo Brotherhood

One of the more famous Gangcults, the Voodoo Brotherhood has chapters throughout the USA, although its strongest presence is around Detroit and New Orleans. Its membership surged when it defeated a KKK chapter known as the Knights of the White Magnolia, who were trying to drive all African-Americans from the state of Arizona. To this day, Didier Brousset, self-styled head houngan of the brotherhood, pays a bounty for any pizzles proven to be retrieved from KKK members, regardless of who brings them to him. Almost all Voodoo Brotherhood members are African-American, although theoretically it is open to any member of the Voodoo church. Indeed the brotherhood sees itself as the militant wing of the Voodoo faith, modern day templars fighting a holy war against the forces of oppression.

Example Voodoo Brotherhood Member: Doctor Bayaeux

Unlike most Cykegangers, Doctor Bayaeux grew up inside the PolicedZone of New Orleans, rather than the swampy streets of the NoGo. He was once an established DisCorp Medic but was driven from the Corporation when it came to light that he had been dissecting stolen DisCorp 'Little Princess' pleasure clones for organs, for those patients who could not afford African-grown imports. Like many citizens of New Orleans, Doctor Bayaeux's race is indeterminate, although his Holoskin normally projects an image of a glowing yellowish skeleton. He dresses in Victorian style top hat and tails, and affects an air of civilisation at odds with the dozen or so gangers who accompany him (use nameless Raiders from page 103).

Rearing: Remnant (New Orleans PolicedZone)
Pursuit: Healer

Muscle: 2, Understanding: 3, Tenacity: 3, Appeal: 3, Nimbleness: 3, Toughness: 2, Senses: 2, Health: 14

Skills: Athletics: 1, Boat: 2, Brawl: 2, French: 2, Heal: 3, Intimidate: 2, Lore: 3, Melee: 2, Notice: 2, Persuade: 2, Scavenge: 1, Shoot: 3, Stealth: 2, Tech: 2
* The Doctor Bayaeux's French skill covers not only the ability to use the French Language, but also cultural information about the country.

Weapons: Medium handgun (Fully Loaded), Knife, Lead-weighted cane (Medium Blunt Bludgeon)
Gear: Gas Mask, Geiger counter, First Aid Box, Basic Medical Tools
Cyberware: Holoskin
Customised Jet Ski (Cost : Muscle 1, Nimbleness 3, Toughness 1, Speed 2, Pass: Pilot +1, Health: 30, twin Light MG (Linked, Fixed, Forward), No Cover

When I flirted with a post apocalypse/dark future setting (if the two are synonymous) I wanted to create mechanics to represent a party of players going from place to place in the style of kung fu. Where they turn up, help the beleaguered locals, then move on. You'd have mechanics representing them levaing behind some kind of legend or legacy they can trade on as they wander the wasteland.

Quote from: Ghost Whistler;460191When I flirted with a post apocalypse/dark future setting (if the two are synonymous) I wanted to create mechanics to represent a party of players going from place to place in the style of kung fu. Where they turn up, help the beleaguered locals, then move on. You'd have mechanics representing them levaing behind some kind of legend or legacy they can trade on as they wander the wasteland.

Interesting, did you ever get the mechanics pinned down? The Dark Future campaign rules had a concept of Kudos which covered tracking people's fame/reputation and might be nice to put something similar in the game.

I don't think so. What was on Google Docs isn't there anymore.

It was one of the ideas i was yet to flesh out, but it was probably going to be aspect-based. The PC's would have 'legends' associated with them as well as a nature that would work with that of a given settlement to determine how the pc would be received.
Barbarians were wanderers intent on spilling blood, Healers were self explanatory, Pagans were intent on returning to nature/simplicity, Policemen were motivated by justice, Preachers were there to spread the word. There might have been others.
So you'd have a settlement that was a Barbarian place and a Policeman turns up and you can judge from that they won't get along (like a good guy in Fallout 3 visiting the Slaver city, like I did, and killing everyone, like I did).

A reputation mechanic was intended as a means to negotiating and trade.

Some settlements were called Bartertowns. These were the only places where trade and resource acquisition/sale could happen. This was a setting where scarcity of resources was important and Bartertowns were the only places to refuel. Consequently travelling to the nearest was a part of the metagame.

I've posted on the ideas for this setting before, have a search. I don't think it will provide much on this specific area though.

Quote from: Ghost Whistler;460209I've posted on the ideas for this setting before, have a search. I don't think it will provide much on this specific area though.

No, the thread on it sort of peters out. Some of the other threads looked interesting though, especially the one on horrific mutations.

