Modern20?

[elrics]

Yeah, I've played enough cyberpunk games to have that issue on my mind.

One thing I'm considering is not having full-on netrunning, despite its prevalence in the genre.

I'm considering making the game gritty crime drama with cybernetics and advanced drugs.

That seems like plenty to hang a cool setting around.

But I'm still mulling ideas.

The "Netrunner Problem" is no step for a stepper, IMO. Treat it like a Modern20 Wealth or Craft check...if the hacker's skill+equipment bonus is >= the Security DC of the target system, he gets his paydata offscreen. If not, the system is too tough to crack remotely, so he has to get inside and physically jack into the computer core, which will require the full team to participate in the infiltration/assault. That way, any rules-heavy netrunning will take place simultaneously with complex skill checks and/or combat, so everyone on the team has something exciting to do every round.

Cyberpunk without netrunning is like the Dallas Cowboys without the Cheerleaders...it's still a football team, but who cares?

 

[GMSkarka]

We're pretty proud of how we handled netrunning in NETSPACE, which was part of our TERMINAL IDENTITY d20 cyberpunk line.

Drop me a line, Chuck -- I'll send you a copy, if you're interested.

 

[masshysteria]

Yeah, I've played enough cyberpunk games to have that issue on my mind.

One thing I'm considering is not having full-on netrunning, despite its prevalence in the genre.

I'm considering making the game gritty crime drama with cybernetics and advanced drugs.

That seems like plenty to hang a cool setting around.

But I'm still mulling ideas.

Honestly, I don't think it is a bad thing to move away from Gibson-esque cyberpunk. It could be nice to see a more modern vision of a bleak future.

 

[jonrog1]

Hey, just a question I'm still a little fuzzy on.

All characters start with 2 perks, except the Star who starts with four. They can then assign those perks to gain the perk-only benefits of skills.

Some (very few) Occupations include perks. Are those perks automatically gained in addition to the ones assigned by Class, or do they too need to have, essentially a perk "spent" on them?

I think it's the latter, but as I said, it's a bit unclear. It may be a bit bette rin the second edition to separate out "perks" as unassigned benefits and "perks" as description of those benefits. A bit more like your very excellent Resource system works.

 

[Vigilance]

Yeah, you still have to spend a perk on Occupation-specific perks, they're just special benefits offered by certain occupations.

We went through a couple of different methods of attempting to explain perks, apparently we still didn't do a phenomenal job at it.

 

[Sketchpad]

Hiya Chuck,
I've been considering getting M20 and had a few questions:
1) Within the modern genre, what does M20 mostly cater to?
2) I see MA20 is on its way. Are you looking at a more tool-kit approach to M20?

Many thanks in advance.

 

[Vigilance]

Hiya Chuck,
I've been considering getting M20 and had a few questions:
1) Within the modern genre, what does M20 mostly cater to?
2) I see MA20 is on its way. Are you looking at a more tool-kit approach to M20?

Many thanks in advance.

1. M20 is action oriented, modern role-playing with very little FX. If you have read the books I've done for d20M, you have a really good idea of how M20 plays.

It also aims to be rules-light when compared to other modern RPGs, with character design being quicker, fewer unnecessary die rolls, fewer classes (6 core classes- no advanced classes, no prestige classes, ever), fewer skills.

2. After Martial Arts 20, I'm doing settings, settings and more settings, so that's hard to say. My next planned projects are: Fantasci (a science fantasy RPG), the Hunters (modern psionic conspiracy), Dark Future (gritty superheroes in the future) and (probably) Cyberpunk.

Doubtless other books will interrupt the setting train though.

 

[Nuclear Platypus]

Honestly, I don't think it is a bad thing to move away from Gibson-esque cyberpunk. It could be nice to see a more modern vision of a bleak future.

How about the future portrayed in Ghost in the Shell? I think it'd be kinda cool to have some Tachikomas too.

 

[Urizen]

Ghost in the Shell is awesome.

I'd love to see stuff inspired by that series.

Appleseed is another cool one.

 

[Bretbo]

2. After Martial Arts 20, I'm doing settings, settings and more settings, so that's hard to say. My next planned projects are: Fantasci (a science fantasy RPG), the Hunters (modern psionic conspiracy), Dark Future (gritty superheroes in the future) and (probably) Cyberpunk.

Doubtless other books will interrupt the setting train though.

I hope this is a successful strategy for you. A "problem" with some universal or generic systems is lack of settings. I would highly suggest that the settings be as detail as is reasonably possible...those which only scratch the surface and those with little support just don't seem to get the attention as developed, detailed settings (just my opinion; no data to back that up).