Campaign Setting Design: The Fifth Matrix Trun

[GMMichael]

I'm looking for some input on the one setting that could actually make a sci-fi believer out of me.

Influences are as follows:

The Fifth Element: stylized, slightly crazy, yet realistic-enough sci-fi.
Shadowrun: gritty, run-down future-world with a cyber-world and people who can manipulate it - deckers.
The Matrix: there are two types of people: those who have been freed, and those who haven't. I'm not looking for the flying-sentinels junk, more of the "Matrix can be manipulated by awakened people" stuff.
Tron: users communicate with their programs from terminals. And in the cyber-world, some very cool games, wars, and uniforms get worn.

Any recommendations on ways to bring these works together? What should be implemented, and what should be dropped? Don't worry about copyrights - this isn't being published. Can it be done without orcs, Mangalores, and Jeff Bridges?

 

[GMMichael]

No help, huh? It occurred to me that some Robocop (the original, not the garbage remake) ideas should be included in this new world too. Mainly, Omni Consumer Products probably goes head to head with Zorg Enterprises, and probably CostCo (Idiocracy) for good measure.

The immediate problem there: I'm afraid ED-209 and Robocop might look like outdated technology compared to what's possible in the Fifth Element world. But I can pretty easily see OCP and Zorg owning police forces, while the politicians go around wearing sponsor logos on their suits. Brought to you by Karl's Junior.

Networking (the Cloud?) would have to be very pervasive for deckers to be useful or fun. Or maybe everyone gets a data-jack at birth, so while the decker is the guy who excels in Tron-world, everyone in the party can enter the Matrix, meaning no one gets left behind while the decker does his thing?

How do I balance the features of the future real-world with the future cyber-world, to make them both equally desirable for play?

How do I maintain the usefulness of a Charisma or Metaphysical stat in a no-magic setting?

 

[GMMichael]

This is actually taking way more shape than I can handle; I'm trying to get a fantasy setting written up, but the ideas for this just keep flowing.

What I've collaborated on a different forum:

-Virtual Reality (VR) is the new alcohol. The poor save up pennies so they can jack in and get 100% escapism from the real world (abbreviated RL, or "role"). This often takes the form of sporting contests between users, while the poor who can't afford to jack in can watch big screens and gamble on the contests.

-Everyone's given a headjack at birth. Failure to have a headjack is a criminal offense...unless you're part of the privileged class.

-Most societies have conformed to the religion and government of money. Even though OCP, Zorg Inc, and CostCo don't have their own states, they still run the governments.

-You have two options for getting into the matrix: use programs, or jack in. If you use programs, you maintain your senses and safety in the real world. If you jack in, you are 100% assimilated into the matrix, and can only trust your real world security.

-There are two types of real world conflict: hot war, and cold war. The proles don't much care; war is war. But the upper classes are definitely more stressed during hot war.

-Classes: not sure if there is one class hierarchy, or two: one for the Role and one for VR. Either way, many of the interesting plots are going to come from the interactions between the classes.

I still need loads of ideas. Any help is appreciated! (Thanks, nijineko!)