Basically what the tin says, for my Cyberpunk game I've been toying with the idea of using race/species so far I have Human and Simulant, I might include some Genepunk so maybe NuGene could be in it.
So I'm wondering, without magic, without making Dwarves but not Dwarves a la Shadowrun, have you used races in your Cyberpunk games? and which ones?
Personally. No. Just type designations.
Human
Cyborg
Android
Robot
Mutant
Genemod
and so on. Mainly because the extras are just manufactured or modded individuals rather than a species or "race".
No one cares what you are. Just how many shots it takes to put you down.
Quote from: Omega on March 25, 2021, 12:06:29 AM
Personally. No. Just type designations.
Human
Cyborg
Android
Robot
Mutant
Genemod
and so on. Mainly because the extras are just manufactured or modded individuals rather than a species or "race".
No one cares what you are. Just how many shots it takes to put you down.
What's the difference between Human and Cyborg? Android would be the simulant right? Robot... Not sure about that one. Mutant, yes I can see this. Genemod would be my NuGene Made by genetic editing correct?
No, but that's an interesting idear.
I played Interface Zero 2.0 and it had races (Savage Worlds rules).
I have a cyberpunk setting in the back-burner from ages ago that dealt with genetic engineering and featured various "races" representing different mutant classifications based around the different models of mutant that were manufactured in the world. Some of the classifications I had worked out included:
Human
Cyborg (people with military grade mods had to register them and were legally classified as "cyborg")
Enviro-adaptive (mutants generically engineered to survive hostile or low gravity environments for arctic, deep sea or early space colonization)
Hybrids (human-animal chimeras developed as early experimental models to help crack genetic engineering, now largely considered "freaks" even by mutant standards)
Hyper-Metabolic (super soldiers with enhanced physical attributes)
Hyper-Sapient (super intelligent mutants)
Psychic (rare and poorly understood mutants who accidentally developed psychic abilities that researchers never quite managed to successfully reproduce)
I think I might have come up with one or two more, but drawing a blank now. But basically the idea was that different "models" of mutants were designed with different purposes in mind to fulfill a variety of functions. And each model serves as a different "race" for game purposes and is kept track in a government data base under different "classifications" so the authorities could know WTF they were dealing with if they had to track one of these mutants down or deal with them if they got unruly.
Quote from: VisionStorm on March 25, 2021, 01:06:16 AM
I have a cyberpunk setting in the back-burner from ages ago that dealt with genetic engineering and featured various "races" representing different mutant classifications based around the different models of mutant that were manufactured in the world. Some of the classifications I had worked out included:
Human
Cyborg (people with military grade mods had to register them and were legally classified as "cyborg")
Enviro-adaptive (mutants generically engineered to survive hostile or low gravity environments for arctic, deep sea or early space colonization)
Hybrids (human-animal chimeras developed as early experimental models to help crack genetic engineering, now largely considered "freaks" even by mutant standards)
Hyper-Metabolic (super soldiers with enhanced physical attributes)
Hyper-Sapient (super intelligent mutants)
Psychic (rare and poorly understood mutants who accidentally developed psychic abilities that researchers never quite managed to successfully reproduce)
I think I might have come up with one or two more, but drawing a blank now. But basically the idea was that different "models" of mutants were designed with different purposes in mind to fulfill a variety of functions. And each model serves as a different "race" for game purposes and is kept track in a government data base under different "classifications" so the authorities could know WTF they were dealing with if they had to track one of these mutants down or deal with them if they got unruly.
Thanks, that makes a lot of sense, your mutant is my NuGene concept butt better fleshed out (much better).
I guess your Human is akin to my NotCh (Not Chipped), who are all wanderers living in the badlands between the sprawls. Everybody born in a sprawl is chipped at birth, removing the chip is illegal, it allows the corporation to track you, payment, collect credits when you buy stuff, etc.
Besides the street urchins almost everybody in the sprawl has at least one piece of cybernetic augmentation. NuGenes can't but I haven't been able to come up with a reason that makes sense in-game.
Quote from: GeekyBugle on March 25, 2021, 12:17:15 AM
What's the difference between Human and Cyborg? Android would be the simulant right? Robot... Not sure about that one. Mutant, yes I can see this. Genemod would be my NuGene Made by genetic editing correct?
Cyborg has been used as a catchall term so depending on the setting a cyborg is...
C3PO. The T-100. Steve Austin and the Borg, etc. Or pretty much every life form on earth in WW's D20 modern Gamma World setting as everything is infused with nanomachines and and some are varying degrees of man-machine combination or other weirdness up to and including people who were in waldos at the time of the end and are stuck in those bodies now.
Robot is another one. Tech induced zombies. AIs in some ambulatory shell, even non-sentient tools. Seems to have fallen out of use for trendy new terms.
Same for android. C3PO. Any given vaugly human-looking robot. Artificially grown flesh and blood humans. Artificially grown genmod humans like the replicants. Mixes of flesh and machine like the Cybermen, older Gamma World Faceless Ones, T-100s and so on. Ghost in the shell really plays with these in all sorts of forms.
Mutants being natural or artificial.
Genemods being anything from vat grown people to vat grown augments, to people with biomods instead of cybernetics. TSR's old Chromosome setting for AE was a biopunk setting where biomodding of all sorts was at the fore rather than cybernetics.
Cyborg and Android are sometimes used practialy interchangeably. One persons going to say cyborg and mean a machine piloted flesh body. Anothers going to say android and mean a flesh piloted machine body.
Quote from: Omega on March 25, 2021, 04:41:06 AM
Quote from: GeekyBugle on March 25, 2021, 12:17:15 AM
What's the difference between Human and Cyborg? Android would be the simulant right? Robot... Not sure about that one. Mutant, yes I can see this. Genemod would be my NuGene Made by genetic editing correct?
Cyborg has been used as a catchall term so depending on the setting a cyborg is...
C3PO. The T-100. Steve Austin and the Borg, etc. Or pretty much every life form on earth in WW's D20 modern Gamma World setting as everything is infused with nanomachines and and some are varying degrees of man-machine combination or other weirdness up to and including people who were in waldos at the time of the end and are stuck in those bodies now.
Robot is another one. Tech induced zombies. AIs in some ambulatory shell, even non-sentient tools. Seems to have fallen out of use for trendy new terms.
Same for android. C3PO. Any given vaugly human-looking robot. Artificially grown flesh and blood humans. Artificially grown genmod humans like the replicants. Mixes of flesh and machine like the Cybermen, older Gamma World Faceless Ones, T-100s and so on. Ghost in the shell really plays with these in all sorts of forms.
