Most agree that Kevin Crawford is one of the modern eras best RPG designers, especially in regards to world building. Now he has turned his hand to Cyberpunk in a new kickstarter.
https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/sinenomineinc/cities-without-number/comments (https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/sinenomineinc/cities-without-number/comments)
I read both Stars and Worlds and found them impressive. Though I get the feeling, he should just write a book.
Beat me to it. Been meaning to post since last night when I got the email.
Amidst the OGL battle, a true champion arises...
Quote from: Kevin CrawfordUpon reaching $200,000 I will place the mechanics of Cities Without Number under some form of open license, whether Creative Commons, the upcoming ORC license, or some other agreement that allows their free commercial use by others for RPGs, VTTs, character generators, supplementary apps, video games, beer coasters, or whatever else they wish. My current tentative expectation is to write a systems resource document and put it under CC0 for others to use however they wish.
It has always been my position that such licensing is not needed for others to copy my mechanics or advertise their commercial works as being compatible with my games. So long as someone's work does not use my specific game settings, characters, and organizations, and does not represent itself as an "official" Sine Nomine game supplement, I have neither the right nor the desire to stop them from replicating the mechanics. Having come up as I have, it would be shameful of me to try to haul the ladder up on other indie publishers. I wish them all as much profit from their work as I've had from mine.
Yet it is understandable that some publishers would prefer something in writing about such things, in case I grow strange and wizardly here on the Lake Michigan coast and forget the plain meaning of my words. If this campaign makes it to $200,000, it will be a sign that people care enough for me to take the extra time and labor to work through the legalities of the matter and present the public with a formal license codifying my stance.
Strange and wizardly. LOL.
Quote from: Aglondir on February 01, 2023, 05:07:18 PM
Amidst the OGL battle, a true champion arises...
Quote from: Kevin CrawfordUpon reaching $200,000 I will place the mechanics of Cities Without Number under some form of open license, whether Creative Commons, the upcoming ORC license, or some other agreement that allows their free commercial use by others for RPGs, VTTs, character generators, supplementary apps, video games, beer coasters, or whatever else they wish. My current tentative expectation is to write a systems resource document and put it under CC0 for others to use however they wish.
It has always been my position that such licensing is not needed for others to copy my mechanics or advertise their commercial works as being compatible with my games. So long as someone's work does not use my specific game settings, characters, and organizations, and does not represent itself as an "official" Sine Nomine game supplement, I have neither the right nor the desire to stop them from replicating the mechanics. Having come up as I have, it would be shameful of me to try to haul the ladder up on other indie publishers. I wish them all as much profit from their work as I've had from mine.
Yet it is understandable that some publishers would prefer something in writing about such things, in case I grow strange and wizardly here on the Lake Michigan coast and forget the plain meaning of my words. If this campaign makes it to $200,000, it will be a sign that people care enough for me to take the extra time and labor to work through the legalities of the matter and present the public with a formal license codifying my stance.
Strange and wizardly. LOL.
beat me to it, i backed it for that reason alone.
I don't usually back crowdfunding campaigns, but in THIS case I'll make an exception.
If the campaign reaches 200K he's gonna put everything under an open license so you can do whatever even with the art if I understood correctly. Gotta respect the man.
Quote from: Aglondir on February 01, 2023, 05:07:18 PM
Strange and wizardly. LOL.
Yea this alone is a great reason. He was all over reddit during the OGL saying no one would ever need to worry about that, but:
1- He could change his mind technically.
2- He could die or be found liable in some court thing and then his stuff gets sold to the highest bidder, who then does exactly that
3- Some corrupt company could get through some ruling where suddenly it's ok to copyright game mechanics actually, and now the fact that you based something on stars without number means that whomever manages to get the rights has an extremely good case. So basically (1) or (2) plus a further corruption of the system.
All of these are headed off (as much as possible) by a license. He's not at all wrong that such a license isn't strictly necessary- much as the EFF was correct when they pointed out that all the crap Hasbro was pretending to license with the OGL isn't actually copyrightable to begin with. That's nice and fine, but how much does it cost to prove that in court? And do you want to spend a serious fraction of your life winning that battle- or losing it, should it be discovered that you were once opposed to transwomen competing in woman's bodybuilding, or whatever?
In for $80.
Got the offset of SWN and WWN from the previous Kickstarter...I dunno, will probably never play either, but worth the money. I did do a one-shot over Halloween with Silent Legions and the core system he uses is pretty good. Kind of reminds me of Palladium FRP, honestly. Anyway, DEFINITELY back this just for the open licensing. Kevin Crawford is what Monte Cook wishes he could be as a game designer.
Quote from: Brad on February 01, 2023, 05:35:35 PM
In for $80.
