Re: Cyberpunk v3 - analysis

> Agreed - Netrunners tend to be lightweights in realspace but that's
> because the players who generate them tend to make them geeky - their
> skills are optimum for Netspace and in realspace they have difficulty
> doing anything else well. If a player is prepared to put points into BOD
> rather than pu****ng INT and raising other skills to better levels rather
> than pu****ng their Programming or System knowledge or C-Deck design they
> can carry their weight - but it might cost them in net combat with a
> Geek. They'd just have to take the Geek out in real space.

With the current 2020 character generation rules that is difficult, and
a lot longer process to make a competent netrunner who can stand in
combat, but I do see your point.

> Mike P trashed CP2020 back in the mid/late 90's (don't remember when
> Origins in 94? Could easily be wrong) but when he announced that he was
> going to do V3 it created an expectation and drew an effective line
> under V2.X. People waited with bated wallets to take the next step, but
> it didn't come.

2020 was published in 1991 I think (I saw the mockup at Origins 90 in
Atlanta). Cyberpunk v3 was announced in 1996.

> Letting the books go out of print and 'rationalising' R.Tal, then taking
> an extended break at M$ all drove nails into the coffin. Maybe that was
> the idea - let the CP we knew and loved die away as people lost interest
> over the 10(?) years it took to bring out V3 and then try and recruit a
> new community of Gamers? Maybe it was just a series of unfortunate
> events and an idea for a new background drawn from the fiction of the
> time that sucks today coupled with changes to the rules with poor
> solutions to existing problems.

Mike made what he felt was the best choice he could for his family, and
if that means that he needed to leave RTG to seed for a while that is
his choice. He is a good man, and we have to remember that.

People did not lose interest, and in some weird way it seems v3 is
selling as well as 2020 did in many markets. That doesn't change my
opinion of the game, but it is a fact.

I think Mike has an inherent optimism in his psyche that makes writing
cyberpunk much more difficult. I know that it does forme now compared
to ten years ago. He has also become somewhat removed from the
material, or it seems so.