Quote from: Talking_Muffin;477289This game looks very cool, however the NPC sheets gave me pause. Are there pregenerated NPCs for adventures? How much crunch is involved?

I am not GMing so I don't have a solid grasp of what's going on behind the curtain in Technoir. I know the GM uses a "Transmission", which is basically a loose module centered on some geographical location (we are playing in Los Angeles). PCs have connections to established NPCs as part of character generation, and each Transmission has pre-statted stuff that the GM uses to build a situation from.

In play the game is not very crunchy, probably less complex than FATE for example.

Another vote for Technoir here.

Actually, Shadowrun 2e and 3e is the cyberpunk game Ive played most in my life, but while I love it, I cant recommend it as a great "cyberpunk system" really. Its great at what it does, but what it does has little to do with the cyberpunk genre IMHO.  (SR is more like a "D&D from another angle" for me, with its clearly defined archetypes, missions-based gameplay, corp/dungeon-crawls, focus on tactical action, etc. )

Cyberpunk 2020. Simple, clear, to the point, with the right ambiance, and nothing to take away from the Cyberpunk genre. Efficient.

By the way, I just found this quote from the back of the CP2020 rulebook:

QuoteThe Corporations control the world from their skyscraper fortresses, enforcing their rule with armies of cyborg assassins. On the Street, Boostergangs roam a shattered urban wilderness, killing and looting. The rest of the world is a perpetual party, as fashion-model beautiful techies rub biosculpt jobs with battle armored roadwarriors in the hottest clubs, sleaziest bars and meanest streets this side of the Postholocaust. The Future never looked so bad.

But you can change it. You've got interface plugs in your wrists, weapons in your arms, lasers in your eyes, bio-chip programs screaming in your brain. You're wired in, cyberenhanced and solid state as you take it to the fatal Edge where only the toughest and the coolest can go. Because you're CYBERPUNK.

CYBERPUNK: the original roleplaying game of the dark future; a world of corporate assassins, heavy-metal heroes and brain burning cyberhackers, packed with cutting edge technology and intense urban action. Within this box, you'll find everything you need to tackle the mean streets of the 2000's — in a game system that combines the best in realistic action and playability.

FEATURING:
• Rockerboys: Hard-rock heroes fighting for change with music & revolution!
• Solos: Corporate cybersoldiers — more machines than men!
• Netrunners: Superhot hackers who can crack any Data Fortress!
• Medias: Hightech reporters going to the wall to get the truth!
• Nomads: Cyberbiking renegades cruisin' the lethal highways of the Postholocaust!
• Corporates: Slick business raiders playing the deadly corporate power game!
• Techies: Masters of cybernetics in the heavy-metal age!
• Fixers: Streetsmart middlemen who know all the angles!
• Cops: Maximum lawmen in the big-city jungle!

I really like it. It makes me want to play Cyberpunk. :cool: [edit]Sorry, should read: It makes me want to play CYBERPUNK![/edit]

CP2020. I was reading through it the other day, and it really struck me how effectively it is at creating a properly cyber atmosphere. The netrunning rules look unworkable though, and I'm not sure combat is balanced right (it feels like armour is way too effective against light weapons).

I've played and GMed it but only in the form of Cybergeneration, so neither of these things really came up.

Quote from: Melan;477431By the way, I just found this quote from the back of the CP2020 rulebook:

I really like it. It makes me want to play Cyberpunk. :cool: [edit]Sorry, should read: It makes me want to play CYBERPUNK![/edit]

If you can get hold of it, the fluff text bits from Games Workshop's old Dark Future game are really atmospheric and inspirational as well.

Quote from: Talking_Muffin;477289I guess it's the amount of crunch involved. I use "off" since I've only read the rules, not played them, so I won't say I don't like them or that they're bad. I do very much love how Shadowrun tech has grown with the times and that's a plus when considering what to play.

Ah; sorry, that's not a problem I have with them, so I don't know how to help. Character gen is horrible (I have less trouble with a cashflow spreadsheet at work than creating an SR character), but in play, it runs smoothly for us. Sorry I can't be much more use.

