Dice Rifts Adventure OOC

[Sherwood]

It already comes encrypted and shielded, and yes, it has a light 5 MDC case to it so it won't get broken too easily.

 

[Psychie]

Sweet.

 

[Purr]

One more question: Any way to boost the range? 25 meters sounds so... today's technology.

 

[Sherwood]

I will consider it.

 

[Purr]

I will consider it.

Some background to this request using Cyberpunk 2077 as example: Wireless connectivity only goes so far. For example, in the video I shared, one could tap into cameras and turrets (and people in the game) at range, but in order to datamine for money, information, and anything sensitive, one had to physically jack-in to the terminal, laptop, mainframe, what-have-you as if it were physical data.

At 25 meters, in Rifts, I expect to get shot at by turrets and detected by cameras and have basically compromised our team simply because I couldn't get closer. Of course, yours is the call here, but I foresee a good amount of solo Snowfall-sneaking just to get into range of what is basically a Wi-Fi signal. If that's the way you're comfortable with, then cool! If not, please add options?

Put another way, at 25 meters, the cameras at the local 7-Eleven convenience store can pick me up with my 1.5 million credit cyberdeck. The old MMORPG phrase rears its head. "is this working as intended?" And again if so, game on! =)

 

[Sherwood]

I'm trying to balance the desire to have the capability out there and the chance that the cyberdeck idea might be too powerful. If I keep the range as it is, it will keep the chance, even if unintentional, to be too much. I'll ponder it and let you know, but at the moment, 25 meters is a good number to go with.

 

[Purr]

As you wish. Thanks for having something like this in the game at all. =)

 

[Purr]

Sherwood You mentioned the only Netrunning you've seen is from that one game in Shadowrun. That makes me want to be certain everyone here is on the same page. So... this is something else that just popped in my head. For the sake of balance and expectations for everyone involved, just what do you feel comfortable with a Netrunner doing? Earlier you mentioned hacking into a cyborg? That sounds cool and all, but if it throws off the balance of your game, well, you know how I feel about that.

To go into some game-related detail here, here are some of the things Netrunners and cyberdecks (including quality cyberdecks with quality Netrunners of course which Snowfall may or may not be as you see fit) are known to do. Please add or toss?

Cyberdeck abilities based off of Cyberpunk 2077 (which simplifies a lot of these things). The best decks can do all of this:
1. Remote Activation/Deactivation. Things like alarms, radios, doors (including garage doors, security doors, and the like), cameras, drones, personal or non-personal vaults, cars and other computerized vehicles and the like. Just the act of turning the thing on or off.

2. Remote Friendly Mode. Cameras/turrets still see you but do not detect you as a threat. Of course, cameras still record and turrets are still on. Subject to Game Master approval, "Friendly" turrets can fire on non-Friendly targets and a savvy Netrunner can turn the tables making the turret's owners into possible targets of their own machine.

3. Take Control. The ability to see through the camera network or fire a turret using its own targeting controls. Unlike Assist Mode, you are controlling the device using your own reflexes and skills, not the devices' software. Laptops left open can be remotely hacked to view what their internal camera happens to be seeing (perhaps the black inside of a laptop bag or a private conversation in someone's office). It also might mean taking over the wheel of that getaway car your bad girl just hopped into and driving the thing right back to the law enforcement officers awaiting her capture.

4. Assist Mode. Tell the turret or vehicle to act on its own with you as the Friendly target while making others its victims. You tell the device which targets to prioritize. The rest it does on its own.

5. Distract. The ability for a machine/electronic device to suddenly do something that attracts attention. Microwaves and coffee-makers might begin beeping as if possessed. Telephones might ring non-stop. Might provide a distraction for a Netrunner's team to sneak around or a bonus to Initiative to set up a Surprise Attack.

