Get the Carbon 2185 Quickstart Rules Free

Carbon 2185 takes place in a dystopian San Francisco in the year 2185. Heavily influenced by movies such as Blade Runner and Ghost in the Shell, you’ll find plenty of familiar options in this game. the lead artist on the project, Klaus Wittmann is known for his work, funny enough, on The Witcher 3.

With Carbon 2185, the publisher intends to pair a streamlined, simple ruleset with layers of customization options for both the players and the Game Master.

“One of the cool things about Carbon 2185 is that you can build any character from cyberpunk literature,” said Robert Marriner Dodds. “From the disgruntled police officer hunting down replicants like Deckard in Blade Runner, to a mostly cybernetic security expert like Adam Jensen from Deus Ex, or even a reawakened former special forces soldier who has been in cryostasis like Takeshi Kovacs from Altered Carbon.”

The publisher is eager to point out that creating original characters is just as easy, and just as fun.

“The way you create characters in Carbon 2185 is unique to our system. We have an organic, fluid, character background generation that determines who your character is, and who they were before you picked up the character sheet” said Robert. “You’re not going to be able to create the same character twice if you use the background generation system, every character is unique.” 

I haven't dug into all the crunch but the game has several things that I'm sure anyone reading this blog will be familiar with. It opens up with a bit of slang like street rat and mech. Terms that most Cyberpunk players will be more than familiar with.

Below is the overview of the game and if it grabs your interest head on over to their official site to pick up the quickstart rules for yourself.

Carbon 2185 is an upcoming cyberpunk rpg created by Dragon Turtle Games due to be released in 2019. Carbon 2185 is all about telling stories in a dark dystopian future influenced by franchises such as Blade Runner, Ghost in the Shell, and Deus Ex.

The core mechanics and rules of Carbon 2185 are built using, and developed from the OGL, so anybody who has experience with this game system has a unique advantage in learning these new rules. That being said, experience is not necessary, and in our playtests, new players picked up the streamlined rules by the end of the first session.

Kickstarter Spotlight: Dice Charger by Q Workshop

I didn't expect to have so many Kickstarters to cover in such a short time, but here we are. I've been looking around for a really nice set of dice for my Cyberpunk games. The closest I found to what I want was a set of "Tech" dice from Q-Workshop. They look pretty cool and they definitely fit with the genre. But today another option came up, oddly from the same company, on Kickstarter.

They are producing a glow in the dark set of dice for Sci-Fi/Cyberpunk games. They look really nice and they even come with a dice cup that will charge them so they glow even brighter. I'm definitely considering backing this project. The only thing that is a little bit of a downer is that these dice won't be shipped out until around January 2020 if no hiccups happen during production.

Nevertheless they look incredibly cool and are definitely suitable for all your Cyberpunk 2020 games and the upcoming Cyberpunk Red. Go ahead an check out the Kickstarter for yourself and see if they would be something you would want to roll at your table.

Alien Role Playing Game is on the Way

On April 26th, Alien Day, Free League Games announced they are producing a brand new table top RPG for Alien. Free League Games are known for Tales From the Loop and Mutant: Year Zero which means the game will be running on their Year Zero Engine. I'm not particularly familiar with those mechanics but considering they have won Ennie's for their games, I'm not concerned about the quality this game will have.

The Alien RPG will take place in the year 2183 and will have two different game modes. Cinematic play is based on pre-made scenarios that emulate the dramatic arc of an ALIEN film. Designed to be played in a single session, this game mode emphasizes high stakes and fast and brutal play. You are not all expected to survive. Campaign play is designed for longer continuous play with the same cast of player characters over many game sessions, letting you explore the ALIEN universe freely, sandbox style.

Below is the overview provided by the games official website and the announcement trailer.

Space is vast, dark, and not your friend. Gamma rays and neutrino bursts erupt from dying stars to cook you alive, black holes tear you apart, and the void itself boils your blood and seizes your brain. Try to scream and no one can hear you—hold your breath and you rupture your lungs. Space isn’t as empty as you’d think, either—its frontiers are ever expanding. Rival governments wage a cold war of aggression while greedy corporations vie for valuable resources. Colonists reach for the stars and gamble with their lives—each new world tamed is either feast or famine. And there are things lurking in the shadows of every asteroid—things strange and different and deadly.

Things alien.

This is the official ALIEN tabletop roleplaying game—a universe of body horror and corporate brinkmanship, where synthetic people play god while space truckers and marines serve host to newborn ghoulish creatures. It’s a harsh and unforgiving universe and you are nothing if not expendable.

Stay alive if you can.

Kickstarter Spotlight: Butcher Queen

Yes, we just did a Kickstarter spotlight but I just happened upon this one and they are nearing the end. Currently they are sitting at 98% funded with only three days left. It looks like they are going to reach their funding goal but I want to be able to shine a little light on their project.

