[Cyberpunk]Hack the Planet

[Davenrell]

One-shot gave a bored sigh and cracked her neck. She was getting more frustrated as each minute passed. Normally when she was hired for a job it involved a lot more action. Car chases, gun fights, taking down a helicopter of marines with only two pistols and a single rocket. Her current 'partner' Gazer just sat in his seat nearly oblivious to his environment as he continued his current netrun. Runners bored One-shot more than anything. She just kept reminding her self why she took this job in the first place. Three million euros to make sure the little geek didn't get shot. She stood up and walked around the trailer a couple times. Glancing out the windows at the industrial wasteland they were parked in. Nothing but warehouses and factories as far as the eye could see. She had chosen this spot so that they could easily see anyone approaching. The radar in front would warn her of incoming air traffic.

"How much longer Gazer? I swear if this goes on much longer I am just going to frag you."

A smile spread across Gazer's lips, about the only part of him she could see. "I am almost there. They have installed new ICE since I last came in. It is complicated."

Gazer couldn't see the trailer or One-shot. In his mind and to his eyes he was in a field of grass standing outside a large commercial building. The ten foot concrete wall around the building was new. So were the watch dogs patrolling it. One-shot saw Gazer's left hand fly over the keyboard while his right, guided by some unknown knowledge, grabbed a chip from some stacks and slap it in to the terminal. With the stealth program activated the Netrunner approached the wall without concern of the watch dogs noticing him. Running a hand over the wall he analyzed it. It only had one sub-routine which was to kick him off the run. Activating "Drill Bytes V. 3.4" he waited a couple seconds as a hole about his sized slowly bore through the wall.

"All this added security and all it does is slow me down." That was what had One-shot worried. Sol Corp was not stupid. They may be small but they were well funded and most Cyberpunks knew they were secretly owned by Sony. She didn't like messing with the Japanese. Three million euros ran through her mind. In Cyberspace Gazer was walking through the tunnel that his ice breaker had made. He was almost giggling. This run was getting to be easier than the last one. As he exited he looked up at the building. He couldn't see anymore ICE between him and the front door. He took a couple cautious steps when he heard a noise behind. Turning he saw the large sheet of ice slam down over his tunnel. Then it started coming towards him. Quickly he ran full speed in to the front door.

"What do you think Stacy?" After a moment his decks programmed voice responded.

"Analysis shows the greatest amount of security to be around a filing room on the tenth floor. However there appears to be several fire walls and prismatic ICE covering all access to stairs and elevators. Sentry programs are active on floors 2, 5, 7, and 8."

One-shot looked at the radar again and then finally let out a aggravated cry. "You have twenty more minutes, I am stepping outside for a smoke. She opened the trailer door and stepped out in to the smoggy air. Lighting up the cigg she took a couple puffs as she walked around the trailer. If the geek wasn't done in twenty minutes she was going to shoot him. Her cybernetic eye quickly adjusted spectrums so she could effectively see if anyone was behind the walls around her.

Inside the net Gazer had stood in the hall trying to figure out the best course of action. He had one program he could use but he had intended it for his quick escape. Still if they traced him on the way out it wouldn't matter. The ten million euros he was getting for this job would be the end of it. No more having to work. He activated the defrag program and waited as the floors of the building joined together and condensed. On guard he made his way to the filing room. The amount of power in the room was straining to be released and the security on the door was barely keeping it on its hinges. "Too easy." All he did was activate pile driver and the door blew open. The moment it did firewalls snapped up in all directions of the hallway. Even with all the fire he felt suddenly cold. The Liche entered the hallway, being fueled with all the power he thought was used for information storage. As the frozen scythe dug in to his body the feedback went through the connection straight to his brain. He didn't even have time to scream as his vision blurred.

"Warning, Black Ice has been detected in the sector you are hacking. It is advised you load your strongest ice breakers or break the connection immediately. Failure to adhere could lead to brain damage."

As the ice fingers gripped his throat his last thought was that he wouldn't have a chance to spend those euros.