Mutants being natural or artificial.
Genemods being anything from vat grown people to vat grown augments, to people with biomods instead of cybernetics. TSR's old Chromosome setting for AE was a biopunk setting where biomodding of all sorts was at the fore rather than cybernetics.
Cyborg and Android are sometimes used practialy interchangeably. One persons going to say cyborg and mean a machine piloted flesh body. Anothers going to say android and mean a flesh piloted machine body.
IMHO:
Human = Not augmented in anyway
Cyborg = Human with cybernetic augmentations
Android = Human looking autonomous/thinking mechanical machine, some programming *.
Simulant = Human looking (or any living creature actually) autonomous/thinking biological machine, vat grown, bio mods, some programming *.
Robot = Non-Autonomous machine, has to follow a program.
Your GeneMod = living thing with biological augmentations.
As far as all those go, Robot is a no-no for PCs IMHO.
Android/Simulant, can be PCs, have to be very rare, because they are made with some programming, so the player needs one that somehow got free of the programming. Does that mean the 3 Laws? or only the programming that made it obey it's maker?
Your GeneMod, bought mods and or mods made to make a better Soldier, underwater welder, etc. or mods to fulfill a niche in the market (CatGirls?)
Edited to add: You mean Kromosome?
Quote from: GeekyBugle on March 25, 2021, 01:27:05 AM
Quote from: VisionStorm on March 25, 2021, 01:06:16 AM
I have a cyberpunk setting in the back-burner from ages ago that dealt with genetic engineering and featured various "races" representing different mutant classifications based around the different models of mutant that were manufactured in the world. Some of the classifications I had worked out included:
Human
Cyborg (people with military grade mods had to register them and were legally classified as "cyborg")
Enviro-adaptive (mutants generically engineered to survive hostile or low gravity environments for arctic, deep sea or early space colonization)
Hybrids (human-animal chimeras developed as early experimental models to help crack genetic engineering, now largely considered "freaks" even by mutant standards)
Hyper-Metabolic (super soldiers with enhanced physical attributes)
Hyper-Sapient (super intelligent mutants)
Psychic (rare and poorly understood mutants who accidentally developed psychic abilities that researchers never quite managed to successfully reproduce)
I think I might have come up with one or two more, but drawing a blank now. But basically the idea was that different "models" of mutants were designed with different purposes in mind to fulfill a variety of functions. And each model serves as a different "race" for game purposes and is kept track in a government data base under different "classifications" so the authorities could know WTF they were dealing with if they had to track one of these mutants down or deal with them if they got unruly.
Thanks, that makes a lot of sense, your mutant is my NuGene concept butt better fleshed out (much better).
I guess your Human is akin to my NotCh (Not Chipped), who are all wanderers living in the badlands between the sprawls. Everybody born in a sprawl is chipped at birth, removing the chip is illegal, it allows the corporation to track you, payment, collect credits when you buy stuff, etc.
Besides the street urchins almost everybody in the sprawl has at least one piece of cybernetic augmentation. NuGenes can't but I haven't been able to come up with a reason that makes sense in-game.
I like the term NuGene as an in-game name for mutants. Sounds very corporate marketing speak. I never came up with an alternate name for mutants in my setting, partly because it slipped my mind, but also partly because mutants are not very well regarded by humans (there was a war between them, and there are still mutant terrorist groups), and the word "mutant" has pejorative connotations to it, so it works (also, the setting's name is simply "Cyber Mutants").
Almost everyone in my world is chipped because mutant registration was passed into law as a result of the war with mutants, and they use the chips to track registration data, so cops can know if they're dealing with a mutant (and what kind of abilities they have) whenever they stop someone. Cyborgs got lumped in, cuz they're dangerous to, plus when has the government stopped itself when moving into infringe on people's liberties? Most non-military people don't have implants, though, with the exception of cheap chopchop limb replacements (for people who actually lost limbs), cuz most people are too poor to afford high grade enhancements.
The only people who don't have chips are usually criminals, mutant terrorists or the people who live out in the urban wastelands that exist between the mega cities, which are basically abandoned no-mans lands frequently traveled by huge roving gangs, with a few "Free Communities" in between. But people entering a mega city are expected to have a chip, and will be detained and processed if they don't. People need to have their chips scanned just to pass from sector to sector within the same mega city, so those without need to find alternate ways to slip between sectors, or get a fake chip, which could fail on them (or get flagged) and get them found out.
I never set restrictions for mutants having cyberware, though. I mean, with a name like "Cyber Mutants", how could I?
Overall, this is where cyberpunk slips into gritty transhumanism. Nothing wrong with that, just a specific direction for a setting.
Quote from: RandyB on March 25, 2021, 03:00:15 PM
Overall, this is where cyberpunk slips into gritty transhumanism. Nothing wrong with that, just a specific direction for a setting.
What do you mean? Cyberpunk IS gritty transhumanism.
Quote from: GeekyBugle on March 25, 2021, 03:14:01 PM
Quote from: RandyB on March 25, 2021, 03:00:15 PM
Overall, this is where cyberpunk slips into gritty transhumanism. Nothing wrong with that, just a specific direction for a setting.
What do you mean? Cyberpunk IS gritty transhumanism.
I thought the line was (in part) determined by whether you have to give something up (e.g., "humanity") to gain beyond-human abilities. Most cyberpunk has enhancements with a cost (beyond money & time) while in most transhumanist stories, enhancements have no cost (beyond money & time).
Quote from: VisionStorm on March 25, 2021, 02:55:29 PM
Quote from: GeekyBugle on March 25, 2021, 01:27:05 AM
Quote from: VisionStorm on March 25, 2021, 01:06:16 AM
I have a cyberpunk setting in the back-burner from ages ago that dealt with genetic engineering and featured various "races" representing different mutant classifications based around the different models of mutant that were manufactured in the world. Some of the classifications I had worked out included:
Human
Cyborg (people with military grade mods had to register them and were legally classified as "cyborg")
Enviro-adaptive (mutants generically engineered to survive hostile or low gravity environments for arctic, deep sea or early space colonization)
Hybrids (human-animal chimeras developed as early experimental models to help crack genetic engineering, now largely considered "freaks" even by mutant standards)
Hyper-Metabolic (super soldiers with enhanced physical attributes)
Hyper-Sapient (super intelligent mutants)
Psychic (rare and poorly understood mutants who accidentally developed psychic abilities that researchers never quite managed to successfully reproduce)
I think I might have come up with one or two more, but drawing a blank now. But basically the idea was that different "models" of mutants were designed with different purposes in mind to fulfill a variety of functions. And each model serves as a different "race" for game purposes and is kept track in a government data base under different "classifications" so the authorities could know WTF they were dealing with if they had to track one of these mutants down or deal with them if they got unruly.
