/OPEN_DIRECTORY_author:
acT UNSEEN
.ARTWORK / DESIGN / LAYOUT: [EMANUELE GALLETTO]
.FIND MORE: [PATREON.COM/ROOSTEREMA]
[INSTAGRAM.COM/ROOSTEREMA]
/OPEN_DIRECTORY_GAME:
_the game_ /what is [THIS] about?
YOU PLAY THE ROLE OF [CHIPS], PEOPLE FAILED BY THE
CORRUPT SYSTEM OF A DYSTOPIAN CYBERPUNK METROPOLIS.
CORPS RULE ABOVE, GANGS RULE BELOW. WE PLAY TO SEE HOW
LONG TILL YOU ARE SQUASHED IN THE MIDDLE.
.THEMES:
.WHAT IS FREEDOM? WHO IS FREE?
.WHO IS REALLY IN CONTROL?
.WHO CAN YOU TRUST?
.IS THERE ANYTHING LEFT WORTH LIVING FOR?
.HOW CAN YOU MAKE THEM PAY?
.ARE YOU STILL HUMAN? ARE THEY?
.INSPIRATIONS:
.GHOST IN THE SHELL [MASAMUNE SHIROW + OTHERS]
.DEUS EX [SQUARE ENIX + FERAL INTERACTIVE]
.NEUROMANCER [WILLIAM GIBSON]
.ROBOCOP + TOTAL RECALL [PAUL VERHOEVEN]
.BLAME! + NOISE + BIOMEGA [TSUTOMU NIHEI]
.CYBERPUNK: EDGERUNNERS [TRIGGER]
.AKIRA [KATSUHIRO OTOMO]
.rolling dice:
ROLL DICE WHEN YOUR [CHIP] ATTEMPTS THE FOLLOWING:
.ACT UNSEEN
.CALL FOR HELP
ONLY ROLL IF
.ENGAGE ENEMIES THERE IS ACTUAL
RISK INVOLVED
.MANIPULATE SOMEONE
.RESIST HARM OR DANGER
.WORK THE NET
YOU ROLL 1D [ONE DIE] FOR EACH POINT YOU HAVE IN THAT
ACTION [VARIOUS FACTORS CAN ADD OR REMOVE DICE; ALWAYS
ROLL AT LEAST 1D] AND KEEP THE SINGLE HIGHEST DIE.
IF [1-3], YOU FAIL + SUFFER NEGATIVE CONSEQUENCES.
IF [4-5], YOU DO IT + COLLATERAL CONSEQUENCES.
IF [6], YOU FULLY SUCCEED.
ON [6], YOU NARRATE WHAT HAPPENS.
ON [1-3] OR [4-5], THE [GM] NARRATES WHAT HAPPENS.
.
[AMBUSH, HIDE, INFILTRATE, STEAL...]
/NEGATIVE CONSEQUENCE: YOU ARE CAUGHT IN THE ACT. YOU
WILL NEED TO EXPLAIN OR FLEE OR DEFEND YOURSELF.
.CALL FOR HELP
[ASK A FAVOR, SEEK A CONTACT...]
/NEGATIVE CONSEQUENCE: THEY REFUSE OR THEY BETRAY
YOU OR THEY ARE ATTACKED ALONG THE WAY.
.ENGAGE ENEMIES
[MURDER, PUNCH, SHOOT, STAB, TAUNT...]
/NEGATIVE CONSEQUENCE: YOU ARE PUT IN A DANGEROUS
SPOT OR HARMED. SEE [RESIST HARM OR DANGER] BELOW.
.MANIPULATE SOMEONE
[BRIBE, DECEIVE, QUESTION, SWAY...]
/NEGATIVE CONSEQUENCE: YOU ATTRACT TROUBLE. YOU WILL
FACE UNWANTED ATTENTION OR MISTRUST OR RETALIATION.
.RESIST HARM OR DANGER
[AVOID TOXINS, TRAPS, WOUNDS...]
/NEGATIVE CONSEQUENCE: THE DANGER HITS YOU WITH FULL
FORCE OR YOU TAKE HARM BASED ON THE SITUATION.