We don't allow hacker PC's, though, and the GM keeps astral scenes (Where the mage, usually me, is separated from the rest of the party in another plane) short and to the point.

Quote from: Ladybird;477441Ah; sorry, that's not a problem I have with them, so I don't know how to help. Character gen is horrible (I have less trouble with a cashflow spreadsheet at work than creating an SR character), but in play, it runs smoothly for us. Sorry I can't be much more use.

We don't allow hacker PC's, though, and the GM keeps astral scenes (Where the mage, usually me, is separated from the rest of the party in another plane) short and to the point.

I don't mind front-loaded games and hand-waving some of the scenes could work. Hmmm, I may try it. So, I've got Corporation, Shadowrun 4th Edition and Strands of Fate on my shelf and can grab Cyberpunk 2020 if needed (which, when Genesis Descent is released I probably will). Thanks!

The only two gripes I really had with Cyberpunk 2020 was the career skills (why can't an ex-soldier-turned SWAT have both "Combat Sense" and "Authority), but you can fix thins with relative ease. The other bit is how outdated the tech is. I mean, screamsheets? There's no WIFI, etc. Of course, this is because tech in the real world of the time wasn't anything like it is now, but it's an "issue". I really like how Shadowrun has technologically matured with the times and wish Cyberpunk 2020 was still going so it could benefit.

One thing I always loved was the combat system. It was deadly, pretty realistic and easy to use.

Quote from: Ladybird;477441We don't allow hacker PC's, though, and the GM keeps astral scenes (Where the mage, usually me, is separated from the rest of the party in another plane) short and to the point.

Those are good ideas, I did the same with the Deckers, pretty much relegating them to npc status. The runners had a few they would work with and just call them up if they needed decker support. Riggers were also npcs mostly, but mainly because none of my players were much interested in them, street sams, mages, and shamans were the most popular with my 3 players.

Quote from: Talking_Muffin;477472The only two gripes I really had with Cyberpunk 2020 was the career skills (why can't an ex-soldier-turned SWAT have both "Combat Sense" and "Authority), but you can fix thins with relative ease. The other bit is how outdated the tech is. I mean, screamsheets? There's no WIFI, etc. Of course, this is because tech in the real world of the time wasn't anything like it is now, but it's an "issue". I really like how Shadowrun has technologically matured with the times and wish Cyberpunk 2020 was still going so it could benefit.

One thing I always loved was the combat system. It was deadly, pretty realistic and easy to use.

If I were to run CP2020 today, I'd take one of two courses... either run it as is, treat it as a "could have been", maybe some nostalgia After all, we don't mind running games with swords and plate mail (also outdated tech). Or, I'd make some flimsy excuse, such as the tech involved grew out of some sort of crazy pollution that disrupts wifi, or something equally silly

I don't think it'd be too hard to update the tech in Cyberpunk 2020, especially if you have access to SR4 and can steal some ideas.

Quote from: Talking_Muffin;477565I don't think it'd be too hard to update the tech in Cyberpunk 2020, especially if you have access to SR4 and can steal some ideas.

True enough. I'm just not sure I'd want to I like the quaint, old school feel of CP sometimes.

Back in the time when I played Cyberpunk, when it was science fiction instead of nostalgia, I liked GURPS Cyberpunk.

RPGPundit

I think people vastly overestimate the usefulness of wireless in a cyberpunk world.  Imagine if Anonymous (or some other form of cyber hacktivist or terrorist group) wanted to strike Iphones and Facebook.  All of a sudden people might think having their entire world wireless might not be the best idea to come down the pike.

Now have Microsoft, Apple, and Google all basically countries in their own right, with their own militaries and espionage services and corporations using wireless for all communications becomes downright stupid unless you have...
1.) Effectively undecryptable encryption
2.) Effectively unjammable transmission

What you're left with is a consumer wireless bubble with any communications of worth happening mostly over wires, hey, kinda like we have now.