Thanks, that makes a lot of sense, your mutant is my NuGene concept butt better fleshed out (much better).
I guess your Human is akin to my NotCh (Not Chipped), who are all wanderers living in the badlands between the sprawls. Everybody born in a sprawl is chipped at birth, removing the chip is illegal, it allows the corporation to track you, payment, collect credits when you buy stuff, etc.
Besides the street urchins almost everybody in the sprawl has at least one piece of cybernetic augmentation. NuGenes can't but I haven't been able to come up with a reason that makes sense in-game.
I like the term NuGene as an in-game name for mutants. Sounds very corporate marketing speak. I never came up with an alternate name for mutants in my setting, partly because it slipped my mind, but also partly because mutants are not very well regarded by humans (there was a war between them, and there are still mutant terrorist groups), and the word "mutant" has pejorative connotations to it, so it works (also, the setting's name is simply "Cyber Mutants").
Almost everyone in my world is chipped because mutant registration was passed into law as a result of the war with mutants, and they use the chips to track registration data, so cops can know if they're dealing with a mutant (and what kind of abilities they have) whenever they stop someone. Cyborgs got lumped in, cuz they're dangerous to, plus when has the government stopped itself when moving into infringe on people's liberties? Most non-military people don't have implants, though, with the exception of cheap chopchop limb replacements (for people who actually lost limbs), cuz most people are too poor to afford high grade enhancements.
The only people who don't have chips are usually criminals, mutant terrorists or the people who live out in the urban wastelands that exist between the mega cities, which are basically abandoned no-mans lands frequently traveled by huge roving gangs, with a few "Free Communities" in between. But people entering a mega city are expected to have a chip, and will be detained and processed if they don't. People need to have their chips scanned just to pass from sector to sector within the same mega city, so those without need to find alternate ways to slip between sectors, or get a fake chip, which could fail on them (or get flagged) and get them found out.
I never set restrictions for mutants having cyberware, though. I mean, with a name like "Cyber Mutants", how could I?
Thanks, lets see if you like this
Android/Simulant : Mechanical or biological machines with free will. both are made.
Human : The poor, who can't afford to get upgrades or a cult?
Cyborg : Those who got chrome upgrades
Splicer : Those who got animal genes spliced into themselves
NuGene : Those who got their human DNA modified to gain X upgrade. Vat grown
Mutant : Those born with a mutation either from non-mutant or mutant parents. Mutations can be either advantageous or disadvantageous.
7 "races" total. You can start as a Human and buy your upgrades into Cyborg or Splicer, NuGene/Android/Simulant are manufactured and Mutants are born.
As for the upgrades, the less obvious the more expensive. But funny enough there're those who want to look chromed or spliced and not because of the price.
Only exception to this are purely cosmetic upgrades, those are cheaper since you get no advantage from them.
Quote from: HappyDaze on March 25, 2021, 03:18:08 PM
Quote from: GeekyBugle on March 25, 2021, 03:14:01 PM
Quote from: RandyB on March 25, 2021, 03:00:15 PM
Overall, this is where cyberpunk slips into gritty transhumanism. Nothing wrong with that, just a specific direction for a setting.
What do you mean? Cyberpunk IS gritty transhumanism.
I thought the line was (in part) determined by whether you have to give something up (e.g., "humanity") to gain beyond-human abilities. Most cyberpunk has enhancements with a cost (beyond money & time) while in most transhumanist stories, enhancements have no cost (beyond money & time).
Alita Battle Angel is it cyberpunk or transhumanism by that standard?
Also, what's grittier than loosing your "humanity" to become a better lackey for your corporate masters?
Quote from: GeekyBugle on March 25, 2021, 03:24:03 PM
Quote from: HappyDaze on March 25, 2021, 03:18:08 PM
Quote from: GeekyBugle on March 25, 2021, 03:14:01 PM
Quote from: RandyB on March 25, 2021, 03:00:15 PM
Overall, this is where cyberpunk slips into gritty transhumanism. Nothing wrong with that, just a specific direction for a setting.
What do you mean? Cyberpunk IS gritty transhumanism.
I thought the line was (in part) determined by whether you have to give something up (e.g., "humanity") to gain beyond-human abilities. Most cyberpunk has enhancements with a cost (beyond money & time) while in most transhumanist stories, enhancements have no cost (beyond money & time).
Alita Battle Angel is it cyberpunk or transhumanism by that standard?
Also, what's grittier than loosing your "humanity" to become a better lackey for your corporate masters?
Cyberpunk is gritty. No argument there.
The difference between cyberpunk and transhumanism is that cyberpunk is often about dehumanization, whether by indifferent corps and governments, or by increasing amounts of cybernetics separating you from the human you once were. Transhumanism is a portmanteau of "transcending human" - successfully transcending humanity to become more than/better than. And the tech involved is different from the metal and chrome of classic cyberpunk.
There are a lot of similarities. But cyberpunk, thematically, is less about the opportunities of transcending human limits, and more about the dangers of falling into dehumanization. Gritty transhumanism would offer transcendence with a price, while cyberpunk offers survival at a price. The difference is subtle.
Quote from: RandyB on March 25, 2021, 04:10:51 PM
Quote from: GeekyBugle on March 25, 2021, 03:24:03 PM
Quote from: HappyDaze on March 25, 2021, 03:18:08 PM
Quote from: GeekyBugle on March 25, 2021, 03:14:01 PM
Quote from: RandyB on March 25, 2021, 03:00:15 PM
Overall, this is where cyberpunk slips into gritty transhumanism. Nothing wrong with that, just a specific direction for a setting.
What do you mean? Cyberpunk IS gritty transhumanism.
I thought the line was (in part) determined by whether you have to give something up (e.g., "humanity") to gain beyond-human abilities. Most cyberpunk has enhancements with a cost (beyond money & time) while in most transhumanist stories, enhancements have no cost (beyond money & time).
Alita Battle Angel is it cyberpunk or transhumanism by that standard?
Also, what's grittier than loosing your "humanity" to become a better lackey for your corporate masters?
