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nezumi
I am currently in the process of fleshing out the Shadowrun equipment list, drawing primarily on CP2020. I won't be able to include any of the file yet, because I'd like to present equipment in categories, which isn't possible since I'm going through one Chromebook at a time. However, I'll go ahead and start the thread so I can put my intro paragraph, ask questions, and leave myself open to comments. To begin with, my file opens with the following paragraph, which I still think sums everything up well:

Nezumi Hebereke's Cyberpunk 2020 to Shadowrun (SR3, SR3R) Equipment Conversion
Attempt 1

This conversion guide is not meant to be a "pure" nor a complete conversion from CP2020 to SR, as has been done successfully before. It is, however, intended to allow SR3 and SR3R players access to a wider range of options which a GM can allow knowing they are well-balanced and tested. You will find no object or device which is obviously "better" than its Shadowrun equivalent, however there are several additions which fulfill a specific role largely untouched in Shadowrun. Overall, equipment has only been included here when it adds flavor to the game without significantly changing game mechanics, or when it fills a niche Shadowrun has not sufficiently touched on. The majority of Cyberpunk 2020 equipment has not been listed as it is overly powerful, redundant, or does not apply to the Shadowrun world. Yes, if it can already be done with Shadowrun rules, it will not be included in this guide. In addition, there are several objects that have not previously appeared in any version of Shadowrun or Cyberpunk that are designed to specifically fill roles that exist in Shadowrun but not Cyberpunk, and a few objects that have recently arrived with Shadowrun 4. There should not be anything which contradicts Shadowrun Canon, fulfills the same results as an existing product, or completely outshines another Shadowrun product. As always, the GM's word is final, and GMs are encouraged to examine the list before allowing it into his game.



So I am not going to be importing 90% of the cyberware, 95% of the firearms or 98% of the vehicles, as they are all overpowered, redundant, or inappropriate for the shadowrun universe. Hopefully this will make it easier for GMs to review the equipment, accept it as balanced, and integrate it into their games. Obviously, there are no plans for new magical spells or powers at this time. While I post things, I am very open not only to comments about CP2020 and SR4 additions, but to suggestions on what else needs to be included (so far I've added the unmanned tripod "drone" and a troll-killing handgun, which has been suggested elsewhere, and a few other things of my own devising).
nezumi
There are three aspects of CP2020 that I am debating whether I should include.

1) Personafix analogs. CP2020 skill chips are oftentimes linked to a particular role or character, so for instance there's a "secret agent" chip which would have etiquette, stealth and interrogation skills (or something like that), basically skillwire bundles. However, these bundles also include some alterations to the personality of the user. The user will become a little more Bondish. A police chip will include police procedure, law and squashing rights skills, but the character would also begin to unconsciously act more like a police officer.

These chips are difficult to port over for two reasons. Firstly, they draw on personafix chips, but do not completely embody them. I can't very well have a half-personafix! Secondly, they bundle skills, which oftentimes makes them less useful than just the individual skill chips. I'm considering saying they're recorded differently, decreasing the memory cost of the chips, but giving the unusual side effect of personality changes, but I'm not quite sure yet how to approach the matter. Are there any suggestions?

2) Borgs conversions. CP2020 allows a person to implant his brain into a fully cybernetic body, called a borg. The primary limiting factors on this are price, and the possibility of dying during the procedure. I love the idea of doing a full cyber-body, but I realize that my personal interests may make them dangerous unbalanced. I will tackle the issue soon, but as I work through it, again, I was wondering if people had any suggestions or thoughts.

3) The ramjet rifle. This is a much simpler question, really. Chromebook 2 includes a "ramjet rifle", the 'bullet' is a solid-state rocket that increases in speed as it goes along, which means it has higher inertia when it impacts the target than when it first left the muzzle. I think this is a very cool idea, and would probably have it start at 5S and go up by +1 power per range category, but I really don't know how technically feasible it would be. Given this is future technology, would a ramjet bullet projectile thing be feasible, or is it just too out there to include?

Sir_Psycho
I'm pretty sure a heavy pistol is an adequate troll-killer.

The ramjet rifle sounds awesome. I will add, that even at extreme range, the ramjet rifle starting at 5S won't be able to clock up enough to surpass other sniper rifles, being 8S at extreme, while the weakest of the sniper rifles are 14S across the board.

Also it would be cool if we had additional ammunition for it that could self-correct mid-flight, making it harder to dodge or something of the like.
Nyxll
Gurth a few years ago did chrome book conversions right from vol 1 to 4.
http://plastic.dumpshock.com/shadowrun/chr...onversions.html
cetiah
QUOTE
3) The ramjet rifle. This is a much simpler question, really. Chromebook 2 includes a "ramjet rifle", the 'bullet' is a solid-state rocket that increases in speed as it goes along, which means it has higher inertia when it impacts the target than when it first left the muzzle. I think this is a very cool idea, and would probably have it start at 5S and go up by +1 power per range category, but I really don't know how technically feasible it would be. Given this is future technology, would a ramjet bullet projectile thing be feasible, or is it just too out there to include?
nezumi
Cetiah, you rock, thanks! I guess that's a thumbs up.

