Cyberpunk/dark future arena fighting

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Brock Savage

Brock Savage

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I am looking for a solid cyberpunk/dark future arena game. I don't mind if the combat is a little war gamey like D&D 4e or Lancer; in fact that's probably going to be a plus. Ideally it has a nice downtime system for WWF-style drama, sponsorship deals, and intrigue in between matches. Influences include:
  • The Contract Circuit in the SLA Industries RPG.
  • Stephen King's novel, The Running Man
  • Manhunt, a video game by Rockstar North
  • Showgunners, a video game by Artificer
 
I'm not familiar with anything that would fit this perfectly. Most of the approach for a game like this would be in your setting, approach to the rules you choose, and player buy-in during character gen.

In theory, Cyberpunk 2020 or RED has most of what you might need (some roles, martial arts & brawling rules, cyberware).

I think you could also get close with Heroes Unlimited and Ninjas & Superspies; you could pull from many of Palladium's books, here, and I know there are some gladiator sports discussed in the RIFTS juicer's book.

The Street Fighter RPG might have what you need, but it's kinda borked. The whole line was rushed out and didn't get much playtesting. You would need the core and the player's guide at least, as the cyberware rules are in the PG.

You could make something bespoke with Valor. It's a D&D 4E inspired game that lets you create your own maneuvers and uses a single d10.

Cold Steel Wardens has rules for cybernetics, martial arts, and feels kinda gritty for a supers system as it's a street tier game. It uses d10 die pools similar to old school White Wolf.
 
The strong divide between matches and downtime suggests something like a Blades-type game, or another game with a similarly robust downtime mechanic. On the other hand, the arena part mitigates for something nuanced and interesting on the combat side. I'd probably pick the system based on the second part and kludge the downtime bit together myself if it isn't present.
 
I found a game that fit the bill. It's called Kill Sector and is 100% free. The Discord community is quite helpful. Used out of the box the game has a billion options that makes it quite gonzo but you can narrow down options to make it more grounded.
 
For getting the setting right, I highly recommend the free PDF A Spark in Fate Core. It's obviously meant for Fate Core. But it's a toolkit to build a setting everyone at the table is invested in.

Thanks for the link to Kill Sector. There's a bundle with everything, so I grabbed it, gonna look it over.
 
Brock Savage said:
I am looking for a solid cyberpunk/dark future arena game. I don't mind if the combat is a little war gamey like D&D 4e or Lancer; in fact that's probably going to be a plus. Ideally it has a nice downtime system for WWF-style drama, sponsorship deals, and intrigue in between matches. Influences include:
  • The Contract Circuit in the SLA Industries RPG.
  • Stephen King's novel, The Running Man
  • Manhunt, a video game by Rockstar North
  • Showgunners, a video game by Artificer
Click to expand...

I'd say you want this:

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Seriously, cyberpunk dark future? Half the Japanese fighting games assume that, starting with Tekken and Virtua Fighter. Arena games? That's this system's RAISON D'ÊTRE!
Each one of your Special Moves is built by you, too.


That said, honourable mentions go to...

Yes, it's boxing, but 1) I've played it, and it's rather fun IMO, and 2) there's a gladiator game, too.

For a somewhat more light-hearted game...

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...but then there are some knobs in the setting (money, needing jobs to train, gangsters, illegal fights) which can quickly turn the dark up to 11.


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Hong Kong is already how most of us imagine the near future in many ways. Add on some developments related to China, which happened after this game got published, and you can have your inspiration from the news.
In fact, I'd argue you can use the setting regardless of the system, too:shade:.


And finally:

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Basically: Like Fight!, except waaaaaaaaaaaaaay lighter (but of course, at the cost of options, to a degree):thumbsup:!
 
AsenRG said:
Seriously, cyberpunk dark future? Half the Japanese fighting games assume that, starting with Tekken and Virtua Fighter. Arena games? That's this system's RAISON D'ÊTRE!
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I appreciate the recommendations and will sure to use them if I want to emulate a dystopian Bloodsport and Enter the Dragon.
Malckuss said:
For getting the setting right, I highly recommend the free PDF
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I appreciate the recommendation but I am not looking to design a setting by committee as I already have one in mind.

