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Systems & Settings => Other Settings => Topic started by: Wōdwulf Seaxaning on November 12, 2008, 12:41:39 PM

Title: Cyberspace: Post-Apocalytic setting ???
Post by: Wōdwulf Seaxaning on November 12, 2008, 12:41:39 PM
Has anyone use the Cyberspace rules for a PA setting ? I'm planning on doing so. I'm tweaking my Cyberpunk setting I'm working on to create a cyber-post-apocalytic setting. A setting inspired by Road Warriors/MM:BTD ,Doomsday,Battle Angel Alita ,Fallout & Cyborg. Though I love Cyberpunk but I love PA more.There is just something fun about PA settings that get me every time.Be it movies like Cyborg or Road Warriors or games like Fallout, they just grab ahold of my imagination & won't let go.

I may still resurrect my Cyberpunk setting at a later date but I want to focus on developing my PA & fantasy settings right now. <now if I can stay focused & do some serious work on them>
Title: Re: Cyberspace: Post-Apocalytic setting ???
Post by: Elton Robb on November 25, 2008, 03:04:03 PM
IT might be best to wait for what AW is going to come up with.

Title: Re: Cyberspace: Post-Apocalytic setting ???
Post by: Wōdwulf Seaxaning on November 25, 2008, 03:56:02 PM
I'll still work on mine but I'll check out AW to see if it has the feel I'm looking for in a PA setting.Plus part of the reason of this post was to see if any Cyberspace GMs had used Cyberspace for their PA setting.
Title: Re: Cyberspace: Post-Apocalytic setting ???
Post by: Cloven-Fruit-Games on November 26, 2008, 10:39:41 AM
AW has no Cyber aspects to it (no cyborgs, nano-thec, bionics, robots, et all). It is based on the fall happen right about now. All the stuff the world has now, is what is left by the elders in the AW setting.
Title: Re: Cyberspace: Post-Apocalytic setting ???
Post by: SnowDog on December 10, 2008, 07:39:43 AM
I didn't use the system for anything except official setting. Still, I would not see why it would not work for PA games. You just need to stress the survival aspects (and skills) over hi-tech. Actually Fallout series is pretty high-tech in certain parts.
Title: Re: Cyberspace: Post-Apocalytic setting ???
Post by: Wōdwulf Seaxaning on August 23, 2009, 12:50:26 AM
I'm VERY slowly working on my P-A setting for Cyberspace. I need to rework a few things for the setting & deal with working up races & creatures to populate the setting. It's basically a Alternate future for my Cyberpunk setting i'm also working SLOWLY on. My fantasy world is taking up most of my creative efforts.
Title: Re: Cyberspace: Post-Apocalytic setting ???
Post by: providence13 on August 23, 2009, 02:57:03 PM
I believe there are a few Gama World sites still around.. :)

Really great setting for PA.
It could be modified to use Realm-like magics/tech or at least the story line.

"Ariel, Ukla, Ride!"
Title: Re: Cyberspace: Post-Apocalytic setting ???
Post by: RandalThor on August 23, 2009, 06:56:35 PM
Though I love Cyberpunk but I love PA more.There is just something fun about PA settings that get me every time.Be it movies like Cyborg or Road Warriors or games like Fallout, they just grab ahold of my imagination & won't let go.

DUDE! I am so with you on this. I have everything for every edition of GAMMA WORLD in both hard copy and pdf, some duplicates of the hard copies as well. Not to mention, Darwins World, Twilight 2000 (& 2013 pdf), Hero PA setting book, the Deadlands PA setting, and others I cannot even remember right now. I have been playing Fallout3 (again) and really getting into a PA state of mind. (I have been having problems getting to xbox live and getting the Broken Steel & Spaceship Zeta updates and it had been driving me MAD. MAD, I tell you!!!!)

You do know that they are doing a HARP PA game, right? Using that in conjunction with their HARP SciFi will get you a cyberpunk/pa game.
Title: Re: Cyberspace: Post-Apocalytic setting ???
Post by: providence13 on August 23, 2009, 09:55:55 PM
OK.
 This may show my age...

ZARDOZ!

