Android: Netrunner Heading to Cyberpunk India in Next Expansion

[PatrickJS]

Android: Netrunner Heading to Cyberpunk India in Next Expansion

Later this year, Fantasy Flight Games will release the next cycle of expansions for their popular Living Card Game, Android: Netrunner. This time, the game travels to a cyberpunk India in a moment of political upheaval.

The Android universe takes place after jack their brains directly into the Net [http://www.escapistmagazine.com/news/view/142074-Canadian-Company-Thoth-Has-Been-Granted-a-U-S-Patent-for-a-Space-Elevator], a self-perpetuating virtual environment, built on what was once the web but now independent of it.

For the curious, the Shut Up and Sit Down crew review Netrunner about 10 minutes into this video [http://www.escapistmagazine.com/videos/view/shut-up-and-sit-down/9474-A-Sci-Fi-Special-Time-n-Space-Netrunner-and-Rex]. Fair warning: Quinns' enthusiasm tends to leave wallets in ruins.

The Mumbad Cycle will be a series of six expansions, each a set 60 cards, that explore the new Indian megacity one district at a time. India's caste system is mostly a distant memory, though a shadow of it remains: the players find themselves in Mumbad as an election becomes a referendum over whether genetically-engineered clones deserve human rights.

The first pack in the cycle is set in Kala Ghoda, the city's art district, which houses its historical museum and university. The second brings us to the heart of Mumbad's financial sector, and introduces the cycle's first new Identity: Palana Foods, a deceptively gentle division of Jinteki.

Check out the gallery of upcoming cards below:

[gallery=4584]

I really want to know what goes into that "Improved Protein Source." It's probably nothing evil.

Originally designed by Richard Garfield (Magic: The Gathering) in the 90s, Android: Netrunner is a sci-fi heist game wherein one player plays a hacker, or Runner, and their opponent is an (arguably) evil megacorporation.

The Corp has all the blow them right up [https://images-cdn.fantasyflightgames.com/filer_public/e1/1e/e11ebd1e-2792-45e6-a23d-e295047e4e6a/vanity-project.png].

It's a war of information. It's a card game where you can attack another player's hand, or deck - or discard pile. One of the factions is basically a Disney/FoxNews lovechild. Any fans of the game (other than myself) at the Escapist? I'd love to see decklists for Palana Foods in the comments - I've already got a few brewing as I write this.

Source: Fantasy Flight: Kala Ghoda [https://www.fantasyflightgames.com/en/news/2015/8/26/business-first/]

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[Addendum_Forthcoming]

A lot of the FFG staff are thinking long term, even in terms of the legality of cards in tourney decks in older cycles come 2017. So the Mumbad cycle, in co-ordination with Data and Destiny expansion will likely be pretty revolutionary, game altering stuff, I believe. The introduction of mini-factions (though FFG profess not to heavily support them) come Dat&Des expansion and the last few interviews with game dev staffers leads me to believe they'll be playing with a whole bunch of new concepts.

I do hope they atleast save some older cards .... I love my Chaos Theory decks D:

 

[PatrickJS]

I do hope they atleast save some older cards .... I love my Chaos Theory decks D:

Me too! I'm hopeful for some kind of "Re-Genesis," maybe at least in a new cycle or expansion full of direct analogues to older cards. Losing such seemingly basic cards as RnD and HQ Interfaces (especially with the latter now seeing even more synergy with new cards), or Nerve Agent, Imp... I'd even miss Pop-Up Window, a card that works so well with one of the upcoming IDs. I wouldn't miss a lot of Spin Cycle or Lunar Cycle, but Genesis was clearly "Core Set 2.0" and I'd be sad to see all the leave the game.

 

[Addendum_Forthcoming]

Me too! I'm hopeful for some kind of "Re-Genesis," maybe at least in a new cycle or expansion full of direct analogues to older cards. Losing such seemingly basic cards as RnD and HQ Interfaces (especially with the latter now seeing even more synergy with new cards), or Nerve Agent, Imp... I'd even miss Pop-Up Window, a card that works so well with one of the upcoming IDs. I wouldn't miss a lot of Spin Cycle or Lunar Cycle, but Genesis was clearly "Core Set 2.0" and I'd be sad to see all the leave the game.

