I know a lot of us have cyberpunk on the brain right now because of the Cascade and TORG Kickstarters. Lowell Francis has put up the most recent entry in his blog series tracing the history of RPG genres, this time with the early history of cyberpunk RPGs (1988-1992). It’s a really great read, filled with lots of interesting things I didn’t know before.
As always, I think this blog series is really important to the hobby, and it deserves to be supported. Check out Lowell’s Patreon and consider giving him a buck or two: https://www.patreon.com/ageofravens
I hope to have part two up this week!
I hope to have part two up this week!
Lowell Francis oooo! Looking forward to part two immensely. Part one was awesome!
Lowell Francis oooo! Looking forward to part two immensely. Part one was awesome!
Lowell Francis … what is the criteria for these lists?
Lowell Francis … what is the criteria for these lists?
Great write up, Lowell Francis
Great write up, Lowell Francis
The briefly mentioned Death Valley Free Prison supplement is one of the most astoundingly racist things I have ever read.
The briefly mentioned Death Valley Free Prison supplement is one of the most astoundingly racist things I have ever read.
It’s been years since I read DVFP, but that would not surprise me. There’s a lot of problematic material in early Cyberpunk as well. The treatment and presentation of some of the nomad archetypes for example.
It’s been years since I read DVFP, but that would not surprise me. There’s a lot of problematic material in early Cyberpunk as well. The treatment and presentation of some of the nomad archetypes for example.
Jonathan Lavallee I talk a little about that in the intro to the list. Cyberpunk’s one of the more subjective of those. In the end I’ve included self-described cp items and those that gut-feel cp to me. But I’ve wrestled with those definitions and choices more with this genre than any so far.
Jonathan Lavallee I talk a little about that in the intro to the list. Cyberpunk’s one of the more subjective of those. In the end I’ve included self-described cp items and those that gut-feel cp to me. But I’ve wrestled with those definitions and choices more with this genre than any so far.
IIC Death Valley Free Prison has a black antagonist NPC named Man Dingo. There’s also an ethnic Japanese prison gang that all wield katanas.
IIC Death Valley Free Prison has a black antagonist NPC named Man Dingo. There’s also an ethnic Japanese prison gang that all wield katanas.
oh holy eff…
oh holy eff…
Lowell Francis, Okay I was wondering because you had some supplements for CP in there and was curious about hitting those elements. Were they things that “defined cyberpunk” or were big points for the system.
Because of things like Night City Sourcebook and the Chromebooks as deeply thematic RPG elements for CP 2020.
Lowell Francis, Okay I was wondering because you had some supplements for CP in there and was curious about hitting those elements. Were they things that “defined cyberpunk” or were big points for the system.
Because of things like Night City Sourcebook and the Chromebooks as deeply thematic RPG elements for CP 2020.
That’s a good question. I pulled out the two CP sourcebooks, When Gravity Fails and Hardwired because they’re licensed products from a genre which isn’t that mature. The’re also clearly products which influenced the original game, so there’s a weird loop going on there. Generally I’m sticking with core books (or cp genre books for more universal systems). That being said, I’m making an exception on the next list to include Night’s Edge because it’s a third-party product with some radical ideas.
It would be interesting to just to a look at/retrospective on the Cyberpunk 2020 line on its own.
That’s a good question. I pulled out the two CP sourcebooks, When Gravity Fails and Hardwired because they’re licensed products from a genre which isn’t that mature. The’re also clearly products which influenced the original game, so there’s a weird loop going on there. Generally I’m sticking with core books (or cp genre books for more universal systems). That being said, I’m making an exception on the next list to include Night’s Edge because it’s a third-party product with some radical ideas.
It would be interesting to just to a look at/retrospective on the Cyberpunk 2020 line on its own.
I frequently say, when people coo about design ideas, that Mike was doing that stuff in the 90s.
I frequently say, when people coo about design ideas, that Mike was doing that stuff in the 90s.
Agreed. CP, Mekton, Cybergeneration, Castle Falkenstein. Yup.
Agreed. CP, Mekton, Cybergeneration, Castle Falkenstein. Yup.
First for making Anime Games (Mekton) but also things like Teenagers from Outer Space, Bubblegum Crisis and DragonBall Z (even if that game was … something)
First for making Anime Games (Mekton) but also things like Teenagers from Outer Space, Bubblegum Crisis and DragonBall Z (even if that game was … something)
This is compulsive reading thanks Lowell Francis
This is compulsive reading thanks Lowell Francis