Quote from: Vile;1009240A Rastafarian group (in orbit) were pretty important in Neuromancer.

In CP2020 highrider culture is very Afrocentric since most of the workers from Orbital Air and Eurospace Agency set up shop in Africa since it was nearest the equator. Plus it avoided the south/central American situation (which is covered in Chrome Berets). So that bit nicked from Neuromancer was blown out even more with better in-game reasoning.

Quote from: tenbones;1009848In CP2020 highrider culture is very Afrocentric since most of the workers from Orbital Air and Eurospace Agency set up shop in Africa since it was nearest the equator. Plus it avoided the south/central American situation (which is covered in Chrome Berets). So that bit nicked from Neuromancer was blown out even more with better in-game reasoning.

I think Shadowrun kept it's setting purposefullly earth-centric because of magic and the awakening. The matter of magic working (or not) in space was always cloudy, at least in early editions. It felt like the authors never wanted to really engage with magical physics in low-life environments and just let the matter vague. And gaming-wise, it would be a problem playing in an environment where mages/awakened can't work properly. (don't know if they addressed the matter more throughfully in 4th/5th ed).

Quote from: Itachi;1009893I think Shadowrun kept it's setting purposefullly earth-centric because of magic and the awakening. The matter of magic working (or not) in space was always cloudy, at least in early editions. It felt like the authors never wanted to really engage with magical physics in low-life environments and just let the matter vague. And gaming-wise, it would be a problem playing in an environment where mages/awakened can't work properly. (don't know if they addressed the matter more throughfully in 4th/5th ed).

That's an interesting point! I never really thought about space-related stuff in terms of Shadowrun - mainly because all of the terrestrial conceits of SR pretty much is all that is necessary. I can generally say the same thing for CP2020 - but I will also say some of the best material and games I've run in CP2020 had my PC's going to space. The 'Near Orbit' and 'Deep Space' books were amazing. Necessary for CP2020? Not really, but damn worth the ticket for entry if you wanted to blow your game out with the "mythological" aspects of the setting (Like the Angels living on the Crystal Palace) etc.

You could totally do that with Shadowrun and make it far more "supernatural" than just technological. I think that would be more interesting

Quote from: RPGPundit;1009213I think they're probably just two different kinds of Cyberpunk.

This. They share a lot of core conceits. But the magic element of Shadowrun is it's own thing that changes the flavor of the setting far more than the technological aspects alone do. I'm not even sure outside of the direct implication that technoshock as a thing, is more magnified than the impact of magic itself. I guess it depends on the GM.

Quote from: jeff37923;1009217It is expected. FFG stripped out a good user-friendly resolution mechanic from all of their Star Wars games.....

Matter of opinion.

Quote from: tenbones;1009895That's an interesting point! I never really thought about space-related stuff in terms of Shadowrun - mainly because all of the terrestrial conceits of SR pretty much is all that is necessary. I can generally say the same thing for CP2020 - but I will also say some of the best material and games I've run in CP2020 had my PC's going to space. The 'Near Orbit' and 'Deep Space' books were amazing. Necessary for CP2020? Not really, but damn worth the ticket for entry if you wanted to blow your game out with the "mythological" aspects of the setting (Like the Angels living on the Crystal Palace) etc.

You could totally do that with Shadowrun and make it far more "supernatural" than just technological. I think that would be more interesting

Year of the Comet covers the various SR space programs but doesnt talk about actual space travel if I recall correctly. Id have to dig it out and see what they say on magic in space. Its more concerned with the effects of space, the comet, on magic and people.

SR never struck me as a setting to develop a big manned space program seeing as how messed up the world was before the awakening and now things are a liiitle weirder. Its an as yet un-tapped area of adventure. Too bad Dragon never got around to it. Though you could adapt one of the existing articles to SR. Like Zondrakker. (or however its spelled.)

Quote from: Omega;1009952Year of the Comet covers the various SR space programs but doesnt talk about actual space travel if I recall correctly. Id have to dig it out and see what they say on magic in space. Its more concerned with the effects of space, the comet, on magic and people.

SR never struck me as a setting to develop a big manned space program seeing as how messed up the world was before the awakening and now things are a liiitle weirder. Its an as yet un-tapped area of adventure. Too bad Dragon never got around to it. Though you could adapt one of the existing articles to SR. Like Zondrakker. (or however its spelled.)

Magic requires a biosphere, and doesn't work in orbit. Astral forms that try and go into space from Earth are lost and the mage goes insane.

But magic works on mars. Barely.

You know Id totally forgotten that CP2020 had 2 CCGs.
I was referring to Netrunner which became Android Netrunner when it was sold to FFG. Removing CP2020 from the setting and replacing it with FFGs Android setting.

To me, part of the dystopianism of Cyberpunk is that basically the move to the stars is stuck or halted.  So, much like in our present day.

Isnt there one or more setting books for CP2020 dealing with space? A station or something?

Quote from: Omega;1010602Isnt there one or more setting books for CP2020 dealing with space? A station or something?

Near Orbit and Deep Space. In Cyberpunk 2020 mankind has settlements on the Moon, Mars, and in the Lagrange Points. Exploration missions have gone out to Jupiter and Saturn, and in to Venus and Mercury.

In my own games, I included the Asteroid Belt and NEAs because what is a spacefaring hard science fiction game without Belters?

Quote from: RPGPundit;1010600To me, part of the dystopianism of Cyberpunk is that basically the move to the stars is stuck or halted.  So, much like in our present day.

I think that's a very narrow view (but not wholly wrong - mainly because in a cyberpunk reality, which may include right now - WE would be denied access to space for similar reasons). Cyberpunk is largely presented as a "terrestrial" affair on Earth with poor bastards scrabbling around. But wealthy bastards are still accruing massively more amounts of wealth doing . Space industry is an obvious goal for big megacorps.

Huge amounts of resources are available even with modern technology - the ISSUE is that run-of-mill folks will still be denied access to the culture of space.

A REALLY good example of what space cyberpunk would look like is the books (and SUPERB TV show) The Expanse. Seriously awesome and excellent example of cyberpunk-space.

Yeah, I have reservations about space-based cyberpunk too, but that's because I grew up with Neuromancer, Akira and GitS. Tenbones explanations makes all sense, and I will definitely have a look on the Expanse tv show. Thanks Mr Bones.

Quote from: Itachi;1010708Yeah, I have reservations about space-based cyberpunk too, but that's because I grew up with Neuromancer, Akira and GitS. Tenbones explanations makes all sense, and I will definitely have a look on the Expanse tv show. Thanks Mr Bones.

/bows

I sincerely love that show and the books, of course, are amazing. I hope you find it as enjoyable.

Blade Runner has space travel, but never shows it. Also theres something about Outland that has a bit of a cyberpunk vibe to it. Though very muted. Its kinda what Id envision Blade Runners space to look like in the more grungy sectors. I think it would look more like Avatar in the more advanced sectors.