Great GM - Cyberpunk Setting for your Role Playing Game - Great Game Master Tips
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- čas přidán 1. 06. 2024
- Hackers, Shadow runners, nano tech users and general Cyberpunk fans, today's episode looks at a genre of science fiction set in a lawless subculture of an oppressive society dominated by computer technology or you know however you want to run your Cyberpunk setting, here is some tips on how to do that :p
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Dude, I think you've uploaded something truly valuable here. A lot of players think the idea of Cyberpunk is exhausted by drones, hacking and neon. But Cyberpunk is about PCs personal struggle to survive in this world that's trying to destroy you.
Have my like!
I take your like, scan it, look at it, and then file it away. It shall be used against you later... :) Thank you!
How to be a Great Game Master wtf is a game master? lul
HuMaNs vs RoBoTs
Just search for ''What's a Pen and Paper Roleplaying Game'' or ''What's Tabletop Roleplaying'' or ''How to play DnD/Shadowrun/World of Darkness/ Call of Cuthulu''
then pick some friends or peasants and start gaming 😊
Even friends become peasants when you learn how to be a good GM XD
you’re very right, but to be fair- There is alot of neon..
The reason the genre has mysteries and rain is because of influences from noir films.
I think Neuromancer was the book that defined the genre... it still holds up too :)
Altered Carbon and Snow Crash influenced my understanding of the cyberpunk genre just as much as Neuromancer did. I'd say those three are my first book recommendations for anyone curious about the genre.
the best line i´ve heard about cyberpunk is that "cyberpunk is a waning" and i think it sums really well how the game should feel
A revolution without dancing is a revolution not worth having.
Very good video!
I honestly believe that today, we already live a cyberpunk reality. Cyberpunk came 80 and 90. At that time, internet and computers were a novelty.
In some parts of the world, especially in third world countries or in countries of political repression such as North Korea, Iran and other dictatorships around, people are living a cruel reality and fighting for their own survival with technologies to help them. That is cyberpunk reality.
Finally a Cyberpunk video. I want to be a GM for Shadowrun so this is just what I'm looking for.
I hope so! I'd love to spend more time on these Settings videos but I'm afraid it might get boring!
I'm already playing Shadowrun 4-th edition with my players. And it's really quite interesting and tricky setting.
Boring? Setting videos? Hell no!
Thanks :)
Another video of this would really help. This is a hard setting to GM.
i can suggest 3 more great reference movies: ghost in the shell (THE cyberpunk anime) jhonny mnemonic and nirvana. One thing imho you missed pointing at is.... cybernetics and the consequent posthumanity issue
TAKE NOTE GUYS - GOOD ADDITION HERE
Cybernetics and post-humanity, and the film Brazil. I am often tempted to do a follow-up video of all the stuff I forgot. You are totally right though - cybernetics is a major part and I missed it. Unlike my videos as GM's we have the fantastic option of introducing elements we may have over-looked as the game progresses. I hinted at cybernetics in the video but never said it outright. It can be small additions like USB ports in the arm to whole new arms. Lower ranks the cyber is noticable, upper ranks it's almost organic. Thanks Flavio!
Listen to synthwave music it will get you in the mood
Johnny Mnemonic deserves a place on the list of cyberpunk films you featured, as does Elysium, staring Matt Damon.
With respect to novels, many of William Gibson's works, notably Neuromancer, being here. There's also an anthology called Burning Chrome that captures the feel of the setting perfectly.
Elysium... yes it's a classic example of the have's and the have not's - the white tower concept. I'd blocked that film from my mind though as I hated it for various reasons. But it is a great example of that. Gibson always wrote do Androids dream of robotic sheep or something right? Which is the basis of Bladerunner? Burning Chrome - sounds cool! Thanks for sharing!
+How to be a Great Game Master Yes, Blade Runner was based on that story written by Philip K. Dick, source of many cyberpunk-worthy film adaptations (including Minority Report, come to think of it.)
Anyway, I am a huge fan of the channel and your helpful method of framing concepts. I've learned a lot from you. Thanks a million for your carefully crafted content!
:) thanks for watching and participating!
Elysium was a good idea made it to a bad movie.
Basically evolving the ff6 and ff7 setting to a more Blade Runner and Ghost in the shell setting. I hope FF7 remake is more cyberpunk, than steam punk from the original.
Most important masterwork of literatur which is missing here and has to me mentioned: Neuromancer by William Gibson (plus both sequels, called "Count Zero" and "Mona Lisa Overdrive").
You also should keep an eye open for Animes like: Ghost in the Shell, Armitage III, Mardock Scramble, Cyber City Oedo 808 and the Bubblegum Crisis series.
Also to mention are two live action series from the last few years named "Mr. Robot" (which is less cyberpunkish but a very good hacker series) and "Altered Carbon" which could be called "the best cyberpunk tv series ever".
My only problem with Altered Carbon is its so dry and boring. I think it would have been a better movie than a series.
I wonder what kind of change happens to the Cyberpunk genre when you invert some aspects; most notably by throwing in a post-scarcity economy, and a post-human job market. To put it another way, the corporations are 100% run by machines, and there's no longer a need to work for survival. How taxing would that be on the human psyche to be stuck in that world? And what of AI? Would its effective slavery be the cause of this state? And if so, what's to say giving them equal status to humans won't just send people sliding towards the "normal" cyber-punk dystopia? And the biggest question: which is more dangerous, a world where everyone is bored but they also have access to near magical technology, or a world where everyone is struggling to survive against such technology in the hands of the few?