Oh yeah. Not to mention the Runner substitute of Pad Campaign, Underworld Contacts. There was a whole lot of good link raisers lik Helper AI and a whole lot of cards that rewarded strong link strength even if not playing against NBN Ice in the Genesis packs. Fortunately Rabbit Hole is Core so I probably wpn't need to worry too much in that regard. A lot of people like running MOpus heavy CT decks, I prefer two rabbit holes, as you install one, get to search and install the other as a free click. So it was +2 link strength in one click, with one card, for 4 creds. Getting you access to UCs which gave you creds without clicks and without MU cost. Also works in getting MU free Icebrealers like Zu.13 and Creeper with no MU cost, both Shapers to boot (also Genesis cards)! So you could have with CT + Dinosaurus a full IB suite, Hyperdriver, Sneakdoor Beta, and a Dayasucke, no Akamatsus needed. That's a rig to be scared of. Runner gonna run.

Not only that, you can do more with 3 UCs than you can 2 or 3 MOpus cards in your deck. So all you needed was 2 rabbit holes in your deck with CT, and by mathematical odds you could out Link strength Mac by putting 2 in your deck with the 40 card deck min in five turns. Genesis cards provided a lot of Wicked adaption cards.

Sneakdoor Beta is looking a whole lot less impressive if they do scrap cards like HQ interface from tourney decks. And how dare they even think of scrapping Dinosaurus! It's like they haven't met...

 

[Something Amyss]

I didn't know they had made this.

I remember playing Netrunner back in the 90s. It was massively fun, but I could only find two people who wanted to play it, so I never got much practice. This is popular, you say?

Awesome.

 

[Addendum_Forthcoming]

I didn't know they had made this.

I remember playing Netrunner back in the 90s. It was massively fun, but I could only find two people who wanted to play it, so I never got much practice. This is popular, you say?

Awesome.

Yeah, FFG released Netrunner as attached to their Android Universe. It's a fun game. And given it's a living card game, no need to spend a million dollars to get the cards you want in you decks, in the quantities you want them. Just look up what cards 6you want in a deck, buy those sets/datapacks. Netrunner is no Magic, sure... but once you play the game, you want to play more. It's attracting ever larger crowds, mainly due to the efficiency it takes to beable to compete. No power creep. You want to play the same deck as a tourney champion, simply buy the sets and datapacks necessary to build the exact same deck. No second mortgage on your house required.

 

[Something Amyss]

Yeah, FFG released Netrunner as attached to their Android Universe. It's a fun game. And given it's a living card game, no need to spend a million dollars to get the cards you want in you decks, in the quantities you want them. Just look up what cards 6you want in a deck, buy those sets/datapacks. Netrunner is no Magic, sure... but once you play the game, you want to play more. It's attracting ever larger crowds, mainly due to the efficiency it takes to beable to compete. No power creep, you want to play the same deck as a tourney champion, simply buy the sets and datapacks necessary to build the exact same deck. No second mortgage on your house required.

Yeah, the "Android" in the name almost led me to not look at this. I was thinking "nah, probably not the same thing."

I still don't really know what it is. Is that a barrier to entry? I imagine not, since it's a card game, but you never know.

 

[Addendum_Forthcoming]

Yeah, the "Android" in the name almost led me to not look at this. I was thinking "nah, probably not the same thing."

I still don't really know what it is. Is that a barrier to entry? I imagine not, since it's a card game, but you never know.

Not really. I mean they released a bunch of books, but the books seem to be more so fluff. Like a Bioroid cop doing the Blade Runner thing in one. Sure it's interesting, but you'd think that the books would be about the Runner and Corp identities you get to play in the game, and the mischief they get up to. Hacking and advancing corporate agendas.

I'd totally read a trilogy epic of Shapers, Anarchs and Criminal game identities performing the Ocean's Eleven version of running against a coalition of Corps.

 

[Something Amyss]

Not really. I mean they released a bunch of books, but the books seem to be more so fluff. Like a Bioroid cop doing the Blade Runner thing in one. Sure it's interesting, but you'd think that the books would be about the Runner and Corp identities you get to play in the game, and the mischief they get up to. Hacking and advancing corporate agendas.