The flying head ship belching forth guns and ammo, wacky Mentalism society, guns (freakin' cool Wetherby pistol!), sentient hippy computers, apathetics (?) and the green bread... man, this movie had it all!!
Title: Re: Cyberspace: Post-Apocalytic setting ???
Post by: RandalThor on August 23, 2009, 11:13:50 PM
ZARDOZ!

I just saw that movie a few months ago. Sean Connery. Very funny.
Title: Re: Cyberspace: Post-Apocalytic setting ???
Post by: markc on August 24, 2009, 01:03:39 PM
OK.
 This may show my age...

ZARDOZ!

The flying head ship belching forth guns and ammo, wacky Mentalism society, guns (freakin' cool Wetherby pistol!), sentient hippy computers, apathetics (?) and the green bread... man, this movie had it all!!
Yes that is a classic.
MDC
Title: Re: Cyberspace: Post-Apocalytic setting ???
Post by: Nejira on August 30, 2009, 03:03:59 PM
I have everything for every edition of GAMMA WORLD in both hard copy and pdf, some duplicates of the hard copies as well. Not to mention, Darwins World, Twilight 2000 (& 2013 pdf), Hero PA setting book, the Deadlands PA setting, and others I cannot even remember right now.

Other PA settings/RPGs: Tribe 8 (reallly good IMO, horror PA), Waste World (smells like 40k, but then its made by Bill King so thats not odd I guess), The End (the meek shall inherit the world and they do. Kinda like King´s The Stand), Desolation (Fantasy PA), and Shades of Darkness (from ICE and a really nice PA setting).

ZARDOZ!
Yes that is a classic.
MDC

That movie made my head spin. Now I got that picture of Sean Connery in that red costume in my head again :'(
Title: Re: Cyberspace: Post-Apocalytic setting ???
Post by: RandalThor on August 30, 2009, 06:39:57 PM
Other PA settings/RPGs: Tribe 8 (reallly good IMO, horror PA), Waste World (smells like 40k, but then its made by Bill King so thats not odd I guess), The End (the meek shall inherit the world and they do. Kinda like King´s The Stand), Desolation (Fantasy PA), and Shades of Darkness (from ICE and a really nice PA setting).

I have had some Tribe 8 stuff - it never really stuck with me for some reason, same for The End (I guess I don't generally like the biblical-style PA settings). Currently have both Desolation and Shades of Darkness.

My PA preference is the nuclear-armageddon type with mutants and laser rifles!! I guess you could call me a "purist" in this regard.  ;D

BTW: We need some of the emoticons from the Bethesda site, especially the one that goes from the radiation warning symbol to a nuke explosion!
Title: Re: Cyberspace: Post-Apocalytic setting ???
Post by: Wōdwulf Seaxaning on September 02, 2009, 01:24:28 PM
I have some Tribe 8 as I liked the PA setting but in the end I couldn't find people willing to play it. The art & some of the concepts could be very disturbing.I loved DP9's Heavygear RPG so I got Tribe 8 based on the art & similarity of system.
Title: Re: Cyberspace: Post-Apocalytic setting ???
Post by: RandalThor on September 02, 2009, 06:31:01 PM
I loved DP9's Heavygear RPG so I got Tribe 8 based on the art & similarity of system.

I just came across the Heavy Gear cartoon on Hulu. Boy is it bad. The RPG is set up much better - and even looks much better.
Title: Re: Cyberspace: Post-Apocalytic setting ???
Post by: Wōdwulf Seaxaning on September 02, 2009, 07:24:22 PM
You are correct about the animation of HG being bad. I did enjoy it but wasn't true to the setting. They kiddied it down. SJG is putting out a 4th ed. of Heavy Gear in the near future. I hope that it get's the proper support it deserves. That said I'd love to play HG using SM2 rules.
Title: Re: Cyberspace: Post-Apocalytic setting ???
Post by: markc on September 02, 2009, 10:18:32 PM
You are correct about the animation of HG being bad. I did enjoy it but wasn't true to the setting. They kiddied it down. SJG is putting out a 4th ed. of Heavy Gear in the near future. I hope that it get's the proper support it deserves. That said I'd love to play HG using SM2 rules.
You can sort of with the Armored Assault book as it has Mech or MIRC rules in it. The only thing I would do would be to adjust the weight of weapons and add some more options for the MIRC's to have. That could be a big job but IMO it could be done with out too much pain or blood lost. In fact in the past I have thought about converting Battle Tech over to the AA rules. But other things have always come up.

