Author Topic: Love for Cyberspace  (Read 12065 times)

0 Members and 1 Guest are viewing this topic.

Offline lev_lafayette

  • Initiate
  • *
  • Posts: 118
  • OIC Points +0/-0
Love for Cyberspace
« on: May 15, 2007, 07:56:11 PM »

Whilst this is a pretty quiet section of the forums, I thought I'd start my posting with what is clearly a minority opinion.

I personally think Cyberspace was the best cyberpunk genre game that ever came out.

Better than Shadowrun (1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th edition). Better than Cyberpunk (v1, v2.0.2.0, v3). Better than GURPS Cyberpunk. Better than Underground. Better than CyberHero.

Cyberspace glimmered with style. The character professions were evocative (Sleaze, Tech Rat, Net Junkie etc) as were the class backgrounds (Arcologists, Middle Corps, Space Colonists, Sprawkids). The CIRS was sickening. The system had just the right amount of detail, sufficiently detailed and yet relatively simple to implement. The technologies were gorgeous. Rick Lowry's interior and Vietch's cover art was just superb.

The support material was good too. Edge-On was an excellent set of short adventures. Death Game 2090 did all sorts of wrong things to my player's minds. Cyber Skelter was challenging and twisted. Europe, Death Valley and Chicago were excellent in the detail and utility.

OK, Body Bank, Sprawlgangs and Cyberrougues were pretty lite-on. Actually they were bloody awful.

But the rest of Cyberspace was great!
RPG Review. Free 'zine. Worth reading.
My livejournal.

Offline Skynet

  • Neophyte
  • *
  • Posts: 52
  • OIC Points +0/-0
Re: Love for Cyberspace
« Reply #1 on: May 16, 2007, 07:29:10 AM »
Yeah! Cyberspace! Totally with you on that. Like I've said in a couple of posts on the Rolemaster threads, I think Cyberspace has the most logical and simple version of the I.C.E. system. It just makes more sense. Higher ATs actually offer more protection (it's not always the case with Rolemaster/Spacemaster). That's a big thing for me.

If you're looking for a great cyberpunk game with excellent settings, I recommend Ex Machina by Guardians of Order. Yeah, I know that the company is no more (sniff...) but they had time to publish incredible material. Take a look on RPG.net. Reviews are great and it how they should be. Really nice stuff. Even if you don't like the Tri-Stat system. The settings are not rule-free, but rule-lite enough to be used with Cyberspace.

Cyberspace!

Offline yammahoper

  • Sage
  • ****
  • Posts: 3,858
  • OIC Points +0/-0
  • Nothing to see here, move along.
Re: Love for Cyberspace
« Reply #2 on: May 16, 2007, 03:10:25 PM »
Never bought Cyberspace.  After a single adventure in Shadowrun I decided it was not the genre for me.  Course, looking back it was the control freak GM and the weird d6 system, not just the d6 system.  I have wanted to pick up some of the old Cyberspace modules though, but have always passed cuz I had no idea which were good and which were bad.  Now I can follow lev_lafayette review and pick up one of the books he liked while avoiding the others. 

lynn
I've seen things you people wouldn't believe. Attack ships on fire off the shoulder of Orion. I watched C-beams glitter in the dark near the Tannhauser gate. All those moments will be lost in time... like tears in rain... Time to die.

Offline lev_lafayette

  • Initiate
  • *
  • Posts: 118
  • OIC Points +0/-0
Re: Love for Cyberspace
« Reply #3 on: May 17, 2007, 09:54:04 PM »
Yeah! Cyberspace! Totally with you on that. Like I've said in a couple of posts on the Rolemaster threads, I think Cyberspace has the most logical and simple version of the I.C.E. system.

I must agree with you there. It really was quick and elegant.

Quote
If you're looking for a great cyberpunk game with excellent settings, I recommend Ex Machina by Guardians of Order.

OK, thanks for the advice. I'll keep an eye out for it.

