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Old 09-07-2021, 01:29 PM   #1
Mark Caliber
 
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Default GURPS 3rd Ed Cyberpunk! Yeah? Nah?

So my players are strong arming me to run a Cyberpunk game and I've decided to use GURPS as the mechanics.

Over at Warehouse 23 they have this little gem:

http://www.warehouse23.com/products/...ssic-cyberpunk

Does anyone have this?

Besides what's written on the tin what unique resources will I find?

My hope is that it has mechanics for "net running" or "slicing" or "hacking" or whatever term I settle with.

So I'm looking for "customer reviews" as I check out this title.

I'm also eyeing their "Cyberpunk Adventures." Does anyone have any thoughts one way or the other on these two products?

Bear in mind that I'm waiting for a copy of an official "Cyberpunk" world resource book that should let me immerse into the setting and understand that world better.

My big deficiency right now are some of the GURPS specific rule mechanics. (And we will be running in 4th Edition).
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Old 09-07-2021, 02:49 PM   #2
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Default Re: GURPS 3rd Ed Cyberpunk! Yeah? Nah?

A lot of the rules stuff will transfer over with minimal work, and at a bare minimum gives ypu a place to look in the 4e mechanics. I'd definitely recommend it to any.Cyberpunk GM, especially if you're aiming for the 'classic' mirrorshades and chrome cyberpunk of William Gibson or Walter John Williams. Cyberpunk Adventures is exactly what it says on the tin, and a handy source of NPCs and the like even if none of the actual adventures suit your needs.
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Old 09-07-2021, 03:30 PM   #3
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Default Re: GURPS 3rd Ed Cyberpunk! Yeah? Nah?

If you are running Cyberpunk in 4th edition you need this. http://www.warehouse23.com/products/...h-21-cyberpunk
The Cyberpunk adventures are great.
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Old 09-07-2021, 03:46 PM   #4
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Default Re: GURPS 3rd Ed Cyberpunk! Yeah? Nah?

I'm torn on this one. GURPS Cyberpunk was an excellent book in its time, with some historical interest to boot. However, I'm not sure it's aged well. The hardware is written to third edition rather than 4e standards, so the numbers don't quite hold up, and it contains the first appearance of a number of traits which have since been incorporated into the core rules. It's worth a look (and for eight bucks, it's not like it's going to break the bank), but you may be better off with the Pyramid cyberpunk issue.
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Old 09-07-2021, 05:18 PM   #5
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Default Re: GURPS 3rd Ed Cyberpunk! Yeah? Nah?

Quote:
Originally Posted by Turhan's Bey Company View Post
It's worth a look (and for eight bucks, it's not like it's going to break the bank),
You pretty well sum up my feelings on the book, and I recently went back and reread parts of it.

Quote:
Originally Posted by Turhan's Bey Company View Post
but you may be better off with the Pyramid cyberpunk issue.
Or GURPS Ultra-Tech for 4e, which has stats for all the high-tech gadgetry necessary for a Cyberpunk game, including Cybernetics and Robot bodies. Using the examples there it's not hard to design your own.

I ran a CP game a while back and I'd also recommend the GURPS Action series. I used the templates out of there, with the addition of Cybernetics to the advantage lists.

As for Netrunning, one of the issues with it is that it essentially turns into a minigame which only involves one or two players. One of the more clever ideas somebody gave me was that they ran Netrunning as combats using their groups Dungeon Fantasy characters. A successful netrun was completing a goal in the combat (take the tower, kill all the orcs, run the package past the roadblock, etc). Gives everybody something to do.
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Old 09-07-2021, 09:05 PM   #6
Fred Brackin
 
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Default Re: GURPS 3rd Ed Cyberpunk! Yeah? Nah?

Quote:
Originally Posted by ericbsmith View Post
Y

Or GURPS Ultra-Tech for 4e, which has stats for all the high-tech gadgetry necessary for a Cyberpunk game, including Cybernetics and Robot bodies. Using the examples there it's not hard to design your own.
Eh, no. You'd have to design your own as there are many clasisc bits of cybertech not in UT4e. Like chromed armor for your metal arms and legs.

There's more 4e cybertech in Pyramid 3/51 but it's not entriely satisfying to me either. It's hard to use in some ways.

Then there's the issue of needing Bio-tech for some things. That goes for 3e and 4e.

With all hte 4e sources I've mentioned I could run a SF campaign that had _some_ cyberware in it but probably not a full-on cybertech game itself.

The best classic cyberware source is actually 3e Ultra Tech 2. It will cover all the cyberware in most cyber games and has the most SF slugthrowers too. There are 3e mechanics I would not be keen on resurrecting starting with PD but going farther.
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Old 09-08-2021, 03:44 AM   #7
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Default Re: GURPS 3rd Ed Cyberpunk! Yeah? Nah?

Using 4e products, you would also have to determine if you like cyber psychosis or not.