MDC
Title: Re: Cyberspace: Post-Apocalytic setting ???
Post by: Wōdwulf Seaxaning on October 19, 2009, 03:41:35 PM
Back to P-A gaming  :P 

I finally gave up on my Cyberspace setting . I'd rather convert Shadowrun to Cyberspace/RM2/C & just revise the default setting in Cyberspace (for pure cyberpunk goodness). As such , I'm going to get back to creating my P-A setting. As I said before I want it to be set after the fall in what have been my cyberpunk setting. So there'll be cyborgs , robots , mutants & such.I'm just not sure when to set it.. such as just after the fall (Mad Max series) , up to 50 years or after 200 to 300 years like in Fallout ? Currently I've used a mix of nuclear war , orbital bombardment & a virus to cause the fall. The virus mutates after contact with radiation to create a new virus that causes genetic mutation in survivors (both human & animal).

I'm not sure whether I want to set it too near the fall or a couple centuries later either.I want some semblance of civilization returning to the world but keep it small & generally isolated from the wastelands. Most people still scratch out a living in small (often fortified) villages farming what untainted agricultural land available , in small scavanger communities , as members of bands of raiders (in their modified vehicles) or in the small kingdoms or fledgling towns & cities. People , especially those living or travelling through the wastelands need to survive : 1) mutant animals , 2) mutant & human raiders , 3) radiation & toxic contamination & 4) roving combat robots .

I love RIFTS but still like to play in P-A settings that don't have magic or alien creatures. I don't mind including Aliens so much as the great number of different types available . Plus the whole Giant Robot/Mecha thing , while cool in RIFTS won't fit my world.I can see some form of alien invasion/war that leads to the Fall. Plus the possibility of the virus (whether human-made or alien-made backfiring killing off both most of the humans & aliens). Maybe alien expermentation leading to the creation of mutant human or mutant human-alien hybrids , as well. Thus giving reason why there are mutants in the world & why there are still high tech working after the fall. Any suggestions are welcome.
Title: Re: Cyberspace: Post-Apocalytic setting ???
Post by: providence13 on October 19, 2009, 03:45:56 PM
I wouldn't even mention that other game.. R1ft$.
They're listening..  :-X :) 
Title: Re: Cyberspace: Post-Apocalytic setting ???
Post by: Wōdwulf Seaxaning on October 19, 2009, 04:13:40 PM
LOL As you noticed I didn't mention conversion once concerning it LOL I'll play RIFTs as is.. well converted to SDC. The only conversion they allow, grudgingly.
Title: Re: Cyberspace: Post-Apocalytic setting ???
Post by: RandalThor on October 23, 2009, 06:52:26 PM
I almost always go with the fall having happened 200 or so years back. That way the wildlands have a bit more time to retake some land. Also, it means you can have a wider range of cultures. I usually have it happen about 70-100 years in our future because of the wide range of technology available (eventually  ;)), from black powder guns to blasters and force-fields.
Title: Re: Cyberspace: Post-Apocalytic setting ???
Post by: Wōdwulf Seaxaning on October 24, 2009, 04:38:55 PM
I almost always go with the fall having happened 200 or so years back. That way the wildlands have a bit more time to retake some land. Also, it means you can have a wider range of cultures. I usually have it happen about 70-100 years in our future because of the wide range of technology available (eventually  ;)), from black powder guns to blasters and force-fields.

RandalThor,

That's what I was thinking. What are your thoughts on the Alien invasion/war angle for the fall or should I stick simply with the virus ? Though I like the current virus idea but have issues on how even a mutant virus would cause such varied genetic mutations. Where as Alien experiments could answer that question & also add a reason why lazer weapons n' such high technology exists. With the virus killing off all or most of the aliens & a large portion of the human & mutant population.
Title: Re: Cyberspace: Post-Apocalytic setting ???
Post by: RandalThor on October 24, 2009, 05:03:17 PM
With the Alien angle you could go a few different ways:

1. Typical Invasion idea, but.....instead of full on invasion like ID4 (it would be way obvious and unlikely to be hidden or unknown to anyone) they orchestrated the war in order to weaken humanity - perhaps the tech difference wasn't enough to ensure a win*. The virus in this case may be their first attempts at altering the environment to suit their biology. Or it could be an unforeseen side affect of their weapons - which could end up being a way for humanity to fight back. (Mutations!! You gotta love 'em!!)