Nyxll, thanks for the link, although I've been referencing that document to help temper my own work. The different is Plastic Warriors tried to do a true conversion, with all the imbalances, flaws, and odd technology. I am in no way attempting to do a true conversion, I am choosing only equipment which fills a role not currently filled in Shadowrun, and I am altering the stats to maintain balance, so by the time a CP2020 item gets into my document, it is only from CP2020 in inspiration. Hopefully this means what I produce will be more commonly used, and more easily accepted, as it won't break the game in the process.
Nyxll
That's awesome Nezumi, I am looking forward to checking them out. There is some stuff in there that should be just turfed. I really hope that you don't get discouraged. That is something I want.
cetiah
I've never played 2020 and I don't really know what a ramjet is or what it's supposed to be. But I have this big book of weapons design from an old version of Traveller and I've been itching to try out for Shadowrun. I figure this is the perfect time:

RAMJET RIFLE

Traveller TNE statistics:

Ammunition stats:
TL-13 Rocket-Assisted Multi-purpose Grenade
Kinetic Energy Armor Piercing Warhead
Armor Piercing Discarding Sabot
3cm Diameter
Damage Value: 7
Burst: None
Warhead Mass: 0.24kg ( < 0.5 lbs)
Price per 10 rounds: 36 credits

Weapon stats:
TL-13 Grenade Launcher
w/folding stock
Semi-automatic
Ammo: 10(m)
Barrel Length: 8 calibers
Direct Fire Short Range: 228.75m (741 feet)
Total Weapon Length w/stock folded: 59cm (~23 inches)
Total Weapon Length w/stock unfolded: 79 cm (~31 inches)
Bulk: 5
Recoil Modifier: 0.9
Empty Mass: 3.6kg (~8 lbs)
Loaded Mass: 6.24kg (~14 lbs)
Muzzle Energy: 675 joules
Recoil: 1.33
Price: ?

Combined stats:
Penetration Rating: 0.025



Converting to Shadowrun statistics:

Name: Ramjet Rifle
Damage: 7
AP: 0
Mode: SA
RC: (1)
Ammo: 10( c)
Skill: Longarms
Short Range: 0-700
Medium Range: 701-1500
Long Range: 1501-3200
Extreme Range: 3201-6000
Darkwalker
QUOTE (nezumi)
There are three aspects of CP2020 that I am debating whether I should include.

1) Personafix analogs. CP2020 skill chips are oftentimes linked to a particular role or character, so for instance there's a "secret agent" chip which would have etiquette, stealth and interrogation skills (or something like that), basically skillwire bundles. However, these bundles also include some alterations to the personality of the user. The user will become a little more Bondish. A police chip will include police procedure, law and squashing rights skills, but the character would also begin to unconsciously act more like a police officer.

These chips are difficult to port over for two reasons. Firstly, they draw on personafix chips, but do not completely embody them. I can't very well have a half-personafix! Secondly, they bundle skills, which oftentimes makes them less useful than just the individual skill chips. I'm considering saying they're recorded differently, decreasing the memory cost of the chips, but giving the unusual side effect of personality changes, but I'm not quite sure yet how to approach the matter. Are there any suggestions?

2) Borgs conversions. CP2020 allows a person to implant his brain into a fully cybernetic body, called a borg. The primary limiting factors on this are price, and the possibility of dying during the procedure. I love the idea of doing a full cyber-body, but I realize that my personal interests may make them dangerous unbalanced. I will tackle the issue soon, but as I work through it, again, I was wondering if people had any suggestions or thoughts.

3) The ramjet rifle. This is a much simpler question, really. Chromebook 2 includes a "ramjet rifle", the 'bullet' is a solid-state rocket that increases in speed as it goes along, which means it has higher inertia when it impacts the target than when it first left the muzzle. I think this is a very cool idea, and would probably have it start at 5S and go up by +1 power per range category, but I really don't know how technically feasible it would be. Given this is future technology, would a ramjet bullet projectile thing be feasible, or is it just too out there to include?

The chips under 1) are actually a rarity rather than the common variant. They apear in a Chromebook as specialities for someone who needs to pass casual observation and basic smalltalk on a profession without looking like "Chase Chipheavy"

The only other stuff in that direction are Efflingers Moddies and Daddies (The terms used in Efflingers Novel!) from the "When Gravity fails" SB based on the books.

For the former just treat them as multi-skill chips (IIRC SR has such stuff) with a low level (Lv 1) and add Etiquette:<Profession> 1/2 or so to the mix. The latter are basically un-portabel.


2) The Borg conversions also require a few more things:

+ A high starting EMP/Humanity since they start at 16D6 Humanity loss and Max Humanity = 100 in CP

+ The Theraphy rules from Chromebook 2 since in CP "Humanity loss" is simply a type of psychosis and can given long time, month even in Intensive "Marries to my Shrink" setups, be at least partially cured. Not available in SR.

+ Rules for Cyberarms / Legs / Torsos that make you stronger, faster, more capabel (Even low-grade borgs start with max natural Strength/BOD)

Aside from that CP Borgs are constructed using normal Cyberware, adding up the Humanity costs and dividing it by 6 to get the number of D6 rolled.
Darkwalker
QUOTE (cetiah @ Feb 9 2007, 07:33 AM)
I've never played 2020 and I don't really know what a ramjet is or what it's supposed to be.  But I have this big book of weapons design from an old version of Traveller and I've been itching to try out for Shadowrun.  I figure this is the perfect time: 

RAMJET RIFLE

Traveller TNE statistics:

Ammunition stats:
TL-13 Rocket-Assisted Multi-purpose Grenade
Kinetic Energy Armor Piercing Warhead
Armor Piercing Discarding Sabot
3cm Diameter
Damage Value: 7
Burst: None
Warhead Mass: 0.24kg ( < 0.5 lbs)
Price per 10 rounds: 36 credits

Weapon stats:
TL-13 Grenade Launcher
w/folding stock
Semi-automatic
Ammo: 10(m)
Barrel Length: 8 calibers
Direct Fire Short Range: 228.75m (741 feet)
Total Weapon Length w/stock folded: 59cm (~23 inches)
Total Weapon Length w/stock unfolded: 79 cm (~31 inches)
Bulk: 5
Recoil Modifier: 0.9
Empty Mass: 3.6kg (~8 lbs)
Loaded Mass: 6.24kg (~14 lbs)
Muzzle Energy: 675 joules
Recoil: 1.33
Price: ?