Outside One-shot's watch beeped. Time was up, either the geek was done or he was done for. Suddenly she saw movement on one of the nearby roofs. It took only a moment to decide, no one was supposed to be here, they were a threat. Switching her eye to telescopic view she drew and aimed towards the roof. Seeing the sniper still trying to set up she just smirked. Two shots dropped the would be assassin. Scanning the area she downed two more. Now it was time to go. Running inside the trailer she immediately heard the beeping of the radar. "Netrunner, we're fragged, jack out now and grab a gun." Running to the front she checked the radar and saw no contacts. Confused she looked around the trailer. That was when she noticed the drool coming out of the silent Gazer's lips, and the blood dripping from his ears.

Her earpiece wrung and she angrily activated it. "This is One-shot."

"Hello, right about now you should be coming to grips with your situation."

"Mr. Tanaka? What is going on? The mission has been compromised, Gazer is down."

In her ear she hard the corporate mans laugh. "It is amazing how the promise of 13 million euros can kill two of the most problematic cyberpunks for the low low price of one explosive." The beeping came back to her mind as she looked around. Ripping off a half opened panel she saw the message above the timer. "No more Cyberpunks!" As her last three seconds ticked away.

------------------------------------------------------------------

So it has been six months since my last serious attempt to start up a cyberpunk game. Here it is. This game would be using the Cyberpunk 2nd ed 2020 core book. Characters would start with 60 points and this game is open to as many people who want to join. Characters can either start out as a group that already has history, individuals brought together for the first time, or if enough people play separate groups with their own goals and motivations. If you have any questions or wish to show interest please let me know.

[Davenrell]

Quick few notes on character generation.

1. Character generation will be done with me either through PMs or in chat.

2. All characteristics will be randomly generated. This is a part of the feel of the game and can also add a interesting trait for people to role-play.

3. Although I am not restricting any roles, as interest builds I would like to see diversity, so if three people show interest and all want to play techies we will need to talk about possible alternatives for people unless this game gets so many people there are several groups so we don't just have three techies running around together.

[Jeremy]

You have my attention.

Hmmz. Techie, Netrunner, Corporate, Rockerboy... ooh, I can't decide.

[SalmonMax]

Are there any free, online sources for character generation rules? Don't have these books meself.

[Davenrell]

Anatoly has said that if anyone needs access to the source book he can provide.

[Anatoly]

I have a link to download the core book; I think I may have them as PDF on disk as well at home, including some supplements. Have to dig into my old "garage sale trunk" for them.

[Caninicus]

I'm interested. Don't have any books, though. Also, would prefer to start knowing at least one PC.

[Jeremy]

Well, just so people know, I am thinking of a Techie or Media man.

[SalmonMax]

No idea what the options are without the book.

I'll get back to you on that.

[Caninicus]

Copy and pasted from Wikipedia:

Cop: Maximum lawmen on mean 21st century streets (Special ability: Authority)

Corporate: Slick business raiders and multi-millionaires (Special ability: Resources)

Fixer: Deal makers, smugglers, organizers and information brokers (Special ability: Streetdeal)

Media: Newsmen and reporters who go to the wall for the truth (Special ability: Credibility)

Netrunner: Cybernetic computer hackers (Special ability: Interface)

Nomad: Road warriors and Gypsies who roam the highways (Special ability: Family)

Rockerboy: Rebel rockers who use music and revolt to fight authority (Special ability: Charismatic Leadership)

Solo: Hired assassins, bodyguards, killers, soldiers (Special ability: Combat Sense)

Techie: Renegade mechanics and doctors (Special ability: Jury Rig/Medical Tech)

It also appears the 2020 version can be bought at Drivethrurpg for $11.00

[Davenrell]

Although each has a theme to it, it is really the special ability that sets it apart from the others. Anyone can make a netrunner that has as much combat skills as a solo, but no netrunner will ever have Combat Sesnse. So while people still don't all have the books here is a listing of what the special abilities do.

