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Cyberpunk 203X Coming Soon

Posted by Zonk on from the one-of-them-tabletop-games dept.

Pax00 writes "R. Talsorian released Cyberpunk 2013 and 2020 in the 90's, and it quickly became one of the most popular sf roleplaying settings of all time. There has been talk of a new version for years. The new version is almost out and there is a pdf preview from R. Talsorian, along with an interview with Mike Pondsmith on the forthcoming book." From the interview: "Shelf date is February (I hope). What you can expect: Cyberpunk with the gain turned up. Night City is now the largest City in the world. The Net has collapsed, but there are new net things even cooler. Rival groups (including the megacorps) are vying for world control. There are new cybertechnologies that reflect the changes in the genre. New weapons, new tech, new characters, new goals. Netrunners, rockers and solos will still be around, but in multiple forms depending on the altcult."

42 comments

  1. For those of you asking WTF... by forkazoo · · Score: 3, Informative

    A little googling brought me here, http://www.cyberpunk2020.de/

    This seems to be a pretty informative site aboute the current release. Any players care to talk about the previous CyberPunk games, and what makes them so special?

    1. Re:For those of you asking WTF... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Nope

    2. Re:For those of you asking WTF... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Interesting

      Only ever played the 2020 release. It was nice - one of the only cyberpunk rpgs at the time, and in my view, a pretty damn good play.

      Shadowrun was a little too fantasy-mixed for my tastes, and I had no experience of the GURPS cyberpunk system - so I'll ignore that :)

      It was simple, but with all the cyberpunk elements you'd expect from books of the same genre. It had a dark sense of humour to it, and at the time was a nice break from the AD&D cycle of constant revisions and expansion books...
      (Though it had its own share of extras as well).

      It has a good d10/d6 setup that worked great with its skills system. And it was fun.

      I'm glad to see it making a comeback :)

    3. Re:For those of you asking WTF... by Bishop · · Score: 4, Informative

      Cyberypunk2020 has a great back story. The world is dark and dangerous. The writers did a good job of capturing the feel of William Gibson's early cyberpunk works (Neuromancer and related short stories), elements of Blade Runner, and bits of Max Headroom. The world had most of the elements needed for a good RPG. Characters have to struggle against staggering opposition, but characters had the potential to become minor gods. There was one missing element that I will discuss below.

      The mechanics of the game were not very good. I never had a chance to see the original rules, but I did have the v2 rules. I was told that the v2 rules were a major improvement, which does not bode well for original. The rules were combersome and as I recall some parts felt tact on. I will freely admit that I only played the game briefly. Perhaps experience made the mechanics work more smoothly. There was a "port" of Cyberpunk 2020 to GURPS.

      GURPS is well refined set of game mechanics. However I am not sure it was an improvement. In all RPGs the game mechanics have a large effect on the style or feel of the game. The mechanics must be crafted to reflect the game world or the game won't work. All games I saw based on GURPS felt like GURPS. Some element of the game world was lost.

      Despite the problems I don't think that Cyberpunk 2020 v2 mechanics were that bad. There are worse systems. As a game I think that Cyberpunk was only missing one element that prevented it from being a great game: Cyberpunk 2020 was not a fantasy RPG. Nearly all RPGs set in present-day and future worlds suffer from the same problem. It is hard to be a hero when anyone can pick up a Desert Eagle or equivalent and take the hero down.

      The Cyberpunk 2020 game world was special. It captured the essence of the bleak cyberpunk dystopia. As a game Cyberpunk 2020 was not that special.

    4. Re:For those of you asking WTF... by Tragek · · Score: 1

      This has me intersted. As I said just minutes ago, the biggest turn off for me with RPGs was not they gameplay, which was enjoyable, but the fantasy setting, which isn't my cup'o'tea. Seems almost cliche to be a dwarf lord, or now, post WoW, a dark elf.

