Always been a big fan of Cyberpunk as a genre, in regards to RPG systems I'm always been a big fan of CP2020 with Shadowrun as a close second (2nd edition for everything requiring a hard connection, though I guess wi-fi is alright)
Recently some friends asked me to run a Cyberpunk game and while my first thought is to use CP2020 I've found mention of a fan-made successor called Interlock Unlimited.
So, first and foremost let's have a discussion on Cyberpunk systems what do some do better than others, should some be avoided altogether. Stuff like that.
Second, and tying into some of the above how is Interlock Unlimited as a system? Is it a worthy successor? What does it do better than CP2020 if anything?
Apologies if there hasn't been enough time between the post and now, would rather it not drop off immediately.
gurps
I haven't heard anything about Interlock Unlimited, I've been using Interface Zero and that's been going quite well. I was already a fan of Savage Worlds when I started, so if you're willing to dip into the rules and setting deep enough (one of which is optional, the other definitely not) it can be super rewarding cyberpunk fun.
Also has a shitload of races, VR rules and items to choose from which makes things nice. My only complaint is that there's not enough statted drugs or definitive TAP rules to really ground yourself for the first few sessions.
Interlock Unlimited is complete trash, and the creator of it is so full of himself that he actually has sent it to Talsorian telling them to publish it. It ruins a lot of the old system, and adds absolutely nothing worthwhile to the game.
In other news though, GURPS works really well for it. I'm running one right now, and it's going swimmingly. I thought I was going to have an issue with weapons and such, but it's easy to take the base of the ultratech weapons, and just apply small changes to make them something else. Though, the lack of drugs and such (That is to say combat drugs and the like. Lots of antibiotics up there, if you for some reason need those) kind of blows, but I'll probably stat some up myself eventually.
>>44579654
>Also has a shitload of races,
Sounds transhumanist, ace.
>>44579745
IZ anon here, it's quite distinctively Cyberpunk. The setting is 2090, hence the reason for things like bioroids, human/animal hybrids, synths and ultra-enhanced humans being playable races whilst all being hideously oppressed by their corporate/government/status quo overlords.
>>44579929
Sounds a little too out there for cyberpunk. I think the oppression part isnt too in to the genre to begin with. It's always been anarchy and collapse over control. Really, Face Nil doesn't seem super hot to me, but hey, not like I did better with my setting. Preference or something.
In the case of OP, if you liked 2020, you won't dig face zero at all really, atleast coming from another 2020 fan.
>>44580030
You can ditch the setting of IZ and just use the rules though.
>>44574523
Shadowrun does shit editing and confusing fluff the best.
>>44580030
Cyberpunk usually has split worlds. Half of the world is anarchy, the other half is strict corporate control.
>>44580030
Yeah, you'd be at some pains to extract the feel of 2020 from IZ but it's entirely possible. IZ gives you the tools to do so and lots of content to shape to your own will, and doesn't come with broken classes or orcs. Like GURPs, it's a lot about how you impose limits or coordinate with your players.
>>44574523
>Always been a big fan of Cyberpunk as a genre, in regards to RPG systems I'm always been a big fan of CP2020 with Shadowrun as a close second (2nd edition for everything requiring a hard connection, though I guess wi-fi is alright)
Same here, choombatta. Having read Interlock Unlimited but not played it, I can say this: it tries to be a universal system and fails. It tries to fix some of Interlock's mistakes (too much power in some class abilities) and partially succeeds. But in general it adds too much clutter and crunch to a system that should stay lean, so I wouldn't recommend it.
Just play CP2020 with updated tech and world events. You'll be fine.
>>44580545
It's usually not in the manner people think. It's a subtle control, usually through economic or social (that is to say, threatening) manner rather than Big Brother.
That's something a lot of people miss when doing things with the genre. The powers that be are usually very distant, and often subtle in their movements