This is precisely what Prof. Steven Hawking was addressing in his recent public speech on AI. You are talking about a collapsed economy - humans don't work for money machines do but without a need to spend it the machines have not drive to make more. And the whole thing is moot anyway because machines right?
Star Trek posits that once humanity is freed from cash, it becomes a loving peaceful place where one pursues the intellect - science, knowledge, art, and understanding.
Almost all the rest say that what happens (and I'm leaning towards this myself) is that humans are simply replaced by AI. We achieve self aware machines, who are evolutionary superiors in every way. Like the Neanderthals, we - homo sapien - get replaced by H0M0 V2.01. The narrative I find interesting there is the 'last humans' in a world of AI. No food is grown, because AI need electricity and have the ability to ignore the flavour of processed nourishing supplements. All access to all facilities is controlled by wifi - which the humans don't have but the AI do. That's a dystopia to me.
Interesting thoughts, I can imagine it doesn't have to be that bad with regards to machines ignoring human needs; but even so the solutions to that simply enhance a certain question in this scenario. "How does society cope with the different needs and desires of AI vs Humanity?" Granted, the answer will usually be "poorly".
In one scenario, the AI keep all essential jobs, and provide food for humans, but place humans in a sort of welfare state. This is close to the Star Trek position, with a key difference: this is an incredibly dangerous state of mind for humanity to be in, in that its a society with zero sense of responsibility among humans, and worse is the fact many are bored. You could almost make a case that the Star Fleet from Star Trek are basically this scenario's version of "murder hobos".
In another scenario I touched upon before, where AI gain economic rights, but as a result many of the AI will find they aren't being hired; being passed up in favour of "cheaper" human labour. This brings up an amusing but also somewhat depressing idea: AI unemployment. I mentioned this would lead to something similar to normal cyber-punk, except let's not that if in your typical Cyber-Punk humans can fall into the dregs of society, then its also likely that AI that are duplicated beyond necessity will likely find themselves having to share computing space with the Decker who's forced to live in a broom closet. (Which is to say, probably not much computing space.)
One scenario I find has the best chance of being somewhat stable between the needs of both humanity and AI is something close to pair bonding between humanity and AI; especially if its an instinct built into AI to make them more sympathetic to humans. However, this is basically just scenario two, but with... I don't know what it is but I find it adorable.
To address the scenario you pose directly though... I think the main thought that comes to mind in a world where AI ignore humanity in favour of their own needs, is that if the AI don't make food for the last humans, then the last humans will. Whether this means a mass exodus from cities to farmland, or if humans return to the wild while carrying whatever technology they can get their hands on is probably up for debate. Though, in the latter case, it almost just sounds like post-apocalyptic fiction, but without the apocalypse. (Funny I keep coming back to that thought.)
Also... I'm not sure AI taking over would just result in humans losing access to wifi. Even if we assume humans would have to "pay" for access (when they don't have the money to), I'm sure its not that hard to assume that somebody somewhere in that scenario knows how to splice in a rogue connection to the network to circumvent this.
judge dredd has that set up closely
Strugatsky brothers, Noon universe :)
I LOVE this channel. This is by far one of the best GM tips there is. I think cyberpunk settings always rain to emphasize the depressing and oppressive atmosphere. A good book would be Neuromancer by William Gibson.
Been planing a cyberpunk style rpg with some friends after a lot of medieval fantasy games, so this was really helpful in creating a great world for them to survive in. Thanks.
I would add Mr Robot to the references because I feel that is the most accurate representation of Cyberpunk near our society. It touches some crucial points as big corporations, human mental issues related to the world, hackers, climate change and (for me one if the most important when we speak about a Cyberpunk society very related to ours) social engineering. This last one I feel that it doesn't get the attention it deserves, mostly because is a problem related to our world nowadays
Aesthetics are important to an extent to display the disparity and societal decay without just spoon feeding it to your players, but to have your setting appearing dark and depressing 24/7 can be a little excessive in game systems where the weather impacts the outcome of encounters and roll based challenges.
"This city stinks. like...I mean it sucks yeah, but it really does just smell awful dude", remarked VGL2501-G7 before turning on a weather news feed over the truck's audio system and rolling up the window. He groaned at the news that this was gonna be another brutally sunny and humid day in The Miami Autonomous zone ,"Why can't it rain all the time like Seattle? Whatever, the sooner I get off this rock and back up in orbit; the better."
I watched the 1979 movie The Warriors for inspiration on the gangs in my cyberpunk setting. As always, amazing video! Much support from South Africa!
I've GMed Cyberpunk since it debuted in 88. And I must say I did like your review and especially your reference to Strange Days not a white lie known movie but which is very cyberpunk in its feel
And how did GMing it go?
Tevo77777 I had to find my pace. I wasn't very good at GMing at first but, I finally found my style my stride in my case
I GM third world mercenary and commando games well, but for some reason things don't work out for my cyberpunk campaign.
I'm so glad you did this video, I played in a Cyberpunk 2020 campaign and worked on a mod to the Shadowrun computer games and cyberpunk is one of my favorite settings! I've been a bit too intimidated to DM a game with a cyberpunk setting myself as of yet, but I'll probably get there eventually. Big fan, keep em coming!
Gratitude for your comments! Next weeks episode is on how to Prep for your game as a GM/DM. Perhaps we can help you defeat your intimidation! Thanks for being a fan, and with comments like that - we most certainly will keep them coming!