    5. Re:For those of you asking WTF... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Funny - to me, the mechanics of CP:2020 were great (I played the 2nd edition). I never really like the way they've been heading with the Fuzion ruleset though - I've tried it, and really didn't like it that much.

      Now I've found out that this version is going to be based purely on Fuzion, I'm not sure how keen I am - I think I'll stick with what I have :)

      It was simpler than AD&D rules, and seemed to flow better during gameplay in my experience - as usual though, it all depends on the gaming group. A good GM makes up for a bad RPG system a thousand times over... as does a good group of players :)

    6. Re:For those of you asking WTF... by Thenomain · · Score: 1

      Cyberpunk 2020 was not a fantasy RPG.

      You may have better enjoyed CyberGeneration, which I've heard described as "Cyberpunk Light" or "CyberKids". There was less concentration on death (not that it was entirely without death) and more on getting caught. Less on facing the dominance of megacorporations and more on figuring out what the heck's going on. I thought the classes were a bit silly, but they helped for me put a lighter edge to the darkness.

      Unless by "fantasy" you mean that more experienced characters can walk through a mob that would once have killed them ten times over without worrying about getting a scratch, simply by benefit of being more experienced.

      As an entirely personal opinion, I think adding Fantasy to Cyberpunk isn't possible. Even Shadowrun (at least as long as I played it, from the beginning to sometime shortly after v2) was almost as "any schlep can take you down" as the Cyberpunks ever were. This seems to be a central theme of the cyberpunk genre itself.

      While I believe Shadowrun did do a better job of providing ways for the characters to "buff up" without losing the possibility of "one-shot one-kill", the Cyberpunk games seemed to do a better job at showing that you need powerful allies to help counter your powerful enemies.

      Otherwise, I completely agree with Bishop, and covet his swanky UID.

      --
      This now concludes our broadcast day.
    7. Re:For those of you asking WTF... by AdamJ · · Score: 1

      There was a "port" of Cyberpunk 2020 to GURPS.

      GURPS Cyberpunk was an entirely different product from Cyberpunk 2020; GURPS Cyberpunk was a typical GURPS genrebook, and was not a conversion of Cyberpunk2020 nor a licensed product.

    8. Re:For those of you asking WTF... by Bishop · · Score: 1

      "fantasy" you mean that more experienced characters can walk through a mob that would once have killed them ten times over

      That is one aspect of fantasy and it is an element that is missing from Cyberpunk2020. I would not say that adding this element to cyberpunk is impossible. It is just very hard.

      I agree that in cyberpunk life is supposed to be cheap. It is central to the theme. The game mechanics should reflect that with a deadly combat system. From a theme point of view I like the Cyberpunk2020 combat system. The system does a nice job of reflecting the confusion and dirtiness of the world itself. The problem is that there is a very fine balance between the sense of dread combat should give cyberpunk, and a system where players are able to progress to badass status. While some players prefer the deadly (realistic) systems, most do not. Most players want to play characters that will be able to achieve bad ass status and not get taken down by the lowly street punk.

      There are other fantasy aspects that are missing from Cyberpunk2020 and other present-day and future game worlds. These elements are not required for a good RPG. A good gaming group can work with anything. But these elements make it easier for the average group to have a good time. In fantasy worlds player characters are fundamentally different from the world around them. Characters are tougher then the average NPC and lowly enemies. It is easy for a player to suspend their disbelief when characters survive the sword and arrow wounds from low power enemies. In modern and future worlds it is hard to believe that a character will survive a wound from a high power firearm shot by the lowest street punk. It is just as hard to believe that the street punk won't have a nice insta-kill handgun. After all the firearm is the great leveler. In cyberpunk games in particular the high tech (magic) is ubiquious. The game would lose a large part of its feel if the average NPC did not have access to enchancements. In (good) fantasy worlds access to magic is controlled and usually limited to characters, important NPCs, and some monters. Characters have to gain experience before they get access to the fireball spell. In fantasy most enemies are monsters with different powers and weaknesses. These monsters are easily classified from easy to hard which helps the GM. In the modern/future game worlds the enemies are similar to the player characters making it hard to achieve the balance between enemies who are tough but not impossible.