2. The aliens were here as passive (and not-so-passive) observers and were caught up in the conflict and decided to assist humanity. In this scenario, there would possibly be less alien tech out there and the mutation virus was developed as a quick solution to the massive radiation which WOULD have killed off (nearly) every living thing on the planet.

3. Like 2 above, only they had nothing to do with the virus or helping or harming (at least not on purpose), they are just scientists studying a lower life-form. The virus could be of human manufacture for whatever reason, or it could be just another experiment by the aliens.

4. There could be two (or more) warring alien species and they chose Earth to fight on so that they don't harm their own homeworlds as life sustaining worlds could be hard to come by and the species willing to harm their own is stupid in the extreme. (You even get a moral lesson with this one.  ;D) This gives you the opportunity to develop different aliens, as well as the PCs to maybe make some allies. The virus could be because of any of the above reasons. For an idea on how the aliens got here see the book The Last World War by Dayton Ward.


Hope these help, Rand.

*We (humanity of Earth) have lasers now, if the "Final War" occurs up to one-hundred years from now, it is not impossible that the average soldier would have an energy weapon. Not extremely likely, but not impossible.
Title: Re: Cyberspace: Post-Apocalytic setting ???
Post by: Wōdwulf Seaxaning on October 24, 2009, 08:07:49 PM
Thanx for the help. I'll read read your suggestions later & let you know what I descide. But I have to go finish cooking dinner  ;D
Title: Re: Cyberspace: Post-Apocalytic setting ???
Post by: markc on October 25, 2009, 11:30:22 AM
 There are rumors now of energy weapons for fighter jets.
MDC
Title: Re: Cyberspace: Post-Apocalytic setting ???
Post by: Wōdwulf Seaxaning on October 25, 2009, 01:15:48 PM
IF I go with the Alien invasion route I might go with this idea :

~ In the ancient past Aliens came to earth & created humanity, as well as numerous creatures of legend. For some unknown reason they left and went back 'home'. I got this idea from research I did on Luciferianism , as some groups believe the ancient Sumerian Gods were actually Aliens who influenced ancient human culture & the original Stargate movie. The invasion happens when the descendants of the ancient 'gods' fleeing a distant war that was consuming their galaxy using old star maps & logbooks to find a safe planet that is compatable with their own. Their ship was  heavily damaged before it 'warped' to the edge of our galaxy . They first attempt to establish peaceful contact or observe earth till they could repair there ship if they can, before attempting to invade the planet.

The invasion was a success at first but several groups of scientists & military units go underground to help build resistance. After a few decades of oppression by the invaders the war for independance begins. It lasts a few years but most of the cities of the earth are destroyed & humanity is on the brink of extinction. The use of several spec ops units & a special virus keyed to the alien's dna ends the war. Most of the Aliens perish because of the virus . Those that survive 1) have their health shattered , are steralized & eventually die , 2) survive in small pockets ,3) get mutated buy a radiation modified virus like numerous humans or 4) mixed with humans creating a hybrid race.

Several of the 'monsters' & mutants are actually Genetically Engineered by the aliens before the war & survived the virus & plague the wasteland . Pockets of civilization begin to rise out of the ruins . They are split between surviving alien communities , the leadership of the human resistance movement or small agricultural communities in the wasteland. Most tech is lost with what ever can be scavanged from the ruins or traded for from the few high tech societies that survived. Most of the Aliens that survived the war live in colonies based on Mars & the moon. There are a few surviving human colonies on Mars & the Moon as well as alliences were made near the end of the war to keep the colonies from being destroyed. They only now start to contact earth since fears of contamination has eased, plus the need for resources has become critical for survival of the colonies.

That is at least the basic concept I've come up for that option.

~ Or I stick with the human war/virus idea.

I'm leaning toward the alien invasion option but still need to work out details before I make my finally choice. Beyond this part of world creation I'm dealing with whether I should use the default Cyberspace social class based skill devolopement rules or use the ones from Spacemaster 2 . If I use the Cyberspace rules as is I'll need to convert the psion professions to the Cyberspace system. Then work up rules for how the races (Aliens & mutants) will work with the system & convert monsters to fit the setting.
 