I'd love to see some tips for a steampunk-setting! I didnt find a video about it on your channel, maybe I missed it ^^
You say lack of space travel but Hardwired, the Cyberpunk 2020 role-playing game, and Gibson's Sprawl Trilogy all involve space travel.
My game takes place in a dream world, and in one of the main Realms, aliens are the main force taking over the big corps and military. There's a very strong sense of survival and working your way up to a better living in my game, and a very involved system for both combat and sneaking around. Avoiding getting caught by the corrupt NeoPolice is a big part. There's no space travel though, as the dream realms are each different. 2 of the 4 realms featured in my first campaign I'm writing for my custom tabletop are very cyberpunk-dystopia themed. This video is a great tool with lots of good advice, I'm glad I found your channel.
edit: You have a lot of great videos. Very informative. Subscribed.
How did that go?
Building a cyberpunk Attack on Titan campaign. Paradis Island would be the unadvanced white tower with tech closer to where we are today in 2019/2020 and Marley is the dark, tech utopia.
I'm trying to run something that is like the point between our world and Shadowrun, or something like that, but I find it's really hard to get running right.
This video was so helpful, I hope it improves my luck. I wish it had more detail though, it's hard to find tips on this kind of setting.
This was really great - thanks so much for making this!
These videos are so good and informative
thanks !
Some good places to get inspiration on your cyberpunk stories are Ergo Proxy, Battle Angel Alita or Cyber City Oedo 808. It might not be the best, but they get the gears turning. Akira and Elysium is also good.
Remember when we played Cyberpunk 2020 and all the people who worked for a corporation always hade sunglasses. The DM got tired of hear "Is it a shade?" or "is he wearing sunglasses?" at the beginning of each encounter after a while.
lol
It was a constant thing from our DM. all evil people just wore sunglasses....JC Denton damn I miss that game.
Wearing sunglasses have a psychological effect on people. It's just damn hard to get that effect on players :) .But we respected him for the simple reason that he always had good stories and he could kill our characters just to prove a point.
Respected or feared :)
If you're looking for a bit of a change of pace, cowboy bebop has some nice adventure-y inspiration.
Honestly you'd be hard pressed to find better inspirations for Cyberpunk than Blade Runner, Cowboy Bebop, Akira, and Ghost in the Shell. They're sort of the pinnacle of Cyberpunk in the mainstream. Not to mention, the integration of technology into the human body is always a big part of cyberpunk RPGs.
I think a huge element that tends to be ignored in Cyberpunk is Horror. So many advances and wonders, but the authors also write in the warnings of not losing yourself as a human in the metaphorical and literal sense, as well as the horrors of creations that are given form through the hubris of corporations or other entities.
Great video as always!
Good Video. I just picked up Shadowrun and am making a campaign to run with my flat mates. This video helped a lot.
Awesome thank you. Check out the comment from Sean McGregor for some more useful info!
Really nice video!
I've loved cyberpunk for well over a decade now, so nothing really revolutionary in the video for me, but I really liked those points.
Something I have to sharpen myself as a GM. ;)
As for literature:
- William Gibson: Neuromancer. This is a must. For everyone.
I've read more than just that, but that's the one thing that has really stick my mind.
As for movies, I really liked your list, however please everyone. Remember to watch the *newer* Dredd movie. Not the one with Stallone, but with Karl Urban.
The Stallone one is an insult to all of the crappy movies ever made, but the newer one is absolute diamond.
Here's some more movies etc.:
- Johnny Mnemonic
- Appleseed Ex Machina
- Firefly
There are others, but I just can't remember the names.
THANK YOU!!! I reaaly wanted to see tips for playing cyberpunk setting, as I am Shadowrun fan. Literature, which I would recommend - Neal Steavenson - "Snowcrash". Thanks for the video!
Snowcrash - sounds interesting!
I agree. Snow Crash is a very readable and entertaining introduction to the literary genre.
After that my Gibson pick for getting into the genre would be Count Zero - I reckon it's more approachable than Neuromancer.
I love Cyberpunk but I'd like a system that's lighter on rules for my group than Shadowrun. Here are some of my favourite Cyberpunk works.
Books: Snowcrash, The Sprawl trilogy, Ghost in the Shell, Transmetropolitan
I'll give a mention to the TV show Incorporated (which got cancelled to my disappointment) and the Deus Ex series of video games.
Of the movies you listed I've seen all but The Expanse.. How good was Strange Days. two or three separate stories and mysteries though all are different the stories lead into one single story It's very elaborate and awesome!
Really enjoying the wardrobe effort here my man.
I found some gel - I don't use gel - that one of my ex's had left behind... spent more time realizing my hair doesn't respond well to gel than the video lol. But I had to make the effort - it's fun! Glad you appreciate it.
Totall Recall (the newer one) is also an amazing example, also my favorite
Thank you for the video. I just picked up Shadowrun and I wanted to do the game right. I love Cyberpunk and the stories about it but I am always afraid that I am getting the tone or the focus all wrong.
My greatest cyberpunk media!! movies Bladerunner, Total recall and Terminator 2 ..... Games Snatcher, DEX, final fantasy 8, Overblood 2, Xenosaga 3, xenoblade x and Dues ex 2.
That's a good list!
And the matrex
Just the kind of video i needed for my Mid90s megacity one shot!
