Mega 2020 Lore Thread - Trailer Breakdown!

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Hello, Beloved Ratlings!

So I am doing a Cyberpunk 2020 Easter Eggs thread. For those of us who played and loved the Pen and Paper game and for those of you interested in HOW MUCH detail CDPR went into to capture the richness of the 2020 setting.

Bit of a Deep Dive though. In a recent article a friend posted to me, " the direction of the soundtrack came from a desire “to draw on the lore of the rule book” from the tabletop game “when we were creating the world of Night City.” " I think you'll find that to be very true, even in this brief trailer. Note: I've posted some of those lyrics below.

Some of the art you see below has not aged to perfection. Be kind - it was early years for great gaming art, back in the 80s!

Disclaimer: this is from the 2020 world setting and timeline. 2077 draws from Cyberpunk 2020. May not be an exact match!



Extra Disclaimer - these are excerpts from CDPR's Cyberpunk 2077 properties and R.Talsorians Cyberpunk 2020 properties. No challenge intended.

Also, check out the R.Tal store!

NOTE: you can DOUBLE-CLICK on images to embiggen them. Sometimes multiple times!


Important setting detail from the TableTop game:
2022: The end of the Fourth Corporate War, Militech and a team of Edgerunners (you) detonate a nuke to stop Arasaka in Night City. Kei Arasaka has a second nuke ready to go and bye-bye Corp Center and Downtown. By Oct 28, 2022, it's done. "But few believe it's all over."

This will be broken up into several posts...there's a LOT of data and images here. I did say deep dive, right? Also reference to 4th Corp War, ah, nerdishness!

First, the warning...

ESRB.JPG




And the 2020 Version:
Happy Elves.jpg

There. Now, we're off!
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Hey, the Metro! The CP2077 Version Circa 2018:

Night City Metro.JPG


Westbrook in the north, North Oaks a branch line to the right of Westbrook if you look close, Heywood in the south, Pacfica further south,
Orbital Air ( a CPunk Corp) has a Space Center in NC now and Pacifica is off limits in red with no details. Let's compare to the 1990 version!

The 2020 Version.Circa 1990:
NCART.JPG

The Night City Area Rapid Transit Sector map. NCART, for short.
Pretty close!Westbrook in the north, North Oaks to the left of Westbrook, Heywood and Rancho Coronado in the south, Pacfica further south.
No Orbital Air Spaceport back in 2020 and Pacifica is a well-used suburb.
Many new places in 2077 of course. Bridge City, Soliloquoy Road ( Is used repeatedly, probably filler) Cocoa Square North, Arasaka Waterfront.

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Station list and collar.JPG

So next we see a list - Glen Drive, Little China, Med Center and New Harbour.
Also recall the Metro map with Little China, City Center, Corpo Plaza, Charter Hill on the upper right
Metro Closeup.JPG

North Oaks.JPG

2020, from the Night City Soourcebook: City Center, Corp Center,
Medical Center, Little China, New Harbour. Charter Hill.

This is actually a really key map for Night City. Downtown layout and neighbourhoods. Most of which seem to be in 2077!

NC Downtown.JPG


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Pac rim Jacket.JPG


^The flaming skull/machine on the back of V's jacket - and this image is the cover of the Pacific Rim Sourcebook:



Pac Rim Cover.JPG


Next, the City!
 
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Jacket collar.JPG



V's Jacket!
Looks kind of a lot like this, from the cover of Cyberpunk 2020! Oh and keep that red AV-7 behind him in mind...



Cyberpunk_1024x1024.jpg


You're gonna see lit up jacket collars and high jacket collars a lot in this trailer - and pretty common in the 2020 books too. Here's Morgan Blackhand, creator Mike Pondsmith's in-game character:
Morgan 2.JPG
Yeah, biiiig on collars.

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Remember - you can CLICK to make larger - and click again!

Train View of City.JPG


Ah, the view from the Metro. Note the cars under the overpass in the mid-left foreground and, of course, Arasaka. They play a huge part in Cyberpunk 2020 lore and Night City in particular. The Boys in Black..