  • PCs seek fortune and glory in a deadly reality game show set in Carcer City, a decaying Rust Belt city turned into a hellish arena for a deadly reality game show. They fight their way through waves of heavily armed psychopaths in a selection of iconic arenas - junkyard, shopping mall, factory, prison
  • Live spectators cheer from behind portions of the arena blocked by jersey walls and chain link fences topped with barbed wire.
  • Viewers vote to activate environmental hazards and traps.
  • Corporate sponsorship signs are clean, well-lit and prominently displayed, in stark contrast to the omnipresent graffiti and garbage.
  • Unobtrusive drones everywhere, watching everything.
 
Brock Savage said:
I appreciate the recommendations and will sure to use them if I want to emulate a dystopian Bloodsport and Enter the Dragon.
Click to expand...
Ahem, you mentioned The Running Man. He didn't have weapons, so I assumed you're looking for a combat system that covers what they'd have:thumbsup:?
Also, "a little wargamey" that might be a plus...most of those have some element of that.

Brock Savage said:
I appreciate the recommendation but I am not looking to design a setting by committee as I already have one in mind.

  • PCs seek fortune and glory in a deadly reality game show set in Carcer City, a decaying Rust Belt city turned into a hellish arena for a deadly reality game show. They fight their way through waves of heavily armed psychopaths in a selection of iconic arenas - junkyard, shopping mall, factory, prison
  • Live spectators cheer from behind portions of the arena blocked by jersey walls and chain link fences topped with barbed wire.
  • Viewers vote to activate environmental hazards and traps.
  • Corporate sponsorship signs are clean, well-lit and prominently displayed, in stark contrast to the omnipresent graffiti and garbage.
  • Unobtrusive drones everywhere, watching everything.
Click to expand...
Sounds cool. Depending on what "heavily armed" means (RPGs and M-16s are a different story from two-handed swords and machetes, here), Fight! 2e might or might not work. It can definitely do the "waves of mooks" option, but if it's not going to be in close combat...well, it goes outside the system's scope, basically.

OTOH, that gives a much better odds for Feng Shui 2, which has a chapter called "guns, guns, guns" (though if you're looking for tactical combat, you should still look elsewhere:shade:)!
 
If you want mostly 1on1 fights there's a cyberpunk version of Song of Swords somewhere.
 
Brock Savage said:
I am looking for a solid cyberpunk/dark future arena game. I don't mind if the combat is a little war gamey like D&D 4e or Lancer; in fact that's probably going to be a plus. Ideally it has a nice downtime system for WWF-style drama, sponsorship deals, and intrigue in between matches. Influences include:
  • The Contract Circuit in the SLA Industries RPG.
  • Stephen King's novel, The Running Man
  • Manhunt, a video game by Rockstar North
  • Showgunners, a video game by Artificer
Click to expand...
I know you!
 
AsenRG said:
Ahem, you mentioned The Running Man. He didn't have weapons, so I assumed you're looking for a combat system that covers what they'd have:thumbsup:?
Also, "a little wargamey" that might be a plus...most of those have some element of that.


Sounds cool. Depending on what "heavily armed" means (RPGs and M-16s are a different story from two-handed swords and machetes, here), Fight! 2e might or might not work. It can definitely do the "waves of mooks" option, but if it's not going to be in close combat...well, it goes outside the system's scope, basically.

OTOH, that gives a much better odds for Feng Shui 2, which has a chapter called "guns, guns, guns" (though if you're looking for tactical combat, you should still look elsewhere:shade:)!
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He had weapons in the book.
 
Let's all just remember that Hopper had the Atlantean sword in his pit fight.
 
