I wish cyberpsychosis was implemented, I had an idea of how it could be.

[Bebøp]

After watching Edgerunners (for the millionth time) it got me thinking about the games use of the Sandi.

I feel like a really cool way CDPR could have implemented cyberpsychosis and over-chroming would be a recommended amount system. Instead of getting to use certain cyberware everytime it's off cooldown i feel like it would be awesome to have a limit on it. Take the Sandevistan for example, the more leveld you become the better you get at using it but put a recommended limit of say, 3 uses per 24hrs and if you go over it you start to get a debuff on various skills like gun accuracy and hp to the point you could just become a mess if you use it say 20 times in a 24hr period. The way to counteract this debuff would be going to ripperdocs and buying different strengths of meds that cost more and more the stronger you get.

The gameplay loop of this would be you do jobs to get money for chrome, you get chromed up more and more and need more money for meds or be forced to tune down or slow down your useage, thus also making combat more strategic. Imagine you've used the Sande 5 times in the day and the recommended amount for the day is 4. You're already debuffed slightly on hp and accuracy but you're on a gig and nearing it's end. Surrounded by a bunch of goons that you could easy take if you activate the sande, but it'd put you more over the limit... Fine, one more cant hurt! You use it and get more debuffs and use your last batch of meds and get the job done. Now time to head back to the ripperdoc and get some more meds because your vision is glitching and you're not really sure whats real.

You could even introduce cyberpsychosis in a simple way of, if you use the higher end chrome too often in one day (over the level adjusted recommended amount) your screen starts glitching out, NPCs attack you (to represent the idea you THINK they are attacking you so you have to defend or run)

Maybe in Project Orion or maybe when modders get more extensive tools we might see something like this.

 

[Netrunner2go]

There are already cyberpsycho mods around for over a year now: https://www.nexusmods.com/cyberpunk2077/mods/5646

would love to have a feature like that on console tho

 

[LeKill3rFou]

To be honest, knowing I played full melee/sandevistan since 2.0 release, if Sandevistan had a limited amount of uses per day, I would just skip time after reaching the limit

 

[Tarille]

Something like that could cause a lot of issues, such as:

1) Getting punished for actually progressing your character. Like the entire shtick of cyberpsychosis is too much cyberware can cause insanity. So if getting more cyberware is detrimental, then you're getting punished for progressing your character.

2) This sort of "Daily limit" doesn't really do much besides make you have to take a trip to your apartment to rest for 24 hours after each gig... You'll still just spam your Sandy during the gig but take a rest after before you go do the next one.

3) I know the power fantasy is "Being at your limit and being surrounded by goons and you have to do or die and take the risk" but... With such a limitation in play, you'd just avoid putting yourself in that situation in the first place.

Overall, the theming is good, but the outcome is unlikely to add much enjoyment to the experience.

It's reminiscent of the game Breath of Fire: Dragon Quarter where the premise of the game was you were slowly dying to this dragon power and activating your big super powered badass mode would massively accelerate the timer so the game ends up being you trying to minimize the usage of your super powered badass mode (To the point where you can only actually use it 1-2 times if you actually want to reach the end of the game).

Which sounds cool... Until you realize that it's not particularly fun to actually play.

Similarly the whole "Get meds to fix yourself" thing just sounds like Farcry 3 where you'd get all messed up by your maleria and need to pop pills to fix it, so you constantly had to make sure to have pills available. Which was also not a particularly enjoyable mechanic.

 

[ShinAkira00]

Something like that could cause a lot of issues, such as:

1) Getting punished for actually progressing your character. Like the entire shtick of cyberpsychosis is too much cyberware can cause insanity. So if getting more cyberware is detrimental, then you're getting punished for progressing your character.

2) This sort of "Daily limit" doesn't really do much besides make you have to take a trip to your apartment to rest for 24 hours after each gig... You'll still just spam your Sandy during the gig but take a rest after before you go do the next one.