Combined stats:
Penetration Rating: 0.025



Converting to Shadowrun statistics:

Name: Ramjet Rifle
Damage: 7
AP: 0
Mode: SA
RC: (1)
Ammo: 10( c)
Skill: Longarms
Short Range: 0-700
Medium Range: 701-1500
Long Range: 1501-3200
Extreme Range: 3201-6000

Totally different beast. The RAM in Traveller stands for Rocket Assisted Munition and basically describes the modern day 40mm Grenade Launchers. Btw. KEAP warheads and RAM grenades make no sense. DV7 is really low as is the range. You can get TNE rifles with DV5 that weight the same for more ammo. RAM grenades are normally HEAT or HE/HEDP

The Ramjet rifle from Chromebook one fires a projectile similar to the Boomark SAM. As the name says, the bullet is a ramjet, a special version of jet engine. That is a steadily accelerating bullet with damage increase as the range gets longer and a minimum effective range. It has nothing in common with the Gyrojet that is a true rocket (non air-breathing).
nezumi
Darkwalker summed it up well. Basically, a ramjet requires a certain initial speed before it begins working (since it needs the incoming air to be compressed in order to heat it). Once it hits that initial speed, the ramjet actually begins producing thrust on its own. Because it's sort of half a jet compared to our modern jet aircraft, it's smaller and cheaper to build. So a Ramjet rifle would shoot a small, solid state ramjet. The initial projectile would be propelled out of the rifle, probably similar to how a normal bullet is. Once it hits the minimum speed, it begins accelerating under its own power, consuming the solid fuel as it goes. I imagine the ammunition would look something like a model rocket engine with a firing cap on.

I hadn't gotten to checking more on the gyrojet than what little was on the wiki page, but it sounds like they are different technologies. I wonder how much of that was intentional. Regardless, I think an actual ramjet would probably work differently than the gyrojet listed, but I'll have to spend some time working everything out.
Pendaric
Ah how i loved my ramjet rifle in CP. I'd give this a thumbs up as it is a sota advancement on a real world design.

As to Borgs in SR my take is NO!
Cyberzombies is a far as you can go for cyber and I think that works fine due to the existence of essence as a concept/rule in SR.
With riggers being able to use anthroform drones a full borg seems just to sci fi for SR reality.

P fix chips already come with skill bundles dont they?
nezumi
QUOTE (Pendaric)
P fix chips already come with skill bundles dont they?

I believe so, but the difference is that with a p fix chip, you basically hand your character sheet over to a GM. This would be a more mild shift. Instead of being a completely new character, you simply have some new character traits, like maybe you're suddenly biased against Orks and like burgundy wine or something.
nezumi
I'm going to include two custom guns for review. Please, give comments (please please). I'm looking to offer balance and color over realism, but realism is awfully nice too.

[ Spoiler ]
cetiah
edit: removed (double-posted)
cetiah
QUOTE (cetiah @ Feb 10 2007, 01:38 AM)
QUOTE
Totally different beast. The RAM in Traveller stands for Rocket Assisted Munition and basically describes the modern day 40mm Grenade Launchers. Btw. KEAP warheads and RAM grenades make no sense. DV7 is really low as is the range. You can get TNE rifles with DV5 that weight the same for more ammo. RAM grenades are normally HEAT or HE/HEDP




Yes, but that wasn't the concept behind the gun I was trying to make.
It wasn't mean to be an explosive grenade/bomb, but a semiautomatic rifle that shot rocket-propelled bullets. The damage is low because the warhead is small and solid (like a bullet) instead of large and explosive (like a grenade).

Thanks for explaining the ramjet to me. I had no idea.

But I don't see how that changes anything. Conceptually, a ramjet and rocket would both have a similiar damage capacity and would both build up speed at long distances. The advantage of the ramjet would be that it would be lighter because it wouldn't include the rocket fuel, but other than that they would be the same size and speed. True, because the bullet would be lighter without fuel, it would pick up speed slightly faster but I consider this offset by the fact that ramjets are not a very efficient method of collecting fuel for rocket consumption.

I suppose the bullets for ramjets would be cheaper and less dangerous. I suppose that's a big plus.

I think the damage translates pretty accurately. Traveller's rifles have about a DV of 5 and so do Shadowrun's rifles. So a DV of 7 seems appropriate. I was hoping for more armor penetration, though, without having to use serious penetrating bullets. I don't see how I could get the muzzle energy high enough to shoot out a bullet with any armor penatration at all, so I suppose Traveller's penetration value does not in anyway correspond to Shadowrun's. I'll have to come up with a ratio through trial and error.
cetiah
QUOTE
3) The ramjet rifle. This is a much simpler question, really. Chromebook 2 includes a "ramjet rifle", the 'bullet' is a solid-state rocket that increases in speed as it goes along, which means it has higher inertia when it impacts the target than when it first left the muzzle. I think this is a very cool idea, and would probably have it start at 5S and go up by +1 power per range category, but I really don't know how technically feasible it would be. Given this is future technology, would a ramjet bullet projectile thing be feasible, or is it just too out there to include?


I think I'm still missing something on the basic idea behind the ramjet.

Again, pulling material from Traveller (which has the most detailed rules for generating stuff in a sci-fi game that I've ever seen):

A 3cm by 6cm bullet has a supersonic airframe and volume of roughly 70.7 cubic centimeters which generates 0.0004242 tonnes of thrust, to reach speeds of less than 5% of 1G (0.004860625G). That amounts to a maximum speed of 17.0121875 kmh, or about 10.57 mph. A guy could outrun your bullet.