I've included a shot from the Night City Sourcebook below as you come into the City on such a highway - hey, those jacket bumps look familiar...
NC Freeway.JPG

Old punks know Arasaka - and Militech - well. Here's the Corporate write-up from the 2020 Corebook. We see lots of them both - in 2020 and so far in 2077 as well.

ARA and MIL.JPG
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DT from steps.JPG



The steps! A few things of note. One - You can see the NCART - Night City Area Rapid Transit - station on the right there, as you saw in the NCART map above, from the Night City Sourcebook.

Also older vehicles - right in line with 2020, older vehicles didn't just disappear. Not everyone has a slick AV 7 to fly around in. Nearly no one, in fact. Also note the silly-looking smart car on the left..kind of remniscent of the Crowder from the Chromebook 2 or the Metrocar from Corebook. The Smart cars starting coming out in the mid 90s -Cyberpunk 2020 was written in 1989 and published in 90.

Metrocar.JPG

Recycling - something CP2020 doesn't pretend to have but 2077 does. Also note the lack of Dataterms, old Punks. For non Punks, CP2020 used Dataterms as secure communications terminals. Like payphones but for data, since wireless security is a joke to Netrunners.

Lastly, on the right, NCPD! Right out of CP2020 of course.

Hammerman.JPG


Note that in the 2020 Comparison image, you see a quote from Sgt Hammerman.

I've included an image from the Teaser trailer. I'm not going to do this again, because I don't think it speaks to the current 2077 actual trailer, but note that J. Hammerman (actual first name? Child?) is mentioned as a Commissioner and that everyone's shares are up except for Net News 54, who aren't featured in the new trailer! Foreshadowing!

Teaser Hammerman.JPG
 
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Urban Flash Punk.JPG


Not much to compare here - the Curb Girls are kind of in Pop Casual, hilarious footware included, and this image is Leisurewear from Chrome 4. Equally hilarious footwear, plus skates! No idea if inspiration or not.

Shoes skates.JPG

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ED.JPG



Yay glitz! We're here to look at the prices actually. E$. That means Eurodollars, the currency of CP2020. In the excellent gameinformer piece at https://www.gameinformer.com/preview/2018/06/12/impressions-and-details-from-50-minutes-of-gameplay they refer to "eddies"as payment - probably E.D.s or Eurodollars, usually called Eurobucks in 2020.

Eurodollars2020.JPG

America in 2020 trashed? Well, yes - here's a brief look, from the Night City Sourcebook.

America Now Pg 1.JPG

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AV7.JPG



Ah, the Red Aerodyne! Found on the cover of CP2020 - with a woman striding out from it! Pulled right from the cover. Very cool. Note the Militech Magrifle
(probably a railgun, we'll see it later) and her cyberlegs. Possibly a Militech corporate, given the gear, although M sells to everyone...

Cover Av.jpg


And an Aerodyne from Chrome 4, note the 290,000 Euro price in a setting where a Cop makes about 1200 Euro a month..

Aerodyne.JPG
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Jackie Welles.JPG


Your companion, Jackie! A member of the Valentino's gang, as pointed out to me. The Valentinos are a poser gang modelled after Rudolf Valentino, a notorious lover. They try to bed as many attractive women as they can. They are a threat to you only if you are a woman ATTR is 9 or higher and if so, only that they will relentlessly pursue you.

THAT has obviously been changed here. This version pulls eyeballs out of heads...

What looks like a Colt-AMT Model 2000 in his hand. and again, that collar so prevalent in 2020 fashion. No shoot-me lights though, thank Nurgle.

Pistols.JPG
 
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WhereJohnny.JPG


Where's Johnny? Johnny Silverhand, world's most famous Rocker, was killed during the assault on Arasaka Towers...but then a nuke went off - or two. So, like Elvis..is he dead? Alive? Oh, the pistol looks -a lot- like a Browning 3 Spot.