Got the offset of SWN and WWN from the previous Kickstarter...I dunno, will probably never play either, but worth the money. I did do a one-shot over Halloween with Silent Legions and the core system he uses is pretty good. Kind of reminds me of Palladium FRP, honestly. Anyway, DEFINITELY back this just for the open licensing. Kevin Crawford is what Monte Cook wishes he could be as a game designer.
Agreed. Literally every word. Backed. I avoid KS when I can these days, but this was an easy purchase.
Kevin Crawford is one of my favourite authors. I'm definitely backing this once payday arrives.
QuoteSecond Stretch Goal Hit; Public License To Be Given
Munificent patrons,
Three thousand backers, two hundred thousand dollars, and about twenty-one hours; you've been tremendously generous in your patronage, and accomplished in less than one day what I thought would take weeks.
As promised, I will be putting the mechanics of CWN under a public license for others to use as they wish. While I don't personally believe this is necessary, and anyone has the moral and legal right to duplicate the mechanics for their own settings and games, it's understandable that publishers might want something a little more official before they start spending development effort on a product.
Once CWN is in final form and has been released, I'll go back through the file and trim out any non-mechanical material, leaving in the mechanics, stats, gear, cyberware, and other non-setting content, including the magic mechanics in the deluxe section of the book. I will then apply a license to the document and post it up for others to download and use as they wish. I may also include chunks of Worlds Without Number and Stars Without Number if I have the time and focus, though I believe the mechanics in those games are just as free to duplicate as CWN's are.
The license I will be using has not been entirely determined yet, but unless a good reason appears to avoid it, I will likely be using the Creative Commons CC0 license. I do not require or need acknowledgement, so it's not necessary to use a license requiring attribution. I intend to clarify that anyone is able to advertise material as being compatible with Stars/Worlds/CitiesWN as part of their marketing, if they think it appropriate.
And now, back to the text mines. I'd like to get you a fresh beta by the end of the weekend, and much work remains to be done.
With regards,
Kevin Crawford
we did it reddit!
The interesting thing here is that he didn't have to do this. He doesn't use the OGL for his flagship games. So he is future proofing against himself. In a time when empty virtue signaling is the standard, Kevin is coming from an authentic place. He has also managed to somehow remain apolitical without getting cornered by the woke.
I've been curious about all his games.
I do raise a bit of an eyebrow at the number of people saying, "I buy his stuff but I don't run any of the game" comments. Are these just mostly reading material for many people?
Quote from: Mistwell on February 01, 2023, 09:45:24 PM
I've been curious about all his games.
I do raise a bit of an eyebrow at the number of people saying, "I buy his stuff but I don't run any of the game" comments. Are these just mostly reading material for many people?
I have been running a campaign of Stars Without Number for over a year now. My players love the rules. As a GM, I find his world building sections of the game to be some of the best GM materials ever written. I suspect many owners of his book buy the games for just he GM tools. And even if that all you ever use, the games are a bargain.
Quote from: FingerRod on February 01, 2023, 09:36:15 PM
The interesting thing here is that he didn't have to do this. He doesn't use the OGL for his flagship games. So he is future proofing against himself. In a time when empty virtue signaling is the standard, Kevin is coming from an authentic place. He has also managed to somehow remain apolitical without getting cornered by the woke.
All the more reason to support creators like this. He offers great material, and stays out of the political bullshit.
Quote from: Mistwell on February 01, 2023, 09:45:24 PM
I do raise a bit of an eyebrow at the number of people saying, "I buy his stuff but I don't run any of the game" comments. Are these just mostly reading material for many people?
His setting material generators are just great regardless of system.
Kevin's work is consistently excellent.
Anyone on the fence should download his free stuff on DriveThruRPG so you can see the value he produces. His Silent Legions is the absolute best Horror RPG supplement ever - even if you never use his system and just port over all the tools to Cthulhu or Kult or Chill or Dark Heresy or whatever.
His Godbound is a better version of Exalted. If anyone runs Quixalted or Exalted Lite, the Godbound tools are terrific for those games. If anyone wants to run high powered D&D but without the system issues of D&D at high levels, Godbound is your system.
I've run Stars Without Number and it's D&D Traveller from a chargen & system perspective, but again, it's the GM tools that matter most which I used heftily with Rifts, Gamma World and Classic Traveller. SWN on it's own is great too.
I'm actually on the fence about Cities Without Number, but only because I've been writing my own cyber-whatever RPG and I'm hesistant about having his designs in my head while still writing. But I'll probably at least grab the PDF because I have little doubt that CWN will become the new standard in cyberpunk RPGing.
Unfortunately, he does not use decent printing. There is little reason to get the kicker. You can buy a HC version of the game, but it is only a slight step up from print on demand. He is using slightly thicker paper and stitching instead of page glue at least. That is the kicker deal, but it is still just a print and play solution.
The only reason I buy rpgs and not pdfs is to have a super high quality HC version on my bookshelf to add to the collection. Not having that is a deal breaker for me. I'll just pick it up off drivethrough when it is available.