6. Breach Protocol and Steal Data. The signature function of a Netrunner with a cyberdeck. If you can't hack, what are you doing with a cyberdeck in the first place? These functions are entirely here to get you past firewalls, steal passwords, enter places people don't want you in and otherwise collect data that belongs to someone or something else. A cyberdeck might datamine multiple websites at once for a "social engineering" approach or it might use "brute force" to work out a password (which takes time but it's far, far faster when a super-computer like a cyberdeck is doing it). All this, of course, without detection. This leads to access to whatever a Netrunner is after be it money, passcodes, retrieving stolen data, or just the ability to get those videos and audio your promiscuous bad guy really doesn't want his wife seeing. =)

7. Overload. An electrical frying of the machine's hardware, "short-circuiting" the electronic innards until they are useless and require repair if not total replacement (expensive!). The machine goes out of commission until a tech shows up (if it doesn't get tossed into the trash heap) - a clear sign that something has gone wrong and thus the enemy of the stealth-based Netrunner.

Use or toss as you see fit, bud! Either way, I hope I've added a little to your own many-paged RP "spellbook." =)

 

[Purr]

Psychie Sherwood Silanon

I just wanted to say - thanks for tonight, everybody! I had a great time thinking, raising questions, creating, hearing solutions, and just being around you. Psychie, you are as generous as ever with the Badger (5 millions credits and now it's the TW- Batmobile!). Sil, you sometimes produce more questions than you raise which helps a non-stop mind like mine wonder even more often. And Sherwood? You introduce ideas that really make the brain work in unusual directions. Instead of our party just being down two PCs, we're expanding our remaining three using ways and methods we probably would not have come to had we not run into the PC shortage.

The result? Another good evening of gaming!

Maybe we'll get more people to join us here in the future, but right now? I'm still having a good time here. Thanks for that, everyone! =)

 

[Sherwood]

Sherwood You mentioned the only Netrunning you've seen is from that one game in Shadowrun. That makes me want to be certain everyone here is on the same page. So... this is something else that just popped in my head. For the sake of balance and expectations for everyone involved, just what do you feel comfortable with a Netrunner doing? Earlier you mentioned hacking into a cyborg? That sounds cool and all, but if it throws off the balance of your game, well, you know how I feel about that.

To go into some game-related detail here, here are some of the things Netrunners and cyberdecks (including quality cyberdecks with quality Netrunners of course which Snowfall may or may not be as you see fit) are known to do. Please add or toss?

Cyberdeck abilities based off of Cyberpunk 2077 (which simplifies a lot of these things). The best decks can do all of this:
1. Remote Activation/Deactivation. Things like alarms, radios, doors (including garage doors, security doors, and the like), cameras, drones, personal or non-personal vaults, cars and other computerized vehicles and the like. Just the act of turning the thing on or off.

2. Remote Friendly Mode. Cameras/turrets still see you but do not detect you as a threat. Of course, cameras still record and turrets are still on. Subject to Game Master approval, "Friendly" turrets can fire on non-Friendly targets and a savvy Netrunner can turn the tables making the turret's owners into possible targets of their own machine.

3. Take Control. The ability to see through the camera network or fire a turret using its own targeting controls. Unlike Assist Mode, you are controlling the device using your own reflexes and skills, not the devices' software. Laptops left open can be remotely hacked to view what their internal camera happens to be seeing (perhaps the black inside of a laptop bag or a private conversation in someone's office). It also might mean taking over the wheel of that getaway car your bad girl just hopped into and driving the thing right back to the law enforcement officers awaiting her capture.

4. Assist Mode. Tell the turret or vehicle to act on its own with you as the Friendly target while making others its victims. You tell the device which targets to prioritize. The rest it does on its own.

5. Distract. The ability for a machine/electronic device to suddenly do something that attracts attention. Microwaves and coffee-makers might begin beeping as if possessed. Telephones might ring non-stop. Might provide a distraction for a Netrunner's team to sneak around or a bonus to Initiative to set up a Surprise Attack.

6. Breach Protocol and Steal Data. The signature function of a Netrunner with a cyberdeck. If you can't hack, what are you doing with a cyberdeck in the first place? These functions are entirely here to get you past firewalls, steal passwords, enter places people don't want you in and otherwise collect data that belongs to someone or something else. A cyberdeck might datamine multiple websites at once for a "social engineering" approach or it might use "brute force" to work out a password (which takes time but it's far, far faster when a super-computer like a cyberdeck is doing it). All this, of course, without detection. This leads to access to whatever a Netrunner is after be it money, passcodes, retrieving stolen data, or just the ability to get those videos and audio your promiscuous bad guy really doesn't want his wife seeing. =)

7. Overload. An electrical frying of the machine's hardware, "short-circuiting" the electronic innards until they are useless and require repair if not total replacement (expensive!). The machine goes out of commission until a tech shows up (if it doesn't get tossed into the trash heap) - a clear sign that something has gone wrong and thus the enemy of the stealth-based Netrunner.