Browning.JPG

NFA Album.jpg


Here's another image of Silverhand's biggest song, Never Fade Away, probably a Single from A Cool Metal Fire, ( if they still have those in 2077 and if CDPR isn't just going to use NFA as the album title instead of the most popular song) - also the title of the first Cyberpunk 2020 adventure in the Corebook - and a description of what happens to his girlfriend Alt, pictured on a poster in that teaser trailer.

NFA.JPG


..for the rest of the story, and the adventure that goes with it, go pick up the Cyberpunk 2020 Corebook from R.Talsorian!

You can hear Johnny Silverhand's music in the game, apparently. Included a picture of Silverhand and some lyrics below, the second set I posted. Did you find the first? So many layers! Oh, sorry about the boots..yeah..the 80s...
JohnnywQuote.JPG
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Cowboy.JPG


So CDPR has lots of their own takes on Cpunk. One includes strong images of a Western theme - bolo ties, a cowboy. In CP2020, this is mostly represented by the Nomads, the wasteland-wandering family packs. They like sidearms like this ridiculously huge pistol, akin to what the cowboy above is packing:

Super Chief.JPG


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Dermal Fighters.JPG


These fighters show the signs of subdermal armour. Well, not just them, you see a few people in the trailer with the distinctive lines of under-skin armor. Comes in different grades, from Chromebook 2:

Subdermal armor.JPG
 
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Cab.JPG


Combat Cab! Combat Cab -or Combat Cabb in 2020, CDPR wisely dropped the second C - is the only cab company serving the Combat Zone! Side note - I WONDER if the Never Forget refers to 9/11 or the Nuking of Night City? That sticker doesn't look 76 years old, sooooo? Pretty amazing longevity on the side of a cab, with all that Acid Rain etc. Is the Nuke in 2077 Lore confirmed-ish? HMMM.

Anyway, Combat Cab - badass taxi company. I'll let the blurb say the rest:

CCab.JPG


The gentlemen are probably a corporate hit team, armored and wired. Very dangerous. CDPR has really done a great job with the firearms, captured the brawny look of CP2020 hardware. From Solo of Fortune 2.

CArbine.JPG


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Cityscape.JPG


Look at those corporate logos from 2020! Arasaka, Orbital Air, Kiroshi. IF they kept the nuke storyline and IF they rebuilt the city in roughly the same orientation ( looks like they did from the Metro map) and that he's in front of the combat zone - and not swimming - with the Corp Center to his right, V is facing roughly...West. Or..North. Sure!

Here's a relief map of Night City, minus the Suburbs and the Combat Zone, from the NC Sourcebook and the excellent www.datafortress2020.com. The Combat Zone is to the south.

Cyberpunk 2020 - Map - Night City Vista.jpg


OAir.JPG


SamJack.JPG


"Samurai" on the back of the jacket is Johnny SIlverhand's old band. Here's JS on the subject himself, from "Rockerboy" Magazine.

Samurai.JPG
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Mag Gun with link.JPG



Militech MagRail gun. A Rail gun! CP2020 has those from Rhinemetall, although Militech makes the competing Anti-matter 30mm Rifle! Also note the spot on his hand...I think that might well be a smartgun/chiplink! The model pictured below from 2020 Corebook has a similar one on her wrist, as well as cyberoptics.

Eyes and Plugs.JPG
 
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Drone and Below Decks.JPG


A Militech Drone! In the Below Decks club. Of course Remotes were in 2020 - I've included, for amusements sake, the spider-drone of Militech's rival, Arasaka. Awww. So cozy.

Drone.JPG


This deal is off the books - they are using cash. In 2020 at least, currency is typically the digital Eurodollar.

I would also bet that sword is a Powersword - the handle looks thick enough and Powerswords were mentioned in an interview. Here's an early one from Kendachi, found in Chromebook 1.

Powersword.JPG

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Lizzy.JPG


Ah, Lizzy Wizzy. The placard in the back reads "Chrome Me Up Baby". Chrome World Tour, from the signs. Still, she has a clear 2020 art precedent, and not a small one - the cover of the very first Chromebook:

Chromegirl Chrome 1.JPG


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TT.JPG


Hey, it's Trauma Team! Hopefully you've all seen the blurbs, but Trauma Team is the company that provides armed air ambulances to customers injured or killed. You can be resuscitated up to 10 stages after death, worsening roughly every 30 seconds. Remember, as the CP2020 Corebook says, until you're DEAD 10, you're not dead yet! Trauma Team competes with the amusingly named REO Meatwagon, for you 80s buffs.