Cyberpunk is gritty. No argument there.
The difference between cyberpunk and transhumanism is that cyberpunk is often about dehumanization, whether by indifferent corps and governments, or by increasing amounts of cybernetics separating you from the human you once were. Transhumanism is a portmanteau of "transcending human" - successfully transcending humanity to become more than/better than. And the tech involved is different from the metal and chrome of classic cyberpunk.
There are a lot of similarities. But cyberpunk, thematically, is less about the opportunities of transcending human limits, and more about the dangers of falling into dehumanization. Gritty transhumanism would offer transcendence with a price, while cyberpunk offers survival at a price. The difference is subtle.
Right, there's no transcendance in my setting tho (you could house rule it in tho), there's no heroes, there's only the lesser of two evils and surviving to see another day.
But, to me anyway, it seems silly not to include some Biopunk, and including it gives the player more customization options. You're a NuGene Samurai or a Cat/Human splicer Infiltrator or a human with some pheromone splices Face.
IMHO the Biopunk gives many advantages and some disadvantages too, what with it not being reversible?
Quote from: GeekyBugle on March 25, 2021, 03:24:03 PMAlita Battle Angel is it cyberpunk or transhumanism by that standard?
Man is that an interesting question....The early parts on earth are punky. Afterwards, it turns into Dystopian (Ish) Sci-Fi.
Quote from: GeekyBugle on March 25, 2021, 03:14:01 PM
Quote from: RandyB on March 25, 2021, 03:00:15 PM
Overall, this is where cyberpunk slips into gritty transhumanism. Nothing wrong with that, just a specific direction for a setting.
What do you mean? Cyberpunk IS gritty transhumanism.
Depends on the cyberpunk. Some have little in the way of cybernetics other than drouds or net-jacks. The rest go all the way to to brain in a machine or just mind in a machine. Or like Chromesome, extensive biomodding.
Quote from: GeekyBugle on March 25, 2021, 03:21:41 PM
Thanks, lets see if you like this
Android/Simulant : Mechanical or biological machines with free will. both are made.
Human : The poor, who can't afford to get upgrades or a cult?
Cyborg : Those who got chrome upgrades
Splicer : Those who got animal genes spliced into themselves
NuGene : Those who got their human DNA modified to gain X upgrade. Vat grown
Mutant : Those born with a mutation either from non-mutant or mutant parents. Mutations can be either advantageous or disadvantageous.
7 "races" total. You can start as a Human and buy your upgrades into Cyborg or Splicer, NuGene/Android/Simulant are manufactured and Mutants are born.
As for the upgrades, the less obvious the more expensive. But funny enough there're those who want to look chromed or spliced and not because of the price.
Only exception to this are purely cosmetic upgrades, those are cheaper since you get no advantage from them.
Mechanically, what is the effect of the "race" distinction? I would think two different cyborgs probably each have more similarity to a human than to each other.
Suppose I have a character who is human, but then he gets an upgrade and becomes a cyborg. Is that any different from, say, the Cyberpunk RPG or Shadowrun, which don't define "cyborg" as a race?
Quote from: jhkim on March 25, 2021, 06:41:35 PM
Quote from: GeekyBugle on March 25, 2021, 03:21:41 PM
Thanks, lets see if you like this
Android/Simulant : Mechanical or biological machines with free will. both are made.
Human : The poor, who can't afford to get upgrades or a cult?
Cyborg : Those who got chrome upgrades
Splicer : Those who got animal genes spliced into themselves
NuGene : Those who got their human DNA modified to gain X upgrade. Vat grown
Mutant : Those born with a mutation either from non-mutant or mutant parents. Mutations can be either advantageous or disadvantageous.
7 "races" total. You can start as a Human and buy your upgrades into Cyborg or Splicer, NuGene/Android/Simulant are manufactured and Mutants are born.
As for the upgrades, the less obvious the more expensive. But funny enough there're those who want to look chromed or spliced and not because of the price.
Only exception to this are purely cosmetic upgrades, those are cheaper since you get no advantage from them.
Mechanically, what is the effect of the "race" distinction? I would think two different cyborgs probably each have more similarity to a human than to each other.
Suppose I have a character who is human, but then he gets an upgrade and becomes a cyborg. Is that any different from, say, the Cyberpunk RPG or Shadowrun, which don't define "cyborg" as a race?
Still working on it, have been thinking that Cyborg and Splicers might not be a "race" but something "races" might choose to become.
Which is why I think some "races" should be barred from certain augmentations.
But this is still very much a WIP, so things might change.
As for the difference between a human cyborg and a mutant cyborg I guess the answer is obvious, maybe that's the way it should go.
It all depends and things will change a lot before I'm happy with it.
What I want to avoid is recreating the Dwarves a la Shadowrun and having also magic and shit.
Lets see how you guys like this:
Android: Mechanical machines with free will.
+1 INT +1CON +1STR +1DEX -2CHA -2WIS
Can't take any biological augmentation
Human : The poor, who can't afford to get upgrades or a cult?
+1 to any two attributes
Can take any biological/mechanical augmentation
Mutant : Those born with a mutation either from non-mutant or mutant parents. Mutations can be either advantageous or disadvantageous.
Roll on the table to get the modifiers
Can't take any biological augmentation
NuGene : Those who got their human DNA modified to gain X upgrade. Vat grown
Choose two: +2STR +2DEX +2CON
Choose two: -1INT -1WIS -1CHA
Can't take any biological augmentation
Simulant : Biological machines with free will.
+1 INT +1CON +1STR +1DEX Choose one: -1CHA -1WIS
Can't take any biological/mechanical augmentation
Augmentations: Besides the price in credits there's also the pricein humanity and the risk of rejection.
Biological - Splicer : Those who got animal genes spliced into themselves
Mechanical - Cyborg : Those who got chrome upgrades
Quote from: GeekyBugle on March 25, 2021, 03:21:41 PM
Thanks, lets see if you like this
Android/Simulant : Mechanical or biological machines with free will. both are made.
Human : The poor, who can't afford to get upgrades or a cult?
Cyborg : Those who got chrome upgrades
Splicer : Those who got animal genes spliced into themselves
NuGene : Those who got their human DNA modified to gain X upgrade. Vat grown
Mutant : Those born with a mutation either from non-mutant or mutant parents. Mutations can be either advantageous or disadvantageous.
7 "races" total. You can start as a Human and buy your upgrades into Cyborg or Splicer, NuGene/Android/Simulant are manufactured and Mutants are born.