Bullets fired from rifle typically fly from 400mph to 3,000mph with the M-16 topping out at 2,200mph.

I don't even think this is fast enough to maintain flight; I know its well below the minimum required speed for supersonic-airframed planes. But a bullet only has to maintain its flight path for a short awhile and won't be directly fighting against gravity like some aircraft when they ascend. I think it should be able to fly for about 10 seconds before hitting the ground and coming to a stop, assuming an earth-type 1G gravity situation. Obviously, the duration would be shorter if the weapon was aimed upward, and longer if aimed downward.

So no, even by generous sci-fi standards, the best possible ramjet in Traveller's arsenel wouldn't apply well to a bullet unless the bullet was very, very large. But keep in mind the book was never made for ramjet bullets... I'm just adjusting the aircraft rules to scale and assuming the entire bullet is one solid ramjet engine.

Theoretically, since the bullet is largely hollow we should be toning down the damage, too because its not really a solid slug. However, the trade off is that there's no reasn for this weapon to have any penalties for range beyond the perception capabilities of the shooter (which thanks to Shadowrun technology isn't really a factor).

But do you really need the weapon to be feasible to use it in your game?
Thane36425
GURPS has several gyrojet weapons in the different future games. Going from memory, the are .75 caliber (about the bore of a Revolutionary War musket) and had varying ranged based on the type of weapon, meaning pistol or rifle, and the type of ammo. They all also had a minimum range of many yards before they were fast enough to be effective. Most were kenetic energy rounds, but some were explosive of chemical.

I could see them being used at an anti-armored personel weapon. A .75 caliber round with either a shaped charge or squash head warhead could really ruin a man in security or military grade armor's day. The weapon would also be light enough to run around with easily, unlike a .50 Barret or the like.

nezumi
QUOTE (cetiah)
A 3cm by 6cm bullet has a supersonic airframe and volume of roughly 70.7 cubic centimeters which generates 0.0004242 tonnes of thrust, to reach speeds of less than 5% of 1G (0.004860625G).  That amounts to a maximum speed of 17.0121875 kmh, or about 10.57 mph.  A guy could outrun your bullet.

Are you referring to my rifle here? The dimensions of mine were 4*7cm, only slightly bigger, but from what I've read about gyrojet rifles, they've hit speeds comparable to normal bullets using a smaller cartridge size. I really don't know how you get how the volume generates X tons of thrust though, the amount of thrust generated depends totally on the type and fuel of the engine used. A turbojet will generate LESS thrust than a ramjet, for instance. But I'm really not a physicist, so if you're using equations I'm not familiar with, I'm very curious how you would explain the existing gyrojet rifles (so I can steal that explanation and put it to work for me).


QUOTE
Theoretically, since the bullet is largely hollow we should be toning down the damage, too because its not really a solid slug. 


I did consider that... And ignored it ;P Ultimately though, the bullet is bigger, so it should have a similar net weight despite it being hollow. But I really didn't want to get involved with that too much. When both the rocket and ramjet have expired, all that is still moving is the housing, which presumably is going to be pretty dense.

As an aside, since a ramjet requires an open air intake, and we're pretty limited in how much forward facing surface area a bullet has, I can't imagine a way to mount any sort of specialized tip on it. This restriction doesn't apply to just the rocket, though.

QUOTE
However, the trade off is that there's no reasn for this weapon to have any penalties for range beyond the perception capabilities of the shooter (which thanks to Shadowrun technology isn't really a factor).


Penalties should be minimal as long as the bullet is still self-propelled, and range should be extended afterwards, since it has better spin than a conventional bullet. I spent some time plotting out how short range is 75-100 meters, and damage is minimal over that range, then medium and long range would go waaaay out, and extreme range would continue well past then. I was working on how it uses hunting rifle ranges, with a -1 to the TN for long range, -2 for extreme range, and super-extreme range goes an extra 500 meters or so, when I realized, duh, if I use a different range category I get the same mechanical advantages without the rules complexity. By using MMG and Assault Cannon ranges, I still get accuracy bonuses to medium and long range, and a greatly increased extreme range.

QUOTE
But do you really need the weapon to be feasible to use it in your game?


It would be preferred smile.gif
cetiah
QUOTE
Are you referring to my rifle here?  The dimensions of mine were 4*7cm, only slightly bigger, but from what I've read about gyrojet rifles, they've hit speeds comparable to normal bullets using a smaller cartridge size. 

No, I was answering Darkwalkers comments regarding my ramjet design. All of the stats listed was for the ramjet I wrote up as a very small Rocket Assisted Multippurpose solid-slug 'grenade' launcher using the Traveller rules.

QUOTE
I really don't know how you get how the volume generates X tons of thrust though, the amount of thrust generated depends totally on the type and fuel of the engine used.

And the type of fuel is given. It's oxygen, plus or minus a few pollutants.
It's not the most efficient fuel source and its efficiency can't be improved.
To calculate how many tons of thrust was generated I used the best ramjet engine that Traveller has available for its aircrafts.

QUOTE
A turbojet will generate LESS thrust than a ramjet, for instance. But I'm really not a physicist, so if you're using equations I'm not familiar with, I'm very curious how you would explain the existing gyrojet rifles (so I can steal that explanation and put it to work for me).

Disclaimer: I'm using RPG game rules meant to model sci-fi technology using as much physics as practical, not necessary actual physics.

True, according to Traveller, the turbojet generates about half the thrust as a comparable ramjet. Whereas conventional rockets can generate much more depending on what kind of fuel they burn and how they burn it. The best rocket in the game for example is the Fusion Rocket.