Cop: Authority - The ability to intimidate and control others through your position. Cops can use authority to question suspects, arrest wrong doers, and defend innocents. Backed by the power of authority a Cop can arrest, detain, confiscate, and enter nearly anywhere. The higher your authority, the more able you are to face down criminals, particularly high level mobsters and officials. Authority is applied to your cool stat.

Rocker: Charismatic Leadership - This skill allows Rockers to sway crowds equal to his level squared times 200. Level +3 could incite a nightclub crowd to get rowdy. Level +5 or +6 could provoke a concert crowd of thousands to trash a neighborhood. At Level +9 or higher, you have the same mesmeric ability as Adol Hitler - you can raise armies, start movements, and destroy nations.

Solo: Combat Sense - This ability is based on a Solo's constant training and professionalism. Your Combat Sense gives you a bonus to your Awareness skill and your initiative equal to your level in Combat Sense.

Medias: Credibility - The ability to be believed. With a +3 you can convince most people of minor scandals. With a level of +5 or +6 you can convince local officials of military atrocities undercover dealings, and other front page stuff. At level +9 you can successfully expose a scandal of Watergate proportions, or convince the President of the EuroMarket Finance Board that aliens are secretly influencing world leaders.

Nomad: Family - This is the ability to call upon and help of any of the members of the nomads extended tribal family. This can be in the form of weapons, cash, information, or a small army of relatives. With a family status of +2 you might be able to get several of a pack to help you wreck a town. With a +7 or +8 you can make pack decisions and lead troops. At +10 you may be the leader of your pack.

Netrunner: Interface - This skill represents the Netrunners ability to manipulate Interface programs, and is the skill used when operating the Menu functions such as Locate Remote, Run software, Control Remote, Downlink, Load, Create and Delete. Other players can enter the Net, but cannot use the Menu.

Techie: Jury Rig - This general repair skill allows the Techie to temporarily repair or alter anything for 1d6 turns per level. This is not permanent, after the elapsed time the jury rig will break down.

Medtech: Medical Tech - This is the skill used to perform major surgery and medical repairs.

Corporate: Resources - The ability to access the corporations resources. At +2 you could get access to a company car. +6 might allow you to use the company jet or hire a solo team. +9 gives you access to almost all levels of the Corporation, as well as the ability to requisition almost any company resource.

Fixer: Streetdeal - This is the ability to deal with the underground information network. With streetdeal a Fixer can uncover rumors and information, locate missing persons, or things, put gossip out on the street, pick up clues and score big deals. A +3 can get you contacts for tools, weapons, or minor illegal operations. +5 you can penetrate the secrets of all but the most powerful crime families. At +9 you are equivalent of a Mafia crime lord yourself.

A few times in those descriptions level was mentioned. Your characters "level" is equal to the number of ranks you have in your special ability.

[Caninicus]

Think I'm going for Fixer.

I'm not sure that I understand which stats our 60 points are supposed to go into. Is this correct?

Intelligence 6

Reflex 8

Cool 8

Tech 10

Luck 3

Attractiveness 5

Empathy 10

Body Type 5

Movement Allowance 5

Total: 60 pts.

If this is acceptable, then next would be rolling for lifepaths, yes?

Style

Clothes: 9 (Nude!)

Hairstyle: 10 (Long and Straight)

Affectations: 7 (Long Fingernails)

(OOC: Not terribly happy how Style turned out)

Motivations

Family Ranking: 7 (Crime Lord)

Parents: 6 (Both living)

Family Status: 6 (Family in Danger; everything at risk)

Family Tragedy: 9 (Family is cursed with hereditary feud that's lasted generations)

Childhood Environment: 2 (Spent in a safe, corporate suburbia)

Siblings: 1,7,8,4 (One younger sister who likes you)

Personality: 10 (Friendly and outgoing)

Person Valued Most: 2 (Sister)

Thing Valued Most: 10 (Friendship)

How do you feel about people?: 3 (I like most people)