TT writeup1.JPG

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Jump.JPG


Cyberlegs - hardly a 2020 invention, but I thought I'd include it for a couple reasons. One, it gives me a chance to reference the 2020 page on limb options, the cool quote from Ripperjack and the rules for Leaping with limbs, nicely demonstrated here. Two, look at the detail CDPR put in - see that dust cloud at his feet? Impressive.

Cyberlimbs.JPG
 
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Firestarter Space.JPG


Spaceflight! CP2020 also did that, despite the focus on the ground. Someone is getting fried by Black ICE - Intrusion Countermeasures Electronics. Probably Firestarter - cooks the deck (computer) and if you aren't -on- a deck, cooks you instead. If this was an Arasaka Op, they may have taken his identity with the Soulkiller program Johny Silverhand's girlfriend Alt wrote them. Before they used it on her. And waaaaay before she downloaded to a clone body at the end of the Fourth Corp War. Maybe. ANYWAY. Soukiller - takes your identity. Then Firestarter fries the body and hardware so no evidence. Isn't Arasaka -fun-?

ICE.JPG

Proof that Cyberpunk DOES have a space travel element!
Near Orbit.jpg
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CorpRiot.JPG


Ah, Corporates. Such sweet people. Notice Petrochem mentioned on the top scroller.

Petrochem.JPG

Corporates in 2020 and obviously 2077 are not, typically, nice people in any way. There are a couple other images of them, but I selected the Riot one to do the Corp bit, because it shows them at their...truest. Never regret shooting one in-game, as long as you can get away with it.

Corp.JPG


And some people Sell Out to the Corps for extra money - 10,000 Euro at character gen. Tempting? You BET it is. How do you feel about Cortex Bombs?

SellingOut.JPG

Yeah, welcome to 2020, smartboy.

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Netrunner.JPG


Someone killing an Arasaka Corp. Probably hired by Militech. From the lack of skull melting fire, probably something like a Hellbolt Black ICE attack. Flatlined. The Runner above is okay this time, but as the (very similar) pic below illustrates, if your target has better ICE than you have protection, well...

Flatline.JPG

We didn't see much of Netrunning in the Trailer, but it is a HUGE deal in CP2020. It defines so much of the world. Hell, the last thing to happen in the story of 2020 is Rache Bartmoss turning off the world.

Yep. That's Rache. Brilliant, crazy, kind of the Deadpool of Netrunning.

RacheEndTrans50.jpg
 
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Alley.JPG


V, in female form. With what again looks like a Colt-AMT. GOODNESS THIS ALLEY IS DARK!!! GUESS WE CAN FINALLY RUN SOME BLADES NOW!! Sorry, cheap shot. AAh-hem. Anyway. That Colt (again, we see it a couple times. In 2020 it's a very popular, accurate weapon, perhaps in 2077 as well):

Pistols.JPG

Notice the AV ( Aerodyne) she is hiding from - obviously originally in Blade Runner, CP2020 has them in the form of the Aerocop.

Aerocop.JPG

Hey, that bike looks kind of familiar. This image of the Nomad, Corebook,on a pretttty similar bike:



Bike.JPG



And LOOK at that glowy collar on V! Yes, Cyberpunk 2020 also loves them. Here's another example, the excellent Gibson armor mix ( yes named after that Gibson) with some good advice from Morgan Blackhand:

gibson Collar.JPG

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BodyBank.JPG


"Dead is dead. Parts is parts. Dead guys is Parts." goes the 2020 saying. This is a cybereye being seized. 2020 also has wonderful rates on other organs...

BodyBanks.jpg

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BoosterGanger.JPG


Boostergangs! Heavily-cybered-up gang members! These two nitwits need to learn to bring bigger guns. Or something. Boostergangs are generally MUCH scarier than these idiots. Psychotic, armored, enhanced, well-armed. When a whole crew of these maniacs goes at it, everyone stays out of their way.

