Project: Cyberpunk 2020/Shadowrun Conversion

[slingbld]

Hello all.
I was working on converting one of Palladium Books games over to D20M when I found myself drawn to do a conversion of a system I like a wee nip more

I've started to create my own Cyberware system based loosely on the Cyberpunk 2020 game by R. Talsorian Games & the Shadowrun game by the now defunct FASA.

I'm also converting the many weapons found in Cyberpunk's book "Blackhand's Street Weapons 2020" This is a compilation of all the weapons in teh Cyberpunk 2020 game.

I've included a rough outline of the basic rules for Cyberware & Bioware.
Let me know what you think!!

As I get more done, I'll post it to this thread.

Thanks for any imput!

Slingbld~

 

[Gilwen]

Hello all.
I was working on converting one of Palladium Books games over to D20M when I found myself drawn to do a conversion of a system I like a wee nip more

I've started to create my own Cyberware system based loosely on the Cyberpunk 2020 game by R. Talsorian Games & the Shadowrun game by the now defunct FASA.

I'm also converting the many weapons found in Cyberpunk's book "Blackhand's Street Weapons 2020" This is a compilation of all the weapons in teh Cyberpunk 2020 game.

I've included a rough outline of the basic rules for Cyberware & Bioware.
Let me know what you think!!

As I get more done, I'll post it to this thread.

Thanks for any imput!

Slingbld~

You may want to check out OGL Cybernet from Mongoose Publishing. August Hahn has produced an excellant "cyberpunk" product. As a side note, the book is mainly a rule book without a setting attached.

Gilwen

 

[Chingerspy]

Cybernet is good and applying the Shadowrun setting into it shouldn't be too hard. I would probably do this homebrew stylee if ever decide to get a "future" game going again.

 

[Dana_Jorgensen]

I'd also suggest CYD20, which is a direct adaptation of Cyberpunk 2020 to D20.

There's also Digital Burn, which is essentially an alternative take on converting CP2020 to D20, but with all the serial numbers filed off, so to speak...

Another adaptation of CP2020 to D20 is Cyber Style (most folks who bought this one find it to be pretty much the worst effort out there)

and finally, there is Tech Noir, yet another attempt to adapt CP2020 to D20.

so you're a little behind the curve as far as the CP2020 adaptation goes.

 

[S'mon]

I recall I converted Cyberpunk 2020 to AD&D back around 1994/95. The CP2020 classes like Solo, Nomad, Cop and Techie translate very well as standard D&D classes.

 

[slingbld]

Ok ok!
I should have prefaced it with: I have Cybernet, It's good but not exactly a conversion of CP2020 & Shadowrun. I read through Digital Burn but found it a bit lacking and the price too outlandish to buy. I never wanted to get Cyber Style as I've heard many times that it is sub-standard.

Could ya take a look at the document and let me know what you think of my early efforts

I'm attempting to create a system a little different from the others. Something a little closer to CP2020 & Shadowrun.

Tat's why I'm doing Cyberware that causes a strain on the targets psyche while the bioware causes a strain on the physical body.

Anywho, It'l probably be going rather slow since real life has me working 50 hours a week & a new baby in the house. Not a whole lot of time left to work on a project like this

Slingbld~

 

[(Psi)SeveredHead]

Well, I actually downloaded and looked at the document

I didn't like the "stress save". IMO Tough characters would go towards cyberware anyway, and they tend to have good saves. At the higher levels they'll have no trouble making the saves. (On another note, eventually every character has little trouble making their saves against massive damage, so small penalties wouldn't work.)

I think part of the problem here is that you're treating bioware like it's cybergear; I know that's how ShadowRun dealt with it, but it's really quite different. Why would the organs only cause serious problems when the bioware user is injured?

As for cyberware, it's inflicting penalties to Charisma. Unless the person using the cyberware is a Charismatic* that's only going to cause penalties to a few skill checks.

*Cyberware shouldn't penalize one class more than others.

Sorry for the negative review
I haven't found using penalties to balance these kinds of benefits to work out that well. Instead, I would make the player give up something for these benefits. For instance, if you pay a feat, you can get some pieces of cyberware, pay another feat to get another type of cyberware, and so forth. (It's sort of like how, in ALTERNITY, you had to pay skill points to learn to use cybergear.)

I found using cash, Wealth penalties and XP costs all didn't work.

 

[slingbld]

Have you read OGL Cybernet?
Did you like thier system better?

Also,
I used teh stress save to try and imulate the basics of CP2020 & Shadowrun.
I'm attempting to do a conversion in a way that will keep it as close to the original feel while placing it into the D20M mechanic. I gave teh cyberware a penalty to Cha. due to the fact that in both games, the more metal you have, the less emotional and social. Thus the reduction to Charisma.

Now the stress save for Bioware thing
My reasoning for that is to simulate that the body's immune system (as well as other areas) are worked harder, thus becoming less efficient. When massie damage occures, it can result in the body incapable of dealing with the damage as well as the implants.

I wanted to avoid using a you must burn feats to get cyberware aproach again primarily to keep the feel of the original games in tact. It is not only possible but very common in both games for a newly created character to be cybered up to the gills. It's harder to do that if you are making cyberware feat oriented.

Any other aproach you can think than what I cam up with that doesn't involve skill or feat enalties?

I am open to suggestion!!

Slingbld~

 

[(Psi)SeveredHead]

Have you read OGL Cybernet?
Did you like thier system better?

I haven't read it. It's free right? I assume that's why people put the word "OGL" and not "D20" in the title.

Also,
I used teh stress save to try and imulate the basics of CP2020 & Shadowrun.
I'm attempting to do a conversion in a way that will keep it as close to the original feel while placing it into the D20M mechanic. I gave teh cyberware a penalty to Cha. due to the fact that in both games, the more metal you have, the less emotional and social. Thus the reduction to Charisma.

From a flavor perspective it works. I'm just not seeing a Charisma penalty as being particularly balanced, however. Most characters won't even notice it.

Now the stress save for Bioware thing
My reasoning for that is to simulate that the body's immune system (as well as other areas) are worked harder, thus becoming less efficient. When massie damage occures, it can result in the body incapable of dealing with the damage as well as the implants.

Hmm... when you explain it this way, the flavor makes a lot more sense. Thanks.

 

[slingbld]

I haven't read it. It's free right? I assume that's why people put the word "OGL" and not "D20" in the title.

No you have to buy it from Mongoose publishing. but it is OGL in that anyone can use the material within to publish thier own products royalty free.

From a flavor perspective it works. I'm just not seeing a Charisma penalty as being particularly balanced, however. Most characters won't even notice it.

How could I adjust this?
Would a reduction in Wisdom be better? I do not want to mess with Int or Wis in this way though. Maybe a larger Will save penalty?
Any thoughts are most welcome!

Slingbld~