.WORK THE NET
[HACK A TERMINAL, FACILITY, CYBORG...]
/NEGATIVE CONSEQUENCE: YOU FACE COUNTERMEASURES. THE
SYSTEM LOCKS YOU DOWN OR INFLICTS NEURAL HARM OR
TRIES TO [HACK] YOU.
.system_error:ACTION_not_covered
IF A [CHIP]’S ACTION IS NOT COVERED BY ANY OF THE
SIX DEFAULT OPTIONS ABOVE, [GM] MAY CHOOSE:
.THEY SIMPLY SUCCEED [USUALLY THE BEST OPTION].
.RNG ROLL: ROLL 1D AND NARRATE OUTCOME BASED ON THE
RESULT [HIGH ROLLS ARE BETTER]. DO SO ONLY IF THE
OUTCOME IS UNPREDICTABLE OR BASED ON SHEER LUCK.
.threat_detected:harm
.HARM 1 [STABBED, GUN SHOT, SUCKER PUNCHED...]
.HARM 2 [BADLY BEATEN, NEURAL SHOCK, POISONING...]
.HARM 3 [BROKEN BONES, RADIATION, NEURAL TRAUMA...]
.HARM 4 [ANYTHING THAT KILLS YOU ON THE SPOT]
/IF YOUR HARM IS ≥ 2, SUFFER -1D ON ALL ROLLS.
/IF YOUR HARM IS ≥ 4, YOU ARE KILLED.
/NORMAL FOES ARE USUALLY DEFEATED WITH ANY HARM,
BUT [CHIPS] AND STRONGER OPPONENTS TAKE MORE.
.threat_detected:being_hacked
IF SOMEONE TRIES TO OVERRIDE YOUR CYBER BRAIN OR
BODY, [GM] ROLLS 1D. IF THE ROLL IS ≤ THE VALUE OF
YOUR [RIG], YOU ARE HACKED FOR THE CURRENT SCENE.
YOU CAN, OF COURSE, RESIST THIS DANGER.
.clocking:
YOU CAN PUSH YOUR LIMITS DURING A [JOB]. THIS IS
CALLED CLOCKING. YOU CAN CLOCK TO:
/ADD +1D TO A [CHIP]’S ROLL [AFTER ROLL; 1/ROLL].
/NARRATE A FLASHBACK TO REVEAL YOU HAVE A SOLUTION
PREPARED FOR THE CURRENT PROBLEM. [GM] MAY ASK FOR
AN EXTRA ROLL OR [CASH] TO MAKE IT WORK.
YOU BEGIN EACH [JOB] WITH ZER0 CLOCK. THE FIRST THREE
CLOCKS IN A [JOB] ARE FREE; TO UNLOCK THE REMAINING
THREE, YOU MUST OVERCLOCK [SUFFER 1 HARM THAT YOU
CANNOT RESIST].
.rig:
THIS VALUE [FROM 1 TO 5] REPRESENTS THE EXTENT OF YOUR
CYBERNETIZATION.
/RIG 1 TO 3: HUMAN WITH BRAIN AND BODY IMPLANTS.
/RIG 4 TO 5: FULL CYBORG. YOU HAVE A BIOENGINEERED
BODY WITH SYNTHFLESH, OILBLOOD AND A BRAIN BACKUP
[IF YOU DIE, YOU CAN BE RE-UPLOADED WITHIN ANOTHER
BODY]. YOU DO NOT AGE AND SHOULD FEEL NO PAIN, BUT
YOUR BRAIN INSISTS ON REACTING TO PHYSICAL TRAUMAS
SUFFERED BY YOUR CYBERNETICAL LIMBS. YOU ARE MORE
EASILY HACKED. YOU ARE STERILE AND NEED TO CONSUME
FOOD AND DRINKS SPECIFICALLY CREATED FOR CYBORGS.
ANYTIME DURING A [JOB], YOU CAN PRODUCE AN IMPLANT TO
AID YOU [GIVING YOU +1D ON APPROPRIATE ROLLS OR THE
ABILITY TO DO SOMETHING YOU NORMALLY COULD NOT]. YOU
CAN DO SO A NUMBER OF TIMES PER [JOB] EQUAL TO [RIG].