I'd totally read a trilogy epic of Shapers, Anarchs and Criminal game identities performing the Ocean's Eleven version of running against a coalition of Corps.

That's pretty cool. I may take a crack at this. If for the sake of nostalgia if nothing else.

 

[Addendum_Forthcoming]

That's pretty cool. I may take a crack at this. If for the sake of nostalgia if nothing else.

If you liked the original, you'll like this. FFG regularly reprint and restock even the oldest Datapacks and Deluxe expansions. So being able to build the deck of your dreams is based more on time than money, and you can play 7 decks out of the core box. (Four corps, 3 Runners.)

Probably the best card game I've played, at least since Torg (though that was a hybrid of tabletop rpg and cardgame).

 

[vallorn]

Gotta say that I love me some Cyberpunk (As evidenced by my current relapse into Shadowrun addiction with Shadowrun: Hong Kong's release) so this CCG might be right up my alley, the sentiments evidenced in the card's flavour texts really do make me think that the designers "get" cyberpunk so I think that I may have to give it a go.

(Also, I'm slightly disappointed that this site didn't review SR:HK with this being the months of No Games... It would have been nice to see if my views on the game were mirrored by anyone else)

 

[Addendum_Forthcoming]

Gotta say that I love me some Cyberpunk (As evidenced by my current relapse into Shadowrun addiction with Shadowrun: Hong Kong's release) so this CCG might be right up my alley, the sentiments evidenced in the card's flavour texts really do make me think that the designers "get" cyberpunk so I think that I may have to give it a go.

(Also, I'm slightly disappointed that this site didn't review SR:HK with this being the months of No Games... It would have been nice to see if my views on the game were mirrored by anyone else)

Definitely has the Shadowrunner feel. Minus magic. But depending on the faction identities you'll play or the corps branches you'll operate as, you do get a strong feel for the various elements in Shadowrun. Whether the smash and grab of many criminal decks, or the super decker like Shapers. Particularly disarming ICE (pretty much exactly like ICE in SR, including their ability to cause brain damage, perform traces, or trash your hardware and more). Though the important thing to remember is this isn't so much a CCG, but a LCG (Living Card Game).

No booster packs, just buy the sets and datapacks you need to get the cards you want. Most of the time, you get triplicates of each card (which is the maximum you can house in a deck anyways for most cards). Some cards are unique (has a diamond next to the title on the card), meaning you can only hold one of those cards in a deck e.g. Dinosaurus. But you always know how to get those cards, and what sets/datapacks they are in. There is alternate artwork on some cards, but mechanically speaking no different.

The only time the triplicate copy rule gets broken is with the core box. You'll need two cores to get access to three Magnum Opuses for example, or buy the individual card. As there were only two provided in the core.

Rules wise, there's multiple ways to wi the game for either Runner or Corp. A lot of times, as a corp, you can win the game by 'flatlining' the Runner by doing enough net or meat damage to exceed the cards in their 'grip' (hand). It's a asymetrical game. Get bored with performing runs, flip the roles and be the corp. It's like playing an entirely new game. Where subtlety, mind games and clever planning take the stage. The corp side of things will take your poker face to a whole new level. It feels SO good to flatline your opponent, you'll grin when you trick a player to run a remote server they think contains an Agenda, only to reveal a Junebug... and the look on their face as they realise there's nothing they can do to stop the haemorrhage of cards that slams them out of the game.

Part of the game's charm. It has something to offer any particular mindset or type of gameplay, ad tourament play forces you to effectively learn how to play two games at near perfection. Despite there being three Runner factions (at the moment), the play styles radically alter depending on the specific identity of that faction. There is oceans of difference between Chaos Theory (my favourite), and her fellow Shaper the Professor (least favourite). Similar too the various Corp identities. There's a reason why it is growing in popularity. I love it, and the more players out there the better. Deserves even more notice.

If you like the feel and themes of Shadowrun, either tabletop or the video games, you'll like Android: Netrunner.

