Do you even want roles?

[dmaple]

Do you even want roles?

Cyberpunk 2013 came out in 1988, when classes were common in RPGs, since then a lot of PnP RPGs and CRPGs have ditched the notion of classes or roles, and allow all characters to do all things giving the player the choice as to what to make their priorities. Should Cyberpunk 2077 do the same sort of thing, take Mike Pondsmith's excellent setting but attach a different character engine?

In many cases the roles don't make a lot of sense, particularly if you think about someone who is a cop as a career but works in C-SWAT so suits a solo, or works in net crime so would suit Netrunner role, yet still have Authority?

Personally I would be happy if they ditched roles altogether.

How do others feel do we really need classes to be faithful to the original game? To me it's more about the setting than the system.

 

[Jack_in_the-Green]

I thnk roles or classes should be in cause it would warrant re-playabllity... You should try the game more than once from a different gameplay perspective...

Usually gamers are put-off by strict and defined character skill-trees, cause they dont know too much about the game in the beginning and maybe after playing 2-3 hours into the game they want to try a different character path/build up.

I would counter this by making all skill trees available more or less from the start, but I would reward the player with special abilities at the end of each specialization, making impossible to be awesome in all the different skill-trees, and punishing (in a way) the jack-of-all-trades character (like it's done in The Witcher 2).

 

[curveball]

Agree. Don't really feel the roles are necessary. You can just use the special abilities as skills or perks or even skip some of them depending on the ability.

 

[Sablehawk]

I would agree also. I think each character should get to choose their development individually and be what they want.

After all, some of the best characters are those who dabble in this and that and don't stick to the "basic 10" skills of their role.

 

[dreambled]

Agreed. I like how the Skyrim handled it. Just do what you want to do, and do it often to increase your skill in it and there you go. The Witcher and Skyrim had a nice freeform system of letting the player decide how they want to build their character.

 

[ChaosWolf1982]

I think there should be some manner of baseline framework, so that when you select a Role the skills relative to the Role improve faster or can rank higher than those not related to it, but overall, any character can utilize any skill.

For example, take Hacking.

A Netrunner would get some sort of bonus to the skill, making it able to skill-up cheaper (for example, costs 1 point per level instead of two) or can rank higher (such as maxing out at 15 instead of 10), but any character can learn the Hacking ability.

 

[Garrison72]

Normally I would agree, I prefer a classless system. But CDPR stated your choice of role will affect the story, and the differentiation of roles seems so crucial to Cyberpunk I'd be really surprised if they ditched them.

 

[blank_redge]

I think there should be some manner of baseline framework, so that when you select a Role the skills relative to the Role improve faster or can rank higher than those not related to it, but overall, any character can utilize any skill.

I would agree with this.

While anyone who has the knowledge can train to be like GSG 9 / Spetznaz / MI6 / S.E.A.L.s / etc., the people who have a focus in it (ie the people that do it for a living) are at a distinct advantage over the sarariman who casually trains on the weekends.

 

[Sirnaq]

Totally disagree, i think that cdpr should stick to p&p system and avoid casualisation at all cost.

 

[starteller]

No Role. But career yes but career are more like factions. Like Law enforcers, Corporates, Street. Having a 3+ ways war on the street would be fun.

 

[ChaosWolf1982]

Totally disagree, i think that cdpr should stick to p&p system and avoid casualisation at all cost.

Define "casualization" first.

 

[starteller]

I disagree. Why not some ability points you can put on a vast ability list. Then if you want to make a nerd runner just take all your points in Netrunner abilities.

 

[ChaosWolf1982]

I would agree with this.

While anyone who has the knowledge can train to be like GSG 9 / Spetznaz / MI6 / S.E.A.L.s / etc., the people who have a focus in it (ie the people that do it for a living) are at a distinct advantage over the sarariman who casually trains on the weekends.

Glad someone approves - really, it seems so obviously the path to take, I wonder why folks are debating anything else.

 

[wisdom000]

I have posted this a few times, so I am just reposting it now... but this is how I feel roles should be handled....

"Roles should merely provide bonuses to certain skills. Players should be able to choose a Primary Role, but should be able to assign points to all the others as they see fit, as well as to skills. In addition, the Primary Role chosen should have an effect on how the story unfolds. The missions of the game remain the same, only for people with different roles, the order in which they come, and the objectives of the mission itself changes. For instance, if you are playing a Netrunner, one mission might have you trying to infiltrate a drug deal, using your hacking skills to record the entire thing for black mail. But if you are playing a Cop, your objective is to arrest the main dealer. Or if you are playing a Solo, your job is to protect the dealer from the cops who bust in. Or if you are playing a Nomad, you are the getaway driver for the dealer. The missions are all the same, but why you are there and what you are doing would change depending on your role and choices within the game. That way, even though the missions are exactly the same in subsequent play-thrus, it will always feel unique. Imagine how interesting this could get in a co-op style game?"

I do think roles should be included, I think they provide an important template into the identity of your character. But I don't think anyone should be limited to just one role... they should choose one as their primary, and then be able to take as many secondary roles as they wish and can qualify for...

 

[ChaosWolf1982]

I have posted this a few times, so I am just reposting it now... but this is how I feel roles should be handled....

...

I do think roles should be included, I think they provide an important template into the identity of your character. But I don't think anyone should be limited to just one role... they should choose one as their primary, and then be able to take as many secondary roles as they wish and can qualify for...

You have no idea how awesome it feels to me, to find that one of the "big names" in the fandom is on the same wavelength as I am with regard to something.

 

[gamer_fries]

Maybe bit of a mix, I like the idea of not having to choose a set class to start off with but defiantly have some sort of restrictions like others have stated above, or even maybe something like at the start you create your own class picking powers and skill tree's based on how you plan to play the game.

 

[wisdom000]

You have no idea how awesome it feels to me, to find that one of the "big names" in the fandom is on the same wavelength as I am with regard to something.

Wow... that's pretty flattering, thank you.

The truth is, multiple roles in this manner was one of the first rules I implemented in my game, one of the first rules I put up on my site, and definitely one of the core concepts of Interlock Unlimited... so no, you are not alone.

 

[Sardukhar]

Actually, he is alone. I read his last post on cyberpyschosis and went out and made sure there were no witnesses nearby for What Must Happen Next.

it's best this way.

 

[Sydanyo]

Roles are an integral part of the Cyberpunk 2020 game mechanic. Each role has a special ability. Roles also differentiate the characters; if there were no roles, there would be one straight line you would follow in order to min/max your character. With roles, there are at least as many ways to play as there are roles.

Removing roles from the game would change it completely from Cyberpunk 2020 to something else. If they're making this into something that's true to Cyberpunk 2020, the roles will definitely stay.

 

[ChaosWolf1982]

Actually, he is alone. I read his last post on cyberpyschosis and went out and made sure there were no witnesses nearby for What Must Happen Next.

it's best this way.

And now I'm vaguely concerned.