As for the upgrades, the less obvious the more expensive. But funny enough there're those who want to look chromed or spliced and not because of the price.
Only exception to this are purely cosmetic upgrades, those are cheaper since you get no advantage from them.
That sounds good. I'm guessing Android is the term for mechanical ones and Simulant for biotech, but they're essentially the same thing conceptually and in game mechanics?
I wonder what causes non-mutant parents to birth mutants in your world. Is it that they mix with a mutants or is there something that causes normal human fetuses to develop mutations?
RE: The side discussion on Transhumanism, Transhumanism itself is a philosophy that advocates for human modification using various types of theoretical technologies (some of which are already being developed) that may exist as a feature in various works of fiction, rather than being a genre onto itself. While Cyberpunk is the most common type of genre featuring that type of technology or ideas. You could take those sort of concepts in a different direction from "High-Tech, Low-Life", I suppose, but transhumanism itself isn't really a genre, but more like an idea.
Quote from: VisionStorm on March 25, 2021, 08:24:56 PM
Quote from: GeekyBugle on March 25, 2021, 03:21:41 PM
Thanks, lets see if you like this
Android/Simulant : Mechanical or biological machines with free will. both are made.
Human : The poor, who can't afford to get upgrades or a cult?
Cyborg : Those who got chrome upgrades
Splicer : Those who got animal genes spliced into themselves
NuGene : Those who got their human DNA modified to gain X upgrade. Vat grown
Mutant : Those born with a mutation either from non-mutant or mutant parents. Mutations can be either advantageous or disadvantageous.
7 "races" total. You can start as a Human and buy your upgrades into Cyborg or Splicer, NuGene/Android/Simulant are manufactured and Mutants are born.
As for the upgrades, the less obvious the more expensive. But funny enough there're those who want to look chromed or spliced and not because of the price.
Only exception to this are purely cosmetic upgrades, those are cheaper since you get no advantage from them.
That sounds good. I'm guessing Android is the term for mechanical ones and Simulant for biotech, but they're essentially the same thing conceptually and in game mechanics?
I wonder what causes non-mutant parents to birth mutants in your world. Is it that they mix with a mutants or is there something that causes normal human fetuses to develop mutations?
RE: The side discussion on Transhumanism, Transhumanism itself is a philosophy that advocates for human modification using various types of theoretical technologies (some of which are already being developed) that may exist as a feature in various works of fiction, rather than being a genre onto itself. While Cyberpunk is the most common type of genre featuring that type of technology or ideas. You could take those sort of concepts in a different direction from "High-Tech, Low-Life", I suppose, but transhumanism itself isn't really a genre, but more like an idea.
Re Mutants from non-mutant parents: My line of thinking is that the megacorporations don't give a shit about their serfs, so the water, the air and even the food most have access to is contaminated. Maybe even some radiation?
Quote from: GeekyBugle on March 25, 2021, 08:33:56 PM
Quote from: VisionStorm on March 25, 2021, 08:24:56 PM
Quote from: GeekyBugle on March 25, 2021, 03:21:41 PM
Thanks, lets see if you like this
Android/Simulant : Mechanical or biological machines with free will. both are made.
Human : The poor, who can't afford to get upgrades or a cult?
Cyborg : Those who got chrome upgrades
Splicer : Those who got animal genes spliced into themselves
NuGene : Those who got their human DNA modified to gain X upgrade. Vat grown
Mutant : Those born with a mutation either from non-mutant or mutant parents. Mutations can be either advantageous or disadvantageous.
7 "races" total. You can start as a Human and buy your upgrades into Cyborg or Splicer, NuGene/Android/Simulant are manufactured and Mutants are born.
As for the upgrades, the less obvious the more expensive. But funny enough there're those who want to look chromed or spliced and not because of the price.
Only exception to this are purely cosmetic upgrades, those are cheaper since you get no advantage from them.
That sounds good. I'm guessing Android is the term for mechanical ones and Simulant for biotech, but they're essentially the same thing conceptually and in game mechanics?
I wonder what causes non-mutant parents to birth mutants in your world. Is it that they mix with a mutants or is there something that causes normal human fetuses to develop mutations?
RE: The side discussion on Transhumanism, Transhumanism itself is a philosophy that advocates for human modification using various types of theoretical technologies (some of which are already being developed) that may exist as a feature in various works of fiction, rather than being a genre onto itself. While Cyberpunk is the most common type of genre featuring that type of technology or ideas. You could take those sort of concepts in a different direction from "High-Tech, Low-Life", I suppose, but transhumanism itself isn't really a genre, but more like an idea.
Re Mutants from non-mutant parents: My line of thinking is that the megacorporations don't give a shit about their serfs, so the water, the air and even the food most have access to is contaminated. Maybe even some radiation?
Figured it might be something like that. In my own setting mutations happen through some sort of selective gene splicing in a lab, so random mutation isn't a possibility outside of mutants of different type (or human and mutants) having children, or an unexpected result coming out of the gene splicing process. But in a world where mutations can happen from some type of "mutagenic substance" it makes sense that spills in the water supply or the soil may cause random mutants to be born out of the normal human population, specially in poor areas.
Quote from: VisionStorm on March 25, 2021, 08:42:01 PM
Quote from: GeekyBugle on March 25, 2021, 08:33:56 PM
Quote from: VisionStorm on March 25, 2021, 08:24:56 PM
Quote from: GeekyBugle on March 25, 2021, 03:21:41 PM
Thanks, lets see if you like this
Android/Simulant : Mechanical or biological machines with free will. both are made.
Human : The poor, who can't afford to get upgrades or a cult?
Cyborg : Those who got chrome upgrades
Splicer : Those who got animal genes spliced into themselves
NuGene : Those who got their human DNA modified to gain X upgrade. Vat grown
Mutant : Those born with a mutation either from non-mutant or mutant parents. Mutations can be either advantageous or disadvantageous.
7 "races" total. You can start as a Human and buy your upgrades into Cyborg or Splicer, NuGene/Android/Simulant are manufactured and Mutants are born.
As for the upgrades, the less obvious the more expensive. But funny enough there're those who want to look chromed or spliced and not because of the price.
Only exception to this are purely cosmetic upgrades, those are cheaper since you get no advantage from them.
That sounds good. I'm guessing Android is the term for mechanical ones and Simulant for biotech, but they're essentially the same thing conceptually and in game mechanics?