Basically, oxygen is a terrible fuel source for generating thrust. It's preferrable, however, because its abundant and provided for you. So a ramjet's generally going to be worse than a comparable rocket, but the bullet itself is lighter because it doesn't need to carry more fuel than the amount of air its burning at any given time. Whereas a rocket has its full weight when it begins its launch, requiring more fuel to be burned to reach a maximum speed, and burning that fuel makes the rocket lighter as it travels.

A rocket is limited by its fuel. A ramjet is limited by its fuel-burning efficiency. Both have their tradeoffs. For purposes of a bullet, however, there's just not enough oxygen being collected and burned, even if you assumed a winged airframe would collect the maximum possible amount.

The gyrojet works (sort of) because its a rocket. If you improved the type of fuel it has and the efficiency with which it can burn that fuel, you can improve the rocket design. You're much more limited in how you can improve the ramjet, which starts out burning an inefficient fuel source.

QUOTE
QUOTE
Theoretically, since the bullet is largely hollow we should be toning down the damage, too because its not really a solid slug. 


I did consider that... And ignored it ;P Ultimately though, the bullet is bigger, so it should have a similar net weight despite it being hollow. But I really didn't want to get involved with that too much. When both the rocket and ramjet have expired, all that is still moving is the housing, which presumably is going to be pretty dense.


I was responding to Darkwalkers comments about the damage value being too low on my ramjet. Those damage values were made assuming a 3cm solid slug, which a ramjet (by definition) couldn't be so even a Damage Value of 7 was being very generous.

Your logic follows only if comparing the ramjet's larger bullet to a smaller conventional bullet. I was comparing the ramjet's bullet to an equivilent sized bullet. A 3cm by 6cm solid-slug bullet could do a lot of damage when propelled at rifle speeds.

Any by the way, the conventional rocket would be denser, assuming only a portion of it is used to generate thrust. The entire ramjet needs to function in such a way that it collects and burns oxygen and you really can't make that denser than a comparible sized rocket or solid slug.

QUOTE
As an aside, since a ramjet requires an open air intake, and we're pretty limited in how much forward facing surface area a bullet has, I can't imagine a way to mount any sort of specialized tip on it.  This restriction doesn't apply to just the rocket, though.

If you assume its a winged design, you could potentially use a portion of its surface area (say, 10% off the tip) without significantly reducing performance and that would give it the same sort of specialized tip that any other bullet has. Further, if you assume the wings are light enough that they break apart on impact (and why not? They're just filled with air), then you could have only the tip function as a standard bullet with its standard specialized tip.
Pendaric
No problems with either of those guns Nezumi. Like them both. Though I feel the Warthog will be use by trolls not against them wink.gif
Might want to change the ramjet rifle's name to avoid copyright though.
Darkwalker
A few things:

A RAM grenade is NOT identical to a Ramjet. Actually they have absolutely NOTHING in common. A RAM has at best a short booster stage attached to a classical 40mm Grenade or a Rifle Grenade. It is NOT self powered until impact. A RAMJET is an air-breathing jet engine that works without the compressor system. RAMJET bullets are self powered until impact. They can use propellants without internal oxygen. This is a short overview

TNE's Fire Fuzion and Steel is nice but it does not produce the same values as CP and it is known to produce unrealistic results (Try building a modern day tank, it ends at 230+ tons). The system is build to work with Traveller, not to produce real-life compatibel weapons. Take a look at 5.56N vs. 7.62N under the system for damage/range and compare to real life

I hope you use all erata for FFS. The weapon design sequences where known buggy in the original and even in second print

Gyrojet rounds for a RL pistol are about the same damage value as real pistols once they get to speed. They where unguided rounds that played the "no recoil" card, caliber was 13mm and short range bullet energy was extremly low (could be stopped by cardboard at the muzzel). At longer ranges the bullet energy was up to 50 percent higher than a .45ACP in army load. GURPS Gyrocs are bigger to use heavier warloads (some are explosive) and to get a guidance system in at the higher TL rounds (I.e Viper)
cetiah
QUOTE (Darkwalker @ Feb 10 2007, 02:44 PM)
A few things:

A RAM grenade is NOT identical to a Ramjet. Actually they have absolutely NOTHING in common. A RAM has at best a short booster stage attached to a classical 40mm Grenade or a Rifle Grenade. It is NOT self powered until impact. A RAMJET is an air-breathing jet engine that works without the compressor system. RAMJET bullets are self powered until impact. They can use propellants without internal oxygen. This is a short overview

TNE's Fire Fuzion and Steel is nice but it does not produce the same values as CP and it is known to produce unrealistic results (Try building a modern day tank, it ends at 230+ tons). The system is build to work with Traveller, not to produce real-life compatibel weapons. Take a look at 5.56N vs. 7.62N under the system for damage/range and compare to real life

I hope you use all erata for FFS. The weapon design sequences where known buggy in the original and even in second print

Gyrojet rounds for a RL pistol are about the same damage value as real pistols once they get to speed. They where unguided rounds that played the "no recoil" card, caliber was 13mm and short range bullet energy was extremly low (could be stopped by cardboard at the muzzel). At longer ranges the bullet energy was up to 50 percent higher than a .45ACP in army load. GURPS Gyrocs are bigger to use heavier warloads (some are explosive)  and to get a guidance system in at the higher TL rounds (I.e Viper)

Okay, you don't like Fire, Fusion, and Steel. I get that. But in the absense of anything else, it's not a bad source to generate a starting point.

First of all, the RAM grenade does not wait until impact to fire off its rockets. That's just silly. It's a Rocket-Assisted Multipurpose grenade. It's well named. I've looked on several sites and I can't find anything that suggests the RAM grenade is not just a rocket-propelled grenade, in much the same way your ramjet is a rocket-propelled bullet. There's no reason you couldn't use the same rules to govern rocket-propelled ammunition of any type simply by replacing the large explosive "warhead" with a small kinetic "warhead".