Quote from: Message To... what is "Offset Print Book"? And will you have an add-on tier for HC versions of Stars and Worlds?
Quote from: Message FromAn offset print book is printed on a conventional press, with four-color
process ink. They're not necessarily better than a digital print-on-demand
copy, but in this case they are because I'm using heavier paper and richer
ink coverage. In addition, these offset copies have a sewn binding with the
pages stitched into the spine rather than the less-sturdy glued pages of a
POD copy.
An addon tier for additional books is regrettably impractical- I'd either
have to pay shipping twice, or else hold off sending the books until CWN
was complete and ready to ship, thus making the patron wait months to get
something they could order right now from my webstore.
With regards,
Kevin Crawford
Quote from: Spinachcat on February 02, 2023, 01:55:50 AM
Kevin's work is consistently excellent.
Anyone on the fence should download his free stuff on DriveThruRPG so you can see the value he produces. His Silent Legions is the absolute best Horror RPG supplement ever - even if you never use his system and just port over all the tools to Cthulhu or Kult or Chill or Dark Heresy or whatever.
His Godbound is a better version of Exalted. If anyone runs Quixalted or Exalted Lite, the Godbound tools are terrific for those games. If anyone wants to run high powered D&D but without the system issues of D&D at high levels, Godbound is your system.
I've run Stars Without Number and it's D&D Traveller from a chargen & system perspective, but again, it's the GM tools that matter most which I used heftily with Rifts, Gamma World and Classic Traveller. SWN on it's own is great too.
I'm actually on the fence about Cities Without Number, but only because I've been writing my own cyber-whatever RPG and I'm hesistant about having his designs in my head while still writing. But I'll probably at least grab the PDF because I have little doubt that CWN will become the new standard in cyberpunk RPGing.
Welcome to the club, but I might just drop the Cyberpunk game altogether, not gonna be as good as his stuff anyway.
Quote from: Spinachcat on February 02, 2023, 01:55:50 AM
Kevin's work is consistently excellent.
Anyone on the fence should download his free stuff on DriveThruRPG so you can see the value he produces. His Silent Legions is the absolute best Horror RPG supplement ever - even if you never use his system and just port over all the tools to Cthulhu or Kult or Chill or Dark Heresy or whatever.
His Godbound is a better version of Exalted. If anyone runs Quixalted or Exalted Lite, the Godbound tools are terrific for those games. If anyone wants to run high powered D&D but without the system issues of D&D at high levels, Godbound is your system.
I've run Stars Without Number and it's D&D Traveller from a chargen & system perspective, but again, it's the GM tools that matter most which I used heftily with Rifts, Gamma World and Classic Traveller. SWN on it's own is great too.
I'm actually on the fence about Cities Without Number, but only because I've been writing my own cyber-whatever RPG and I'm hesistant about having his designs in my head while still writing. But I'll probably at least grab the PDF because I have little doubt that CWN will become the new standard in cyberpunk RPGing.
Wow. That's some great reviews. OK, you sold me. I gotta pick up something from him.
Edit: Just downloaded the free Stars Without Number PDF and...damn. This is good. I need the $80 pretty hardbound book now.
Crawford really must be bummed he didn't called Silent Legions - Tentacles Without Numbers.
Quote from: GeekyBugle on February 02, 2023, 11:37:39 AMWelcome to the club, but I might just drop the Cyberpunk game altogether, not gonna be as good as his stuff anyway.
Did you read his PolyChrome supplement for SWN? I thought that was good work, and there's cyber stuff in SWN 2e so I expect CWN to be an even better, deeper work but if you have SWN and WWN, this will those concepts ported into cyberpunk.
Though I do wonder how CWN will be different than a non-spacefaring SWN game.
Quote from: Spinachcat on February 02, 2023, 06:34:52 PM
Quote from: GeekyBugle on February 02, 2023, 11:37:39 AMWelcome to the club, but I might just drop the Cyberpunk game altogether, not gonna be as good as his stuff anyway.
Did you read his PolyChrome supplement for SWN? I thought that was good work, and there's cyber stuff in SWN 2e so I expect CWN to be an even better, deeper work but if you have SWN and WWN, this will those concepts ported into cyberpunk.
Though I do wonder how CWN will be different than a non-spacefaring SWN game.
I've got the beta, reading it through when I'm not writting my game (not the cyberpunk one, that one is in the backburner anyway).
Going through the draft...one of the backgrounds is Manager. HOPEFULLY one of the cyber implants is Karen Hair.
Also, another System to substitute the core of Shadowrun with. ;)
I did some extensive world-building on a setting a couple years back that blended the genres of cyberpunk with post-nuclear holocaust, but I never really put a "system" to the lore. I love Crawford's other work, and with the rules explicitly placed under licensure, I'm going to have to consider if it would be a good fit. Whether I actual use a license or not isn't important; it's just good to know his position on the matter.