I wonder what causes non-mutant parents to birth mutants in your world. Is it that they mix with a mutants or is there something that causes normal human fetuses to develop mutations?
RE: The side discussion on Transhumanism, Transhumanism itself is a philosophy that advocates for human modification using various types of theoretical technologies (some of which are already being developed) that may exist as a feature in various works of fiction, rather than being a genre onto itself. While Cyberpunk is the most common type of genre featuring that type of technology or ideas. You could take those sort of concepts in a different direction from "High-Tech, Low-Life", I suppose, but transhumanism itself isn't really a genre, but more like an idea.
Re Mutants from non-mutant parents: My line of thinking is that the megacorporations don't give a shit about their serfs, so the water, the air and even the food most have access to is contaminated. Maybe even some radiation?
Figured it might be something like that. In my own setting mutations happen through some sort of selective gene splicing in a lab, so random mutation isn't a possibility outside of mutants of different type (or human and mutants) having children, or an unexpected result coming out of the gene splicing process. But in a world where mutations can happen from some type of "mutagenic substance" it makes sense that spills in the water supply or the soil may cause random mutants to be born out of the normal human population, specially in poor areas.
Exactly, and now you have all the usual human prejudices at play, there are those who fear/hate/despise the mutants for several different reasons, including religious bigotry.
And the Corpos organize mutant hunts, but then again they also organize street urchin hunts, they see everybody else as inferior, not based on race but on class mostly, and since there's no government to punish them, and the corporation doesn't care unless they give it a bad image...
I'll mirror what others have asked.
Why use "race" at all?
As noted. None of these listed are actual races. If that were the case then "people wearing plaid" or "People with tattoos" must be a race too. These are, usually, just augmented humans as it were. Or manufactured beings. Despite how scary they are. I am sorry, but Furbys are not a race.
8)
Quote from: Omega on March 26, 2021, 12:22:46 AM
I'll mirror what others have asked.
Why use "race" at all?
As noted. None of these listed are actual races. If that were the case then "people wearing plaid" or "People with tattoos" must be a race too. These are, usually, just augmented humans as it were. Or manufactured beings. Despite how scary they are. I am sorry, but Furbys are not a race.
8)
Feel free to do whatever you like, if you really feel that Androids, Simulants, Mutants and the NuGene are just humans then don't use them.
I'm not telling you you must use them am I?
Quote from: Omega on March 26, 2021, 12:22:46 AM
I'll mirror what others have asked.
Why use "race" at all?
As noted. None of these listed are actual races. If that were the case then "people wearing plaid" or "People with tattoos" must be a race too. These are, usually, just augmented humans as it were. Or manufactured beings. Despite how scary they are. I am sorry, but Furbys are not a race.
8)
It's a matter of semantics. Genetically engineered mutants and robots might not be "races" in the technical sense of the word, but they're still different classes of entity (or whatever term you'd prefer), potentially with different traits and capabilities (including ability modifiers and such) for RPG purposes. And the typical term used to referred to those beings within TTRPGs is "race".
I use the term "mutant classifications" in my own setting, because that's what they're called in-game. "Phenotype" might be another likely term within a sci-fi world. But for game purposes they're still essentially the same thing that games like D&D call "races" (or "ancestries" now). Many of the types of entities that Geeky listed are essentially "races" as well. An android is really not a human by any other name, but a humanoid shaped robot with mechanical traits.
Quote from: VisionStorm on March 26, 2021, 11:29:08 AM
Quote from: Omega on March 26, 2021, 12:22:46 AM
Why use "race" at all?
As noted. None of these listed are actual races. If that were the case then "people wearing plaid" or "People with tattoos" must be a race too. These are, usually, just augmented humans as it were. Or manufactured beings.
It's a matter of semantics. Genetically engineered mutants and robots might not be "races" in the technical sense of the word, but they're still different classes of entity (or whatever term you'd prefer), potentially with different traits and capabilities (including ability modifiers and such) for RPG purposes. And the typical term used to referred to those beings within TTRPGs is "race".
Obviously, that's used in D&D - but I don't see that it's in wide use particularly for sci-fi games. Both D6 and D20 Star Wars use "species" for the different alien species, as does Stars Without Number. Besides the semantics, though, there's a big question about the mechanics. In fantasy, dwarves all have certain features. But in sci-fi, all robots aren't the same. Robots can have vastly different qualities depending on what they were built for.
Quote from: GeekyBugle on March 25, 2021, 07:19:07 PM
Lets see how you guys like this:
Android: Mechanical machines with free will.
+1 INT +1CON +1STR +1DEX -2CHA -2WIS
Can't take any biological augmentation
Human : The poor, who can't afford to get upgrades or a cult?
+1 to any two attributes
Can take any biological/mechanical augmentation
Mutant : Those born with a mutation either from non-mutant or mutant parents. Mutations can be either advantageous or disadvantageous.
Roll on the table to get the modifiers
Can't take any biological augmentation
NuGene : Those who got their human DNA modified to gain X upgrade. Vat grown
Choose two: +2STR +2DEX +2CON
Choose two: -1INT -1WIS -1CHA
Can't take any biological augmentation
Simulant : Biological machines with free will.
+1 INT +1CON +1STR +1DEX Choose one: -1CHA -1WIS
Can't take any biological/mechanical augmentation
Augmentations: Besides the price in credits there's also the pricein humanity and the risk of rejection.
Biological - Splicer : Those who got animal genes spliced into themselves
Mechanical - Cyborg : Those who got chrome upgrades
I get that you're trying to make these like D&D races, but that doesn't fit the source material to my mind. Different androids, nugenes, and simulants could have very different qualities depending on how and why they were built. A combat android might have great physical ability, while a pleasure android might be weak but high CHA.
It seems like this is trying to make everyone equal, like balanced races in D&D. But particularly within Cyberpunk, one of the themes is that life is not fair. Genetically engineered, cyber-enhanced individuals are better in every way than unenhanced poor people.
Quote from: jhkim on March 26, 2021, 03:43:39 PM
But particularly within Cyberpunk, one of the themes is that life is not fair. Genetically engineered, cyber-enhanced individuals are better in every way than unenhanced poor people.
No, that's transhuman games. In cyberpunk games, there's a tradeoff for being enhanced. Often it's a loss of empathy/humanity/sanity or some other trait that makes your character a person rather than just a machine that happens to be based on the chassis of a person. Of course, some players prefer to take that trait as close to zero as possible for various reasons. Still, there is usually a downside to overdoing enhancements in cyberpunk.
