Let's hear it.  You're playing a RPG set in the contemporary, real world.  What are the items that you absolutely expect to see in print when you open to the equipment list pages?  Aside from the standard armory section -- that much is a given.  Assuming there's a finite page count, what are the "must haves" for contemporary adventurers?

My list starts a little like this:

• Cell phone
• Satellite phone system
• GPS of varying degrees of sophistication
• Laptop computers
• Binoculars
• Portable water purfication devices
• Emergency medical kits

That's a general start.  What other necessities are there?  What categories do they fall into?

!i!

well, if it's really present day, not just "modern", then all i need is an armory section (guns/ammo/explosives/armor) and advanced electronics (commo, scientific gear, navigation systems, that sort of thing).  anything else, i just bring some catalogs for price benchmarks. sportsman's guide  (http://www.sportsmansguide.com) is good for stuff, even ammo, and especially camping gear & mil. surplus.  

depends on the scenario, tho.  if it was espionage or something where expensive suits were needed, i guess i'd like that in the list, too.  i haven't the faintest what an armani would run.

For current day I go more similar to beeber.  The vast majority of stuff is out there and easily available for folks pretty much any where in the world to easily purchase (as long as they have a web connection, but cataloges still work too).  Even firearms and ammunition are easily available to price over the web.  The problem comes in with local laws on some items.

What I do tend to have a price list for is things tahat are not easily available (if at all) to the general public.  Things like full auto weapons, explosives, etc., as well as speciality items, and SERVICES (very important).  Black market items especially.  But even with those there can be great differences from area to area (also in what is considered black market).

Much is going to depend on the terms of the scenerio/campaign, since there can be tremendous differences.  As an example, outfitting your criminal gang with auto weapons will cost vastly differently than outfitting the same number of mercs who are fully backed by some national government.

Quote from: SionEwigMuch is going to depend on the terms of the scenerio/campaign, since there can be tremendous differences.  As an example, outfitting your criminal gang with auto weapons will cost vastly differently than outfitting the same number of mercs who are fully backed by some national government.

very good point.  at the very least i'd like to see a price modifier for legitimate versus black market prices.  so if a government operative wanted a piece of equipment, it would cost less (maybe not necessarily in money, but in resources) than someone else, or someone not so affiliated.

Quote from: beebervery good point.  at the very least i'd like to see a price modifier for legitimate versus black market prices.  so if a government operative wanted a piece of equipment, it would cost less (maybe not necessarily in money, but in resources) than someone else, or someone not so affiliated.

Though to be honest, sometimes it's the other way around (black market much cheaper).  And as an example of how cheap some stuff can be for governments, a couple years ago several of us were working on an equipment list for a "current" day game (well it started current day).  One of the people happened to have access to a USMC cost list for ammunition (the cost that a unit's budget was charged for ammo used for training, this was of course for stateside, not deployed units).  Compare these prices with what civilians pay - 9mm Parabellum $50.00/1000, 7.62x51 $16.00/200 linked, 5.56mm $25.00/500, 6.8mm SPC $34.00/500, 12 GA 2 3/4 inch 00 Buck $100/500.

Something to appeal to my petrolheadedness. Not just generic car no1, generic sports car no1. I want options and differences between models! Same with tanks, bikes, helicopters etc.

The only thing I'd do is have weapons, armors, vehicles, and black market items; and then have some very detailed information as to how players/GMs can get a free Sears catalog.

RPGPundit

Hi!
  I think two factors determine "must haves"
  1) Is it needed by the characters (for instance, you don't need a list of the equipment needed for "spirit photography" for a post apocalypse slug fest, but you would need it for a ghostbusters style game, no)?
  2) Does it have stats or an unusual price? For instance you don;t need to list trail mix, it doesn;t have stats and unless there has been a plague on oats or something in your setting.

aside from weapons and a few miscellaneous things with in-game effects, my equipment section is //www.google.com. In different eras, my equipment lists are far more extensive.

-clash