Current Events > I don't know how anyone in Cyberpunk just lives their life.

(+) Yeah! (+)

If the game is anything to go by, netrunners are the most terrifying shit imaginable. By the end of the game, I could stand outside a building, hack into their cameras, and slaughter everyone in the most horrific possible way by hacking their cybernetics.

Make them leak toxic substances until you vomit and then you catch fire and explode.
https://www.youtube.com/shorts/flZaA5PJEhc

Make your brain overload and your eyes burst into flame
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rDYssCnvSN0

Or feed what seems to be your literal soul to monstrous AIs.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LD5z3GmQRXQ

How the fuck you just go to work knowing that shit could happen to you at any moment?

The only "solace" is that normal people are so boring and replaceable that they're not usually gonna be targeted.

I wonder how many people in that universe have no enhancements and are 100% normal human.

Would they still be able to get effected by hacks and such? Granted, they would get you by hacking you vacuum cleaner and turning it hostile or something. But would being a normie give you any protection from netrunners and such?

reincarnator07 posted...

The only "solace" is that normal people are so boring and replaceable that they're not usually gonna be targeted.

This. There's millions of people, so the odds of one family being randomly targeted are pretty low. And also, not everyone has the same level of cybernetics inside of them. Many only have very basic level stuff, so not as big of a risk of hacking.

buddah86 posted...

I wonder how many people in that universe have no enhancements and are 100% normal human.

Would they still be able to get effected by hacks and such? Granted, they would get you by hacking you vacuum cleaner and turning it hostile or something. But would being a normie give you any protection from netrunners and such?

The impression I get is that it's extremely rare. I only remember four characters in the entire game who are confirmed to not have any cyberware: Claire, two side quest monks (until one is captured by Maelstrom), and one of the ripperdocs named Robert Rainwater. In every case, V considers it a little weird.

NoxObscuras posted...

And also, not everyone has the same level of cybernetics inside of them. Many only have very basic level stuff, so not as big of a risk of hacking.

Most/none of the hacks in the game don't rely on an enemy having a specific cybernetic though, I think you're just hacking their neuroport which is the baseline cybernetic that all the other ones connect through.

buddah86 posted...

I wonder how many people in that universe have no enhancements and are 100% normal human.

Hardly anybody.

MASSIVE PHANTOM LIBERTY SPOILERS
The new ending in the DLC has V end up like that. It's the only true "V is cured and lives" ending the game has, but comes at the cost of them never being able to have cyberware again.

itis basically impossible for them to function in society, and they are almost immediately targeted and have their shit kicked in by a couple 2-bit shitwit gangsters. V is totally helpless, miserable, has basically no prospects, and it is basically 100% the worst ending.

Basically the biggest "fuck you, player" ending a developer has made since the Refusal ending in ME3

can you imagine if RL was like this where corporations had absolute control over everything and where wanting to turn our bodies into machines they own

hahahahahaha *breaks down sobbing*

The future Amazon wants.

AceMos posted...

can you imagine if RL was like this where corporations had absolute control over everything and where wanting to turn our bodies into machines they own

hahahahahaha *breaks down sobbing*

I don't disagree with your point, but we're nowhere near Cyberpunk's level of bullshit lol

SAlYAN posted...

MASSIVE PHANTOM LIBERTY SPOILERS

I didn't get that ending (I sided with Reed and then mercy killed So Mi), but it seems a little silly. Claire and the ripperdoc are doing fine, you can definitely live in that world without cybernetics even if it would be limiting. Though granted they don't have the reputation V would have by that point.

pegusus123456 posted...

I don't disagree with your point, but we're nowhere near Cyberpunk's level of bullshit lol

YET

still got 52 years to reach it

and we wont even get the cool cyborg bodies when we do

AceMos posted...

YET

still got 52 years to reach it

and we wont even get the cool cyborg bodies when we do

I don't think it can get as bad as Cyberpunk without the cool cyborg bodies tbh.

pegusus123456 posted...

I don't think it can get as bad as Cyberpunk without the cool cyborg bodies tbh.

I'm certain I remember an in universe ad comparing companies to work for. One of them was promoted as having like a whole week of vacation time and healthcare!!!

That's America today, without the cool cybernetics. Add in the corporatocracy, the lawlessness, the insanely militarised police, the tying of all sorts of rights to your ability to be a cog... America isn't quite as bad yet, but it's absolutely on the path.

Well, you gon find out for yourself very soon!

pegusus123456 posted...

How the fuck you just go to work knowing that shit could happen to you at any moment?

The vast majority of people can't actually do that, and the ones that can are usually on tight corpo/government leashes.

V is an outlier because they can chrome up to a much higher level than most because Johnny is sort of acting as a buffer preventing cyber-psychosis.

reincarnator07 posted...

I'm certain I remember an in universe ad comparing companies to work for. One of them was promoted as having like a whole week of vacation time and healthcare!!!

That's America today, without the cool cybernetics. Add in the corporatocracy, the lawlessness, the insanely militarised police, the tying of all sorts of rights to your ability to be a cog... America isn't quite as bad yet, but it's absolutely on the path.

The only cybernetics America will get are mandatory implants to track our every movement if the Republicans who want this get their way. So yes, we are on the verge of living in Cyberpunk.

Juding from all the in-game ads, consumerism is at an all time high in that universe so they just drown themselves in drugs, BDS, shows, etc while ignoring the state of the world.

Cyberpunk Universe is one of the worst ones to live in.

Keep in mind that in Edgerunners, David's mom got whacked by some random gang incident out of nowhere. Can't forget all the cyberpsycho attacks.