      These fantasy elements could not be added to Cyberpunk 2020. It would lose much of the desperate fell of cyberpunk. This is not to say that a good GM can't work around these issues or that players can't have a great time developing their characters over many long campaigns. It may be a cliche but it is true: A good GM and a good group of players don't need any rules or even source books. However fantasy worlds are easier to work with as there are fewer issues to begin with.

      After reading the above some would (rightfully) accuse me of simply prefering sword and sorcery fantasy worlds. In truth I have long tired of sword and sorcery, but I have yet to find a modern-day or future game world that is both easy and fun to play.

    9. Re:For those of you asking WTF... by Bishop · · Score: 1

      I stand corrected. Google shows a few attempts by players to convert Cyberpunk2020 to GURPS. That is what I must have been thinking of.

    10. Re:For those of you asking WTF... by obeythefist · · Score: 1

      Except the system was invariably unplayable because of the stacking armour system.

      You could easily and cheaply buy and wear enough armour to make you invulnerable to any weapon smaller than a 7.62 calibre round, and even then it would take several clips from such a weapon to seriously hurt you. They do not appear to have modified this in the new release.

      I recommend D20:Modern, and possibly the Blood and Guts:Modern Military books.

      --
      I am government man, come from the government. The government has sent me. -- G.I.R.
    11. Re:For those of you asking WTF... by obeythefist · · Score: 1

      It is hard to be a hero when anyone can pick up a Desert Eagle or equivalent and take the hero down.

      Did you ever play the game? With armour stacking rules, you've made some seriously foolish choices if you could be hurt by something as small as a Deagle. D20 modern is much more lethal.

      --
      I am government man, come from the government. The government has sent me. -- G.I.R.
    12. Re:For those of you asking WTF... by hitmark · · Score: 1

      hmm, the revised version i have sitting on a shelf here contains some (optional) rules to combat this problem. the first one makes more armor lowers your reflexes. the second one basicly limits you to two sets, one hard and one soft...

      --
      comment first, facts later. http://chem.tufts.edu/AnswersInScience/RelativityofWrong.htm
    13. Re:For those of you asking WTF... by obeythefist · · Score: 1

      Yep... unfortunately in the game, some soft armours go up to at least 20 and hard armours are of course higher than that. Lower reflexes are not penalising enough to balance out the fact that someone can empty a clip from an M16 into you and you can shrug it off.

      Essentially RTals tried to make Cyberpunk like a fantasy game, where the heroes are very hard to kill. In Cyberpunk, life is cheap, money is priceless.

      --
      I am government man, come from the government. The government has sent me. -- G.I.R.
  2. I'm not sure I see the point of the game, by Mordant · · Score: 1
    since the basic premise for the game:
    Night City is now the largest City in the world. The Net has collapsed, but there are new net things even cooler. Rival groups (including the megacorps) are vying for world control.

    seems pretty much like what I read on the news every day, you know?
  3. Netrunner was a cool game by xenocide2 · · Score: 2, Interesting

    Netrunner was pretty cool. It had a great style and theme, and the game was well balanced (mostly), despite the fact that the two players had vastly different goals, and means of achieving them. No side is ever out of the runnnig and at a huge disadvantage. What Netrunner boiled down to is taking risks and bluffing, whereas Magic comes down to rules lawyering, buying expensive cards, and painstaking attention to deck contruction principles.

    The true barriers to mass market appeal is that it had to compete with Magic, and there weren't many obvious multiplayer rules. I'd be interested to see the Netrunner concepts turned into a game somehow, but I can never get my head around how to drop the card concept.

