Cyberpunk 2077

Officially announced.

I've never played Cyberpunk classic, but holy shit I'm going to keep an eye out for this.

Am I a bad person because now I want them to do a Mekton-based mecha RPG?

Nice. I like cyberpunk.

Q&A on Cyberpunk.

CD Projekt RED will be unveiling it on October 18.

Oooooh dear.

I'm sure they'll bring their subtle fucking touch to cyberpunk's history of gnarly/interesting sexual politics in the same way that the Witcher 2 fucking didn't.

edited 26th Sep '12 1:40:36 AM by Nicknacks

Considering that the Cyberpunk RPG isn't as sexualized as the Witcher novels, I doubt that.

I do wonder. They've made it clear — back when they were throwing around that concept art with the badass fluro mowhawk guy(?) that they're going to be as "adult" as The Witcher. I'm not sure what that means to them, but certainly one fan definition would run "has nipples in".

So the P&P is fairly chaste? Or does it allow for ample flexibility?

Edit: I presume we're talking about Cyberpunk 2020?

Edit's edit: There's a bard class where you play as an anarchist rock star? Awesome.

edited 26th Sep '12 3:03:37 AM by Nicknacks

A rock star? Given all of the sex, drugs and crazy stuff that some musicians do, it's practically guaranteed that there will be boobies a-plenty.

The wiki page suggests that drug use is played down in Cyberpunk 2020 (and in Cyberpunk 2013, which forms the base game). Which strikes me as very PC and not that in keeping with the genre.

There are, however, AI, genetic engineering, clones, international megacorperations and PM Cs.

Game has been officially titled Cyberpunk 2077.

Official site.

Night City will be an open world sandbox, too.

Mike Pondsmith's first blog entry at official site.

edited 18th Oct '12 9:09:18 PM by JAF1970

I feel very excited about this game for some reason. And I've never even played the original pen-and-paper rpg! Could be because of CD Projekt Red's involvement and the great games they've made.

One thing I wonder about is whether they will change the original setting. Considering how old Cyberpunk 2020 is, it would probably feel very dated nowadays, especially in it's technology. That's why Shadowrun had some very strong changes when the fourth edition was introduced.

But according to Wikipedia, the last edition came out in 2005, so it may already be modernized (but since I don't know it). Also, 2077 is quite a far jump. There is a lot that could have happened between the time gap.

Nothing wrong with it being dated. Obsession with conforming to modern expectations is what's making a lot of today's 'future' settings rather boring, not to mention that those will be dated in a decade or less. Zeerust has a certain charm.

edited 28th Oct '12 2:54:11 AM by Recon5

Cyberpunk's a nostalgia genre, surely? It's very late 80's to mid 90's.

I'm guessing the 7070 subtitle suggests that the universe has moved on since the 2020 second edition (which itself was seven years on from the first). Lots of leeway, less chance of the Pn P heroes making face-time.

edited 28th Oct '12 3:20:47 AM by Nicknacks

You don't see many true cyberpunk games. You have some games that infer it (Deux Ex), but no "true" cyberpunk RP Gs (like Shadowrun.)

Our trope page strongly disagrees with you in terms of Shadowrun's so-called veracity.

Authentic cyberpunk's a deliberately alienating genre, but also a slightly dated given its reliance on 90's visions of the future. So you've got slang like 'puter, extrapolations based on then contemporary technologies like phreaking and bulky physical technologies, and a focus on objet d'art and techno-porn. And a grim/pro-anarcho tone that embraces cultural and physical violence including terrorism.

Final Fantasy Seven is closer in that regard.

Edit: It's not noire, like third edition Cyberpunk became. Noire's about loving, or at least learning to live with the dystopia, cyberpunk's about fucking it up.

edited 29th Oct '12 12:12:16 AM by Nicknacks

I wouldn't call a trope page a reliable source of information about the genre. Or anything, really.

That being said, I did hear many say that Shadowrun is not cyberpunk. Mostly because it's not bleak enough. But I would hardly call it "true" cyberpunk myself, considering the genre crossover.

Oh, I'm not basing my definition of genre on that page, barely even looked at it just to check it wasn't completely off-base. I was talking about Shadowrun.

Well, don't worry, the current "writing" team is fixing that! *hate*

Hope I can join a PMC or be a Corporate crony in this.. Looks like it'll be worth a look, though that'll determine on more information they unveil as time goes on.

http://youtube.googleapis.com/v/P99qJGrPNLs

Trailer for all y'all. Good graphics, terrible music, and a 2015/2016 release date! Wowsers! Also, a Witcher related announcement on February 5th, so get hype!

Welcome to the year 2077. More info: http://www.cyberpunk.net/

The teaser shows how the Psycho Squad might acquire a new member.

The Psycho Squad specializes in combating "psychos" — individuals who overuse implants and substances that boost or otherwise alter the human body.

There comes a point when they overdose on these innovations, and their bodies start to rebel against their biological body parts as well as all things organic around them. Simply put, they start killing people, who they now derisively call "meatbags."

When a psycho goes on the rampage, strange things can happen. There's carnage, and the psycho might be taken down by regular police, but they're not always able to get the job done.

When things spin out of control, they call in MAX-TAC (Maximum Force Tactical Division), popularly called the Psycho Squad.

edited 10th Jan '13 1:37:14 PM by JAF1970

Got an email from CD Projekt RED describing the plot:

In Cyberpunk 2077, the player will be thrown into a dark future. The metropolis of Night City is a stage set to tell the tale of one individual, raised on the streets, who tries to lift himself up from the gutter and find a way to survive amongst boostergangs and megacorporations in a city of filth and sin. Drugs, violence, poverty and exclusion haven’t disappeared by 2077, as people stayed as they were for centuries – greedy, closed-minded and weak. But not only ghosts of the past trouble mankind, but new issues have appeared. Psychos go on rampages and the streets are filled with junkies addicted to a new form of entertainment – the braindance, a cheap way to experience the emotions and stimuli of someone else, someone living a more exciting life.

Braindances are digital recordings of a person’s experience. The viewer can stream a braindance directly into his neural system via special brain augmentations, called a BD player. Braindances allow the viewer to experience all brain processes registered, including emotions, muscle movements and all stimuli perceived by the recording person.

The range of themes of these recordings varies from simple braindances made by megacorporations, which e.g. allow the viewer to feel the full experience of an explorer with all its thrills, sweats, smells, views, sounds and the real feeling of curiosity that pushes men to go beyond the horizon against fear and physical weakness. But there are also more controversial sides of braindance, because some recordings are created illegally in the underground. Entering the mind of a serial killer means not only seeing the monstrosity he performs, but also living his lust to kill and fulfillment.

You haven’t experienced the latest New Hollywood recording? You’re nobody! The streets live with braindances, everyone just got crazy and wants to be a part of this new entertainment fad. Some people push it even too far and they cannot stop living other people’s lives. If you’re not linked to a braindance right now, you are probably discussing what happened to you during your last session. Of course, just like every great new cultural movement, B Ds have people who criticize them. Just watch these two guys arguing about this phenomena [pdf | doc].

This is the world of 2077. The gap between high and low is bigger than ever. Drugs, violence, braindance, psychos on the loose… Will you be able to function in this defunct society or end up a BD-junky with nothing left, set aside like garbage - still living someone’s else life – not aware of what’s going on around you? Whether you like it or not - this is the age of braindance decadence; this is Cyberpunk 2077.

Thanks, Jonah. Neat stuff. Reminds me of Strange Days in a way, what with the whole "Viewing someone elses thoughts via recording."