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Post by Zipp on Jan 21, 2005 2:33:04 GMT
I think I'm sticking with the Big O, actually.
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Post by Zipp on Jan 22, 2005 22:21:47 GMT
Okay, here's the ability choice list. Still working out price and the healing ability. (What would you choose?)
Cybernetic Abilities Standard Equipment. You start the mission with these:
A12 Comm Device An internaral communications device, capable of accesing virtually any frequency, but which operates on its own hidden frequency. Headquarters has the number and can communicate directly with your brain waves, allowing instantaneous and silent breifing.
Camera An internal camera, using the eyes as lens, and operated by the agent via an internal brain mechanism. Photos are stored in an additional storage space in the brain, available for instant access and perusal by the agent, and for downloading.
Network Connector A connector for any virtual net and intranet, located behind each ear. Plugs into any conventional intranet socket.
SOS Killswitch Removable device that allows detonation of the brain in case of critical information leak or critical failure
In addition to this Standard Equipment, you can choose to have installed any of the following, as long as you have enough credits to pay for it:
1. Super Strength Micro fibers spread throughout the muscle tissue allows for greater upper body and especially arm strength, giving the user the ability to lift more weight and perform exceptional feats of strength. Side Effects: Increases your max weight to 200 COST TO INSTALL:
2. Super Jump Fibers woven into the legs, combined with a strengthening of the leg bones, and additional flexibility in the leg muscles allows an agent to jump great height and distance, propelling themselves much like a cat does. COST TO INSTALL:
3. Super Speed By modification of the fast twitch fibers in the body, an agent gains the ability to sprint at phenomenol speeds for a short period of time with a breif period of rest required after each sprint. Side Effects: Every long range combat, you get 6 points, each point representing +1 to your movement die, to be distributed during combat as you wish. COST TO INSTALL:
4. Analyzer A group of nanomachines is introduced to the fingers. When touching a substance, these nanomachines can break down and analyze the substance, identifying what it is and other properties concerning it. Can be very helpful in detecting poisen. COST TO INSTALL:
5. X-Ray Vision A special lens is installed under the cornea that allows the agent to switch into an x-ray vision mode, allowing sight through most solid surfaces. This particular lens uses magnetic resonance to amplify the image, making it useful even against most metals. COST TO INSTALL:
6. Hacking Device This device is attached to the cerebrum and acts as an automatic hacing device for breaking firewalls and gaining control of a system. Even though all Silencers are trained in the art of hacking, this device is still extremely useful, becuase it can hack into devices that may not have an interface, such as keypads, most bots, cameras, and other electronic equipment. It is also wireless, meaning that an agent does not have to plug directly into an interface to hack it. COST TO INSTALL:
7. Self Repair Nano machines work together with advanced ploymers in the skin and muscles to speed recovery time and allow healing of most non critical injuries. Helpful for any mission involving combat or extreme danger. Side Effects: COST TO INSTALL:
8. Climbing aparatus Many retractable micro hooks are placed into the skin of the hands and feet, allowing an agent to find a grip on most surfaces and scale walls with relative ease. COST TO INSTALL:
10. Temperature Regulator An organic liquid is kept in pacs installed under the skin and can be propelled through tubes at speeds which will either heat the liquid or keep it cool, effecticely protecting the user against extreme temperatures. The liquid is non toxic, and has been placed in reinforced tubing, limiting the dnager of a spill inside the body. COST TO INSTALL:
11. Scopular Vision Binocular lens installed over the cornea give the ability to zoom in on a target without the need for tools. Also helps when sniping. Side Effects: in a long range combat, when taking careful aim, add +2 to the die roll COST TO INSTALL:
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Post by Doomy on Jan 24, 2005 12:12:19 GMT
Reading the skills and background plot provided so far suggests this gamebook will be gritty SF. Is "cyberpunk" still a fashionable term, or has it been killed off by a multitude of crap films starring Keanu Reeves? Gamebooks in this genre are a real rarity, and I can't think of any really good ones, so this should be a breath of fresh air!