Title: Re: Cyberspace: Post-Apocalytic setting ???
Post by: RandalThor on October 25, 2009, 09:10:51 PM
The invasion was a success at first but several groups of scientists & military units go underground to help build resistance. After a few decades of oppression by the invaders the war for independance begins.

That sounds a little like the show Cleopatra 2525.  :D
Title: Re: Cyberspace: Post-Apocalytic setting ???
Post by: TerryTee on October 26, 2009, 03:50:55 AM
How about a little twist to the story, but with pretty much the same setting?

The alien visitors were in fact friendly. A large number of them came to earth for what ever reason, and peaceful contact was established. However, human disease and viruses affected the aliens in a devastating way, and likewise alien contact affected humans. Both races started to mutate and die in large numbers. 'Soon' both races was nearing extinction.
In the process much data was lost, and no one knows what actually happened any more. Both races blame the others and accuse them of biological warfare. The truth is in there somewhere (databanks, newspapers, tv footage, etc), but it is lost to the current society.
Current conflicts, pockets of civilization etc can be kept as outlined. Mutations and monsters may be a result of the alien exposure (both are alien to each other) and/or genetic experiments as a part of the war that sparked off after everybody started blaming everybody else.

-Terry
Title: Re: Cyberspace: Post-Apocalytic setting ???
Post by: RandalThor on October 26, 2009, 04:41:41 AM
That would be a problem if the human and alien biologies were similar enough. Cross contamination, it can be a (bleep).
Title: Re: Cyberspace: Post-Apocalytic setting ???
Post by: Wōdwulf Seaxaning on October 27, 2009, 12:00:46 PM
The invasion was a success at first but several groups of scientists & military units go underground to help build resistance. After a few decades of oppression by the invaders the war for independance begins.

That sounds a little like the show Cleopatra 2525.  :D

Never watched the show. My brother did but I never got around to it. Was it any good ?
Title: Re: Cyberspace: Post-Apocalytic setting ???
Post by: Wōdwulf Seaxaning on October 27, 2009, 12:04:36 PM
How about a little twist to the story, but with pretty much the same setting?

The alien visitors were in fact friendly. A large number of them came to earth for what ever reason, and peaceful contact was established. However, human disease and viruses affected the aliens in a devastating way, and likewise alien contact affected humans. Both races started to mutate and die in large numbers. 'Soon' both races was nearing extinction.
In the process much data was lost, and no one knows what actually happened any more. Both races blame the others and accuse them of biological warfare. The truth is in there somewhere (databanks, newspapers, tv footage, etc), but it is lost to the current society.
Current conflicts, pockets of civilization etc can be kept as outlined. Mutations and monsters may be a result of the alien exposure (both are alien to each other) and/or genetic experiments as a part of the war that sparked off after everybody started blaming everybody else.

-Terry


Thanx Terry,

It's something to think about . I'll re-read the post a few times & see how it clicks for me.
Title: Re: Cyberspace: Post-Apocalytic setting ???
Post by: Wōdwulf Seaxaning on October 27, 2009, 12:19:01 PM
That would be a problem if the human and alien biologies were similar enough. Cross contamination, it can be a (bleep).

Well the Alien race would be basically human in origin but has 'evolved' a bit. So they share basic DNA stucture & systems humans do , but with slight variences . Humanity was their creation to rule over & experiment on originally before their initial exodus back home. Although they still are technologically superior to humans , by the time they've returned to earth they have stagnated as a race & have begun to decline as a civilization.

I might mix the basic idea Terry brought up with my initial idea as a possible option to use & see how it stacks up to the other options.

Any ideas concerning the rules topic ? Should I use the default Cyberspace char-gen. rules or swap them out & use the Spacemaster ones or create a hybrid system to use instead ?
Title: Re: Cyberspace: Post-Apocalytic setting ???
Post by: TerryTee on October 27, 2009, 03:55:43 PM
If you like making systems then hybrid is the thing I guess. I'd say go with the system you know the best. Personally I'd go with spacemaster 2 and then adapt professions and borrow rules where I need them. But that's becouse I allways use spacemaser 2 for sci fi.
-Terry
Title: Re: Cyberspace: Post-Apocalytic setting ???
Post by: Wōdwulf Seaxaning on October 28, 2009, 01:11:35 PM
I'm thinking since it's a Post Apocalyptic setting the default 'Social Class' based Char-gen won't work properly. I'll just use the Spacemaster 2 Char-gen & devolopment rules for those purposes. Then use the rules-lite core system from Cyberspace for running the game with a few additions (such as Psions n' such) from SM2.

