[Spoiler Alert] About the endings

[CTPhipps]

I have search a little bit, I have found nothing about that. Give me a clue where it is
(Just the title of the book, could be great)

Cyberpunk RED, page 264

So, for the past twenty-two years,
Netwatch has been a police force without
a beat. Their main job has been to act
as lifeguards, finding renegade 'runners
who've managed to find a backdoor into
the now off-limits Old NET and are being
torn to ribbons by the bad stuff that now
inhabits "The Dungeon" (as Netwatch
pros and 'runners now called the old
NET Architecture). They bail the weefle
runners out and then run for cover before
the really awful Black ICE descends
upon them like the hammer of Thor. But
recently, with the help of Alt Cunningham
and a mysterious cabal of Transcendental
AIs, Netwatch head, Magnificent Curtis
and his crack team have been able
to write software that could tackle the
Black ICE and R.A.B.I.D.s that have
infested the Old NET. And behind the
scenes, the Transcendentals, the Ghosts,
and Netwatch have been working
together on a project to get the NET under
control; a project that exists on no books
or official documents, known only by the
ominous title of The Black Wall.

 

[LeKill3rFou]

ahh found it, its from cyberpunk red, which is supposed to be the bridge between 2020 and 2077 lore wise

Little off-topic, but that's interesting. For me at least
About AIs, Netwatch and Alt on Cyberpunk Red - Page263/264

Cyberpunk RED, page 264

So, for the past twenty-two years,
Netwatch has been a police force without
a beat. Their main job has been to act
as lifeguards, finding renegade 'runners
who've managed to find a backdoor into
the now off-limits Old NET and are being
torn to ribbons by the bad stuff that now
inhabits "The Dungeon" (as Netwatch
pros and 'runners now called the old
NET Architecture). They bail the weefle
runners out and then run for cover before
the really awful Black ICE descends
upon them like the hammer of Thor. But
recently, with the help of Alt Cunningham
and a mysterious cabal of Transcendental
AIs, Netwatch head, Magnificent Curtis
and his crack team have been able
to write software that could tackle the
Black ICE and R.A.B.I.D.s that have
infested the Old NET. And behind the
scenes, the Transcendentals, the Ghosts,
and Netwatch have been working
together on a project to get the NET under
control; a project that exists on no books
or official documents, known only by the
ominous title of The Black Wall.

Yep got it, but thanks

 

[CTPhipps]

I insisted on adding what was already stated because I am a dork.

Anyway, I admit I choose to believe the best of Alt because I'm a long time tabletop gamer in the setting. It's a bit like thinking the best of Galadriel or Drizzt Do'Urden. Yes, they could have gone bad but I'm always inclined to think they're better people. It's why I'm hoping Blackhand is mind controlled and hasn't gone bad.

 

[LeKill3rFou]

In the end, I wonder if this is intentional on CDPR's part, but if I stick strictly to what I see/hear in the game, I tend to find Alt dark and a little creepy.
But going through the books, I tell myself that it is exaggerated and that in the end Alt may not be the worst threat coming from the net (like probably Transcendental Sentience (TS) AIs, which could exterminate humanity for reasons that it would be impossible for human to understand...)

Edit :
Besides, I have come to wonder if it would be good to be able to read these books "freely" on a link on the CDPR site. Like just host the pdf
Because even if we have the right to do it, which is not certain, uploading 400 separate pages or 25-30 MB for a pdf on the forum, it seems difficult to me.

 

[CTPhipps]

In the end, I wonder if this is intentional on CDPR's part, but if I stick strictly to what I see/hear in the game, I tend to find Alt dark and a little creepy.
But going through the books, I tell myself that it is exaggerated and that in the end Alt may not be the worst threat coming from the net (like probably Transcendental Sentience (TS) AIs, which could exterminate humanity for reasons that it would be impossible for human to understand...)

Edit :
Besides, I have come to wonder if it would be good to be able to read these books "freely" on a link on the CDPR site. Like just host the pdf
Because even if we have the right to do it, which is not certain, uploading 400 separate pages or 25-30 MB for a pdf on the forum, it seems difficult to me.