Quote from: Shrieking Banshee on February 02, 2023, 08:13:06 PM
Also, another System to substitute the core of Shadowrun with. ;)
I've been playing Shadowrun since 1992 and I couldn't even tell you how the system works. I don't even think the guys who taught me how to play understand it.
Quote from: Mistwell on February 01, 2023, 09:45:24 PM
I've been curious about all his games.
I do raise a bit of an eyebrow at the number of people saying, "I buy his stuff but I don't run any of the game" comments. Are these just mostly reading material for many people?
He creates the best, most useful GM Tools in the industry IMO.
Quote from: Spinachcat on February 02, 2023, 06:34:52 PM
Quote from: GeekyBugle on February 02, 2023, 11:37:39 AMWelcome to the club, but I might just drop the Cyberpunk game altogether, not gonna be as good as his stuff anyway.
Did you read his PolyChrome supplement for SWN? I thought that was good work, and there's cyber stuff in SWN 2e so I expect CWN to be an even better, deeper work but if you have SWN and WWN, this will those concepts ported into cyberpunk.
Though I do wonder how CWN will be different than a non-spacefaring SWN game.
One of the changes he is implementing is that there doesn't seem to be any specific classes in CWN.
Hacking is also very different. I think I prefer SWN's simpler system, but hackers in CWN definitely shouldn't be suffering for a lack of options when it comes to things to do. I do plan on disallowing cyberware to be hacked, though. I'm also going to condense a few of the hacking actions for simplicity's sake--things like activate/deactivate or lock/unlock. I don't think it's necessary that they be separate.
Quote from: Brand55 on February 03, 2023, 11:17:33 PMI do plan on disallowing cyberware to be hacked, though.
why? Hacking implants is such a stable of the genre?
Kevin Crawford is a fantastic game designer. There's not a lot I see his name attached to that I wouldn't think would be excellent and well-considered.
Quote from: Summon666 on February 04, 2023, 04:08:07 AM
Quote from: Brand55 on February 03, 2023, 11:17:33 PMI do plan on disallowing cyberware to be hacked, though.
why? Hacking implants is such a stable of the genre?
I don't find it fun or reasonable most of the time. If my cyberarm is connected directly to my nervous system, why should someone be able to wirelessly hack it? Besides, there are already a ton of other limitations with cyber; it's not like you need to have parts of someone's body to shut down in combat for balance purposes.
It's much the same way I don't care for level-0 games or PCs that die if they get sneezed on. Lots of fantasy games use easy PC death for the first level or two, but it's never been much fun for me or those I've played with. That's why I typically give PCs max health at level 1 in D&Desque games.
Quote from: Brand55 on February 04, 2023, 10:58:57 AMI don't find it <snip> reasonable most of the time. If my cyberarm is connected directly to my nervous system, why should someone be able to wirelessly hack it?
I mean, play how you like, but this is a case of fantasy being slower than reality. There have been a number of body machinery hacking scandals. From turning pacemakers into spam broadcasting devices and altering heart rhythms. To hacking biolocks and chip implants in high security buildings. Just some googling will show this.
Hacking is a thing, as in ti exists now, and if there is one thing we know about technology.. if it is man made machinery, some hacker is going to work out a way to circumvent it. This is why it is often an integral part to cyberpunk fiction, as it is actually not fantasy.
Quote from: Brand55 on February 04, 2023, 10:58:57 AMI don't find it fun
That is all the reason and excuse anyone needs. I'm not trying to convince you to use it... I was just curious as to why.
Quote from: Brand55 on February 04, 2023, 10:58:57 AM
Quote from: Summon666 on February 04, 2023, 04:08:07 AM
Quote from: Brand55 on February 03, 2023, 11:17:33 PMI do plan on disallowing cyberware to be hacked, though.
why? Hacking implants is such a stable of the genre?
I don't find it fun or reasonable most of the time. If my cyberarm is connected directly to my nervous system, why should someone be able to wirelessly hack it? Besides, there are already a ton of other limitations with cyber; it's not like you need to have parts of someone's body to shut down in combat for balance purposes.
It's much the same way I don't care for level-0 games or PCs that die if they get sneezed on. Lots of fantasy games use easy PC death for the first level or two, but it's never been much fun for me or those I've played with. That's why I typically give PCs max health at level 1 in D&Desque games.
Why would your cyberimplant NEED a wireless connection?
Some might, those should be hackeable wirelessly, the others should require a wired connection IMHO.
As for peacemakers... Well, you can have both ways, either wireless or wired because you need to recharge and maybe reprogram them.
Yes, hacking exists, it's not magic, I haven't gotten to his hacking rules yet, I might be surprized but I still haven't found one of those I liked, even for hacking datavaults.
