Best Cyberpunk? • Collecting General

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Best Cyberpunk?
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Katchoo
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Posted: Tue Sep 23, 2008 1:52 am

I played Cyberpunk years ago (mid to late 90's) with some friends and had a great time with it. My problem is that I never owned the books and have no clue what version of the game we were even playing. lol If I still had contact with that GM, I would just ask him.

Anyway, I was interested in finding the game to buy for myself and was hopeful that some knowledgeable folk here can help me out with advice on what to get.

What is the best version to buy? If I want the game, is the core rulebook all I need, or is more recommended? (I'm honestly more interested in the best version of the game to read and play with, instead of just for collectability.)

Thanks in advance for any help/advice.

~Kat ^_^

g026r
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Posted: Tue Sep 23, 2008 8:17 am

From my understanding, the second edition (Cyberpunk 2020) is the most common/popular. Chances are good that's what you played, as it was released in 1990 -- just two years after the first edition.

The first edition is a boxed set containing 3 books and I don't know what else (if anything).
Second edition is a single book.
The most recent edition (Cyberpunk V3) should be avoided.

"Reader, Carthegena was of the mind, that unto thoſe Three Things, which the Ancients held Impoſſible, there ſhould be added this Fourth ; To find a Book Printed without Errata's."

Kingofpain89
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Posted: Tue Sep 23, 2008 8:41 am

I own the first edition box set. Picked it up years ago for a few bucks and now it sits on a shelf collecting dust. From what I read I dont think I would enjoy it nearly as much as I did Shadowrun.

I also managed to pick up a few supplements/adventures. The Chromebooks are a lot of fun to read. Very similar to the Street Samurai catalog for Shadowrun but they also contain a lot of goofy cyber-fashion ideas. The Land of the Free box set is a large campaign adventure that is an interesting read and it goes hand-in-hand with the Home of the Brave supplement that has information about locations in the United States. The other few Cyberpunk items I have arent really that memorable.

You don't like your job, you don't strike. You go in every day and do it really half-assed. That's the American way. - Homer Simpson

copycat
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Posted: Tue Sep 23, 2008 11:41 am

The best version is Shadowrun, 2nd edition (I normally say SR1, but most people like the cleaner rules of SR2.) The Cyberpunk game, itself, is rather obtuse and pretty boring, but the Friday Night Firefight rules were somewhat cool... if you want an urban wargame. But, if you are dead-set on a version of Cyberpunk, then the 1st edition black box is the better option -- its at least more original than not.

Those who can, don't. Those who should not, do.

Katchoo
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Posted: Sat Sep 27, 2008 12:53 am

Thanks so much for the info/opinions, all!

It really helped me. It does sound like we played the 2nd edition of the game, I guess. I can't judge much on if the rules were stale or weak, since I was only a player... I just know that we had a great time with the game. Sometimes that might be because the GM was just great at running anything, though. lol

That counts for a lot!

Anyway, now I am also a bit intrigued by the 1st edition. I read that the rules are quite different, apparently.

Thanks again for everyone's help!

~Kat ^_^

HermitFromPluto
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Posted: Wed Mar 18, 2009 12:05 am

Does anyone have a cyberpunk product list? Have been looking around on the net but can't anything that lists the various versions and supplements released.

PaulKM
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Posted: Wed Mar 18, 2009 12:32 am

HermitFromPluto wrote:Does anyone have a cyberpunk product list? Have been looking around on the net but can't anything that lists the various versions and supplements released.

Not sure if this helps Hermit, but I've found this site useful as a starting base: http://index.rpg.net/display-entry.phtml?mainid=119

You probably know the site, but just in case: click on "system" and they have a good list--120 results with dates and stock numbers.

Best,

Paul

Even a stopped clock tells the right time twice a day, and for once I'm inclined to believe...we are indeed drifting into the arena of the unwell.

beasterbrook
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Posted: Wed Mar 18, 2009 12:37 am

I think mine is fairly complete.. still maybe missing some...

R. Talsorian Games Inc

Bastille Day
Blackhand's Street Weapons 2020
Character Sheets (2020)
Corporation Report 2020
Corporation Report 2020 Vol 2
Corporation Report 2020 Vol 3
Crome
Crome Book 2
Crome Book 3
Crome Book 4
Cyber Generation
Cyberpunk
Cyberpunk 2020 (The Second Ed)
Data Screen 2020
Deep Space
Eco Front
Euro Source
Euro Source Plus
Eurotour
Firestorm- Stormfront
Fourth Corprate War Book 2, The
Hard Wired
Home of the Brave
Land of the Free
Listen up you Primitive Screwhead!
Live and Direct
Maximum Metal
Media Front
Near Orbit
Neo Tribes
Night City
Pacific Rim Sourcebook
Protect and Serve
Rache Bartmoss Guide to the Net
Road Striker
Rockerboy
Rough Guide to the UK
Solo of Fortune
Solo of Fortune
Solo of Fortune 2
Tales from the Forlorn Hope
Virtual Front
When Gravity Falls
Wild Side

