Posts made by Runescryer

@Wizz I can agree with that. However, you're crossing the line from 'cyberpunk' to 'transhumanism', IMO. And there is a difference.

Cyberpunk focuses on technology as dehumanizing, whether that be cybernetic implants, communications, lifestyle, whatever. Technology is neutral, but humans choose to use it in damaging ways, and there's an undercurrent of personal and societal damage due to technology.

Transhumanism focuses on technology as a tool to reach beyond the limits of our physical forms. Technology is abused in bad ways sometimes, but is ultimately a Good Thing. The scale of negative uses and effects of technology are limited and outweighed by the overall benefits of Technology to society.

Ultimately, the difference is how the overall society is presented as interacting with Technology.

With Cyberpunk, tech is a necessary evil, you need it in order to compete or even just survive. Society is ruined because of disparities in economics and access to technology, and the question is: what are you willing to do to others and yourself to survive.

With Transhumanism, tech is a natural part of society. There may be inequality and other darker aspects of society, but the the outlook is far more positive, and society on a whole has more equality than a Cyberpunk setting; even the dystopia of Altered Carbon is far better and more preferable to live in than the dystopia of Gibson's Sprawl. Here, the question is: how can technology help you fulfill your best potential?

And that's reflected in the difference in TableTop games. Cyberpunk games have Essence/Humanity loss in dealing with cybernetics. Transhuman games like Eclipse Phase don't. Because they're approaching the concept from two different viewpoints.

@Wizz Cybernetics are already inherently expensive, A starting character can't afford very much in Cyberpunk, as opposed to Shadowrun.

And if you're worried about 'inherently gross', then, no offense, but Cyberpunk might not be the genre for you. We're talking about a literary genre where one of the major works, Hardwired, features a character who has an implanted Roto-Rooter in her throat with a targeting system. And she conducts an assassination of an 80+ year old man who had his consciousness transfered into the body of a 16 year old girl, by french kissing the target and unleashing the weapon, which tore all the way down 'her' throat, then buzzed around and pureed the major organs. That's not exactly 'light' subject matter.

@Cheesegrater Why do you think I was talking about Molly?

I was talking about Riviera. Dude was completely psychotic and saw others as lesser creatures to be done with as he wills. He enjoys torturing and cutting up people with his implanted lasers. Now, could that have been the speedball mix? Possibly. But, there is precedence for someone falling down the 'Metal Is Better Than Meat' hole.

Now, is it a mechanic to limit getting loaded up with Cyber? Absolutely. Is the concept in the game more devastating than in the literary genre? Possibly. But, without the possibility of cyberpsychosis, everyone would be playing a FullBorg. Because if there's zero downside to hacking off body part and replacing them with machines, why not go all the way? And if everyone's doing that, you don't need a c-psycho squad; every cop and corp security would be armed like c-psycho; and that would make the game even more lethal at starting levels than it already is.

@Jennkryst Cyberpsychosis has always been a staple of the Cyberpunk genre, from Neuromancer onwards. It's also a physical representation of the overall genre theme of the dehumanizing effects of technology.

Speaking as a player, I'd love for an RTal Cyberpunk RED game. The Jumpstart box is good, but missing some of the 'side' Roles like Cop, Corp, and Media. Current info is that the full game will be out in June.

@Seraphim73 Another option: create a tie-in game on Roll20 or FantasyGrounds where the TT Mech Combat aspects are played and keep the MU strictly RP.

Just my opinion, but I think that something like Solaris VII would be an ideal setting for a BattleTech MU. You have lots of chances for cross faction RP that doesn't have to involve shooting at each other (either Mech or personal combat).

@Cupcake

@Auspice said in Good TV:

@Runescryer said in Good TV:

@Auspice Will Arnett is just amazingly awesome as the host. Yeah, it's all pre-recorded, but his bon-motts and remarks are great.