/EXAMPLE IMPLANTS: THERMAL VISION, MAGNETIC LIMBS,
WATER-PROCESSING LUNGS, REMOTE TERMINAL LINK.
.gear:
EQUIPMENT WORKS MUCH LIKE IMPLANTS. TWICE PER [JOB],
YOU CAN PRODUCE AN ITEM TO AID YOU [GIVING YOU +1D ON
APPROPRIATE ROLLS OR THE ABILITY TO DO SOMETHING YOU
NORMALLY COULD NOT].
/EXAMPLE GEAR: SHOTGUN, COMBAT KNIFE, BINOCULARS,
GRENADE LAUNCHER, STEALTH COAT, LOCKPICK, CAR.
ONCE PRODUCED, IMPLANTS AND ITEMS REMAIN AVAILABLE
UNTIL THE END OF THE [JOB].
YOU CAN CARRY OTHER ITEMS (IF ONLY COSMETIC).
.CASH:
MONEY (USE € OR $ AS REFERENCE). BETWEEN [JOBS]:
/HEAL 1 HARM: SPEND [CURRENT HARM x 500 C]
/INCREASE [RIG] BY 1 [IF ≤ 4]: SPEND [1.000 C]
/DECREASE [RIG] BY 1 [IF ≤ 3]: SPEND [2.000 C]
_character creation_ /IDENTIFY [youRSELF]
.NAME: YOUR FULL NAME.
.ALIAS: YOUR NICK IN THE UNDERCITY. FANCY ALIASES
WILL NOT SAVE YOU, BUT MIGHT FETCH YOU A DRINK.
/EXAMPLES: SCRAMBLE, BLUE, MEMENTO
.BACKGROUND: WHAT YOU DID BEFORE THE CITY SCREWED
YOU OVER. A PAST YOU CANNOT RETURN TO.
/EXAMPLES: PROGRAMMER, LAWYER, VETERAN, NURSE
.MIRAGE: THIS IS WHAT YOU CLING TO DESPERATELY, THE
ONLY REASON YOU ARE STILL HERE PUSHING THROUGH.
/EXAMPLES: “I WANT TO BUY BACK MY FATHER’S SHOP”,
“I WANT TO VISIT THE MOON COLONIES”, “I WANT MY
FAMILY TO BE ECONOMICALLY STABLE”.
.SHADOW: THIS IS WHAT KEEPS YOU AWAKE AT NIGHT, THIS
IS WHAT YOU ARE RUNNING FROM EVERY DAY.
/EXAMPLES: “GHOST PAIN FROM THE LIMB I WAS NOT
INSURED FOR”, “THE EYES OF MY DYING SISTER”, “MY
FATHER’S DISGUST AFTER I WAS FIRED”.
.RIG: CHOOSE YOUR RIG VALUE [1 TO 5]. REGARDLESS OF
YOUR CHOICE, YOUR IMPLANTS ALLOW FOR TELEPATHIC
COMMUNICATION BETWEEN MEMBERS OF THE TEAM AND FOR
NET CONNECTION [YOU BASICALLY HAVE A MOBILE PHONE
GRAFTED INSIDE YOUR SPINE].
.ACTIONS: DIVIDE [10] POINTS AMONG THE SIX ACTIONS.
EACH ACTION MUST HAVE A VALUE OF [1 TO 3]. THOSE WHO
LACKED FLEXIBILITY ARE ALREADY DEAD.
.CASH [C]: DID YOU REALLY ASK? NONE.
THAT’S ALL. GEAR AND IMPLANTS WILL COME UP DURING THE
[JOB] ITSELF, SO YOU ARE READY TO GO.