Quote from: jhkim on March 26, 2021, 03:43:39 PM
Quote from: VisionStorm on March 26, 2021, 11:29:08 AM
Quote from: Omega on March 26, 2021, 12:22:46 AM
Why use "race" at all?
As noted. None of these listed are actual races. If that were the case then "people wearing plaid" or "People with tattoos" must be a race too. These are, usually, just augmented humans as it were. Or manufactured beings.
It's a matter of semantics. Genetically engineered mutants and robots might not be "races" in the technical sense of the word, but they're still different classes of entity (or whatever term you'd prefer), potentially with different traits and capabilities (including ability modifiers and such) for RPG purposes. And the typical term used to referred to those beings within TTRPGs is "race".
Obviously, that's used in D&D - but I don't see that it's in wide use particularly for sci-fi games. Both D6 and D20 Star Wars use "species" for the different alien species, as does Stars Without Number. Besides the semantics, though, there's a big question about the mechanics. In fantasy, dwarves all have certain features. But in sci-fi, all robots aren't the same. Robots can have vastly different qualities depending on what they were built for.
Sure, but my point was more that we're still ultimately talking about some type of "race", or at least what is meant by that word in D&D, which refers to different classes of beings. Even if a different term is used (and perhaps it should) the concept of "races" is still relevant for purposes of having a RPG discussion, which I believe was the reason why the OP included the term "race" in the topic title. "Race" is simply a shorthand used in RPG discussions to refer to species, android models, or other types of being that might exist in the game world.
If the argument is "The term 'race' shouldn't be used in a Cyberpunk setting" then I'm inclined to agree. But if we're talking about the RPG
concept of "races" (as in classes of being), then I would say that "races" can exist in pretty much any world that features different playable beings other than humans, even if there is some degree of variability within each of these classes of being.
Robots, for example, might have a variety of possible attributes in a setting, but we could still use the term "robot" to refer to them as their "race" when talking about what type of "races" are available in the game world, then include the range of options that robots have available as part of their "racial" description. Or alternately, we could break down "robots" into various models and use a separate racial entry for each model, but we're still ultimately talking about including robots as a class of being (or "race") that exists in the game world.
Quote from: jhkim on March 26, 2021, 03:43:39 PM
Quote from: GeekyBugle on March 25, 2021, 07:19:07 PM
Lets see how you guys like this:
Android: Mechanical machines with free will.
+1 INT +1CON +1STR +1DEX -2CHA -2WIS
Can't take any biological augmentation
Human : The poor, who can't afford to get upgrades or a cult?
+1 to any two attributes
Can take any biological/mechanical augmentation
Mutant : Those born with a mutation either from non-mutant or mutant parents. Mutations can be either advantageous or disadvantageous.
Roll on the table to get the modifiers
Can't take any biological augmentation
NuGene : Those who got their human DNA modified to gain X upgrade. Vat grown
Choose two: +2STR +2DEX +2CON
Choose two: -1INT -1WIS -1CHA
Can't take any biological augmentation
Simulant : Biological machines with free will.
+1 INT +1CON +1STR +1DEX Choose one: -1CHA -1WIS
Can't take any biological/mechanical augmentation
Augmentations: Besides the price in credits there's also the pricein humanity and the risk of rejection.
Biological - Splicer : Those who got animal genes spliced into themselves
Mechanical - Cyborg : Those who got chrome upgrades
I get that you're trying to make these like D&D races, but that doesn't fit the source material to my mind. Different androids, nugenes, and simulants could have very different qualities depending on how and why they were built. A combat android might have great physical ability, while a pleasure android might be weak but high CHA.
It seems like this is trying to make everyone equal, like balanced races in D&D. But particularly within Cyberpunk, one of the themes is that life is not fair. Genetically engineered, cyber-enhanced individuals are better in every way than unenhanced poor people.
TBH, the idea of "balanced" races doesn't even work that well in D&D or fantasy (elves are clearly vastly superior to humans according most fantasy source material, but not according to the PHB), but it makes sense from a game mechanics point of view, which IMO is the real reason all races are balanced out in D&D.
That being said, maybe some of these "races" that Geeky is proposing should have variable ability modifiers instead, depending on their model or the purpose they were built to fulfil. OR, maybe they could be broken down into various models (pleasure droids, combat droids, maintenance droids, etc.) with separate benefits each.
Quote from: HappyDaze on March 26, 2021, 05:36:15 PM
Quote from: jhkim on March 26, 2021, 03:43:39 PM
But particularly within Cyberpunk, one of the themes is that life is not fair. Genetically engineered, cyber-enhanced individuals are better in every way than unenhanced poor people.
No, that's transhuman games. In cyberpunk games, there's a tradeoff for being enhanced. Often it's a loss of empathy/humanity/sanity or some other trait that makes your character a person rather than just a machine that happens to be based on the chassis of a person. Of course, some players prefer to take that trait as close to zero as possible for various reasons. Still, there is usually a downside to overdoing enhancements in cyberpunk.
OK, fair enough - there can be some drawbacks, but even so, an unmodified human is usually not an even match for a heavily-enhanced person. Robocop outmatches ordinary human cops, and replicants outmatch ordinary humans in Blade Runner -- to pick some commonly-known examples.
Quote from: VisionStorm on March 26, 2021, 06:37:40 PM
If the argument is "The term 'race' shouldn't be used in a Cyberpunk setting" then I'm inclined to agree. But if we're talking about the RPG concept of "races" (as in classes of being), then I would say that "races" can exist in pretty much any world that features different playable beings other than humans, even if there is some degree of variability within each of these classes of being.
That seems overly broad to me. For example, Marvel Superheroes and Champions have plenty of non-human characters, but if I create an alien like Thor, for example, I'm just using the same rules as for creating a human like Hawkeye. Being a non-human race is just color for the abilities.
There are also RPGs that have distinct non-human packages, like Buffy the Vampire Slayer or Dresden Files, but there being non-human is just folded into the general Quality/Drawback system. Being a vampire is treated the same as being a witch or being a psychic - just another sort of Quality/Drawback.
Both of these are quite distinct from how races work in D&D. Would you say that Marvel Superheroes has a "race system"?
Quote from: VisionStorm on March 26, 2021, 06:37:40 PM
TBH, the idea of "balanced" races doesn't even work that well in D&D or fantasy (elves are clearly vastly superior to humans according most fantasy source material, but not according to the PHB), but it makes sense from a game mechanics point of view, which IMO is the real reason all races are balanced out in D&D.