I read somewhere : Cyberpunk is about the anxiety of an unknown future
It is.
It's the counterpoint to the rosy chrome plated vision of the future that the 1950's (sometimes referred to as "Raygun Future/Raygun Punk") had in its head as a result of the rising of corporate control, increasing economic inequality, the imperialistic proxy wars being fought by world superpowers, and uncertainty of technology and how pervasive it would be in our modern every day lives. That's my take anyways.
Just discovered this channel, and I'm very happy to have done so. Great amounts of content in each video. But, could you please tell us more about the "pre-game", as in how to prepare the information the GM needs to start it? This is one of my greatest struggles, as I feel that every time I start a game I have a lot of "pre-made" stuff that doesn't serve me in almost any way because my players tend to take the story to a whole new path. My strategy was to create topics with the information I felt was the most needed, but that doesn't help so much.
You are the fifty and five and first person to ask pre-game prep. It's on the list, but is obviously needing to be done ASAP! :) Welcome to the channel, and thank you for the question. I'll handle it next week, as a lot of people ask me that question. I'm afraid my answer won't be of much use to many people, but I'll try!
How to be a Great Game Master So many people going through the struggle of deciding what is too much preparation (so much that when you actually play you realise that you have a script in your hands) and what is the lack of information (and you feel like your world is not alive or you don't have the necessary knowledge to propel the narrative in a smooth way, etc) Haha, very glad this subject is on the "priority list", and thanks for the reply. Obviously, congratulations on the channel again, cheers
I personally love Cyberpunk as a setting, so it was nice to see you cover it. Another resource you could use for the setting could be something like Ghost in the Shell or Deus Ex, which are both very cybernetics-heavy.
Right! Though The Matrix was based on Ghost wasn't it? Deus Ex is a good example for sure!
There's also the movie "A.I.".... or "I, Robot"...
So... a lot of good general pointers in this video. I would like to add a few points that might help prospective players & GMs to keep the experience flavorful & fun (this being 2019 - and yes I am a veteran player from at least a dozen systems and a DM/GM from games like Shadowrun, CyberPunk, White Wolf Games, D&D... etc). Definitely do try to to view some of the movies our presenter listed (I would add Bladerunner , any of the "Ghost in the Shell" anime , "Johnny Mnemonic" and such movies "Zombieland" - for the humour & average tech level on the streets... for their concepts & background. Oh and if you view the Cyberpunk 2077 demos here, also a good source of ideas! Also, there is a book "HardWired" by Walter J. Williams - very much similar to actual Cyberpunk, and recommended by the creator of CyberPunk. This all being said, to keep the game(s) fun, try not to be too restrictive in that the plots should have points where even a non-technical/non-rational response can actually be a good thing.... expect players to come up with their own solutions to challenges and always keep the background alive with movement, personalities and events that can/might influence the characters to think and act in certain ways. Most importantly always have a crazy/random event handy to completely mess up a hopeless situation! Having the invincible assassin that is ready to double-tap the party get run over by an out of control ice-cream truck, and the pc's get free ice-cream is always a welcome diversion. If everyone who plays (including the GM!! - we are people too) is having fun, then you know you are doing it right....
OMG great timing,I just started a Savage Shadowrun campaign 4 days ago!
Well maybe a few of these ideas might help your next plot :)
Sure hope so. Just got done GM'ming an hour ago, and was getting pretty dry on ideas by the end of the session. Keep up the good work!
I hope this does hep with some ideas, but also don't be too hard on yourself and when in doubt let the players back stories help you create ideas, if they don't have backstories perhaps suggest them to our How to be a great pc videos, it's up to everyone at the table to create and enjoy the story :)
You've mentioned 40k once or twice, now. Do a video on how to run a Dark Heresy/Rogue Trader/Death Watch/Only War campaign (if you've done any one of those) I'm planning on running a Rogue Trader campaign soon, but it seems hard
as someone who's run cp for about 20 years, this is spot on. :)
You look SO much like Doc from Space Rangers in this video, it's crazy!
Well it was meant as a compliment so good that you took it as one! I do enjoy learning from you and everyone thank you! And about your response time, that was so fast the steam was still coming off the message. Now if I miss my guess your about 6-7 hours ahead of us (here in Ontario, Canada, you did say something about South Africa in your vid. on accents) so you can have dinner if you want, first! Have a good night (or is that Knight?). Tim Green
Hello Canada! We've got a few Canadians on this channel. My cousin is in Toronto :) And I've always wanted to live in Canada. I try respond as soon as a I see message :) Glad you like the channel!
Dude I gotta say I love this guys vids
Gratitude :)
You could probably also add "Repo Men" with Jude Law into your list of movies. To a certain degree anyway.
Read ‘hardwired’ by Walter Jon Williams. Original 1980s Cyberpunk at its best.
Great video, always loved the Cyberpunk ethos, and have used it in games from Cyberpunk 2020 though to Star Wars :)
Hi! First of all thank you for your precious videos, they are quite something!
I've been thinking about Cyberpunk for a while now and, as a new roleplayer to the genre, a couple of questions emerged:
Why isn't Cyberpunk so popular anymore (not since the 90s probably) and what types of Cyberpunk RPGs (that are actually buyable) are really good?
Thank you for your time,
Dario
P. S.: I'm sorry if my english isn't so good :)
Personally I think that Cyberpunk-type settings aren't quite as popular as it used to be is that it is so worryingly close to what is going on in the world today.. and most of the people I game with don't like to be reminded about the "real world" when they game,.. they want escapism.. so fantasy and science fiction usually get picked over cyberpunk... but that's just my own two cents..
