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by protomyth 1656 days ago
True, but to be honest, CyberPunk itself was a problematic RPG for a number of reasons. It was deadly beyond most RPGs (well, except for Call of Cthulhu), and one of the archetypes was called a Solo which didn't lend itself to group play. Maybe it is actually a game better suited to a video game.

On a side note, if you can get the CyberPunk 2020, it will give you a chuckle on the tech comparison with the real world. I think it fits into the Cassette Punk genre.
3 comments
jltsiren 1656 days ago
Deadly combat was popular in most RPGs in the late 80s and early 90s. Even experienced characters could easily die from bad luck or poor judgment, and if wounds didn't kill them, infections might. The focus was more on role-playing (and a kind of realism), and combat was not supposed to be something you enter casually.

As far I remember, the problematic role was always the Netrunner, not the Solo. While the Solo was just your standard warrior, the Netrunner played their own subgame while everyone else was waiting.

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e12e 1656 days ago
The only major problem for group play in cyberpunk 2020 was the net running rules, due to the time dilletation (an hour long netrunning game session would zip by in a handful of combat rounds - meaning you couldn't really use the rules to do a break-in supported by a netrunner (like the tessier-asphol run from Neuromancer)).

You could of course work around it like with all flaky rule systems - make stuff up, and try for reasonable balance/spotlight among the group. But the solo ("fighter") might be one easiest roles for group dynamics (eg the nomad is likely to be more occupied with pack/tribe/clan matters than group - assuming not all players are nomads/part of the pack..).

In general I'd say cp2020 is quite typical for "mature" systems - it works well for stories/groups where everyone is content getting their fair share of the spotlight, and enjoy a bit of intrigue, conflict and backstabbing...

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theshrike79 1656 days ago
Solo lends itself to group play just fine.

Just because your D&D character's class is "Fighter", it doesn't mean they need to fight everyone they meet :D

Solo is just the asskicker class of CP2020

Source: Played CP2020 in the previous millennium a bunch.

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