Cowpie Zombie
First Post
Begin.
Sell me on OGL Cybernet
- Thread starter Cowpie Zombie
- Start date
Hmmm...
Save your money. I bought OGL Cybernet and I am thoroughly unimpressed. The note about basing it on the D20 Modern SRD in the license section is pretty much nothing but lip service.
D20 Modern Basic classes? Kiss them goodbye, they replaced them all with classes that honestly should be Advanced classes.
The weapons section is filled with lots and lots of broken weapons (.22LR doing 3d6?!!)
Most of the rest is simply ripped off from Cyberpunk 2020, right down to a section called "Finishing Touches", which is just a knockoff of portions of the CP2020 lifepath.
You would be better off using the D20 Modern core rules, Modern Player's Companion 1 & 2, and just downloading either CYd20 or Tech Noir.
Save your money. I bought OGL Cybernet and I am thoroughly unimpressed. The note about basing it on the D20 Modern SRD in the license section is pretty much nothing but lip service.
D20 Modern Basic classes? Kiss them goodbye, they replaced them all with classes that honestly should be Advanced classes.
The weapons section is filled with lots and lots of broken weapons (.22LR doing 3d6?!!)
Most of the rest is simply ripped off from Cyberpunk 2020, right down to a section called "Finishing Touches", which is just a knockoff of portions of the CP2020 lifepath.
You would be better off using the D20 Modern core rules, Modern Player's Companion 1 & 2, and just downloading either CYd20 or Tech Noir.
Space_Invader
First Post
ill second everything that dana_jorgensen said, but i was expecting a rip off of cyberpunk (which aint that bad).
also i was really disapointed to see that almost the whole book was a cut and paste of the D20M SRD, most of the advanced classes are the exact same as D20M, the nettrunning rules sucked, the book cant same to make up its mind between non-lethal or subdual damage....
the only good thing i have to say about it is the cyber implant rules which are kinda neat.
also i was really disapointed to see that almost the whole book was a cut and paste of the D20M SRD, most of the advanced classes are the exact same as D20M, the nettrunning rules sucked, the book cant same to make up its mind between non-lethal or subdual damage....
the only good thing i have to say about it is the cyber implant rules which are kinda neat.
jaerdaph
#UkraineStrong
Dana_Jorgensen said:
It was never intended to be a d20 Modern supplement but a stand alone game - no WotC core rulebook required to play. And since it was published under the OGL license and used material from the modern SRD, listing it in Section 15 of the license is a requirement, is it not (even if they only ended up using just one feat)?
jaerdaph
#UkraineStrong
Space_Invader said:
Yeah, OGL Horror had that problem too. It's been addressed in the OGL Cybernet and OGL Horror FAQs on Mongoose's site:
http://www.mongoosepublishing.com/freematerial.php
Hallo Cowpie Zombie!
I am going to completely and respectively disagree with Mr. Jorgensen. I was thoroughly impressed by the product.
I really don't agree with the lip service line. It is not a D20 product. OGL Cybernet is just that - an OGL game based on the Modern SRD. Since it is OGL, it is open to changing whatever it needs to to fit the genre. Many people have a problem ( my players included ) with the "stale" D20 Modern classes, and the OGL books, make classes that fit the setting. You could just as easily include Modern classes for usage with the book. But OGL Cybernet is not striving to reproduce the Generic Modern aspects, rather to take the Modern toolkit and make it Cyberpunk. That said, all of the wonderful classes in the book work just like the Modern classes, they are just Cyberpunkian (new word?!?!). Most of the other rules, are in line with D20 Modern, IMHO.
I have no comment on the Weapons section, because I haven't studied it that closely. But Mr. Jorgensen has produced several excellent PDF guides on weapons, so he has probably studied this very closely - YMMV.
I also can make no comment on the comparisons to Cyberpunk as I have never seen the game. But OGL Cybernet is a Toolkit for running Cyberpunk adventures - so comparisons to what some consider the great cyberpunk RPG seem more complementary than anything else to me. As I never used Cyberpunk before, every piece of information on the Cyberpunk Genre was welcome.
I also have no opinion of the Modern Player's Companion 1 & 2, CYd20, or Tech Noir as I have not used, not heard of the last two.
Overall, I found it an great book that was well worth the money, and jammed packed with info. You could easily run a Cyberpunk game or even a near future game with this toolkit.
That said, OGL Cybernet suffers from one "virtue/flaw", but it is an opinion of the entire OGL line. Each of the OGL books are just that - toolkits. They are almost 100% crunch ( except OGL horror ). If you have never run a cyberpunk game, there is no setting and no setting material other than genre specific info. This can be considered a flaw or a virtue depending on your needs. As I have never ran a Cyberpunk game, I find myself not even knowing what to do with all of the great rules. I wish Mongoose or some other company would release a mini-setting either with the game, or as a separate product to help newbies like myself get started! Cyberpunk can be a little overwhelming!
Once I figure out what I want to do as a setting, this rulebook seems to have all that I will need - and more.