3) I know the power fantasy is "Being at your limit and being surrounded by goons and you have to do or die and take the risk" but... With such a limitation in play, you'd just avoid putting yourself in that situation in the first place.

Overall, the theming is good, but the outcome is unlikely to add much enjoyment to the experience.

It's reminiscent of the game Breath of Fire: Dragon Quarter where the premise of the game was you were slowly dying to this dragon power and activating your big super powered badass mode would massively accelerate the timer so the game ends up being you trying to minimize the usage of your super powered badass mode (To the point where you can only actually use it 1-2 times if you actually want to reach the end of the game).

Which sounds cool... Until you realize that it's not particularly fun to actually play.

Similarly the whole "Get meds to fix yourself" thing just sounds like Farcry 3 where you'd get all messed up by your maleria and need to pop pills to fix it, so you constantly had to make sure to have pills available. Which was also not a particularly enjoyable mechanic.

1. You don't need maxed out cyberware to progress the game so it's not punishing progression.
2. A lot of games have limitations placed on mechanics, things like debuffs and cooldowns have existed in gaming for decades. There's nothing wrong with limitations if it's done well.
3. Witcher 3 had "punishment". If you used too many potions your toxicity levels would go up so they have done this successfully before.

 

[Tarille]

1. You don't need maxed out cyberware to progress the game so it's not punishing progression.

It is still punishing progression.

You even state the "Gameplay loop" is getting money for more cyberware...

Gaining levels increases cyberware capacity. Thus, you can progress your character by equipping more cyberware.

You're looking to punish that by making it so that getting more cyberware is detrimental.

2. A lot of games have limitations placed on mechanics, things like debuffs and cooldowns have existed in gaming for decades. There's nothing wrong with limitations if it's done well.

Yes. But these mechanics are designed to enhance gameplay by providing more tactical choices in combat.

Your suggestion ends up being mostly a nuisance where you skip time between doing content.

3. Witcher 3 had "punishment". If you used too many potions your toxicity levels would go up so they have done this successfully before.

Toxicity in W3 was not punishment. At base, it didn't do anything. It merely was a stopgap to limit how many potions you could have active at once. Eventually you got a skill that gave you a ton of damage the higher your toxicity was meaning it was actively beneficial to max out toxicity at all times.

 

[Zem]

Eh... no thanks. It has more value as a storytelling element than a game balance mechanic. I don't need much more than is present already now with the Edgerunner perk. If you don't take that then you're simply prevented by the game from having "too much" chrome to go psycho. And even if you do it's just a moderate health penalty and a random chance to go "spooky laugh tinted screen combat buff mode" occasionally.

In the source material, as far as I've read about it anyway, it's not described as something that happens to everyone. It also involves roleplaying someone with lower humanity or some sort of psychological trauma on top of which which too much chrome tips you over the edge. That sort of thing. And other times, again for storytelling purpose, it's used to excuse other actions like excessive police force when it might have been an ordinary drug overdoes or something much more mundane.

If they were to add something like this, I'd prefer it was something separate or optional, kind of the way some RPGs now have a "survival mode" that makes you worry about eating, drinking, and sleeping (what's next? a bladder meter?) It's not for everyone though.

 

[ShinAkira00]

Toxicity in W3 was not punishment. At base, it didn't do anything. It merely was a stopgap to limit how many potions you could have active at once. Eventually you got a skill that gave you a ton of damage the higher your toxicity was meaning it was actively beneficial to max out toxicity at all times.

Mate, you lost health when you exceeded the toxicity threshold. Yes, it was punishment. Being able to counter it with a skill doesn't negate that because once again those are skill points you are losing by not using them elsewhere and most people wouldn't waste them on that.

That is implementing limitations well, allowing the option at a cost. Not just saying...here...use this OP thing with zero consequence or draw back. In Witcher 3 there is a drawback regardless of what you do and it works.