Use or toss as you see fit, bud! Either way, I hope I've added a little to your own many-paged RP "spellbook." =)

I am liking the list you have provided for the computer device that you guys are looking to get. Of course, each one you try to do will have some level of penalties, but you can counteract them to a degree by taking extra time and having no distractions as you work.

Psychie Sherwood Silanon

I just wanted to say - thanks for tonight, everybody! I had a great time thinking, raising questions, creating, hearing solutions, and just being around you. Psychie, you are as generous as ever with the Badger (5 millions credits and now it's the TW- Batmobile!). Sil, you sometimes produce more questions than you raise which helps a non-stop mind like mine wonder even more often. And Sherwood? You introduce ideas that really make the brain work in unusual directions. Instead of our party just being down two PCs, we're expanding our remaining three using ways and methods we probably would not have come to had we not run into the PC shortage.

The result? Another good evening of gaming!

Maybe we'll get more people to join us here in the future, but right now? I'm still having a good time here. Thanks for that, everyone! =)

I have also enjoyed the brainstorming that has been going on here. Everyone deserves kudos for coming up with new and inventive ideas on how to make your characters develop and grow.

On the topic of getting more people to join in, I have been considering this, too. I don't want a repeat of some of the past problems, so if we do bring in someone new, that person(s) will have to fit in with us as a group. If there is someone that you guys might like the idea of extending an invite to in order to see if they would be interested in joining in, let me know. We can discuss the pros and cons of adding a new person to our ranks and see what comes of it.

 

[Psychie]

Two things. First, I'd like to get one of those extra damage crystals for my sword to boost my melee damage.

Second, if we are looking for new people, WlfSamurai is in our Robotech game. He may be interested in signing on with this game.

 

[Sherwood]

Sounds good.

I like WlfSamurai. He may be a good fit. I'll think about that.

 

[Purr]

How about Random Word? Sherwood, you mentioned some positive things about him in a recent conversation. Do you think they would be a good fit for this game?

 

[Sherwood]

I don't know if Random Word has ever played Rifts, but he would be welcome to join in my book.

 

[Sherwood]

I have gotten a reply from WlfSamurai , and he has gladly accepted my invite. He has the Rifts Ultimate Edition book but none of the others, but has played Robotech with me before. Please give your best advice to help him though the creation process on picking a character class.

 

[Psychie]

Awesome! Welcome to the party!

 

[Psychie]

I don't know if Sherwood told you what we have in the party so far, but Silanon is running a magical Crazy, Dannigan is a Kitsune Atlantian Dimensional Explorer, and I have a Battle Mage Controller that just also happens to come from Atlantis. We don't have a straight out Ley Line Walker, or something as neat as a Cyber Knight. Cyber Knights are awesome. Just sayin'.

One other cool thing you could do is a Cyclone pilot from Robotech if that is more your cup of tea. The great thing about the Palladium system is that it can adapt the different games into one great world.

 

[Sherwood]

I had not told him what you guys were running, other than to say it is a non-Coalition group, and his character has to be of a good alignment. Other than that, the doors are wide open for him to see what he wants to play.

 

[Purr]

WlfSamurai Welcome to the fun! Do you have any characters from any game that you think might fit into this setting? What would make you happy to play?

I understand you are new to Rifts. Let me expand on Psychie's earlier statement. Silanon is playing Eron, a human TW-Crazy. That's basically a person who has gotten themselves augmented both mechanically and magically so that they can use both tech and magic. Eron kind of models himself after the heroic and goodly cyber-knights who are basically paladins of this future age. But being crazy, he's not all there.

Terra is Psychie's Atlantean Battle Magus. Her character comes from an ancient race of cosmic beings dedicated to fighting evil. As a Battle Magus, she has the ability to control Automatons, golem-like creatures of considerable power. Plus, she's no pushover alone either. She is the leader of our team.

