Cyberpunk Crafting

[Decatonkeil]

Cyberpunk Crafting

The Witcher games have the potions and explosives that you can craft from ingredients you get from monsters you kill and plants you identify and pick. There are also other RPGs where your character can have skills that would allow him or her to make their own items, even if they mainly consist of blueprints you follow to obtain an otherwise unobtainable item. I imagine Cyberpunk 2077 will include some type or other of crafting system which may include techies making or modifying weapons (we also have to see how much or little inspiration CDPR can take from the upcoming Fallout 4) who knows if not even cyberware and our own custom cyberdecks or cybermodems or however they're called.

But there are also other types of crafting that I'd like to see implemented: composing for Rockerboys, editing for Medias, programming for Netrunners and specially making drugs. The last one would be easy enough to implement if it were done in the same way as how you make potions in the Witcher games, but I'd really like to see something like how it's supposed to work in the PnP, with the player really designing his or her own drug, its effects etc. and even the mechanics where you agree to adulterate your drug to make it easier to make but with the sacrifice that it will get added nasty side effects.

What kinds of crafting systems would you like to see in CDPR? How could they be implemented?

 

[Suhiira]

Making designer drugs isn't near as easy as just mixing stuff together and seeing what results you get. Teams of people with PhDs in chemistry and biology spend years coming up with new drugs.

While it would be fairly easy for a character to get the formula and mix a batch of an existing drug, new ones would be a bit outside the scope of the game I think.

I'd also love to see composing, editing, and programming implemented. But the only practical way I can think of to do so would be for your creation to result in some money, as there's no way CDPR could take into account the almost limitless variations of capabilities having a custom program or whatever could entail.

 

[cyberpunkforever]

the character could craft medkits, simple ammo, simple explosives, smoke bombs, etc, or improvised weapons, like in alien: isolation, according to the skills, but implants and complex cybernetic augmentations must be crafted by an expert, just like the mastercrafted armors/swords in tw3, that only specific experts can craft this items,

the crafting system in dead space 3 is very good accomplished, and a good example as a starting level, a basic crafting, maybe for weapons, or armors, but cyber implants or intelligence or organ's augmentatios should be made by experts,

 

[otis0310]

I agree, the character should be able to craft weapons, ammunition, armor, grenades, drugs and that sort of thing easy enough. Maybe even upgrade an implant by writing new software for it. Imagine, a brand new driver for you built in cyber-blades!!!

But as for installing cybernetic upgrades, no, that would be impossible. Basically because that would require some sort of surgery and most people cannot perform surgery on themselves. I mean you have anesthetize yourself and everything, and then somehow do the surgery while you are unconcsious. It starts getting pretty complicated so most people don't do it.

Sure Jason Stratham in Spy said he reattached his right arm using only his left arm, but I don't take him seriously. After all, he also said he took up piano at a late age. Who does that?

 

[chriswebb2020.736]

It should all come down to skill and equipment access.

If we develop ourselves enough we should be the experts. In 2020 you could build just about any complex device in a rented workspace using AutoCAD and other fun toys. You could synthesize drugs and explosives using various apparatus and mobile labs, (though full labs would be better.) Programming your own software took time and creativity and knowledge. It could also be done as a collective project.

You could buy designs online or you could create them yourself with the right equipment.

I want to build guns and armour, and explosives, definitely explosives. Did I mention I like explosives? If we can work on our own skills, putting in the effort and focus on it, we should have the opportunity to create what we want. It doesn't have to be all encompassing, if we are given a list of potential options and we can combine a number of those options with a 'give and take' approach I don't see a problem.

 

[Suhiira]

It should all come down to skill and equipment access.

If we develop ourselves enough we should be the experts. In 2020 you could build just about any complex device in a rented workspace using AutoCAD and other fun toys. You could synthesize drugs and explosives using various apparatus and mobile labs, (though full labs would be better.) Programming your own software took time and creativity and knowledge. It could also be done as a collective project.

