Living "Shadowpunk" or "Dragonpunk"?

[takasi]

I'm looking for people to join a think tank for creating a d20 Future campaign world. Eventually I would like to create a sourcebook and develop a Living Campaign.

The premise is that in 1984 the world saw a massive influx of Shadowkind and the use of magic; the campaign takes place 100 years later and details the impact of this event.

Some features:

-World map mirrors Earth
-RPGA members would have regional control
-Magic vs. Technology theme
-Cyberpunk (Mega-Corporations, Virtual Reality, Cybernetics)

If you are interested in helping please post here. If not, can you provide a little feedback on whether you would play or have an interest in reading this setting? Also, here are some general questions

1.) Which title is better: Shadowpunk or Dragonpunk? One fits in with the "Dragonstar" and "Dragonmech" idea. The other sounds a bit like "Shadowrun". Would you prefer something more original, or do you like the way these titles instantly convey the setting?

2.) Would you prefer an OGL system like OGL Cyberpunk, d20 Future or a mix of the two? (This question is mainly aimed at developers who may have seen d20 Future already.) Do you think the use of the d20 logo or OGL Cyberpunk logo would help bring in support?

3.) Where are you from? If the world was introduced to magic and fantasy 20 years ago, what would your neighborhood be like today? What do you think it would be like 80 years from now?

4.) Is this something you would purchase as a setting? If it was entirely for non-profit and based on fan submissions, would you use it? If it was in the RPGA, would you play a campaign? Would you develop modules for this?

 

[Turanil]

You may want to get a look (and download their 260 pages / 20 mb free netbook) at the Amethyst campaign setting. If I were to use your setting, i would prefer it like that; I don't like Dragonstar.

(i.e.: Dragonstar is magic + technology, and I find this terribly mundane: "my wizard casts improved invisibility, then fires at the enmy with the machine-gun". Amethyst works it the other way around: in the past magic intruded into the world, and "corrupted" everything and everyone, except that a minority of stubborn individuals that rejected magic and kept to technology. Now there is a few "Bastion": cities of sci-fi in a world of elven magicians, etc. In this world you must choose your side; because magic and technology are exclusive of each other.)

 

[takasi]

Hmm, looking through this it looks very intriguing. The artwork jolts the imagination! I'll need some time to review it thoroughly though.

Here's an example of the feel I'm looking for. Let's say in the future genetically modified food is made available that can grow pretty much anywhere, but if characters eat it then they have trouble using magic (negative modifiers to spellcasting checks). Creating all natural food is a very profitable business, and for some unknown reason there are certain regions where certain foods work as reagants for spells. In the Sacramento Valley where I live, the Ag divisions of the world's Megacorps are fighting over purified land rights. The small towns and cities of today have been bought out. Residents are relocated to towering skyscrapers in Sacramento, their suburban homes destroyed to make room for cash crops. Farms are well guarded and travel through the region is closely monitored.

The goal is a cyberpunk atmosphere, with mega corporations trying to take advantage of both magic and technology in a world where magic and technology are physically at odds. Does anyone else have an interest in this? The RPGA shut down Virtual Seattle a few years ago, and I would really like to revive something similar with a d20 Future or OGL Cyberpunk system.

 

[Vindicator]

To be honest with you, whenever I hear "Cyberpunk" I think, "Man, that brings back memories of the 80's." In other words, cyberpunk, as a genre, is pretty much dead. OGL's Cybernet is a curious anachronism.

I would suggest checking out SJ Games' Transhuman Space for a more contemporary illustration of science-fiction gaming:

http://www.sjgames.com/gurps/transhuman/

Cyberware and mega-corporations are out, baby.

Bioware and sentient A.I. are in.

 

[takasi]

That's one of the reasons why I wanted the Shadow invasion to take place in the 80's. It isn't about cutting edge sci-fi. Like Steampunk, Cyberpunk is a fantasy genre that isn't realistic but it's still very interesting to explore. In the same way that Fallout explored what would happen if the nightmares of the 50s came true, Shadowpunk spotlights a hodgepodge of "virtual reality", robocops and Jack Chick style "D&D is REAL" craziness. OGL Cybernet has a great ruleset, and I can't wait to see what d20 Future has in store for cyberware, but to have a true homage you need a good campaign setting.