I am playing Snowfall a long-lived 7-tailed fox-spirit and Celestial messenger of the fox deity, Inari, of Japanese mythos. He has become an Atlantean Tattooed Voyager, able to open gateways to different worlds. He is also a Tai Chi-based martial artist, mystic healer, and most recently, a would-be Netrunner (a la Cyberpunk/Shadowrun). He gets around.

We also have a small pack of Central American were-jaguars following Terra around.

We are under the employ of Lord Brazamal, a great dragon that fights for good. We are currently stationed in North America near a city called dweomer which is full of magic and uncertainty.

Snowfall have coined the name "Terra's Terminators" for the team since we otherwise lack of one. That's pretty much a us in a nutshell.

So yeah? Who and what would you like to play?

 

[WlfSamurai]

Wow. Thank you all for the warm welcome. I’m really excited now.

And thanks the suggestions breakdown of the characters. Those all sound so cool.

I know enough to be glad we’re non-Coalition. At least for my first game. I’d really like to play the side of “good” first. So I was glad when Sherwood told me that was the deal.

As a fan of ancient Samurai and Knights, the Cyber Knights always caught my eye. And of course, the giant mech kids, what are they called? Glitter Boy? Not actual kids I realize now. I mean, I’m a mech fan, obviously.

Psychie mentioned a Ley Line Walker, though. I’m actually leaning that way if it’s not going to unbalance the group. I always play the physical fighting classes and I might subvert my normal to get more creative.

So for now, I’m going to read the Cyber Knight and Ley Line Walker and see which speaks to me. As long as it won’t step on anyone else’s role or specialty.

 

[Sherwood]

The important thing is to play what you like to play, be it Glitter Boy, Ley Line Walker or Cyber Knight.

 

[Sherwood]

WlfSamurai You should also keep in mind that you are not going to be at first level, but starting out with 60,000 xp points, which should put you at level 8 or so, depending on the chart for that particular OCC/RCC.

 

[WlfSamurai]

WlfSamurai You should also keep in mind that you are not going to be at first level, but starting out with 60,000 xp points, which should put you at level 8 or so, depending on the chart for that particular OCC/RCC.

Oh wow. Okay...

 

[Sherwood]

Yeah, this game has been going on for quite a while now.

 

[Purr]

As a fan of ancient Samurai and Knights, the Cyber Knights always caught my eye. And of course, the giant mech kids, what are they called? Glitter Boy? Not actual kids I realize now. I mean, I’m a mech fan, obviously.

One of the really cool things about Rifts is that you can pretty much play whatever your Game Master allows. Like ancient Samurai enough to play one? There's Rifts Japan where the New Empire has emerged into the world forsaking modern technology and using methods of life that they used back in the feudal days. Want to play a mech or power armor (that's the term I think meant for the "kid" mecha? Basically, if it's about the size of Iron Man, it's considered power armor)? Go with the aforementioned Cyclone pilot and trick that bad boy out! Heck, have multiple suits down the line - it works for Tony Stark, right? 8D

As for stepping on toes, I just... don't see that happening with a team like ours. Even if you played another TW Crazy, Tattooed Voyager, or Battle Magus, you would be playing your version of it. It's been said but it's worth saying again - play what makes you hot to play! That's one of the reasons I asked if you had a character in another game you might want to bring into this one. Even from Exalted (which I've never played, but Sherwood sure has). It's the character concept that counts. I agree with Gary Gygax that Players should be genuinely excited to play their Characters! I am in the three games I'm PCing in!

Oh wow. Okay...

May I offer a perspective? Here you are, not new to roleplaying but certainly new to this game and perhaps its system too. Just because our party is 7th-8th level doesn't mean your Character has to have all kinds of knowledge and experience that you as a Player lack. What if they're a teacher of some kind with all kinds of Class experience, but they've never really been out in the world? What if your Character is just bad to the bone in their own environment, but they're thrown headlong into Rifts North America and now they're completely out of their element and having to relearn it all? Just ideas that hopefully help to take any stress on you as a Player coming into an experienced team like ours. =)

Oh, and have no fear. While we definitely have our serious sides, we have a sense of humor. Kind of like that time we were facing Eron's arch-enemy, Salnesh the Demon. Serious! High stakes! Dangerous! But... not without its humorous side. =)