Cyberpunk 2077 - Eweryday Life

[Sardukhar]

Red, your point is well taken, but really depends on the continent, country, city and sector fo city.

For example: nearly all of Europe is much as you describe and they don't even need C-SWAT: regulatory authorities are much stricter about handing out serious cyber and the black market is much less tolerant of crazies with cyberlimbs. Europe is plenty violent in 2020, but it's a more civilized violence. Excluding England and parts of Eastern Europe that is.

Japan is probably even more tight on cyber than Europe, while also having a VERY high degree of cybernetic modification. Lots of it, less crazy.

North America reaaaaally varies, but is generally pretty wild. Night City for example has at the two ends of the spectrum the very tightly controlled Corporate core and the nearly lawless Combat Zone, where Boosters pack all sorts of crazy cyberweapons whenevr they want and however they want. Sometimes they take them Downtown and fun times.

Detroit is...well, it's worse.



So in the Combat Zone, the average ganger is going to be cybered to the teeth and could well be carrying an M60. In the corporate core, no. Strolling down the streets with your BigKnucks reflecting the early-morning sun means you are about to be face-down tasting Arasaka boot leather.

 

[rednotdead]

Ah, okay. I had no idea there was a combat zone in Night City... Thanks for clearing that up.

 

[Sardukhar]

My pleasure. There is a crazy amount of cool stuff about Cyberpunk 2020 to read up on - check out the Mike Pondsmith's Cyberpunk forum or find some references here in the FAQ.

 

[wisdom000]

So in the Combat Zone, the average ganger is going to be cybered to the teeth and could well be carrying an M60. In the corporate core, no. Strolling down the streets with your BigKnucks reflecting the early-morning sun means you are about to be face-down tasting Arasaka boot leather.

Perfectly put....

 

[kilravok]

So, the question of visibility of cyberware is cleared, but how common is it really?
In Ghost in the Shell, the majority of people have cyber-brains, but some are completely without. in AD Police having cyber-replacements is said to be common, but mainly for medical reasons, and again there are many who are still 100% real. In Armitage III again, cyberware is purely medical for limb replacements and most people would not even consider cyber implants for "Style".
How common is it in NightCity? Does everybody have it for work and to be with the cool kids? Or is the majority really only medical limb/organ replacement while only those who have money to burn get the fancy gadgets? As I see it, the upper class accountant might have an implanted cyber phone, but any middle class worker would still fondle his handheld cell phone.

 

[onosendai7]

Depend of the flavor you want to give to your game. There is no real rule about that, nor fixed level.
Just lower the price for the wares and they will be quite everywhere.
Raise the rates and they will be scarce.

Of course, wealthy people tend to be cybered (custom design and costly), just because they may afford the last gadget or the last form of creator fashion. Yeah, that's snobism

 

[Val3ri]

Depend of the flavor you want to give to your game. There is no real rule about that, nor fixed level.
Just lower the price for the wares and they will be quite everywhere.
Raise the rates and they will be scarce.

Of course, wealthy people tend to be cybered (custom design and costly), just because they may afford the last gadget or the last form of creator fashion. Yeah, that's snobism

I'd add that being wealthy does not mean only better gadgets, but also that those gadgets are much less obvious than cheaper version. Someone who cannot afford the "nice" versions of the products is more likely to see how Corporations guards are not the friendliest men on this Earth.

It's not just what you have, but how it looks like, and how do you use it =P

Besides, if you're wealthier, instead of getting a lot of gear (with its obvious cyberpsycho risk), you could get someone (or someones) to get the job done.

Totally agree with the snobism part.

 

[onosendai7]

Well, it was about petty ware, like plugs, optics or audios.
Generally speaking, a wealthy one is out of harm's way, just because he/she can afford a very competent sec. team (Lazarus ? anyone ?). Then he/she does not need to put money and empathy in the sink of black market cybertech.
In my opinion, a goldenkid is not to have some rippers (but is really likely to send two dozens berserk gangers just to show you what they look like and the right way to use them).

 

[Sardukhar]

With the typical setting, commonality of cyber varies from country to..well, you get it. Fashion, culture and economy are determiners.

To give you an idea of relative worth, the first FIVE (5!) levels of your Special Ability - i.e. that particular "pro" skill you learn from your job as a tech or media or netrunner -
those first 5 levels earn you eb1,000 to eb2,000 a month. A Techie, Cop, Netrunner, Nomad, or Rocker earns eb1,000, Fixer makes eb1500, Solos make eb2,000.
The Rocker description at that level is "Desperate for gigs", heh. Solo is "Street Ronin". Nomad is "Clanmember". Silly Rockers.

So, for the entire first half of your skill range, you make eb1,000 to eb2000 a month, total. eb1000 by far the most common. IF you have regular work.