    --
    I Browse at +4 Flamebait

    Open Source Sysadmin

    1. Re:Netrunner was a cool game by funkhauser · · Score: 3, Insightful
      I agree with you in regards to Netrunner. It was a fantastic game. But your complaints about Magic are rather off base.

      In all three cases, if Netrunner had become an extremely popular game with an established competitive scene, you would see that (1) rules lawyering would be necessary to ensure legitimate competition (2) the cards would end up as expensive as Magic cards and (3) to maximize ones competitive chances, theoretically sound deck construction principles would have to be developed and "painstaking" attention would need to be paid to them.

      Other than that, yeah. It's a shame Netrunner failed. It really was a brilliant game in my opinion.

      --
      Learn to Play Go
    2. Re:Netrunner was a cool game by xenocide2 · · Score: 1

      Netrunner did have an established competitive scene, and the most popular decks were largely rare void. "The Digger" sought to make a run on R&D so deep that it found 7 points worth of agenda in a single run. The deck is based on uncommon and commons, mostly R&D chips and moles. The corp decks are usually take one of two tactics: tag n bag, and turbo agendas. Neither of these need rares to survive. The only killer rare that I can recall is Loan from Chiba, and that got banned pretty quickly (there's no 4 card limit, which helps reduce the intense deck scrying in MtG).

      For the most part, Rare cards were reserved for those interesting cards that weren't practical to have a ton of. Since they're no more durable in play than a common, there's no huge push for "card economy" that dominates the valuation of mtg playworthiness.

      Going back to dropping the ccg format, its pretty simple to come up with a system where the corp simply has to plan out things ahead of time. Maybe keep the card concept and simply let them write a single number on it that indicates both the cost of the card and its strength. The trouble is a victory condition for the runner. There's a rule in netrunner that regulates agenda point density in the corp's r&d, but thats thrown out the window. The runner needs some way to take initiative when the corp is stalling. You can also argue that making everything deterministic will lead to a dominate strategy.

      --
      I Browse at +4 Flamebait

      Open Source Sysadmin

    3. Re:Netrunner was a cool game by funkhauser · · Score: 1
      Interesting insight into the upper levels of Netrunner strategy. Admittedly, I never played it at anything more than a casual level.

      Nevertheless, I think my points hold. Netrunner's competitive scene certainly never grew to the point of Magic's. If it had, I think you would have seen the key uncommons (and to a lesser extent commons) have the same kind of value inflation as key Magic uncommons.

      Take for example the Magic card Fact or Fiction. It was just an uncommon, but was an extremely important card in competitive play. As a result, it became a roughly $5+ "chase" uncommon. I would argue that the same would have happened if Netrunner competitive play had ever grown to the level of Magic's.

      The fact that the game's rares were essentially useless in competitive play strikes me as a very odd design decision. But, hey... I was always the kind of Magic player that tried to make every deck I built as budget as possible. :)

      Regarding a non-card-oriented approach to Netrunner: what about a computer game in the same spirit? R&D agenda's could involve RTS-like development trees or something. That's not a strict translation of the Netrunner CCG gameplay, but it might be interesting.

      --
      Learn to Play Go
    4. Re:Netrunner was a cool game by xenocide2 · · Score: 1

      Its not that the rares are useless, they're just not vital in light of the heavy deck searching mechanisms available, especially for runners. Most of the rares have interesting or unusual (like a wall that does damage) side effects that are difficult to plan for and occasionally unreliable (Quest for Catakin). That doesn't make them unplayable, but you might want to keep in mind that sealed deck play is considered an equally challenging and worthwhile tourney format. There's still plenty of "shit rares," but no more than MtG (certainly less than a certain Legends expansion!)

      Also, the mere utterance of RTS disturbs me. At its very core, warcraft and its spawn are essentially clickfests, click faster and you win. Micromanagement and deadlines is a difficult combination to mix bluffing and hidden information with. Certainly feel free to experiment with your own ideas, hell maybe even turn them into reality. Thats how we got Uplink!