That being said, maybe some of these "races" that Geeky is proposing should have variable ability modifiers instead, depending on their model or the purpose they were built to fulfil. OR, maybe they could be broken down into various models (pleasure droids, combat droids, maintenance droids, etc.) with separate benefits each.
Maybe androids could be like mutants - roll for the model of android that you are, just like rolling for your mutation. Likewise for NuGenes and synthetics - roll for the type of mod you get.
Quote from: jhkim on March 27, 2021, 03:07:55 AM
Quote from: VisionStorm on March 26, 2021, 06:37:40 PM
If the argument is "The term 'race' shouldn't be used in a Cyberpunk setting" then I'm inclined to agree. But if we're talking about the RPG concept of "races" (as in classes of being), then I would say that "races" can exist in pretty much any world that features different playable beings other than humans, even if there is some degree of variability within each of these classes of being.
That seems overly broad to me. For example, Marvel Superheroes and Champions have plenty of non-human characters, but if I create an alien like Thor, for example, I'm just using the same rules as for creating a human like Hawkeye. Being a non-human race is just color for the abilities.
There are also RPGs that have distinct non-human packages, like Buffy the Vampire Slayer or Dresden Files, but there being non-human is just folded into the general Quality/Drawback system. Being a vampire is treated the same as being a witch or being a psychic - just another sort of Quality/Drawback.
Both of these are quite distinct from how races work in D&D. Would you say that Marvel Superheroes has a "race system"?
If you mean FASERIP, in that game the term they used for races was "Origin". They had Altered Humans, Mutants, Technology Heroes, Robots and Aliens. Each origin had a different attribute range, as well as different rules for determining their abilities. Mutants got +1 CS to their Endurance and one extra power (IIRC), for example, but penalties to gaining Reputation. Tech Heroes got a bonus to Reason and starting Resources, and could get a suit that modified their physical stats and had their powers built into it, etc.
They probably didn't put too much work into making elaborate alien races and such because the game used powers and core abilities with descriptive ranks as building blocks to create almost any type of character. So you were sort of left to your own devices building the type of character you wanted. But each origin had its own framework, and they even had templates for some of the common alien races (like Asgardians) in the GM's manual IIRC. There were even guidelines for making characters using those templates as well.
I never got to play Champions, but that game also used a "building block" approach with its extensive use of effect-based powers, and I remember reading about the idea of using some type of race template or package to handle races or common origins in the Hero system. So the idea of "races" existed as well, the game just relied on a package system using its effect-based powers to build up all racial abilities and such, and left it up to the GM to build all that stuff from what I've read of the system.
I suppose you could also build races or different types of "origins" and such using a Quality/Drawback approach, but that still works off the idea that you have things like Witches and Vampires as distinct entities from baseline humans.
Quote from: jhkim on March 27, 2021, 03:07:55 AM
Quote from: VisionStorm on March 26, 2021, 06:37:40 PM
TBH, the idea of "balanced" races doesn't even work that well in D&D or fantasy (elves are clearly vastly superior to humans according most fantasy source material, but not according to the PHB), but it makes sense from a game mechanics point of view, which IMO is the real reason all races are balanced out in D&D.
That being said, maybe some of these "races" that Geeky is proposing should have variable ability modifiers instead, depending on their model or the purpose they were built to fulfil. OR, maybe they could be broken down into various models (pleasure droids, combat droids, maintenance droids, etc.) with separate benefits each.
Maybe androids could be like mutants - roll for the model of android that you are, just like rolling for your mutation. Likewise for NuGenes and synthetics - roll for the type of mod you get.
That approach could also work. Random tables for base origin and specific models or abilities.
Quote from: VisionStorm on March 27, 2021, 04:33:08 AM
Quote from: jhkim on March 27, 2021, 03:07:55 AM
Quote from: VisionStorm on March 26, 2021, 06:37:40 PM
If the argument is "The term 'race' shouldn't be used in a Cyberpunk setting" then I'm inclined to agree. But if we're talking about the RPG concept of "races" (as in classes of being), then I would say that "races" can exist in pretty much any world that features different playable beings other than humans, even if there is some degree of variability within each of these classes of being.
That seems overly broad to me. For example, Marvel Superheroes and Champions have plenty of non-human characters, but if I create an alien like Thor, for example, I'm just using the same rules as for creating a human like Hawkeye. Being a non-human race is just color for the abilities.
If you mean FASERIP, in that game the term they used for races was "Origin". They had Altered Humans, Mutants, Technology Heroes, Robots and Aliens. Each origin had a different attribute range, as well as different rules for determining their abilities. Mutants got +1 CS to their Endurance and one extra power (IIRC), for example, but penalties to gaining Reputation. Tech Heroes got a bonus to Reason and starting Resources, and could get a suit that modified their physical stats and had their powers built into it, etc.
They probably didn't put too much work into making elaborate alien races and such because the game used powers and core abilities with descriptive ranks as building blocks to create almost any type of character. So you were sort of left to your own devices building the type of character you wanted. But each origin had its own framework, and they even had templates for some of the common alien races (like Asgardians) in the GM's manual IIRC. There were even guidelines for making characters using those templates as well.
I never got to play Champions, but that game also used a "building block" approach with its extensive use of effect-based powers, and I remember reading about the idea of using some type of race template or package to handle races or common origins in the Hero system. So the idea of "races" existed as well, the game just relied on a package system using its effect-based powers to build up all racial abilities and such, and left it up to the GM to build all that stuff from what I've read of the system.
Ah, you're right - I was misremembering FASERIP. It's been a while since I played. Checking my copy, you're right - except mutants don't have an extra power, and the Asgardian stats are just for typical Asgardian NPCs - not a template for PCs. For tech heroes, they have the same stats as others - but those stats come from the super-suit. (Other heroes could have this if they select an "alter ego".) In my limited experience, the adjustments for origin seemed minor compared to the variation in PCs. That is, it was easy to forget whether a given PC is an mutant or an altered human or alien after going through creation.
I played Champions a lot more, though, and its effect-based system means that it is entirely irrelevant whether a character is a mutant or alien or altered human. That is purely descriptive color for the character, just part of the background story. You select the character's abilities and powers and pay the point cost. I could create a mutant character with a bunch of abilities, and afterwards I could change my mind and turn them into an alien and not touch anything in the character sheet - just the description.
That makes it very different from the game concept of races in D&D, even though it's still true that aliens are different than humans and such.