The Press Demo has V meeting Maelstrom, a very not-nice booster gang. Included is their writeup from Night City Sourcebook:

Maelstrom.JPG

Here are the Blood Razors, arguably the classic Booster gang, in an article from the Corebook. No idea if they are in 2077 or not, but they are a good example of very bad news:
(plus a little bonus bit demonstrating yet -more- Arasaka goodness!

Blood Razors B.jpg
See? Blood Razors, man. Yikes. Oh, did you see the totally dated bit where Thompson pops an actual recording cassette from his arm? What a world, where a cybernetic arm loaded a plastic disk filled with actual magnetic tape. Made sense to us in 1989, though. The Future, indeed.

Also, CDPR are all about Choice and Consequences, but if you run across Arasaka, -choose- to splat them. It's the only smart move.
 
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Okay DEEP BREATH NOW SUPER BACKGROUND POST COMING UP LOTS OF IMAGES.

First, from the above shopkeepers stall, this newspaper headline:

LuccessiDead.JPG




Here, I blew it up.
Luccessi Zoom.JPG

It says, "Corporate Mogul Antonio Luccessi Dead at 116"

Antonio Luccessi is (or was) kind of a big deal in Cyberpunk 2020 - he's the ex Chief engineer and co founder of...Militech!

Luccessi.JPG

Yep. He and a guy named Donald Lundee, ex US Army General. That Lundee, who got reactivated by the USGov at the end of the 4th Corp War in order to stop the Militech -Arasaka fight, which culminated in Night City getting nuked. Included a pic of Luccessi as a younger man.

Antonio Lucc.JPG

Now note that he was in his 80s in 2020 and he died in 2077 at 116. Rewritten dates or coldsleep?

His grand-daugher, Anastasia, is a more hands-on type. She's a Solo...no idea if she ends up as his heir after the 4th Corp War or not.

Anastasia Solo.JPG

At the same time as Donald Lundee and Antonio Luccessi were building their Militech empire, this man was building his:

Saburo.JPG


Arasaka.JPG

A fierce nationalist determined to bring Imperial Japan back, Saburo Arasaka's will defined his company and drove them on an inevitable collision course with Militech. Although Saburo is thought dead (?) and succeeded by his son Kei,

KEI.JPG

Kei is equally ruthless. It was Kei who made sure the destruction of Night City's Arasaka Tower would result in the widescale destruction in Night City's downtown area. It was also Kei who controls SoulKiller, the mind-eating program developed by Alt ( orignally for Zetatech, then for Arasaka), Johnny Silverhand's lover. And what Kei has done with SoulKiller, even to his own family...

It is this conflict between Militech and Arasaka that results in the devastation of Night City in 2022. After that, who knows...but if 2077 follows the script at all, at least Luccessi made it to 116. Makes you wonder about the other players from that era.

So, pretty cool backstory depth, eh? CDPR really went ALL IN for this setting.

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TT shooting.JPG


Trauma Team pacifing an area. Note the Kiroshi logo, makers of visual and audio cyberware in 2020, below right.

Again, CDPR's Art department just takes it away. Here's the original TT AV4 Air Ambulance:

TT AV4.JPG

In 2020, Trauma Team ( and REO Meatwagon) are pretty ruthless. They get in more daily firefights than probably anyone. As a result, they will pacify an area and then just resuscitate their client. Remember - you aren't Dead until you're DEAD 10!

They might also have to bring back anyone else they gunned down -who have a TT card of course - for that matter. So yes, those people they are shooting at could well include their own customer(s).

Clients don't complain much because a) TT will come save you nearly ANYWHERE and b) if you complain that they kinda shot you more...they might not get there in time, next time...
 
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Jackie2.JPG


Really isn't a lot to say about this image vis a vis 2020. I'm going to use it to illustrate some of the similar cyberware designs in play, though. Also that Colt AMT 2000 again...