      --
      I Browse at +4 Flamebait

      Open Source Sysadmin

    5. Re:Netrunner was a cool game by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      I miss Netrunner. Thank god for ebay!

      With that said, I think the runner had more crap rares than the Corp did. Some of the rare corp cards had some serious nasty built into them.

    6. Re:Netrunner was a cool game by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      The only real problem with Netrunner multiplayer was that it tended towards even numbers of players. The Corp Runner variant needed two on each side, and the only other variant I ever saw (Runner1->Corp->Runner2->Corp) meant that the Corp was at a disadvantage, and the Runners had no interaction with each other.

      However, CorpRunner can be a lot of fun.

    7. Re:Netrunner was a cool game by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      No Loan from Chiba? Denied!

      That and "Quest for Cattekin" and "Lucidrine Drip Feed" made the coolest deck ever!

    8. Re:Netrunner was a cool game by xenocide2 · · Score: 1

      Yea, but they were also seriously expensive. A corp has to rely on the threat of using ICE just as much as actually using ICE. If they're paying for ice, that's cash that can't be used to advance agendas.

      --
      I Browse at +4 Flamebait

      Open Source Sysadmin

  4. Hmm. by Tragek · · Score: 1

    I've never been a big RPGer, however, the main reason behind that was that I was never huge on the fantasy setting. Perhaps this RPG is for me...

    1. Re:Hmm. by hitmark · · Score: 1

      there is more to rpg then fantasy. lately wotc have been produceing a line of books based on the d20 system used in d&d but set to around modern times, called d20 modern. add to that d20 future and you have everything from spaceships to mecha and cyberware. they are allso working on a d20 past, one that i guess will cover everything from the age of gunpowder on up.

      there is allso gurps, a generic system where you can play anything from fantasy and horror to sci-fi and similar. recently came out in a 4th edition.

      if you want a slightly "original" setting then you have shadowrun. our own world, booted ca 50 years or so into the future and with magic, dragons, fantasy race, cyberware, guns, a new internet and some other insanety.

      there is allso one of my favorites, blue planet. a sci-fi set to a planet coverd in 90% or so water, but with a very realistic setting. its at times stamped as waterpunk ;)

      there is allso call of chutulu (hmm, how was that spelled again). pure lovecraftian horror. and we must never forget world of darkness, vampires, werewolfs, mages and all in a modern setting. perfect for the goth in us ;)

      in my collection i allso have another interesting item from atlas games, feng shui. at its core we are talking hong kong style action movies. its rules light and tuned for insane stunts. there is allso a time travel element in it to allow for all kinds of strange twists. if you want to be jet lee or jackie chan but dont feel like working out, go for it ;)

      basicly there is more to rpgs then the classical d&d dungeon crawl...

      --
      comment first, facts later. http://chem.tufts.edu/AnswersInScience/RelativityofWrong.htm
  5. The ONLY problem with non-digital RPG's is... by crazyphilman · · Score: 1

    They require a set of friends, physically in the same place as you, all of whom enjoy cyberpunk AND RPG's AND have time to spend with you.

    1. I have no real friends.

    2. Everyone where I work is not only not a hacker or interested in hacking or sci fi, but in fact is completely, hopelessly square. As in "they only work in IT because the pay is good, they're actually just the business-major crowd from college" square.

    3. Even if anyone from work wasn't square, they're all old and married, and around HERE that means they constantly cry poverty and claim they have no time for anything that isn't sports related.

    I'm in HELL. Cyberpunk hell, at least.

    So, for the love of God, would SOMEBODY write up an XBox version of this, I mean REALLY. Jesus fucking CHRIST this thing would make my life a heaven on Earth, and XBox Live would hook me up with umpteen million like minds around the web.

    Or a Linux version! That'd be great too. ANYTHING. But make it digital already. It's been DECADES. How long do I have to wait for a respite from my horrifyingly boring surroundings?