Butcher Queen is ex-cop-turned-soldier-for-hire Syd Kiowa. A series of biochemical attacks targeting aliens has plunged Black Star City into a storm of chaos and fear. A mysterious creature named Avina claims to have information on the organization behind the attack and its devastating future plans. When Avina hires Syd Kiowa to help her take the whole thing down, what follows will change Earth’s relationship with aliens forever.

Jim Ousley will be writing the story with Ben Sawyer providing the pretty scribbles. In case you are a little wary of backing Kickstarter projects, no worry here as these guys have already fulfilled a previous comic book project. So check'em out and if it's something you're interested in, throw them a couple bucks.

Kicktstarter Spotlight: GeneFunk 2090

We normally don't see that many cyberpunk Kicktstarters but today I found just that. CRISPR Monkey Studios launched there tabletop RPG game GeneFunk 2090 just a couple days ago. The game looks a lot like Shadowrun with no magic. It would probably be fair to call it a combination of Cyberpunk and Shadowrun.

GeneFunk 2090 appears to be using the mechanics of D&D 5E which isn't a terrible one. The game heavily focuses on the bio-engineering aspects of cyberpunk. You have things like nanobots in your bloodstream that hackers can access. It sounds pretty wild and it's an interesting concept.

They do have a free setting book that you can check out before you decide if you want to back or not. I managed to glance over it and there seems to be a lot of options for creating any type of character you wish to make. It's worth looking into if you are curious.

The Twitter of the Dark Future

Hey choombas! I was finally able to get the Twitter account up and going. It took a little while because apparently it was caught up in some kind of "spam countermeasure". It makes me think there must be some pretty sophisticated bots out there.

Anyway I plan on using the Twitter account to post mostly images and share a few articles here and there. I'll also link back here to this blog for more updates. So keep an eye on the twitter account because I'll most likely be giving a real heads up on there when I post something new.


Follow @thedarkfuture2

Watch this Laughably Bad Shadowrun Promo from 1990

This has been online for quite some time but I just came across it today. This a live-action promo that was done for the SNES Shadowrun game. It's awful from start to finish. It has porn level acting and one hilarious hacking sequence. Also check out the sphere from Phantasm makes a special appearance at the end.

Get your blinders and hazmat suit out because the cringe level is strong with this one.

Huge Cyberpunk Red Info Dump

R. Talsorian Games have just taken to Twitter to answer a bunch of questions that people have had about the game. Now they didn't reveal anything that we didn't already know. But it is really nice to have all this information in one spot. Here is all the info they shared:

Q: What is Cyberpunk Red?
A: Cyberpunk Red is a new edition of Cyberpunk, the original tabletop roleplaying game of the Dark Future created by Mike Pondsmith and published by R. Talsorian Games.

Q: What system is Cyberpunk Red? Fuzion or Interlock?
A: Cyberpunk Red will use the classic Interlock system, though, as with any new edition of a TRPG, there will be revisions and updates.

Q: Is Cyberpunk Red going to be compatible with Cyberpunk 2020?
A: While there will be changes to the rules, it should not be too difficult to convert Cyberpunk 2020 material to Cyberpunk Red.

Q: Does Cyberpunk Red take place in the same universe as Cyberpunk 2020 and Cyberpunk 2077?
A: Yes. R. Talsorian Games and CD Projekt Red have worked together on a common timeline for the original Cyberpunk (Cyberpunk 2013) to Cyberpunk 2020 to Cyberpunk Red to Cyberpunk 2077.

Q: What about Cyberpunk v3? And Cybergeneration?
A: Cyberpunk v3 and Cybergeneration both officially take place in alternate timelines. They are "what if?" scenarios. The Carbon Plague of Cybergeneration did occur in the 2020/Red/2077 timeline but was quickly contained.

Q: Will there be Roles (aka classes) in Cyberpunk Red?
A: Yes, there will be roles. They will be familiar but many will have evolved or changed. Some will have alternative special abilities. There will also be rules for changing roles during play.

Q: When in the timeline does Cyberpunk Red take place?
A: Cyberpunk Red takes place between the end of the 4th Corporate War (2022 or so) and 2077. We realize that's a long stretch of time but aren't yet ready to say where, specifically, in that time period Red will begin.

Q: What is Cyberpunk Red's relationship to Cyberpunk 2077?
A: Red will show the Cyberpunk world in a period of rebuilding following the 4th Corporate War. It will help show how society moved from that world shattering event to what's presented in the video game.

Q: When will Cyberpunk Red be released?
A: We're aiming for an August 1 release but that will change if we feel the book isn't ready. Ideally, it will go on sale at our booth at GenCon and online via DriveThruRPG at the same time. It might also be available via our webstore then.

Q: What formats will Cyberpunk Red be available in? How much will it cost?
A: Cyberpunk Red will be a full color, hardcover book in physical form and a full color PDF in digital form. The suggested retail price is yet to be determined.

Q: How soon will Cyberpunk Red be in stores?
A: That depends on how quickly distributors and retailers order it once its made available, though we won't open orders until we're sure we can fulfill them.