Freakishness from GURPS After the End 1: Wastelanders is a nice example of a framework on how to handle it in my opinion.
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Old 09-08-2021, 05:25 AM   #8
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Default Re: GURPS 3rd Ed Cyberpunk! Yeah? Nah?

Just consider that if your players wants a campaign because Cyberpunk 2077 then bear in mind its flavor and quirks... Those could be hard to translate.
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Old 09-08-2021, 10:57 AM   #9
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Default Re: GURPS 3rd Ed Cyberpunk! Yeah? Nah?

For the most part, when I've run cyberpunk campaigns for my own use - I've used R. Talsorian's NIGHT CITY resource as the city in which the campaign takes place. I also project a time period that is 30 years from "now" for when the events take place.

I use GURPS VEHICLES/ROBOTS to handle all of my vehicle/Robot needs, although I've been tempted to use my GURPS MECHA rules for building mecha for the use of building those nice bi-pedal police robots from DEUS EX: HUMAN REVOLUTION or the four legged metalic beasts from same.

I've used doberman style robots (ie they look like doberman dogs) that have a magnetic card reader (thus, they sniff at cards) and they are either roaming dogs under their own control or they can be coordinated by a main defense computer.

I also use the basic premise that most multi-national corporations have been feeding the war chests for re-election of various senators and local politicitians such that they've been able to enact laws that effectively confer "embassy" status for various corporations who are permitted to utilize lethal force in defense of corporate headquarters and corporate police.

As for the rest? I tend to use GURPS VEHICLES tech level 8 as the basic defining aspect of technology with some of the TL 9 stuff thrown in. Alternatively, using the TL 9 material from GURPS 4e ULTRATECH works as does that from GURPS BIOTECH. I tend to say clear of hand held lasers (Burners) simply because we've not as yet really gotten that far in modern technology. We're just now starting to utilize combat lasers in vehicles and/or fighter jets, but that won't happen for another handful of years (possibly a decade).

I also tend to take the original timelines as given in GURPS TERRADYNE or GURPS CYBERWORLD or what have you - and look at the year the book was actually published. Where it states that an event or technology comes into being in a given future year (ie from what it was originally published) and that event has yet to occur in real life, I simply subtract the published year of the book from the future year and treat it as "present + X years". For instance, if it stated in the year 1989, that in 2010, a given event would occur in the timeline, then in the year 2021, that would be 11 years from today (2010-1989) or 2032.

At present, I can see the possibilities surrounding the breakup of California into two states easily because of how the laws are set up in California. If each state gets two senators, and California is split into two, it is entirely possible that Congress would get four senators for the two California's with a very simililar political philosophy. Push for the separation into two states by a majority of one party's control of the Senate and presto - two California states as envisioned in Cyberpunk 2020's timeline.

Interface Zero: has gang generators and mission generators that may be worth the money for inspiration.

Augmented_Reality_The_Holistic_City_Kit_For_Cyberp unk_Games: In this PDF, you get ideas like "Back up drones" that police call - armed with cameras and tasers. Need a quick descriptor of an Alleyway? Mold and Mildew spiced with burnt vinyl and a hint of expensive cologne. Maybe elsewhere, it smells like Hydraulic fluid and a burnt circuit board. You may be passing a Video display board advertising the newest thing you just have to buy. I very much enjoy what is in that PDF and have found it highly useful.

So, while GURPS CYBERPUNK can be useful in setting up campaign play, I would instead, pick up something like GURPS ACTION 2 EXPLOITS along with perhaps After the End (for people who live in the poorer sections of the city where they strip out copper wiring for its salvage value, and buildings are in poor repair.

As for the Cybernetic limbs and such, I much prefer the original GURPS CYBERPUNK methodologies over that of the 4e version - there is more versatility and options than with the 4e ULTRATECH rules. I also like being able to build cybernetic arms and legs using GURPS ROBOTS and adjusting to the newer Quadratic Strength than simply using "character points" for building gear. But that's just me. ;)
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Old 09-08-2021, 02:55 PM   #10
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Default Re: GURPS 3rd Ed Cyberpunk! Yeah? Nah?

Quote:
Originally Posted by Turhan's Bey Company View Post
I'm torn on this one. GURPS Cyberpunk was an excellent book in its time, with some historical interest to boot. However, I'm not sure it's aged well. The hardware is written to third edition rather than 4e standards, so the numbers don't quite hold up, and it contains the first appearance of a number of traits which have since been incorporated into the core rules. It's worth a look (and for eight bucks, it's not like it's going to break the bank), but you may be better off with the Pyramid cyberpunk issue.
I would consider Cyberpunk for the background material but wouldnt use the rules or gear as written. I prefer the Cyberpunk Pyramid article as well, Console Cowboys works much better for Netrunning IMO.
Also consider besides Ultra Tech the High Tech Electricity and Electronics.
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