@rapij42882
I think there is always a huge potential.
We can see how gameplay can become interesting or more riveting if a dedicated approach is picked. Less cryptic: Look at the standalone cop mods for GTA 4 and GTA 5 as example. By utilizing many engine and game assets and additional functions, you get a mod-friendly customizable "modding suite" to tailor your law enforcement experience. You can be a beat cop or a more specialized role and patrol or respond to callouts. You can stop pedestrians, ask them for ID, frisk them, fine them, arrest them. Anyone. Roughly the same for cars. Stop them. Inspect them. Check the license plates.
While I don't expect a full life cop life sim here, by all means, I post these examples to show that there is potential for "off-shoots" even in Cyberpunk, even if your character in this game is largely declared to be a "Merc" trying to survive and / or rise to the top. For me, dabbing in such copper roles is often kind of thrilling and interesting. I currently do it in DayZ on a server with some RP elements so it's not just random shootouts but a story unfolding. Played one through an apocalypse setting start to finish. When things were largely normal, military and police around, to downfall, to pure survival.
To get more back to the Cyberpunk topic, the same interesting scenario I find in a sci-fi cop (or quasi-cop, ally, etc) approach. Seeing this dystopian gritty urban world from the eyes of someone trying to bring some sort of order to it, by profession, not just ideals. Or to end up horribly twisted or adapting, maybe corrupted, just to get by or lose oneself. All very interesting topics.
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Before this becomes a (too) huge wall of text in this post, on a closing note for now I must commend that CDPR already did something I did not expect. Whether one wants to argue about what may have been planned but cut, there is ample evidence of scenarios where you can be pro NCPD my mopping up crime or working with some of these people, and partially, against them. I didn't know it but apparently there is some (rare?) MAX-TAC quest where you help a team of them somewhere more actively, and you see the team interact with each other. Just saw a brief snippet in a video and want to find it myself.
In addition you are a possible "NCPD subcon". I imagine this stands for subcontractor. While it doesn't give you notable official powers or privileges or access to gear by them, it seems you are the recipient of any outsourcing of work NCPD cannot or doesn't want to do. So you get at least "cred" and money for mopping up.
Long story short, a step in a direction I like, but it could be somewhat more - without breaking the main plot.
I heavily hope that (if not for modding) DLCs and such will expand into this area. I don't expect a full cop sim that is its own full game, by all means, but I think that you could allow "V" to pick specialized / exotic roles and add more gameplay possibilities. If not for some beat cop, maybe some kind of 'Detective' or SWAT role.
What I can imagine very well is becoming a quasi part of MAX-TAC in a deeper and reoccurring fashion. The wiki article of the older CP2020 lore already implies MAX-TAC isn't your average beat cops or detectives - they can be quite the personalities and "cyber punks" themselves. Dare devils that you need given the work they do. It would make sense to me they would try to recruit someone like V as some kind of "deputized merc" or "reservist". Much like the first trailer indicates the cyberpsycho was recruited into MAX-TAC. Imagine adding this and going back to the roots, of sorts. I'd clap my hands together physically.
Instead of just hiring you as merc for special occasions like "subcon mop-ups", resulting in basically some average gig where you run somewhere, help and bugger off, they want you as a more integrated part of the team. The approach is still the same (you respond to a situation and go somewhere) but you'll be treated differently and it's more engaging. You could see backup and get more like a pat on the back or no trouble from law enforcement as you fight the troublemakers like Cyberpsychos.
I think allowing V to "join" MAX-TAC and maybe Trauma Team in some kind of "sub faction sense" would still perfectly work, fit the game narrative and allow new ways of adding (radiant?) content through more jobs that allow you to do things. It would be heavily satisfying for me to roll with MAX-TAC and their gear, or TT and have some perks during active missions and have people like pedestrians react if you are part of them and wear their gear. Add some unique side missions and 'radiant quests' with some new dialogue and you got yourself unique side content that would please many players. Doesn't have to be a huge part of the game, just a little extra and bonus.
MAX-TAC and Trauma Team are among the best examples I can think of because they seem just so non-intrusive to the plot and other quests opposed to maybe becoming a beat cop or being able to join a known corporation. Too much additional work. Wouldn't say no, but MT/TT are just easier to implement in side quest fashion.
Long story short, would heavily dig a "job DLC" that fleshes out on some jobs in the city including TT/MT.
So far, I can mostly wear the clothing of some groups. Why not let us "join" them and feel like part of them, do specialized missions (radiant?) and earn money. And just feel at home somewhere. For me, it would also add not just fun but replayability, rather than feeling like a cosplayer (no offense) in some of the favorite outfits. Instead, it'll be like: "Damn, I'm not just wearing this, I'm actually part of this, I respond to callouts alone or with a team sometimes and feel like part of the city or some group".
I leave you all, dear readers, this perhaps "motivational picture" of what once could be your character in the moderate future due to mods or DLC.