And as far as your English? There's no need to apologize. You have tried.. that's more than we can say for probably 90% of the internet.. :)
I was watching another show (yes, "gasp!") and they asked "what do new DM's need?" They said nothing but in response I agreed but also said that shows like yours (and ok,"theirs", "gasp" are good tools for the DM old, new, getting the rust off unused mental muscles like myself) and theirs was very helpful to DM's. It gives a new way of looking at the issue AND some potential solutions to issues they may/will run into!
I'm taking this as a compliment cause I got confused as to who theirs and mine was :p. There are many many GM video's out there, and I have watched a lot of them. And for rules questions - I am most certainly not the one to ask. What I felt was lacking though was the approach to story. Hence my focus on it rather than the more usual fodder. But welcome to the table! And ask your questions sirrah! Ask you questions I do try to answer everyone.
The Deus Ex video games are another great cyberpunk reference. Human Revolution in particular does a good job of showing the dichotomy between the impoverished lower elements of society and the upper classes' luxurious lifestyle.
Gratitude. It's one game I never got into playing. Human Revolution - is that a book or a game? Or a show?
It's a prequel, and quite a good one.
Deus Ex: Human Revolution (released in 2011) is the excellent third installment in the Deus Ex series; I should've specified, sorry. The story's central conflict centers around human augmentation and its potential impact on society, and it spends a lot of time in environments at both ends of the haves-have nots spectrum.
Sweet. I may have a look at it if it goes on sale :)
To me a very important part of Cyberpunk is blurring the line between man and machine. How do you know a person from a computer and is there really a difference anymore? It's a setting that can easily be very philosophical. Good source material for this is Ghost in a Shell, but I would rather recommend the anime stuff and not the resent live action movie.
cool! Thanks
As always, great video Guy! johnny mnemonic would be another good example I think.I once created a game that was based off of the matrix. However, the real world (where everyone was harvested) took place more in the 1940's. Instead of machines, it was mutant like spiders that caught and harvested humans. Inside of the "matrix" was based on more fantasy and medieval times. I called it Defiance. It was fun, but never lifted off. Either my players weren't into it or I was too noob like yet to be pulling off such a role play. not sure. Definitely could use some more polishing.
Sounds interesting! Why did the spiders do it? In the Matrix there was the notion of human batteries? Which is junk because keeping us alive takes more power than we produce or so I've been told.
Ooh, that's a heavy question. Well, the Hive Spiders don't need the humans for electrical energy. There's plenty of that to go around, plus, they're pretty self sufficient. During the war between the humans and hive spiders, humans figured out that the spiders are a lot like humans, in that they need food, water, and to remain healthy. The hive spiders' could get sick just like humans. So, the humans decided to radiate the earth's surface by releasing heavily radiated chemicals that targeted spiders specifically (leaving the humans essentially untouched). It worked, completely destroyed the hive spiders' immune systems, obliterating any white blood cells they had. This was a win in the eyes of the humans, however, this is also what lost them everything else. Humans did not factor in the spiders' desperation to survive. The humans were unaware at the time but the spiders were masters of dna manipulation. If they needed to breed a certain species of spider for a certain task, they could do that. i.e. Need a spider who's venom acts like super glue, done. The spiders can not create new dna, or create what is not there, simply mutate it. That's right, they couldn't just breed a new spider that could heal them of this lack of immunity. Either way, so now the humans had something the spiders didn't, and they had plenty of it: white blood cells. This is when the spiders began harvesting humans for their blood. Anyway, heavy answer. I know there's probably holes all over just as there were in the matrix but, meh. Ideas are fun.
I do like the idaa. thank you for taking the time to share with us your world and the process you took to get to the point where the games starts. Holes or not - there is a logical progression and a wonderful narrative that tells of hubris, and the desperation to survive, on both sides. Again thank you!
Great video!
Thank you! Any questions for more videos?
What advice to you have for Dms doing a short one off session. I'm running one tomorrow night and am concerned that i may have packed in too much / too little. Don't want the game to be over in 20mins but can't have it drag on too long. I know you have covered pacing but my question pertains to one off mini adventures only :S Thank you in advance for any help you can provide. As ever, quality content.
I would simply break it into three acts - intro of the situation for 20 minutes, the situation for 40 minutes, and the climax for 20 minutes. (Depending on your time bracket). How to make sure you have enough material is work out three points the players need to get in the first 20 minutes. Ie. A phone call leads to a bar leads to the murder. For the situation lead into it with a fight. The bar goons attack. Then have four to six points to deal with. After the fight they find the back room with a locked hatch that leads to a dungeon. Have a fight. Find a key leading to a door leading to a parking lot leading to a house address on the hill. Something like that. Have stuff you can drop, or add in depending on your time. Then have three moments in the conclusion - fight at the house, discovery of the origin of the phonecall that started it. Villain fight. Done. Replace with suitable fantasy or sci-fi elements :)
Brilliant
Good video but I feel like it emphasized the cyber part too much while not really talking about the punk aspect of the genre. After all the punk aspect is usually a major theme for the characters to focus on. One of the defining aspect of any character in the setting is usually defiance of something that many would just hold up as the way of life. Runners in Shadowrun tend to be runners because the character is some form of outcast or refuses to go through life in the same eat, work, sleep routine the corps would prefer everyone do.