Second, you seem to be missing the idea of generating a 'custom weapon'. Just because I used the RAM rules doesn't mean I'm generating a RAM like those that might be found in the military today. I've replaced the grenade "warhead" with a small KEAP bullet. The entire bullet is much smaller than a grenade, and the whole gun itself is something between a large pistol and a small rifle. The bullet is larger than a standard bullet but much smaller than a grenade. Stop thinking of it like a freakin' shoulder-mounted one-shot RPG firing an explosive missile. I've changed the dyanmics of the bullet, making it smaller, solid, changing its airframe, and using its increased surface area as a ramjet, fueling the rocket instead of burning conventional fuel.

Thrid, there is nothing in that website that contradicts what I said. The standard rocket is better than a ramjet. A ramjet is terribly inefficient until it reaches supersonic speeds, and even then its only advantage comes from fuel efficiency -- it's not any more effective or damaging than a comparable KEAP round flying at comparable speeds through rocket-propulsion. Except the rocket-assisted multipurpose KEAP round may run out of fuel a lot sooner.

To use this in an aircraft you need to first propel the aircraft to supersonic speeds, and then rely on the ramjet. Same deal with bullets except that given the range you are firing at, there's really no need for the ramjet mechanism.

Fourth, as for your dislike of Traveller's ability to simulate reality, I think that the game statistics for traveller weaponry resembles the game statistics for Shadowrun pretty closely.
nezumi
QUOTE (Pendaric)
Might want to change the ramjet rifle's name to avoid copyright though.

Actually, this brings up a good point. I've been avoiding copying any of the flavor text over, and obviously the statistics don't copy over. If I reuse the names of the weapons, do I still need to be cautious about copyright infringement? I have no problem with changing the names. My goal is to widen the options for Shadowrun characters, not to translate CP2020 into d6.
cetiah
QUOTE (nezumi @ Feb 10 2007, 05:02 PM)
QUOTE (Pendaric @ Feb 10 2007, 02:43 PM)
Might want to change the ramjet rifle's name to avoid copyright though.

Actually, this brings up a good point. I've been avoiding copying any of the flavor text over, and obviously the statistics don't copy over. If I reuse the names of the weapons, do I still need to be cautious about copyright infringement? I have no problem with changing the names. My goal is to widen the options for Shadowrun characters, not to translate CP2020 into d6.

Neither the name of the weapon nor the statistics of the weapon can be copyrighted by law, so you don't have to worry there. Just do not copy the descriptions or the pictures, as anything published as "creative work" can be copyrighted (and is).

You can't copyright a game's internal processes/systems nor can you copyright a simple technical principle like "ramjet rifle". Both ramjets and rifles are real-world technologies, not copyright designated products. You can't however use "simsense" in the same way that Shadowrun does unless you feel very confident that your lawyers can prove you didn't take that idea from Shadowrun.

But games have special exceptions to copyrights. Even if they didn't, the low amount and limited scope of the material you are using consistutes fair rights.

(But if you want to rename it, I recommend scramjet rifle.)


More Info:
Game Copyrights (U.S. Copyrights page)
Games and Copyrights (John Kim)
Can I copyright my game? (Brandon Blackmoor)
nezumi
Very complete, thank you! Ultimately I'm not TOO worried, since I'm not selling this, and I'm copying a lot less than previous people have done, but it's good to know.
nezumi
As a note, I am encouraging other people to use these (including for SR3R and SOTA65), but I would love feedback on what you use or don't use and what you modify and why, so I can alter things appropriately. For people who are working to help me perfect this, I haven't done spellcheck yet, but will soon. Grammar checking, however, is always helpful, and any other comments you might have on the flavor text. Be mean. Please also tell me if anything I've listed is already covered by the rules. I would prefer to keep my list as lean as possible without actually losing content.

I believe I've finished my weapons list, which I'll post here. I will continue to post updates when I think that particular list is complete.

One more "gun":
[ Spoiler ]


Weapon mods:
[ Spoiler ]


Ammunition types:
[ Spoiler ]


Melee Weapons
[ Spoiler ]



As an aside, I'm currently looking for web space to host the completed text file on. If people have suggestions, I'm very open to them. I don't mind hosting on multiple sites. I also need to think of a better name for my little document. Perhaps something similar to the Street Samurai catalog?
Mercer
QUOTE (Pendaric)
As to Borgs in SR my take is  NO!
Cyberzombies is a far as you can go for cyber and I think that works fine due to the existence of essence as a concept/rule in SR.
With riggers being able to use anthroform drones a full borg seems just to sci fi for SR reality.

I've been out of the game for a little while, but when I was running regularly I used all the Chrome Books I had (1-5, I believe) as well as a CP Weapons Guide. I've never played CP2020, so my statting out of the things I was using was mostly blind guesses.

Full-Borgs were one of the things I used, at least in a modified form. SR already has full-body replacements; you've got cyberarms and cyberlegs, and going back to Cybertechnology (2e even), you have the torsos and skulls. It isn't exactly like the CP2020 'borgs, but its close, and there's no reason why the full-body replacement can't look more-or-less like whatever you want it to.

Full-Body Replacements, FBR's or Fubars, were something I used in my SR: Africa campaign, as one of the many experiments the corps were doing with military hardware. They were never terribly effective, but I figured it was early on in the development of the technology. They were the Model T's of the full 'borg conversions. But they looked cool, and the Africa game was a anything goes sort of thing.

I also ran the CP module Eurotour, which I really liked. (I never liked any of the SR modules.) I converted it mostly on the fly, substituing helicopters for aerocars and eyeballing the stats.