Also, the Builders mess with him at times. First episode, the challenge is to build a Theme Park, and one of the teams used the 'official' Will minifig and stuck him inside the Ferris Wheel that they built, saying that Will was shooting an action-comedy film at the scene.

Soooo, I watched the first episode. Will Arnett is fun.
But I gotta say, I feel like some of these teams were chosen less for ability and more for, uhh.... quirkiness? factor?

(.... or in the case of that one lady, nightmare fuel.)

Yeah. But, one of the 'quirky' teams is gone in the 2nd episode. So, the teams with ability start shining more.

@Auspice Will Arnett is just amazingly awesome as the host. Yeah, it's all pre-recorded, but his bon-motts and remarks are great.

Also, the Builders mess with him at times. First episode, the challenge is to build a Theme Park, and one of the teams used the 'official' Will minifig and stuck him inside the Ferris Wheel that they built, saying that Will was shooting an action-comedy film at the scene.

LEGO Masters is a fun, quirky LEGO dream made reality. Although the second episode where they had to design builds that would be deliberately destroyed was kind of painful to watch due to the destruction.

@Mr-Johnson I do appreciate the support. You're a good guy and I know what you were meaning to say.

Regardless, let's keep things positive? I appreciate the sentiment from @Wizz. @Mr-Johnson

EDIT: Had the wrong member...

Update: Lots of people flocking to the Discord server over a day or two. And, there might be an announcement soon, but that's for someone else to reveal. There are wheels and gears in motion, and things are looking positive.

@TNP So, it's fine to go from a frail, elderly Aunt May to the next player going with mid-50's May? She gets de-aged and everything makes sense?

@TNP I do understand your point. But this is limiting RP in it's own way. Yes, support characters like Alfred and Aunt May are apped by players on occasion. But not with regular basis or demand. Also, once a version of a character is apped, future players are pretty much locked into that version. In my opinion, it's the player of the primary character that should set the 'version' of their support characters (Superman for Lois & the Daily Planet Staff, Peter for Aunt May, Bruce for Alfred, etc.). There's been plenty of times that I've been interested in a character on a game, but the previous history of that character makes to proposition unattractive. Limiting the support characters in this way isn't the same as keeping options for characters that are regularly in demand open.

So, recent events have me thinking in regards to how to document complaints. Because it's almost always after the fact. Is it possible to combine a 'report' command with an autologger so that accurate and impartial documentation can take place?

So, like '+report (name)' opens up a report file and starts logging. '+report/file' stops the autolog and sends the file off to whomever is responsible for starting investigations?

@Auspice No worries Do what's best for you.

@Auspice Thanks. We're not asking for commitments to Staff or even Play right now, just some occasional feedback and discussion. Whatever and however much you might feel like.

Hi there.

So, some of you may have noticed the posts about the recent (ongoing) drama at one of the few superhero-themed games currently active. Not naming names, this isn't the Hog Pit; you either know which one or can easily find out. The HeadWiz of the game made their feelings perfectly clear recently with an ultimatum post on the game: Stop discussing what happened and start toeing the line, or find somewhere else to play.

Okay. This is for the people choosing the later option.

There's not many supers games currently active, so we're making a new one. One that takes into account things that we see as wrong or lacking in other games and tries to make an inclusive, accountable, fun community.

There's lots of ideas to use, and I'm sure there's plenty of people that have thought of what can be done to build a better supers game/community. We'd like to hear your input and ask you to come and join us.

Right now, it's a bare-bones Discord server, but it has the potential of growing into something more.

https://discord.gg/8SJ4Q7Q

Okay. Since we're all sort of entering into a 'We'll Make our Own Place, Without Blackjack & Hookers' phase, I'm creating a Discord server for those that want to start building a Supers game (and it will be Perfect! PERFECT I TELL YOU!!!!!), to gather and discuss ideas, option, and try to build something sustainable and lasting.

https://discord.gg/8SJ4Q7Q