You can read most of the information there in the comic book they published.

Amazon.com: The World of Cyberpunk 2077 eBook : Batylda, Marcin: Kindle Store

Amazon.com: The World of Cyberpunk 2077 eBook : Batylda, Marcin: Kindle Store

www.amazon.com

And yes, I've noticed a big divide between people who only know ALT from the game vs. those who know her as a major character from the tabletop game.

 

[Ayinde_Palmer]

In the end, I wonder if this is intentional on CDPR's part, but if I stick strictly to what I see/hear in the game, I tend to find Alt dark and a little creepy.
But going through the books, I tell myself that it is exaggerated and that in the end Alt may not be the worst threat coming from the net (like probably Transcendental Sentience (TS) AIs, which could exterminate humanity for reasons that it would be impossible for human to understand...)

Edit :
Besides, I have come to wonder if it would be good to be able to read these books "freely" on a link on the CDPR site. Like just host the pdf
Because even if we have the right to do it, which is not certain, uploading 400 separate pages or 25-30 MB for a pdf on the forum, it seems difficult to me.

well, I think people bring to Alt, what they already think. And I think she is written this way on purpose. She is not exactly who she was, and most people in world see whatever they want in her. VDBs see a savior, maelstrom see demonic force of freedom. Netwatch sees a rouge AI to be tamed or trapped. They wrote her so that people could see her as a threat.

Its very interesting how they wrote a lot of these characters, so they could be different things to different people, which creates a different story for different people with similar events, and only subtle changes in dialog.

Alt can be the secret AI threat, The old friend and partner in crime, The cold forceof nature, The ex girlfriend with tons of drama, and each perspective has a place in the story that makes sense, from a certain perspective. They also pulled that off with Johnny, Its pretty impressive imo.

 

[Jhones_Sousa]

create a decent disney ending where everyone comes out alive including V we would like.

 

[LeKill3rFou]

In Cyberpunk world ? in Night City in particular ?

Spoiler: Johnny's answer - right time

 

[CTPhipps]

It's more the Shaggy Dog Story nature of the thing.

The game is about saving your life.

So you should be able to save it.

 

[LeKill3rFou]

The game is about saving your life.

Or the game is about :
"how to live when you're near to death ?"
Or
"what is the most important :"
Survive at all costs ?
Leave a mark in the history of Night City ?
Just live the time you have left with friends/family ?

That could also work, no ?

 

[CTPhipps]

Or the game is about :
"how to live when you're near to death ?"

Then it wouldn't be 90% about looking for a cure.

You don't have any option to not look for a cure or try to make amends or do something for Mama Welles. It's about finding a cure.

 

[LeKill3rFou]

Then it wouldn't be 90% about looking for a cure.

You don't have any option to not look for a cure or try to make amends or do something for Mama Welles. It's about finding a cure.

I don't said 90%, because helping Judy have nothing to do with a cure, helping River have nothing to do with a cure, helping Kerry have nothing to do with a cure, helping Panam have "at the base" nothing to do with a cure, helping Joshua have nothing to do with a cure...
The majority of the side quests have nothing to do with searching a cure in fact

 

[CTPhipps]

I don't said 90%, because helping Judy have nothing to do with a cure, helping River have nothing to do with a cure, helping Kerry have nothing to do with a cure, helping Panam have "at the base" nothing to do with a cure, helping Joshua have nothing to do with a cure...
The majority of the side quests have nothing to do with searching a cure in fact

The Joshua and Buddhist monk cases are both heavily influenced by V dying as they confront the spiritual side of death.

Kerry's and Panam's quests are both started as part of dealing with the former being suicidal while she's needed to help save your life.

 

[Buckadoz]

Or the game is about :
"how to live when you're near to death ?"
Or
"what is the most important :"
Survive at all costs ?
Leave a mark in the history of Night City ?
Just live the time you have left with friends/family ?

That could also work, no ?