 

[And Man]

I still don't really know what it is. Is that a barrier to entry? I imagine not, since it's a card game, but you never know.

The biggest barrier to entry is just learning the terminology, because everything has it's own distinct name e.g. the Corps deck is called hand is called their Grip, the Corps hand is called HQ. Another possible barrier, if you want to play competitively, is that two datapacks, Opening Moves and Future Proof, have some excellent Corp cards and are very hard to find a standard price, especially Opening Moves. Most people that don't own those datapacks will just use proxy cards, but proxies aren't allowed in FFG-sanctioned tournaments. Both datapacks are currently being reprinted though, so they should be available by October or November or so.

Netrunner is a pretty fantastic game though, and I'd highly recommend it.

Some cards are unique (has a diamond next to the title on the card), meaning you can only hold one of those cards in a deck e.g. Dinosaurus.

You can still have up to three copies of a unique card in your deck, but you can only have one copy installed. There are some unique cards that you're only allowed one copy in your deck, but it's explicitly stated on the cards. So far the only cards that are limited to one copy per deck are the Shards for Runners and a few Agendas (the Fragments, Government Takeover, Director Haas' Pet Project, Philotic Entanglement, and 15 Minutes come D&D) for Corps. So you can have three copies of Dinosaurus in your deck.

 

[AlbinoBunny]

Not really. I mean they released a bunch of books, but the books seem to be more so fluff. Like a Bioroid cop doing the Blade Runner thing in one. Sure it's interesting, but you'd think that the books would be about the Runner and Corp identities you get to play in the game, and the mischief they get up to. Hacking and advancing corporate agendas.

I'd totally read a trilogy epic of Shapers, Anarchs and Criminal game identities performing the Ocean's Eleven version of running against a coalition of Corps.

That's pretty cool. I may take a crack at this. If for the sake of nostalgia if nothing else.

If you're looking to give it a go the easiest ways probably to find someone you know who plays it and try out the OCTGN module. It's a free online client for the game that FFG endorses and it has everything except some of the more modern card art. Really nice even if the UI's not great.

 

[Addendum_Forthcoming]

You can still have up to three copies of a unique card in your deck, but you can only have one copy installed. There are some unique cards that you're only allowed one copy in your deck, but it's explicitly stated on the cards. So far the only cards that are limited to one copy per deck are the Shards for Runners and a few Agendas (the Fragments, Government Takeover, Director Haas' Pet Project, Philotic Entanglement, and 15 Minutes come D&D). So you can have three copies of Dinosaurus in your deck.

Yes, sorry! Installed. Though Dinosaurus is a bad example, anyways, given you can only have a limit of 1 console installed. I always thought it was in your deck, not just installed? But yeah, revisiting the rule book it is actually 'Active' ... so it's not merely 'installed'. Particulaly if you're playing a corp meaning you could have potentially two uniques of the same title installed, so long as none have become active.

 

[happyninja42]

Gotta say that I love me some Cyberpunk (As evidenced by my current relapse into Shadowrun addiction with Shadowrun: Hong Kong's release) so this CCG might be right up my alley, the sentiments evidenced in the card's flavour texts really do make me think that the designers "get" cyberpunk so I think that I may have to give it a go.

(Also, I'm slightly disappointed that this site didn't review SR:HK with this being the months of No Games... It would have been nice to see if my views on the game were mirrored by anyone else)

Oh the guys at FFG "get" gaming in all it's forms. Trust me. They also produce the Star Wars roleplaying game currently, and I've listened to them on a Star Wars devoted podcast for several years, talking about the product. They are diehard fans of gaming in all it's forms, and it shows when you talk to them about this kind of stuff.

 

[PatrickJS]

That's pretty cool. I may take a crack at this. If for the sake of nostalgia if nothing else.

It's pretty popular, so if you live in a medium-sized city there's probably a "Netrunner ____" Facebook group for the area. The players, at least in my region, are extremely welcoming to newbies and like to teach the game and grow the player base. Basically: if you ask someone to show you the ropes, they probably will.

I remember playing Netrunner back in the 90s. It was massively fun, but I could only find two people who wanted to play it, so I never got much practice.