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Post by Zipp on Jan 24, 2005 18:35:25 GMT
Yes, my writing style is very cyberpunk-gothic. A mix of Shadowrun and Vampire, so to speak (for those who play pen and paper games).
It's also highly reminiscent of Deus Ex, for video game lovers.
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Post by North Star on Jan 26, 2005 13:36:53 GMT
Is "cyberpunk" still a fashionable term, or has it been killed off by a multitude of crap films starring Keanu Reeves? You REALLY don't like the Matrix films, do you Doomy? NS.
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Post by Doomy on Jan 26, 2005 15:01:59 GMT
You REALLY don't like the Matrix films, do you Doomy? I liked the first one but then the series just seemed to disappear up its own ar5e. However I was also thinking of Johnny Mnemonic, which is Reeves' worst move apart from his absurd C0ckney accent in Bram Stoker's Dracula. PS: The censorship on these boards is a real pain! I wanted to say that Reeves must have hired that bloke from Mary Poppins as his dialogue coach, but his name came out as [thingy] van [happy person].
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Post by North Star on Jan 26, 2005 15:06:09 GMT
Snort! Dicck Van Dyyke has at least admitted that his Cocckney accent was perhaps the worst ever committed to film! (Incidentally, it IS Van Dyyke, because that is the way he chooses to spell it. In Dutch/German, it would of course have a lower-case V.) Also, I'd have to agree. The first Matrix was astounding, but the other two really rather dragged (except for the motorway scene, which was a little overdone). NS. Edit: Muhahaha. Sidestepped the censor!
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Post by Zipp on Jan 26, 2005 17:19:07 GMT
I happen to like the name thingy van happy person. That's great. I agree with you about the Matrix films. The Animatrix was also great, though.
Bram Stoker's Dracula is one of my favorite films. Gary Oldman is wonderful as Dracula.
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Post by North Star on Jan 27, 2005 12:12:41 GMT
Go Thingy Van Happy Person! Never has such a great name graced the hills of Hollywood!
NS.
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Post by Zipp on Jan 27, 2005 19:43:10 GMT
Okay, reposted Combat Rules. This is a finalized version, and should be much easier to follow.
Working on Skills, still. Hopefully get those posted by monday.
Ah! The time! Okaylateforclassgottagobyethanksforreadingseeyoulater.
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Post by Zipp on Jan 30, 2005 3:17:34 GMT
After looking carefully at skills, I've decided to remove them from the series. Skill points will still be in, and will gain the ability to help you reroll dice during random die rolls outside of combat, but the ability to buy levels in specific skills was bulky, complicated, and pretty worthless actually, besides totally [fudgeing] with the game mechanics and hurting my brain trying to plan combat difficulty around them.
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Post by Zipp on Feb 9, 2005 19:00:11 GMT
I reposted the combat rules (again). I think this time they might actually be complete If anyone wants to try out a battle, here's two basic guards (their scores aren't finalized yet, but whatever). Use six sided dice. Oh, and here's your equipment and stats: ATTACK 5 DEFENSE 12 UNHURT BRUISED HURT BLEEDING WOUNDED INJURED CRIPPLED DEAD/KO HEAD: Difficulty 10 Lower health level to crippled. If at injured or below, then you are dead BODY: Difficulty 4 lower health by 1 ARMS: Difficulty 8 -1 to long range attack, lower health by 1 LEGS: Difficulty 7 -1 to movement die, lower health by 1 a Silenced Jaguar 0.4 A5 LR1 weight: 5 ammo: 12 a Combat knife A2 weight: 1 a Stealth Suit D1 B1 Le1 Ar1 weight: 6 001 Name: Guard 3 UNHURT HURT INJURED CRIPPLED DEAD/KO Equipment Anti-Cybernetic Shotgun A8 LR0 weight: 15 ammo: 5 Body Armor D3 B2 weight: 15 Side Pack: holds 2 items Items Bandages x2 Melee Attack: 4 (+ Shotgun = 12) Defense 10 (+ Body Armor = 13) Long Range Shotgun: 0 HEAD: Difficulty 9 instant kill BODY: Difficulty 4 (+ Body Armor = 6) lower health by 1 ARMS: Difficulty 6 -1 to long range attack, lower health by 1 LEGS: Difficulty 6 -1 to movement