In the thread Cyberware opinions, the topic was brought up about getting a 'cyberbrain', similar to those in Ghost in the Shell. As Larme pointed out, this would be a copy rather than a 'transfer', and that this would be similar to a clone, the same in all ways, but still obviously not "you". This brings be back the the concept of Essence in shadowrun, or that when the body is changed there is a discrepency between the body and the astral self (or, the soul). This is the case in Shadowrun.

Anyway, I was wondering what your opinion of this is. I've heard more than once on here that some people thik this concept of Essence is well, stupid and unrealisitc. So what do you think; does the concept of Essence (not as "the amount of cyber you can have for game balance", but "body-soul relationship") fit into your view of the world? Or is this completely against how you see things?

i say it fits with shadowrun but maybe not cyberpunk as a whole. its both fluff and balance mechanic.

i play a cyberpunk game called cybernet. in that you have a self score based on your sense of self. the impact on your sense of self can vary greatly even with the same implant. also some people can just accept more ware than others.
forgot to mention that if your self score hits zero you dont die. you just go crazy.

Technically by ShadowRun fluff you don't die (immediately) from 0 essence, but go crazy as well. I think you have to hit -1 to actually die from it. Rules for playing though is "death at 0, unless cyberzombie" which works great for the system.

Essence fits Shadowrun - we are all souled/spirited beings and the more we mangel our flesh the less we are who we are. I've always encouraged (but by no stretch enforced) low end "Cyber psychosis" for the heavily cybered. They tend to drink or do drugs, view themselves as vaugly inhuman/ better then human. Zero essence and lower: madness and eventual death/ suiside. I've never really viewed the essence rules as a balancing issue though I do recognise such a thing when I see it.

Frankly I would not have a problem ditching the "you go crazy and die" in favour of "You go less crazy and need counsiling or drugs" that I've seen other games use aside from the flavour is slightly different. Not bad... just not the same.

Having played "Hardware and Chrome" style Cyberpunk, Shadowrun is quite light on the body mods for a "Cyberpunk" game. Is "essence" realistic? Not really.

But then again, who knows. We haven't managed (real life) a "full Dragoon coversion" ala Cyberpunk (10' tall rail cannon and rocket baring, insanely armored death machine containing/ controled by a human brain with some glands, the whole thing tripped out on psychotropic drugs to "control" it) Maybe too much will kill, we don't know yet but it seems unlikely. "Cyberpunk" generally supported a general "de-humanising effect" - insanity and such like, generally having trouble feeling human - whether this was just to emphasise the dytopic future or was some sort of control on how cybered you could get and still play is more a matter of opinion and stance. This also only really can up when you were making yourself inhuman - humanform full cyborg with slightly enhansed abilities? not too much trouble with some cousiling, but that tazer-tail you had installed is quietly freaking you out subconsiencly just as much.