Never bought Cyberspace.  After a single adventure in Shadowrun I decided it was not the genre for me.  Course, looking back it was the control freak GM and the weird d6 system, not just the d6 system.

Not only that, I don't think Shadowrun is a particularly good example at all of the cyberpunk genre.. It's something quite different in its own right.

Quote
I have wanted to pick up some of the old Cyberspace modules though, but have always passed cuz I had no idea which were good and which were bad.  Now I can follow lev_lafayette review and pick up one of the books he liked while avoiding the others. 

I appreciate the faith in my reviewing abilities!  ;)
RPG Review. Free 'zine. Worth reading.
My livejournal.

Offline kamikaze

  • Neophyte
  • *
  • Posts: 19
  • OIC Points +0/-0
  • Mark Hughes
    • Mark Hughes: RPGs
Re: Love for Cyberspace
« Reply #4 on: May 19, 2007, 10:52:18 PM »
I personally think Cyberspace was the best cyberpunk genre game that ever came out.

Absolutely. I'm a very old-school cyberpunk fan, and back in the '90s put up my Cyberpunk RPG rant, comparing all of the major and many minor cyberpunk RPGs.

And since it's on ICE's store as PDF, it's not really out of print anymore!

Cyberspace has everything I ever needed from the future: cybernetics, vehicles, netrunning, a brutal combat system, great setting material, and could suck in MERP, Rolemaster, Space Master, and Dark Space material easily.
Mark Hughes
Foe's nervous system acts as a superconductor. Foe's sad instant death provides all with a fine light show. Add +15 to your next roll.

Offline lev_lafayette

  • Initiate
  • *
  • Posts: 118
  • OIC Points +0/-0
Re: Love for Cyberspace
« Reply #5 on: May 22, 2007, 09:56:43 PM »
Absolutely. I'm a very old-school cyberpunk fan, and back in the '90s put up my Cyberpunk RPG rant, comparing all of the major and many minor cyberpunk RPGs.

Nice rant...

Quote
Cyberspace has everything I ever needed from the future: cybernetics, vehicles, netrunning, a brutal combat system, great setting material, and could suck in MERP, Rolemaster, Space Master, and Dark Space material easily.

I once ran a 78 hour single session mini-campaign of Dark Space using Cyberspace and a pre-publication print out of Rolemaster Companion VI.
RPG Review. Free 'zine. Worth reading.
My livejournal.

Offline Elton Robb

  • Revered Elder
  • ***
  • Posts: 1,206
  • OIC Points +0/-0
  • Master of Atlantis
    • The Atlantis Blog
Re: Love for Cyberspace
« Reply #6 on: May 22, 2007, 11:03:25 PM »
Cyberspace . . . yeah, it's good.
Personal Web Portfolio:
http://eltonatlantean.wix.com/portfolio
Deviant Art: http://atlantean6.deviantart.com/
Renderosity: http://www.renderosity.com/mod/gallery/browse.php?user_id=561541

Offline vytzka

  • Neophyte
  • *
  • Posts: 54
  • OIC Points +0/-0
  • The Lithuanian Psycho
Re: Love for Cyberspace
« Reply #7 on: May 25, 2007, 03:48:38 AM »
I once ran a 78 hour single session mini-campaign of Dark Space using Cyberspace and a pre-publication print out of Rolemaster Companion VI.
Wait... single session... 78 hours game time or real time?  ???
"Traveller fans don't like Traveller so it's very hard to please them.  Oh they may like a specific race or a specific time period, or a specific rule set except for 25% of the pages determined randomly by rolling 2d6 and trying to read them as percentiles. "
 - David Johansen

Offline Raf Blutaxt

  • Initiate
  • *
  • Posts: 181
  • OIC Points +0/-0
  • I'm rather axecentric
Re: Love for Cyberspace
« Reply #8 on: June 05, 2007, 08:09:29 AM »
Hmm, I can't wait to play it. If my books ever arrive ;)
Before the gods of hell sentence you to die
remember well my friend a warlord never cries.