You literally have to get cybernetics just to survive but then doing that means you get gangs trying to harvest you for parts and you can remotely have your head exploded by some experienced netrunner at any moment.

Squall28 posted...

Juding from all the in-game ads, consumerism is at an all time high in that universe so they just drown themselves in drugs, BDS, shows, etc while ignoring the state of the world.

I don't think they ignore it. There's just no hope in changing it. Corporate interests own every aspect of life. Politicians who go against the status quo get their brain chemistry overwritten to be more pro corporate. CEOs of companies are elected president. And those not at the top have to /kill/blackmail their way to top or accept endless work hours. All this is seen in the corporate lifepath.

GhostFaceLeaks posted...

The only cybernetics America will get are mandatory implants to track our every movement if the Republicans who want this get their way. So yes, we are on the verge of living in Cyberpunk.

Nah, they don't need them. People already carry smartphones. What you'd actually see would be anything that can cheaply increase productivity.

pegusus123456 posted...

The impression I get is that it's extremely rare. I only remember four characters in the entire game who are confirmed to not have any cyberware: Claire, two side quest monks (until one is captured by Maelstrom), and one of the ripperdocs named Robert Rainwater. In every case, V considers it a little weird.

Isn't Misty cyberware free, says it would interfere with her readings or whatever?

AceMos posted...

can you imagine if RL was like this where corporations had absolute control over everything and where wanting to turn our bodies into machines they own

hahahahahaha *breaks down sobbing*

The cyberpunk genre was meant as a cautionary tale, but some powerful people see it as a blueprint. :\

pegusus123456 posted...

Most/none of the hacks in the game don't rely on an enemy having a specific cybernetic though, I think you're just hacking their neuroport which is the baseline cybernetic that all the other ones connect through.

Some do, like reboot optics and synapse burnout. Didn't think those would have the same effect without cybernetic eyes.

And I'd say that outside of video game logic, contagion probably wouldn't be as instantly deadly as it is. The virus from that hack just removes the safeguards that prevent the metals in the cyberware from leeching into the bloodstream. Which is definitely bad, but they'd need a lot of cyberware for it to kill them the way it does in game.

I agree with post #17 that gangs and cyberpsychos are probably a bigger concern

reincarnator07 posted...

I'm certain I remember an in universe ad comparing companies to work for. One of them was promoted as having like a whole week of vacation time and healthcare!!!

That's America today, without the cool cybernetics. Add in the corporatocracy, the lawlessness, the insanely militarised police, the tying of all sorts of rights to your ability to be a cog... America isn't quite as bad yet, but it's absolutely on the path.

I remember the article you're referring to because it's frankly hilarious, but you're forgetting some other aspects.

Arasaka is praised for giving you top of the line cybernetics with "only" a twenty year loyalty pledge.

Biotechnica is considered th third best place to work because they offer "up to six (yes, six!)" vacation days a year.

Kang Tao gives you top level Trauma Team coverage, so you won't have to worry about healthcare for the entirety of your fifty-year loyalty pledge.

And NightCorp snuck into the top five because they "know how to spoil their staff" with a recent change that reduces the minimum work week to eighty hours.

America definitely isn't that bad.

pegusus123456 posted...

I remember the article you're referring to because it's frankly hilarious, but you're forgetting some other aspects.

Arasaka is praised for giving you top of the line cybernetics with "only" a twenty year loyalty pledge.

Biotechnica is considered th third best place to work because they offer "up to six (yes, six!)" vacation days a year.

Kang Tao gives you top level Trauma Team coverage, so you won't have to worry about healthcare for the entirety of your fifty-year loyalty pledge.

And NightCorp snuck into the top five because they "know how to spoil their staff" with a recent change that reduces the minimum work week to eighty hours.

America definitely isn't that bad.

Yeah, I was trying to find the details but couldn't for love nor money. Modern USA isn't as bad as night city, but the gap is nowhere near as wide as it should be.

reincarnator07 posted...

Yeah, I was trying to find the details but couldn't for love nor money. Modern USA isn't as bad as night city, but the gap is nowhere near as wide as it should be.

To be fair, I left out Militech because their big perk is that you get 50% off all Militech weaponry, so you can buy your entire family high quality firearms this Christmas.

That one is uh

Not that far off

BIG 5 EMPLOYERS IN NIGHT CITY 2077

It's that time of the year again we present our list of the biggest and best corps to work for in Night City! Who offers paid vacation? Who pays for employees' Trauma Team insurance policies? Who provides discounts for daycare and child bodyguard services? Have a look at our rankings below! 1. Arasaka Coming in again this year in our #1 spot the Japanese zaibatsu juggernaut. Employees can expect to be fit with the latest in cyberware technology with a loyalty obligation of only 20 years! 2. Militech The American arms giant provides its employees with up to 50% discounts on all Militech weapons. With a deal that good, you'd be able to put a Mk.31 Heavy Machine Gun under the Christmas tree for everyone in the family! 3. Biotechnica Our 2077 bronze medal goes to Biotechnica who offers up to six (yes, six!) paid vacation days a year! 4. Kang Tao China's largest tech and arms manufacturer treats its employees to a Gold Membership with Trauma Team. Never spend a single minute of your 50-year loyalty pledge worrying about paying for health coverage! 5. Night Corp While this hometown product can't compete with the biggest international players in terms of budget or ambition, they certainly know how to spoil their staff. Night Corp snuck into our Big 5 after a recent announcement to reduce the mandatory workweek to just 80 hours! They are a must-apply for all you family-focused folks out there.

And bear in mind those "Cyberware upgrades for loyalty" mean that if you get fired they repossess about 40% of your body.