    Have mercy...

    --
    Farewell! It's been a fine buncha years!
    1. Re:The ONLY problem with non-digital RPG's is... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      I sympathise - last time I played an RPG was about 5 years ago - for two weeks when I headed off on holidays to visit my old highschool friends :)

      There are alternatives - I think if you went to the various cyberpunk websites, you'd be able to find a forum or two and they could probably suggest some online alternatives for you - probably not so heavy on the gaming mechanics, but more a joint storytelling-type deal (I've tried it online a few times, and that's how it has worked out).

      You sound almost like you're looking for a cyberpunk version of Neverwinter Nights? Maybe you could go look at that, and try and suggest a cyberpunk mod?

      (I'm resigned to the fact that RPGing may be no longer part of my life... I'm nearing 30, and I think I may just have to resort to writing bad fiction if I'm going to get my fix :)

    2. Re:The ONLY problem with non-digital RPG's is... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0
      Replying to your post again :)
      (Just ignore if you're not interested ;)

      Found some info on gaming online using Neverwinter Nights. There is a d20 Modern Project going on where they are trying to bring a more modern feel (including cyberpunk) to Neverwinter Nights.

      They also have an Online matchmaking service which allows people to meet up with strangers/friends online to play...

      Might be what you're looking for in terms of a sense of RPG community?

    3. Re:The ONLY problem with non-digital RPG's is... by Meagermanx · · Score: 1

      See if they post any gaming groups at your local game store. And, if they don't, start one. All you have to lose is some printer ink.

    4. Re:The ONLY problem with non-digital RPG's is... by johnwroach · · Score: 1

      Play on IRC. Best of both worlds. Hell, I'll play on it with you.

    5. Re:The ONLY problem with non-digital RPG's is... by cybergrue · · Score: 1
      So, for the love of God, would SOMEBODY write up an XBox version of this, I mean REALLY. Jesus fucking CHRIST this thing would make my life a heaven on Earth, and XBox Live would hook me up with umpteen million like minds around the web.

      Your wish might be closer to coming true then you would believe. Mike Poundsmith, the guy behing Cyberpunk 2020 and 203X had to take a 'real job' a few years back because the revinue from his gaming company wasn't quite enough to live on. Last I heard, he was involved with Microsoft developing stuff for the X-Box. This is the reason that Cyberpunk 203X has taken so long to get out, its a part time job for Mike now. Lisa Poundsmith (Mike's wife I believe) joked to me one time that somebody should hurry up and create cyberware so they could hook Mike up to a computer and just download the stuff right from his brain.

    6. Re:The ONLY problem with non-digital RPG's is... by crazyphilman · · Score: 1

      Well, all I can say is, if someone manages to create a console-gaming version of this (whether it be XBox, Playstation, or Gamecube) I'll be first in line to buy some. Hell, if I don't have the console it runs on, I'll buy THAT too.

      I sure hope this happens... Imagine how cool a game this would be in full 3D, say, as a third-person RPG-type game, KOTOR style!

      I mean, I'm usually a shooter gamer myself, but I'd go for this in a heartbeat.

      --
      Farewell! It's been a fine buncha years!
    7. Re:The ONLY problem with non-digital RPG's is... by crazyphilman · · Score: 1

      IRC, huh? Hmm...

      --
      Farewell! It's been a fine buncha years!
    8. Re:The ONLY problem with non-digital RPG's is... by crazyphilman · · Score: 1

      I guess that's not a bad idea, but there's another problem. Most of the people in my area who would be into this would also be in college. I'm about fifteen years older than they are, and it would be kind of uncomfortable.

      I think online gaming is the solution for guys like me. And think of how far they could take a console version. Do it as a third-person RPG game. Or incorporate stealth and/or shooter gameplay based on the character classes involved, the mission, etc. You could really go nuts with something like this, really take it all the way. Gamers would go BERSERK over it; it'd be totally popular.