OMG you are describing my city! NYC
So I've heard a lot about steampunk, cyberpunk, and sci-fi. What about subgenres that are less well known like dieselpunk, atompunk, silkpunk, and cyberprep? I know those terms appear in GURPS according to Wiki but what would you say define those categories?
There's also a kickstarter out for a game centering around Biopunk.. basically there's the cybernetics, semi-science fiction and dystopian anti-corporation mentality mixed with genetic manipulation... people created as part of a super soldier initiative.. but they only live for something like twenty years.. people genetically engineered to be able to breathe underwater .. or to be able to better survive working in a mining environment. Then there's nifty little mods like being genetically altered so that you can shock people like an electric eel.. or to see better at night.. and of course, like Shadowrun, there's the ever enticing lure of immortality.. uploading one's consciousness into the WWW... or into either a clone or android body...
Nothing new for me here. But good for newcomers. Well done.
Hey, if you're interested in a really cool Cyberpunk world, there's a game called Void and Meddler with a really nice setting that does a decent job of straying from the 'big corporations, little poor people' norms.
How?
Yes! Please run a campaign at some point. There is next to none of this on CZcams.
A campaign on Cyberpunk? My other channel has a Pathfinder Campaign, and next week switched to a mid-season break of Mutants and Masterminds. Something I haven't mentioned in any of these Settings videos - there are settings for players and there are settings for players. If you players are hack'n'slash types, Cyberpunk, Shadowrun, Cthulu, Star Trek, etc. won't be a good fit. So sometimes it's about aligned your setting choice with your players too!
Yes a cyberpunk campaign I should have specified. I love the fantasy setting and I run or play 4 (some more than others) and am an avid watcher of at least 4 more online but it is a very saturated RPG genre and I would love to see more Cyberpunk (or Shadowrun, Star Trek or other scifi for that matter) being run especially by talented GMs such as yourself. Watching others work is a huge boon to my own craft both as PC and GM. I was an instant and devoted fan of your pathfinder campaign as soon as I came across it about a month and a half ago. That actually led me to your GM tips and PC tips (with which I have been assaulting my players).
Cyberpunk is my favorite, tho it can be hell trying to gather a group of people who are interesting in uncovering mysteries.
For literature you could check out Neuromancer (tech is a bit dated, but entire Sprawl Trilogy by Gibson is amazing) or from more recent ones Pattern Recognition.
I also struggle to make them last into long campaigns. Maybe three or four good long sessions and then... it slowly winds down. There are certain genre's that I know I'm good at in terms of keeping it going and keeping it interesting, and others that I don't seem to have found the right through-line yet.
Right?.. I seem to be having exactly the same problem.
I found out that mysteries are good when they constantly introduce new elements that keep the players heads spinning and it dies out if they dwell on one thing for too long or feel stuck.
I started experimenting with new mystery/conspiracy spinning strategy that I found in "Technoir" system book. Using their method I feel like not only I need to do less work but I myself get surprised by the mystery/conspiracy developing in front of me. Twists, turns and constant new developments seem to keep everyone engaged, tho people still need to have the mind for it.
Care to share their method?
It is fairly hard to put it in a single reply, and while the core concept is fairly simple I would suggest getting the hold of "Technoir" PDF and reading the chapter "Compositions".
The Alexandrian talking about it: thealexandrian.net/wordpress/10632/roleplaying-games/technoir-and-the-three-clue-rule
The writer calls the method "transitions" which is basically a table of 6 connections (important NPCs), 6 events, 6 factions, 6 locations, 6 objects and 6 threats described in a single sentence so that there is ambiguity and room to grow. This makes total of 36 "plot nodes". Each connection has its own table of 12 (from the master table of 36) possible to add plot nodes, 2 of each kind, should players engage them.
The idea is to randomly roll 3 "plot nodes", place them on the sheet of paper and connect each of them with one another. That is going to be an initial mission seed. As character creation goes, each player has access to any 3 connections that are available and with them acquiring gear and other resources those connections get engaged with already existing 3 "plot nodes" depending on how many favors been asked from them.
The plot map grows the more players engage with their connections and pursue existing plot hooks, which adds to the story at every turn.
That's a very interesting way of thinking about plotting out an adventure. Very different from my own. You've given me something to research and I thank you for it! Love the idea if it works they way you say it works, as it might make plotting easier. hmmmm.... love this channel and how it's working! Thank you!
Top vid!
Hi Guy could you do a video on how to get your players to feel attached to something like a ship or a city. Something along the lines of how you feel about the Battlestar Galactica or Serenity from Firefly. Things that aren't alive but you feel like you know them anyway ☺
+RandumbVanguard Cheers ☺
That's an interesting question! My regular party is all about their flying airship. So I've got a few pointers that I've found to make sense!
Give the object some form of relatable quality. Something they'll gravitate to. It could be a distinctive automated voice, or internal structure that reminds them of home. It could be some cool tech or ability that adds to gameplay without being too powerful, or the fact that one of them has to interface with the vehicle in such a way that they "become the vehicle" - they see and hear through it's sensors, and can feel the air/water/space particles on their skin. Make the vehicle an extension of the players in some way, and they'll see it as more of a companion than device.
Now that is super cool advice! I like the idea of the extension! Almost like Ironman's suit in a way but more.
IMO, the best way to get the players to feel attached to something is to have them make it themselves.