Offline lev_lafayette

  • Initiate
  • *
  • Posts: 118
  • OIC Points +0/-0
Re: Love for Cyberspace
« Reply #9 on: August 04, 2007, 09:46:24 AM »
I once ran a 78 hour single session mini-campaign of Dark Space using Cyberspace and a pre-publication print out of Rolemaster Companion VI.
Wait... single session... 78 hours game time or real time?  ???

Months later I reply.... 78 hours real time - with a four hour (or so) sleep break in the middle, which didn't count to to the 78 hours.

It was pretty intense, but so much fun!
RPG Review. Free 'zine. Worth reading.
My livejournal.

Offline Skynet

  • Neophyte
  • *
  • Posts: 52
  • OIC Points +0/-0
Re: Love for Cyberspace
« Reply #10 on: August 04, 2007, 06:56:33 PM »
[picking up my jaw on the floor]

REAL TIME! The was one hell of a game! How did it go?

Offline lev_lafayette

  • Initiate
  • *
  • Posts: 118
  • OIC Points +0/-0
Re: Love for Cyberspace
« Reply #11 on: August 14, 2007, 08:43:45 AM »
[picking up my jaw on the floor]

REAL TIME! The was one hell of a game! How did it go?

Really well actually.... We were helped by visitors at all hours of the night(s) checking in us and such like.

It was like running an entire mini-campaign in a single session. I still have all my notes.

One day I should post them... Maybe to the Guild Companion if they're interested in Cyberspace articles...
RPG Review. Free 'zine. Worth reading.
My livejournal.

Offline Wōdwulf Seaxaning

  • Adept
  • **
  • Posts: 397
  • OIC Points +0/-0
    • HellSide Oso Myspace Page
Re: Love for Cyberspace
« Reply #12 on: August 31, 2007, 10:10:48 PM »
I love Cyberspace & aways have.Just can't find people to play.One of my GMs prefers Shadowrun to any Cyberpunk style RPGs.I do like Cyberpunk 2020,but CP erd ed. SUCKED!
I'll take Cyberspace over any of the current or past CP-based games.I need to work on my homebrew setting for it.My only gripes are the stupid Clockwork Orange/Warriors-reject gangs & alot of the NPCs in later products.Again the New Hitler Youth were the only realistic & plausible gang in the books.The Airboys & GI Joes were the lamest.
RoseCityHooligEEK
R.I.P. Frank Frazetta
R.I.P. Barry Blair
R.I.P. Drew Hayes
R.I.P. Gary Gygax

Offline Karizma

  • Seeker of Wisdom
  • **
  • Posts: 236
  • OIC Points +0/-0
Re: Love for Cyberspace
« Reply #13 on: January 13, 2008, 07:46:28 PM »
I understand that this probably isn't the right thread, but I didn't feel like making a thread for my simple question.

Basically, I'm not entirely familiar with the Cyberpunk realm.  I got halfway through Gibson's Neuromancer before I realized that I didn't know half of the words.  Does CyberSpace give me the information I need to know about the Cyberpunk genre, or would I need to do more research to understand CyberSpace itself?

Offline Raf Blutaxt

  • Initiate
  • *
  • Posts: 181
  • OIC Points +0/-0
  • I'm rather axecentric
Re: Love for Cyberspace
« Reply #14 on: January 14, 2008, 03:01:45 AM »
Well, there are a lot of words in Neuromancer you won't find explained in any book. I found that the best way is to just ignore them and kep on reading :) Most of the important get clear at some point.Cyberspace explains the basic concepts of a cyberpunk universe but the Cyberspace setting is different from the Gibson universe. I guess that Shadowrun borrows and explains more terms from Gibson.

So, if you want to understand Cyberpunk as a setting, Cyberspace is what you are looking for. If yu want to understand Gibson it might not be.
In any case it's a nice game and well worth checking out.
Before the gods of hell sentence you to die
remember well my friend a warlord never cries.

