Cybergeneration

CyberGeneration

Cover of CyberGeneration Revolution 2.0
Designer(s)	Mike Pondsmith
Publisher(s)	R. Talsorian Games Firestorm Ink
Publication date	1993 (1st edition) 1995 (2nd edition)
Genre(s)	Cyberpunk Science fiction Superhero
System(s)	Interlock System

CyberGeneration is a follow-up to the R. Talsorian's Cyberpunk 2020 role-playing game. CyberGeneration was originally published as a supplement for Cyberpunk, but later re-released as a fully featured game in its own right under the title CyberGeneration Revolution 2.0. It is set in the year 2027, 7 years after the events in Cyberpunk 2020. The game's timeline doesn't correspond with that of the later third edition of Cyberpunk, which makes no mention of any of its contents or setting elements.

The game is currently licensed out to Firestorm Ink, under Jonathan Lavallee.

Overview

In terms of tone, CyberGeneration differs from its predecessor somewhat, as the player characters take the part of nanotech-enhanced youngsters in an oppressive world ruled by adults who fear and seek to control them. The special powers of the CyberEvolved children give the game a definite superhero flavor.

Background

The backstory revolves around the "Fox Run" incident of 2025, in which a transport of supposed scientific equipment crashed and accidentally released a weaponized nano-virus called the "Carbon Plague".

Adult humans infected by it died horribly after the virus rewrote the victims' genetic code and warped their bodies. However, the virus had a different effect on children and teenagers. Since they haven't fully matured, it altered their bodies, and granted them nanotech-enhanced powers, and made them immune carriers if they survived the illness. Society dramatically fears the capabilities of these "CyberEvolved" children, which drives them underground.

CyberEvolved also belong to "yogangs" or youth gangs, subcultures that have distinct philosophies, styles and special skills.

The oppressive mega-corporation Arasaka manages to dominate the US Government and gets its candidate David Wyndham elected President of the new Incorporated States of America (ISA). Its laissez-faire government works with the corporations directly, becoming their puppet. The "Bureau of Relocation" (BuReloc) is a paramilitary force that runs prison camps for "unproductive" citizens and hunts down the CyberKids.

Multiple groups oppose, fear, and hunt the CyberKids, but one group stands out as protectors: the Edgerunners of old. The sourcebook describes them as wiser, more experienced and, ultimately rebels-without-a-cause no more (CyberGeneration offers the rules to convert old Cyberpunk 2020 characters into adults for the CyberGeneration setting).

To oppose this oppressive dictatorship, several major "Edgerunner" non-player characters from Cyberpunk 2020 run the Eden Cabal, a revolutionary movement that seeks to overthrow the ISA and BuReloc.

The CyberEvolved

So called "CyberEvolved" children fit in one of several archetypes:

• Alchemist - Can reshape matter at molecular level.
• Bolter - Can project taser-like charged lines at a target.
• Medic - Can heal others.
• Scanner - Can sense the brainwave patterns of others, allowing for telepathic-like abilities.
• Scout - Creates remote probes for reconnaissance.
• Tinman - Limbs shape into tentacles, weapons, and can extend. "Natural" body armor.
• Wizard - Augmented Virtual Net hacking powers, particularly with the Virtuality augmented reality technology that has largely supplanted the virtual Net.

Supplements

R. Talsorian supported CyberGeneration Revolution 2.0 with a quartet of supplements. Each supplement expanded on the world of 2027 as well as new Yogangs and CyberEvolved. Later, licensee Firestorm Ink would release another pair of supplements in support of the game.

The Documents of the Revolution Supplements (published by R. Talsorian)

• VirtualFront - Details the state of the Net post-ISA occupation.
• MediaFront - Details the state of news agencies, Braindance, and Virtuality.
• EcoFront - Details the impact of corporate America on the environment.

Scenario Supplements (published by R. Talsorian)

• Bastille Day - The characters are recruited by Rache to find and rescue Spider Murphy.

Other Supplements (published by Firestorm Ink)

• Researching Medicine - Details on the state of medicine and MedTechies.
• Generation Gap - Details information about running and playing CyberGeneration.
• Mile High Dragon - A city sourcebook about Denver, Colorado.

External links

• Firestorm Ink, the current publisher of Cybergeneration material
• R. Talsorian Games
• CyberGen 2027 - Licensed Webcomic
• RPG.net review
• RPG Encyclopedia entry