The key tho is "expert".
You'd need a skill level of 9 or 10 to create new stuff, vice say 6ish for minor modifications to existing gear. If you're willing to put that much effort into it then you should be rewarded. But don't expect to do much with a skill level of 5 or less.

 

[chriswebb2020.736]

The key tho is "expert".
You'd need a skill level of 9 or 10 to create new stuff, vice say 6ish for minor modifications to existing gear. If you're willing to put that much effort into it then you should be rewarded. But don't expect to do much with a skill level of 5 or less.

At 5/6 I'm hoping to create 'zip gun's and modify my weapons. At 8+ I would expect to design and build weapons, as long as my physics is up to scratch

 

[walkingdarkly]

This thread shoulda been dubbed,

"How much fun can you have as a techie in Night City."

answer, alot.

Now yeah, most of the different classes, except Corps, should be able to cobble some stuff together but nothing to fancy. Corps will always get someone else to do it for them.

But if you want something really nice that would require a bit more work than what MacGuyver does then you go see the local techie or you be the local techie. Or MedTechie if you like working on Chrome. They are the main crafting class of 2020 after all. I ran in one game where a guy played a techie and I had him build me a special car with built in Ai, ala Kitt from Night Rider but with a tuck away mini rail cannon stored in the trunk.

 

[chriswebb2020.736]

And lets not forget Med Techs, the pharmaceutical geniuses of 2020.

 

[moonknightgog]

I agree, the character should be able to craft weapons, ammunition, armor, grenades, drugs and that sort of thing easy enough.

No. You should be able to craft those things only if your character has knowledge, skill and the necessary equipment.

 

[chriswebb2020.736]

No. You should be able to craft those things only if your character has knowledge, skill and the necessary equipment.

Of course. This should be available to all roles, just like in 2020, though it should be where certain roles shine. Anyone can learn the skills to build, make, meand and design just about anything, though specific roles that specialise in certain fields, (Netrunners and Programming, Medtechs and Pharmaceuticals, Techies and their specialisation,) should have a head start and maybe better opportunities.

 

[Suhiira]

Of course. This should be available to all roles, just like in 2020, though it should be where certain roles shine. Anyone can learn the skills to build, make, meand and design just about anything, though specific roles that specialise in certain fields, (Netrunners and Programming, Medtechs and Pharmaceuticals, Techies and their specialisation,) should have a head start and maybe better opportunities.

If you're going to make the techie roles worthwhile they have to be able to do things only they can do.
If anyone can learn to craft anything (even it it takes till end-game) the entire point of the tech roles is totally moot and there is zero reason to include them in the first place.

 

[chriswebb2020.736]

If you're going to make the techie roles worthwhile they have to be able to do things only they can do.
If anyone can learn to craft anything (even it it takes till end-game) the entire point of the tech roles is totally moot and there is zero reason to include them in the first place.

Pardon?

Anyone could learn in 2020, did everyone do so? Nope. Techies are better at it than anyone, and they get a big head start on it all. They can specialise, the same as everyone, but of their 9 career skills 6 of them are pure tech skills and then their special ability is purely tech based.

 

[Suhiira]

Pardon?

Anyone could learn in 2020, did everyone do so? Nope. Techies are better at it than anyone, and they get a big head start on it all. They can specialise, the same as everyone, but of their 9 career skills 6 of them are pure tech skills and then their special ability is purely tech based.

True, but you're assuming the special abilities are included, which I sorta doubt since this will be a primarily singe-player game vice team-play as in PnP, and that IP will be limited enough you can't afford to have a significant number of side-skills or have them at "reasonable" levels (i.e. that allow significant crafting).
I'm not willing to assume this simply because most of the player base knows little of, and could care even less about traditional PnP RPGs. They will expect and demand the ability to do nearly everything in the game with one character (hopefully not to the lengths Elder Scrolls takes it where you can do everything).
Us purists currently lurking these forums understand this should not be possible but 99.999% of CDPRs sales won't be to us.