Most Valued Possession: 9 (A toy)

Life Events

Age 17: 1,4,7 (Big Problems, Big Wins; Local Nomad pack befriends you)

Age 18: 1,7,4,3 (Big Problems, Big Wins; Betrayal in Romance; Live it down and try to forget)

Age 19: 5,9,1 (Friends & Enemies; Like a Big Sister) (OOC-Still need to work on her style and motivation)

Age 20: 7,5,2,3 (Romantic Involvement, Tragic Love Affair, Lover Mysteriously Vanished, You still love each other)

Age 21: 1,8,4 (Big Problems, Big Wins; Find a Teacher (new INT skill at +2)

Then I would work on Career skill Package and Pickup Skills.

Career Skills

(40 points spent)

Streetdeal: 7

Awareness/Notice: 0

Forgery: 9

Handgun: 9

Brawl: 0

Melee: 0

Pick Lock: 0

Pick Pocket: 0

Intimidate: 6

Persuasion: 9

Pickup Skills

Points to spend = Int + Ref = 14 (May not be spent on career skills)

Interrogation: 2

Streetwise: 5

Social: 5

Gamble: 2 (From Teacher)

Electronic Security: 2

[Davenrell]

Actually I asked that people wait and do character creation with me. For the moment that looks mostly fine Caninicus, I will go over it fully probably tonight or tomorrow after work.

[Caninicus]

Ah, this was more in the nature of a trial run to see if I understood the process than anything. We can scrap this one if you want. I also thought it might be helpful for people to have an example to follow. I thought the book didn't explain it very well.

I'd really like to get be able to choose the style and the second half of the motivation sections myself, anyway. This guy didn't turn out bad, but I didn't want to end up RP'ing a nude guy who used people and would backstab them for a few eurobucks.

[Davenrell]

I would like people to randomly generate all of it as I stated in my first post but I am also open to people perhaps re-rolling some things. I agree that the nude part might be a bit hard to do and still be accepted by others. However I would like you to consider (were this your final character) although you might not have pictured the character as a backstabber, perhaps its something he doesn't admit to him self. Perhaps it is not blatant in the "As soon as we get payed I am robbing these guys in their sleep and leaving" way. Maybe he just cheats in small ways when he can get away with it, or he doesn't feel morally bad about demanding a couple extra hundred eurobucks from the desperate village that can't afford it without losing some essentials for the next winter.

Cyberpunk is a very gritty world where even the greatest "Hero" doesn't always think about the collateral damage. (Ok, maybe the media people do, but come on, in a world like this they are in the news, what do they know?) Part of the fun of the random generation is to give us some twist and possibly challenges for the characters we have in mind. And remember, none of those things that you randomly generate are the core that all your character's personality comes from, they are just things that might affect their judgement from time to time.

[SalmonMax]

Dav, how do you want to do the random chargen then? In chat? Via PM?

[Davenrell]

In chat would be my preference, over the next week I will try to be chat as often as possible. Tuesday and Wednesday I work but Thursday and Friday I am off.

[Atomicweasel]

This is relevant to my interests.

[Daven_OOC NPCRM #1]

Alright, characters are getting made and such so here are a few quick house rules.

Special Ability - Can not start any higher than 6, the idea is that for your characters at the start of the game they are still young in their careers.

PIPs (IP) - Here is how I do it, A success on a skill check gets you 1 PIP, a critical success or critical failure gets you 2 PIPs. Also I do not require PIPs be used to up the skills that they are earned for, you can simply pool them to buy skills. However it should be pointed out that I do want some explanation for what you are raising either through skill use or roleplay.

Due to the fact this game progresses by skill use please do not try to make unnecessary skill rolls. If I think a roll was not called for I will not award any PIPs for it.

Combat scenes - This is meant to be a action packed type game and it could be really hurt if we spend two months on a combat. If at all possibly when big fights happen I am going to try to run them in chat however if that is too inconvenient for players we will just do them as normal through post.