If the device is wireless, naturally it can be wirelessly hacked. I'm not contesting that at all. But in CWN's setting, wireless has been heavily scaled back due to security concerns; this is really just the justification for having hackers plug in on-site instead of working safely from a secure bunker miles away. But in a high-tech setting, there's actually no need for most cyber to be vulnerable like that. A pacemaker couldn't be hacked so easily if the only way to access it was through a tiny plug on the chest. And given that the technology is so advanced, why would cyberware be specifically left vulnerable to hacking when almost everything else has gone wired? That's the way I look at it. Hacking cyber makes a lot more sense in settings that rely heavily on wireless communication.
QuoteYes, hacking exists, it's not magic, I haven't gotten to his hacking rules yet, I might be surprized but I still haven't found one of those I liked, even for hacking datavaults.
Yeah, I expect what will happen for my group is that I'll present the hacking rules and see if anyone wants to do that. If not, I'll probably use the simpler rules from SWN instead, possibly with a few revisions to fit the setting.
Quote from: Brand55 on February 04, 2023, 12:20:24 PM
If the device is wireless, naturally it can be wirelessly hacked. I'm not contesting that at all. But in CWN's setting, wireless has been heavily scaled back due to security concerns; this is really just the justification for having hackers plug in on-site instead of working safely from a secure bunker miles away. But in a high-tech setting, there's actually no need for most cyber to be vulnerable like that. A pacemaker couldn't be hacked so easily if the only way to access it was through a tiny plug on the chest. And given that the technology is so advanced, why would cyberware be specifically left vulnerable to hacking when almost everything else has gone wired? That's the way I look at it. Hacking cyber makes a lot more sense in settings that rely heavily on wireless communication.
QuoteYes, hacking exists, it's not magic, I haven't gotten to his hacking rules yet, I might be surprized but I still haven't found one of those I liked, even for hacking datavaults.
Yeah, I expect what will happen for my group is that I'll present the hacking rules and see if anyone wants to do that. If not, I'll probably use the simpler rules from SWN instead, possibly with a few revisions to fit the setting.
As an early opposer of the cloud/smart everything/internet of things let me explain the logic behind not having your most valuable data accesible from the outside:
USA had a pipeline hacked by terrorists
We constantly hear how ANOTHER game/site has been hacked and their user's data stolen.
Now imagine you're a megacorp, would you have your most valuable data on machines wired to the internet?
Datavauls make perfect sense from a safety PoV.
Given that hacking isn't magic, most of it should be social engineering (you befriend/seduce someone with the access), then you use that someone to deliver bits of a self ensambling software that'll create a way for your agents to get the data if they manage to get to the vault.
IMHO the hacker is never (or almost) in the field, he's the one providing viruses and cybercountermeasures in exchange of money or work (you retrieve something he wants).
The operators are the hacker's arms/legs/eyes in places he can't access because there's no connection to the internet.
So he's a friendly NPC handled by the GM who makes the rolls to see if it succeeds.
Then the operators physically infiltrate the place to retrieve the data with the needed measures provided by the hacker.
The operators also buy the measures to hack drones (wireless) and other stuff from the hacker. They know how to use it and little more.
Quote from: Summon666 on February 02, 2023, 02:13:05 AM
Unfortunately, he does not use decent printing. There is little reason to get the kicker. You can buy a HC version of the game, but it is only a slight step up from print on demand. He is using slightly thicker paper and stitching instead of page glue at least. That is the kicker deal, but it is still just a print and play solution.
The only reason I buy rpgs and not pdfs is to have a super high quality HC version on my bookshelf to add to the collection. Not having that is a deal breaker for me. I'll just pick it up off drivethrough when it is available.
Quote from: Message To... what is "Offset Print Book"? And will you have an add-on tier for HC versions of Stars and Worlds?
Quote from: Message FromAn offset print book is printed on a conventional press, with four-color
process ink. They're not necessarily better than a digital print-on-demand
copy, but in this case they are because I'm using heavier paper and richer
ink coverage. In addition, these offset copies have a sewn binding with the
pages stitched into the spine rather than the less-sturdy glued pages of a
POD copy.
An addon tier for additional books is regrettably impractical- I'd either
have to pay shipping twice, or else hold off sending the books until CWN
was complete and ready to ship, thus making the patron wait months to get
something they could order right now from my webstore.
With regards,
Kevin Crawford
What's subpar about the Without Number offset print books? They seem high quality to me.
Quote from: Mistwell on February 01, 2023, 09:45:24 PM
I've been curious about all his games.
I do raise a bit of an eyebrow at the number of people saying, "I buy his stuff but I don't run any of the game" comments. Are these just mostly reading material for many people?
I liked SWN so much I bought the hardback copy. Ran it just the once many years ago.
...
