I know it's just how FFG does things, but in this particular game, not having at least a ground car to start is massively inconvenient, not to mention shortsighted.
Whether you're a PI, a Soldier or whatever flavor runner you choose, having to take the bus while kitted out seems like a bad idea.
And the Ristie should at the very least get an air car. Cause, you know, being from a family that's richer than dirt.
Because in New Angeles, everyone gets around using public transportation? It's a lot more plausible, in such a densely populated city.
I think you have a valid point concerning the Ristie, though.
A more appropirate answer might be:
I think Shadow of the Beanstalk's default power level and supported adventuring background is one where you don't run around "kitted", so relying on public transportation and renting a hopper as needed makes a lot of sense to me. This is not Shadowrun .
13 hours ago, Jon D said:I know it's just how FFG does things, but in this particular game, not having at least a ground car to start is massively inconvenient, not to mention shortsighted.
It is a little odd, but starting equipment is easily adjusted by the GM. Vehicles are expensive though, and in theory a player could sell one back for more credits than they would have otherwise started with.
Depending upon the style of the campaign, I don't see a problem with giving the characters access to an appropriate vehicle or hideout. The main concern is ensuring the player's can't/won't just sell them off for bigger guns and better armor.
I've implemented a streamlined version of the lifestyle mechanic from Shadowrun in my game. So the Ristie with a high lifestyle is assumed to have access to this world's version of Uber Black. And can get fancy private transport. But if they want a fancy sports car if their own they would have to purchase it.
11 hours ago, Cantriped said:It is a little odd, but starting equipment is easily adjusted by the GM. Vehicles are expensive though, and in theory a player could sell one back for more credits than they would have otherwise started with.
Depending upon the style of the campaign, I don't see a problem with giving the characters access to an appropriate vehicle or hideout. The main concern is ensuring the player's can't/won't just sell them off for bigger guns and better armor.
I can't honestly say I game with people that do that stuff, so it's a concern that never came to mind.
2 hours ago, Jon D said:I can't honestly say I game with people that do that stuff, so it's a concern that never came to mind.
Almost every cyberpunk game I've ever seen suffers from grand theft auto being far more profitable (and safer) than the types of jobs PCs are expected to do. This includes Cyberpunk 2020, Shadowrun, Interface Zero, and more.
42 minutes ago, HappyDaze said:Almost every cyberpunk game I've ever seen suffers from grand theft auto being far more profitable (and safer) than the types of jobs PCs are expected to do. This includes Cyberpunk 2020, Shadowrun, Interface Zero, and more.
I've got no issues boosting other people's rides for fun and profit, but not my own.
My point was that I've seen cyberpunk games that assume the PCs are competent operators go and offer them $10,000 (or the equivalent) for a mission that will take a four-person team several days to complete and has extreme risk to life and limb. That's utterly pathetic. The group could make more at less risk by boosting cars for that same period of time.
If SotB follows the same path and makes vehicle theft a better option than actually doing the shadowy jobs that PCs are asked to do, then it will fail the same as the others. If it doesn't, then everybody can afford transportation after one job. In that case, unless the characters are assumed to have never pulled off a job before, why don't the rules let them start with a vehicle?
I'm failing to recall and classic cyberpunk fiction wherein the protagonists had their own wheels - usually transportation was provided or ... acquired. That said, if it comes up in Session Zero, sure the group can have a beater.
A good workaround could involve some sort of company vehicle.
the investigator has a patrol car. The Ristie might have a family car.
Another alternative is to just tell the players upfront that you are giving them certain items for the purpose of helping the story.
Transportation should be largely “fast traveling” (especially with how ubiquitous and required auto-driving is). If you’re the type of group who does “shadowruns” you probably don’t own vehicles, instead acquiring them as needed (be it renting or theft), then discarding them when done. Professional criminals don’t take their personal hoppers to do jobs! A bounty hunter or P.I. would probably take public or temporary paid transportation (cabs, etc.), even with a bounty in tow.
There needs to be a big shift in a group’s perception towards owning a vehicle in such a massively populated city and it makes sense for New Angeles to promote public transportation. Many heavily populated cities today are trending towards personal vehicles being less common due to the massive congestion they cause, making them more expensive to own and operate.
As far as being part of a group where it makes sense you would have a vehicle, I hope that’s not a tough discussion for groups to have. Police need police cars, corporations likely grant a corporate ride (very likely an android-piloted hopper that picks them up when needed and takes them where they need to go), etc. These aren’t in danger of being credit fodder as a cop who sells his car won’t be a cop much longer! This can even be part of a ristie’s life, if it makes sense. As GeneSys can’t and shouldn’t cover every angle, groups need to make decisions about “company gear”, which includes vehicles. The Favor economy is perfect for uncommon but viable situations (“Captain, I can assure you I need a Bennet MK V anti-vehicular cannon from the armory. You gotta’ trust me. Besides, you owe me...”).
If there’s one sticking point I can see it’s risties not having access to a more expected level of money, but that too falls within both a group’s prerogative and what background the character has. Oh, the “Sound Investments” Talent from the SWRPG is perfect for such a thing.
On 4/15/2019 at 6:11 PM, Jon D said:I know it's just how FFG does things, but in this particular game, not having at least a ground car to start is massively inconvenient, not to mention shortsighted.
Whether you're a PI, a Soldier or whatever flavor runner you choose, having to take the bus while kitted out seems like a bad idea.
And the Ristie should at the very least get an air car. Cause, you know, being from a family that's richer than dirt.
500,000,000 people in 62,000 square kilometers. That is why.
A Ristie has a car service.
On 4/21/2019 at 9:14 PM, Alderaan Crumbs said:There needs to be a big shift in a group’s perception towards owning a vehicle in such a massively populated city and it makes sense for New Angeles to promote public transportation. Many heavily populated cities today are trending towards personal vehicles being less common due to the massive congestion they cause, making them more expensive to own and operate.
That is true, they do mention in the book that there are moving sidewalks for getting around faster even.
On 4/15/2019 at 5:11 PM, Jon D said:I know it's just how FFG does things, but in this particular game, not having at least a ground car to start is massively inconvenient, not to mention shortsighted.
Whether you're a PI, a Soldier or whatever flavor runner you choose, having to take the bus while kitted out seems like a bad idea.
And the Ristie should at the very least get an air car. Cause, you know, being from a family that's richer than dirt.
For the common Joe in this setting, they don't own cars. It's shift in perception. Owning a personal vehicle that cost half of what you make a year, and that you use for twenty minutes a day and the rest of the time it just sits on a big concrete lot or on a big concrete pad? Wasteful. Good lord, sometimes people built special houses for the **** things. Back when there were such things as suburbs. The fad of the personal vehicle passed away, decades ago.
Robots and androids and automated factories can make a car in twenty minutes that costs virtually nothing when you factor in economies of scale. It's cheap and practical, and it drives itself off the factory floor and puts itself to work. Your common Joe orders a car when he needs one, contracts with it or its co-op for a period of time ("I need to do some shopping in town - I'll need a vehicle with this capacity for x amount of time, with three passengers") (Though why you'd ever /go out/ to go shopping might be a little weird instead of just ordering online and having drones deliver it).
Now your grey-market freelance troublemakers like many PC's - owning a private car might be useful at times, but it also puts you on the grid to a degree most might not want to consider.