When can I spend PIPs? - At the end of each chapter I will allow up to three skill ranks to be bought. This should allow people who have pooled up their points to buy up one of their higher end skills but still give you the opportunity to branch out and up a couple others as well.

I am hoping to have the starting thread up on Friday so it would be great if I could see character sheets by then, but don't feel overly rushed. I am not expecting combat in the first ten minutes or anything.

[Caninicus]

PM with the numbers sent and Lifepath sent. Background in progress.

[Jeremy]

Passing on a question for you Dav. Due to my low money levels, my character would barely afford the necessary plugs and two-three programs. That's not sufficient in my perspective for any feasible character effort.

Since my char has Int 10, and Programming +6, can we make some sort of deal that allows my guy to have a number of custom-written programs instead of having to buy any?

[Daven_OOC NPCRM #1]

Sorry for the delay on response for this, work and school. I am ok with your character having written 2 or 3 of the more basic programs for him self but do remember we are starting a game with characters that are younger in their careers. The restrictions on what you guys can afford is part of the point and the characters drive in the beginning. Also remember that if your character wants to do something and doesn't have the resources for it at that point in the game that just means he is going to have to borrow or steal those from someone in the world.

For the people more focused on cyberware obviously you can't just go and steal a lot of it but I will try to make sure that within the first two chapters you guys get a decen amount of money to deck yourselves out a bit more.

[Jeremy]

Ok.

Anyway, the sheet and background is finished for Shinji. I just need to find a good avatar and make a new account for him.

[Jeremy]

Separate question, is this game going to have the same idea of the We're Too Pretty concept from here? Because that is the vibe I get from the opening ficlet.

Quote:

http://www.rpg-post.com/ubbthreads.php/topics/257475/New_Old_game.html#Post257475

Game #3 Cyberpunk:Because we're too Damn Pretty - Welcome to the United States of 2020.

Mega-Corps are in control of everything.

Everything except what the cyberpunks take from them.

Currently all eyes are on New York as rumors are floating that one corporation is working on a new technology--

that could mean the end of the age of Cyberpunks.

Everyone is holding their breathe, shoring their resources, and jacking in to the net to try to figure out what is waiting just around the corner.

Could the end of the Mega-Corp reign be coming...

or the end of the only real power left in the world that can challenge them?

[z024]

Nadia Verayevna Petrovin, reporting in. I'm still working on fleshing out my background, but my account is up and I'm ready to play when everyone else is.

[Shosuro Toshi]

Same here.

[Anatoly]

After having a chat with Jeremy I might be interested in joining as well - it seems a technie would be appreciated, so am thinking up stuff at the moment.

Daven, would that be ok? Also, would you prefer to wait for chat for the random rolls or will a PM do at this point?

[Daven_OOC NPCRM #1]

Alright, work was hell for a bit but I am rested and half way done with the starting cyberpunk post, my main goal was to have it up before I go to bed but my brain is shutting down, as soon as I am up it is my first goal.

[Kylie_OOC]

Guys, I have my character sheet saved on my laptop, and I need to create an online log-in because I haven't done so yet. I'm exhausted from wedding stuff, and from trying to crank out a SW post. I will get a CP post out there tomorrow (well, technically today!), hopefully in the morning before leaving for work. I'm just too wiped out now from the wedding. Sorry about the delay, and thanks for the patience.

[Digit]

Character approved, first post made.

I hope I didn't get the same signature picture as someone else. I can vaguely remember seeing it before, but I can always change it around if needed.

Techie, signing in to repair to sad razorboys/girls and make netrunners cry tears of joy at their shiny new terminals.

[Daven_OOC NPCRM #1]

Alright, the Q&A portion of the talk with Doe ends Wednesday at midnight, due to that being when i get off work that day. If no one has posted anything else by then he is going to assume for the time being all questions have been answered and that you all have already half way accepted the deal he is laying out.

[SalmonMax]

Marty's embarrassed herself enough for now.

And while I've some IC and OOC reservations about the premise, I'll go with it just to see what happens next.