Q: What sort of art will Cyberpunk Red have?
A: Cyberpunk Red will have new art, commissioned from a number of talented artists. The art will be full color and on par with any modern RPG.

Q: Will Cyberpunk Red be available in other languages?
A: We do not translate TRPGs ourselves. That being said, we have several partners in other countries who have localized our games. We anticipate licensing the rights to companies in several countries in the future.

Q: Is Mike Pondsmith involved in Cyberpunk Red?
A: Absolutely. He is both the lead developer and primary writer on the project.

Q: Will Cyberpunk Red be compatible with the Witcher TRPG?
A: Not without work. Though they're both Interlock, each is specifically designed to work within their genre. Of course, we've already had some arguments about Geralt vs. Morgan Blackhand...

Mike Pondsmith Clears Up Timeline Confusion

There seems to have been some confusion over the timeline in the Cyberpunk universe. A misinterpretation of an interview seemed to reveal that Cyberpunk 2077 was an alternate timeline from the tabletop RPG Cyberpunk games. I'm not sure how Mike's original quote was taken out of context since it seemed pretty clear to me. This is what he originally said at PAX East:

Let’s say that at this point, we plan to continue the timeline and you will see the things that you saw in 2020, but they will somewhat be changed. And that will affect both the timeline and also the fact that cellphones went from the size of the brick to the size your thump, and than again to the size of a brick. So you are going to see some shifts in technology.

I guess I might be able to see where some confusion came into play when he was referring to changes in the timeline. However Mike Pondsmith has come forward on Reddit to clear up the confusion:

Ahem. There's still an incorrect interview floating around the interwebs that states that Cyberpunk 2077 and Cyberpunk 2020 are separate timelines. To clear this up, I am posting RIGHT HERE AND NOW that the timeline is unified, with the path moving from Cyberpunk 2013 thru Cyberpunk 2020, then through Cyberpunk RED and up to Cyberpunk 2077

Lord knows, we spent enough time hashing the details out over the past six months. Expect more on this later. Back to your cyberlives, everyone.

So there ya go folks. The man has spoken.

Welcome to The Blog of the Dark Future

I have been a long time tabletop fan. My first game was first edition D&D. I was digging through some old boxes and found my fathers old books from when he was in high school. I was immediately drawn into the game. I could do anything I wanted, whenever I wanted. In my mind it was like the best video game I had ever played.

Over the years my taste in games hasn't wavered much. I always preferred the old school mentality that first edition brought. Since then I have bought books for Dungeon Crawl Classics, Lamentations of the Flame Princess, Swords & Wizardry, Astonishing Swords & Swordsmen of Hyperborea and the list goes on and on. It wasn't until a few years ago that my interest in other genres in tabletop began.

I was never a fan of sci fi. Never. It wasn't until Mass Effect came along that I began to fall in love with the genre. The game was amazing and I wanted to do even more in the universe than the game would allow. So I set out on a mission to convert Mass Effect to the tabletop. While doing research for it I picked up several sci fi games and space operas. In the end that project died because I found someone had beat me to the punch.

However that interest also turned me onto Shadowrun. I read through the books and even backed the game on Kickstarter. This in turn brought me to the world of Cyberpunk. Not the game, not yet anyway, but the genre. I was rewatching Blade Runner, Akira, Ghost in Shell, Cowboy Bebop and whatever else I could get my hands on. I read William Gibson's Neuromancer and began to consume all I could that included cyberpunk aesthetics.

This brings me to CD Projekt Red's announcement of Cyberpunk 2077. This game seriously peaked my interest and when I laid my eyes on the gameplay demo, I was in love. I was so interested in the world that I searched out all the source material for the game I could. Mike Pondsmith's Cyberpunk 2020 was the high tech, low life game I had always been searching for. Yet somehow it alluded me all this time.

This brings me to the present and why this blog was created. I also want to address what you can expect to find here hopefully on a daily basis. As I said before I have been a long time tabletop fan and I have always frequented many OSR blogs. Everything from Tenkars Tavern to Vengers Old School Gaming Blog. But just a few days ago I was curious if there were any Cyberpunk blogs. Apparently no one knew of any. I knew at that moment I had to do it myself. There has to be an audience looking for this kind of content, so I might as well be the one to do it.

Now the types of things I will be posting here will all be cyberpunk related. Cyberpunk 2020, Cyberpunk Red, some occasional Shadowrun maybe and much more. Some of what I post will be simply inspiration for Cyberpunk games such as image dumps, NPC's, cyberware and news stories that you may be able to fit into your games. Whatever I think might spark some inspiration will be posted here. I also plan on doing movie reviews for applicable films as well. So even if you have no interest in tabletop games, you can still get a healthy dose of cyberpunk.

So I hope you continue to frequent this blog because I plan on keeping this as up to date as possible. Feel free to comment what you to see in the future or if you think I left anything critical off my list. Thank you everyone and I'll see you in the matrix.