There is some great information in the OGL section of Mongoose's forums. There are a lot of people over there who like the book. A lot of fan stuff being added. Plus some previews on the Mongoose site too. So check Mongoose's site before making your decision.
Overall, I think it is a great book.
Razuur
I am going to completely and respectively disagree with Mr. Jorgensen. I was thoroughly impressed by the product.
I really don't agree with the lip service line. It is not a D20 product. OGL Cybernet is just that - an OGL game based on the Modern SRD. Since it is OGL, it is open to changing whatever it needs to to fit the genre. Many people have a problem ( my players included ) with the "stale" D20 Modern classes, and the OGL books, make classes that fit the setting. You could just as easily include Modern classes for usage with the book. But OGL Cybernet is not striving to reproduce the Generic Modern aspects, rather to take the Modern toolkit and make it Cyberpunk. That said, all of the wonderful classes in the book work just like the Modern classes, they are just Cyberpunkian (new word?!?!). Most of the other rules, are in line with D20 Modern, IMHO.
I have no comment on the Weapons section, because I haven't studied it that closely. But Mr. Jorgensen has produced several excellent PDF guides on weapons, so he has probably studied this very closely - YMMV.
I also can make no comment on the comparisons to Cyberpunk as I have never seen the game. But OGL Cybernet is a Toolkit for running Cyberpunk adventures - so comparisons to what some consider the great cyberpunk RPG seem more complementary than anything else to me. As I never used Cyberpunk before, every piece of information on the Cyberpunk Genre was welcome.
I also have no opinion of the Modern Player's Companion 1 & 2, CYd20, or Tech Noir as I have not used, not heard of the last two.
Overall, I found it an great book that was well worth the money, and jammed packed with info. You could easily run a Cyberpunk game or even a near future game with this toolkit.
That said, OGL Cybernet suffers from one "virtue/flaw", but it is an opinion of the entire OGL line. Each of the OGL books are just that - toolkits. They are almost 100% crunch ( except OGL horror ). If you have never run a cyberpunk game, there is no setting and no setting material other than genre specific info. This can be considered a flaw or a virtue depending on your needs. As I have never ran a Cyberpunk game, I find myself not even knowing what to do with all of the great rules. I wish Mongoose or some other company would release a mini-setting either with the game, or as a separate product to help newbies like myself get started! Cyberpunk can be a little overwhelming!
Once I figure out what I want to do as a setting, this rulebook seems to have all that I will need - and more.
There is some great information in the OGL section of Mongoose's forums. There are a lot of people over there who like the book. A lot of fan stuff being added. Plus some previews on the Mongoose site too. So check Mongoose's site before making your decision.
Overall, I think it is a great book.
Razuur
I hafta say that I like OGL Cybernet.
I REALY feel it has done about the same level job, if not a little better than CYD20 (which, by the way, the Author of that has pulled it so you will have to go on Kazaa to try and find it).
It is a knock off of CP2020, it was supposed to be! CP2020 is the ORIGINAL Cyberpunk RPG. They did not, however do a carbon copy ala D20. August made it different enough to make it thier own.
I have to agree that the weapons section left a few raised eyebrows & the Netrunning/ Webcrawling section could have been better.
I've played in & GM'ed many a CP2020 game as well as played in a longtime running Shadowrun game. I'd have to say this blows the lid off of the other published works out there for a Cyberpunk Genre game system.
And,
For all it's mistakes, Mongoose does work to correct them & they have released 2 PDF's to address some problems in the game. Once you have those printed out (about 20 pages total for both PDF's) the system is pretty solidly put together...
I REALY feel it has done about the same level job, if not a little better than CYD20 (which, by the way, the Author of that has pulled it so you will have to go on Kazaa to try and find it).
It is a knock off of CP2020, it was supposed to be! CP2020 is the ORIGINAL Cyberpunk RPG. They did not, however do a carbon copy ala D20. August made it different enough to make it thier own.
I have to agree that the weapons section left a few raised eyebrows & the Netrunning/ Webcrawling section could have been better.
I've played in & GM'ed many a CP2020 game as well as played in a longtime running Shadowrun game. I'd have to say this blows the lid off of the other published works out there for a Cyberpunk Genre game system.
And,
For all it's mistakes, Mongoose does work to correct them & they have released 2 PDF's to address some problems in the game. Once you have those printed out (about 20 pages total for both PDF's) the system is pretty solidly put together...
Mythtify
First Post
I enjoyed looking through this book. Some of the art was good. Though I would not purchase it. Having both d&d 3.5 and d20 Modern, I try and stay way from ogl games. I don't like paying a lot of money to have a good bit of the book be a reprint of the basic rules I already own.
The only time I do purchase an OGL game is when the content varies widely from the core products. So far, Arcana Unearthed is the only OGL game I have purchased.
With d20 Future only a few months away, I don't think that there will be a need for me to purchase a product that focus on a specific sci-fi style.
The only time I do purchase an OGL game is when the content varies widely from the core products. So far, Arcana Unearthed is the only OGL game I have purchased.
With d20 Future only a few months away, I don't think that there will be a need for me to purchase a product that focus on a specific sci-fi style.
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