Offline Karizma

  • Seeker of Wisdom
  • **
  • Posts: 236
  • OIC Points +0/-0
Re: Love for Cyberspace
« Reply #15 on: January 14, 2008, 01:54:50 PM »
Sounds good!  I'd like a good grasp of Cyberpunk as a whole, and I was informed that Gibson is a major artist in the genre.  My issue with Neuromancer was the vocabulary that I was supposed to know confused me.  I would go an entire paragraph not knowing what I was reading about.  I think I'm going to go back and start over.

But I'll probably end up getting PDFs of CyberSpace and incorporating it into SM:P whenever I get that.  Thanks!

Offline Allen

  • Initiate
  • *
  • Posts: 150
  • OIC Points +0/-0
Re: Love for Cyberspace
« Reply #16 on: April 09, 2008, 11:04:51 AM »
I'd originally posted this under the review topic... moved it here.

It's funny that I came across this thread... I'm getting ready to run a C'space game for the first time in I dunno how many years!
I love Cyberspace. I was first introduced to it back in '92.
The group I was in was actually playing another system when someone asked my friend Randy, "Rip... when ya gonna run your game again?"
"Uhh... you guys really want to?" he asked.
The GM that had been running the 2020 game picke dup all his stuff and put it away, pulled out Cyberspace and started building a character. We were all just looking at him. Greg looked up and said, "What the (bleep) are you wainting for?"
Everyone else dove for books and started making characters. I had no clue as I'd just meet these guys a month or so before so Randy took me under his wing and taught me the joys (ha!) of the Cyberspace system. it was amazing and proof to me once again that ICE had the games that I wanted to play.

Give me a little time and I'll write a review as best I can.

Allen
Ooo, that's gonna leave a mark...

or

"Laugh it up shorty... you've been using my loin cloth for a blanket." -Bruce to Inky from the web comic Atland

Offline Wōdwulf Seaxaning

  • Adept
  • **
  • Posts: 397
  • OIC Points +0/-0
    • HellSide Oso Myspace Page
Re: Love for Cyberspace
« Reply #17 on: August 16, 2008, 01:02:47 AM »
As posted in the convertion thread I began rethinking my discission to create my own CP setting for Cyberspace. I was & still partially tempted to convert both Shadowrun & Twilight:2000 to Cyberspace.I think I was burned out, that & I was (n' still) working on some short fiction writing now.I'll always love Cyberspace & the Cyberpunk genre. I'm going to go over my notes & see what I'll need to change to get it back on track.I'll start a thread in the settings forum if I choose to resurrect the project.
R.I.P. Frank Frazetta
R.I.P. Barry Blair
R.I.P. Drew Hayes
R.I.P. Gary Gygax

Offline jasonbrisbane

  • Senior Adept
  • **
  • Posts: 660
  • OIC Points +0/-0
  • Darkeen's Battlefield - still going strong.
    • Darkeen's Battlefield
Re: Love for Cyberspace
« Reply #18 on: August 18, 2008, 02:02:41 AM »
I too suffer form the "I've no one to play with" syndrome for Cyberspace.

I'd LOVE to play. I had the book for several years but eventually gave up tryign to find people wanting to play...

 :'(
--------
Regards,
Jason Brisbane
HARP GM & Freelancer
Author of "The Ruins of Kausur"
http://roleplayingapps.wordpress.com

Offline markc

  • Elder Loremaster
  • ****
  • Posts: 10,697
  • OIC Points +0/-0
Re: Love for Cyberspace
« Reply #19 on: August 18, 2008, 02:34:37 AM »
 BTW, I was up on Ebay yesterday and saw a slew of Cyberspace books for sale.

MDC
Bacon Law: A book so good all PC's need to be recreated.
Rule #0: A GM has the right to change any rule in a book to fit their game.
Role Play not Roll Play.
Use a System to tell the story do not let the system play you.