By the by, for those that might know, a lot of npcs in that module had a piece of cyber known as the Midnight Lady implant. What was that? Also, the cybereye mod called the Times Square, anyone?

The thing I liked most about the Chromebooks was the slice of life stuff. Bioluminescent tattoos and the like. SR books tended to concentrate on runner's gear (oddly enough), I liked the stuff in CP that was the sort of thing normal people would use (like the home gym with the VR port so that you thought you were at the beach relaxing while you were working out).
nezumi
QUOTE (Mercer)
SR already has full-body replacements; you've got cyberarms and cyberlegs, and going back to Cybertechnology (2e even), you have the torsos and skulls.



The difference is that in SR, a full cybernetic body leaves you worse off than if you were just a normal twit on the street. Your Body and Strength are a little higher, but you can hardly accept any cyberware any more because your essence is almost in the hole, you light up every cyberware scanner in the city, and you're almost half a million in the hole. You don't get any bonuses, no resistance to poison or super leaping ability. You're just metal. It sucks.

QUOTE

By the by, for those that might know, a lot of npcs in that module had a piece of cyber known as the Midnight Lady implant.  What was that?  Also, the cybereye mod called the Times Square, anyone?


Midnight lady is the female version of Mr. Studd. It means she had a cybernetic hoo-haa, and that gives a bonus to Seduction rolls. Times Square rolls a marquee across the cybereye (I forget if it's visible only to other people or visible only to the user though. I think it's visible only to the user, so it's sort of like the existing Display Link in SR3).

QUOTE
Bioluminescent tattoos and the like.  SR books tended to concentrate on runner's gear (oddly enough),


And that is precisely why I'm undertaking this project, to add equipment that isn't especially for runners (although I'm not grabbing the home gym. Anything that's already doable with SR rules, I'm leaving out.)
Mercer
QUOTE (nezumi)
You don't get any bonuses, no resistance to poison or super leaping ability. You're just metal. It sucks.

Well, that's why the corps were forcing Fubars on test subjects in Africa rather than selling them in Seattle (its also by I called them "fubars"). I did change the rules a bit so that FBR's could get enhanced stats, better initiatives and the like. I didn't bother with Essence costs for bodyware, just the pieces that required DNI's, which made it possible to make tricked out FBR's like the Spyder and the big scary guy with the Vindicator on the shoulder mount. But like I said, it was fairly early on in the development of the technology, so it worked for me that it was inefficient. (It didn't help that the FBR's were always going crazy and having to be hunted down like rabid, cybernetic dogs with Vindicator Miniguns for arms. Actually, it did help a little, because that was the basis for a run or two.)

The Mr. Studd I figured out, you know, contextually, but its nice to finally know what a Midnight Lady is (I had guessed some sort of contraceptive device, though why it would be cybernetic I have no idea.) Are there any rules for combining a Midnight Lady implant with that cyberjaw that lets you bite through encyclopedias? (I'm just asking.)
Link
I agree that full borgs are a reasonable proposition for SR given the existing cyberware.

QUOTE (Mercer @ Feb 13 2007, 06:39 AM)
(It didn't help that the FBR's were always going crazy and having to be hunted down like rabid, cybernetic dogs with Vindicator Miniguns for arms.  Actually, it did help a little, because that was the basis for a run or two.)


Did you have rules for this or determine it by GM fiat? Were players full borgs or just NPC's?
Pendaric
By full borg do you mean Robo cop or Ghost in a shell brain in a jar? The first has alraedy been done and it is a cyber zombie, the latter is dead.
nezumi
QUOTE (Mercer)
Are there any rules for combining a Midnight Lady implant with that cyberjaw that lets you bite through encyclopedias? (I'm just asking.)

You are a scary, scary person. No, I had not considered rules for putting teeth in unusual places, and that is one of my few personal phobias. That and vaginal snakes (which DO exist in CP2020, but I'm not porting them over here).

By full borg, it's basically the latter. The brain and a number of vital organs are removed and plugged into a cybernetic body. It sort of breaks the essence rules, because essence costs are based on the idea of adding a piece of cyber to an existing body, not adding a body to an existing piece of cyber.
Link
Full-Body Replacements is probably more accurate, I don't exactly know what a full borg is but these are the terms used in this thread.

A cyberzombie is someone with a negative essence, with delta 'ware a FBR should be able to avoid this.
Mercer
QUOTE
You are a scary, scary person.


Thats very kind of you to notice. It does make me wonder what sort of seduction bonus you get from having a cybernetic hoo-haa, since it seems most people aren't going to know that until they are pretty well seduced. Maybe the bonus comes from walking up to them and saying, "I have a cybernetic hoo-haa." (That would probably work on me.)

I thought of a couple of ways to do FBR's, including rigger adapting the brain and the few vital organs and sticking them in an anthroform drone. There's no real benefit to that from a character perspective, but I was treating as that corps weren't sticking people's brains in giant robots for the good of the test subjects. (In my game, Africa was where the corps were doing the experiments that even pushed the limits of their extraterritoriality.)

I think the full body package (2 arms, 2 legs, torso and head) comes out to 6.25 Essence, so you can squeeze it in by Alpha'ing the torso or two of the limbs. Thats a pretty barebones package though, all you can really do with that is stack on the hardened armor and put a cybergun in each limb (for breakdance fights). It was never terribly effective, and it was never the sort of thing a pc would willingly do, but it achieved my short term goal of having big scary robot-like madmen cavorting about. Good times.
nezumi
I'm going to continue posting stuff up even though no one seems to care too much... because it's my thread!! Like I said, this is still in its initial stages. Please, comments are welcome.