I like his stuff, but it's niche within a niche within a niche. RPGs that aren't D&D that have a lot of sandbox support, and not a ton of their own worldbuilding.
I mean, SWN has a very thin setting, but it's fairly easy to ignore. Which is good when you're doing your own campaign, but hurts when someone is looking for a detailed setting.
The system is workmanlike. It will do the job, but it really doesn't set me on fire to GM.
So yeah, it's mostly reading material, but the kind of reading material that will give you ideas about your games.
Just bought CWN since Shadowrun is dead to me. No complaints yet. Magic and hacking with CWN are a fkn breeze compared to the shitshow of SR. CWN does everything SR, The Sprawl and Cyperpunk Red do, just easier. Welcome to the Matrix 8)
(https://i.gifer.com/3HeZ.gif)
Quote from: GeekyBugle on February 04, 2023, 12:13:19 PM
Why would your cyberimplant NEED a wireless connection?
I actually have two different plausible uses for wireless cybernetics connection.
First, if you have an individual with cybernetic arms, he may be able to surrender control to someone else to basically use him as a Waldo. A first responder could be a Waldo for a surgeon in a critical medical emergency where even the trip to the hospital might take too long. I imagine this could be done for many skills.
Second, a soldier that wounded and unconscious might be returned or at least moved from harm by a remote operator.
Quote from: BadApple on September 03, 2023, 09:39:24 AM
Quote from: GeekyBugle on February 04, 2023, 12:13:19 PM
Why would your cyberimplant NEED a wireless connection?
I actually have two different plausible uses for wireless cybernetics connection.
First, if you have an individual with cybernetic arms, he may be able to surrender control to someone else to basically use him as a Waldo. A first responder could be a Waldo for a surgeon in a critical medical emergency where even the trip to the hospital might take too long. I imagine this could be done for many skills.
Second, a soldier that wounded and unconscious might be returned or at least moved from harm by a remote operator.
I'll give you the first, yes well thought.
The Soldier? Soldiers are canon fodder, the risk of having them hacked in the battle field and used against me far exceeds the benefit of saving the life of some. Something that could get achieved with automatic stuff inside the soldier's implants without the need for wireless connection.
This is an insta' buy for me.
Quote from: GeekyBugle on September 03, 2023, 10:18:41 AM
Quote from: BadApple on September 03, 2023, 09:39:24 AM
Quote from: GeekyBugle on February 04, 2023, 12:13:19 PM
Why would your cyberimplant NEED a wireless connection?
I actually have two different plausible uses for wireless cybernetics connection.
First, if you have an individual with cybernetic arms, he may be able to surrender control to someone else to basically use him as a Waldo. A first responder could be a Waldo for a surgeon in a critical medical emergency where even the trip to the hospital might take too long. I imagine this could be done for many skills.
Second, a soldier that wounded and unconscious might be returned or at least moved from harm by a remote operator.
I'll give you the first, yes well thought.
The Soldier? Soldiers are canon fodder, the risk of having them hacked in the battle field and used against me far exceeds the benefit of saving the life of some. Something that could get achieved with automatic stuff inside the soldier's implants without the need for wireless connection.
Not all soldiers are basic grunts. Some soldiers have educations that are more costly than a PhD and would be very valuable to retrieve. Then there's soldiers that are valuable due to them having information, either classified information or gathered intel the CoC doesn't yet have.
Then there's the basic morale boost that soldiers would have knowing there's one more thing standing with them to survive combat. Believe me, militaries around the world specifically commit large amounts of resources to maintaining morale. Many battles are won or lost purely on the willingness of a soldier to stay in the fight rather than run.
Quote from: BadApple on September 03, 2023, 12:01:36 PM
Quote from: GeekyBugle on September 03, 2023, 10:18:41 AM
Quote from: BadApple on September 03, 2023, 09:39:24 AM
Quote from: GeekyBugle on February 04, 2023, 12:13:19 PM
Why would your cyberimplant NEED a wireless connection?
I actually have two different plausible uses for wireless cybernetics connection.
First, if you have an individual with cybernetic arms, he may be able to surrender control to someone else to basically use him as a Waldo. A first responder could be a Waldo for a surgeon in a critical medical emergency where even the trip to the hospital might take too long. I imagine this could be done for many skills.
Second, a soldier that wounded and unconscious might be returned or at least moved from harm by a remote operator.
I'll give you the first, yes well thought.
The Soldier? Soldiers are canon fodder, the risk of having them hacked in the battle field and used against me far exceeds the benefit of saving the life of some. Something that could get achieved with automatic stuff inside the soldier's implants without the need for wireless connection.
Not all soldiers are basic grunts. Some soldiers have educations that are more costly than a PhD and would be very valuable to retrieve. Then there's soldiers that are valuable due to them having information, either classified information or gathered intel the CoC doesn't yet have.