Here's one page (of something like 20 after all the books are in) from the Corebook's Cyberware list. It features light tattoos and Techhair, you see these in the trailer, and also some other famous bits of cyberware. Oh and my favourite - Kerenzikov speedware. Note that for nearly all Cyberware you need a Neuralware processor - no idea if 2077 is going to go that gritty or not.

Cyberware list.JPG

And I know what YOU Psychos are here for: BLACK Cyberware. Like 'zoners to dust, as the saying goes.
The scary, cool stuff. Below is a selection from the 2020 setting, some of which I'm quite confident we will see in 2077. But which?!

Black Cyber75.jpg

And some visual referents from Solo of Fortune 1:

Buzzhand.JPG


Describing -why- I like Kerenzikov and other boosterware:


Boosterware Quote.JPG


Note that speedware -is- in 2077, although in the Press Demo, V uses an inhaler.

Facial and head cybernetics are far from uncommon. Here's one from the 2077 trailer:

CyborgFace.JPG


And here's something from 2020!
Little homage to a classic Cyberpunk tale, Appleseed. Also a good shot of one of my favourite pieces of tactical cyberware I'm hoping we see in 2077 - Rabbit Ears.

Bioroid.JPG


Remember those gentlemen from the Combat Cab? Look kind of similar to this fellow? From the Corebook. Cyberarms, baby...yowch.

RanxBorg.JPG

Lastly, one of my all-time favourite Cyberware images, of a Bodyplated Solo with cyberoptics, cyberaudio and smartgun. A colleague of the gentlemen in the cab earlier, for sure - or target for C-SWAT.

Borg.JPG
 
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USSR.JPG


Did we mention Militech makes weapons? Yes. They do. Lots of them. Interesting note - in CP2020, the USSR megastate breaks up, but doesn't collapse. The Soviets become powerful European allies. Soviet cyberware is famously simple but powerful. IF 2077 kept any of that, it would explain the hammer and sickle on his dermalware.

SovWear.JPG


Just as we wrap up, a mention of a scene from the Press Demo. Apparently V and Jackie fight a boss of Maelstrom and at one point he hops in a powered exoskeleton and they must use some silly Boss Fight mechanic to beat him. I hate Boss fights. Maybe it's not silly this time! Hope springs eternal. Anyway, CP2020 absolutely has powered exoskeletons, although you'll need more than a convenient trick to defeat them. Assisted Combat Personnel Armour - ACPA, or just..Powered Armour for short.

ACPA.JPG


Lastly, as V makes his entry into Night City and we make our exit,

Exit.JPG


I'll leave you with some Night City locations, from the Corebook! Places and names we've seen in the trailer and media already and perhaps some more to come - who knows....

NC list.JPG


NC2020.JPG

Welcome to Night City, Chombatta.

NC Cover.JPG


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Aaaand THAT's IT! Impressed if you read the whole, ultra-nerdy thing! If you take nothing else away from this, realize HOW MUCH effort and time CD Projekt Red's people put into just what you saw in the 1 minute, 32 second trailer.

A rich setting gives depth to a rich story and I think we're going to be in for one wild ride...

Here's a link to Mark Cook's Cyberpunk 2020 Complete Timeline.

References used were multiple Cyberpunk 2020 books -
Corebook, Chromebooks 1-4, Serve and Protect, Corpbooks, Solo of Fortune 1 and 2, Maximum Metal, a bunch more, I'm tired and lots of web images and grabs.

Books Available From https://talsorianstore.com/collections/cyberpunk

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At first I thought, "Why didn't he just add this to the other trailer thread?" Then, as I was beginning to realize just how much info you were posting here I thought, "Ah... Yeah... He probably made the right choice in not doing that..."
 
On the topic of Easter eggs, when Dredd was being produced and filmed, Alex Garland spent a lot of time chatting with us on the 2000AD board getting information and clarifications and such. As a reward there are Easter eggs throughout the film with our board usernames. Most often as graffiti in on walls. It would be cool if CDPR rewarded some of the people here with a similar treatment. This post (and many other of Sard's) warrant such treatment.
 
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