.RIG_UPDATE:MEMORY_BACKUP_COMPLETE
IF A [CHIP] WITH A [RIG] VALUE OF 4 TO 5 DIES, THEY
MAY SPEND [10.000 C] TO HAVE THEIR BRAIN BACKUP
[ALSO KNOWN AS CONSCIENCE OR SPARK] UPLOADED INTO A
NEW SYNTHETIC BODY. THE NEW BODY HAS THE SAME [RIG]
VALUE OF THE PREVIOUS ONE, BUT THIS BACKUP PROCESS
IS IMPERFECT [AND LIKELY ILLEGAL]:
.IF THE NEW BODY HAS THE SAME ACTION POINTS AS THE
PREVIOUS ONE, THE [CHIP] MUST CHOOSE AND REDUCE
ONE OF THEM BY 1.
.THE [CHIP] CAN CHOOSE TO COMPLETELY REDISTRIBUTE
ACTION POINTS FOR THE NEW BODY, BUT THE TOTAL
POINT BUDGET IS REDUCED BY 1.
THIS MEANS THAT EACH NEW INCARNATION OF THE [CHIP]
WILL BE WEAKER, DUE TO BRAIN DATA CORRUPTION.
.GM HINT: USE THIS TO HAVE POWERFUL ANTAGONISTS BE
ALMOST IMMORTAL. GODS.
_PLAYING THE GAME_ /IF [GM] OR [CHIP] = READ.
.EVERYONE:
/DISCUSS [TABLE SAFETY] AND [PVP POSSIBILITY].
FOR PVP, ONLY THE AGGRESSOR ROLLS, BUT ON [1-3] OR
[4-5] THE DEFENDER NARRATES.
/DISCUSS [RULE DOUBTS] TOGETHER DURING PLAY.
.CHIP tips:
/EXPLOIT YOUR [RIG] AND [GEAR] TO MAKE IT THROUGH.
GIVE EACH PIECE OF EQUIPMENT A COOL NAME.
/ASK LOTS OF QUESTIONS, BUT REMEMBER YOU’LL HAVE TO
SHOOT FIRST SOMETIMES.
/DON’T TRUST ANYONE WITH POWER OVER YOU.
/LIVE EACH DAY LIKE IT WAS YOUR LAST.
/YOUR LIFE IS A MESS BUT YOU MET LOTS OF PEOPLE.
ADD THEM TO THE NARRATION WHEN YOU CALL FOR HELP.
DO NOT EXPECT THEM TO BE LOYAL.
/EVERYTHING IN THE CITY IS CONNECTED TO THE NET.
USE THIS TO YOUR ADVANTAGE.
.Game Master TIPS:
/HIT THE [CHIPS] WITH ALL YOU’VE GOT.
/WHEN THERE IS A DANGER OR RISK, CLEARLY STATE ITS
NATURE. BE UPFRONT AND HONEST.
/EVERYONE IS ALWAYS SLAVE TO SOMEOENE ELSE. EVERYONE
CAN AND WILL BETRAY EVERYONE. EVERYONE CAN DIE, BUT
SOME CAN RETURN. NOT THE CHIPS, UNLESS THEY ARE
HEAVILY RIGGED AND SPEND A LOT OF CASH.
/CHALLENGE THE CONCEPTS OF HUMANITY, LIBERTY, WEALTH,
IDENTITY, CONSCIENCE, AND MERITOCRACY.
/EVERYTHING IN THE CITY IS CONNECTED TO THE NET.
SOMEONE IS ALWAYS WATCHING.
.shadow:
AT THE BEGINNING OF A [JOB], EACH [CHIP] ROLLS 1D.
EACH [CHIP] THAT ROLLED LOWEST WILL SEE THEIR SHADOW
COME INTO PLAY DURING THE [JOB]. NOTE THAT YOU ONLY
KNOW THAT THIS WILL HAPPEN, NOT HOW AND WHEN.
.JOB_GENERATOR.EXE
/ROLL 1D:
.1 [2.000 C] DELIVER ILLEGAL CARGO
.2 [2.000 C] PROVIDE A DIVERSION
.3 [4.000 C] CAPTURE PERSON OR OBJECT
.4 [6.000 C] ELIMINATE AN UNDERCITY GANG
.5 [8.000 C] STEAL CORPORATE DATA
.6 [10.000 C] ELIMINATE A WANTED CYBORG