Then there's the basic morale boost that soldiers would have knowing there's one more thing standing with them to survive combat. Believe me, militaries around the world specifically commit large amounts of resources to maintaining morale. Many battles are won or lost purely on the willingness of a soldier to stay in the fight rather than run.
You can acchive the same goals without wireless communication, just give them a failsafe automatic withdrawal mode, if the soldier is heavily wounded or unconscious then the auto pilot engages and takes the soldier to safety.
Now your soldier can't be hacked wirelessly.
The offset print version of this game is stellar. Get it if you can.
Quote from: RebelSky on September 03, 2023, 06:27:41 PM
The offset print version of this game is stellar. Get it if you can.
I just received my offset print copy last week and it seems high quality, as did the Stars Without Number offset print. I'm curious why some people think the offset print quality isn't much better than POD.
The rules for crafting, modifying and maintaining gear really stand out. Chase rules? In there. Vehicle combat? Yup! It's all very well done.
Quote from: Theory of Games on September 03, 2023, 08:11:14 PM
The rules for crafting, modifying and maintaining gear really stand out. Chase rules? In there. Vehicle combat? Yup! It's all very well done.
Nice! Love the Chromebooks for CP2020, but a methodology to DIY is fantastic too. That and chase & vehicle combat rules sounds very enticing. He did for OSR aesthetics an Alternity+Traveller mashup we could all get behind in SWN. I'd like to see what he does as a CP2020 OSR mashup.
Worth bumping up the to-buy list. 8)
CWN is great! The mechanics are tight, and it has everything you need to "clone" Shadowrun or Cyberpunk 2020/Red. Where CWN really shines, though, is in ability to capture the tone of classic cyberpunk literature, like Neuromancer, Snow Crash, or When Gravity Fails. My only complaint is the same complaint I have with the other Without Number books... Kevin's autism prevents him from getting to the fucking point. Too many tediously-worded paragraphs to say what could be summarized in three or four sentences.
(https://files.catbox.moe/ja8n8i.png)
huh
Quote from: bendis on September 09, 2023, 07:35:10 PM
(https://files.catbox.moe/ja8n8i.png)
huh
So, transgenderism is just a market ploy to make money from people like the fashion industry before and the "gender affirming care" of today?
sounds very plausible and cyberpunk.
Quote from: GeekyBugle on September 09, 2023, 08:54:34 PM
Quote from: bendis on September 09, 2023, 07:35:10 PM
(https://files.catbox.moe/ja8n8i.png)
huh
So, transgenderism is just a market ploy to make money from people like the fashion industry before and the "gender affirming care" of today?
sounds very plausible and cyberpunk.
The Stereotypical Gender Traits table actually looks like a cool NPC personality table. It also looks like they're using the original definition of gender as "social construct", since nothing there mentions biological sex.
Quote from: GeekyBugle on September 09, 2023, 08:54:34 PM
Quote from: bendis on September 09, 2023, 07:35:10 PM
(https://files.catbox.moe/ja8n8i.png)
huh
So, transgenderism is just a market ploy to make money from people like the fashion industry before and the "gender affirming care" of today?
sounds very plausible and cyberpunk.
That was an upfront thing the
When Gravity Fails along with personality units that allow you have sex like some celeb and offer that.
I remember the main character remarking on hands being the one thing the surgeons still could fix over a decade before "man hands" was a Seinfeld bit.
So, agreed...very cyberpunk.
Quote from: RabidWookie on September 03, 2023, 07:58:09 PM
Quote from: RebelSky on September 03, 2023, 06:27:41 PM
The offset print version of this game is stellar. Get it if you can.
I just received my offset print copy last week and it seems high quality, as did the Stars Without Number offset print. I'm curious why some people think the offset print quality isn't much better than POD.
Crawford has done a great job making his offset books much better quality than his PoD books as far as physical quality goes. Going to get the WWN reprint when he does that Kickstarter in October.
Quote from: Thor's Nads on September 09, 2023, 08:41:41 PM
Quote from: bendis on September 09, 2023, 07:35:10 PM
(https://files.catbox.moe/ja8n8i.png)
Barf.
🤮
The only genres where this really fits is the cyberpunk and other sci-fi genres that has transhumanism as part of it. He does a good job putting it into CWN without making it a centralized focus of the game nor links it with any kind of political ideology.
It's just part of the genre. If characters can remake themselves by replacing body parts with machine parts then it makes sense that people would use other kinds of technology to modify themselves in different ways. Genetic manipulation, biological technology, slicing consciousness from one body to another like in Altered Carbon, etc. All appropriate to the genre.
Quote from: RebelSky on September 10, 2023, 11:22:45 AM
Quote from: RabidWookie on September 03, 2023, 07:58:09 PM
Quote from: RebelSky on September 03, 2023, 06:27:41 PM
The offset print version of this game is stellar. Get it if you can.