Chemicals & Nanotech
[ Spoiler ]



Armor
[ Spoiler ]


Fashion mods
[ Spoiler ]


Pendaric
I think in the case of the Cyberdeck Utility Suit the barrier rating should be reduced. I doubt some one would really have structural material comfortable amassed about their person. We are taking 15mm+ of steel so up the weight if you really want to keep it at 12.
The Ciampolo gloves/boots seem a little to advanced for SR nano tech, so perhapes uping the cost. The same applies to the small wonder nanoteck.
Everything else looks fine.
Pendaric
There is also some overlap with existing SR equipment as well. There is already a sonic rifle Sota 64 or perhapes 63.
The word activation for a gun exists in cannon comp and pure DNI firing could be translatd via a smart link.
Hope this is helpful.
nezumi
You've been more helpful than you know. On the most basic level, I've begun wondering if I'm whistling in the dark, since no one seems interested nyahnyah.gif And you are certainly correct on most of your points. The nauseator gun is gone (it's in SOTA64, I had completely forgotten about it). I can't find the word activation for a gun though, I'll have to keep searching. The DNI firing is not actually canon, although someone here (perhaps you) suggested it as neat color text and I liked it. That change may be pending.

You're right on the deck casing. I don't know why I thought 12. Reading the Matrix book (where I should have started nyahnyah.gif ) casing starts with a barrier rating of 3 and can go up to 12. I guess I'll drop it down to 6, which seems like a reasonable compromise between weight and armor, and 8 for the helmet (since a helmet is going to be heavy protection). Does that sound more reasonable?

I doubled the cost and SI on the gloves. They don't seem too overpriced to me, since we technically use nanotech now to make stain-resistant pants (and I was imagining it along those lines, not that it's actual functioning nano-tech). Small Wonders I've been on the fence on. It is a trivialization of SR nanotech. I'm not sure if I should include them at all, even though they would only serve to add color. I'll up them to 800 and consider.

Yes, thank you for the comments. They're definitely needed! Like I've said, I'm starting to wonder if it's wasted effort on my part though. Not a lot of people seem interested. I'll try to slide them in with SOTA65, but beyond that... *shrug*
Platinum
Keep up the good fight Nez. I am interested. I am just not sure how to help. I have only been glancing at the thread and have no idea what it is you would need. If it is encouragement, I will offer that, and say that I am looking forward to this.
Herald of Verjigorm
QUOTE (nezumi)
I can't find the word activation for a gun though, I'll have to keep searching.

Cannon Companion, page 81.
nezumi
QUOTE (Herald of Verjigorm)
QUOTE (nezumi @ Feb 16 2007, 11:01 AM)
I can't find the word activation for a gun though, I'll have to keep searching.

Cannon Companion, page 81.

Huh, thanks. I never would have looked there! Alright, well let me cut that one off.

To answer Platinum's question, yes, part of it is the knowledge that all of this work won't go to waste. I know I've wanted something like this for ages, but it's good for me to know that it will move beyond that.

Beyond that though, unlike some members here, I am only a single monkey working on a single typewriter, so, as has been shown, I sometimes miss little things or don't assign reasonable values to things. I would prefer that those simple problems be caught at this stage, when its in development, rather than when I go through the work of posting it to the world and people find these things and say 'eh, this is overpowered, I don't feel I can trust this list' or 'this list includes nothing relevant to my interests'. So basically, the question I would ask you is 'would you use it, and if not, why?'
Drraagh
One of the things I quite enjoyed about CP2020 was the flavor of it. Not just the gear and everything, but the fact it was a more realistic experience, and even some stuff like prayer wear, clothing lineups, stuff like that. Removable cyberfingers, prayerware... There was a lot of atmosphere in CP2020, a lot of punk that didn't make it to SR until recently. For more of what I mean, check out Cyberstyle.
nezumi
Neat site. I do actually incorporate a few of his ideas, although his emphasis is more on setting, whereas mine is on equipment. A full blurb on describing the world would be interesting, although I'm hesitant to undertake it, since I know there are so many different opinions on how it should go. I'd rather make stuff I think 70% of GMs would be happy to use than something only 30% would use (yes, I'm being optimistic, I know).

Anyway, continuing on...

Linear Frames (also listed in SOTA65)
[ Spoiler ]


Personal Electronics
[ Spoiler ]


"Survival" Gear
[ Spoiler ]
Herald of Verjigorm
I remember seeing a link a while back that was a low light contact lense being developed for military use that is powered soley by some rare earth magnet specks stuck to the inside of the wearer's eyelid. But for game balance issues and such, I see nothing wrong with the 1 hour per charge.

How does the recharging work for any of the external senseware?
cetiah
Lead's Show-off nails and canvasware hardly needs their own entries, do they? Why not just have some generic color-shifting gloss-device thingie that can replace any implanted parts you want. You could have color-shifting nails, or skin, or hair, or, umm... other stuff.

I don't understand the communications flopscreen either. Why not just have a generic "flexible, plastic display screen" that displays anything you want from your comlink? It seems far too limited.

Pendaric
I like everything but the contact lenses, in sot 64 they have low light contact lenses unpowered that burn out in bright light.
nezumi
I had noticed them the other day, and I thought that was cool. However they don't have something like say a display link contact lens, or just a color shifting contact lens. So this would allow for a wider range of 'contact lens technology'. It's a feature that appears in SR4, but not SR3.

Does that change your answer at all?
Pendaric
Sorry no. I don't believe the cyber would fit a contact lense and it removes the need for implantation, either full cyber eyes or just retinal mods.
Colour shifting would be cool, have had a few characters walk my game with changing eye colours. Mostly cyber eyes but some bio or magicaly produced.
nezumi
Would it be acceptable if the essence amount were reduced to .1? This would still allow for some of the functionality, but aside from those truly minor things and low-light (from SOTA64), it really couldn't compare to cyber.

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