Dark Future included some weapons than are more technological than included in Atomic Highway, principally Laser and Maxiscreamers. These are presented in the same way as Atomic Highway weapons, with the addition of costs in terms of Dollars and the Requirements and Vehicle Points for customisations (see page 50). Comments in terms of balance welcome.

Maxiscreamer, Personal (Ranged Weapon)
This battery-powered, hand-held device 'fires' a burst of ultrasonic energy.

Damage: 8N
Max Range: Short
Cap: 5
Rld: 1
Hands: 1
Burst: Buckshot
Cost: $8,000

Maxiscreamer, Heavy (Heavy Weapon)
These large devices fire waves of ultrasonic energy powered directly from a vehicle's engine. The energy radiates from all directions, affecting all targets in range, including the vehicle's occupants if the vehicle has the 'No Cover' flaw.

Damage: 12N
Max Range: Short
Cap: -
Rld: -
Hands: 1
Burst: Effects all targets in range
Cost: $15,000
Requirements: Muscle: 2
Vehicle Points: 2

Laser, Light (Ranged Weapon)
This versatile weapon is light enough to be attached to a bike or can even be powered by a man portable generator.

Damage: 10L
Max Range: Long
Cap: -
Rld: -
Hands: 2
Burst: -
Cost: $10,000
Requirements: Muscle 1
Vehicle Points: 1

Laser, Combat (Heavy Weapon)
Damage: 16L
Max Range: Long
Cap: -
Rld: -
Hands: 2
Burst: -
Cost: $14,000
Requirements: Muscle 2
Vehicle Points: 2

Laser, Heavy (Heavy Weapon)
Damage: 22L
Max Range: Distant
Cap: -
Rld: -
Hands: 2
Burst: -
Cost: $18,000
Requirements: Muscle 4
Vehicle Points: 4

Most customisations from dark Future are already covered in Atomic Highway, one way or anther. Here are a few that were not, and a CB Radio as the Hauler in my game is insisting on having one.


CB Radio
These engine-powered, short-range (around 10-20 miles) communication devices are mainly used by Haulers to pass on information about road conditions, warn about raiders and generally chew the fat. CB Radios are not encrypted and chatter on them is likely to be picked up by anyone within range who has a set.
Cost: $50
Requirements: Muscle 1
Vehicle Points: 1

Ejector Seat
An ejector seat is an automated system for getting out of a fast moving vehicle by forcibly shooting the seat out of the vehicle. They take a Reaction to use. Passenger Ejector Seats may be rigged to be fired by the passenger, the driver or both.
Cost: $7,500
Vehicle Points: 1

Napalm Dispenser
Similar in design to an Oil Slick Dispenser, except this Driver-operated mechanism sets the oil alight. A pursing Driver must make a Nimbleness/Drive roll to avoid it or have their vehicle suffer 12L damage plus 4L continuing fire damage. It can be used once before needing a refill.
Cost: $5,000
Vehicle Points: 1

Nox Canister
Nitride, or Nox, is a volatile oxidising agent which can be fed into an engine and make it instantly more powerful. It takes an Action to activate the Nox Canister, which gives the vehicle a +1 Bonus to both Speed and Muscle for d6 turns. A canister of Nox is only good for one application.
Cost: $2,000
Vehicle Points: 1

Pattern Mine Dispenser
This Driver-operated mechanism drops a tight cluster of land-mines, each with a proximity fuse. A pursing Driver must make a Nimbleness/Drive roll to avoid it or have their vehicle suffer 20L damage. It can be used once before needing a refill.
Cost: $5,000
Vehicle Points: 1

Rocket Booster
This covers all categories of temporary rocket or jet propulsion systems fitted to vehicles. It takes an Action to activate or deactivate the Rocket Booster. While in effect, the vehicle has Speed 6 and Muscle 6, but increases the difficulty of all Handling Tests by 1. Further, when activated, all the cars occupants must make Tenacity/vehicular skill Rolls or blackout for 10 minutes, which can prove fatal. For simplicity, all Rocket Boosters require aviation fuel, and always need refuelling after a session in which they were activated.
Cost: $45,000
Vehicle Points: 3

Sleeping Gas Pedal
Just because your unconscious, does not always mean you want to slow down. A Sleeping Gas Pedal is actually a dead-man's switch on the steering wheel, which when activated by you letting go automatically floors the accelerator until you grab it again. It will not activate other features, such as Nox Canisters or Rocket Boosters. This modification is popular in the Drag Racing fraternity, but not widely used elsewhere.
Cost: $1,000
Vehicle Points: 0

Not really world-building any more, but I have written up the first scenarios I ran.

http://dl.dropbox.com/u/11565569/Dark%20Future%20-%20Heros%20Maid.pdf
http://dl.dropbox.com/u/11565569/Dark%20Future%20-%20Broken%20Hearts.pdf