 

[AntonioLuccessi]

The question of how much the player should be able to modify has a lot to do with how broad they make the player's possible experience. If they keep the game low level, make it about deals gone wrong, etc, there wont be much room for academic lessons on gunsmithing, biomechanics, etc. The character is going to be too busy killing shit or sneaking around or netrunning. So I would bet that the crafting will be somewhat limited, and that you'll have to visit unlockable NPCs or faction based NPCs to get mods or upgraded weaponry.

 

[chriswebb2020.736]

The question of how much the player should be able to modify has a lot to do with how broad they make the player's possible experience. If they keep the game low level, make it about deals gone wrong, etc, there wont be much room for academic lessons on gunsmithing, biomechanics, etc. The character is going to be too busy killing shit or sneaking around or netrunning. So I would bet that the crafting will be somewhat limited, and that you'll have to visit unlockable NPCs or faction based NPCs to get mods or upgraded weaponry.

 

[AntonioLuccessi]

chris web I take it you think that gunsmithing should be a part of the game, then? TBH I'd love a deep, deep crafting system, but the player would not nor should not be able to do it all themselves. A lone craftsperson, working in a back alley, or even a machine shop, won't be able to produce what is being done within the deepest heart of Militech or Dynalar. What would make me happy, would be if these crafting journeys had a solid story element, or could act as side quests.

---------- Updated at 10:34 PM ----------

chriswebb2020 I take it you think that gunsmithing should be a part of the game, then? TBH I'd love a deep, deep crafting system, but the player would not nor should not be able to do it all themselves. A lone craftsperson, working in a back alley, or even a machine shop, won't be able to produce what is being done within the deepest heart of Militech or Dynalar. What would make me happy, would be if these crafting journeys had a solid story element, or could act as side quests.

 

[Sardukhar]

Chris is a Techie. He's going to have to come to terms that some things are going to make it in and some things aren't.

Bet a deep crafting system doesn't make it in. Something lightweight, of course, but something with real punch? No.

 

[Suhiira]

Chris is a Techie. He's going to have to come to terms that some things are going to make it in and some things aren't.

Bet a deep crafting system doesn't make it in. Something lightweight, of course, but something with real punch? No.

Probably.
I can see modifying equipment but there's no practical way to include the creation of entirely new stuff without a GM, or FAR more code then anyone sane is willing to create/debug.

 

[chriswebb2020.736]

Chris is a Techie. He's going to have to come to terms that some things are going to make it in and some things aren't.

Bet a deep crafting system doesn't make it in. Something lightweight, of course, but something with real punch? No.

Also; @AntonioLuccessi Yes and No. I do want to create my own weapons/armour/gear. I want us to be ablet o create our own computer programs for hacking/utility and our own drugs, explosives, even vehicles. I know we wont be able to build all that from scratch, but I want it. It doesn't have to be too deep either. In 2020 you could rent an Auto-CAD micro-factory in places like the Malor factory in Night City. You could plug in a blueprint designed on a computer, the machines would construct your design from a bank of raw materials, much like 3D printers do now. Precious and dangerous materials are also available for additional fees. This was all documented in Wildside and mentioned in the Night City Sourcebook.

This all stemmed from the princip[les behind 'New Industry'. You could build anything that the huge corporations can, but not as cheaply. That said, fake and/or inferior versions of designer gear is a huge market now, let alone the Cyberpunk future, and it's sweatshops, not complex machines.
This doesn't take into account the counter to the 'disposable' culture, the guys taking all this 'junk' that is thrown away and build new stuff, or repair things, with it all. Taking 2 or 3 motorboke, building a frame that will fit the one working engine, cobble together the good parts from the wrecks and bam, unique bike thats custom made to your needs and specifications.

The main thing for me is customisation. I want my gear to be tailored to my needs, and in games, (as in life,) I prefer to do things myself, not pay someone else for the work. I get a deep sense of satisfaction from that, again, both in life and gaming. (In skyrim I normally maxed out Blacksmithing long before anything else.

If Techies, MedTechies and Netrunners are part of the game then I sincerely hope we have the capacity to do our own work.