Author Topic: Cyberspace: Post-Apocalytic setting ???  (Read 8333 times)

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Offline RandalThor

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Re: Cyberspace: Post-Apocalytic setting ???
« Reply #20 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.
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Offline Wōdwulf Seaxaning

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Re: Cyberspace: Post-Apocalytic setting ???
« Reply #21 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.
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Offline RandalThor

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Re: Cyberspace: Post-Apocalytic setting ???
« Reply #22 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.
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Offline Wōdwulf Seaxaning

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Re: Cyberspace: Post-Apocalytic setting ???
« Reply #23 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
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Offline markc

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Re: Cyberspace: Post-Apocalytic setting ???
« Reply #24 on: October 25, 2009, 11:30:22 AM »
 There are rumors now of energy weapons for fighter jets.
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Offline Wōdwulf Seaxaning

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Re: Cyberspace: Post-Apocalytic setting ???
« Reply #25 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.
 
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Offline RandalThor

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Re: Cyberspace: Post-Apocalytic setting ???
« Reply #26 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
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Offline TerryTee

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Re: Cyberspace: Post-Apocalytic setting ???
« Reply #27 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

Offline RandalThor

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Re: Cyberspace: Post-Apocalytic setting ???
« Reply #28 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).
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Offline Wōdwulf Seaxaning

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Re: Cyberspace: Post-Apocalytic setting ???
« Reply #29 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 ?
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Offline Wōdwulf Seaxaning

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Re: Cyberspace: Post-Apocalytic setting ???
« Reply #30 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.
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Offline Wōdwulf Seaxaning

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Re: Cyberspace: Post-Apocalytic setting ???
« Reply #31 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 ?
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Offline TerryTee

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Re: Cyberspace: Post-Apocalytic setting ???
« Reply #32 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

Offline Wōdwulf Seaxaning

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Re: Cyberspace: Post-Apocalytic setting ???
« Reply #33 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.
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Offline RandalThor

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Re: Cyberspace: Post-Apocalytic setting ???
« Reply #34 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.)
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Offline RandalThor

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Re: Cyberspace: Post-Apocalytic setting ???
« Reply #35 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.
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Offline providence13

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Re: Cyberspace: Post-Apocalytic setting ???
« Reply #36 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. :)
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Offline Wōdwulf Seaxaning

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Re: Cyberspace: Post-Apocalytic setting ???
« Reply #37 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.
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Offline Wōdwulf Seaxaning

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Re: Cyberspace: Post-Apocalytic setting ???
« Reply #38 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.
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Offline RandalThor

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Re: Cyberspace: Post-Apocalytic setting ???
« Reply #39 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.
Power corrupts, and absolute power corrupts absolutely. Scratch that. Power attracts the corruptible.

Rules should not replace the brain and thinking.