Parkaboy said:
He had weapons in the book.
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So Hollywood screwed that up as well? I'm not surprised, for some reason...:shade:

So what kind of weapons are you looking for, and what the progression would be as they find better ones? CM1911As progressing to AR-15s progressing to grenade launchers? Sticks and knives progressing to swords and/or a Beretta92F? AK-47s to start progressing to adding a grenade launcher progressing to drones?
Those would have very different visuals, at least...:grin:
 
Brock Savage said:
I am looking for a solid cyberpunk/dark future arena game. I don't mind if the combat is a little war gamey like D&D 4e or Lancer; in fact that's probably going to be a plus. Ideally it has a nice downtime system for WWF-style drama, sponsorship deals, and intrigue in between matches. Influences include:
  • The Contract Circuit in the SLA Industries RPG.
  • Stephen King's novel, The Running Man
  • Manhunt, a video game by Rockstar North
  • Showgunners, a video game by Artificer
Click to expand...

As you've talked about Kill Sector, I might suggest Chrome hammers, you'd have to add the Arena part on top of it though. They also have a Shadowrun inspired solo version called Chrome Hammer Ascension which is pretty good.
 
AsenRG said:
So Hollywood screwed that up as well? I'm not surprised, for some reason...:shade:

So what kind of weapons are you looking for, and what the progression would be as they find better ones? CM1911As progressing to AR-15s progressing to grenade launchers? Sticks and knives progressing to swords and/or a Beretta92F? AK-47s to start progressing to adding a grenade launcher progressing to drones?
Those would have very different visuals, at least...:grin:
Click to expand...
The book is much different. He runs all over the country, while being hunted, and can use anything he can get his hands on. He even gets an SR-71 spyplane at the end.
 
Parkaboy said:
The book is much different. He runs all over the country, while being hunted, and can use anything he can get his hands on. He even gets an SR-71 spyplane at the end.
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Well, he did get a plane in the movie as well. It's just that this is a scene that sharply fell out of popularity circa the end of 2001...:shade:

Also, in this case, I'd recommend Millennium's End:thumbsup:!
 
AsenRG said:
Well, he did get a plane in the movie as well. It's just that this is a scene that sharply fell out of popularity circa the end of 2001...:shade:

Also, in this case, I'd recommend Millennium's End:thumbsup:!
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He does crash the plane into a skyscraper in the novel.
 
Parkaboy said:
I do not believe that happened in The Running Man film (1987).
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I've only ever watched the movie, never bothered with the book (I'm not much of a Stephen King fan). So how come I remember it:grin:?
 
Parkaboy said:
Mandella Effect.
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Can't exclude it, but obviously I can't confirm it, either - of course, that's pretty much by definition...:shade:

(I suspect it might be something similar in another Schwartzenegger movie).
 
AsenRG said:
Can't exclude it, but obviously I can't confirm it, either - of course, that's pretty much by definition...:shade:

(I suspect it might be something similar in another Schwartzenegger movie).
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Arnold's movies are all unique snowflakes. Not one is like ANY other.
 
Parkaboy said:
Arnold's movies are all unique snowflakes. Not one is like ANY other.
Click to expand...
...Red Sonja, Conan the Destroyer and Conan the Barbarian disagree:thumbsup:!

Same for Running Man and Total Recall, for that matter:grin:!
 
This doesn't have any downtime or between game rules. But it's basically a very narrowly focused "Running Man, the RPG." Never seen it in PDF, I bought these from Solarion (formerly TSR). You might find something useful in it.

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Gringnr said:
This doesn't have any downtime or between game rules. But it's basically a very narrowly focused "Running Man, the RPG." Never seen it in PDF, I bought these from Solarion (formerly TSR). You might find something useful in it.
Click to expand...

I have been looking for this game since the 90s but forgot the name, thank you!
 
I really didn't care for Conan the Destroyer, either. But both of the '80s Conan movies have great soundtracks!
 
Wonder if any of these has pleasing the audience as a mechanic, like to encourage the PCs to do cool moves or to limit themselves from always using the most efficient tactics.
 
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