Can we make Cyberpunk good again?

[tadk]

Ok I am in for a contest or what ever goes on for this

[Kinslayer]

Do we want to focus on cyberpunk as a literary genre, or the fun things your characters can have/do. In other words, do we want to look at the meat or the chrome? How are we defining 'cyberpunk', with the underlying fears or the appearance?

Looking at the chrome means focusing on the technological aspects. How far do we want to go with prosthetics? What problems arise? Speaking as someone with lots of metal bits on my tired old bones, they don't handle temperature changes as well as the originals did. I'd hate to think about how much cyberware that breaks through the skin must itch. The easy access to: guns, shadowy jobs, and government-less urban hiding spots, are all chrome. The multicultural blending of cyberpunk is also chrome.

Underneath, looking at the meat, is a different sort of issue. Loss of personal identity and authority, fear of losing one's humanity or history, and focusing on the insubstantial (time-sensitive data theft, fashion nightmares of the 'eighties) are all part of the meat.

As Chainsaw Aardvark alluded, those writing in the early 'eighties were influenced by earlier decades as they were growing up. We would have different preferences because our youthful experiences would differ--or run parallel in odd ways as cyberpunk is now a part of our literary pasts.

For an update, shall we just focus our energies on polishing the chrome alone? That is, using wireless networking--as Thought mentioned--or getting rid of the giant bulletproof hairdos--as Kumakami suggested (though not in so many words). Will more functional and nonobvious prosthetics be part and parcel, or is taking your power armour to the grocer's more it?

Alternatively, do we focus more on the meat? This would mean tackling such issues as genetic modification, pandemics, celebrity governance, global warming and other environmental issues.

[Rob Lang]

Tadk - of course you may, sir!

I think Cyberpunk is difficult to precisely define without referencing the worlds presented in books. I would hazard a guess that it was a near future extrapolation of technology and exaggeration of a few key social aspects. The social aspects you exaggerate depend on your form of world. Gibson was fascinated with the economically poor but technically rich (the Low-Fis) whereas Stephenson (in Snow Crash) was more interested in organised crime becoming mainstream. CP2020 RPG focussed on Corporations and technology, Corporation (the RPG) focusses on Corporations.

As for a contest, I think it should be to create a Cyberpunk setting for an existing set of free RPG rules. The competition entrant can choose whatever generic system they like. I think 3 months is a good timeline as it can take 3 weeks for the word to stretch around the internet.

hang on, wasn't this how the 24 hour RPG contest started?

[misterecho]

ooo... The ball is rolling. I like.

I will offer up £30 Amazon voucher (converted to your local currency) as the prize. Should this be split for 1st 2nd 3rd? or even catagories?

I like the idea of a setting for an existing ruleset idea. Anyone have any thoughts? Disagree, want to create your own?

[Rob Lang]

I think a single prize is best. It's easier to understand and therefore "sell" to participants. There are likely to be a load of rules to do with the setting (what is being looked for) and so on.

We should have a rule that 'Keeton' (OUR GLORIOUS BENEFACTOR) is included as an NPC.

[misterecho]

[Rob Lang]

[misterecho]

ok for fricks sake DOCTOR Lang

It just makes you sound so evil.

[tadk]

Name the system and a bit of linkage and a start date

I have danced on this stage in gaming and fiction more than once
Ready to do it again

[Thought]