die, lower health by 1 Aims at: 1: Legs (2 bullets) 2: Body (1 bullets) 3: Body (1 bullets 4: Body (2 bullets) 5: Body (1 bullets) 6: Legs (2 bullets) 002 Name: Guard 2 UNHURT HURT INJURED CRIPPLED DEAD/KO Equipment GRIMM Automatic A6 LR2 weight: 15 ammo: 25 Body Armor D3 B2 weight: 15 Melee Attack: 4 (+ Automatic = 10) Defense 9 (+ Body Armor = 12) Long Range Automatic: 2 HEAD: Difficulty 9 instant kill BODY: Difficulty 4 (+ Body Armor = 6) lower health by 1 ARMS: Difficulty 6 -2 to long range attack, lower health by 1 LEGS: Difficulty 7 -2 to movement die, lower health by 1 Aims at: 1: Legs (2 bullets) 2: Body (1 bullets) 3: Body (3 bullets) 4: Body (2 bullets) 5: Arms (2 bullets) 6: Legs (2 bullets)
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Post by Relenoir on Feb 18, 2005 15:21:55 GMT
Hey Zipp, Another opportunity to check out your cool project. This is very interesting. I have a question/comment. Will all the combat sequences need to contain this much information for the opponents (I realize the top section is the character itself) in each section? It seems like a lot to keep track of all at once in a gamebook/online game document. Any way to simplify it/shorten it, or is a lot of this info just there by default. If not, I'd suggest having certain 'generic' foes that were all located in one section that could be linked to/turned to, such as the good old Random Number Table. You could say "this is a class A combatant and the other two are class B combatants, and the player could turn to that section to resolve the combat. It would be less work for you to post similar foes multiple times, and would definitely take up less space! Also, REALLY enjoy your writing style; it flows well and is quick to capture one's attention! I like the genre/setting too. I was never crazy about Cyberpunk, but loved Shadowrun and Vampire; spent several years running a Physical Adept who was somewhere around a level seven Initiate by the time we stopped playing, and a Camarilla City Gangrel (yes, I know that's weird) who had true faith and made it to 6th generation. Also agree with everyone about Matrix. The original and Animatrix were really good, but Matrix 2 the action was good but the story was poor and Matrix 3 was a waste of money despite decent action. Was very disappointed by the way the series went downhill, and almost wished they hadn't finished it.
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Post by Zipp on Feb 18, 2005 18:06:17 GMT
The current combat system is set up so that it throws away simplicity in exchange for varaibility and strategic play.
Yeah, I know there's a lot to keep track of. The way it works for the enemies is that their stats are kept in a seperate document, which you peruse during combat. Currently, I do like having seperate enemies, because it adds diversity and gives you the sense that you're not killing random statistics, but actually flesh and blood humans, each unique, some requiring different strategy than others.
However, your point is well taken, especially the one about similar foes. In this respect, I think you could be right. I may begin to mix stats for characters and lump them together. I'll let you know.
Then too, while I know about how long the first book is, I'm not sure how many combats will be there. If there's something like a 100 different possible combatants, then I may very well change it. However, I estimate something around half this number. Remember too, that GUARD 1 (by the way, there is a story reason why these early guards don't have names) will appear in multiple sections. So even though there are about 20 sections with combat in this first piece, there are only going to be 6 guards in total.
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Post by Zipp on Feb 18, 2005 19:38:01 GMT
Also, another thing I forgot to note. The combat cards include data for both melee and long range combat. You'll never have to use both in a combat, and obviously you've dispatched a guard after fighting him sucesfully, so you'll never use both in one play through (except on some special story bosses)
By the way, do you have anything written for your new rendition of the Legends, or is it a dream project? If you do, would you mind sharing some?
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