I never played the original - I remember seeing it on game store shelves, but I just wanted my Magic. I was such a fool!

 

[Something Amyss]

Probably the best card game I've played, at least since Torg (though that was a hybrid of tabletop rpg and cardgame).

That's really good to hear.

Now I just need to find some people in my area who are interested.

If you're looking to give it a go the easiest ways probably to find someone you know who plays it and try out the OCTGN module. It's a free online client for the game that FFG endorses and it has everything except some of the more modern card art. Really nice even if the UI's not great.

That would probably not be so easy. Most of the people I know don't play card games anymore. Well, except Texas Hold-ém.

The biggest barrier to entry is just learning the terminology, because everything has it's own distinct name

Sounds like the jargon's similar to the old game, so probably not going to kill me.

It's pretty popular, so if you live in a medium-sized city there's probably a "Netrunner ____" Facebook group for the area. The players, at least in my region, are extremely welcoming to newbies and like to teach the game and grow the player base. Basically: if you ask someone to show you the ropes, they probably will.

I live in Vermont. Once you discount the cows, our population could easily fit in a medium-sized city.

I never played the original - I remember seeing it on game store shelves, but I just wanted my Magic. I was such a fool!

In fairness, by the time Netrunner dropped, I'm pretty sure there were a ton of card games on the market. How many? This meme never seemed so accurate.


Card games were coming and going so fast that I ended up trying some games because I could get entire boxes for the price of a M:tG starter. So, like, good ones were easy to miss.

A friend of mine recently asked me about a new game they had picked up called Fluxx. Not quite the same deal, since it's not a CCG, but it's a weird nostalgia blast to find out that still existed, too.

But I spent most of my time on Magic, too. Why? Because it was the game everyone played. That was the other problem those games had, especially if they were collectible. Everyone played Magic. Not everyone was willing to buy a bunch of cards to make a deck of new game 975203495498545. Granted, a lot of them did suck.

 

[vallorn]

Gotta say that I love me some Cyberpunk (As evidenced by my current relapse into Shadowrun addiction with Shadowrun: Hong Kong's release) so this CCG might be right up my alley, the sentiments evidenced in the card's flavour texts really do make me think that the designers "get" cyberpunk so I think that I may have to give it a go.

(Also, I'm slightly disappointed that this site didn't review SR:HK with this being the months of No Games... It would have been nice to see if my views on the game were mirrored by anyone else)

Oh the guys at FFG "get" gaming in all it's forms. Trust me. They also produce the Star Wars roleplaying game currently, and I've listened to them on a Star Wars devoted podcast for several years, talking about the product. They are diehard fans of gaming in all it's forms, and it shows when you talk to them about this kind of stuff.

Oh believe me, as a Dark Heresy player I know how good FFG are at their games systems... I'm just glad how they really seem to get the feel for Cyberpunk's somewhat unique distopian atmosphere.

 

[And Man]

You can still have up to three copies of a unique card in your deck, but you can only have one copy installed. There are some unique cards that you're only allowed one copy in your deck, but it's explicitly stated on the cards. So far the only cards that are limited to one copy per deck are the Shards for Runners and a few Agendas (the Fragments, Government Takeover, Director Haas' Pet Project, Philotic Entanglement, and 15 Minutes come D&D). So you can have three copies of Dinosaurus in your deck.

Yes, sorry! Installed. Though Dinosaurus is a bad example, anyways, given you can only have a limit of 1 console installed. I always thought it was in your deck, not just installed? But yeah, revisiting the rule book it is actually 'Active' ... so it's not merely 'installed'. Particulaly if you're playing a corp meaning you could have potentially two uniques of the same title installed, so long as none have become active.

Yeah, it's "Active", so you can have multiple Ashes or Niseis installed, as long as only one (or none) are rezzed. On a somewhat related note, this doesn't apply to Regions; you can only ever have one Region installed in a server, even if they're unrezzed. But yeah, having multiple Grimoires and Desperados is one of the main reasons people buy multiple core sets.

And I gotta say, playing with only one console in your deck must've been rough, especially with Dinosaurus, since you either have to either have him installed before installing your breaker or Scavenge an installed breaker onto him.