No? These themes are all sidelined by the main plot of "try not to fucking die" until you discover that you lose and it tells you what your answer to those questions was in the epilogues without any player agency.

 

[LeKill3rFou]

Kerry's and Panam's quests are both started as part of dealing with the former being suicidal while she's needed to help save your life.

At the start, Kerry is for please Johnny, I think. V don't know Kerry and in his luxious palace, Kerry is not the most to be pitied. So it's only to please Johnny and after that, only for help Kerry. If V just want to survive, V can said to Johnny, no.
And Panam, yes when V have to find Hellman. But nothing to do with a cure when she ask for help for Saul or for the Basilisk. It's just for help Panam (at that moment V don't know that Panam will help him/her for an end). In short, normally, you only discover Panam could help you after the Queen of the Highway, not before.

If for you, the story is only about "how to save V's life", why do the side quests ?
Knowing for all side quests, V can said no.
"Sorry, I have other things to do. like most important, saving my own life".

 

[Guest 4412420]

If for you, the story is only about "how to save V's life", why do the side quests ?

You're right that the story's theme isn't survival, but V's driving force very much is. You can spend countless hours doing whatever you want but once it's time to go back to the main story the focus shifts back to V trying to find a way to save themselves.

It doesn't matter if you rush the main story or spend 50 hours staring at the sky, it won't change anything because the main story's, or V's goal during it is unachievable no matter what you do.

To answer your question with a different question. If for you the story isn't about saving V's life, why do the main quests?

 

[LeKill3rFou]

To answer your question with a different question. If for you the story isn't about saving V's life, why do the main quests?

I don't said "it's not about saving V's life at all".
The main quest, for sure. But the side quests aren't.

"what is the most important :"
Survive at all costs ?
Leave a mark in the history of Night City ?
Just live the time you have left with friends/family ?

I could said :
20% only for saving V's life (find a possible cure).
80% for other things (free for everybody to find why. Help, make money, make friends, have a romance, burn the world...)

But it doesn't change the Johnny's words about a happier ending.
"Here, for folks like us ? Wrong city, wrong people"

 

[Guest 4412420]

I don't said "it's not about saving V's life at all".
The main quest, for sure. But the side quests aren't.

But side quests are pretty much always unrelated to what's going on during the main quests. That's just how video games are, and Cyberpunk is no exception. To me this isn't a problem at all. I know that games often require separating gameplay from the story. Ignoring side quests and focusing on the main story doesn't change anything, might as well see everything the game has to offer.

 

[Buckadoz]

If for you, the story is only about "how to save V's life", why do the side quests ?
Knowing for all side quests, V can said no.
"Sorry, I have other things to do. like most important, saving my own life".

I've personally been very consistent on my stance that the vast majority of side quests are dissonant with the story the main plot wants to tell (I think I actually made a thread about this problem back in December or January), so I agree with this, but I'm not sure the point you're trying to make.

I skipped a lot of side quests because, in the story, V is actively being overwritten every passing second that the problem isn't dealt with. Finish the game, find out nothing you've done mattered anyway, no longer even have motivation to reenter V's doomed life to do the side quests.

 

[LeKill3rFou]

I've personally been very consistent on my stance that the vast majority of side quests are dissonant with the story the main plot wants to tell (I think I actually made a thread about this problem back in December or January), so I agree with this, but I'm not sure the point you're trying to make.

I skipped a lot of side quests because, in the story, V is actively being overwritten every passing second that the problem isn't dealt with. Finish the game, find out nothing you've done mattered anyway, no longer even have motivation to reenter V's doomed life to do the side quests.

I wouldn't say dissonant, but rather that those side quests can offer another perspective, rather than sticking to a race for survive
In short, the whole game is not about "how save V's life".

When you finish the game, normally it's the end. Hence the return to the point of no return. Sound weird said like that
But in fact, after finishing the main story once, it's true, it can't be the same. You already know the end so maybe you can't be invest you as much as before (you don't have this little hope). A little bit like a movie when your buddy said you the end before you seen it.