I just received my offset print copy last week and it seems high quality, as did the Stars Without Number offset print. I'm curious why some people think the offset print quality isn't much better than POD.
Crawford has done a great job making his offset books much better quality than his PoD books as far as physical quality goes. Going to get the WWN reprint when he does that Kickstarter in October.
Agreed. Had I not gotten WWN offset print I wouldn't have gotten the SWN offset as I already had two POD (original and revised) and the Mongoose offset. Once I saw the WWN quality the SWN version was an easy sale.
Quote from: RebelSky on September 10, 2023, 11:31:50 AM
Quote from: Thor's Nads on September 09, 2023, 08:41:41 PM
Quote from: bendis on September 09, 2023, 07:35:10 PM
(https://files.catbox.moe/ja8n8i.png)
Barf.
🤮
The only genres where this really fits is the cyberpunk and other sci-fi genres that has transhumanism as part of it. He does a good job putting it into CWN without making it a centralized focus of the game nor links it with any kind of political ideology.
It's just part of the genre. If characters can remake themselves by replacing body parts with machine parts then it makes sense that people would use other kinds of technology to modify themselves in different ways. Genetic manipulation, biological technology, slicing consciousness from one body to another like in Altered Carbon, etc. All appropriate to the genre.
Yes. Gender-bending and the like has been part of cyberpunk since it's very inception. Gibson's 1981 short story, Johnny Mnemonic, introduced the Magnetic Dog Sisters (https://williamgibson.fandom.com/wiki/Magnetic_Dog_Sisters).
Also, it's fairly clear this whole section in CWN is written with a cynical view on the topic. Corporate-sponsered genders are considered "real" genders, while DIY mishmash hacks are considered freakish. The part where a gender indentity reverts back to normal after the paid-trial elapses further illustrates that this is really nothing more than predatory marketing aimed at an impressionable (or vulnerable) segment of the populace. It's literally turning gender expression into a costume that a person can wear/change whenever they desire, just like any other "fashion accessory."
There isn't anything here that says whether "affirming" a gender expression is a good thing or not. That is very much left to the GM/players to decide. It is merely saying, "this exists... and it's being exploited."
Quote from: GeekyBugle on September 09, 2023, 08:54:34 PM
Quote from: bendis on September 09, 2023, 07:35:10 PM
(https://files.catbox.moe/ja8n8i.png)
huh
So, transgenderism is just a market ploy to make money from people like the fashion industry before and the "gender affirming care" of today?
sounds very plausible and cyberpunk.
That's my take. I'm curious what (if any) the reaction from the transgender activist portion of the RPG fanbase will be.
Gender Subscriptions is *chef's kiss* levels of cynicism.
So...how long before the alphabet community figures out a way to get mad about "inclusion" in the game because it's not the right kind?
But yeah, "skins" are a part of cyberpunk; I think people are so fucking tired of dealing with this sort of shit being shoehorned into everything under the sun that when it's legitimate the first response is to get a little annoyed or overreact. I'll admit at first I was like, WTF is this crap, but reading it further, it's handled within genre.
Quote from: Effete on September 11, 2023, 04:26:25 AM
Quote from: RebelSky on September 10, 2023, 11:31:50 AM
Quote from: Thor's Nads on September 09, 2023, 08:41:41 PM
Quote from: bendis on September 09, 2023, 07:35:10 PM
(https://files.catbox.moe/ja8n8i.png)
Barf.
🤮
The only genres where this really fits is the cyberpunk and other sci-fi genres that has transhumanism as part of it. He does a good job putting it into CWN without making it a centralized focus of the game nor links it with any kind of political ideology.
It's just part of the genre. If characters can remake themselves by replacing body parts with machine parts then it makes sense that people would use other kinds of technology to modify themselves in different ways. Genetic manipulation, biological technology, slicing consciousness from one body to another like in Altered Carbon, etc. All appropriate to the genre.
Yes. Gender-bending and the like has been part of cyberpunk since it's very inception. Gibson's 1981 short story, Johnny Mnemonic, introduced the Magnetic Dog Sisters (https://williamgibson.fandom.com/wiki/Magnetic_Dog_Sisters).
Also, it's fairly clear this whole section in CWN is written with a cynical view on the topic. Corporate-sponsered genders are considered "real" genders, while DIY mishmash hacks are considered freakish. The part where a gender indentity reverts back to normal after the paid-trial elapses further illustrates that this is really nothing more than predatory marketing aimed at an impressionable (or vulnerable) segment of the populace. It's literally turning gender expression into a costume that a person can wear/change whenever they desire, just like any other "fashion accessory."
There isn't anything here that says whether "affirming" a gender expression is a good thing or not. That is very much left to the GM/players to decide. It is merely saying, "this exists... and it's being exploited."
Yeah its actually pretty scary if we had the technology you know people would fall for it.