So, some of the bigger arguments against this role seem to revolve around a few separate issues
1) I HATE THIS STUPID BON JOVI RIPOFF!!!!!
2) I wanna play a FPS and this n00b role cant shoot right!
3) It would just suck playing as someone that cant do anything
4) Its just goofy
Well, I agree with these statements. If Im playing an FPS, I want the best aim, fastest reload time, and all the bonus's I can get to improve my combat abilities. And if its my character, then I would assume that I can customize the look to however I want (meaning no bon jovi unless I make them look like that.) The whole idea is kinda goofy, playing a game as a 'rock star (in training)', and I doubt the appeal of a game where the main character doesn't really DO anything but be in a band.
But, Im not playing an FPS or some kinda Rock Hero thing, im playing cyberpunk.
Now, is my solo gonna tear it up? Spect'd out, hardwired, and ready to get some? oh yeah.
But is my Rockerboy going to end up having to do the same thing? Sure, and so will the fixers and everyone can just mindlessly spray bullets like that lovely shadowrun game that came out a few years back, ( ok, that probably wouldn't happen that way, but you get the idea, and that idea scares me)
Since everyone seems to agree that we don't want this game so just be another FPS game, I propose the following:
If each role was a different style of game, then the solo is very obviously the FPS, the media like a much less lethal version of dead rising, and the netdiver ends up in some kind of VR GTA, but that doesn't mean the rockerboy has to be a knockoff of Prappa the Rappa for a gameplay mechanic. The coding alone involved with the idea of implementing a multi-style game makes the overall idea not feasible.
I would think the rockerboy role idea that could work better if the player had very little to do with the "design" part of the music. Pick your instrument from a preset list, possably choose from a few basic 'styles' (all of which are preset songs) and that's about it. The player could go out and recruit some NPC's (say, 5 arcoss the city that play that instrument, but you could only pick one) to put them in the band, and each NPC would add a different 'style' to the music. The player would have to have some sort of interactive dialog (kinda like L.A Noir) where they would gain the ability to unlock new venues, get more coverage, get a bigger paycheck, all that jazz.
Also, if we include some sort of upgradeable housing system, this could also unlock the ability to hire on assistants (once again, choosing a single NPC from a list of several that could perform the same job, just like the bandmates) and the assistants could offer different options on how to interact with a given issue (the Russian bodyguard has some contacts for weapons, where as the Biker looking guy knows the best mechanic in the city) and some options would not be usable in a given situation (the PR agent with the pulse on Teen Intrests doesn't know jack about Arasaka building layouts)
The player could still interact with the city, but this would enable an entirely different chain of events for the player to progress the story, dependant on what venues worked and who is selected as the band members and assistants.
Now, there is a weak point in this thought, being how the story would actually GET somewhere. This would enable a almost non-violent way of getting the story from beginning to end, but this idea lacks any form of substance as to what the rockerboy would actually DO, other then make money and get various bonus's from the NPC's. Although that is a viable option, I doubt that would work well as a core story. Proper usage of this would almost require a multi PC setup, perhaps one where a custom PC would fill a single role. (sorry, this is not the thread to expand on the multi PC idea)
Overall, I would like to see this role in the system, but I can see several issues with how it would actually play out.
However, what if this was some sort of 'unlockable' role, one that was only gained after beating the storyline the first time, which would enable the player to perform these actions without having to worry about the pressing matters at hand? (those matters being the actual story, not the rockerboy's side story)