If I was creating a full on SF setting with space travel n' such I'd use Spacemaster2 rules in whole. Thanx for the advice.
Title: Re: Cyberspace: Post-Apocalytic setting ???
Post by: RandalThor on January 15, 2010, 04:26:30 AM
What are you going to do for mutations? I would really like to know as I would love an RM Gamma World rules set. (Afterworlds for HARP is taking too long.)
Title: Re: Cyberspace: Post-Apocalytic setting ???
Post by: RandalThor on January 15, 2010, 04:28:38 AM
Never watched the show. My brother did but I never got around to it. Was it any good ?

It was campy, and sexploitative, but very fun. And had some good ideas. You can watch it on Hulu.
Title: Re: Cyberspace: Post-Apocalytic setting ???
Post by: providence13 on January 15, 2010, 09:28:38 AM
For a truly entertaining alien/gods uplifting primitives-teaching them technology/civilization campaign check out Zecharia Sitchin's Earth Chronicles.
I read them like a huge rpg campaign outline.
Genetic engineering- uplifting primates... animal hybrids, super high-tech, primitive 'magic' culture, space ships, nuclear holocaust, overthrowing the masters and ashes of the old empire settings all in one.

Or if you can get a hold of the Indian Vedas (?). I hear it's something similar. :)
Title: Re: Cyberspace: Post-Apocalytic setting ???
Post by: Wōdwulf Seaxaning on January 19, 2010, 01:13:11 PM
What are you going to do for mutations? I would really like to know as I would love an RM Gamma World rules set. (Afterworlds for HARP is taking too long.)

Not sure yet. Not sure if I should go with stuff inspired by 'the hills have Eyes 2' type thing or go the campy sci-fi rout of games like gamma world. With the genetic engineering & cybernetics , I'm not sure what kind of mutantions I should include. Part of me was thinking of stuff like chitinus armor &  natural weapons , plus other such things. Any suggestions would be welcome.If I go the Alien rout I'll go campy mutation fun over the more realistic deformaties. Psionics could play a part as well.
Title: Re: Cyberspace: Post-Apocalytic setting ???
Post by: Wōdwulf Seaxaning on January 19, 2010, 01:28:02 PM
For a truly entertaining alien/gods uplifting primitives-teaching them technology/civilization campaign check out Zecharia Sitchin's Earth Chronicles.
I read them like a huge rpg campaign outline.
Genetic engineering- uplifting primates... animal hybrids, super high-tech, primitive 'magic' culture, space ships, nuclear holocaust, overthrowing the masters and ashes of the old empire settings all in one.

Or if you can get a hold of the Indian Vedas (?). I hear it's something similar. :)

I'll look into them once I'm finished reading the books currently on my list. But sounds good. I do want to keep away from the magic , demons/d-Bees type thing as if I want to play/run that I'd do RIFTS. But doing a dark yet campy post-cyberpunk & alien-human war P-A setting sounds cool to me.I'll be using SM2 professions/development & psion rules with the cyberspace rules, plus convert monsters to cover any alien creatures & giant mutant animals. Just need to work up what I'm doing for mutantions & work up basic time-line for it.

Been real busy with the holidays & personal life to work on this but will try to soon. I'll be tweeking the default cyberspace setting for my possible future cyberpunk games so I need to split my effort between both projects.
Title: Re: Cyberspace: Post-Apocalytic setting ???
Post by: RandalThor on January 21, 2010, 02:14:51 AM
Not sure yet. Not sure if I should go with stuff inspired by 'the hills have Eyes 2' type thing or go the campy sci-fi rout of games like gamma world.

Well, of course you do one like in Gamma World.  ;D ;D ;D

I could send you a big list of mutations if you like. I would need your email as I don't think the ICE guys would like me to post it here (it would be the one from an earlier incarnation of GW). If so, just message me.