      XBox Live would be a great way to serve it up; their matchmaking feature is very, very cool.

      --
      Farewell! It's been a fine buncha years!
  6. At last! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    The very best RPG out there finally will have usefull rules - I hope so :)

    cRPG aren't just FUN, but they are single cripled version of the REAL thing

  7. Cyberpunk 203x: The new era by Dr.Altaica · · Score: 1

    Sorry you are going to have to RTFA to get that one and know Traveller :The new era backstory

    1. Re:Cyberpunk 203x: The new era by cybergrue · · Score: 1

      What, you didn't die in character creation?

  8. Cyberpunk: The New Era by Dr.Altaica · · Score: 1

    Sorry you are have to RTFA to get this one and know the backstory for Traveller:The new era

  9. Why this matters by marktaw.com · · Score: 1

    I've played both the original "2013" rules (set 25 years after when it came out in 1988) and the 2020 edition. I vastly prefer the look and feel of the original. It had a certain "DIY" attitude that fit well with the world, and the combat system came in it's own slim volume (Friday Night FireFight), and were a lot grittier and more realistic than most games (though it did have it's flaws, you couldn't ever kill someone with a .22 caliber gun). The 2nd version had some cool graphics (though I saw the cover art on a Sci Fi novel as well), but just wasn't the same.

    What's really great about this is that when they combined with Champion/Hero, they merged the rules in a really impressive way, and open sourced the rules! They created the "Fuzion" system which was highly flexible, and said "anyone can create a game with our rules." This was years before WOTC did this with the D20 system.

    I've been a fan of Mike Pondsmith's ever since 2013, and though I'm not in to RPG's anymore, I'll definately check out the next version of Cyberpunk. He's been promising a new version for a while as a pure labor of love, but he got a job with Microsoft and didn't have the time.

    FWIW, R. Talsorian Games/Mike Pondsmith also have games set in a steam-driven Victorian world (Castle Falkenstein - diceless, you use cards), a giant mecha game (again, the first in the genre - Mekton), a goofy anime game (Teenagers From Outer Space), and have Dragonball Z and Bubblegum Crisis titles licensed.

    More information on http://www.talsorian.com/

  10. Ex Machina by jasko · · Score: 1

    Must be time for Cyberpunk roleplaying to come back on the scene. After playing the first Cyberpunk, CP2020, and GURPS Cyberpunk, fairly voraciously I dropped the genre around the time I left college.

    Anyone else notice that after cyberpunk, most genres got a "punk" suffix? I mean Gothic, Steam, Diesel, Splatter, Cthulhu, and probably others have all be *punked. Anyhow, after spending plenty of time running other *punk games, I went back to FRPGs. And now, after years since running a cyberpunk game, I just got interested in http://www.iguardians.net/games/tristat/ and asked for it for my upcoming birthday.

    It presents four separate cyberpunk backgrounds, each taking into account what we've learned since Neuromancer was published.

    And Guardians could use your support right now. Yes, this is a blatant plug. No, I do not work for them. I'm just an ex-indie publisher with a soft spot of quality that gets ignored in the face of highly marketed crap from the gigantic competition.

    I like Pondsmith's stuff, (Castle Falkenstein, especially. I think I own every RTG supplement for that plus 2 core books, one in hardcover plus GURPS Castle Falk.) and will probably check out CP203X if and when it is released (Castle Falkenstein taught me to take RTG release dates with a rather large grain of salt. Think livestock salt lick sized.), so don't be angry with me for changing the subject to Ex Machina.

    To those who say their marriage and children prevent them from playing RPGs, I say, "My eight year old son represents years of training in gaming geekdom!"

    PS- If you're a fan of A Game of Thrones check out the pdf preview of the d20/Tri-Stat Limited Edition book that'll be out in March.

  11. Correction by jasko · · Score: 1
    That should read, "...I just got interested in Ex Machina..."

    meant to hit "preview"...