Atlas Games

All Fall Down
Arasak Brainworm, The
Bonin Horse, The
Cabin Fever
Chasing the Dragon
Chrome Berets, The
Greenwar
Night City Stories
Northwest Passage
Osiris Chip, The
Streetfighting
Thicker Than Blood

Ianus Games

Dark Metropolis
King of the Concrete Jungle
Media Junkie (MJ2)
Necrology (N1)
Necrology (N2)
Necrology (N3)
Nights Edge
Playground
Remember Me
Sub Attica

Steve Jackson Games
Cyberpunk (3rd ed)

Brette:)

Being healthy is merely the slowest possible rate at which one can die.

HermitFromPluto
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Posted: Wed Mar 18, 2009 4:18 am

Hey cool. Thanks Brette!

TheHistorian
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Posted: Wed Mar 18, 2009 7:00 pm

HermitFromPluto wrote:Does anyone have a cyberpunk product list? Have been looking around on the net but can't anything that lists the various versions and supplements released.

http://datafortress2020.110mb.com/booklist.html

Not only is that everything, but there are even a couple items that were never released... all the magazine articles, related products, etc.

I'm fairly convinced it's a complete list. It's what I've been using as I finish my Cyberpunk collection. I also have a spreadsheet with notes on printings and such, if anyone is that interested.

copycat
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Posted: Wed Mar 18, 2009 7:08 pm

Anyone know if Friday Night Firefight was sold separately?

Those who can, don't. Those who should not, do.

beasterbrook
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Posted: Wed Mar 18, 2009 7:57 pm

TheHistorian wrote:
http://datafortress2020.110mb.com/booklist.html

Not only is that everything, but there are even a couple items that were never released... all the magazine articles, related products, etc.

I'm fairly convinced it's a complete list. It's what I've been using as I finish my Cyberpunk collection. I also have a spreadsheet with notes on printings and such, if anyone is that interested.

Ah yes I have seen this, and I've actually spoken to the guy who ownes it, gave him a scan of a couple of the magazines as I recall..

Brette:)

Being healthy is merely the slowest possible rate at which one can die.

HermitFromPluto
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Posted: Wed Mar 18, 2009 10:21 pm

I notice the datafortress list omits the Steve Jackson 3rd Edition. Did R. Talsorian sell the game to Steve Jackson - or is the 3rd edition a completely separate game?

TheHistorian
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Posted: Thu Mar 19, 2009 1:27 pm

serleran wrote:Anyone know if Friday Night Firefight was sold separately?

I don't think so, but I'm not certain.

HermitFromPluto wrote:I notice the datafortress list omits the Steve Jackson 3rd Edition. Did R. Talsorian sell the game to Steve Jackson - or is the 3rd edition a completely separate game?

I think you're referring to the GURPS version. If so, that was completely separate.

HermitFromPluto
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Posted: Thu May 17, 2012 2:03 am

It's funny. I started looking at some of my Cyberpunk stuff and did a search and found this thread. Seems I was looking into it three years ago then got distracted. Just started Cyberpunk and Cyberspace on the Wiki:
http://wiki.acaeum.com/wiki/Gallery:Cyberpunk
http://wiki.acaeum.com/wiki/Gallery:Cyberspace

But actually I have a different question. I was looking in Heroic Worlds and Schick mentions two printings of HardWired - the first apparently mis-spells the author's name (or leaves off his first name Walter). Has anyone seen such a print?

TheHistorian
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Posted: Thu May 17, 2012 2:56 pm

There is a picture of one here: http://rpggeek.com/image/752222/hardwir ... sourcebook

That's the only one I've seen. I think it's the only thing left on my Cyberpunk want list (aside from a couple very obscure mags).

There are some other (probably many) Cyberpunk items with multiple printings. For the most part, they aren't all that notable - just an errata page included or something like that.

Areas of interest/knowledge: Harn, WFRP, Ars Magica, anything BRP based such as CoC, Runequest, Pendragon and all their related games

HermitFromPluto
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Posted: Thu May 17, 2012 11:02 pm

Thanks. That must be quite a rare item!

TheHistorian
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Posted: Fri May 18, 2012 12:10 am

Could be. No guess as to the size of that first print run. Doubt it would sell for much if one came up for sale.

Areas of interest/knowledge: Harn, WFRP, Ars Magica, anything BRP based such as CoC, Runequest, Pendragon and all their related games

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