I felt a little bad for Tadk being the only one to have posted a thread so far, and I thought I'd be more likely to actually start/create/finish an entry if I stated it publically, so here it goes.
*tosses a few chips onto the table* Deal me in.
For now I'll just be posting a few random ideas and trying to work things out that way (I think better when I write), but you'll hopefully see drafts sooner rather than later.
Key Elements:
I will be stressing a few things that I noted in topic.
1) Things Replacing Things They Shouldn't (I came up with Religion taking over Big Business off the top of my head, but I am fascinated by that now).
2) Technological integration pushing the question of where the human ends and the tech begins (technology being loosely defined and thus including genetic do-what-nows).
2b) How tech also redefines what humanity is.
3) Dystopia v Utopia
Character System:
I generally believe that the setting and system should fit perfectly together, which means that each should be designed with the other in mind. This means an "original" system is needed. For the sake of time, though, I'll be going with the basic attribute/class/skill/items/maybe-other-powers paradigm. I like simple systems, however, so I am currently leaning towards 4 stats, hard-classes (ideally 7 classes, but might get bumped down to 4) that establish a character's general background and place in society, small skill set (probably primarily defined by class), items in general being rare and fundamentals. Maybe-other-powers will largely depend on how I develop "VR" for the setting.
Conflict Resolution System:
Basic roll die/dice, add bonuses, compare against target. Cortex System inspired implementation in general, however. Stats determine die type, skills determine bonus, extra "Sin" system can change things up a bit. Might use roll target number, rather than roll above/below.
Important Actions will be defined as "any action or subset thereof in which a loss on the PC's part will hinder character goals or reduce character effectiveness." These are fairly classical, with a slight eye towards being gritty. Negotiating a deal, attacking a foe, etc all count as individual actions.
"Sin System" is something I am currently playing around with and might not include. Each character will have vices and virtues that can be tapped in order to affect the outcome of a conflict. Success/failure might change that particular vice/virtue's score and opponents might be able to take advantage of this as well. A character with a high "wrath" score might be able to get a bonus to attacks when they are angry, but they would also be easier for a foe to goad into attacking. Lust might help them seduce others but also make them more likely to be seduced. Chastity, its opposite, might make them immune for being seduced but will also reduce their ability to seduce others.
Fluff:
Utopian exterior with rotting underbelly motif. Techtown (like "downtown or uptown") will be the paragons of technological advancement, with environmentally friendly everything and happy-yay-ness. Oldtown will be technologically discarded pieces of cities (a rapidly growing sector as new technological advances make even techtown outdated). Classic "mutant" population resulting from unregulated gene-therapies. "The Redemption Army" being an old charity that, after helping with enough natural disasters, began assuming para-political control in some areas. The Cult of Sisko, a religion-turn-megacorporation controlling manufacturing of certain goods ("forget coverage, our cell phones forgive sins!"). The Birds, an organization that is part political party, part street gang, and part televangelist.