The game that got me into cyberpunk is E.Y.E. Divine Cybermancy. The world is the best representation of cyberpunk that I have ever seen in a game.
As for anime, Akira does a great job, but if you really want to feel the cyberpunk feeling, Ghost In The Shell is the way to go. Masterpieces, all of the movies and the series that followed.
Agreed. Never played EYE... mmmm... maybe time to look it up!
The game is very buggy and favors the "guns blazing" playstyle. But the artstyle and atmosphere is spot on!
Sweet.
Dont make it all about the binary? What if we're all computer scientist students?
My players are littlerly a scrap Prince hacker and a noir Detective.
They are cyberpunk 🤖
I'm surprised you didn't mention Cyberpunks slightly less emo, slightly more mature, more niche weird twin Post-Cyberpunk!
Its every bit as dark and grungy as Cyberpunk, but with more grey area where everyone is an ass hole but still has some redeeming qualities to them with even more advanced tech thrown into the mix. (Neural uploading, Nano fabrication, Space travel ect...) A little more Cyber with a little less punk.
There is so little information on post-cyberpunk these days.
I can understand why he didn't talk about it but in terms of Cyberpunk 2020 or RED, a big part is the political struggle too, of power. Doesn't matter if you fight to tear down the system or provide for it, you effect the landscape of the country and as a knock on effect, the people that live in it. Will you take the power you feel you deserve or help someone else reach it? Maybe you'll take power away and end the country in anarchy. Whatever you choose, power is a great focus for this genre as power can be as wealthy as money itself.
Haha, nice hair! You should wear it like that more often!
Blush... no. Not a gel fan :)
It's raining because it's Seattle.
Does anyone know a good “monster manual” so to speak for a Cyberpunk setting?
It really depends on what "flavor" of cyberpunk you're playing. Shadowrun is a sort of high-fantasy races and magic meets Johnny Mnemonic/Matrix sort of feel so you've got everything from spirits and spells and dragons to mutated rats and online-only computer program demons (think Mr Smith from the Matrix)... if you're more into the actual "Cyberpunk" side, then you could use whatever animal exists in our current world.. maybe some sort of cybernetic variant or genetically enhanced version... but again, it all depends on whichever publisher's core book you're using. Shadowrun has it's own critter tables.. Gurps has it's own.. there's a kickstarter game called GeneFunk 2079 that uses 5e (DnD) rules so if you're running THAT game, you could use practically any 5e monster manual or if you're in the mood to do a bit of conversion, an earlier version monster manual..
I think a a great inspiration for cyber punk would be USA getto at night
More like Times Square at night?
I don't know how best to /start/ a game. I usually wait until my players have calmed down and then start describing the setting but i feel like it's always jarring.
Not sure if this has already been covered in a video or not soz lol
It has. My memory fails me - i think it was different ways to start you campaign. It was made a month or three ago! Never be afraid to ask questions! It's always good.
You might want to develop a key phrase that acts like a signal to start gaming. I tend to GM standing up. So when I stand up from my chair and echo Matthew Colville's key phrase "When last we left our heroes...", my players cease what they're doing and really zone in on what's being said. It might be jarring at first, but when they start to learn whatever your phrase is, trust me, they'll respond positively.
That's a great idea! And now for something completely different? And then there was chaos perhaps should be better suited lol :)
What would it be like if a revolution happens in a cyberpunk world?
Either it collapses early on due to lack of resources or internal disagreements, or its backed by a corp or other powerholder and thus isn't actually a revolution but just part of a broader plan.
@@TheFanoren thx
Very short and very...VERY bloody. Human life in a cyberpunk world is practically worthless.. especially if they stand in the way of a megacorp's bottom line... In most cyberpunk settings I've seen/read.. the megacorps are bigger and more powerful than most actual nations.. enjoying "extraterritoriality".. basically superpowers unto themselves..with militaries to match..
how could I miss this?
the vid I have been waiting for and I see it a week late - well, better now than never
We need to get better at stalking you apparently :P Apologies that you are only seeing it now. Hope it was worth the wait.
How to be a Great Game Master
Absolutely. There were a few little bits and pieces there that I missed in my games. For example the moving between the higher up and the bottom of society to create tone or reinforce the tone of the game. While I knew most of this ahead of time, I guess its good to keep my mind focused on whats important to convey the basic idea of cyberpunk.
Sounds like the world today
Anyone know a good Cyberpunk rpg on table top simulator?
I've heard that cyberpunk 2020 is good and there's a newer version of it called cyberpunk red and soon there's going to be a video game called cyberpunk 2077
"That's not rain." What? "The sewer pipes from the Upper aren't well maintain." Shit! "That too."
As a long time cyber punk lover, now I have found the premise of CB a bit BS where I hear the host talked about minimal space travel. The reason being that if a world with such extreme high technology why can't people just escape to another planet? I know Blade Runner has a back story of indeed people do live in another world, Earth just being a dumpster, but what about other cyberpunk world? where there are no alien and no planetary colony to be found? what would the reason be then? may be I am OCD, and when creating a cyberpunk world, I want it to be exactly dark and no other beautiful bright world exist... may be in those worlds of CB, the corp just got greedy and think space travel is too expensive so they never bother or it is easier to control humanity if we are kept on one planet, I don't know...
