Custom Cyberpunk Setting - Can someone explain Netrunning?

starslayer · 10-11-2016, 09:18 PM

I get the idea of 'treating cyberspace like its own entire fleshed out world'- but ultimately I think that is started on some flawed premises. If your running a 'classic cyberpunk' game, that's fine- go for your 80's VR interpretation of what the world looks like, but much like a sci-fantasy setting, its not intended to mimic anything 'realistic', and that forcing of 'netrunning is like being INSIDE the computer' is going to create conflict.

Further, for the most part, you don't hack for the sake of hacking, you hack because you want to achieve some sort of kinetic effect in the real world.

Thus I have the following suggestion for how to handle 'netrunning'

Use one of the more open ended magic systems, like RPM, and create a 'boiled down' version of it.

Effect can obviously be achieved by hacking computers (turn off security camera)- lesser effect
Effect can sorta-maby be achieved by hacking computers (causing the toilets to back up into the building) greater effect
Effect is really stretching what could mabey possibly be done with computers (cook all the files in the building by causing the servers to overheat so much that they cause a fire, and the fire suppression system is also disabled despite being mechanical instead of electronic) 2x+ greater effect.

Rename the paths to be more computer centric and related to hacking activities. Rename charms to 'pre-written virii'. Give the whole advantage an 'electronic' accessibility (which may be worth almost nothing if cybernetics and electronics are actually everywhere), and change the 'magic' limitation to 'digital'. Sacrifice become 'using wetware' (IE using your own or your allies brains to do some of the processing, which causes physical damage).

Dedicated hackers take ritual adept to hack in 'real time'- but there is never 'take them away to another world', it's 'identify the kenetic effect you are trying to achieve, build the spell that will do that, start coding (gathering energy)'.

Realm based magic could also work, but the idea remains the same.

This will make hackers much more straightforward, will remove there seperation from the party to engage in there own special adventure 'digital side', and ultimately, despite using a magical system, be more realistic than any sort of 'avatar projection into a virtual world' scenario.

10-11-2016, 09:18 PM	#8
starslayer Join Date: Dec 2006	Re: Custom Cyberpunk Setting - Can someone explain Netrunning? I get the idea of 'treating cyberspace like its own entire fleshed out world'- but ultimately I think that is started on some flawed premises. If your running a 'classic cyberpunk' game, that's fine- go for your 80's VR interpretation of what the world looks like, but much like a sci-fantasy setting, its not intended to mimic anything 'realistic', and that forcing of 'netrunning is like being INSIDE the computer' is going to create conflict. Further, for the most part, you don't hack for the sake of hacking, you hack because you want to achieve some sort of kinetic effect in the real world. Thus I have the following suggestion for how to handle 'netrunning' Use one of the more open ended magic systems, like RPM, and create a 'boiled down' version of it. Effect can obviously be achieved by hacking computers (turn off security camera)- lesser effect Effect can sorta-maby be achieved by hacking computers (causing the toilets to back up into the building) greater effect Effect is really stretching what could mabey possibly be done with computers (cook all the files in the building by causing the servers to overheat so much that they cause a fire, and the fire suppression system is also disabled despite being mechanical instead of electronic) 2x+ greater effect. Rename the paths to be more computer centric and related to hacking activities. Rename charms to 'pre-written virii'. Give the whole advantage an 'electronic' accessibility (which may be worth almost nothing if cybernetics and electronics are actually everywhere), and change the 'magic' limitation to 'digital'. Sacrifice become 'using wetware' (IE using your own or your allies brains to do some of the processing, which causes physical damage). Dedicated hackers take ritual adept to hack in 'real time'- but there is never 'take them away to another world', it's 'identify the kenetic effect you are trying to achieve, build the spell that will do that, start coding (gathering energy)'. Realm based magic could also work, but the idea remains the same. This will make hackers much more straightforward, will remove there seperation from the party to engage in there own special adventure 'digital side', and ultimately, despite using a magical system, be more realistic than any sort of 'avatar projection into a virtual world' scenario.