- Cosmetic cyber like light tattoos are pretty common and done in mall clinics. Think of that stuff as being as common as tattoos. Subtle and classy in Europe, whatever in the U.S. Skinwatch, biomonitor, etc. Zero to .5 Humanity loss.

- Low impact cyber, for work or fashion, is also fairly common. Interface plugs, pain editor, smartgun or vehicle link, skillchips, maybe some Enhanced Hearing or Diet Mites - these are in the 500-1000 eb range. Less common, but still unsurprising, especially for work-related needs. Most of or all of a month's salary to buy it. 1 to 3 or so Humanity Loss.

- Serious cyber, in the eb1,000+ range: limbs, cyberaudio or eyes, armor, speedware, heart or lungs, etc, that stuff is progressively rarer and more expensive. Limbs are eb3000 each - several months salary for most. Hand not included. Toxin Binders are also eb3000. Zetatech bodycomp is eb1750.
So, limited to serious professionals, up and comers, people on expense accounts. The Special Ability 6+ bunch who can make eb2,000 to eb6,000 a month. Humanity cost starts to show up, too: 1d6 and up, often 2d6. You could lose a whole Empathy point with a cyberarm or audio.
If you want most of this stuff concealed or concealable, add another few hundred eb at least. At least. Hardened vs EMP, keep adding!

- Serious Borg levels. At this point, you are considering groups of the above - armour AND more than one cyberlimb, multiple senses, enhanced antibodies, Pacesetter 2000 Heart, reflex boosting as a given, very expensive cosmetic surgery or best-class implants. Humanity loss varied, from low to crazy high. eb10,000 to eb100,000 and uuuup.



Hopefully this gives you some idea of the commonality of cyber in 2020. You can adjust for culture: U.S. cyber is "cool" and rarely remarked on, unless it's weapons-grade. Europe and most U.S. high-class areas look down on gauche modification, unless you're famous or powerful. Other cultures vary. Prices tend to be world- market-dictated and remain constant across the board for legitimate purchase - less than legitimate really varies.

Most people you pass in the regular street have a skinwatch or biomonitor, maybe even a cyberheart to help with that bad gene of theirs, enhanced vision, etc. Few have cyberlimbs - body bank limbs are 1/3 the price of cyber and no humanity cost. Combat Zones or wild areas...all bets are off. Ripper docs, black market tech, illegal tech galore. Screw Humanity loss.


Oh, one last note: Top end, Special Ability 10? Police Chiefs make eb9,000 a month. Techs make eb8,000 a month. Nomad Family Heads make eb5,000 a month, both Solo Elite and Corporate Division Heads make eb12,000 and Medtech 10 Specialty Physicians? eb15,000 a month. Nice to be a doctor, huh?

Those figures are exclusive of alternate funding methods, like advertising or stock options or whatever.

 

[onosendai7]

For those not fluent with CP P&P rules, here are some keys (if I remember right) :
- special ability is the rating of your professional (character class) skill. The more you have, the best you are (max is 10).
- Humanity cost reflects the impact of the 'ware on the psyche. All starts from the Empathy attributes which is used to determine how well you consider other people. 1 point in empathy gives 10 humanity points. The max of that attribute is 10 (so, it would be 100 humanity points). Every 10 points spent in cybernetics decrease your empathy attribute by 1. From empathy 3, you have serious trouble interacting with other people. Emp 2 : you are emotionless (sort of). Emp 1 is generally the time to organize funerals because the character hate human beings (all flesh must die : terminal cyberpsychosis).
That EMP thing is also meant to keep a relatively low level of cybernetics (or not).

 

[Sardukhar]

That's right! Thanks for the translation.

The rest of you: off to Cyberpunk 2020 PnP, which is a great game full of cool details like the above!

 

[wisdom000]

For those not fluent with CP P&P rules, here are some keys (if I remember right) :
- special ability is the rating of your professional (character class) skill. The more you have, the best you are (max is 10).
- Humanity cost reflects the impact of the 'ware on the psyche. All starts from the Empathy attributes which is used to determine how well you consider other people. 1 point in empathy gives 10 humanity points. The max of that attribute is 10 (so, it would be 100 humanity points). Every 10 points spent in cybernetics decrease your empathy attribute by 1. From empathy 3, you have serious trouble interacting with other people. Emp 2 : you are emotionless (sort of). Emp 1 is generally the time to organize funerals because the character hate human beings (all flesh must die : terminal cyberpsychosis).
That EMP thing is also meant to keep a relatively low level of cybernetics (or not).

Heres a digitial whiskey for you.... drink without moderation...

 

[onosendai7]

That's right! Thanks for the translation.

You're welcome.

Heres a digitial whiskey for you.... drink without moderation...

Thanks.
Islay single malt, if possible

 

[RLKing1969]

I can summarize that one : Survival. It doesn't get much more complicated than that.