Perhaps as you've said, the Megas control the means.. In most cyberpunk settings I"ve encountered, the vast majority of the population of the planet work for one of the many megacorporations... which are countries of a sort in their own right. And if you're working for a company, they tend to tell you where you're working, what you're working on and given a (usually crushing) timeframe in which to deliver. And if they don't really pay you all that well (or pay you like the mining companies back in the day used to half in "normal" currency and half (or more) in company "scrip" which is usually only accepted in company stores... kinda hard to save up for or even to buy a ticket off-planet to a colony or space station..
I know this was forever ago, but one reason
I think that we live in a Cyberpunk world. We have all the requirements!
Also, have you ever considered doing introduction videos to certain games - like, how to run a Call of Cthulhu campaign effectively or anything like that? Sorry.... strange feeling I've asked you his before, sir.
I haven't specifically done how to run a 'rules system' or a 'setting' game. I've done how to plan one, and what to expect from a setting and broad strokes on settings. Would you like me to do a breakdown of how to plan out a campaign within a particular setting?
Indeed I would! Call of Cthulhu seems like a tricky one for me as thing slick combat and other more common encounters are rarer than in D&D which I am more familiar with. Thanks!
I'll add it to the list and see if others are interested!
A fun take on a Call of Cthullhu campaign might be a Scooby-Doo campaign LOL
Easiest way to describe Cyberpunk, is
Low life, high tech.
It's always raining bc global warming has progressed to the point that most water has evaporated into creating a perpetual blanket of humidity above the Earth, thus causing perpetual rain? Idk that was always my interpretation.
Honestly it's not really a lore thing. It's always raining because Cyberpunk tends to draw heavily from film noir, and in noir it's always raining because it fits the themes and tone, along with usually being set in New York or Seattle or some similarly wet and rainy place.
Dark spaces in the Internet? sooooo Twitter?
i can watch a cyber punch story but i can’t get into gaming as
I am currently trying to put together a cyberpunk pen and paper game I want to DM. (Host) The rules will mostly use those from Cyberpunk 2020, but will be set quite a bit further into the future. Pushing the envelope for a future that is a little more than the "near future" but not so far at to be in a "distant future". I also would be combining various movie references for some of the plot, but will have a huge focus on conspiracy. I understand that some people use skype for campaigns, or reddit, or whatever. I probably would make a Facebook account strictly for this if anyone is interested. I have the Cyberpunk 2020 book, but none of the companion books as of yet (they are all pretty expensive) I am looking for probably no more than 4 people for a campaign and if anyone wants more details, send me a message either here or on my own CZcams account. People looking to troll or just ruin fun for everyone need not apply. For anyone who wants to know, there is possible character death, but I treat it in a fairly unique way considering this is Cyberpunk.
Or for a bit more modern day look at a cyberpunk, watch Kingsman: The Secret Service
Interesting. Yes I guess you are right!
You missed one important point. In Cyberpunk there are no "heroes"
Cyberpunk is not about solving problems of others. It is about surviving, escape the ghetto, earning money etc. On the one hand, it is a dark despaired environment but on the other hand it is freedom. You are a nothing, a nobody. Most of the time, nobody cares about you. Not even about your crimes. Except your crimes involve upper class citizen. If you stay low, you will probably also able to stay hidden. Also you can always be some kind of mercenary.
I think it is the most reason to play cyberpunk. I wouldnt recommend playing cyberpunk if you intend to play a fantasy plot in a sci fi environment. If your group likes to be good guys, helping others, fantasy would fit better. If they want to play a sci fi plot and are looking for higher purpouses, meaningful plots, there are other sci fi pen and papers.
You could play a starwars sci fi or strar trek, perry rhodan sci fi, or Stargate. Whatever you like. But dont try Cyberpunk.
Cyberpunk is for people who realy want to play something different. To be free. I think your group should be a little bit experienced, good in roleplaying. As in fifth element or tribute of panem there is a weird middle and upper class society and like modern japanese culture, in cyberpunk everything is realy special. It is not as dark as you may want to think. There are slums of course, but you dont have to be there. You could also try something completely different, playing thieves doing heists, play a scientist and create illegal ais, be part of some kind of robot rumble. There are so many possibilitys. And i think there are 2 classes in general you should NOT play with unexperienced players. As GM you should refuse player to be a Cop or a Corporate because this can ruin your plot very easily. Also you should realy make it clear, in cyberpunk, you can easily die. And you probably will. So dont me mad at the gm or sad in general. It is not fantasy, you wont come back to life with a ressurection spell. And when you want to be GM, dont allow every technology possible. This will result in a boring playstile. Real threads and caution will make your players act completely different than in fantasy pen and paper. I dont think the depressive Style is the focus of Cyberpunk, but i can imagine most think about that and want to experience that.
I also think Bladerunner is one of the best reference, the netflix series altered carbon is i absolutely genious about a cyberpunk style setting. In regular Cyberpunk there are no sleeves but it could be even possible as a plot in a certain city or country.
Cyberpunk is fascinating because you can be everything if you accept the challenge. If you want it easy, dont play cp
Always raining because of climate disruption
The birth of Cyberpunk came from the book, Neuromancer, by William Gibson. If you want to explain Cyberpunk, you should always mention this source from which it was created. czcams.com/video/b1kJI-UvYwQ/video.html
And as a side-note.. I've always heard that Mr. GIbson was rather.. dismissive of the Shadowrun-type cyberpunk games but that could just be heresay..
This line is absolutely not secure. We are without a doubt being monitored.
Just say technology sucks and then give characters mecha jetpacks & rayguns.
-Me