I have to wonder...
What is it that people look for in a cyberpunk game? How close to real
world history do GMs or should GMs attempt to build for their players?
Me? I like the game genre to a degree and had LOADS of fun running a
campaign for two players in a face to face campaign. What was even more
fun was watching them burn each other from time to time in behind the
scenes stuff.
Lately, I find myself looking at today's events and trying to extrapolate
them in the context of past history and finding a reasonably realistic
outcome from today's events that might lead towards a cyberpunk future.
Problem is, I dare not share those thoughts online because some of them
are not "politically correct", but assesssments of the reality of human
nature.
Take the current conflict involving the radicals of Islam versus the rest
of the world. I see it as a simple continuation of the barbarity of
previous wars/clashes that go back as far as when Islam was first founded.
The phrase "Kill them all, GOD will know his own" is the direct result of
the attrocities of war even as far back as the crusades (a time when the
rules of war were even more barbaric than they are now!). I can also
exrapolate based on information at various websites discussing various
elements, that genetic enegineering of viruses will become more likely
rather than less likely. One individual was able to procure second hand
university equipement and a gene sequencer for a pitifully small sum (as
compared with the sums usually required for nuclear warfare weapons
production). The guy was able to synthesize a "harmless" microbe, but
could have tried to reproduce the spanish flu had he wanted to! What
would this presage for a cyberpunk game world? Imagine if someone were
able to combine something like Ebola with Influenza? Imagine the world
entering a new "dark age" as countries at first attempt to quarantine
travellers to avoid the spread of plague, and then succumbing to the
plagues. Would the "world economy" suffer for it? Would people finally
become so xenophobic that all trade comes to a mere trickle of what it
once was? Would modern technology come to a grinding halt or would it
continue under more stringent circumstances (ie, a Big Brother like
society)?
Or, do I presume that the future will rebound from the present conflict
with a newfound determination "Ain't gonna study war no more" and commit
the final solution against a cultural breed of people who refuse to give
up "Jihad"?
Discussing such issues online will likely only cause people to descend
into political statements and take stances that will result in the
shutting off of any potential towards friendliness or friendship -
something I'd hate to see happen on GURPSNET. If people can discuss the
"what if's" without letting it get personal or what have you - great! If
on the other hand, people start getting angry or hurtful towards each
other, then - not so good.
Those are my thoughts on the issues of cyberpunk, this mailing list, and
trying to base any game in the future in light of today's events. The
only alternative I can see is for people to ignore today's history in the
making and go for a more "escapist" style cyberpunk game world. (we game
to escape our lives, not play "accountants, exams, and taxes")
Hal
_______________________________________________
GurpsNet-L mailing list <[email protected]>
http://mail.sjgames.com/mailman/listinfo/gurpsnet-l
